and Optimised - that serve as critical enablers for every individual managing a brand , at every stage , in every sector .
Consistent : maintaining a consistent brand positioning over time which can often be neglected in a world where brand stakeholders are under pressure to demonstrate value .
Connected : leveraging distinctive assets to ensure your brand is clearly recognised as well as ensuring the exposures and experiences people have of your brand are connected - a challenge in fragmented media environments .
Optimised : a culture of curiosity and a ' test and learn ' mindset helps organisations identify emerging opportunities and make objective , data-led decisions , so you can spend money on the things that really matter .
The Blueprint for Brand Growth
At Kantar , our long-term expertise with attitudinal and behavioural data gives us a unique perspective on consumer choices . To leverage this , we launched an ambitious project to unify over 6.5 billion data points from the past decade . This unprecedented effort forms the evidence base for our new Blueprint for Brand Growth framework .
Why Meaningful Difference makes the difference
By examining billions of data points , we found that brand perception ties closely to market penetration , with a higher share of category shoppers choosing those brands . Our Meaningful , Different and Salient ( MDS ) framework shows that being different , not just distinctive , is key for strong consumer-brand connections . Brands that are Meaningfully Different to More People , the growth driver identified in the Blueprint , achieve up to five times the market penetration and can command double
the average category price , highlighting the importance of meaningful difference in maintaining margin . Knowing how meaningfully different your brand is , is identifying how to drive stronger functional and emotive connections and define strategic opportunities to build difference .
Failure to establish Meaningful Difference is a challenge we see in our work across categories in Kenya . From FMCG , to Alcohol , to Financial Services , we typically see one or two Meaningfully Different market leaders in each category , followed by a larger group of undifferentiated players locked in a valuedestroying cycle of commoditisation and copycat behaviours . A major challenge for Kenyan marketers is to better understand what Meaningful Difference means to Kenyan consumers so we better meet functional and emotional need states , leading to improved commercial performance , lower value destruction , and long-term brand growth .
The three rules of brand growth
The principles outlined in Kantar ’ s Blueprint for Brand Growth will resonate with Kenyan marketers , as they expand upon existing research on brand growth . Yet , this fresh evidence demonstrates that although increasing market penetration is essential , it alone does not comprehensively drive sustainable brand and revenue expansion . Our analysis has identified three growth accelerators that are central to implementing these principles :
Predispose More People - Increase the probability of purchase by strengthening the predisposition everyone has towards your brand . When optimally executed through exposures and experiences , this drives nine times higher volume share , two times higher average selling price , and four times the likelihood of growing share in the future .
Be More Present - Optimise marketing investments to convert consumer predisposition and capture choices from
By Dan Oseman
other brands . Brands with strong equity that also activate well grow at 2.5x the rate of those with weaker activation .
Find New Space - Find the most incremental spaces to stretch into through meaningfully different innovation , expanded distribution , and communications . A brand ’ s chance of growth doubles if it can find new moments or contexts for its range .
From knowledge to action
How do these new quantified marketing rules assist marketers in their roles and priorities ? Beyond providing evidence on brand growth , the Blueprint includes practical starting grids to guide impactful marketing investments . These universal growth accelerators apply across all sectors , including B2B , but each brand needs to understand its unique starting point . The Blueprint ' s frameworks help tailor strategies to a brand ' s size , stage , and category .
A new way of evaluating brand performance
Kantar ’ s Blueprint for Brand Growth sets a new standard for strategic marketing understanding and excellence . Every marketing leader can use it to evaluate their brand ’ s own competitive positioning and then shape their strategic response and marketing investment priorities . Whatever the challenge , the Blueprint serves as the starting point , and the evidence base for Kenyan marketers to shape their brand future .
Dan Oseman is the Managing Director , East Africa , Insights Division , Kantar : Daniel . Oseman @ kantar . com ; Walter Nyabundi is the Associate Account Director for Brand Guidance , East Africa , Insights Division , Kantar : Walter . Nyabundi @ kantar . com .