A branding story. 

Hello, Michael here, National Sales Manager of LNI. I caught up with a family friend who had recently come back from a holiday in the Northern Territory. The way they shared about their holiday was so interesting and engaging, and such a powerful example of the importance of branding, so I asked if we could share their story as a blog with our customers. So here it is. I hope it resonates with you as much as it did with me.

Our family of five recently went on a holiday in the Northern Territory, exploring from the epic Red Centre right up to the sunny and vibrant Top End. We are not seasoned campers, so we hired a motor home. It was a bit of a litmus test: would we thrive and have a grand adventure, or would it be a grand disaster instead, and would we end up with cabin fever, sick of the sight of each other? 

Well, I am happy to report that it was absolutely the former, and one of the most memorable holidays our family has ever been on! 

So... how is this about branding? 

I’m getting to it, I promise! 

The holiday was such a success, that from very early on we resolved that this needed to be our holiday of choice for at least the next few years. And so, we started planning, researching and dreaming about buying a caravan or camper trailer and upgrading to a 4WD to tow it around Australia, while we were on our holiday. 

The planning and researching parts were easy. We stayed in different campgrounds and caravan parks every night, and in each, there was a plethora of sleeping and accommodation options.  From motor homes large and small, caravans, camper trailers and tents of all shapes and sizes. And alongside most of these was the 4WD used to facilitate the adventure. I started taking notes.

Vehicle branding

It was very easy for me to make notes about the 4WDs I most often saw alongside or towing these caravans and camper trailers as they had highly visible and recognisable badges identifying the brand, make and model. 

Caravans and Camper Trailers 

Thankfully, most caravan and camper trailer manufacturers have cottoned on to the importance of branding their products. When we were doing our reconnaissance missions around the various campgrounds we visited, we were able to identify and make notes about most of the set-ups we came across that we liked. We were even able to make notes about some of the camping accessories that people had – whether it be the portable clothesline, the solar panels, the outdoor showers, portable tables or chairs. 

And make notes I did. Our reasoning was that once we got home, we were not going to have so many actual examples of the items we were considering buying in one place like that again anytime soon! 

There were some exceptions though. A few camper trailers (trailers that convert into a tent) did not have any visible branding on them as we drove past. This was absolutely a lost opportunity, as we had no idea whatsoever of the brand of the product. So, we just drove on past. 

How good branding converts into sales 

Coincidentally, a week after we returned home from our holiday, there was a Caravan and Camping Show in our city. We attended armed with our notes and research and went straight to the displays occupied by the caravans and camper trailers that we saw and preferred on our holiday to find out more information. What we had seen on the roads during our travels really helped us to narrow down what we wanted and get us closer to the decision or ‘purchase’ phase. The Show simply helped us to find out more about the products we had already seen on the road. 

And I have set up custom notifications on carsales.com.au on the 4WDs that we saw and preferred while we were away. 

The end of the story 

To bring our story full circle, our family has chosen the brand, make and model of caravan we want to purchase, and the 4WD to tow it. We are currently waiting for finance approval, and then we will go into full holiday-planning mode, so a happy ending for our family, that absolutely highlights just how critical and worthwhile product branding is. 

It is more than just branding 

As you read in the story above, good caravan and camper trailer badging can do more than just communicate a brand. Many vehicles which were seen by that family on the road had accreditation badges, Australian Made badges, anniversary or award-winning badges. All of these elements form part of a brand’s competitive advantage, and they can be communicated to customers via badging and labelling on the caravans or camper trailers themselves. 

Such a simple and visible way to display your brand, and to drive the most valuable form of marketing – word of mouth, for the lifetime of your product. 

Badging or labelling your product is a comparatively small cost, compared to other advertising or promotional methods. With more than five decades of experience, LNI can work with you to find the most suitable branding method for your product, no matter how tricky your product branding may be.

Contact the experts at LNI to discuss what is the best solution for your product. All our products are Australian-made, designed, and manufactured. Request a quote from LNI today.