GIM ICU™ stands for Integrated Consumer Understanding and is the first holistically developed target group brand model. The model decodes the relationship between people and brands, taking into account three points of contact: people's needs, their values and goals, and their personality.
GIM ICU™ offers solutions for:
- Target group definitions
- Persona developments
- brand perception
- Brand positioning
- brand communication
Brand relationship: The lock-and-key principle
The relationship between people and brands is similar to the principle of lock and key. Only if we understand people in their entirety can we find the right brand key. If the key fits perfectly, a stable and long-lasting relationship can develop between people and brands.
How stable this relationship is depends on three decisive points of contact between people and brands.
Needs: A brand must address people's needs on different levels. These can be functional needs such as reliability, as well as emotional needs (e.g. security) or aesthetic needs (e.g. design).
Values and goals: Brands should always support people's values and goals. If a person identifies with sustainability, they are more likely to choose brands that embody this value in a comprehensible way.
Personality: Brands need a feeling for people's personality. Only then can people feel comfortable with the brand and feel an authentic connection. The right communication is crucial for a functioning relationship with the target groups.
ICU™'s approach aims to explore these touchpoints to get a comprehensive picture of the connection between people and brands. The holistic view enables us to better align brands with the needs, values and personalities of their target groups - and thus build strong and lasting relationships.
How we explore your brand relationship with GIM ICU™
ICU™ is based on an integrative approach that integrates two key sub-models into one research design: CONSUMER and B®AND.
CONSUMER focuses on the modern, multi-layered consumer. It is a newly developed approach that analyses consumers on the levels on which they can be addressed: on the levels of their values, their attitudes and their needs. In contrast to traditional approaches, CONSUMER works with two different segmentations.
The needs segmentation is created individually for each product category. It is based on specific category needs and category-related attitudes.
The mindset segmentation is category-independent and is based on the general values and attitudes of consumers.
B®AND attaches great importance to the comprehensive consideration of a brand and takes into account that brands are more than just pure images. Rather, they represent holistic social constructions and reflect the mental reflections of an offer. B®AND is based on the assumption that brands must fulfill three essential criteria: they must have a personality, demonstrate their competence and offer a benefit.
The integration of these two sub-models, CONSUMER and B®AND, creates a comprehensive understanding of the complex relationships between target groups and brands. This enables us to develop targeted and effective marketing strategies that address the right points of contact between consumers and brands and thus lead to successful brand relationships.
Typical research questions for GIM ICU™
GIM ICU™ is diverse and can answer a wide range of research questions related to target groups and brands.
From the perspective of target groups (CONSUMER)
- How do you define target groups and develop detailed personas?
- How do target groups think, feel and act in relation to the brand?
- What potential does a target group have for the brand and how should this be evaluated?
- How do the target groups perceive and evaluate the brand?
From the brand's perspective (B®AND)
- How should the brand be positioned to meet the needs of the target groups?
- Which touchpoints are most effective to communicate with the target groups?
- What messages work to get the desired reactions?
- How can the success of the brand be measured and evaluated?
Advantages of our holistic target group brand model
GIM ICU™ enables you to gain an in-depth understanding of your target groups, including their needs, values, attitudes and personality traits. GIM ICU™ identifies the most effective touchpoints for brand communication. By analysing the holistic relationship between people and brand, we can derive recommendations aimed at increasing your brand loyalty and building long-term customer relationships.
Your contact
I will gladly advise you.
Dr. Jörg Munkes
Managing Director