The power of the augmented proposition (a personal take)

 

Photo taken November 2022 at a local Sainsbury's.

Picture a Nima (me) who has eagerly begun studying Marketing and Management at university and is acquiring the knowledge of a marketer. So many new terms, definitions, and frameworks. He is bound to think about them during his commute or anywhere where he sees fit. In retrospect, this is how I was during my first semester. 

My module in marketing principles established the foundations for my marketing knowledge and one I thoroughly enjoyed - a revelation after seeing my final grade. One of the weeks involved learning about how the value proposition is configured. 

The value proposition comprises three parts: the core, embodied and augmented proposition. I will focus on the augmented proposition today. These are the additional 'augmentations' that are added to a product or service creating value for the customer. For example, when buying perfume from a retailer - let's just say Superdrug - you're also provided samples of the same or different perfume brand. That is a component of the augmented proposition - value is added to your purchase.

Now how does this apply to the photo of the biscuits above? Both arguably offer the same thing (a chocolate-coated biscuit) and are within similar price ranges. However, why did I go for the more expensive, Lu Petit Chocolat? It's because it positions itself as more sophisticated with the cream and red colour palette, in tandem with the cafe illustrations. Furthermore, a glimpse of the biscuit displays an image of a 19th-century French schoolboy adding cultural significance and differentiation to the product for the price of £1.65.

 

Lu Petit Chocolat Biscuits (unboxed).

Whereas the latter choice - Choco Leibniz - is cheaper since it’s on sale for £1.25, but its packaging and biscuit design doesn’t deliver a similar value - in my personal opinion. The blue colour palette has cold and uninviting connotations. This demonstrates how certain buyers are captivated psychologically and pay attention to these prevalent, albeit minor details. 

I'm not sponsored by Lu Petit Chocolat, but they were amazing.