This will provide you with an ideal format for how to lay out a Long Range Strategic Plan with the vision, purpose, values, big idea, strategies, and tactics.
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Ideal Long Range Strategic Plan
1. We make brands stronger.
We make brand leaders smarter.
Case Study, using fictional “Gray’s Cookies” brand to complete a Long Range
Strategic Plan laying out the vision, purpose, values, big idea, strategies, and tactics.
Brand Strategy Roadmap
2. Gray’s Cookies
Brand Strategy Roadmap
This is an example of a Long Range Strategic Plan presentation to
follow as a potential ideal format or tips at each part of the plan.
3. Strategic
Plan
Gray’s Cookies Brand Strategy Roadmap
Promise: Experience:Innovation Purchase MomentStory:
Vision:
Purpose:
Values:
The Big Idea: Grays are the best tasting yet guilt free pleasure
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 can taste great. Our purpose is to make healthy, low carb cookies that never
settles on taste, and helps people stay in control of their health.
Consumer first, healthy can taste great, natural tastes better, 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
4. Strategic
Plan
Vision
To be the first ‘healthy cookie’ to generate the craving, popularity and sales of a mainstream
cookie. Make Gray’s a $50 Million brand by 2025.
Purpose
We believe healthy can taste great. Our purpose is to make healthy, low carb cookies that never
settles on taste, and helps people stay in control of their health.
Values
Brand Vision, Purpose and Values
Consumers
First
Healthy can
taste great
Natural
tastes better
Family
owned
Fast to
market
Everything we do
starts and ends
with the consumer
in mind
Each new cookie
recipe must be
balanced health
and taste
Organic and natural
based food
ingredients lead to
better tasting food.
Our consumers
love new, and we
need to be new
faster than anyone.
No matter how big
we get, we will
always be a family
run business.
5. Strategic
Plan
360-degree Business Review summary
• Category: As America’s eating habits are
changing the cookie category is shrinking,
while the good-for-you segment thrives.
• Consumer: New consumers attracted to
Gray’s “guilt free” positioning, but conversion
to loyalty is due to the great taste.
• Channels: Gray’s has many distribution gaps,
but needs to be mindful of choices, to maintain
investment in driving consumer demand.
• Competitors: Grays has an opportunity to
dominate the good for you competitors before
traditional brands enter segment.
• Brand: Growth has come from product quality,
but new “guilt free” position will connect
deeper and fuel demand
Themes each section from the review Challenges to future growth
1. We need to transition Gray’s
from a product-led brand into an
idea-led brand to connect on
deeper level with consumers,
2. We need to own the big idea of
“guilt free” snacking, rather than
just selling a great tasting low
calorie cookie.
3. We need to begin to defend,
dominate and then lead the
“good for you” cookie segment.
6. Strategic
Plan
What factors are driving growth
1. Gray’s great taste drives a high conversion of Trial to Purchase (65% vs. norm of 50%).
2. Strong Listings has driven strong distribution in Food Channels (95%)
3. Exceptional brand health scores among Early Adopters (“Proactive Preventers”) making it a
highly Beloved Brand among the niche.
What factors are inhibiting growth
1. Brand Funnel scores show that we are still a niche player (low familiar), but have yet to turn our
sales into strong following (low loyalty)
2. Awareness among mainstream target (20%) held back due to weak Advertising scores. Low
Attention scores and Brand Link scores.
3. Low distribution at specialty stores at only 16%. Poor sales coverage.
4. Low Purchase Frequency (2.2 boxes per year vs. norm of 7.3) even among the most loyal early
adopters.
Drivers and Inhibitors
7. Strategic
Plan
What are the major threats to growth
• Mainstream cookie brands could enter the ‘health’ segment through R&D or Acquisition. Rumors
that Pepperidge Farms will launch in Q1 2014, and Nabisco Q3 2014.
• De-listing of our 2 weakest skus (Oatmeal and Cranberry) because of POS thresholds, could
weaken our in-store presence down to 3 skus.
• Legal Challenge to “tastes as good as your favorite cookie”.
What are the major opportunities to drive growth
• R&D has 5 new flavors in development. Could launch Peanut Butter in Q4 of 2013 (top 15% in
testing), Chocolate Chunks in Q2 of 2014 (top 50%)
• Specialty Sales Broker could specifically target Specialty Stores, which are in high growth mode
(+15% per year)
• Explore social media options as a vehicle for converting strong loyal following into a more
mainstream mass appeal.
Threats and Opportunities
8. Strategic
Plan
Key Issues and Strategies
What’s the priority for growth:
driving new users or driving
frequency among current users?
How do we fix the distribution gaps
to add to Gray’s momentum?
How will we defend Gray’s against
the proposed Q1 2014 ‘healthy
cookie’ launch from Nabisco?
Key Issues Strategies
Attack Nabisco’s ‘healthy’ credibility by
having 60% higher calories
Drive trial by advertising Gray’s “stay in
control” positioning
Fix Gray’s distribution gaps with a sales
force blitz at food and drug
1
2
3
9. Strategic
Plan
Drive trial by advertising Gray’s “stay in
control” positioning
Strategy
#1
Strategic Objective:
• Gain new “proactive preventers” by advertising Gray’s “stay in control” positioning, moving
consumers from consideration to trial and drive Gray’s market share
Goals:
• Increase penetration from 10% to 12%, specifically up from 15% to 20% with the core target.
Monitor usage frequency among the most loyal to ensure it stays steady.
Tactical Program:
• Ensure all programs target the “Proactive Preventer” target, who is 35-40 female, who work out
3x a week.
• Use “guilt free treat” message across advertising, packaging, in-store and events, which has
tested as the most motivating and own-able message for Gray’s.
• Recommend a balanced consumer marketing mix of advertising to drive positioning and
sampling to drive trial. More details are outlined on the next strategy.
Watch out:
• At this point, we believe the product taste and consumer habits around healthy eating can help
drive frequency of use.
10. Strategic
Plan
Fix Gray’s distribution gaps with a sales
force blitz at food and drug
Strategy
#2
Strategic Objective:
• Fix Gray’s distribution gaps at Drug and Mass investing in a sales force blitz to continue Gray’s
momentum and drive Gray’s market share.
Goal:
• Increase awareness from 33% to 42%, specifically up from 45% to 50% within the core target. Drive
trial from 15% to 20%. Focus for sales is to close distribution gaps going from 62% to 72%.
Tactical Program:
1. Mass TV Advertising and specialty Health Magazines helps to drive awareness in the most efficient
manner, focused on appointment and specialty TV.
2. Increase amount of digital, using Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram to catch young moms. Build
social media network of core loyal users.
3. In store and even sampling to re-enforce trial. Use in-store sampling to secure end aisle displays.
4. Sales Team to secure added distribution at Specialty stores.
5. R&D should focus on driving annual innovation to create an optimized portfolio mix.
Watch outs:
• Do not do too many activities to overload team, watch the working/non-working marketing spend.
11. Strategic
Plan
Attack Nabisco’s ‘healthy’ credibility by
having 60% higher calories
Strategy
#3
Strategic Objective:
• Continue to dominate healthy cookie segment by owning “great tasting” and “lowest calorie” claims
pointing out Nabisco’s weakness with 60% higher calories to help maintain Gray’s strong and loyal
fan base.
Goal:
• Hold dollar share during competitive launches and continue to grow 11% post launch gaining up to
1.2% share. Target zero losses at shelf.
Tactical Program:
1. Pre-launch (Q4) sales team to shore up all distribution gaps. Leverage category data to close deals.
At launch defense plan (Q1) includes heavy merchandising, locking up key ad dates and BOGO.
2. Marketing support (Q1) includes 15s TV ads and high frequency magazine 1/3 page ads to muddy
airwaves, coupons and in-store sampling.
3. Use sales story that any new “healthy” cookies should displace under-performing and declining
unhealthy cookies.
Watch outs:
• Stay aware of exact timing to ensure focused defense plan lines up. Cannot lose our shelf space.
Hold $2 Million contingency defense plan for Q2/Q3 timing, depending on performance of the
competitive launches.
12. Strategic
Plan
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
Defining
the Brand
13. Strategic
Plan
Delicious, low carb, low
calorie cookies that help
controls hunger and replace
their favorite cookie.
Products & Services Consumer Reputation
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.
Influencer Reputation
Grays are the
best tasting yet
guilt free pleasure
so you can stay in
control of your
health.
The Big Idea for Gray’s Cookies
Defining
the Brand
14. Strategic
Plan
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 on
your cookie’s taste.
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
Positioning Advertising and
Communication
Product
Development
Selling and
Retail
Operations
and Culture
Big Idea mapped across all consumer touch-points
The best
tasting yet guilt
free pleasure so
you can stay in
control of your
health.
Defining
the Brand
15. Strategic
Plan
Execution
Plan
Strategy: Use awareness to drive trial of the new Grays Cookies as “The Healthy Choice to
Snacking” brand positioning. Increase penetration from 10% to 12%, specifically up from 15% to
20% with the core target.
Target Market: “Proactive Preventers”. Suburban working women, 35-40, who do whatever it takes
to stay healthy.
Main Benefit: Guilt free cookie that tastes so good that you can stay in control of your health.
Support Points: 1) In blind taste tests, Gray’s matched the leaders on taste, but only 100 calories
and 3g of net carbs. 2) In a 12-week study, consumers using Gray’s once a night as a desert were
able to lose 5-10 pounds.
Big Idea: Grays are the best tasting yet guilt free pleasure.
What do we want consumers to think, do or feel? Desired Response: Try Grays to see if they
like the great taste.
Media Options: Main creative will be TV 15-second spot, with specialty health magazines, event
signage and in-store sampling. Want to carry the idea into digital, social media and a microsite.
Advertising & Communications Plan
16. Strategic
Plan
Advertising & Communications Plan
• Leverage Gray’s positioning around “guilt free pleasure”, which scored very high in positioning concept
testing. The key is to build a creative that can showcase the 12 week study that shows you can lose 5 pounds.
Execution
Plan
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)
• A 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.
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.
Winning Positioning Statement Winning Brand Concept
17. Strategic
Plan
In-Store Plan
Strategy and Tactics: Leverage key results, planogram recommendations and in-store specialty
store merchandising team to build displays, manage shelf sets. Drive fair share of shelf,
merchandising and leverage in-store sampling events for added distribution and display. Use sales
blitz team to increase distribution at specialty stores, while holding shelf space at grocery, health
stores during the competitive launches. Focus on increasing distribution from 62% to 72%.
Target Market: “Proactive Preventers”. Suburban working women, 35-40, who do whatever it takes
to stay healthy.
Main Benefit: Guilt free cookie that tastes so good that you can stay in control of your health.
Big Idea: Grays are the best tasting yet guilt free pleasure.
What do we want consumers to think, do or feel? Desired Response: Try Grays to see if they like
the great taste.
Programs 1) Q2 specialty blitz to grow distribution at key specialty stores. 2) Support Q4 retail blitz
with message focused on holding shelf space during the competitive launches. 3) Gain displays for
back-to-school promotional lunch program.
Execution
Plan
18. Strategic
Plan
Innovation Plan
Execution
Plan
Strategy: Leverage stage gate process to gain approvals and consumer acceptance. Continually
launch new flavors, expanding the Gray’s line up. Leverage 2 new innovations to build the Gray’s
line up around key flavor trends among our “proactive preventer” target.
Target Market: ‘Proactive- preventers’, suburban working women, 35-40, who do whatever it
takes to stay healthy.
Main Benefit: Guilt free cookie that tastes so good that you can stay in control of your health.
Support Points: 1) In blind taste tests, Gray’s matched the leaders on taste, but only 100 calories
and 3g of net carbs. 2) In a 12-week study, consumers using Gray’s once a night as a desert were
able to lose 5-10 pounds.
Big Idea: Grays are the best tasting yet guilt free pleasure.
Internal Beacon: Healthy doesn’t have to taste bad. We need to make healthy, low carb cookies
that never settles on taste. Continue to push the taste profile to ensure we are as good as the non-
healthy cookies.
Programs: 1) Launch Lemon Poppyseed in 2017, Lemon in 2018. 2) Explore new formats and
diet claims motivating to target and own-able for Gray’s.
19. Strategic
Plan
Competitive Defense Plan
Strategy: Build defense plan against new entrant that defends with consumers and at store
level. Hold dollar share during launch and continue to grow 11% post launch gaining up to
1.2% share. Target zero losses at shelf.
Target: Current heavy users of Gray’s, so we can hold on to them during the first few months of
the launch. Leverage the excitement of two new launches to gain new users. “Proactive
Preventers”. Suburban working women, 35-40, who do whatever it takes to stay healthy.
Big Idea: Grays are the best tasting yet guilt free pleasure
Desired Response: Try Grays to see if they like the great taste.
Program: 1) Pre-launch the sales team to shore up all distribution gaps. Leverage category
data to close deals. 2) At launch defense plan includes heavy merchandising, locking up key ad
dates and Buy-One-Get-Ones (BOGOs). Marketing support includes 15s TV ads and high
frequency magazine 1/3 page ads to muddy airwaves, couponing and in-store sampling. Use
sales story that any new “healthy” cookies should displace under-performing and declining
unhealthy cookies.
Execution
Plan
20. Strategic
Plan
Brand Dashboard Metrics
Goal 2022 Comment
Sales $50 Million Continue 20% growth rate
Market Share 4.2% New triple chocolate 0.5% share
Distribution 72% Increase coming mainly from fixing specialty.
Awareness 42% Below norm, 80% among niche, < 20% overall
Trial 37% New flavors have helped drive trial
Repeat 5% High quality Taste converts high repeat
Gross Margin % 57% Launching new premium line up.
Profit % 15% Increased marketing spend in year 1 of launch
Ad Brand Link 70% Building on current brand equity in TV ad
Purchase Intent 70% Should hold strong as we trade up.
Customer Satisfaction 60% Halo impact from new premium line up.
Freshness Index 20% Increasing % sales from new launches.
You have to measure what matters
Plan
Measures
22. Strategic
Plan
Brand Vision
• To be the first ‘healthy cookie’ to generate the craving, popularity and sales of a mainstream
cookie. Make Gray’s a $100 Million brand by 2020.
Strategies
1. Continue to attract new users to Gray’s
2. Focus investment on driving awareness and trial with new consumers and building a
presence at retail.
3. Build defense plan against new entrants that defends with consumers and at store level.
Short-term goals for 2018
1. Continue to gain new users for Gray’s, driving trial from 15% to 20% and household
penetration from 10% to 12%.
2. Hold Gray’s share during the two competitive launches and show 11% sales growth.
3. Increase Gray’s distribution from 61% to 72%, while increasing the footprint of “healthy
cookies” at the shelf.
Strategic Plan Summary
24. Strategic
Plan
Brand Health and Wealth
Internal Health:
Divided team on whether to go after new users
or drive frequency among core users.
Advertising programs has not created
awareness. Channel strength has not reached
beyond Food. Innovation has not been
consistent.
External Health:
Gray’s is a beloved brand among a core niche
(“Preventers”) but relatively indifferent and
unknown among broader audience. Even
among loyalists, frequency is very weak. Gray’s
is a special treat rather than a usual brand.
Internal Wealth:
Gray’s has a unique recipe. With marketing
investment, profit margins have fallen from 12%
to 9%, without seeing the growth ROI from the
programs. Debate on whether Gray’s should
focus on channel growth vs. marketing led
programs.
External Wealth:
Gray’s has a strong growth rate at +20%
CAGR. Sales of $25Million with a 48% gross
margins, above category norm of 42%. Gray’s
has achieved a 3.3% share at grocery but only
0.4% in the other channels.
Internal
Brand Wealth
External
Brand Health
25. Strategic
Plan
Summary Analysis
Drivers Inhibitors
• Taste drives a high conversion of Trial to Purchase
(65% vs. norm of 50%).
• Strong Listings has driven strong Distribution in
Food Channels (95%)
• Exceptional brand health scores among Early
Adopters (“Proactive Preventers”) making it a highly
Beloved Brand among the niche.
• Awareness among mainstream target (20%) held back
due to weak Advertising scores. Low Attention scores
and Brand Link scores.
• Low distribution at specialty stores at only 16%. Poor
sales coverage.
• Low Purchase Frequency (2.2 boxes/yr vs. 7.3 norm)
even among most loyal early adopters.
Opportunities Threats
• R&D has 5 new flavors in development. Could
launch Peanut Butter in Q4 of 2013 (top 15% in
testing), Chocolate Chunks in Q2 of 2014 (top 50%)
• Sales broker could specifically target specialty
stores, which are in high growth (+15%/year)
• Explore social media to convert strong loyal
following into more mainstream mass appeal
• Mainstream cookie brands could enter the ‘health’
segment through R&D or Acquisition. Rumors that
Pepperidge Farms will launch in Q1 2014, and Nabisco
Q3 2014.
• De-listing of our 2 weakest skus (Oatmeal and
Cranberry) because of POS thresholds, could weaken
our in-store presence down to 3 skus.
• Legal Challenge to “tastes as good as your favorite
cookie”.
26. Strategic
Plan
• In a blind taste test, Gray’s performed equal to the
consumer’s regular cookie. When Consumers
found out it was a low fat, low calorie option, they
said they would make it their regular cookie.
• In the market, Gray’s has a very high conversion
to purchase beating the norm (65% to 50%) and
considerably higher than the other two ‘healthy’
cookies (Dad’s and Sarah’s)
• Gray’s taste helps drive a high repeat %, beating
norm 40% to 25%.
Continue to drive trial, with the
high conversion to purchase.
Repeat %
Conversion % to Purchase
Sarah’s
Dad’s
Norm
Gray’s
Sarah’s
Dad’s
Norm
Gray’s
Taste drives a high conversion of Trial to
Purchase (65% vs. norm of 50%).
Driver
#1
27. Strategic
Plan
Need to maintain strength at Food, even
while looking at new distribution points.
• In the food channels, Gray’s has 90%
distribution compared to 60% to Dad’s, our
nearest ‘healthy’ cookie competitor.
• However, Gray’s has an over-reliance on the
Food channel, with 73% of the business coming
from the Food channel, compared with 40% of
Dad’s, who have a much more balanced
distribution. The category norm is 38%.
Strong Listings has driven strong Distribution in
Food Channels (90%)
Driver
#2
Distribution at Food Channels
Overall All Channel Distribution
Distribution
%
Distribution
%
28. Strategic
Plan
• Gray’s is very healthy among “Preventers” with strong awareness at 80% and all related Brand
Funnel scores significantly above norm. However, that strength has not carried over to the
overall market, where Gray’s is significantly under-developed in the overall market.
Explore ways to leverage Love from Preventers, as
early adopters, to influence the rest of the market.
Preventers Overall Norm
Brand Funnel Scores Preventers vs. Overall
High brand health scores among Early Adopters
(Proactive Preventers) make it beloved among a niche.
Driver
#3
29. Strategic
Plan
Brand Funnel scores show niche player (low familiar),
yet to turn sales into strong following (low loyalty)
• Skinny Brand Funnel shows a lot of gaps,
pointing to the lack of marketing success in
generating awareness,
• Year 6, Gray’s still has very low Brand
Awareness (33% vs. 60% norm).
• Poor Ad tracking shows low Attention (30% vs.
norm of 50%) and poor Brand Link ratio (.32 vs. .
55 norm)
Both ends of funnel need fixing.
Need to choose between either
building awareness or driving loyalty.
Inhibitor
#1
30. Strategic
Plan
Awareness among target (20%) low due to weak low
attention and brand link in our advertising.
• The latest Ad (“Back Home Again”) failed to break
through (Aided Recall of only 38% vs. 62% norm).
• The Brand Link was considerably off at only 33%
vs. 50% norm.
• On the positive, the brand appears highly unique
suggesting the concept is strong.
• For those who are engaged, the purchase
intention scores in line with norms.
Need better execution of Advertising. Focus on driving
stronger recall and brand link to push awareness.
Tracking!Results! Gray’s! Norm!
Aided Recall 38 62
Unaided Recall 30 46
Brand Recogni on 10 23
Brand Link .33 .50
Main Message 64 60
Uniqueness 38 22
Purchase Intent 10 9
Ad!Tracking!
Inhibitor #2
Ad Tracking
31. Strategic
Plan
• While Gray’s is exceptionally strong in Food, it is equally weak in the Specialty channels, with only
16% distribution compared to Dad’s at 72%.
• In Specialty, Gray’s focuses on national listings but there are very few national accounts. Dad’s uses
210 part time merchandisers to reach the Specialty channel.
Low distribution at specialty stores at only 16%.
Poor sales coverage.
Explore options to reach the specialty market,
which could add incremental sales volume.
Inhibitor
#2