Food & Beverage

Regional Cheese Brand

The Challenge

A regional cheese was brand looking to expand into additional markets. They wanted the numbers and also the “whys” behind the numbers, and there was not room in the timeline for sequential qualitative and quantitative phases.

The Objective

  1. Early qualitative explored equities & initial positioning directions
  2. Positioning territories tested via a combined quant/qual online study
    1. Combining the precision of numbers with the “whys” behind them
    2. Order rotated to avoid bias
    3. The results were observed by the team in real-time

Key Insights

Of the 2 positionings tested, one option was emotional, but lacked substantiation
Substantiation was needed for expansion markets

The other was too rational – having good substantiation, but no emotional hook to really generate interest

Back to the drawing board to craft a final positioning with both a relevant emotional hook, as well as the proof points needed for expansion markets

The Results

Packaging options developed to reflect the new positioning
  1. IIM tested 2 new packages vs. current, with differentiation from other, bigger, brands being key
  2. Online quantitative survey included key measures such as…
  • Purchase interest
  • Findability
  • Recall
  • Communication of the new positioning
  • Differentiation from other brands

3. IIM identified the strongest package, key drivers of that strength, as well as areas for refinement

Team members who worked on this project