{"id":1952,"date":"2018-06-07T16:31:48","date_gmt":"2018-06-07T14:31:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging.brand-club.net\/markentag-ringana\/"},"modified":"2026-02-18T14:50:57","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T13:50:57","slug":"markentag-ringana","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brand-club.net\/en\/markentag-ringana\/","title":{"rendered":"Brand day Ringana"},"content":{"rendered":"

So fresh!<\/h2>\n

\u201eWhat do you want? To work for others, or to build a brand?\u201c asked Johannes Gutmann, a chamber consultant 30 years ago, who had just lost his job at the Waldviertel regional development agency.<\/strong><\/p>\n

His environment: The cold, old Waldviertel region shortly after the Iron Curtain in a system between Kreisky and the Farmers' Association, a HAK (Higher Commercial Academy) diploma and a WU (Vienna University of Economics and Business) degree that was cut short after 14 days, the experiences as a farmer's child and as a beer representative, the memory of the emotional stories the village grocer told about each of his products.<\/p>\n

Thirty years ago, on August 1, 1988, Johannes Gutmann decided to build a brand and became self-employed. He asked five organic farmers if they would grow herbs; three agreed. "I wanted to be free and have fun. If you laugh, you'll be smiled back. And it costs nothing! That's how the smiling sun logo came about." The founder and CEO captivated the visitors of the Brand Club Austria with his success story, "From Dreamer to Winner," right from the start.<\/p>\n

In the beginning, Johannes Gutmann sold herbs and teas in Zwettl's main square \u2013 constantly asking his customers for their opinions. He sees development as a continuous process of adjustment: "Do what your heart and gut tell you, and you'll be fine. And if it doesn't work out, correct it. Only crises move you forward! The path unfolds as you walk it." He drew peace, tradition, experience, and wisdom from the older generation, his local farmers, who offered him not only their handiwork but also their attic storage.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe became parents early \u2013 one son is now an authorized signatory in our company. But we have always had an entrepreneurial mindset \u2013 and cosmetics have always interested us.\u201d<\/strong><\/figure>\n

The impetus for the cosmetics brand was a dental health day at kindergarten: "When our son brought home a well-known toothpaste from kindergarten \u2013 given to him by the 'tooth-cleaning lady' \u2013 we noticed that it contained dangerous ingredients. I immediately wrote to Greenpeace. They were conducting chain reactions at Toys 'R' Us at the same time and didn't have time for toothpaste. We're still waiting for a reply."\u201e<\/p>\n

The advantage: Marketing professionals build their network from the outset and learn to understand communication rituals. For example, today there are specialists for the restaurant industry and others for retail; previously, it was one and the same team.<\/p>\n

The company developed rapidly \u2013 also in terms of design.<\/span><\/h3>\n

In Hartberg, now home to over 100 employees, it all began in 1993: \u201eWe borrowed 4 million schillings from the Volksbank, set up a laboratory \u2013 just as we had envisioned it, with face masks and white coats. Ulla did the stirring, and I filled out the Excel spreadsheets. We then bought the mixing machine for 560,000 schillings. Our friends and acquaintances laughed at us when I showed them the first printed materials, created in PageMaker and Corel Draw.\u201c The company developed rapidly \u2013 also in terms of design.<\/p>\n

The rebranding \u201eso fresh\u201c and the clear design language come from the company\u2019s second agency \u2013 moodley \u2013 from 2013 and are noticeable from the packaging to the vegetarian canteen.<\/p>\n

Ulla Wannemacher offered vegetable sticks and the top-selling supplement "chi" as a snack and continued, while in the background at reception, white-branded boxes and bags of products were being handed out: "We had to have a concept because we wanted to do it better than the others. When you include so many active ingredients, you have to leave something else out. We didn't leave out anything unnecessary. But that didn't make the cosmetics last any longer."\u201e\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Freshness and sales ideas as a recipe for success<\/h3>\n

RINGANA fresh cosmetics contain no preservatives \u2013 RINGANA's unique selling point. "Initially, we had to throw away many batches because the products didn't keep well, and we were bitterly disappointed. When we wanted to consult with the president of the Chamber of Pharmacists in the mid-90s, he laughed at us, and we were out after ten minutes. Then the bank started giving us trouble. It wasn't until ten years later (registered in 1993, first products in 1996) that we finally turned a profit," explained Andreas Wilfinger, who initially developed the formulas himself: "Working out a formula is usually simple: ointment base, water, cortisone. But we didn't want to use either animal-derived ingredients or mineral oils. Since there was no internet back then, the research was time-consuming.".<\/p>\n

Today we have a top-notch chemist. We first tested the products on our family, then on the hotel guests. So we never had to think about animal testing,\u201c he said cheerfully. \u201eThe spa guests always happily took the products home with them. But suddenly, complete strangers\u2014their neighbors and friends\u2014started calling us. Of course, we sent them the products. The number of orders grew from two to three, then to five. The fortunate coincidence was that we programmed our sales system using precisely this network marketing approach.\u201c<\/p>\n

Direct sales are a key element of the brand, with both opponents and proponents, but they are undoubtedly a reason for the brand's great success. The decision was made because fresh cosmetics can't sit on the shelf for long \u2013 they are only produced when customers order them.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have invented something like viral network marketing.\u201d<\/strong><\/figure>\n

\u201eWord-of-mouth referrals have incredible power. There\u2019s no account manager, no coffee table like with Tupperware. Sales partners receive a commission for referrals. For example, if someone recommends RINGANA to a neighbor, whose contact information they enter online (in compliance with data protection regulations), and that person then makes a purchase, they receive a commission from us. It\u2019s online referral marketing with a face-to-face component, so to speak,\u201c Andreas Wilfinger explained the sales concept. \u201eWhether the conversation happens on Facebook or on the tram, the referral comes through direct contact. And once the contact\u2019s address is in our system, we take over. Leads are generated face-to-face, the rest happens online.\u201c He added, after greeting a female employee (as he does everyone, informally): \u201eWe could also do this purely with ads, but the conversion rate is significantly lower and the lifespan is shorter than with face-to-face conversions.\u201c<\/p>\n

The success is shared with the current 32,000 Freshness Partners (and the goal is to reach 100,000 by 2020): \u201eOur product-loving partners are 901% female, representing an upscale cross-section of the population with a health-conscious background \u2013 from doctors, massage therapists, and nutritionists to the average person. Not all of them are Nobel laureates, but their awareness and level of education are quite high.\u201c<\/p>\n

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Investment is being made in product quality instead of Vogue ads.<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u201eOnce a Freshness Partner has handed over the contact, we take over with a customer magazine, press work throughout Central Europe, newsletters, and a lot of social media (10k\/month ad budget) to keep the customer engaged,\u201c Ulla Wannemacher described the communication channels. \u201eWe supply journalists with everything from branded towels to cosmetic bags made from old roll-up banners for PR stories. But we wouldn\u2019t advertise.\u201c<\/p>\n

Lucy Seteram (Head of Marketing) added: \u201eBloggers, or rather influencers, come to us, we provide them with products, and they create stories, all across Europe. No cash commission is paid. Of course, bloggers also have the opportunity to become sales partners. One example is Daria Daria, who posts our products as PR samples without receiving any money.\u201c<\/p>\n

The tour continued through the office, the 'competence center' with language correspondents who communicate with partners in five languages, and the product department with 15 employed chemists who continuously optimize the products: "We invest heavily in our wealth of experience and the expertise of our very congenial human capital," Wilfinger explained, "but what we don't have is market research. We go by gut feeling. I've never understood why market research statistics are necessary. Consumers don't know what they want if you ask them directly.".<\/p>\n

The data in the CRM system shows whether the product is a good fit or not. Our reorder rates also indicate where a new attempt is needed.\u201c RINGANA doesn't want more than 50 products in its range: \u201eHaving only 50 products keeps us fresh and agile. For our sales partners, that's already a lot. If a product generates less than 0.51% of sales, it's discontinued.\u201c It's noteworthy that RINGANA only offers one product per category (e.g., shampoo): \u201eThe best, not variety, is what counts.\u201c Each product is beautifully packaged by hand in the brand's signature style.<\/p>\n

A brand that combines sustainability and premium chic.<\/h3>\n

Besides freshness, sustainability is a core brand value for RINGANA, practiced both internally and externally: from natural packaging using recycled paper, bioplastics, organic cotton towels, paper tape, and edible filler material, to solar panels and reclaimed water, right down to the "first mile" of shipping with their own trucks, the company prioritizes the responsible use of valuable resources. Their vegan products are produced without animal testing. These values have fostered a community that thinks sustainably but also acts with a focus on success. Positioning itself as a sustainable premium brand is a niche that RINGANA has created, and for which design and presentation play a crucial role.<\/p>\n

Ulla Wannemacher further explained how RINGANA engages its 32,000 independent Fresh Partners face-to-face: \u201eWhen we present a new product, we create a buzz with speakers and expert presentations, followed by a party. This has given us a \u201acult-like\u201c reputation. In reality, however, we simply want to bring the best healthy cosmetics to the market; brand building is secondary.\u201d<\/p>\n

Every January, RINGANA hosts its annual kick-off event, followed by a convention in September \u2013 featuring stars of the scene like musician and extreme athlete Joey Kelley and mountaineer Reinhold Messner. These events also foster connections and reinforce the branding, as the brand book alone isn't enough to clearly communicate the corporate identity to the independent RINGANA partners. "We don't peek into our partners' living rooms. There are certainly some cool stories there, and some adventurous ones too. But we do meticulously review our partners' social media content. Serious errors are noted as a warning and must be deleted. It becomes difficult for us when trade fair booths, for example in Italy or Spain, don't adhere to the corporate identity."\u201e<\/p>\n

Following the impressive growth of 401,000 units in 2016, the founding couple were surprised by an unplanned increase of 501,000 units last year. Internationally (Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, France, the UK, and Poland in descending order), RINGANA generated \u20ac80 million in revenue last year.<\/p>\n

\u201eThat\u2019s difficult, considering the delivery of 500 raw materials!\u201c Andreas Wilfinger revealed, describing the recipe behind their enormous success: \u201eWe\u2019re not interested in quick profits, but in stable business. Perfect brand management is fine, but what really matters is the customer\u2019s opinion. If she buys twice, the product experience is right. She has to be thrilled \u2013 mere satisfaction isn\u2019t enough in today\u2019s competitive landscape.\u201c<\/p>\n

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The enthusiastic feedback from participants after an inspiring day in Hartberg:<\/h3>\n

\u201e"It is impressive that RINGANA conveys very clear values both externally and internally!"\u201c<\/p>\n

\u201e"I'm amazed that the ethical approach of vegan, organic, and sustainable products can be presented so elegantly as a premium brand. A fantastic founding couple demonstrates how to be responsible AND stylish!"\u201c<\/p>\n

\u201e"The outdoor lunch was wonderful! And indicative of the company's philosophy: together, for each other, and sophisticated."\u201c<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

So fresh! \u201eWas willst? F\u00fcr Andere arbeiten, oder eine Marke aufbauen\u201c, fragte vor 30 Jahren ein Kammer-Berater Johannes Gutmann, der gerade seinen Job bei der Waldviertler Regionalentwicklung verloren hatte. Sein Umfeld: Das kalte, alte Waldviertel kurz nach dem Eisernen Vorhang in einem System zwischen Kreisky und Bauernbund, eine HAK Matura und ein nach 14 Tagen […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2660,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1952","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-markentag"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/brand-club.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1952","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/brand-club.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/brand-club.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brand-club.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brand-club.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1952"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/brand-club.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1952\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6210,"href":"https:\/\/brand-club.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1952\/revisions\/6210"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brand-club.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2660"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brand-club.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1952"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brand-club.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1952"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brand-club.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1952"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}