Domino Printing B2B Research Case Study
The Challenge
Domino Printing Sciences is a world leader in coding, marking and digital printing technologies, supported by a global aftermarket and service infrastructure. However, increasing commoditisation within these markets was making differentiation more difficult. Domino needed to reassess its brand positioning across priority segments and geographies to identify what truly set it apart.
The challenge was to understand whether existing messaging aligned with customer priorities and whether there was an opportunity to build a stronger emotional connection, not just functional credibility, to support long-term market share growth.
Research Objectives
The B2B research was designed to define Domino’s optimal brand positioning within competitive global markets. The key objectives were to:
- Understand perceptions of Domino among customers, prospects and non-users
- Identify the most important decision drivers within coding, marking and printing categories
- Assess Domino’s strengths and weaknesses relative to competitors
- Explore whether emotional differentiation could strengthen brand preference
- Inform future brand, messaging and communication strategy across priority segments
Together, these objectives aimed to uncover meaningful differentiation in a commoditised B2B landscape.
Research Approach
Vision One delivered a large-scale, international mixed-method research programme. The approach included:
- An online survey among b2b customers, prospects and non-users
- Coverage across 10 markets, including the UK, Europe, USA, India, China and Mexico
- Quantitative assessment of brand perceptions and decision drivers
- Follow-up qualitative depth interviews in the UK, USA, India and China
- Exploration of brand meaning, expectations and emotional connection
This approach balanced global scale with deep, market-specific understanding.
Findings
The research showed that Domino was viewed positively, with customer support emerging as a clear strength. Reliability and service were critical decision drivers, alongside equipment suitability and adaptability.
While Domino performed well on these fundamentals, its branding and communications did not consistently emphasise the needs customers valued most. This revealed a disconnect between operational strengths and external messaging, highlighting an opportunity to sharpen positioning and better articulate what truly differentiated Domino within a crowded, functional marketplace.
Action & Recommendations
The insights informed changes to Domino’s reliability claims and the way product strengths were communicated. The research also prompted consideration of broader brand assets, including logo and strapline development, ensuring future communications more clearly reflected customer priorities and reinforced Domino’s differentiation across global markets.