Honeysticks: US Expansion Research

Honeysticks: Conquering the US Market with a Creative and Sustainable Vision

Background:
Honeysticks is a Kiwi business focusing on providing kids with safe, sustainable tools to develop their creativity. The brand is all about putting safe products into kids’ hands during creative play, with distribution to over 20 countries.

The core hero product are the original beeswax crayons product, though the product range has expanded over the years to include colouring books, paintbrushes, watercolour sets, and bath crayons.


The Business Problem

To unlock future growth for Honeysticks by identifying opportunities to grow market share, diversify product range, and retain customer base in the USA while remaining true to core brand values sustainability and safety.

 

Research Objectives

  • Profile current and potential US customers in terms of demographics, location, values
  • Understand what creativity means to parents and what product and brand features drive purchasing decisions
  • Understand how Honeysticks is perceived and the extent to which this aligns with purchase drivers, and the brand’s vision and values

 

 

 

 

 

 

What Insights We Delivered

  • Opportunities to expand into adjacent categories
  • Comprehend US competitor landscape and Honeysticks’ positioning therein
  • Deep analysis on the US market including demographics, values and purchase behaviours
  • Competitor analysis using perceptual maps

 

The Insights Exchange Approach

Insight Exchange initiated a quantitative approach  through a 12-minute online survey, with a sample of 1500 parents of children aged 2-8. The aim of the survey was to gain insight into purchase dynamics such as triggers, influences, and barriers.

Purchase intent and image associations were also a key factor that we aimed to investigate as well as understanding  consumers to focus marketing efforts including demographics, attitudes, behaviours,  location, needs, media channels and perceptions of creativity.

 

 

 

“The research from Insights Exchange really allowed us to make strategic decisions across all aspects of the business, especially in product development and marketing. Working with real data and proof-points has really enabled us to see where our opportunities lie and where we should put our efforts into. We feel much more confident now in our direction.”

Emily Findlay – Global Marketing Manager – Honeysticks