This post was guest authored by Jim Carlberg, who most recently held the role as Head of Marketing for telecom operator Tre/3.

“In early 2019, Tre had high brand awareness, but only 14% of the Swedish population would consider choosing us. Traditionally, we attracted customers with discounts, which impacted long-term margins and retention rates. Tre needed to make people really want to choose our brand again to get back to profitable growth.

So, we asked Nepa for help. We conducted extensive strategic work that resulted in a new strong foundation to build on; A completely different segmentation model for the market, new core target groups, updated definitions of drivers that create consideration, a revamped strategic position based on growth potential, and finally, a new communication concept.

The telecom industry in Sweden has often been associated with complex contracts, making it hard for people to compare operators. The analysis showed that a “simple, flexible, and helpful operator” would have a higher consideration – and this was attributes that most operators lacked. For us it suddenly became clear, we know Tre delivers on all these attributes, but our consumers didn’t.

Based on this insight we asked the question – How do we create a concept that both increases liking, consideration, and differentiates us from competitors?

We found the answer in Tre’s internal culture, which had been named among the top best workplaces in Sweden for several years in a row. With this as a starting point we could prove to the Swedish people who Tre really are, without making up an untrue story; the TREvliga operator (a wordplay with our brand name and the Swedish word for “friendly and nice”). Our new communication concept became effective because we chose to present what people look for in an operator whilst remaining true and unique to Tre. We removed all asterisks, avoided complicated terms, and pretentious words – we simply made it much more “Trevligt” for everyone.

Based on the clear direction and fresh insights from the work conducted with Nepa, we focused extensively on innovation and development over the next three years, launching products and services better suited to market needs, and marketed the brand and our offerings in a new and more interesting way.

“Trevligt” is now fully integrated in the business. It affects everything, from how we attract and onboard new employees, how we prioritize our roadmap for products and services, how we meet customers in all channels, and of course – our communicative expression and how we market Tre.

When “Trevligt” was launched, we managed to fill several needs with one approach. We started from something that was true for Tre, and that the entire company and culture could stand behind and live every day. We created something unique to the business that no other competitor could own. And we dramatized it in a way that broke through in an industry that is among the largest media buyers in Sweden, where everyone is essentially shouting about the same thing.

In other words, we questioned old truths, ignored what everyone else did, and aimed high on the value of building a strong brand from the inside out.

The results have been nothing but amazing. Brand consideration has increased from 14% to 18%, and Ad Liking doubled from an average 22% to 44% over the last campaign. The business is now flourishing – last year our customer base increased by 7.5%, with improved margins and profitability. Customer churn has decreased, and NPS increased by 12%. As a result of our new strategy, based on initial work with Nepa, last year we had the best financial year in Tre’s history since we started back in 2003.”

Jim’s top tips on how to best work with insights

Utilize market research to identify consumer needs: No more guesswork – to understand market trends and what’s really driving your customers behaviours is vital. Tre’s strategic work shaped our marketing and communication strategy, increasing all of our brand and business KPI’s.

Align marketing with brand values and culture: Tre used its top-rated company culture to create a communication strategy reflecting our values, differentiating us from competitors and resonating more with consumers.

Innovate based on insights and feedback: Tre’s focus on innovation and development, guided by market research and customer feedback, led us to increased satisfaction, reduced churn, and improved profitability.

About the author

Jim Carlberg is an experienced marketing executive, who most recently held the role as Head of Marketing for telecom operator Tre/3.

Whether we realize it or not, many of our favourite movies, books, and TV shows adhere to certain “tested concepts” that have long-become associated with their respective genres. These ideas or themes have been proven successful in the past and are often replicated by creators looking to capitalise on the success of previous works.

But why do these “tested concepts” persist? One reason is that they appeal to the audience’s expectations and desires. Fans of Chris Hemsworth expect to see intense action sequences and thrilling stunts in his action movies, while romance fans want to experience the excitement of falling in love and the satisfaction of a happy ending.

Another reason is that certain concepts are successful in the market. When audiences respond positively to a particular type of story or theme, creators are more likely to replicate it in future works. This can create a feedback loop in which certain concepts become associated with a genre and are repeated over and over again.

Of course, there is a danger in relying too heavily on these “tested concepts”. Creators must find ways to put their own unique spin on them to avoid becoming too formulaic or predictable.

However, when used effectively, these “tested concepts” can help to establish the conventions of a genre and create a shared language between creators and audiences. By understanding the concepts and how they function within a particular genre, creators can use them to tell compelling stories that resonate with fans and stand the test of time.

Choosing the right concept

Concept testing is a vital step in a product development process as it helps to assess the viability of a new product idea. It’s important to gather as much feedback as possible from potential viewers, and use that information to refine and improve the product before investing time and resources into full-scale development. 

Nepa partnered with one of the largest global streaming service providers in order to do just that. They wanted to know which programme concepts would rank highest in popularity in the ‘Adventure’ genre in a specific market, so they knew where to focus their plans  

Set-up specifics: Up to 10 test concepts and 1-2 control concepts per genre tested. Selection based on natural fallout of men and women 15-74 into two groups of 500, both current & non-customers. 

Each wave started with respondents answering a couple of background and habit questions to segment them into the correct groups. Subsequently, respondents were then exposed to all concepts in a MaxDiff setup, where all respondents were repeatedly asked to select the one program concept out of two they believe will be the most popular. After going through all synopses, the respondent then answered a set of follow-up questions for a selected number of test concepts. 

One concept clearly struggled to gain traction. Respondents ranked it low on the willingness to pay and likelihood to watch scale. A reason for this might be the fact that this is a completely new concept, thus creating higher barriers among the respondents.  

But two Adventure programmes were clear winners, with the highest likelihood to watch and willingness to pay scores, whilst also ranking in the top 3 of the MaxDiff. They were obvious choices on which concepts to move forward. 

In conclusion, tested concepts have a significant impact on shaping our favourite genres. They provide a reliable framework for storytelling, allowing creators to explore and expand upon well-established ideas while also satisfying audience expectations. Whether it’s the “opposites attract” theme in romance, the hero’s journey in action, or the haunted house in horror, tested concepts provide a sense of familiarity and recognition for audiences, while also enabling creators to tell engaging and compelling stories. As such, these concepts are an essential part of what makes our favourite genres so beloved and enduring.