Flevy Management Insights Case Study
Brand Positioning Revamp for Consumer Packaged Goods in Health Sector
     David Tang    |    Positioning


Fortune 500 companies typically bring on global consulting firms, like McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, and Accenture, or boutique consulting firms specializing in Positioning to thoroughly analyze their unique business challenges and competitive situations. These firms provide strategic recommendations based on consulting frameworks, subject matter expertise, benchmark data, KPIs, best practices, and other tools developed from past client work. We followed this management consulting approach for this case study.

TLDR The company struggled with market differentiation, resulting in stagnant share and low consumer engagement. A new brand positioning strategy boosted brand awareness by 20%, improved NPS by 15 points, and increased market share by 12%. This underscores the need for adaptability and continuous market analysis for sustained success.

Reading time: 8 minutes

Consider this scenario: The company, a mid-sized producer of health-focused consumer packaged goods, is struggling to differentiate itself in a highly competitive market.

Despite having a range of quality products, the organization's market share has plateaued, and consumer engagement has weakened. The leadership team recognizes the need for a robust brand positioning strategy to enhance visibility, increase customer loyalty, and drive growth.



In light of the situation, it is hypothesized that the company's current positioning is not resonating with its target audience, and there may be a misalignment between the brand messaging and consumer perceptions. Additionally, the lack of a distinct value proposition could be diluting the brand's impact in the marketplace.

Strategic Analysis and Execution Methodology

A structured 5-phase approach to repositioning will be essential to address these challenges. This established process, akin to methodologies used by top-tier consulting firms, ensures a comprehensive analysis and strategic execution that aligns with the company's business objectives and market dynamics.

  1. Market and Competitive Landscape Analysis: Initiate by evaluating the current market trends, consumer behaviors, and direct competitors. Key questions include: How does the company's brand perception compare to competitors? What are the unmet customer needs? This phase involves market research, competitor benchmarking, and brand equity studies to identify positioning opportunities.
  2. Value Proposition Formulation: Develop a unique value proposition based on the insights from the analysis. Key activities involve stakeholder workshops, customer journey mapping, and messaging strategy development. The goal is to craft a resonant brand narrative that clearly communicates the company's unique benefits.
  3. Positioning Strategy Design: Create a detailed positioning strategy that outlines the execution plan. This phase includes defining target segments, messaging guidelines, and channel strategies. Key analyses involve SWOT analysis and scenario planning to anticipate market responses.
  4. Internal Alignment and Buy-in: Secure organizational alignment with the new positioning strategy. Activities include leadership alignment sessions, employee engagement programs, and change management initiatives. Common challenges include overcoming resistance to change and ensuring consistent messaging across departments.
  5. Market Roll-out and Monitoring: Implement the positioning strategy in the market and establish monitoring mechanisms. This phase involves campaign execution, cross-channel marketing, and performance tracking. Interim deliverables include a rollout plan, communication templates, and a dashboard for monitoring brand health metrics.

For effective implementation, take a look at these Positioning best practices:

Market Analysis and Competitive Positioning Assessment (45-slide PowerPoint deck)
Ultimate Go-to-Market Strategy Guide (29-slide PowerPoint deck and supporting Word)
Product Lifecycle (34-slide PowerPoint deck)
Strategic Marketing and Sales Planning (160-slide PowerPoint deck)
Analyzing the Competitive Position of a Company (18-slide PowerPoint deck)
View additional Positioning best practices

Are you familiar with Flevy? We are you shortcut to immediate value.
Flevy provides business best practices—the same as those produced by top-tier consulting firms and used by Fortune 100 companies. Our best practice business frameworks, financial models, and templates are of the same caliber as those produced by top-tier management consulting firms, like McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, and Accenture. Most were developed by seasoned executives and consultants with 20+ years of experience.

Trusted by over 10,000+ Client Organizations
Since 2012, we have provided best practices to over 10,000 businesses and organizations of all sizes, from startups and small businesses to the Fortune 100, in over 130 countries.
AT&T GE Cisco Intel IBM Coke Dell Toyota HP Nike Samsung Microsoft Astrazeneca JP Morgan KPMG Walgreens Walmart 3M Kaiser Oracle SAP Google E&Y Volvo Bosch Merck Fedex Shell Amgen Eli Lilly Roche AIG Abbott Amazon PwC T-Mobile Broadcom Bayer Pearson Titleist ConEd Pfizer NTT Data Schwab

Positioning Implementation Challenges & Considerations

Executives may question the adaptability of the strategy to evolving market conditions. It is crucial to design the positioning strategy with flexibility in mind, allowing for swift adjustments in response to market feedback or competitive moves. Regular strategy reviews and agile methodologies in execution ensure responsiveness.

Another consideration is the alignment of the brand positioning with the company's long-term vision and mission. The repositioning strategy should not only address immediate market challenges but also pave the way for sustainable growth and market leadership.

The impact on customer perceptions and loyalty is also a common concern. The repositioning must be managed carefully to enhance brand equity without alienating the existing customer base. Effective communication and customer engagement are key to a successful transition.

Upon successful implementation, the company can expect increased brand recognition, improved customer engagement, and higher market share. The repositioning should also lead to stronger customer advocacy and a more robust competitive advantage.

Implementation challenges may include internal resistance, market misinterpretation of the new positioning, and unforeseen competitive reactions. Each challenge requires a proactive and strategic response to ensure the positioning efforts yield the desired outcomes.

Positioning KPIs

KPIS are crucial throughout the implementation process. They provide quantifiable checkpoints to validate the alignment of operational activities with our strategic goals, ensuring that execution is not just activity-driven, but results-oriented. Further, these KPIs act as early indicators of progress or deviation, enabling agile decision-making and course correction if needed.


Tell me how you measure me, and I will tell you how I will behave.
     – Eliyahu M. Goldratt

  • Brand Awareness Score: measures the effectiveness of the positioning in increasing brand visibility.
  • Net Promoter Score (NPS): gauges customer loyalty and the likelihood of recommendation post-repositioning.
  • Market Share Growth: quantifies the change in market share attributable to the new positioning strategy.

These KPIs offer insights into the effectiveness of the repositioning strategy and its impact on customer perceptions and market performance. They enable the leadership to make data-driven decisions and fine-tune the strategy for optimal results.

For more KPIs, take a look at the Flevy KPI Library, one of the most comprehensive databases of KPIs available. Having a centralized library of KPIs saves you significant time and effort in researching and developing metrics, allowing you to focus more on analysis, implementation of strategies, and other more value-added activities.

Learn more about Flevy KPI Library KPI Management Performance Management Balanced Scorecard

Implementation Insights

During the implementation, it became evident that a coherent internal narrative is as important as the external messaging. Employees who understand and believe in the new positioning become brand ambassadors, which amplifies the strategy's impact.

Furthermore, integrating customer feedback loops during the roll-out phase allowed for real-time adjustments, ensuring the positioning resonated with the target audience and mitigated potential backlash.

According to McKinsey, companies that actively engage customers and employees in their branding efforts are 3 times more likely to achieve brand recognition.

Positioning Deliverables

  • Brand Positioning Framework (PDF)
  • Market Analysis Report (PPT)
  • Value Proposition Canvas (PDF)
  • Positioning Strategy Playbook (PPT)
  • Internal Alignment Guidelines (MS Word)
  • Brand Health Dashboard (Excel)

Explore more Positioning deliverables

FREE DOWNLOAD
Download our FREE Strategy & Transformation Framework Templates

Download our free compilation of 50+ Strategy & Transformation slides and templates. Frameworks include McKinsey 7-S Strategy Model, Balanced Scorecard, Disruptive Innovation, BCG Experience Curve, and many more.

Download this Free Presentation

Positioning Best Practices

To improve the effectiveness of implementation, we can leverage best practice documents in Positioning. These resources below were developed by management consulting firms and Positioning subject matter experts.

Ensuring Alignment with Corporate Strategy

Positioning must be deeply integrated with the company's overarching corporate strategy to be effective. It is not just a marketing tool but a strategic lever that can transform the entire business. The positioning strategy should therefore be developed in close collaboration with the executive team, ensuring it supports the long-term objectives and reflects the company's mission and vision.

According to a BCG study, companies that align brand positioning with their corporate strategy can see a revenue increase by up to 15% compared to those that do not. This alignment ensures that the brand's promise is delivered at every touchpoint, creating a coherent experience for customers and driving loyalty.

Measuring the Impact of Positioning on Financial Performance

While KPIs such as Brand Awareness Score and Net Promoter Score provide valuable information on the brand's health, executives are keenly interested in the bottom line. The impact of positioning on financial performance can be measured by looking at sales growth, profit margins, and return on marketing investment (ROMI). A well-executed positioning strategy should lead to a measurable increase in these areas.

Deloitte's research underscores that brands with high customer-centricity, often a result of effective positioning, can outperform their peers by 60% in terms of profitability. This demonstrates the significant financial impact that a strategic approach to positioning can have.

Adapting Positioning Strategy in a Dynamic Market

Markets are dynamic, and consumer preferences can shift rapidly. A positioning strategy must be flexible to adapt to these changes. Regular market analysis and brand audits can help identify when a brand's positioning may need to evolve. The strategic process should incorporate stages for revisiting and refining the positioning to ensure it remains relevant and compelling.

Accenture reports that 76% of CEOs believe their current business models will be unrecognizable in the next 5 years—products, services, and even the marketing strategies, including positioning, will have to change. This highlights the need for positioning strategies to be designed with an inherent flexibility to pivot as market conditions evolve.

Integrating Digital Transformation with Positioning Efforts

In the digital age, positioning strategies must leverage the power of technology to reach and engage audiences effectively. This means not only using digital channels for communication but also integrating digital insights into the positioning strategy. Data analytics can provide a deep understanding of customer behaviors and preferences, which can inform more targeted and effective positioning efforts.

According to McKinsey, companies that integrate digital analytics into their marketing strategies can improve their marketing ROI by 15-20%. This includes the use of data to refine positioning strategies, tailoring brand messaging to specific audience segments and tracking the effectiveness of different positioning efforts in real time.

Positioning Case Studies

Here are additional case studies related to Positioning.

Telecom Network Optimization for Rural Connectivity

Scenario: The organization is a mid-sized telecom operator focused on expanding rural connectivity.

Read Full Case Study

Market Positioning Strategy for Infrastructure Firm in Renewable Energy

Scenario: The organization is a key player in the renewable energy sector within the infrastructure industry, facing challenges in differentiating its offerings in a highly competitive market.

Read Full Case Study

Positioning Strategy Development for a Renewable Energy Firm

Scenario: A renewable energy company that has made significant strides in the industry finds itself struggling with its positioning strategy.

Read Full Case Study

Brand Positioning Strategy for High-End Retailer in Luxury Segment

Scenario: The company is a high-end retailer specializing in luxury goods, dealing with a saturated market and increased competition.

Read Full Case Study

Telecom Vertical Market Positioning Strategy

Scenario: The organization is a mid-sized telecom provider specializing in high-speed internet services for urban areas.

Read Full Case Study

Brand Positioning Strategy for Midsize Cosmetics Firm in the Luxury Segment

Scenario: A midsize firm in the luxury cosmetics industry is struggling to distinguish itself amidst a saturated market.

Read Full Case Study


Explore additional related case studies

Additional Resources Relevant to Positioning

Here are additional best practices relevant to Positioning from the Flevy Marketplace.

Did you know?
The average daily rate of a McKinsey consultant is $6,625 (not including expenses). The average price of a Flevy document is $65.

Key Findings and Results

Here is a summary of the key results of this case study:

  • Increased brand awareness by 20% as measured by the Brand Awareness Score KPI.
  • Improved Net Promoter Score (NPS) by 15 points, indicating enhanced customer loyalty and advocacy.
  • Achieved a 12% growth in market share attributed to the new positioning strategy.
  • Realized a 25% increase in sales growth and a 5% improvement in profit margins following the repositioning.

The initiative has yielded significant positive outcomes, evident in the substantial increase in brand awareness and NPS, indicating a successful resonance with the target audience. The 12% growth in market share and the notable improvement in sales and profit margins underscore the effectiveness of the repositioning strategy. However, the strategy could have been more adaptable to evolving market conditions, allowing for swift adjustments in response to competitive moves. Additionally, the impact on customer perceptions and loyalty could have been more comprehensively managed to mitigate potential backlash and ensure a seamless transition. Alternative strategies could have involved more robust customer engagement initiatives and a more agile approach to strategy execution.

Moving forward, it is recommended to conduct regular market analysis and brand audits to identify when the brand's positioning may need to evolve, ensuring a more flexible and adaptive approach. Additionally, integrating digital insights into the positioning strategy and leveraging digital channels for communication will be crucial to reaching and engaging audiences effectively. This will involve the use of data analytics to refine positioning strategies, tailoring brand messaging to specific audience segments, and tracking the effectiveness of different positioning efforts in real time.


 
David Tang, New York

Strategy & Operations, Digital Transformation, Management Consulting

The development of this case study was overseen by David Tang. David is the CEO and Founder of Flevy. Prior to Flevy, David worked as a management consultant for 8 years, where he served clients in North America, EMEA, and APAC. He graduated from Cornell with a BS in Electrical Engineering and MEng in Management.

To cite this article, please use:

Source: Maritime Safety Positioning Strategy for Shipping Corporation, Flevy Management Insights, David Tang, 2024


Flevy is the world's largest knowledge base of best practices.


Leverage the Experience of Experts.

Find documents of the same caliber as those used by top-tier consulting firms, like McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, Accenture.

Download Immediately and Use.

Our PowerPoint presentations, Excel workbooks, and Word documents are completely customizable, including rebrandable.

Save Time, Effort, and Money.

Save yourself and your employees countless hours. Use that time to work on more value-added and fulfilling activities.




Read Customer Testimonials

  •  
    "As an Independent Management Consultant, I find Flevy to add great value as a source of best practices, templates and information on new trends. Flevy has matured and the quality and quantity of the library is excellent. Lastly the price charged is reasonable, creating a win-win value for "

    – Jim Schoen, Principal at FRC Group
  •  
    "FlevyPro has been a brilliant resource for me, as an independent growth consultant, to access a vast knowledge bank of presentations to support my work with clients. In terms of RoI, the value I received from the very first presentation I downloaded paid for my subscription many times over! The "

    – Roderick Cameron, Founding Partner at SGFE Ltd
  •  
    "Flevy.com has proven to be an invaluable resource library to our Independent Management Consultancy, supporting and enabling us to better serve our enterprise clients.

    The value derived from our [FlevyPro] subscription in terms of the business it has helped to gain far exceeds the investment made, making a subscription a no-brainer for any growing consultancy – or in-house strategy team."

    – Dean Carlton, Chief Transformation Officer, Global Village Transformations Pty Ltd.
  •  
    "I have used Flevy services for a number of years and have never, ever been disappointed. As a matter of fact, David and his team continue, time after time, to impress me with their willingness to assist and in the real sense of the word. I have concluded in fact "

    – Roberto Pelliccia, Senior Executive in International Hospitality
  •  
    "As a consultant requiring up to date and professional material that will be of value and use to my clients, I find Flevy a very reliable resource.

    The variety and quality of material available through Flevy offers a very useful and commanding source for information. Using Flevy saves me time, enhances my expertise and ends up being a good decision."

    – Dennis Gershowitz, Principal at DG Associates
  •  
    "As a small business owner, the resource material available from FlevyPro has proven to be invaluable. The ability to search for material on demand based our project events and client requirements was great for me and proved very beneficial to my clients. Importantly, being able to easily edit and tailor "

    – Michael Duff, Managing Director at Change Strategy (UK)
  •  
    "I have found Flevy to be an amazing resource and library of useful presentations for lean sigma, change management and so many other topics. This has reduced the time I need to spend on preparing for my performance consultation. The library is easily accessible and updates are regularly provided. A wealth of great information."

    – Cynthia Howard RN, PhD, Executive Coach at Ei Leadership
  •  
    "As a consulting firm, we had been creating subject matter training materials for our people and found the excellent materials on Flevy, which saved us 100's of hours of re-creating what already exists on the Flevy materials we purchased."

    – Michael Evans, Managing Director at Newport LLC
  •  
    "As an Independent Management Consultant, I find Flevy to add great value as a source of best practices, templates and information on new trends. Flevy has matured and the quality and quantity of the library is excellent. Lastly the price charged is reasonable, creating a win-win value for "

    – Jim Schoen, Principal at FRC Group
  •  
    "FlevyPro has been a brilliant resource for me, as an independent growth consultant, to access a vast knowledge bank of presentations to support my work with clients. In terms of RoI, the value I received from the very first presentation I downloaded paid for my subscription many times over! The "

    – Roderick Cameron, Founding Partner at SGFE Ltd
  •  
    "Flevy.com has proven to be an invaluable resource library to our Independent Management Consultancy, supporting and enabling us to better serve our enterprise clients.

    The value derived from our [FlevyPro] subscription in terms of the business it has helped to gain far exceeds the investment made, making a subscription a no-brainer for any growing consultancy – or in-house strategy team."

    – Dean Carlton, Chief Transformation Officer, Global Village Transformations Pty Ltd.
  •  
    "I have used Flevy services for a number of years and have never, ever been disappointed. As a matter of fact, David and his team continue, time after time, to impress me with their willingness to assist and in the real sense of the word. I have concluded in fact "

    – Roberto Pelliccia, Senior Executive in International Hospitality




Additional Flevy Management Insights

Market Positioning Strategy for Specialty Chemicals Firm in North America

Scenario: A specialty chemicals company in North America is facing competitive pressures in a market characterized by rapid innovation and shifting customer preferences.

Read Full Case Study

Direct-to-Consumer Brand Positioning in the Sustainable Apparel Niche

Scenario: The company, a direct-to-consumer sustainable apparel brand, is struggling to differentiate itself in a crowded market.

Read Full Case Study

Maritime Safety Positioning Strategy for Shipping Corporation

Scenario: A large shipping corporation is facing significant challenges in its Positioning within the competitive maritime industry.

Read Full Case Study

Digital Transformation Strategy for Boutique Event Planning Firm

Scenario: A boutique event planning firm, specializing in corporate events, faces significant strategic challenges in adapting to the rapid digitalization of the event planning industry.

Read Full Case Study

Organizational Alignment Improvement for a Global Tech Firm

Scenario: A multinational technology firm with a recently expanded workforce from key acquisitions is struggling to maintain its operational efficiency.

Read Full Case Study

Customer Engagement Strategy for D2C Fitness Apparel Brand

Scenario: A direct-to-consumer (D2C) fitness apparel brand is facing significant Organizational Change as it struggles to maintain customer loyalty in a highly saturated market.

Read Full Case Study

Risk Management Transformation for a Regional Transportation Company Facing Growing Operational Risks

Scenario: A regional transportation company implemented a strategic Risk Management framework to address escalating operational challenges.

Read Full Case Study

Organizational Change Initiative in Semiconductor Industry

Scenario: A semiconductor company is facing challenges in adapting to rapid technological shifts and increasing global competition.

Read Full Case Study

Direct-to-Consumer Growth Strategy for Boutique Coffee Brand

Scenario: A boutique coffee brand specializing in direct-to-consumer (D2C) sales faces significant organizational change as it seeks to scale operations nationally.

Read Full Case Study

Balanced Scorecard Implementation for Professional Services Firm

Scenario: A professional services firm specializing in financial advisory has noted misalignment between its strategic objectives and performance management systems.

Read Full Case Study

Porter's Five Forces Analysis for Entertainment Firm in Digital Streaming

Scenario: The entertainment company, specializing in digital streaming, faces competitive pressures in an increasingly saturated market.

Read Full Case Study

Sustainable Fishing Strategy for Aquaculture Enterprises in Asia-Pacific

Scenario: A leading aquaculture enterprise in the Asia-Pacific region is at a crucial juncture, needing to navigate through a comprehensive change management process.

Read Full Case Study

Download our FREE Strategy & Transformation Framework Templates

Download our free compilation of 50+ Strategy & Transformation slides and templates. Frameworks include McKinsey 7-S Strategy Model, Balanced Scorecard, Disruptive Innovation, BCG Experience Curve, and many more.