Charting the future
Strategies that set brands apart
Decoding brand success
Even when the world feels turned upside down, some brands manage to find their footing and reach for the stars. Think of Oreo, a cookie that has delighted for over a century, and Red Bull, the drink that gives you wings. They’ve reinvented themselves, staying true to their roots while carving out new paths to growth.
This isn’t a simple feat. Marketers are, apparently, getting savvier every year, executing bold strategies and daring to be different with innovations such as Goodknight’s paper-based and affordable mosquito repellent or Crocs’ fashion-forward platform range. They’re uncovering the sweet spot between brand, product, and experience. In this year’s report, our analysis demonstrated that innovative thinking ran deep, but so too did alignment with a brand’s essence — the new products and campaigns held true to the brand promise.
Our deep dive into 42,800 brands and the choices of billions of consumers revealed not just who's leading the pack, but how they got there.
The goal was to pave the way to the future by uncovering the strategies behind successful brands. We aim to inspire and educate with insights from high-performing brands of all sizes. Indeed, small and local brands provided many examples for us this year.
Identifying trends before they become commonplace can often seem as daunting as finding a needle in a haystack. Brand Footprint provides a faster way forward — a fast-track, if you will — to strategies that work. That’s why you’ll have seen us proactively point to leading indicators, hints of change among consumers and their behaviour — everything from emerging category demand or nascent retail channels, to how consumers behave.
We also very intentionally spotlighted the practices of brands that have mastered the art (and science) of being meaningfully different. In doing so, we provide practical illustrations of how predisposing more people, amplifying presence, and finding new space drives significant growth.
Seamless shopping
We also delved deep into the power of omnichannel strategies — an essential facet of modern retail that intertwines digital, physical, and away-from-home shopping experiences. As the boundaries between online and offline shopping blur, brands that successfully manage this integration see remarkable gains in both reach and resonance.
But the omnichannel approach extends beyond building a mere presence. It encompasses a strategic deployment of resources to ensure that every consumer encounter — be it online, in-store, on-premise, or via social media — reinforces brand values and drives engagement.
Future forward
As we look to the future, the insights from the Brand Footprint report are designed to guide your strategic decisions and operational adaptations. The lessons from the report also illustrate that the key to sustained growth lies in anticipating future shifts. We saw many examples of how the circumstances in which consumption occurs, particularly for food, beverage, and beauty categories, add another dimension to decoding brand growth opportunities.
The growth potential is immense, with average brand penetration at just 29% and the typical brand bought just four times a year.
This means most people still haven’t bought your product, and that there are still numerous opportunities to engage in new moments and reach new buyers.
We hope the insights from this report inspire you to recalibrate, innovate, and propel your brand to new heights.
