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Our Collective Vision
Groupe SEB is a French consortium specializing in small appliances. And we love a good kitchen gadget! Since 2017, they have contracted with Heart Creative to evaluate new appliances they bring to market, including products by All-Clad, Krups, Tefal, and more. This case focuses on our experience testing the All-Clad Sous Vide. As immersion circulators have become more popular and affordable, this appliance would compete not only with home-friendly models by foodservice brands but also with emerging brands big on innovation and market disruption. To help All-Clad be a leader in this category, our job was to compare their prototype to top competitors to assess strengths and weaknesses, collect performance data, recommend improvements, and hone in on areas where the client’s product outperformed the competition.
The Scoop
Setting The Table
With the goal of differentiating Groupe SEB’s product in a competitive market, we designed a series of 17 comprehensive tests around everything from preheating time to decibels reached to versatility with different cooking vessels. The goal was to put the appliance through its paces in anticipation of the needs and limitations of home cooks. We also wanted to provide valuable data and analysis that would help the client improve their prototype and understand its every detail. Ultimately our recommendations would help the client assess flaws, find strengths, and strategize around marketing by providing insights on who the target audience might be based on performance and features.
The Experience
As we tested and analyzed this new sous vide, we kept top of mind how our findings would play out in the real world–like in someone’s actual kitchen. Slight differences in, say, how quickly the appliance heated a pot of water versus its competitors wouldn’t be as important to the user experience as ease of use (though the appliance did heat water quickly enough to give them bragging rights!).
At Heart, we’re always looking for unexpected wins, so we laid out how a perceived deficit could actually be an asset depending on who the target demographic is. For example, while the device was more analog than two of its top competitors (it did not connect to the internet or have a corresponding smartphone app), many Gen Xers and Baby Boomers would likely find this appealing from an ease of use standpoint.
The Fruits of Our Labor
50+
Test Runs
136
Data Points
After extensive testing, we dished up a detailed, visual report featuring performance data with our analysis and recommendations. Armed with hard facts, the client was able to market the All-Clad product in a competitive space by touting performance and by targeting consumers not as well served by the competition. By working with a culinary-specific marketing agency, Groupe SEB was able to benefit from our insights as subject matter experts and capitalize on its appliance’s strengths by targeting the right audience. We call that a win-win!
