The Next Decade Will Redefine Brand Strength The strongest brands do not just sell products. They create trust, identity, and belonging. Their playbook is simple but powerful. 1. They deliver consistency The best brands create a sense of reliability. Customers know what to expect every time whether it is product quality, service, or experience. 2. They build emotional connection Strong brands tap into values, aspirations, and identity. People do not just buy from them. They feel part of them. 3. They evolve without losing their core Markets shift and consumer tastes change. The strongest brands innovate while holding true to the essence that made them trusted in the first place. The lesson is clear. Strong brands endure because they balance trust with evolution and deliver more than a product. They deliver meaning. #Outlook #Leadership #Brands #Strategy #FutureOfWork #SeanPForecast

There are two ways to launch a breakout CPG brand: 𝗯𝘂𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗶𝘁. Celebrity founders and their investors buy it. ➤ MrBeast’s Feastables: $5M at a reportedly $50M valuation, pre-market. ➤ Jake Paul’s W: $14M at $150M valuation, pre-market. (source: Scott Van den Berg HotStart VC in his killer newsletter) Why is this reasonable? Because they need to launch perfect products in thousands of doors on day one. Their valuation is a reflection of speed, scale, and risk management.   Most founders don’t get that option, and shouldn't be planning to launch perfect products in thousands of doors on day one. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: ➤ By proving your consumer need is real. ➤ By showing buyers your brand can drive velocity. ➤ By building a repeatable model that scales sustainably.   The danger: Too many challenger brands see the headlines and think they’re in the same game. They chase celebrity math without celebrity infrastructure. That’s how you end up with bloated forecasts, weak sell-through, missed plans and burned trust.   Most of the brands I’ve worked with - whether at Coke, Gallo, or today - didn’t have celebrity founders. They had insight, strategy, and discipline. Keep focused on what you're building and don't get distracted by those playing a different game. Need help? DM me.

💼 Nestlé’s New CEO Is Rewriting the Rules of CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) Turnarounds 🇨🇭 In his latest article, Mark Ritson (Founder, MiniMBA) examines how Philipp Navratil, Nestlé’s newly appointed CEO, is driving one of the most decisive strategic resets in the company’s recent history. Appointed after a year that saw two leadership changes, Navratil, a 25-year Nestlé veteran who previously led Nespresso, is combining operational realism with a marketing-first mindset. 📊 Key Highlights 🔹 Within weeks of taking office, he announced 16,000 job cuts (~6% of Nestlé’s global workforce) and a major increase in marketing investment. 🔹 Marketing spend will reach 9% of revenue in 2025, up from 7% in 2022. 🔹 Over 70% of investment now goes to digital channels, supported by first-party data coverage of 400 million consumers. 🔹 Nestlé’s share price rose 9% in the days following his initial announcements. 🔹 A brand portfolio review is underway, with expectations that up to 1,800 brands could be divested or discontinued, focusing future growth on its 31 “billionaire brands” such as Nespresso, KitKat, and Purina. Navratil’s approach emphasizes clarity, accountability, and marketing excellence, supported by structural simplification and automation within headquarters. Analysts view it as a shift from traditional cost-cutting toward “efficiency for growth.” As Ritson notes, this marks a broader turning point: Nestlé’s evolution from a manufacturing-led conglomerate to a marketing-driven organization where brand insight and consumer engagement become core competitive assets. 📈 Organic growth already rose to 4.3% (from 2.9% in the first half), indicating early momentum. 🔍 Quote: “Nestlé’s salvation hinges on becoming the marketing powerhouse it never believed it had to be.” - Mark Ritson #Nestle #PhilippNavratil #Leadership #MarketingStrategy #BrandManagement #FMCG #Innovation #Transformation #MiniMBA #MarkRitson #CPG #BusinessLeadership #DigitalMarketing #BrandPortfolio #ConsumerGoods https://lnkd.in/dDpxA2WX

✨ Turning Moments Into Movements: Creativity as a Growth Engine in FMCG ✨ This Independence season, I had the privilege of shaping a consumer experience that went beyond cocktails and celebrations — it was about building emotional bridges between brands and people. What inspires me is how creativity, when applied with intention, can transform a simple product tasting into a story that consumers feel connected to. It’s not just about sampling liquid; it’s about designing moments that linger, shaping how consumers perceive and remember a brand. For me, true innovation in FMCG isn’t only about launching new products — it’s about crafting new experiences. Experiences that breathe life into the brand, deepen loyalty, and spark conversations long after the last glass is raised. As leaders, we know growth lies in the intersection of creativity and strategy. When brands stop selling and start storytelling, when they stop pushing and start engaging — that’s where magic happens. 💡 It’s clear that the future of FMCG will be led by those who see beyond transactions, daring to transform occasions into experiences and consumers into advocates. #FMCGLeadership #BrandStrategy #CreativityInAction #ExperientialMarketing #MarketingExcellence #InnovationLeadership #ConsumerConnection #FutureOfFMCG

Everyone says they’re looking for white space. Few know how to actually find it. That’s where  Kelly Reilly Chief Marketing Officer at The Brand Consultancy, brings her deep background in CPG innovation to the table. In her latest blog, Kelly shares a  disciplined framework for identifying real growth opportunities - mapping  consumer needs, cultural shifts, and competition, then filtering them through brand stretch and equities. Because in CPG, the difference between wasted investment and sustainable growth isn’t luck—it’s  focus. Read Kelly’s full post: https://hubs.ly/Q03PqHM00 #CPGInnovation #WhiteSpace #BrandStrategy #GrowthFramework #ConsumerInsights #BrandFocus #MarketGrowth #BrandEquity #BrandPositioning #TheBrandConsultancy #WeFuelFocus #FocusFuelsGrowth #MarketingStrategy #ProductInnovation #BusinessGrowth

Every year, billions are poured into “innovation pipelines.” New SKUs, shiny packaging, splashy campaigns. And yet, if you strip away the buzzwords, most of it looks remarkably familiar. Why? Because too much FMCG innovation isn’t innovation at all, it’s replication. A competitor launches a plant-based variant, suddenly five more do. One brand leans into a heritage rebrand, the rest follow. It’s safe, predictable, and expensive. NielsenIQ found that 80–90% of new FMCG product launches fail within the first year. The reason isn’t consumer fatigue. It’s sameness. If your “innovation” looks like everyone else’s, why should a consumer switch? The brands actually winning aren’t the ones copying faster. They’re the ones that: Solve a real consumer problem (not just chase a trend). Use data to predict next behavior shifts, not just react to current ones. Treat innovation as business transformation, not as a seasonal marketing exercise. Take the private-label boom as proof. Retailers are innovating by undercutting legacy brands and adding premium tiers, turning category conventions upside down. That’s not copy-paste. That’s structural disruption. The uncomfortable truth? Most leaders sign off on “safe” innovation because it looks good in the annual report. But safety doesn’t create growth. Distinction does. So the next time your team presents an “innovation roadmap,” ask one question: Would this exist if our competitor hadn’t done it first? If the answer is no, it isn’t innovation. It’s noise. #FMCGLeadership #ConsumerGoods #RetailStrategy

It’s not what premium brands do. It’s what they don’t... They don’t chase every opportunity. They don’t appeal to everyone. They don’t follow trends for the sake of relevance. They don’t compete on convenience or price. They don’t over-explain or over-promise. Instead, they show restraint. They choose carefully. They define what not to be involved in, and that’s what creates desire, clarity, and distinction. Because being premium isn’t about adding more. It’s about removing everything that dilutes who you are. In a world obsessed with doing more, the most powerful brands are defined by what they refuse to do. #BrandStrategy #Clarity #Positioning #PremiumBrands #Strategy

Being different isn't about incremental improvements. It's not about having 10% more features, slightly faster delivery, or a marginally lower price. Those are table stakes. Those keep you in the game, but they don't make you unforgettable. Being different or Differentiation is about breaking the pattern. It's about showing up where you're not expected, saying what others won't say, and creating experiences that feel entirely new. Not just slightly improved. Think about the brands you actually remember. They didn't win by being a little better than everyone else. They won by being nothing like everyone else. They questioned the assumptions everyone took for granted. They zagged when the entire industry zigged. The frustrating thing is most companies have the capacity to be radically different. But they're too busy benchmarking against competitors, copying what's working in their category, and playing it safe within the boundaries of "industry best practices." True differentiation requires courage. The courage to ignore what your competitors are doing. The courage to polarize instead of please everyone. The courage to be misunderstood at first. That's scary even for the seasoned founders and builders. Because different always looks wrong before it looks brilliant. So ask yourself: Are you trying to be the best version of what already exists? Or are you creating or reframing something that makes people rethink what's possible? Be different. It's not just a creative choice. It's the strategy you need to create a brand that's unforgettable, that people don't compare against, a brand worthy of following. #strategy #brands #fmcg #fnb #branding

💡 Why Most Innovation Decks Fail to Convince Retailers You’ve spent weeks crafting the perfect innovation deck: insights, pack design, media plan, everything polished. Then the buyer flips through it and says: “Looks good. But how does it grow the category?” That single question kills more NPDs than bad products ever do. Most innovation decks fail not because the product is weak, but because they don’t speak the retailer’s language. Retailers don’t buy excitement, they buy outcomes: ✅ Category growth ✅ Margin improvement ✅ Simplicity in execution In my latest Thinking Captain Substack, I break down why most innovation stories die in the meeting room, and how to build a deck that truly sells confidence, not just slides. 🔗 Read here: https://lnkd.in/gM7X-7_r #FMCG #Retail #CategoryManagement #Innovation #Leadership #TheThinkingCaptain

What separates companies that keep growing from those that plateau? The difference often lies in brand strategy. A strong brand enables growth because it creates opportunities that would otherwise remain inaccessible. It builds recognition and trust, reducing friction when entering new markets or introducing new offerings. This trust allows a brand to act as a passport, opening doors to expansion and diversification with minimal resistance. Brands with a solid foundation have the flexibility to pivot or scale, as their reputation precedes them, smoothing the path for innovation. Whether launching a complementary product line, expanding into adjacent industries, or targeting new customer segments, a well-regarded brand lowers barriers and accelerates acceptance. In essence, it fosters a marketplace that is more receptive and conducive to change. This openness also extends to partnerships and distribution channels. A respected brand attracts collaborators who are eager to align with its credibility and reach. It reassures stakeholders—whether customers, suppliers, or investors—that growth initiatives are grounded in a trusted identity, reducing the risks commonly associated with expansion. A strong brand transforms potential challenges into opportunities. It doesn’t just support growth; it multiplies the avenues available, creating an environment where scaling is easier, market entry is quicker, and diversification is met with enthusiasm rather than hesitation. By unlocking a range of new possibilities, strong brands lay the groundwork for sustainable and profitable expansion across a portfolio. For equity holders, the takeaway is clear: investing in a brand strategy creates unique competitive advantages that compound value and maximize exit potential. Stay tuned for additional insights on unlocking growth through branding. Or go now to https://lnkd.in/gKNDySPZ and see all eight competitive advantages a strong brand strategy delivers. . #brandstrategy #brandingstrategy #competitiveadvantage #strongbrand #diversification #marketingstrategy #leadership