Wüsthof
*Target book
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Team: Ben Butler (ST), Tony Fahmy (ST), Abibatou Diallo (ST)
Team: Ben Butler (ST), Tony Fahmy (ST), Abibatou Diallo (ST)
Background
In recent years, Japanese competitors have taken hold of the pro chef market and threaten to consign
Wüsthof and other European knife makers to suburban kitchens.The Ask
We had to figure out how to make Wüsthof’s knives appeal to pro chefs again.Our Methodology
To solve our problem, we conducted an in-depth dive into chef subculture.- Social Listening (using TalkWalker)
- Chef Consumer Profiling (using Simmons)
- Digital Ethnography (chef user profiling based on Reddit, Facebook, and Instagram history)
- 102 Reddit user analysis (tracking and quantifying other interests & communities engaged with)
- YouTube audience profile (cross-analysis of audience categories: Cooking Enthusiasts, Food Service Equipment, and Cooking & Bakeware)
- Segmentation analysis (3 segments of pro chef)
- 3 IDIs (1 pro chef, 2 pro kitchen workers)
- Extensive secondary research (consuming blog posts, forums, articles, and videos)
European Knife-Care is Easier
Wüsthof makes European-style knives in an age where Japanese style-knives are all the rage.They’re made of a soft steel which allows for easier sharpening, are designed to be thicker and heavier for rough chopping and slicing, and are easier to take care of than the more delicate Japanese-style alternatives.
Wüsthof Hasn’t Sacrificed its Quality
*Top Hashtags from TalkWalker (Social Listening) Analysis
Chefs Praise Wüsthof’s Toughness
“can get stupid sharp…holds up to rougher tasks better”“I got mine almost 10 years ago and can still sharpen it to a razor”
“they last forever and have a nice weight”
“Several Wüsthofs are my everyday knives”
“This knife is a goddamn workhorse. You don’t need anything fancier, especially if it’s going to be banging around the line”
Using our brand learning, we created a manifesto for Wüsthof that better aligns to what professional chefs praise and want out of Wüsthof knives.
Wüsthof Manifesto
Wüsthof knives are not only for special occasions.
They’re not the knives you have to handle with care or invest many hours in to maintain. Wüsthof knives are the workhorses of the kitchen, made to withstand years of rough work and abuse of the line.
Other knives may be more specialized, or hold their edges for longer, but when those fancy blades are dropped on the floor in the middle of the dinner rush, they’ll chip, and a Wüsthof won’t.
Wüsthof knives are true chef’s knives.
They’re not the knives you have to handle with care or invest many hours in to maintain. Wüsthof knives are the workhorses of the kitchen, made to withstand years of rough work and abuse of the line.
Other knives may be more specialized, or hold their edges for longer, but when those fancy blades are dropped on the floor in the middle of the dinner rush, they’ll chip, and a Wüsthof won’t.
Wüsthof knives are true chef’s knives.
Wüsthof Chef Persona
New Messaging
“Real Chef” Docs
Wüsthof can create 10-minute documentaries about non-celebrity chefs focusing on what makes them unique. Their personalities, techniques, and cooking philosophy are spotlighted while rapid cuts and Hell’s Kitchen-like sound effects take a backseat. Each videos’ style is tailored to the chef; though, a singular artistic but raw vibe links them together.
Posted on Youtube & Reddit
Honest Chef Pics
Wüsthof can expand upon its already successful (44k follower) Instagram profile by creating content targeted at the pro chef, not just the home chef. The pics will show the beauty of a chaotic kitchen, and the chef commanding it with a Wüsthof knife - as well as the food it produces.
Posted on Instagram
Highlight Pro Sellers
If a consumer, even a pro chef, wants to buy a
Wüsthof knife, their first thought is to get one off Amazon, Crate & Barrel, Bed, Bath & Beyond, or Williams-Sonoma. At best, these stores are seen as havens for home cooks and at worst they are brands that chefs like Jack (from our Persona) would never want to be associated with.
Wüsthof also sells its knives in pro kitchen equipment shops and suppliers, as well as knife specialty stores, but you might not know it because the brand fails to associate itself with these locations.
We recommend placing more emphasis on Wüsthof’s relationship with these pro suppliers and assist consumers in finding their stores in digital messaging. This not only associates Wüsthof more with professional kitchens, increasing their prestige amongst pro chefs and home cooks alike, but it also reaches chefs where they already are.
Wüsthof also sells its knives in pro kitchen equipment shops and suppliers, as well as knife specialty stores, but you might not know it because the brand fails to associate itself with these locations.
We recommend placing more emphasis on Wüsthof’s relationship with these pro suppliers and assist consumers in finding their stores in digital messaging. This not only associates Wüsthof more with professional kitchens, increasing their prestige amongst pro chefs and home cooks alike, but it also reaches chefs where they already are.
