Propaganda commissioned to conduct international Brand audit for BFF.

Based in Somerset, BFF was founded in 1952 as a division of Courtaulds and was subsequently acquired as part of an MBO in 2003 led by chairman David Lamb. Following several years of challenging market conditions and a transformation of its manufacturing focus and capability, BFF has seen dramatic growth in custom from the global snus market, where it enjoys + 60% market share, as well as maintaining a loyal customer base in the wipes, medical and smart fabrics sectors. As a result, BFF has recently reported its strongest figures since 2003 and has ambitious plans targeting new products and new markets for growth.

But what has been at the centre of this transformation?

The simple answer is many things.

A gifted entrepreneur at the helm providing the vision and drive, a focused and capable management team, a talented technical and engineering team, a product that is simply superior to its competitors…and a compelling brand proposition.

Propaganda were commissioned by David in 2003 when he led the MBO to provide him and his fellow directors with insight into his recently acquired brand and to provide him with a brand strategy for growth.

Brand Discovery™ took a long hard look at the BFF business and identified what made them different to their competitors and why their customers enjoyed working with BFF and what they valued in their relationship.

The answer back then? That BFF Care.

They care about their people, their products, their technical capability and the superior service they provide to their customers. BFF’s reputation is built upon its dedication to product excellence and a focus on delivering against its clients’ needs. Working closely with customers throughout the development process, BFF’s strengths lie in its ability to produce unique products made to an exact specification that many other manufacturers find hard to match.

This was also the resounding feedback when we conducted our follow-up Brand Health programme in 2009. But importantly on each occasion both in 2003 and 2009 the challenges and opportunities faced by the business were different, for 9 years Discovery™ and Brand Health have provided a strategic road map, that has directly contributed to the growth and transformation of BFF.

So how time flies, it’s now 3yrs since our last interrogation of BFF and this time the programme of work takes us to the USA and Sweden as well as Bridgwater in Somerset, to conduct the brand audit and answer the questions… do BFF still Care? And what are the opportunities to transform BFF still further in the next 3 years?