Grow Partners

October was a busy month for +GROW, with strategic portfolio and brand planning workshops across Germany, Spain, Hungary, and France, plus a trip to Bar Convent Berlin.  Amid it all, we had the opportunity to attend a fascinating day at the Festival of Marketing. Evidenza talked about two revolutions: Effectiveness (Ehrenberg-Bass Institute) and Efficiency (AI). They showed how using synthetic research and AI personas can help businesses do customer research, segment their audiences, position their brands, and test creative ideas in smarter ways.  Indeed, Mark Ritson expected that in five years, AI would handle entire marketing strategies…warning marketers starting their careers that they were probably f…..! Helen Edwards warned against data dependency. She argued that data should help us identify bigger, scalable questions that inspire creativity. She identified five key Creative Characteristics for addressing these questions. One that really stood out was Honesty. She encouraged businesses not to shy away from being brutally honest about their current situations and using honesty as a springboard for new ideas. Lucky Saint | B Corp™ and Tony's Chocolonely passionately talked about their brand missions. They both stressed the need to be creative within limits as challenger brands. Tony’s Chocoloney discussed the need to embrace creativity through constraints and shared some innovative ways to earn reach when you can’t buy it.  Lucky Saint spoke about the importance of their “Break Rules, Honor Traditions” principle: to stand out as an alcohol-free brand while respecting what’s essential to beer culture. Finally, a few random “nuggets” we took away from the talks: - Occam’s Razor: Simple solutions often work better than complicated ones - Simple strategy: Strategy can be complex, what you produce should be simple, almost obvious. - Surround sound: Maximising the effect on an audience using a limited budget - Counterpoint media: Using unexpected media to connect with audiences - Be more sheepdog than husky: Leadership style that doesn’t pull from the front

A few weeks ago we discussed Demand Spaces, a powerful framework that can be a game-changer for your strategic planning. The real power of Demand Spaces lies in how deeply they are rooted within your organisation. #DemandSpaces #StrategicAlignment #BusinessStrategy

Congratulations to our Tom Micallef for completing a 25k trail run in Epping Forest at the weekend! An impressive achievement, well done! 

Looking forward to a day of ideas and inspiration at the Festival of Marketing! #fom24 #festivalofmarketing

Unlocking Growth with Demand Spaces: Transforming Strategies into Results In our work with FMCG clients, whether it's crafting a winning portfolio strategy, spotting market opportunities, or building innovation platforms, one thing is clear: it all starts with the consumer. Understanding their needs, wants, values and aspirations (and how your brands fit into their lives) is the cornerstone of success. Enter the Consumer Map, Demand Map, Consumer Demand Map, or Demand Spaces, whatever you choose to call it. This framework segments the consumer universe into meaningful, discrete, targetable segments. Recently there has been a lot of buzz in marketing circles about this framework. It is important to remember that there is no one-size-fits-all solution. That’s why we collaborate closely with our clients to customise the framework. We align it with their unique category and environment, and layering in specific qual and quant data, making it as holistic and relevant as possible. This ensures it is fit for purpose and tailored to address each client’s unique strategic questions. The result? Strategic clarity and actionable insights.

We’re excited to be attending the upcoming Festival of Marketing this week! It’s a fantastic opportunity to meet industry leaders, engage in insightful conversations and explore the latest trends shaping the marketing landscape. We’re looking forward to meeting like-minded professionals and discovering fresh perspectives on driving growth and innovation. #FestivalofMarketing #MarketingWeek

It’s #InternationalCoffeeDay, and we’re raising a cup to Ary Ganeshalingam, Paul Fallon, and Craig Max van Niekerk! Here’s to coffee’s positive impact—from supporting communities to connecting people. #coffeewithpurpose #socialImpact #icd2024 #coffeepeople #changeplease #costacoffee #kahlua

We’re excited to be attending the upcoming Festival of Marketing this week! It’s a fantastic opportunity to meet industry leaders, engage in insightful conversations and explore the latest trends shaping the marketing landscape. We’re looking forward to meeting like-minded professionals and discovering fresh perspectives on driving growth and innovation. #FestivalofMarketing #MarketingWeek

Unlocking Growth with Demand Spaces: Transforming Strategies into Results In our work with FMCG clients, whether it's crafting a winning portfolio strategy, spotting market opportunities, or building innovation platforms, one thing is clear: it all starts with the consumer. Understanding their needs, wants, values and aspirations (and how your brands fit into their lives) is the cornerstone of success. Enter the Consumer Map, Demand Map, Consumer Demand Map, or Demand Spaces, whatever you choose to call it. This framework segments the consumer universe into meaningful, discrete, targetable segments. Recently there has been a lot of buzz in marketing circles about this framework. It is important to remember that there is no one-size-fits-all solution. That’s why we collaborate closely with our clients to customise the framework. We align it with their unique category and environment, and layering in specific qual and quant data, making it as holistic and relevant as possible. This ensures it is fit for purpose and tailored to address each client’s unique strategic questions. The result? Strategic clarity and actionable insights.

We're #hiring for a Manager to join our growing team. Get in touch if you're interested in helping global consumer goods and services companies align the what, why and how of strategy. No recruitment agencies, please.