As an avid cook who is obsessed with thoroughly researching before any purchase, I’ve seen advertising for countless cookware brands. Whether scrolling through social media or watching commercials on TV, I’ve found it interesting how different brands position themselves to stand out while selling relatively similar products. For example, it’s fascinating to see the way different companies find their niche while advertising one of the most basic and beloved cookware products: the cast iron pan.
In a world where “Made in…” is stamped on every product and treated as a ubiquitous measure of quality, the French cast iron cookware company Le Creuset has built its brand in the English-speaking world through strategic advertising fundamentals. Through the years, Le Creuset has combined its promise of quality with the unique niche of producing cookware in one of the most celebrated food cultures in the world to create a brand image that’s lasted decades.
#1. The promise of quality
As one of the more expensive cast iron brands, Le Creuset backs up the price with a guarantee. In his book On Advertising, David Ogilvy writes that “the headlines that work best are those that promise the reader a benefit.” Throughout decades of advertising, Le Creuset has promised customers that their products are durable and will maintain their quality and colorful finish throughout literal lifetimes.
Naturally, consumers are drawn to the guarantee that, even if they have to spend more for Le Creuset’s product, they won’t have to ever repurchase or replace it. This method is effective in differentiating Le Creuset from newer brands or those with a rotating product lineup.
#2. The seal of approval
While Le Creuset consistently advertises the durability and longevity of their product, consumers don’t have to take their word for it. By enlisting industry experts, they’re able to bring in a third party’s seal of approval—and a trusted one at that.
Ogilvy advises that “if you use a testimonial in your copy, you make it more credible.” As he further explains, “testimonials from experts can be persuasive” compared to, for example, celebrities that consumers might believe the company is paying. He uses the example of consulting an ex-burglar on the quality of a safe. After all, who would be a better judge? Likewise, by sharing positive reviews from experts in the cookware and food preparation industry, Le Creuset adds legitimacy to its claims of quality.
#3. Centering their niche
While competing with American brands that market themselves on their local, homegrown image and “made in America” stamp of quality, Le Creuset uses its unique position as a French company to build its brand image. Rather than try to replicate imagery and branding that’s most familiar to the American eye, Le Creuset makes owning French cookware part of the product’s appeal.
By centering their image around their country of origin, Le Creuset forms a niche that other brands are unable to copy. The implication of Le Creuset’s branding is that American cooks have a chance to experience and emulate French cuisine from home.
#4. Consistent branding through the decades
One of Ogilvy’s suggestions that he reiterates throughout On Advertising is to rely on consistent marketing that’s proven to work. He writes that “if you’re lucky enough to write a good advertisement, repeat it until it stops selling.” Later on, he points out that “you’re advertising to a moving parade” and with more expensive products, or ones intended to be kept for years, customers are likely to make just one purchase, meaning remarketing is less of a consideration. In his words, “the advertisement which sold a refrigerator to couples last year will probably be just as successful with couples who get married this year.”
While advertisements have gotten shorter in the digital age, Le Creseut continues to rely on their timeless positioning for newer audiences in every decade. Just as the orange dutch oven serves as their mascot across countless ads, the guarantees that they make to their audience remain central to their branding even today. In fact, their contemporary ads even position their product as the antithesis of today’s cookware scene, claiming to be a “rare, enduring thing” as in the advertisement above.
Through consistent, timeless branding, Le Creuset has maintained its image as a reliable heritage brand for nearly 100 years. Each of their advertisements is a careful contribution to an overall brand story that has allowed Le Creuset to remain one of the most well-known and trusted cookware companies in the English-speaking world.
About the author
Caroline Previte is a contributing writer at Copper Sun Creative. She creates blog content related to advertising and branding, and enjoys studying marketing in her free time.