A combination of desk research, stakeholder interviews, trade visits and workshops helped identify the sweet spot – trade decorators are only as good as their last job; they rely on word of mouth recommendation. The role of every colleague in a Dulux Decorator Centre store is to do what they can to help their customers do a great job – a relentless focus on a great end result.

The proposition ‘DDC partners you to create beautiful living spaces’ became the foundation for everything from colleague training and their interaction with customers through to in-store range and merchandising solutions and broader brand communication. At the core of the proposition was a clear sense of partnership, brought to life internally through a subtle shift in terminology from ‘our DDC’ to ‘your DDC’ – from a customer perspective, everything was ‘Centred on You’.

The core proposition has been live since 2016 and has enabled DDC to expand its footprint by more than 25% in the last 3 years from 180 stores to a current high of 230 stores nationwide.

‘We now have a compelling customer proposition that has re-ignited the potential of DDC within the AkzoNobel business and a strong growth plan for the future that includes a number of breakthrough initiatives’  John Henderson – Managing Director, Dulux Decorator Centres