Current Topic: Strategy

Byron Sharp has shattered many brand growth myths with his books How Brands Grow part 1 and 2. He provided clear empirical data that showed brand choice is rarely driven by passion, but rather by our lazy brains. Brand growth is consistently driven by

• Physical availability: the ease with which we can buy that brands (channels; shelf position; number of facings; etc)
• Mental availability: the ease with which the brand comes to mind in buying situations (driven by how rich the brand is forged in memory pathways with category entry points and ease of recognition by brand assets).

Thanks to Byron Sharp, brands know what they need to build, nurture and measure to ignite consistent brand growth.

But what does this mean for category growth? How did categories such as craft beer, electric vehicles and plant-based milk grow outside their niches and achieve mass appeal? As with brand growth, it’s not some unkowable magical force, but rather there exist consistent growth factors that can be measured and actively reinforced.

Which empirical laws fuel the growth dynamics of entire categories? Last month, a team of researchers from the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute have widened their scope with ‘How Categories Grow’.

A few weeks ago, I stumbled across a bee on Instagram. Not just any bee — @Bee_nfluencer —a quirky, non-human virtual influencer buzzing about environmental change. I laughed, I clicked, I followed. I didn’t expect to feel anything, but oddly enough, I did.

That moment made me pause. Why did I connect with a cartoon bee?

It turns out, there’s a psychological reason for this — and a powerful one at that.

Imagine walking into a supermarket or department store. From the get-go, you’re greeted by an assortment of products made from different ingredients or materials. How do you go about choosing products that best meet your needs? What about choosing items that align with your values and expectations?

The answer lies in contextual framing. Research suggests that the way how products are presented plays a significant role in shaping consumer decisions. In essence, it’s not just about what the product offers—the product’s narrative and whether it resonates with consumers is just as important.

Did you happen to stroll through the busy streets of Italy in 2011? If you had, you’d have stumbled upon a unique pedestrian crosswalk—where all its stripes were grey, except one. A brilliantly white stripe standing out, with Mr. Clean logo on it. The unexpected contrast stopped people on their tracks and instantly communicated the brand’s promise of superior cleaning. This guerrilla marketing stunt by Procter & Gamble is a type of surprise marketing that successfully captures consumer attention through unexpected moments.

Visual stimulation plays a key part in how we experience food. Have you ever wondered why so many fast food restaurants use red in their color schemes? It is not a coincidence. It is science. Color is omnipresent in marketing, and for roughly 85% of people, color is a big factor in their decision-making process on whether to purchase or ignore a product. 

From McDonald’s to KFC, the dominance of red in the designs of food establishments is not just about aesthetics. It is a clever psychological strategy. Studies reveal that ambient color plays a powerful role in shaping our decisions, especially in food settings. Red is a standout because compared to most other colors, it is highly influential.

In this article, we will dive into why red holds such influence over food preferences, unpack the psychology behind it, and share actionable tips for marketers and business owners looking to put this knowledge to work.