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The best approach to growing a brand is not always clear but according to the latest Kantar report, brand equity is the best path moving forward. James Potter of Kantar states, "One of the distinctions...is it looks across years' worth of data...you truly can understand before, middle and after and that helps you come up with a prescription for what the right methods to drive brand growth would be". Kantar's findings suggest a three-pronged approach - predisposing more consumers to a brand, being more present in the consumer lifestyle, and exploring new spaces for growth. For a deeper dive into this, follow the link below:

Brand growth drivers: Here’s what the numbers say https://lnkd.in/daj7XGXU A recent Kantar report reveals key drivers for brand growth based on 10 years of data. Brands that build strong emotional and functional connections with consumers see higher market shares and growth. Consistent presence across various buying channels and innovative strategies are crucial for attracting more buyers and driving growth.

CPG Brand Marketers—Quick Question: How are you feeling? OK, that‘s a tad broad (not that I don't want to hear the answer!). I’ll try again: How are you feeling 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝘾𝙋𝙂? 🛒 I ask because apparently, despite squeezing blood from turnips to eke out 💲, share, profit, all while maintaining brand salience, NPS, and (fill in your favorite brand health metric), 𝗖𝗣𝗚 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴. Yes, it’s been tough since the pandemic, yes food prices are still high, yes, AI is and will be an RBD (Really Big Deal.)   Since most of us have likely not had the chance to examine the Full Magnitude of the Situation, lucky us--McKinsey & Company to the Rescue! In their recent article they share their thoughts on 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘊𝘗𝘎 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬/ 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘩/𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘮. (link in comments.) Never to jump too quickly to solutions, the suited brainiacs 🧠 first headlined the dynamics of the last few years that landed us where we are: 1️⃣ 𝘍𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴: reduced loyalty, driven by younger consumers, has forced legacy brands to reinvent themselves to stay relevant 2️⃣ 𝘙𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘣𝘦𝘭: Continued shifts to brands created by trusted retailers, without a perceived quality tradeoff 3️⃣  𝘗𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘉𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘌𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯: We’re past the indie/challenger brand heyday of the 2010’s, where we saw tons of new brand entries that spoke to consumers wanting authenticity, values driven, and personalization bolstered by generous support from retailers with a stake in their successes. Enter #4: 4️⃣  𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘊𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘊𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦: After the free flowing days of 2015-2020, Covid kicked off a dramatic pullback in PE/VC investment to launch and scale these brands, plus less retailer excitement as categories got overcrowded. Net, smaller brands aren’t faring as well. Sooooo...Kinda Brutal! 😤 Where to start?!? Well, as the problem solvers they are, McKinsey's outlined a comprehensive Dual Agenda for CPG orgs to adapt and thrive in the new climate: 🪙 𝗣𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗼 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴: through M&A, a sharper focus on high growth categories, and new business models that can surround core categories 🪙 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲:  A sobering to-do list in and of itself! The broad strokes include: Revenue Growth Management, a Digital Marketing Revolution,” a focus on Share Growth through Premiumization, and next level Cost Reduction enabled by AI. Whoa. We've got some serious work to do....Kudos if you've been prepping for these changes for a while now! For the rest of us....we’ve got this!! 𝘛𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘦: 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘗𝘎 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘥𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘮 𝘪𝘯 2025? #growthstrategy #CPGindustry #managingchange #marketinsights

Crafting Robust Brand Equity through Understanding the Generation Dynamics Today’s market is diverse, comprising distinct age groups with unique preferences and behaviors shaping brand perception and experience. Understanding and catering to the preferences, perceptions, and experiences of different age groups is pivotal in crafting robust brand equity strategies. Let’s delve into each generation’s dynamics and explore how brands can tailor their approach for maximum impact.... read more: https://lnkd.in/gMzqm6bt

Comparative Analysis: Onga vs. Royco Billboard Campaigns in a High-Inflation Market In today's high-inflation environment, brands must craft messages that resonate deeply with consumers. Onga and Royco have adopted distinctly different yet effective billboard campaigns to address current economic pressures. 🔹 Onga’s Strategy: “Hatukuleft Na bei ni ile ile” Onga emphasizes reliability and consistency. The campaign reinforces trust by conveying that Onga hasn’t wavered, staying true to its price and presence. The culturally resonant term "Hatukuleft" engages consumers emotionally, positioning Onga as a steadfast companion in challenging times. Yet, as powerful as this messaging is, Onga will need to diversify by highlighting product attributes like flavour or health benefits to keep the brand fresh and exciting. 🔹 Royco’s Approach: “Kamerudi 5 BOB TU!” Royco focuses on affordability and nostalgia. By reintroducing a familiar product at a low price, the brand attracts price-sensitive consumers. The term “Kamerudi” taps into nostalgic emotions but subtly hints at past discontinuity. This affordability message is timely, yet Royco must be careful not to commoditize the brand. Balancing this with communication that underscores quality and culinary benefits will be crucial. 💡 Key Takeaways: Onga: Trust is built on continuity. The challenge lies in sustaining interest with campaigns that go beyond price. Royco: Affordability drives relevance, but brand equity requires a balance that highlights quality. Both brands must evolve their strategies for long-term consumer engagement and resonance. Which approach do you think will win in the long run?

So, I read something else. And this something was “Blueprint for Brand Growth” by Kantar kindly shared with me by Graham Staplehurst. 📎 The ideas explained in the Blueprint in many ways support but also give a different perspective to Byron Sharp's "How Brands Grow", making it another thought-provoking read. 🤓 Like in «How Brands Grow», the Blueprint emphasizes the significance of mental and physical availability. But cheer up, fellow marketers! Brand equity does exist and it matters! Unlike Professor Sharp, Kantar provides plenty of evidence that links brand growth to their ability to be Meaningful and Different — two key factors for market penetration and pricing power, according to Kantar's research. ❤️ Another important term of the Blueprint is Predisposition. Building it through clear market positioning, relevant, creative, consistent, emotional, and easy-to-remember communication is crucial for a brand. And it is every marketer’s sacred duty to channel this communication using the right media mix. 🌟 Salience is crucial to secure mental availability, while meaningfully different experiences associated with the brand can make it less replaceable and easier sellable at a higher price.  📈 We’ve heard that brand size matters, right? Well, it’s true! And the growth strategies for smaller and bigger brands should differ. It would make sense for smaller brands to focus on their hero SKUs as they primarily grow gaining share from their competition. Bigger brands growth is more driven by their existing customers buying more and by new customers entering the category: so, bigger brands growth strategies should be more active pushing the category shape and limits. 🔒 Brands grow extending their presence and finding new spaces (physical, virtual, in range extensions, new usage occasions, reinvented or earlier untouched categories etc.). Meaningful innovations greatly help. Exploring new opportunities and being willing to step outside the usual boundaries are important factors driving growth. 💭 Well, The blueprint is not long, but it contains many general and practical insights. I recommend this material (see link in comments) to marketers as a reminder of what they’ve been doing or as a source of new ideas. It can also be useful for CEOs or business owners who want to understand what «crazy marketers» need from them. 📌 I think «How Brands Grow» by Byron Sharp and «Blueprint for Brand Growth» by Kantar differ in some ideas, but what I like about both is that they call for not making non-sense. That’s it! Bye now! 👋🏻

Sometimes when consumers are asked about the brands that come to mind when they think of a certain product category, and the majority mentions one brand name only, this is considered to be brand dominance, i.e. this particular brand dominates that category. In many cases, however, this results in consumers using the brand name as a synonym to the product or service itself. For example, many people say “I will Google it” instead of “I will search it”. In this case, Google or “Googling”, has become synonymous with “searching on the web”. While this might appear to be a good thing for the brand, as it means that this brand must be the top-of-mind for the majority of consumers, and has the highest level of brand awareness, it’s actually considered a problem. Learn why through this article on #brand awareness and its different levels. https://lnkd.in/dP6hc98y #branding #retail #ecommerce

Reaching the digital-first generation: How can brands effectively connect with Gen Z https://ift.tt/R7jrJp0 Gen Z, born between the mid-1990s and early 2010s, is the first generation to grow up entirely in the digital age. This generation has an estimated collective buying power of US$853 billion on a global level.  Last year, Maybelline India roped in  Suhana Khan, Ananya Birla, and Eksha Subba as new brand ambassadors. The move aimed to build a stronger connection with India's Gen Z consumers. Similarly, Jeeru, a cult classic soda brand in India, rebranded itself as ‘J’ and changed its look to a more vibrant and ‘youthful’ colours. The brand wanted to position itself as a more Gen Z-savvy brand. These aren’t the only brands that have changed their marketing approach to connect with this audience base. But often, while connecting with this generation, which is highly unpredictable and has strong opinions, brands can appear ‘out of place’ and ‘forced’.  Dr. Falguni Vasavada, Digital Creator and Professor at MICA advises, “Brands should understand Gen Z culture, their lives, and their lifestyles. Identify friction points, struggles, pain points, and challenges of Gen Z, and accordingly find a spot for your brand to feature there.” Just like a moment marketing trend, brands often think that Gen Z is just a box to tick off to seem relevant. Neville Shah, CCO of FCB Kinnect, adds, “The mistake brands often make is thinking they need to be present in every moment and tell every story. This isn't necessary. If you're a trusted brand, consumers won't forget you just because you're not always present. Sometimes, it's about waiting for the right moment when the consumer will naturally reach out to you.” So, what exactly does Gen Z want from advertisers and brands, and how can they nail connecting with this audience?  Gen Z wants authenticity Authenticity drives brand affinity for Indian Gen Zers. According to a study by BBC Studios, if a brand is authentic, the Indian Gen Z are more likely to be loyal to the brand (81%), recommend it to others (78%), and buy their products and services again (73%). For this generation, diversity and representation are crucial factors to check when considering being authentic. Ambika Sharma, Founder & MD of Pulp Strategy, points out that Gen Z wants to see ads featuring people from all walks of life, but they are turned off by ads that are seen as stereotypical or exclusionary.  She states, “They want to see ads that feature people from all walks of life, and they are turned off by ads that are seen as stereotypical or exclusionary.”  Recently, Naukri.com released a 15-second ad that showcases the Gen Z work life. The ad is crisp, quick and snappy, exactly what Gen Z’s  Our goal was to speak the language of Gen Z that’s quick, crisp and snappy.  Experts also state that this generation is extremely agile and will sniff out rubbish, and thus, transparency is a key ingredient. Nisha Singhania, CEO & M...

Brand teams, it’s that time of year 🍂 – Market meetings! Twice a year, retail buyers sit down with brands to learn about NPD for the forthcoming season. But it’s not a given that they’ll buy into all innovations, and so it’s critical for brands to put their best foot forward. Here are the ingredients for a successful Market presentation: ❤️ Priority #1 is to make your buyers re-fall in love with the brand each season. Start with a show of momentum, highlighting YoY brand growth and gains in key categories, market share, EMV, etc. For international retailers, demonstrating momentum in your home market is key. 📣 To support these KPIs, bring that story to life with imagery and video. This could include brand activations and events, big PR hits, great influencer posts and UGC. 💰 Remind your retailers of investments you have made in the partnership: bespoke social content you created for the retailer, in-store activations, social mentions driving *their* EMV and paid media are all great ways to demonstrate your ongoing commitment. Don’t assume they’ll remember in September what you did in April (or even August!). 🗺 Give a high-level sneak peek of brand strategies or priorities for the next 6-12 months. This is also your opportunity to proactively address issues or concerns that you think your buyer might bring up. 💄 Onto NPD! Be sure to bring lab samples for the team to play with and keep. If it’s a virtual meeting, ship samples in advance. 📝 Make sure all the product fundamentals are on the product slide: a product rendering, launch date AND ship date, SRP (in local currency for international markets), purchase price, grammage/size(s), product description including key benefits, reasons to believe, and ingredient highlights, and finally, available sampling formats. 🔑 Demonstrate the brand’s belief in the innovation by showing how you will support each launch. This could take the form of a 360-degree campaign fly wheel, media plans, campaign asset mock-ups, or even a mood board. 🔜 Show how the new sku(s) fit into your overall assortment. I like to show this as a before and after: your product portfolio today vs. tomorrow. All the better if you can demonstrate how it will look on the shelf or gondola. 🙏 Finally, don’t be afraid to explicitly state your asks as a brand – this could be specific marketing programs you’d like access to, participation in certain activations during the year, or even resolution on outstanding issues. Be diplomatic, but put it all on the slide. 🤝 🤝 🤝 Market meetings determine not only which new products will get picked up, but also how retailers will allocate their OTB each season and which new launches will receive marketing support (and how much). It’s an important relationship-building moment and worth the weeks of prep. Market veterans – what would you add to this list? And to my buyer friends, what else do you want to see from brands during these meetings?

New research by Philip Mecredy, Malcolm Wright, Pam Feetham & Philip Stern explores how age influences the stages of the brand purchase funnel. Brand recognition follows an inverse-U shape, peaking at age 56 before declining. https://lnkd.in/ddpcpmQM