What our strategy consultancy covers
We advise founders, brand owners and product teams who are about to launch something, relaunch something or enter a new market. Our work sits between business strategy and creative direction: it decides what you are saying, to whom and in what order, and then passes it to the people who make it real.
Because the same group designs, makes, films and installs, our recommendations are tested against what can be built and delivered on your date.
Positioning
A positioning statement says who the brand is for, what it offers that others do not, and why that matters. We reach it by looking at your customers, your competitors and your product plainly, and by writing the answer in one paragraph that everyone in the company can repeat.
The output is short on purpose. A strategy no one can remember does not get used.
Audience and market
We identify who buys, who influences the purchase and what they already believe. This draws on your own data, market evidence and conversations with real customers. The result is a plain-language read of the market, with the few things that matter underlined.
Naming and launch planning
If you need a name, we shortlist only names that are available to register and use, checked against trade mark registers and live use. If you have a name, we plan the launch: the sequence of announcements, the channels, the content, the physical moments, the owners and the dates.
A launch plan from us ends with a calendar. Every line has a person's name next to it.
Questions we ask first
Good strategy starts with a few hard questions. Who is the single customer you would most like to win, and why would they choose you over the obvious alternative? What do people say about you when you are not in the room? What would have to be true for this launch to count as a success, and by when? What are you not willing to change?
We ask these in a short workshop with the people who will have to act on the answers, so the strategy reflects how the company really works and not how a slide deck says it does.
What we need from you
Bring what exists: sales figures, customer comments, previous research, competitor examples you admire or dislike, and any early product samples. We do not need it tidy. We also need one named decision-maker who can reply within a day, because most delays in a strategy project are waiting for an answer.
If you have no research at all, say so. We will run a small round of customer conversations and desk research to fill the gaps, and tell you plainly how much weight the findings can bear.
Testing the plan against reality
Before a launch plan is final we test it against what can be made and delivered. Can the packaging be produced in time? Does the display fit the shop? Is the film shot before the announcement? Because our workshop, studio and install teams sit in the same group, we can answer those questions the same day and adjust the plan so it holds.
The result is a plan with fewer surprises. Each dependency is named, each date is realistic and each owner has agreed to it.
How we work
A typical engagement runs a few weeks. We begin with a short discovery, present a positioning and audience read for your comment, then write the launch plan. You are involved at each step and decide at each gate. Where it helps, the strategy flows straight into brand identity, packaging, film, web and a physical launch, from the same team.
What you receive
Questions
How long does a strategy project take?
Commonly a few weeks from discovery to launch plan, depending on how much research exists already.
Do you only advise, or do you also deliver?
Both. You can take the strategy and use another team, or we can deliver the brand, packaging, film and launch.
Is this business strategy or brand strategy?
Brand and launch strategy: positioning, audience, naming and go-to-market for products and companies.
Can you help with a name?
Yes. We shortlist names that are free to use and check them before you see them.
What happens after the launch plan is delivered?
You can run it yourself, pass it to your own team or ask us to deliver parts of it. Either way, each line has an owner and a date, and the creative brief is written so that any capable team can pick it up and continue without having to ask what was meant.
Will you tell us if the idea is not strong enough?
Yes. Part of the value of an outside view is plain speaking. If the evidence says the audience is too small, the name is taken or the date is unrealistic, we say so early, with the reasons, and suggest what to change before money is spent.
What do you need from us to start?
A short brief, access to whatever research you have, and a decision-maker who can answer questions quickly.