Með þér í liði
Bónus was already one of Iceland’s best-known brands, but its position had become overly one-dimensional: low prices were strongly associated with the brand, while the brand itself had less emotional and distinctive meaning. The task was to sharpen the positioning, preserve the simplicity and trust people already valued, and give customers a clearer reason to choose Bónus beyond price alone.
Results · 12 months post-launch
From an automatic choice to a clearer, more distinctive brand.
71
Brandr Index
71
Image & perception
72
Differentiation
82
Name
01 · The challenge
More than price alone.
Bónus is one of the most familiar names in Icelandic retail. Almost every household recognises the yellow, the pig and the promise of the country’s lowest shopping basket.
But familiarity had become a double-edged sword. Bónus was often taken for granted and reduced to a single idea — cheap — rather than actively chosen for what the brand stood for. The task was to turn widespread recognition into a clearer, more durable position without losing the straightforward, sincere character that had built trust in the first place.
But familiarity had become a double-edged sword. Bónus was often taken for granted and reduced to a single idea — cheap — rather than actively chosen for what the brand stood for. The task was to turn widespread recognition into a clearer, more durable position without losing the straightforward, sincere character that had built trust in the first place.
Metric
82 /100
A strong name with very high familiarity. The challenge was not to become better known, but to create clearer distinctiveness.
Metric
39 /100
Distinctiveness
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02 · Research
We started by listening.
Before defining the strategy, we combined customer, employee and market research with Brandr Index to understand how Bónus was perceived relative to the grocery category.
Three findings became central to the brief.
Three findings became central to the brief.
Insight one
People already trusted Bónus in practice — the brand just wasn’t saying it.
Customers already treated Bónus as a dependable part of everyday life, but the brand had never clearly claimed that role. Trust existed in behaviour before it was expressed in the brand story.
Insight two
“Cheap” was doing two jobs at once.
Low price was both a reason to choose Bónus and, at times, a reason to question quality. The opportunity was to frame low prices as something Bónus does for customers rather than something customers have to compromise for.
Insight three
The character was an asset.
The simple, unpolished character that could be read as old-fashioned was also what made Bónus feel honest and recognisable. The task was to sharpen that character, not replace it.
Testimonial
From being the cheapest to being on your side.
The new positioning reframed Bónus from simply being the cheapest option to being on the customer’s side: „í liði með þér“. That shift turned low prices into a sign of loyalty to customers, gave employees a clearer principle to work by and gave the brand a position competitors could not simply undercut on price.
“Working with brandr helped us refine the brand and make it more streamlined. The changes made ongoing brand and marketing work simpler for the future, so that the visual and verbal expression now work together across store signage, advertising, Bónus products and more.”
Guðmundur Marteinsson
Managing Director, Bónus
04 · Identity system
Recognisable by design.
Together with Saffron, we sharpened the identity rather than replacing it. The pig, the yellow and the simple typography were already among the most recognisable assets in Icelandic retail. The work was therefore about making those assets more deliberate: a refined mark, a disciplined colour system and a clearer verbal expression. The result remains unmistakably Bónus, but is more consistent and purposeful across touchpoints.
Design principles
Keep what people already know and make it intentional: the pig, the yellow and the direct tone.
Let character do the work. Bónus should remain straightforward and unpretentious, because that simplicity is central to the brand’s honesty.
Let character do the work. Bónus should remain straightforward and unpretentious, because that simplicity is central to the brand’s honesty.
06 · Results
Progress shows in a stronger overall brand picture.
Brandr Index shows a strong and stable foundation for Bónus. The overall score stands at 71, with name and experience continuing to support the brand. Image, differentiation and market relevance are also solid, while the clearest opportunity remains to strengthen distinctiveness and emotional connection.
Brandr Index
71
Consumer market benchmark
72
Recommendation
31
Trust
26
Market relevance
73
Differentiation
72
Image & perception
71
Social responsibility
68
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Whether you want to measure where your brand stands, build a stronger strategy, or understand how you compare to the competition — it starts with a conversation. No pitch. Just an honest look at your situation and where we might help.
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