Brand Positioning Workshop

Workshop to help Brand Leaders create a brand positioning
and big idea that is unique, own-able and motivating.
How to deﬁne your brand

We make brands stronger.
We make brand leaders smarter.
Define
the
Brand
Think
Strategically
Big
Idea
At Beloved Brands, we use a branding approach
Vision Analysis
Key Issues
Strategies
Execution
• Advertising
• In-Store
• Innovation
• Consumers
• Category
• Channels
• Competitors
• Brand
Values, Goals
• Experience
Brand Plan
Create Brand Plans
Inspire
creative
execution
Analyze
performance
Sm
art
Creative
Ideas

Training Workshop
Brand Positioning
A winning brand positioning statement sets up the brand’s external
communication and internally with employees who deliver that promise.
• We show how to write a classic Brand Positioning statement with four key elements:
target market, competitive set, main benefit and reason to believe (RTBs).
• We introduce the Consumer Benefit ladder, that starts with the consumer target, with
insights and enemies. We layer in the brand features. Then, get in the consumers
shoes and ask “what do i get” to find the functional benefits and ask “how does this
make me feel” to find the emotional benefits.
• We introduce a unique tool that provide the top 50 potential functional and top 40
emotional benefits to help Marketers stretch their minds yet narrow in on those that
are most motivating and own-able for the brand.
• We then show how to build an Organizing Big Idea that leads every aspect of your
brand, including promise, story, innovation, purchase moment and experience.

We make brands better.
We make brand leaders better.
The role of a brand is to create a
bond with your consumers, that will
lead to a power and proﬁt beyond
what the product alone could achieve.

1
Consumers move along Brand Love
Curve tightening their bond with brands
2
Consumers connect with big idea and
expect consistency at every touch-points
3 The tight consumer bond creates
brand power with key stakeholders
4 The brand power drives profit through
price, cost, share, market size
Promise Experience
Purchase
Moment
Innovation
Brand
Story
Consumer
Premium
Prices
Trading
Up
Lower
COGS
Efficient
Spend
Stealing
Share
Users to
use more
New
markets
Find new
uses
Brand
8 ways Marketers can drive more profits
Why does brand love matter? The more loved a brand is by
consumers, the more powerful and profitable that brand will be.
Channels
Competitors
New Entries
Suppliers
Media
Influencers
Employees
Consumers
Brand
Power
Big
Idea
Love It
Indifferent
Beloved
Like It

Brands need to stand out to win!
Brands have four choices: better, different,
cheaper or not around for very long. Your brand
positioning statement must be simple, unique,
own-able and motivating enough to get consumers
to think, feel or act differently about your brand.

What
consumers
want
The ideal space for your brand to PLAY matches up what
consumers want with what your brand does best
What
your brand
does best
The first step is to match up what your consumers want with what your
brand does best After defining your target market, you should begin by
matching up your target market’s need states against your brand assets.
Match Up
the consumer wants to
your brand assets

What
consumers
want
What your
competitor
does best
What
your brand
does best
Winning Zone:
your brand’s clear
difference matters to
consumers
The ideal space for your brand to WIN is where ONLY your
brand can match up to what the consumer wants

What
consumers
want
What your
competitor
does best
What
your brand
does best
Losing Zone:
When competitor
meets consumers
needs better than you
Risky Zone:
Win with speed,
emotion or
innovation
Dumb Zone:
Competitive battle
where consumer
does not care
Winning Zone:
Your brand’s clear
difference matters
to consumers
To be successful, brands have to be better, different, cheaper…
or else they will not be around for very long.

The 5 great Marketing myths
1. A brand can get bigger if they try to target the largest
possible audience.
2. A brand can get bigger if they try to do a little of
everything instead of just one thing really well.
3. A brand can get bigger if they are everywhere, in every
store and in every media channel.
4. A brand can get bigger if they just focus on what they do
and don’t worry so much about the competition.
5. A brand can get bigger if they just work really hard to get
everything done on their very long to-do list.
6. Once the brand is highly successful, then the brand can
figure out what it stands for.

The four elements of a Brand Positioning Statement
To
(Target)
• Who is in the consumer target? What slice of the
population is the most motivated to buy what you do?
Your brand is the
(Category)
• Where do you play? What is the frame of reference
that helps to define the space in the marketplace that
you compete in?
That is the
(Benefit)
• Where do you win? What is the promise you will make
to the consumer target, thinking about the main benefit
(rational/emotional) you are promising to deliver?
That’s because
(Support Points)
• Why should they believe us? What support points
help to back up the main benefit?
1
2
4
3

Define a focused consumer
target profile with insights,
enemies and buying patterns.
Use our
Benefits
Ladder to
move from
features to
rational and
emotional
benefits
We will help you define your brand, with a simple, unique,
motivating and own-able Brand Positioning Statement.
2
5
1
Use our benefit cheat sheets to
understand the Functional and
Emotional benefits you can own.
3Benefits Ladder
4
Determine
your winning
zone, where
your brand is
better,
different or
cheaper.
Winning
positioning
statement that
is unique, own-
able motivating
to consumers
Brand
Positioning
Building a winning brand positioning statement
To
(Target)
• Healthy proactive preventers who want
to do more for their health, working
moms, who are 35-40 years old.
Gray’s is the
(Category)
• Tasty healthy cookie option
That is the
(Benefit)
• Guilt free cookie that tastes so good
that you can stay in control of your health
That’s
because
(Support Points)
• In blind taste tests, Gray’s matched the
leaders on taste, but only 100 calories
and 3g of net carbs.
• In a 12-week study, consumers using
Gray’s once a night as a desert were
able to lose 5-10 pounds.
1
2
3
4
Consumer Target
Product features
Functional benefits
Emotional benefits
Works
betterFunctional
Benefits
Simplify
Life
Make
Smarter Make
Healthier
Saves
money
Helps
family
Sensory
Appeal
Stay
Connected Experience
Seek
knowledgeEmotional
Benefits
Stay in
control
Feel
myself
Feel
comfortable
Feel
optimistic
Feel
free
Get
noticed
Feel
liked

Four questions that make up a
Brand Positioning Strategy
1 Who is the consumer target?
(Who is the most motivated to buy what you do?)
What are we are selling?
(What is your main benefit (rational/emotional)?)
Why should they believe us?
(Support points to back up what you say)
What’s the big idea for the brand?
(What is the long range feeling or soul for the brand?)
3
2
4

Who is the most motivated to buy what you do?
Everything starts and ends with the Consumer in mind. Listen to your
consumers, build rich consumer insights by getting in their shoes to understand
their mindset and speaking in their voice as you work to represent them to your
brand. Instead of just asking which consumers you want, ask which consumers
want you so you can focus on those who matter the most to your brand.
Who is in the consumer target?
1

7 Questions to define the consumer
1. What is the description of our consumer target?
2. What are their main needs?
3. Who is their enemy that torments them everyday?
4. What are the insights about the consumer?
5. What do they think now?
6. How are they buying?
7. What do we want them to see, think, do, feel or whisper to their friends?
Target
Consumer

Target
Everyone
Not
Not
A good target not
only decides who
is in your target
but who is not in
your target.
Not
Not
Everything starts with a focused customer target
Instead of figuring out who you want, focus on who wants you by
picking the target that is most motivated by what you do.

Why do Marketers see those who do not care, as a
big opportunity to try to get them to care? Instead,
you should focus your energy on those who are
most motivated by what you do.
A bigger target does not always make your brand
bigger. Sometimes it spreads and depletes your
resources, it makes no one seems special and it
then puts your brand at risk of being even smaller.
You have to matter the most
to those who care the most.

Difference between ‘selling’ and ‘marketing’ target
Selling Target: Reactively sell to those who
engage and show interest in your brand, regardless
if they fit your ideal target. Do not spend your limited
resources as you have seen no signs that they’ll
respond enough to provide an efficient pay back.
Marketing Target: Focus your limited resources on
those consumers most motivated by what your brand
offers, those most likely respond to your brand story
and product offering, which then turns into the fastest,
highest return on investment and effort.
Program Target: Specific campaign target that you
hope to move to think, feel or do with your specific
marketing program.
Spreading your limited resources (financial, people, time) across an entire population
is cost prohibitive. While targeting everyone “just in case” might safe at first, it is
riskier because you never see the full impact of your effort to know if it worked.
Target
Consumer

Who wants your brand the most? Dividing up the market
to identify the most motivated possible audience.
If you use segmentation to find the most motivated consumer, make the choice to
focus, not mistakenly use the opportunity to try to uniquely capture each segment
Consumer
Consumer Segmentation
Consumer Proﬁling
Demographics
Socio-Economic
Geographic/Channels
Consumer Behavior
Lifestyle
Personality
Values
Consumer Psychographics
AttitudesCurrent or New customers
Beneﬁt need states
Purchase occasion
Purchase behavior
Perceptions and beliefs
The
Brand

Within each category, there are consumers who lead,
inﬂuence, follow and lag. Understand your target.
What type of consumer you target helps
decide your overall strategy
Consumer
Innovators
2.5% Early
Adopters
13.5%
Early
Majority
34%
Late
Majority
34%
Late
Adopters
16%
The
Brand

Understand the functional and emotional need states
Functional
Need States
Emotional
Need States
Makes you
smarterWorks Better
Helps
your
family
Helps you be
healthier
Sensory
Appeal
Simplifies
your life
Saves you
money
Experience
Curious for
knowledgeSense of
optimism
Stay in
control
Feel
comfortable
Feel
myself
Feel liked
Feel
free
Get
noticed
Stay Connected

While  
PRODUCTS  
solve small problems  
we didn’t know we had… …BRANDS
beat down the enemies
that torment us every day.

While products solve regular problems, the most beloved
brands beat down the enemies that torment us every day.
Starbucks
“Hectic Life”
Disney
“growing up”
Nike
“Losing”
Special K
“Jeans are
too tight”
Apple
“Frustration”
Staples
“Business is complicated”
FedEx
“Hate to wait”
Facebook
“Fear of Losing touch”
Volvo
“Other drivers”

Consumer Insights are little secrets
hidden beneath the surface, that
explain the underlying behaviors,
motivations, pain points and
emotions of your consumers.

Data
Information
Knowledge
Wisdom
Who?
What?
When?
Where?
How?
Why?
Context
Understanding
Finding Consumer Insights requires you to look
underneath the consumer data you see at the surface
Data is only valuable when
turned into stories that can
share the wisdom gained
from the data.Think slowly
through your analysis to
avoid making snap
instinctual decisions on one
data point without gaining the
understanding of the
richness in underlying insight
and cause. Ask questions
that force you deeper.

1st So What
2nd So What
3rd So What
4th So What
5th So What
If Consumer Insights lay beneath the surface, ask “so what
does this mean” 5X to dig for richer consumer insights
Data point at the
Surface level
Deeper fact based
Consumer Insight
A useful way to turn data into insight is to ask yourself 5 times “so what does this mean” and you
will see the opinion turn into a fact based consumer insight that can align a team and drive action.
“I am so busy driving my kids around, I can never get to the bank
during banking hours. I wish there was a bank that worked
around my life, rather than me working around the banks’ life”.
Recent research shows customers would use the
bank 3.4x/month and spend $56 more/month if our
Bank were open till 8pm.
• With more flexible hours, customers would use the
bank more often.
• The modern banking customer is so busy, that it has
become almost impossible to get to bank during “bankers hours”
• People are so busy, that if they can’t get to the bank during bankers
hours, they just wont even bother or find other service providers.
• Customers find it very frustrating in this modern world, that banks still close at
4pm. They find it ridiculous.
• Customers wish banks realized how busy they are. We heard “I’m working full
time. I have two kids doing actives and I have my personal time “

Explanations of
data breaks,
drivers, inhibitors,
trends with
consumers,
channels,
competitors
Observe consumer reactions
in focus groups, product
tests, ad testing, direct
consumer engagements to
add to insights.
Listen to Voice of
Consumer (VOC)
with comments on
social media, brand
reviews, market
research. Look for
word choices.
Use our emotional
need state cheat
sheet to understand
potential emotional
insights.
Map out your
consumer’s life,
understanding the
underlying behaviors,
motivations, pain
points and emotions
on the path to
purchase.
What we see
(observations)
2
What we read
(Facts/Data)
What we hear
(Consumer Voice)
31
The Functional and Emotional Need States
Emotional
Need States
Curious for
knowledge
Sense of
optimism
Stay in
control
Feel
comfortable
Feel
myself
Feel liked
Feel
free
Get
noticed
What we sense
(Emotional Needs)
Life Moments
(Day in the life)
4
5
The 360 mining for consumer insights

Consumers lack the
confidence to quit, and they
feel out of control when they
make an attempt to quit.
What we sense
(Emotional Zones)
4
“I feel guilty that I can’t
quit. I know it’s expensive.
But when I do, I’m really
not myself. I get so
irritable that I give up”
What we hear
(Consumer Voice)
3
Consumers will attempt to
quit smoking on their own
7.2 times, before reaching
for a quit smoking aid.
What we read
(Facts/Data)
1
Each time I quit, I’m miserable.
I take it out on those around me,
my friends, my wife. I think
they’d almost rather I smoke
than have to deal with me.
Insight Statement (Connection Point)
“I know I should quit. I’ve tried to quit so
many times, it’s ridiculous. I’m not myself,
I’m grouchy, irritable, out of control.
Quitting smoking sucks.”
Life Moments
(Day in the life)
5
Smokers become agitated when
talking about quitting smoking.
You can see how frustrated they
are with their failed attempts.
What we see
(observations)
2
Consumer Enemy (Pain Point)
“I fear quitting smoking will bring out the
monster in me, tuning me into the worst
version of my personality.”
Case Study: 360 consumer insights for quit smoking

We recommend that consumer insights should start with “I” to get you into the
consumer’s shoes and then use quotes to ensure you are using their voice.
Good consumer insights should get in the shoes of your
consumer and use the consumer’s voice
For a Bank: “I am so busy driving my kids around, I can
never get to the bank during banking hours. I wish there
was a bank that worked around my life, rather than me
working around the banks’ life”.
Computers for Seniors: “I find computers frustrating and
intimidating. Once someone shows me how to do
something, I feel so much smarter. I love being able to
connect with friends or look up things on Google”
For a Bank: Research shows customers
would use a bank 3.4x/month and spend $56
more/month if our Bank were open till 8pm.
Computers for Seniors: The biggest growth
in computer laptops comes from 55+
segment. They are willing to pay a premium
if it comes with free lessons.
Boring insights end up flat Good insights inspire creativity
Quit Smoking: “I know I should quit. I’ve tried to quit so
many times, it’s ridiculous. I’m not myself, I’m grouchy,
irritable and feel out of control. Quitting smoking sucks!”
Quit Smoking: There are no real
competitors. But studies show that people try
to quit cold turkey 7x before reaching for a
smoking aid to help them quit.

Consumer Insights come to life when they are told
in such a captivating way that makes consumers
stop and say “Hmmm, that’s exactly how I feel. I
thought I was the only one who felt like that.”

• Consumer insights demonstrate to your consumers that
we understand them, and the consumer enemy elevates
the consumer problem that the brand solves.
• Consumer insights educate, inspire and challenge the
creative teams to produce amazing brand communication
that immediately connects with consumers.
• Consumer insights should be at the forefront of every
product concept to immediately connect, letting
consumers know this product has been designed for you.
• Consumer insights inspire shopper insights, as you begin
to understand how your brand impacts their life moving
through a buying system on the path to purchase.
• As you see how the consumer interacts with our brand,
you begin to listen, adjust and win over the consumer as
they build our brand into the rituals of their lives.
Brand Promise
Purchase Moment
Innovation
Experience
You need to bring the Consumer Insights to life in each
of your brand’s ﬁve consumer touch-points
Brand Story
Big Idea &
Brand Positioning
Creative Brief &
Media Plans
Product Concepts &
New Technology
Shopper Marketing
& Retail Programs
Brand Culture &
Consumer Experience

CREATIVE(BRIEF((
1.""Why(Are(We(Adver3sing(
Drive&trial&of&the&new&Grays&Cookies&as&“The&Healthy&Choice&to&Snacking”&brand&posi>oning.&&&
2.#What’s(the(Consumer(Problem(We(are(Addressing(
I’m&always&watching&what&I&eat.&&And&then&BAM,&I&see&a&cookie&and&I’m&done.&&As&much&as&I&look&aHer&
myself,&I&s>ll&like&to&sneak&a&cookie&now&and&then.&&"
3.((Who(are(you(talking(to?(
“Proac>ve&Preventers”.&Suburban&working&women,&35L40,&&who&are&willing&to&do&whatever&it&takes&to&
stay&healthy.&&They&run,&workout&and&eat&right.&For&many,&Food&can&be&a&bit&of&a&stressLreliever&and&
escape&even&for&people&who&watch&what&they&eat.&&&&"
4.((Consumer(Insights(
L&“I&have&tremendous&willLpower.&&I&work&out&3x&a&week,&watch&what&I&eat&and&maintain&my&figure.&&But&
we&all&have&weaknesses&and&cookies&are&mine.&&I&just&wish&they&were&less&bad&for&you”&
L&&“I&read&labels&of&everything&I&eat.&&I&s>ck&to&1500&calories&per&day,&and&will&find&my&own&ways&to&
achieve&that&balance.&&&If&I&eat&a&400&calorie&cookie,&it&may&mean&giving&something&up.”&
5.(What(does(our(consumer(think(now?(
I’ve&never&heard&of&Grays&Cookies.&&But&I’d&likely&need&to&try&it&and&see&if&I&like&it.&&If&it&really&does&taste&
that&good,&it’s&something&I&might&consider&as&a&snack.&&&
6.((What(do(you(want(your(consumer(to(think/feel/do?((Desired(Response)(
We&want&them&to&try&Grays&and&see&if&they&like&the&great&taste.&&"
7.((What(should(we(tell(them?((S3mulus:((benefit)(
With&Grays&Cookies&you&can&s>ll&have&a&great&tas>ng&cookie&without&the&guilt,&so&you&can&stay&in&
control&of&your&health.&&
8.((Why(should(they(believe(us?(
In&blind&taste&tests,&Grays&Cookies&matched&the&market&leaders&on&taste,&but&only&has&100&calories&and&
2g&of&fat.&&In&a&12&week&study,&consumers&using&Grays&once&a&night&as&a&desert&were&able&to&lose&5lbs.&&&
9.((Brand(Posi3oning(Statement(
For&“Proac>ve&Preventers”,&Women&30L45,&Grays&Cookies&are&the&best&tas>ng&yet&guiltLfree&pleasure#
so&you&can&stay&in&control&of&your&healthy&lifestyle.&&That’s&because&Grays&combines&the&great&taste&in&a&
low&fat&and&calorie&sensible&cookie.&In&blind&taste&tests,&Grays&Cookies&matched&the&market&leaders&on&
taste,&but&only&has&100&calories&and&2g&of&fat.&&In&a&12&week&study,&consumers&using&Grays&once&a&night&
as&a&desert&were&able&to&lose&5lbs.&&&
10.((Tone(and(Manner(
Successful,&Mo>vated,&Reliable,&In&Control,&Natural.&
11.((Media(Op3ons(
Main&crea>ve&will&be&in&specialty&health&magazines,&event&OOH&signage&and&inLstore.&&Want&to&carry&
the&idea&into&digital,&social&media&and&a&microsite.&&&
12.((Mandatories(
The&line:&“best&tas>ng&yet&guiltLfree&pleasure”&is&on&the&packaging.&25%&of&Print&must&carry&the&Whole&
Foods&logo&as&part&of&our&lis>ng&agreement&and&include&the&Legal&disclaimer&on&the&taste&test&and&the&
12&week&study.&&&
Consumer
insights are the
starting point for
the brand’s
Consumer
Benefits Ladder
Consumer
insights help
consumers to
connect quickly
with Concepts
Consumer insights
allows us to build a
BIG IDEA that creates
a bond between
brand and consumers
Consumer
insights in the
Creative Brief
inspires Agency
to make great
work
Build Media Plans
around Consumer
insights at each stage
of the buying system
Consumer Insights should be anchored in every planning tool
Benefits Ladder
Consumer Target
Product features
Functional benefits
Emotional benefits

At Beloved Brands, we promise to
make your brand stronger and your
brand leaders smarter.
We believe big ideas, focus and
passion matter, because the more
loved a brand is by consumers, the
more powerful and profitable that
brand will be.
We will challenge you to think
different, because the thinking that got
here may not get you to the next level.
Our Credo
Consumer Insights should be highlighted in everything you do
The best brand
communications has
consumer insights central
to the brand story, helping
establishes a unique own-
able positioning that
moves consumer to see,
think, feel, act or scream.
With consumer enemies and nights
brands can develop an INNOVATION
PLAN that uses a stage-gate process
to drive new ideas, concepts, testing,
launches through the system.
Using consumer insights
to build brand experience
by Influencing the
CULTURE by creating a
BRAND CREDO helping
to frame the purpose,
values and sets up the
service behaviors.
Turning consumer insights
into shopper insights allows
the brand to Influence the
PURCHASE MOMENT with
channels, merchandising
and e-commerce

Get Consumers
to THINK differently
about your brand
Build a trusted
following with each
happy purchase
Get Current Loyal
users to connect
emotionally and
LOVE you more
Create outspoken
loyal fans to whisper
to their friends on
your behalf
Head Heart Soul
Stand out so
consumers NOTICE
the brand in a
crowd market place
Eyes
Where your brand sits on the Brand Love Curve
should focus your team’s marketing execution focus
Think Do InfluenceSee Feel
Unknown Indifferent Love ItLike It Beloved
Happy Feet

We recommend that consumer insights should start with “I” to get you into the
consumer’s shoes and then use quotes to ensure you are using their voice.
Good consumer insights should get in the shoes of
your consumer and use the consumer’s voice
Boring insights end up flat Good insights inspire creativity
“I have tremendous will-power. I work out 3x a
week, watch what I eat to maintain my figure.
But we all have weaknesses and cookies are
mine. I just wish they were less bad for you”
I love cookies and would love to eat a
low calorie cookie that tastes great.
Gray’s usage frequency is under-
developed. Consumers see it as a
once-in-a-while treat, not a usual brand.
“I eat Gray’s when I want to be good. But I keep
eating Oreos when I want to be bad. I almost
forget about Gray’s when I’m eating Oreos.”
Gray’s surprisingly great taste drives a
high repeat, 40% to 25% norm.
“If this cookie tastes as good as the ones I
know are bad for me, then maybe I wouldn’t
feel so guilty eating this one.”

We summarize our great work into a Consumer
Target Profile that can be used in everything we do
Target
Consumer
Target Name Pro-Active Preventers
Target
Description
• Suburban working women, 35-40, who are willing to do whatever it takes to stay healthy.
They run, workout and eat right. For many, Food can be a bit of a stress-reliever and escape.
Their needs • Great tasting food, satisfy craving, healthy choices, maintain weight.
Their enemy • Guilt, failure, out of control diet, temptation.
Insights that
tell their story
• “I have tremendous will-power. I work out 3x a week, watch what I eat to maintain my figure.
But we all have weaknesses and cookies are mine. I just wish they were less bad for you”
• “I read labels of everything I eat. I stick to 1500 calories per day, and will find my own ways
to achieve that balance.”
What do they
think now?
• I have only recently heard of Gray’s Cookies. I’ve tried them a few times and did like them. I
wouldn’t say I use them all the time.
How are they
buying?
• Most have been influenced by friends who have tried. Those who are buying, still do so less
frequently than their normal favorite cookies. The household has yet to adopt the product.
The mom uses it when she’s trying to diet.
We want them
to think/feel/do
• See: Get noticed so consumers are aware of Gray’s, see it on shelf, see actual product.
• Think: Gray’s might be a healthy alternative to my favorite cookies.
• Do: Try Grays to see if they like the great taste.
• Feel: Feel more in control with Gray’s as part of their routine, feeling less guilt.
• Whisper: Tell their friends they love Gray’s, and share the success they are having.

The ways of the modern consumer have changed,
impacting what it takes for brands to win.
In today’s Marketing world, Brand Love is the new currency.
The best brands build their growth with a base of loyal brand fans.
The consumers in today’s world now see 5,000 brand messages per day, far too many for their
brains to handle. They filter out the irrelevant advertising and gravitate only to those brands that
capture their minds and their hearts. Consumers are constantly distracted—working, walking,
talking, texting, driving, searching and clicking—rarely doing one thing at a time.
Consumers are tired of being burned by faulty brand promises. Their instinct is to doubt first,
test second, and at any point they are willing to cast aside those brands that do not live up to
their original promise. They stay loyal to brands that speak directly with them and those that
offer the most amazing experiences that exceed their expectations.
Consumers take control of the buying process, literally at their finger tips. They feel empowered
knowing that they matter more than they ever have before. Right in the moment, they openly
voice their pleasure and displeasure to their friends, empowered knowing the influence they
bring. Consumers may explore rationally, but engage emotionally with brands they believe in.

There is only one source of revenue.
It is not the products you sell,
but the consumers who buy them.

What is your main benefit (rational/emotional)
Doing a Consumer Benefits Ladder helps to organize your thinking as a great tool
for bringing the benefits to life. Find the rational benefit by putting yourself in the
shoes of the consumer and seeing the brand features from their eyes: start
asking yourself over and over “so if I’m the consumer, what do I get from that?”.
Then find the emotional benefit by asking “so how does that make me feel?”
What are we are selling?
2

Target and insights What do consumers want?
Product features What does your product do?
Functional benefits What do consumers get?
Emotional benefits How does that make them feel?
Consumers
Define target, need
states, enemies
and insights.
Functional
In the consumer’s
voice, answer, “So,
what do I get?”
Consumer Benefits Ladder
Features
Product-focused
strengths, claims,
differences or
unique offerings.
Emotional
Look at rational
benefit, asking,
“So how does that
make me feel?”
1
2
3
4

Makes you smarter
Works
Better
for you
Helps
your
family
Helps
you be
healthier
Faster
More
powerful
Safer
Lasts
Longer
Keeps you
organized
Saves
time
Social
Latest
Fashions
Latest
technology
Sounds
Taste
Smell
Sights
Education
Comfort
Life Stages
Mental
Health
Better Home Prevents
Weight/Exercise
Lower
Risk
Track
Success
Resale
value
Invest for
future
Advice
Solutions Teaching
Helping hand
Sensory Appeal
Simplifies
your life
Stay
Connected
Hassle
Free
Functional benefit cheat sheet
Easier
to use
Touch/Feel
Good value
Quality
Reduces
Soothes
Cultural
How it is
made
Saves
you
money
Experience
Variety
Personal
Service
In touch
Moments
Responsiveness
Memorable
Occasion
Rituals
Updates
Luxurious
Performance
IntegratedEfficient
Subconscious
Style
9 functional zones with 50 total functional beneﬁts

Curious for knowledgeSense of
optimism
Stay in
control
Feel
comfortable
Feel
myself
Motivated
Special
Successful
Inspired
Interesting
Alive
Cool
Playful
Popular
Trendy
Like-able
Friendly Intimate
Happy
Easy-
going
Nurtured
Compassion
Down-to--earth
Relaxed
Honest
Family
Trust
Safe
Respect
Reliable
Informed
Wisdom Smarter
Competent
Feel liked
Feel free
Get
noticed
Excited
Emotional benefit cheat sheet
Consumer
Values
Exhilarating
8 emotional zones with 40 total emotional beneﬁts
Hotspex

Helps your
family
Keeps you
organized
Life
Stages
Better Home
Resale value
Simplifies
your life
Saves you
money
Moments
Efficient
Feel
comfortable
Feel
myself
Easy-going
Nurtured
Down-
to--earth
Relaxed
Honest Family
Functional
Emotional Curious for
knowledge
Stay in
control
Trust
Safe
Reliable
Informed
SmarterWisdom
Makes you
smarter
Works
Better
Safer
Life Stages
Better
Home
Solutions
Helping
hand
Quality
Helps your
family
How it
is made
Works
Better
Faster
Sights Sensory
Appeal
Touch/Feel
Quality
Experience
Responsiveness
Subconscious
Luxurious
Performance
Alive
Cool
Playful
Popular
Feel
free
Get
noticed
Excited
Comfort
Comfort
Memorable
Sounds
Good value
Build your brand around unique beneﬁt clusters

Functional
Emotional
Feel
optimistic
Motivated
Special Inspired
Interesting
Alive
Feel
free Excited
Curious for
knowledge
Stay in
controlTrust Respect
Reliable
Informed
Wisdom
Smarter
Simplifies
your life
Hassle
Free
Easier
to use
Integrated
Efficient
Sights
Sensory
Appeal
Touch/Feel
Experience
Personal Service
Responsiveness
Memorable
Subconscious
Makes you
smarter
Keeps you
organized
Saves time
Latest
technology
Solutions
TeachingHelping
hand
Simplifies
your life
Stay
Connected
Easier
to use
In
touch
Integrated
Efficient
Style
Build your brand around unique beneﬁt clusters

Use the benefit clusters to turn into benefit statements
• I feel in control of my health
• I feel safer in snacking on this cookie
• I like to know how many calories I eat each day
• I feel more confident in my diet
• I feel more knowledgeable about what I am putting in my body.
• I will feel more motivated to be successful with this cookie
• I will feel inspired to lose weight
• I get a great tasting cookie, as good as my current cookie
• I can replace my current fav cookie with this one
• I get a low calorie snack to make my diet easier
• Whenever I get hungry, this is the one I will reach for
• I can eat this when I’m hungry
• I will be healthier and lose weight
• I will prevent falling off my diet
• I will be able to reduce my daily calorie intake
• I will get the same great taste, just lower calories and fat
• I can get the same sensation I get from eating a cookie
Functional
Emotional
Helps you be
healthier
Taste
Prevents
Weight/Exercise
Sensory
Appeal
Easier to use
Touch/Feel
Reduces
Experience
Memorable
Occasion
Rituals
Curious for
knowledge
Sense of
optimism
Stay in
control
Motivated
Successful
Inspired
Trust
Safe
Respect
Reliable
Informed
Smarter
Use the clusters to begin the brainstorm,
using specific category or brand words.

Consumer Benefits Ladder worksheet
Target: “Proactive Preventers”. Suburban working women, 35-40,
who are willing to do whatever it takes to stay healthy. They run,
workout and eat right. For many, food can be a bit of a stress-
reliever and an escape.
Needs: Great taste, satisfy craving, healthy, maintain weight.
Consumer Enemy: Guilt, failure, out of control diet, temptation.
Insights: 1) “I have tremendous will-power. I work out 3x a week,
watch what I eat and maintain my figure. But we all have
weaknesses and cookies are mine. I just wish they were less bad
for you” 2) “I read labels of everything I eat. I stick to 1500 calories
per day, and will find my own ways to achieve that balance.”
Emotional Benefits: 1) I feel in control of my health. 2) I feel
more confident in my diet. 3) I feel more knowledgeable about
what I am putting in my body.
Functional Benefits: 1) I get a great tasting cookie, as good as
my current cookie 2) I get a low calorie snack to make my diet
easier. 3) I can eat this when I’m hungry.
Features: 1) In blind taste tests, Grays matched the market
leaders on taste, but only has 100 calories and 2g of fat. 2) In a
12 week study, consumers using Grays once a night as a desert
were able to lose 5 pounds. 3) All natural ingredients.

How motivated
are consumers by
your benefit
High
High
Low
Low How own-able is this
benefit for your brand
Sort through the possible benefits to find the ones that are
most motivating to consumers and own-able for your brand.
Losing Zone Winning Zone
Dumb Zone Risky Zone
Guilt Free
Alternative
Low
Calorie
Less Fat
All Natural
Ingredients
Lose 5
pound in 2
weeks
Feel
Smarter
about food
Feel in
control of
your
weight
Feel more
confident
More
comfort in
choices
New
Favorite
Cookie

Sell the benefit,
not the features.
People don’t really want a
quarter-inch drill. They just want
a quarter-inch hole to hang up
beautiful memories of their life.

Stop telling consumers what you do and start telling
them what they get and how it will make them feel.
Features
What do you do?
Functional Benefits
What do i get?
Emotional Benefits
How do I feel?
Gray’s is the fastest
working headache
medication.
Gray’s helps you to get
on with your day.
With Gray’s, you can feel
optimistic that nothing will
get in your way today.
Gray’s Bank stays open till
8pm.
Gray’s Bank works around
your life instead of you
working around our life.
With Gray’s Bank, you can be
comfortable you can get to
the bank when you need to.
Gray’s cereal is a great
tasting low calorie cereal.
Using Gray’s twice
a day, you can lose 5
pounds in two weeks.
With Gray’s, you can
feel inspired to stay in
control of your weight.

A great articulation of the difference between functional
product features and emotional brand beneﬁts.
Who do you think will get the ride?

Support points to back up what you say
Claims can be an effective tool in helping to support your Reason to believe.
We look at four types of claims: process, product, third person and behavioral.
3

Rational truths (what the head says): what the consumer thinks about the brand.
1. Attributes: these are the non-negotiable attributes about the brand. These can
be claims, known facts about the brand, deep perceptions, trends on the brand or
elements that are obvious.
2. Associations: top of mind associations that are owned or own-able by the brand.
When you think about a brand, what do you automatically link that brand with?
Emotional truths (what the heart says): how consumer feels about the brand.
1. Values: what does the brand stand for. If the brand were a person, what qualities
would you put to it.
2. Personality: how the brand behaves, the style it projects or the way it
communicates with consumers.
Be honest because these are truths of your brand, you have to be as honest as you
can be. It’s so tempting to lie or see through rose colored glasses. But like every
person, every brand has flaws. But like every person, knowing yourself in an honest
way, helps you stay true to yourself.

Process
• Detail how your product works differently
• Showcase your point of difference in the production process.
• What do you do differently within the production process
• What added service/details do you provide in the value chain
Product
• Usage of an ingredient that makes you better
• Process or ingredient that makes you safer
Third person
• Experts in the field who can speak on the brand’s behalf.
• Past users/clients with proof support of their stories.
Behavioral
• Clinical tests
• In market usage study
• Before and after studies
Using Claims to support your Reason to Believe

What
consumers
want
What your
competitor
does best
What
your brand
does best
Using Claims to support your Reason to Believe
Defensive Claims:
These are the watch out areas of
where you are vulnerable and
your competitor could attack you.
Use these to close leaks before
your competitor can attack.
Superiority Claims
using claims as a way to highlight
your brand’s clear difference
matters to consumers
Dumb Claims:
Avoid claims where consumer
doesn’t care at all. Do a claims
sorting exercise to ensure your
statements matter.
Parity Claims:
When you have a virtual tie, parity
claims can help the leader or those
using the claim as a support point to
innovation and emotional connection

To
(Target)
Gray’s is the
(Category)
That is the
(Beneﬁt)
That’s
because
(Support Points)
1
2
3
4

To
(Target)
Gray’s is the
(Category)
That is the
(Beneﬁt)
• A Guilt free cookie that tastes so good
That’s
because
(Support
Points)
1
2
3
4
For the healthy proactive preventers, who want to do more for
their health, Gray’s is a guilt free cookie that tastes so good that
you can stay in control of your health. That’s because in blind
taste tests, Gray’s matched the leaders on taste, but only 100
calories and 3g of carbs. In a 12-week study, consumers using
Gray’s once a night as a desert were able to lose 5-10 pounds.

What is the Organizing Big Idea and soul of the brand?
Idealized state is when the BIG IDEA drives the brand REPUTATION which then perfectly
matches up to the brand soul Build a Big Idea that is supported by product, consumer views,
brand character, brand role & internal beacon. This 7 second brand deﬁnition helps frame the 60
second brand, 30 minute brand and lifetime brand, always consistently telling the same story.
What’s the big idea for
your brand?
4

What is your brand’s
shout from the mountain?
What is your brand’s Big
Idea that you can organize
everything around?

Brand’s
Big Idea
We will help create a Big Idea that will transform your internal
brand soul into a winning external brand reputation.
The Big Idea helps
simplify the brand message
as an outward expression of
the inner Brand Soul
We make brands stro
We make brand leaders sm
Promise Brand Story Innovation Purchase Moment Experience
Big
Idea
Brand
Positioning
Advertising and
Communication
Product
Development
Selling and
Retail
Operations
and Culture
Consumer
The
Brand
Big
Idea
Drive consistency using the brand’s Big Idea to show
up the same way at all 5 consumer touch-points. The
goal is to create happy purchases that builds trust.
Consumers have 7
seconds to connect
with a brand’s Big Idea
A brand ﬁnds its equilibrium when the Big
Idea impacts a brand reputation to
perfectly match up to the Brand Soul
Soul Reputation=
Based on their personal
experiences, consumers
form a reputation they
spread to others.
1
2
3
4
5
=Big Idea
Brand
Soul
Consumer

Brand
Soul
Big
Idea
The brand soul is a messy collection of inner thoughts of the organization that includes the
purpose, values, motivations and beliefs. The big idea simpliﬁes and organizes the expression of
the brand soul into the cluttered marketplace to become the brand's outward expression that is
unique, simple, motiving and own-able. The big idea must steer everyone who works on the brand
to match up to every possible consumer touch point (story, innovation, purchase, experience), to
create a brand reputation in the consumer’s mind that ends up being a perfect match for the soul.
A brand ﬁnds its equilibrium when the big idea, soul and reputation are the same.
The big idea, the brand soul and the brand reputation must work
together to ensure the brand shows up consistently in the market.

What is it that creates a bond between
the consumer and the brand?
The
Brand
The
Consumer

Consumers first connect with the brand’s big idea,
which should be an outer reflection of the brand soul
Big
Idea
The
Brand
Big Ideas help simplify and organize brand messages to gain entry on the first encounter. The
idea must be interesting, unique and motivating enough to tempt consumers. The big idea
must be inspiring to the team behind the brand, to be layered easily across the organization
and have longevity over the life of the brand so the brand begins to own the idea.
The
Consumer

7-second
pitch
60-second
pitch 30-minute
pitch
Lifetime
brand pitch
Decision
Point
Experience
Point
Entry
Point
Testing
Point
Consumer
A Big Idea ensures that a brand has consistency in the consumers
mind as they notice, test, decide and experience the brand.

Modern consumer world sets up case for a Big Idea
After decades of being
burned by false promises,
modern consumers are
naturally cynical and
constantly doubting
brands. They test the brand
by asking detailed questions.
7 second brand
60 second brand
In today’s crowded
branded marketplace, the
modern consumers see
7,000 brand messages a
day. The fastest thing our
brains do is reject
brand messages.
Modern consumers
like to take control
over their buying
process as they move
from consideration to
search and ﬁnally to a
purchase moment.
30 minute brand
Lifetime brand
As the modern consumer
experiences the brand,
they either accept or reject
the promise. Consumers are
more loyal to brands they
share a common purpose
and shared values.
Brands need to move
with consumers
through to the
purchase moment
Brands need to
create
experiences
that match the
brand story
Brands need an
entry point to gain
permission to the
consumer’s brain.
Brands need a solid
story that closes off
any doubts
consumers may have
Can you describe your brand to CONSUMERS in 7 seconds, 60 seconds, 30
minutes and over the lifetime of the brand, always telling the same story?
1
2
34
Consumer

Complex brand organization affirms case for Big Idea
The people of an
organization deliver the
brand story, innovation,
purchase moment and
experience Together, they
create a bond with
consumers. Everyone needs
a common understanding and
talking points of the brand.
7 second brand60 second brand
The organizational
support behind
brands can be
complex. Various
departments have
differing motivations
and misaligned goals.
Organizations need to
break down silos to
ensure various groups
move in the same
direction, each with
unique solutions that line
up with other groups
30 minute brand
Lifetime
brand
It is the culture of the
organization who deliver
the experience the
brand. People are the
face of the brand, and
will be the source of
creating loyalty with
consumers
Brands need a
plan that gets
everyone on the
same page with
strategics, tactics
and project plans.
The culture under the brand is
quickly becoming the new product
that consumers connect with.
Brands need an
internal beacon to
rally the motivations
of their employees
Brands need to lay
out the detail so
everyone can know
the impact they have
Can you describe your brand to YOUR TEAM in 7 seconds, 60 seconds, 30
minutes and over the lifetime of the brand, always telling the same story?
1
2
3
4
The
Brand

Nike pushes
your athletic
boundaries beyond
what you thought
was possible.
Is “Just Do it” Nike’s Big Idea?
Amazing slogan.
But not a big idea.
Big Idea focuses entire organization, from
what type of shoes you make, who you
hire, how you design stores and even
coming up with the “Just Do It” tagline.
No, it is just their tagline.

Apple
makes technology
so simple that
everyone can be
part of the
future.
Special K
inspires and
empowers women
to take control and
maintain their
healthy body.
Starbucks
provides a personal
moment of escape
from a hectic life,
between work
and home.
Rolex is
assembled with
scrupulous
attention to detail,
Rolex is a sign of
prestige and
success.
Can you explain your brand in 7 seconds?
7 second brand
BIG IDEAS help simplify and organize brand messages making it easily understood and
remembered. The idea must be unique, own-able and motivating. The Big Idea must
gain a quick entry, be layered easily and have longevity over the life of the brand. All
activity on the brand must be organized under the Big Idea.

Simplicity
Once you have found your 7 second brand,
can you narrow it further to the 1-second brand?
Empower Moments Prestige
1 second brand
There is a power in focusing everyone based on ONE word for your brand.

There is a power in focusing everyone based on
ONE word for your brand
Safety
1 second brand
When I’m giving talks, if I say “Volvo”, the audience shouts back “Safety”

Brand
Soul
Big
Idea
What you want your
brand to be
A brand’s big idea, brand soul and reputation must work together
to ensure the brand shows up consistently to consumers
What your consumers
think of you
Big Idea summarizes brand soul,
while inﬂuencing reputation
Inside OutwardStabilizer

Products
and Services
Consumer
Reputation
Brand Role
Internal
Beacon
Influencer
Reputation
Inside the Brand Soul Outward Brand Reputation
The Stabilizing Bridge
The work of the review and positioning assesses the inner
and outer elements of the brand to build a unifying big idea
Big idea
must be interesting,
simple, unique,
inspiring,
motivating and
own-able.
Brand
Soul

Products and Services Consumer Reputation
Brand Role
Internal Beacon
Big Idea has to
accurately express
the brand’s soul and
outward reputation. It
must be interesting,
simple, unique,
inspiring, motivating
and own-able. Influencer Reputation
The Big Idea Blueprint
What is the focused point of difference
that your products or services can win on,
because they meet consumer needs, and
separates your brand from competitors?
What is the internal rallying cry that
reflects your brand’s purpose, values,
motivations helping inspire, challenge
and guide the culture? These words
should come from your brand’s soul.
What is the link between the consumer
and the brand, reflecting the way the
brand services, supports and enables
the consumers to make the most out of
your brand? The brand role links the
internal and external sides.
What is the desired reputation of the
brand, that attracts, excites, engages
and motivates consumers to think,
feel and purchase your brand?
Who are the key influencers and
potential partners who impact the
brand? What is their view of the brand
that would make them recommend or
partner with your brand?
Brand
Soul

Low calorie, tasty, delicious,
light tasting, low fat, low
carb, controls hunger, rich
flavors, creamy filling.
Products & Services Consumer Reputation
New, Innovative, Moms,
Fresh, Different, surprisingly
tasty, Low Calorie, the Diet
Cookie, unknown, sugar free,
snack replacement.
Brand Role
Delicious, soft, creamy,
be as good as a regular
cookie, never settle on
taste, healthy, low carb,
sugar is evil, natural
Internal Beacon
Enabling, supportive, knowledgeable,
helping hand, controls hunger, helps
indulge, pleasure
The
Big Idea
Optimistic, excited, diet,
carbs, inspiring, stay in
control, knowledgeable,
fitness, low calorie, sugar
free, all natural.
Influencer Reputation
Build your brand’s big idea by brainstorming KEY WORDS
Brainstorm 10-15 words for each area, then vote on the best 3-4 words
Step 1

Delicious, low carb, low
calorie cookies that help
controls hunger and replace
their favorite cookie.
The fresh face in the cookie
aisle, known equally for health
as it is the great taste.
Brand Role
Healthy doesn’t have to taste
bad. We need to make
healthy, low carb cookies that
never settles on taste.
Internal Beacon
Gray’s is the helping hand that allows
people to control their cravings and
maintain their weight.
The
Big Idea
Dietitians and fitness
coaches see Grays as a
healthy snack, for a low
carb low calorie diet.
Turn key words of each area into summary KEY PHRASESStep 2
Take the best 3-4 words and build key phrases to summarize each area

Delicious, low carb, low
calorie cookies that help
controls hunger and replace
their favorite cookie.
The fresh face in the cookie
aisle, known equally for health
as it is the great taste.
Brand Role
Healthy doesn’t have to taste
bad. We need to make
healthy, low carb cookies that
never settles on taste.
Internal Beacon
Gray’s is the helping hand that allows
people to control their cravings and
maintain their weight.
Dietitians and fitness
coaches see Grays as a
healthy snack, for a low
carb low calorie diet.
Step 3
Grays are the
best tasting yet
guilt free pleasure
so you can stay in
control of your
health.
Using the 5 areas to inspire you, try to write a summary Big Idea
Come up with a BIG IDEA that summarizes everything

Mathematical argument for
your brand’s BIG IDEA to
be a single message
The probability of success (P) is directly linked to
the inverse of the number of messages (M) you
have in your brand communication.
P =
1
2m
_

The Big Idea guides everything consumers touch
We manage the consistent delivery of the Big Idea over ﬁve consumer touch-
points, including the brand promise, story, innovation, purchase moment and
brand experience. This means everyone that works on those, whether
management, agencies, customer service, sales, HR and operations all should
be looking at the Big Idea as a guiding beacon for decisions.
Organizing everything around the
brand’s Big Idea and DNA

The consumer’s ﬁrst
interaction with a
brand will be with a
big idea that delivers
the Brand Promise
The big
idea must
motivate
consumers
think, feel
and move
towards the
Purchase
Moment
Surpising
Innovation builds
from the big idea to
keep up to trends,
satisfy a broader
array of needs and
stay ahead of
competitors
Happy experiences
must over-deliver the
original promise of the
big idea. Every happy
purchase tightens the
bond and spread the
brand love to others.
The Brand Story must use the big idea
to entice consumers to think, feel and
act in ways that will beneﬁt the brand.
GRAYS
Guilt free pleasure
gourmet cookies
2
5
1 3
4
Consumer
GRAYS
Lemon creme
Guilt free pleasure
gourmet cookies
GRAYS
Peanut Butter
Guilt free pleasure
gourmet cookies
GRAYS
Ginger Bread
Guilt free pleasure
gourmet cookies
GRAYS
Cranberry Time
Guilt free pleasure
gourmet cookies
interaction with a
the Brand Promise
Purchase Moment
Innovation
Experience
The consumer may
engage in the big idea
through the telling of
the Brand Story
GRAYS
Guilt free pleasure
gourmet cookies
2
5
1
3
4
Grays Cookies were
created with a bit of luck
Gray’s Cookies is based
on a 40-year-old family
recipe that had been used
for years in a local coffee
shop in Stowe Vermont.
Gray’s was a local favorite
and even among tourists,
famous for it’s Chocolate
Chip and Peanut Butter
flavors. No one realized it
was also a healthy treat—
low fat, low calories.
A taste of guilt
free pleasure
Consumer
GRAYS
Lemon creme
Guilt free pleasure
gourmet cookies
GRAYS
Peanut Butter
Guilt free pleasure
gourmet cookies
GRAYS
Ginger Bread
Guilt free pleasure
gourmet cookies
GRAYS
Cranberry Time
Guilt free pleasure
gourmet cookies
interaction with a
the Brand Promise
Purchase Moment
Innovation
Experience
The consumer may
engage in the big idea
through the telling of
the Brand Story
GRAYS
Guilt free pleasure
gourmet cookies
2
5
1
3
4
The consumer engages a brand at 5 main touch-points

Today’s consumer engages 5 main touch-points, but in a non-linear,
and random way, within a confusing and cluttered marketplace
Purchase
Moment
Brand
Story
Innovation
Surprise
Competitive
messages
Consumer
Brand
Promise
Without an organizing big idea, the brand is at risk of showing up
as a complete mess within the cluttered mess of the market
The
Brand
Inﬂuential
Voices
Happy
Experiences
Ubiquitous
connections
Experiences
beyond products

• Create a simple brand promise that separates your brand from
competitors, based on being better, different or cheaper.
• Use your brand story to motivate consumers to think, feel or act, while
beginning to own a reputation in the mind and hearts of consumers.
• The moment of truth as consumers move through the purchase cycle
and use channels, messaging, processes to make the ﬁnal decision.
• Fundamentally sound product, staying at the forefront of trends and
using technology to deliver on your brand promise.
• Turn the usage of your product into an experience that becomes a
ritual and favorite part of their day.
Align all 5 consumer touch-points
under the brand’s Big Idea
Brand Promise
Brand Story
Happy Experiences
The big idea organizes the brand across all 5 touch points.
Purchase Moment
Innovation Surprise

Big idea connects
and separate brand
from competitors
Use your brand’s
differences to move
consumers
Keep your brand
fresh and on top of
trends
Move consumers
through the buying
system
Experiences that
consistently over-
deliver the promise
Consumer
Big
Idea
The
Brand
Brand
Promise
Brand
Story
Happy
Experiences
Purchase
Moment
Innovation
Surprise
Positioning Advertising and
Communication
Product
Development
Selling and
Retail
Operations
and Culture
The big idea must inspire and align everyone who works behind the scenes of the brand.
The big idea is the bridge between brand and consumer,
aligning everything around the 5 consumer touch-points

Take control of your
weight by replacing
your favorite snack
with Grays.
Real life stories that
show women living
“All the pleasure.
None of the guilt.”
We never sacriﬁce
on taste so you won’t
have to sacriﬁce
your cookie.
Interrupt purchase
routine to set up
Grays as the better
alternative.
Celebrate weight
loss results to
empower you to stay
in control.
Consumer
Brand
Brand
Promise
Brand
Story
Happy
Experiences
Purchase
Moment
Innovation
Surprise
Communication
Product
Development
Selling and
Retail
Operations
and Culture
The big idea is the bridge between brand and consumer,
aligning everything around the 5 consumer touch-points
Grays are the
best tasting yet
guilt free pleasure
so you can stay in
control of your
health.

The big idea sits within the 5-Year brand strategy roadmap
Promise: Experience:Innovation Purchase MomentStory:
Vision:
Purpose:
Values:
The Big Idea: Grays are the best tasting yet guilt free pleasure so you can stay in control of your health.
Build community of
Brand Lovers
Explore entering new
food categories
Leader of healthy
cookie cement
Become alternative to
mainstream cookies
To be the first ‘healthy cookie’ to generate the craving, popularity and sales of a mainstream cookie.
We believe that healthy does not have to taste bad. We make healthy, low carb cookies that never settles
on taste, and helps people stay in control of their health.
Consumer first, great taste, healthy, natural ingredients, fast-to-market, family owned.
Goals:
Issues:
Strategies
Tactics
$100 Million brand by 2020, become a mainstream brand, increase usage, longer term penetration gains.
1. How do we tighten the bond with our most loyal brand lovers?
2. How do we balance driving penetration and usage frequency?
3. How will we defend Gray’s leadership position in the Healthy Cookie segment?
4. How do we leverage “guilt free” idea across new food categories
Take control of your
weight by replacing
your favorite snack
with Grays.
Real life stories that
show women living
“All the pleasure. None
of the guilt.”
We never sacrifice
on taste, you won’t
have to sacrifice
your cookie.
Interrupt purchase
routine to set up
Grays as the better
alternative.
We hope your
weight loss results
empowers you to
stay in control.
• Social Media to connect
brand lovers
• Surprise and delight
program to most loyal
• Explore geographic
expansion
• Drive penetration using
advertising & nutritionist PR
• Continue to attract new
users to Gray’s
• New flavor launches to
replicate mainstream
• Dominate shelf in every
channel
• Attack all competitive
entries
• Leverage influence of
brand lovers
• Build “guilt free” idea
• Innovation focused on
new segments
• Early trial with brand
lovers
To
(Target)
Gray’s is the
(Category)
That is the
(Benefit)
• A Guilt free cookie that tastes so good
That’s
because
(Support
Points)
1
2
3
4
Brand Strategy
Roadmap

Big
Idea
Sub Brand
Campaign
Sub Brand
Campaign
Sub Brand
Campaign
J F M A M J J A S O N D
TV TV TV
Facebook
Event Event Sampling
Digital Twitter
In Store Displays
PR PR
Facebook FacebookWeather Twitter YouTube
Master Brand
Anthemic
Campaign
The Big Idea should guide the
Creative Idea that can set up
the advertising for the master-
brand ads as well as sub
brands or promotional ads…
…the Big Idea should guide the Media
Plan with a balance of how to execute
the master brand advertising with sub
brands, and promotional ads.
Creative Idea
Big Idea should organize a consistent delivery of the marketing
execution, driving the creative execution and media plan
Creative Execution Media Plan

Social Media Home PageEarned Media SearchPaid Media Purchase MediaExperiential
Make brand
newsworthy
to help
decisions.
Enlist lovers
as advocates
to influence
others.
Tell brand story
in own-able,
breakthrough,
moving way.
Help
consumers
make smarter
decisions.
Knowledge,
influence to
close the sale
or sell brand.
Bring brand to
life to replicate
ideal brand
experience
Manage
consumer
through entire
purchase cycle.
Big
Idea
Align all marketing execution under the Big Idea
Consumer The
Brand

Customer
Big
Idea
External story
of the brand which creates
a position in the mind/heart
Internal story
of the brand which creates
the customer experience
Logo/Packaging
Sales Materials
Communications
Values/Culture
Innovation
Service
The external and internal story
are of equal importance to the
experience you create.

Brand
Story
Brand
Positioning
Strategic
Plan
Retail
Selling
Organization
Culture
Driving
Profits
Vision&
Purpose&
Goals&
Key&
Issues&
Strategies&
Tac7cs&
Calendar&
Budget&
Target&
Insights&
Consumer&
Enemy&
Features&
Ra7onal&
Beneﬁts&
Emo7onal&
Beneﬁts&
Statement&
Winning&
Concept&
Social&
Media&
Digital&
Look&and&
Feel&
Communica7ons&
Strategy&
Brief&
Crea7ve&
Idea&
Paid&
Media&
Earned&
Media&
Trends&
Direct&
Interac7on&
Voice&of&
Consumer&
Consumer&
Experience&
Consumer&
Insights&
Behaviors&
Talent&
Hiring&
Training&
Values&
Revenue&
CAGR&
P&L&Mgmt.&
COGS&
ROI&
Priori7es&
Investment&
Forecasts&
Share&
Data&
NPD&
Produc7on&
PorOolio&
Mgmt.&&
R&D&
Plan&
Brainstorm&
NPD&
Investment&
Launch&
Plan&
Customer&
Priori7za7on&
Key&Accounts&
Distribu7on&
In&store&&
Message&
In&store&
Experience&
Buyer&
Rela7ons&
Budget&
Home&&
Media&
Consumer
Focus
Program&
Tracking&
Pricing&&&
Promo7on& Customer&
Analy7cs&
Program&
Budgets&
Org&&
Structure&
Leadership&
Mo7va7on&
Brand&Story&
NPD&
Research&
Product
Innovation Diagnos7c&
Tracking&
Our&&
Consumers&
Service&
Systems&
Service&
Values&
Media&&
Customer&
Innova7on&
Claims&
The!
Big Idea!
Big Idea should drive every part of your organization
Big
Idea

Define a focused consumer
target profile with insights,
enemies and buying patterns.
Use our
Benefits
Ladder to
move from
features to
rational and
emotional
benefits
A winning brand concept comes from the homework you do
that defines the brand positioning and big idea for your brand.
2
1
Winning positioning statement that is
unique, own-able motivating to consumers
3Benefits Ladder
4
Find a Big idea that is Interesting, simple,
unique, inspiring, motivating and own-able.
Brand
Concepts
To
(Target)
Gray’s is the
(Category)
That is the
(Benefit)
That’s
because
(Support Points)
1
2
3
4
Consumer Target
Product features
Functional benefits
Emotional benefits
We make brands stro
We make brand leaders sm
Products &
Services
Consumer
Reputation
Brand Role
Internal
Beacon
Influencer
Reputation
The Big Idea Blueprint
Big
Idea
Guilt free pleasure with Gray’s Cookies
Try Gray’s Cookies and find
your way to stay healthy
• Do you feel guilty when you stick your hand in the cookie
jar? Wouldn’t it be great if you could just sneak a cookie
without worry that you have gone off your diet?
• Gray’s Cookies are the best tasting yet guilt free
pleasure so you can stay in control of your health.
• That’s because Gray’s is low in fat and calories, yet still
tastes great. In blind taste tests, Gray’s cookies matched
the market leaders on taste, but only 100 calories, with
2g of fat and 3g of sugar. In a 12 week study, consumers
using Gray’s once a night as a desert lost10 pounds.
Big Idea
Support
visual
Enemy
or
insights
Support
points
Motivating call-to-action
Main
Benefit
Using the work around Brand Positioning and the
Big Idea to generate winning Brand Concept options
The brand concept
combines the brand
positioning statement
and big idea
5

We combine the work from generation the positioning
and the Big Idea to build the Brand Concept options
BIG IDEA:
Grays are the
best tasting
yet guilt free
pleasure

Guilt free pleasure with Gray’s Cookies
Try Gray’s Cookies and find
your way to stay healthy
• Do you feel guilty when you stick your hand in the cookie
jar? Wouldn’t it be great if you could just sneak a cookie
without worry that you have gone off your diet?
• Gray’s Cookies are the best tasting yet guilt free
pleasure so you can stay in control of your health.
• That’s because Gray’s is low in fat and calories, yet still
tastes great. In blind taste tests, Gray’s cookies matched
the market leaders on taste, but only 100 calories, with
2g of fat and 3g of sugar. In a 12 week study, consumers
using Gray’s once a night as a desert lost10 pounds.
Main headline should capture the
Big Idea for your brand
Use Support
visual to
summarize
concept
Enemy or
insights helps
connect quickly
with consumers
Support points
with two
reasons to
believe
Motivating call to action to prompt purchase intent
Main Beneﬁt in a
promise statement
Using the work around Brand Positioning and the
Big Idea to generate winning Brand Concept options

Concept Testing: Find the space where you can win, by matching
up what is motivating to consumers own-able for your brand
How OWN-ABLE is this
idea for your brand?
How MOTIVATED
are consumers by
your brand’s idea?
High
High
Low
Low
Losing Zone
Consumers want it, but
your competitor owns it
Winning Zone
You own what
consumers want
Dumb Zone
Consumers don’t want it
and you don’t own it.
Risky Zone
Can win through speed,
innovation & emotion

Case Study
How Apple uses their Big Idea to
organize every part of their brand
5


• In 1996, the Apple brand was bordering on bankruptcy. They were
basically just another computer company, without any real point of
difference. Years of overlooked opportunities, flip-flop strategies, and
a mind-boggling disregard for market realities caught up with Apple,
Windows 95 has seriously eroded the Mac's technology edge. Apple
was rapidly becoming a minor player in the computer business with
shrinking market shares, price cuts and declining profits.
• This was the year before even contemplating the return of Steve
Jobs, really showcasing how badly Apple was run through the 1990s.
They were making bad decisions with inconsistent strategies and
most importantly, there was no big idea for what Apple stood for.
• After Steve Jobs came into Apple in 1997, everything he did was built
around the big idea of "making technology so simple that everyone
can be part of the future." He took a consumer first approach in a
market that was all about the gadgets, bits and bytes.
Apple looked like it would not survive
Apple builds everything around their Big IdeaCase
Study

Brand Role
Internal Beacon Influencer Reputation
Apple uses surprising technology
that changes the world. We make
every product stylish, simple,
easy to use. Essential to stay at
the fore-front of technology.
At Apple, we are a consumer
driven company that starts with the
consumer experience and then
works back to the technology, to
eliminate consumer frustrations.
Apple
makes technology
so simple that
everyone can be
part of the
future.
Apple is an inspiring and
enabling coach that teaches you
easy ways to unlock modern
technology so you can avoid any
intimidation or frustration
At Apple, we think like consumers. We
make it so easy to use modern
electronics, so that you will feel smarter
and at the leading edge of technology
Product reviewers are long
time Apple fans, who see the
idea of simplicity, style and
design as key separators.
Brand
Soul
Apple’s Big Idea Blueprint

We think like
consumers, and
make everything
easy to use.
Technology should
not be frustrating.
We make it easy to
do more/get more.
Surprising leap-
frog technology
built around
simplicity
Allow consumers
to try, touch,feel
the products
without pressure.
Start with consumer
experience and
works back to the
technology.
Consumer Brand
Brand
Promise
Brand
Story
Happy
Experiences
Purchase
Moment
Innovation
Surprise
Communication
Product
Development
Selling and
Retail
Operations
and Culture
Apple used the big idea of “simplicity” as the bridge between brand
and consumer, to align everything around the 5 consumer touch-points
We make
technology so
simple that
everyone can be
part of the
future

Apple’s advertising expresses “simplicity”

All in one for
work &
creativity at
work or family
at home. The
original brand.
Do everything
anywhere.
Creative,
functional, with
durable,
portable.
Ubiquitous
connectivity to
your world. Mail,
phone, music,
photos.
iTunes, Apple
music, Beats
The fun of
music,
movies, books
Explore the
world of
entertainment,
social and
connectivity.
“Simplicity” aligns all the Apple product innovation
Home/Ofﬁce Portable SocialEntertainmentMobile

Straight out of the box.
No set up needed.
Apple allows everyone (from kids to
seniors) to experience computers.
Apple’s big idea starts with the expected consumer
experience and works back to the technology
Integration helps
products work
together and
work the same.
Fully
integrated
Apple Care
Support.

Genius Bar where you
can get one-on-one
tech support
Training Courses for
any Apple products.
Take any Apple product on
a test drive or play around.
Accessories to
personalize Apple
products and
experience.
Apple’s store layout delivers “simplicity” at every
stage towards the purchase moment

8 elements of smart strategic thinking
1 3
4
5
6
7
8
Visionary
Early Win
Speed
Leverage
Gateway
Opportunity
Questions2
How do we strengthen and
leverage our bond with our
most loyal Apple users?
With each new product,
they used,high profile
launch hype to generate
excitement, transforming
early adopters into vocal
Apple activists to spread
the word.
Apple wants
everyone to be
part of technology
in the future.
Apple created a consumer bond
around the Big Idea of “making
technology simple” leveraging
tight connection with their brand
fans to enter new categories.
Apple is now the most
beloved consumer driven
brand, with premium
prices, stronger market
share, sales and profits.
Fast follower on
technology, making
easy to use, with
consumer-friendly
laptops, phones,
tablets.
Capitalize on the
consumer frustration with
technology, that was
preventing the mass
consumers from
experiencing everything
technology can offer.
Build everything around
simplicity and design. A
consumer first mentality to
technology, transform leading
technology into “consumer
accessible” technology.
Case
Study

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