News

2,000 Reasons talent can come from anywhere

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 10:24:55 GMT

When we joined the Channel 4 Content Creatives programme through 4Skills, our aim at Finn was simple: to show that creative talent really can come from anywhere.

We expected some interest. What we didn’t expect was more than 2,000 people applying for fewer than 20 places. That number stopped us in our tracks. It showed just how much creative ambition there is across the UK and how many people are still looking for a way in. Thousands of people from every corner of the country were essentially saying the same thing: give me a chance to show what I can do.

Talent is everywhere. Opportunity isn’t.

Opening the Door

The Content Creatives programme gives people that first real step into the creative industries. It offers paid training, hands-on placements and a chance to experience agency life from the inside.

At Finn, we've now hosted three of those placements and we've seen exactly what happens when you open that door. Our trainees brought fresh ideas, energy and new perspectives that pushed us forward. For FMCG marketing agencies, diverse creative talent recruitment brings perspectives that challenge conventional thinking. They challenged how we approach campaigns and reminded us what creativity feels like when it's fresh, fearless and unfiltered.

They made us better. Simple as that.

Rethinking How We Hire

Two thousand applications should make everyone in the creative industries stop and think. The hunger is there, but the routes in are still too narrow. We need to ask ourselves some honest questions. Are we hiring for potential or for polish? Are we offering chances to people without the traditional experience? Are we open to the idea that creative talent doesn't always look or sound the same?

If we keep recruiting from the same places, we’ll keep creating the same work.

What We Learned

Creativity doesn’t belong to one postcode or one type of person. It exists in people who tell stories online, film videos on their phones, design for local causes or simply see the world differently.

Our trainees' instincts for digital culture, storytelling and social media added real value to our client work. For agencies working with FMCG brands, this fresh perspective on social.

What Comes Next

At Finn, we’re taking everything we’ve learned from this programme and building on it. We’ll continue to create space for people with different perspectives and to question what it really means to be qualified.

Those 2,000 applicants showed us how much untapped creativity exists across the country. It's now up to all of us in the industry to make sure those people are seen and heard.

Interested in joining our team? Visit our careers page or explore our FMCG marketing services

Be More Boring: Why Brand Consistency Wins

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 10:59:35 GMT

BE MORE BORING

Every FMCG brand wants to stand out.
New look. Big campaign. Clever line.

But the brands that actually cut through? They don’t reinvent every six months. They hold their ground. They’re boringly consistent.

Fresh as Hells, every time.

Camden Hells doesn't mess about.

Red can. Black and white logo. Straight-up lager.

The line 'Fresh as Hells' is the whole brand in four words.

**This is brand consistency at its finest—simple, repetitive, everywhere.**

The trick everyone forgets.

Red Bull : same can for decades, same line, gives you wings.
Innocent Drinks : same halo, same cheeky copy since the 90s.

They look bold. They feel rebellious. But under the surface, it's discipline. It's the same play, repeated until it's burned into your brain. Brand consistency is the secret weapon of FMCG winners.

Boring to you. Clear to them.

On the inside, brand consistency feels dull. You get sick of the same logo, the same line, the same design.

But shoppers don't live in your world. They see you for a second on a shelf. If you change too much, you vanish

What feels boring in the marketing department is what makes you recognisable in Tesco.

Be boring.

Boring like Camden Hells .
Boring like Red Bull .
Boring like Innocent .

Keep the boring fresh.

Or, in Camden's words: Fresh as Hells.

Need help building brand consistency for your FMCG brand? Explore our FMCG marketing services or view our case studies .

Meaninglessly Distinctive: Rule 1 of FMCG Branding

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 13:29:33 GMT

In the crowded aisles of the supermarket and the endless scroll of online retail, the brands that win are those that are instantly recognisable, easy to recall, and impossible to ignore. When asked, consumers often find it hard to explain why they can point out a brand, it’s just meaninglessly distinctive. This is the key to Driving Demand.

For FMCG brands, this is not just a matter of luck or budget—it’s the result of a disciplined focus on brand signals, distinctive assets, and mental availability.

What Are Brand Signals?

Brand signals are the cues - visual, verbal, and sensory - that communicate your brand's identity and values at every touchpoint. In FMCG, where purchase decisions are made in seconds, these signals must be clear, consistent, and compelling. Effective FMCG branding relies on these signals being instantly recognisable.

Key brand signals include:

Logo and Colour Palette: The first visual handshake with the consumer.
Packaging Design: The silent salesperson on the shelf.
Tone of Voice: The personality that comes through in every message.
Brand Rituals: Unique ways consumers interact with your product (e.g., Oreo’s “Twist, Lick, Dunk”) 1 .
Sensory Cues: Sounds, smells, or textures that reinforce brand memory (think the pop of a Pringles can or the scent of a branded soap)

Distinctive Brand Assets: Your Competitive Kryptonite

Distinctive assets are the unique, ownable elements that make your brand stand out and stick in the mind. They are not just “nice to have”—they are proven drivers of brand recall and preference. It is these that drive demand and the holy FMCG grail of penetration

Examples of distinctive assets in FMCG:

Jason’s Sourdough: Jason’s distinctive thick-rimmed glasses
Rowntree’s Fruit Pastille : the stack of rainbow colour
Coca-Cola’s Contour Bottle: Instantly recognisable, even without a logo.
McDonald’s Golden Arches: A global symbol of fast, consistent and dare we say it delicious food.

Why do they matter?

They cut through the noise in cluttered categories.
They build memory structures, making your brand easier to recall at the point of purchase (driving demand).
They create emotional connections, fostering loyalty and advocacy (penetration)

In competitive FMCG branding, distinctive assets are your most defensible advantage.

Mental Availability: Winning the Battle for Attention

Mental availability is the likelihood that your brand comes to mind in a buying situation. It’s not just about awareness—it’s about being top-of-mind when and where it matters most.

How to build mental availability:

Create Strong Memory Links: Consistently use your distinctive assets across all channels and touchpoints.
Align with Category Entry Points (CEPs): Understand the cues and situations that trigger purchase in your category, and ensure your brand is associated with them.
Reach Broad Audiences: Don’t over-target; the goal is to be remembered by as many potential buyers as possible
Consistency is Key: Every interaction, from advertising to packaging, should reinforce the same signals and assets

The Compound Effect in FMCG

When brand signals and distinctive assets are deployed consistently, they supercharge mental availability. This means:

Faster, easier consumer choices: Your brand is the shortcut in a busy mind.
Greater resilience to competitive activity: Distinctive assets are hard to copy and easy to defend.
Sustained growth: Brands with high mental availability grow faster and command greater loyalty.

Practical Steps for FMCG Brands

Audit Your Brand Assets: Identify what is truly distinctive and what is generic.
Codify and Protect: Trademark your most valuable assets where possible.
Embed in Every Touchpoint: From ATL campaigns to shelf-edge, ensure assets are visible and consistent.
Measure and Optimise: Use data to track recall and association, refining as you go.

In the world of FMCG, the brands that thrive are those that invest in building and consistently deploying their brand signals and distinctive assets. This is the foundation of mental availability - and the key to winning at the moment of choice.

Need help building distinctive assets for your brand? Explore our FMCG marketing services or view our case studies .

Marginal Gains: The FMCG Advantage

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 09:45:01 GMT

The fast-moving bit of FMCG, means there is always a temptation to chase the next big thing—a viral campaign, a blockbuster NPD launch, or a dramatic rebrand. But what if the real secret to sustainable growth lies not in seismic shifts, but in the steady accumulation of small, smart improvements? Welcome to the world of marginal gains.

What Are Marginal Gains?

The concept of marginal gains is simple: focus on making small, incremental improvements—just 1% better—in every aspect of your business. Over time, these tiny enhancements compound, delivering a significant competitive advantage. The idea, popularised by British Cycling's Dave Brailsford, has transformed not just elite sport, but also the way leading FMCG brands approach growth and innovation. For FMCG brands, marginal gains offer a practical path to sustainable growth without the risk of dramatic overhauls.

Why Marginal Gains Matter in FMCG

FMCG is a category defined by fierce competition, tight margins, and ever-evolving consumer expectations. In this environment, applying marginal gains to FMCG strategy offers several advantages:

Reduced Risk: Small changes are easier to test, measure, and refine, minimising the risk of costly missteps.
Compound Impact: Improvements in packaging, distribution, marketing, and customer experience add up, often delivering outsized results over time.
Agility: Brands that continuously iterate can respond faster to trends and consumer feedback, outpacing slower, less adaptable competitors.

Where to Find Your 1% Improvements

Marginal gains can be found everywhere in the FMCG value chain. Here are some practical areas to target:

Product Development: Optimise recipes, reduce waste, or improve shelf life by small margins.
Packaging: Make packs easier to open, more sustainable, or more distinctive on shelf.
Distribution: Streamline logistics, reduce out-of-stocks, or improve forecasting accuracy.
Marketing: Test and refine messaging, creative, and media mix for incremental uplift.
Customer Experience: Enhance service touchpoints, from faster response times to more helpful FAQs

Real-World Impact: Case in Point

Our works with Jason’s Sourdough has adopted a marginal gains approach. We identified the core brand ideas over five years ago: An Everyday Obsession. We have not really deviated from that and it is this consistent incremental approach to communications that has seen brand penetration soar by 318%. While a great product and strong distribution were key, the disciplined pursuit of small, data-driven improvements in marketing made a measurable difference,

a 19% efficiency gain in quality checks—proof that even back-end tweaks can drive front-end results.

How to Embed Marginal Gains in Your FMCG Strategy

Break Down the Process: Map every step in your product, marketing, and supply chain.
Identify Quick Wins: Look for areas where a small tweak could yield a measurable benefit.
Test, Learn, Repeat: Use data to validate each change, then build on what works.
Engage the Team: Make marginal gains a shared mindset, not just a management mantra.
Celebrate Progress: Recognise and reward improvements, however small—they all add up.

The Compound Effect

A 1% improvement each day doesn't sound like much, but over a year, it can lead to a 37% improvement overall. In a sector where every advantage counts, marginal gains aren't just a philosophy—they're a practical, proven route to growth.

Want to identify marginal gains opportunities for your brand? Explore our FMCG marketing services or view our case studies .

In FMCG, the brands that win are rarely those that wait for lightning to strike. They’re the ones that sweat the small stuff, every day, everywhere. Marginal gains: it’s time to make them your competitive edge.

Web3 and the Future of Customer Loyalty FMCG

Wed, 03 May 2023 20:01:00 GMT

OUR top 5 takeouts.

01 - Define Your Loyalty Strategy First

To create great customer loyalty, starts with understanding your business objective and defining a loyalty strategy that aligns (sounds simple but a lot of brands skip this step and shoehorn it in later). **For FMCG brands, this foundation is critical before exploring Web3 loyalty programmes.**

02 - The expectation of loyalty schemes is changing, with social media more prevalent and increased competition, brands need to stand out by creating a personalised experience that engages their audience on the channels they’re most interested in.

03 - A mistake companies make when implementing loyalty programmes is that their customer service experience doesn’t matter. However, if there isn’t a robust process in place to help people when something goes wrong, a discount code isn’t enough to keep them loyal.

04 - Web 3 is coming!

Web 3 is coming! A lot of brands are already using it to define loyalty schemes (e.g. Starbucks' Odyssey). **Web3 customer loyalty programmes can add the most value for brands that have a strong community already** – it can allow their customers to feed into the business, collect and exchange digital tokens (NFT) and give them access to their data.

05 - what is Web 3?

So, what is Web 3? – put simply, it holds info, content, and tokens (NFT) that are decentralised and therefore can be transferred freely as they're not tied to any brand or individual. Importantly, the content cannot be edited and so can't be tampered with. A good example of this is all your photos on Instagram would be lost if the platform was pulled overnight. If Instagram used Web 3, they'd be stored in a way where you'd be able to always access/move them.

Exploring Web3 for your brand's loyalty programme? Explore our FMCG marketing services or view our case studies .

What Brands Can Learn From Super Mario

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 10:59:00 GMT

The new Super Mario movie, like any successful movie, will likely have a lot of valuable lessons for brands. Here's my takeaways:

Stay True to Your Brand Identity

Super Mario is a beloved and iconic video game character, and fans have certain expectations for how he should be portrayed. Brands can learn from this by staying true to their own brand identity and not straying too far from what their audience expects from them. The movie was a masterclass in brand identity lessons, even down to the emotive messaging hook "as long as we're together... everything is gonna be okay!

Build on Existing Fanbase

The Super Mario franchise has a huge and dedicated fanbase, which loved the film (more than the critics!). Brands can similarly focus on building a dedicated following and engaging with them to create a community that truly understands them. This brand loyalty is the foundation of long-term success.

Embrace New Mediums

The Super Mario movie is a departure from the traditional video game format, but it's still staying true to the brand. Brands can similarly explore new mediums and channels to reach their audience, as long as they maintain consistency in messaging and branding. These brand identity lessons apply across all channels.

Collaborate with Other Brands

The Super Mario movie showcased a huge amount of brand collaboration. Brands can similarly partner with other companies to create unique experiences that benefit both parties and appeal to a wider audience - the highlight for me was seeing the Red Wing collaboration.

Take Risks

The Super Mario movie is a bold move for Nintendo, but it paid off spectacularly. Brands can similarly take risks and experiment with new ideas, as long as they stay true to their brand and their audience. They basically killed it, making the Sonic series of films look pretty lame.

Need help building a stronger brand identity? Explore our brand strategy services or view our case studies .

Time for Brands to Adopt Some Atomic Habits | Finn Agency

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 09:05:00 GMT

James Clear's best selling book Atomic Habits outlines a beautifully simple way to change our personal behaviours by making incremental changes to our lifestyles.

Small Changes Make a Big Difference

One of the key lessons is the idea that small changes make a big difference. In life we often look for the game-changing moment or a short-cut hack. Atomic habits for brands are the small changes we can make that are known as the concept of marginal-gains , seeking small 1% improvements. Seemingly tiny increments have a major impact over time: 1% a day equates to a 37% improvement in a year.

The Problem with Big Bets in Marketing

In marketing we are often looking for the single big event to make a difference. The game-changing next big thing. Quite often that comes in the form of a stunt brief - the quest for an idea that will grab the headlines and change the world. For FMCG brands, this approach is high-risk and rarely delivers sustainable growth. Go visit FamousCampaigns.com and ask yourself how many have you heard of? Are they actually famous?

An Atomic Habits Approach for FMCG Brands

At Finn we advocate an atomic habits style approach for brands: define what you want to be and then make incremental steps to get there. Continuously test and learn, observe what the data are telling you and make small improvements. This disciplined approach to FMCG brand building delivers measurable, sustainable results.

We have just deployed that approach for one of our clients and they have grown brand penetration a ridiculous 318% to become the number one in their category. Now to be clear that is mostly due to it being a brilliant product, perfectly positioned to capture unmet demand and it has grown a ton of distribution thanks to the herculean efforts of the sales team. However, a disciplined approach to delivering effective communications has made a significant and proven impact.

Silver bullets and big bets are not healthy habits for brands.

Want to build atomic habits for your brand? Explore our FMCG marketing services or view our case studies .

Deinfluencing: Sustainable Consumerism or Marketing Tactic?

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 10:46:00 GMT

What is Deinfluencing?

In a global economy where consumers are pushed to purchase more and more, is deinfluencing a move towards sustainability or a marketing tactic?

The latest social media movement to deinfluencing, praised as the antidote to consumerism, sees influencers giving negative, but honest, feedback on trending and widely promoted items, such as the Dyson Air Wrap and Ugg Ultra Mini Boots. The deinfluencing trend represents a shift in how consumers evaluate products , especially in categories like beauty, fashion and FMCG. Influencers sharing honest and authentic content are experiencing higher views. The current algorithm favours the brave, and influencers who show integrity by taking risks are recognised as trustworthy, which helps build audience trust.

Gen Z Drives Demand for Authenticity

Today's consumers are more aware of advertisements than ever before, and are searching for credible influencer content in the form of reviews and demos. Gen Z is driving this shift towards both brand and advocate authenticity, with reports citing authenticity, long term partnerships and brand relevance as the most important values for this generation, which is demonstrated through the shift to lo-fi content across platforms such as TikTok and BeReal. For FMCG brands targeting Gen Z, understanding the deinfluencing trend is critical to building credible partnerships.

The deinfluencing trend has been picked up in various ways, ranging from influencers and brands recommending dupes and alternative product uses through to content that exclusively reviews products in a negative way. Few have yet to take that step towards sustainability by urging followers to make considered, less frequent purchases.

What Deinfluencing Means for FMCG Brands

For brands, this proves that authentic, long-term partnerships should be the foundation of influencer marketing strategy. When content engages influential fans to positive sentiment it becomes easier to build loyal communities and target like-minded consumers. FMCG brands must prioritise working with influencers who genuinely use and believe in their products, rather than chasing reach alone.

For influencers who choose not to contribute to the deinfluencing movement, deciding not to mention products they don’t believe in or they perceive to be poor value, are beginning to be considered inauthentic.

The Future of Influencer Marketing

Whilst there are aspects of the trend which lean towards making influenced consumerism more sustainable, could it just be a marketing strategy?

Need help navigating influencer marketing for your brand? Explore our FMCG marketing services or view our case studies .

Be Distinct: Build a Distinctive Brand Identity

Thu, 16 Mar 2023 09:52:00 GMT

Why Brand Advertising Beats Sales-Driven Advertising

In light of new evidence suggesting that while sales-driven advertising may deliver short-term effects, brand advertising is more effective in achieving both short-term and long-term goals. For FMCG brands, building a distinctive brand identity is the foundation of sustainable growth. It's time to put some more thought into building your brand.

In today's marketplace, consumers are bombarded with countless brands and messages every day on an often overwhelming amount of channels from TV to TikTok. And with so much noise and competition, it can be challenging for a brand to cut through and capture attention especially when they're too focused on sales-driven advertising.

The Power of Distinctive Brand Signals

This is where a distinctive brand identity or signals can make a big difference. In FMCG categories where purchase decisions happen in seconds, distinctive brand signals are your competitive advantage.

Airbnb has proved it with significant growth after switching its strategy from buying customers to to ‘educating’ them boosting direct bookings and retention, and helping grow profit. I also love their ads. So simple, so impactful.

When a brand has a clear and memorable identity, it can help to differentiate the brand from its competitors and create a lasting impression in the minds of consumers. This might include elements such as a unique logo, catchy slogan, specific colour scheme or design elements, or even a distinct tone of voice.

This is because the human brain is wired to process visual and auditory information more effectively than written information, making it more likely that consumers will remember a visual or auditory signal associated with a brand.

Examples of Distinctive Brand Identities

For example, think about the iconic "golden arches" of McDonald's and their recent raise your arches campaign or the distinctive shape and colour of a Guinness. These are both examples of strong and distinctive brand identities that have become instantly recognisable to consumers around the world, demonstrating how FMCG brands can build lasting mental availability.

For one of our favourite clients Jason’s Sourdough; it’s a pair of glasses. They appear on every piece of our creative from online to events we want them to become our distinctive asset, and guess what it’s working, our last campaign achieved a +25 Point brand uplift.

While sales-driven advertising may have a place in a company's marketing strategy, it is important to also invest in brand advertising in order to build a strong and distinctive brand identity that can deliver both short-term and long-term benefits.

Building Your Brand Signals

What are your brand signals? If you don't know there's a good chance your target audience doesn't either. Maybe it's worth a chat!

Need help building distinctive brand signals? Explore our FMCG marketing services or view our case studies .

Nostalgia Marketing: Why Should Marketers Care?

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 18:37:00 GMT

Nostalgia is a powerful emotion.

In fact, it’s so powerful that when the latest season of Stranger Things aired, Kate Bush’s classic 80s track (featured in the program) soared to the number-one spot in the UK charts after nearly 40 years. Similarly, searches for “retro clothing” increased by 200% in the days after the release of Stranger Things season three.

The word nostalgia comes from the Ancient Greek word “nostos” which translates to a “longing to return home”. In the classical Greek text The Odyssey the protagonist, Odysseus, has spent the last ten years trying to return to his kingdom Ithaca after the Trojan war. Homer makes it clear that Odysseus relies on memories of his family back home to cope with his long and hazardous journey.

The Power of Nostalgia

There are parallels between the ancient experiences of Odysseus and many of us today. Just as Odysseus used nostalgia to spur him on through the tough times he was experiencing, many of us today use the emotion in the very same way. This is why nostalgia marketing has become such a powerful tool for brands, especially in FMCG categories.

War is a topic of everyday conversation for many, the threat of global warming becomes more imminent with each day that passes and inflation has permeated its way into most of our lives. We’ve also seen the world turned upside down because of Covid-19.

As a result, many of us are looking for security in any way that we can find it. 70% of millennials and Gen z now say they find comfort in the familiar.

But how does nostalgia actually work? Studies on autobiographical memory- the memory system that tracks episodes of our lives- have shown that when we are reminded of episodes from our past, we re-experience the emotions tied to the original episodes.

How Nostalgia Works in Marketing

Nostalgia marketing works by reminding your customers of those episodes that once made them feel good. As they relive the experience they are likely to extend those feelings of warmth to the brand for taking them back in time. For FMCG brands, this emotional connection can drive both trial and loyalty.

The Results of Nostalgic Campaigns

And the results speak for themselves. “An Empirical Examination of Nostalgia Advertising Effects” [Muehling & Sprott] concluded that consumers who had seen nostalgia-themed ads were twice as likely to rate them more favourably than those who had seen non-nostalgic ads.

It’s clear that nostalgia provides a huge opportunity for brands to connect with their target audience in a highly emotional way, and provide them with a feeling of warmth at a time which feels desolate for so many.

But it’s also important that brands find the right balance.

Finding the Right Balance

While nostalgia may seem like an easy way to earn consumers' favour, leaning on it entirely holds risks too. Brands need to keep their offerings fresh by remixing familiar motifs with contemporary elements.

Here are some brands that have done that well…

Want to explore nostalgia marketing for your brand? Explore our FMCG marketing services or view our case studies .

Breaking our bad habits

Thu, 15 Sep 2022 13:51:00 GMT

The monkey on our backs

Trust me on this: nothing gets a group of people buzzing like sharing your favourite market research story.

Mine is when strategists at AMV BBDO sent in a guy in a gorilla suit to walk around a supermarket on a Saturday morning. They wanted to prove to Sainsbury’s that consumers were shopping on autopilot, and paying so little attention that they wouldn’t even notice a giant monkey doing his weekly shop.

No one noticed the gorilla. The evidence led to Sainsbury's “Try Something New Today” strap-line, which increased revenue by £2.5 billion . Everyone won a lot of awards.

This story (and an overwhelming amount of data available to anyone with Google) is great evidence of just how hard it is to crack a habitual purchase cycle.

Progressive challenger brands (especially in FMCG) know this all too well.

Even when a challenger product is objectively better, more ethical, or offers greater value than big-brand competitors, shoppers will overlook them in favour of a simpler purchase decision.

There are levers to change this behaviour, and at Finn we spend our days pulling them.

But now a once-a-decade opportunity arises.

A scary opportunity

As we head into an era of increasing inflation and economic disarray, it might seem like the deck is stacked ever more against challenger brands. Big brands have deeper pockets, more established distribution, and more mental availability .

But economic downturns represent a huge opportunity for challenger brands to break the habit cycle.

We know that in times of recession, consumers tend to reevaluate what constitutes an essential purchase , and what constitutes a treat.

“Treat” purchases such as electronics are pushed back to a time when money isn’t as tight. Whereas “essentials” (food and drink for example) are reevaluated, to either reduce cost or find smaller, lower-cost treats.

The opportunity for challenger brands is to interrupt a portion of these freshly-awoken sleep shoppers as they consider their transition options, and show them the value that they offer as an “treat” upgrade.

If they can divert just a fraction of these transitory shoppers into their buyer base, it can mean huge proportional growth.

Three steps out of sleepwalking

FMCG challenger brands that succeed will do three things.

Firstly they will ensure that their messaging clearly targets their benefits when compared to the established brands they want to steal from.

Many challenger brands make the mistake of seeing other challengers as their key competitors, and invest too much energy trying to win against them.

But if multiple small brands are growing in a category at once, this should be seen as a good thing not a threat. It will increase overall consumer interest in the category - pushing more shoppers out of autopilot.

Secondly, they will bring retail partners on board as collaborators.

Retailers will see a shift to own-label as an opportunity. They won’t be thrilled at the prospect of listing brands that are actively trying to compete with this shift.

But progressive brands will be able to show retailers that they have tightly targeted audience segments, and that their products can sit alongside a mass shift to own-label, making a retailer’s offering more diverse and appealing without stealing profit.

Finally, they will cement distinction and begin to grow their own habitual buyers.

Those of us who have made a New Year's resolution knows that forming a new habit is as hard as breaking an old one. Progressive brands can fast-forward this process by targeting their consumers from multiple angles to embed their brand as rapidly as possible during this window of opportunity.

This can be achieved through tactics such as loyalty and CRM programmes, content that offers real (yes, real) value to the consumer, and partnerships with brands in tangential categories.

The end-game for progressive FMCG challenger brands is to come out of the next few years with a base of consumers who are both genuinely engaged in the brand, and also habitually buying their products.

If successful, they will have achieved what a man in a gorilla suit couldn’t: breaking shoppers out of their habits and helping them make an informed choice.

Building a Progressive Mindset: 5 Tips from Karma Drinks

Tue, 28 Jun 2022 10:03:00 GMT

We chatted to Jessamy about Karma Drinks recently and its progressive story spanning ten years. Jessamy shared some of Karma's 'secret sauce' that has helped push the brand into the mainstream while also have an incredibly positive impact on the planet and the people who produce their drinks. For FMCG brands looking to build a progressive, purpose-driven identity, Karma's approach offers valuable lessons.

Top 5 Tips for Building a Progressive Brand

01 - Lay Down Your Intention

Progressivism begins with laying down the intention to leave the world in a better place. **For FMCG brands, this means defining your positive impact from day one.**

02 - Begin by connecting your core beliefs with your ethics and then set down your sustainable purpose

03 - Start from your most authentic place so you can build trust with the consumers you want to reac

04 - Make sure you have a continuous model of improvement sitting at the heart of everything you do

05 - The Power of Three Strategy

Follow a three step strategy - the power of three - for Karma, we want our drinks to taste good, look good and do good. **This simple framework helps FMCG brands balance product quality, brand appeal, and sustainable purpose.**

Want to build a progressive brand strategy? Explore our FMCG marketing services or view our case studies .

How brands are tackling HFSS

Wed, 18 Aug 2021 08:53:00 GMT

The proposed HFSS restrictions will restrict promotions and advertising for food high in fat, salt and sugar. Many regard the proposed restrictions as being ineffective and hugely detrimental to brands at a time of real uncertainty. Others see them as a step in the right direction, something that must be done to combat rising levels of obesity, specifically amongst children.

There’s still a long way to go with how exactly these restrictions and changes will look as many brands and bodies are lobbying the Government to make amends to the proposal. What is clear is that changes are coming because rising levels of obesity are a cause for concern and the government must be seen to be doing something. Ultimately, brands are going to have to start changing the way they communicate with consumers.

Brands could do this by focusing less on short term sales activations that many so heavily push, and instead focus on long term brand building in comms. Long term brand building is activity designed to define the identity of a brand, in turn creating more meaningful emotional connections with consumers, while increasing salience and ensuring consistent, long-term sales. Another way brands can maneuvre the HFSS restrictions is by developing or advertising products which wouldn’t be affected by them. This would allow brands to clearly define the category they sit in and remain front of mind.

Here are some examples of brands that have scrapped product centric advertisements in favour of bigger brand ideas, as well as some that have reformulated and developed new products to stay under the radar of HFSS restrictions…

Red Bull

Red Bull’s products face some of the highest levels of scrutiny and criticism. High in sugar and caffeine they are an easy target. As a result of this Red Bull has carefully devised an inoffensive marketing strategy over the years. Its activations never really explicitly portray the brand’s products- rather emotions and activities associated with the brand. Red Bull does this through its many sponsorships of extreme sports as well as daring and creative events like the Red Bull Stratos- which saw the first ever free fall from space, facilitated by the brand.

Ok, so lots of brands can’t afford to invest in events and activity like this. What this does demonstrate though is that you don’t have to just show a product to generate sales. If a brand understands its target audience- what they want and enjoy, it’s not so difficult to connect with consumers in a meaningful way.

Tony’s Chocolonely

Take Tony’s Chocolonely as an example… It’s a relatively new brand and one that is revolutionising the chocolate industry. It’s focused on making chocolate fairer- fair for those in less economically developed countries (LEDCs).

The majority of Tony’s Chocolonely’s marketing activity has never focused on the actual products as much as the story behind the brand and it’s raison d’etre- its purpose.

Research shows that consumers are four to six times more likely to purchase, protect and champion purpose-driven companies. This clearly demonstrates that consumers are interested in why brands exist, and receptive to these types of communications.

Tony’s Chocolonely has kept its purpose front and centre and seen fantastic levels of growth as a result. The success Tony’s Chocolonely (a young brand in a well-established category) has seen demonstrates that brands don’t have to have big marketing budgets, or be well known to see success. A brand simply has to have an authentic purpose to resonate with its target audience

Budweiser

While it doesn’t produce products impacted by HFSS, Budweiser nonetheless sits in a category with strict rules surrounding its advertising.

A recent campaign launched by the brand champions its sustainable credentials focusing on the fact that every single one of the brand’s beers are produced using 100% renewable energy.

The ad doesn’t portray any of Budweiser’s products, instead showing viewers how it chooses to behave. The beer category is saturated with brands and products, all vying for consumer attention. Budweiser’s decision to not focus on its product and instead renewable energy emphasises the importance of communicating purpose and brand identity to consumers, especially in light of the new HFSS restrictions.

KFC

At the end of 2018 KFC released an advert to coincide with mindfulness day, which used the sounds of KFC food being cooked as ASMR. This ad saw huge success, and a variety of other brands have since decided to adopt ASMR in their marketing strategies.

The KFC example is particularly interesting because it demonstrates the potential for exclusively using audio to communicate the benefits of a product. The new HFSS restrictions don’t apply to radio advertisements which leaves brands with a platform to communicate freely.

ASMR is still a relatively new device within marketing and something that is consistently seeing huge levels of growth. The lack of restrictions for radio advertising provides brands with an opportunity to get creative, and ASMR is one of many ways to do this.

Kind Snacks

Another brand that’s seen recent success by using audio to market itself is Kind Snacks , which launched a multi-platform marketing campaign encouraging the nation to “live kind”.

The campaign reminds and motivates consumers to make kinder choices to their bodies and communities- an idea that’s been an integral part of Kind’s purpose since its inception.

The marketing activity is being brought to life by a new three-episode podcast series, made in partnership with Katie Piper. The podcast, which is called “Kids Live Kind” sees Piper asking children to teach and inspire adults to “act kinder in a post-pandemic world”.

This is a clear example of a brand focusing on the bigger ideas that create stronger emotional connections with consumers- rather than focusing on short term sales activations like discounts and promotional offers. This activity is also intelligent because there is such a dedicated podcast audience in the UK, with over 15 million regular podcast listeners in 2020- predicted to increase to 20 million by 2024.

People are highly engaged with this platform (over 80% listen to seven or more hours per week) and it is completely free from HFSS restrictions, which demonstrates the potential of podcasts for brands looking to shout about themselves, and indeed their products.

Kellogg's
The final example comes from Kellogg's which reformulated its portfolio to subvert HFSS restrictions.

The brand has vowed to cut the sugar content by 10% across its kids’ cereal range making them all non-HFSS by the end of 2022, and cut salt in its cereals by at least 20% by the end of 2022.

This is a big move by a brand and to rework the recipes of an entire product portfolio is not an option for many. IRI predicts that this strategy could reduce overall sales losses to just £30-75million, though the process itself would be expensive and risky, since new recipes might prove unpopular with consumers (think IRN-BRU).

Ultimately though, brands shouldn’t just rely on reformulating existing products. Doing so might represent an unhealthy dependance on TV and online as paid media channels. Instead HFSS brands should embrace the opportunity and explore alternative marketing strategies, whether that’s a focus on the brand instead of its products, NPD, or different channels like radio, print and out-of-home. Whatever you decide, Finn has the expertise and experience to guide you through these uncertain times.