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Brand Strategy Consulting for Positioning, Portfolio & Growth

Brand Strategy Consulting for Positioning, Portfolio and Growth
Brand Strategy Consulting for Positioning, Portfolio and Growth

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Brand Strategy Consulting for Positioning, Portfolio & Growth

Author:
Aykut Cakir · NMS Consulting

Published:
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Quick Answer:
Growth comes from being easily thought of in buying moments and easy to buy across channels. Build mental availability with clear category entry points and distinctive assets, and support it with the right portfolio and investment mix across brand building and activation.

Want a positioning map, a portfolio plan, and a ninety day roadmap?
Talk to a consultant

Signals and Benchmarks

  • Brands that balance long-term brand building with short-term activation outperform over time. The classic 60 to 40 split remains a reference point even as teams flex by context. source source source
  • Kantar’s 2025 BrandZ reports connect brand value growth to strong equity and salience at scale. source source
  • Category entry points and mental availability are central to brand growth evidence from Ehrenberg-Bass research programs. source source
  • Portfolio choices matter. Data across categories shows different payoffs from a house of brands versus a branded house depending on expansion goals. source

Positioning: Category Entry Points and Distinctive Assets

  • Buying Moments: list the real situations that trigger purchase in your category. Prioritise moments with reach and potential. reference
  • Memory Structure: link two to three priority entry points to a simple promise and proof points that people can recall fast.
  • Distinctive Assets: codify and use consistent colours, shapes, taglines, and sounds that cue your brand. reference
  • Availability: make the brand easy to buy across channels and geographies; remove friction in findability and checkout. reference

Portfolio Strategy: Architecture and Roles

  • Architecture: choose a branded house, house of brands, or hybrid based on category expansion plans, risk separation, and synergies. reference
  • Role Clarity: define hero, challenger, and value roles. Avoid overlapping promises that confuse buyers.
  • Innovation Path: map near-in innovations that reinforce priority entry points before bigger bets that extend the brand.
  • Investment Mix: set a brand and activation split by market goals and lifecycle, reviewed quarterly. reference

30-60-90 Brand Acceleration Plan

First 30 Days: Define And Baseline

  • Identify and score category entry points by reach, frequency, and ability to win.
  • Audit distinctive assets and consistency across media and channels.
  • Set a dashboard with brand, activation, and availability measures.

Days 31 To 60: Design And Test

  • Codify a positioning line that ties to top entry points and a two-line proof.
  • Refresh assets and guidelines. Test for recognition and correct brand attribution.
  • Pilot the investment mix in two markets and measure lift.

Days 61 To 90: Scale And Track

  • Roll out campaigns and owned-channel updates that cue priority entry points.
  • Publish a portfolio role map with clear promises and guardrails.
  • Adopt a quarterly effectiveness review with budget rebalancing rules.

Brand Levers and Metrics

Lever, What To Do, Metrics, and References
Lever What To Do Metrics References
Mental Availability Own specific buying moments with simple, repeated cues Prompted and unprompted recall by entry point, attributed recognition Ehrenberg-Bass
Distinctive Assets Standardise colour, shape, tag, and sonic assets across channels Asset attribution score, brand-linked attention Kantar
Portfolio Roles Assign hero, challenger, and value roles to reduce overlap Incremental reach, cannibalisation rate Europanel
Investment Mix Balance brand building and activation; flex by context Share growth, ROMI, long-term profit IPA EffWorks
Distribution And Access Improve findability, stock, and purchase ease online and offline On-shelf availability, search share, conversion, repeat rate Ehrenberg-Bass
Proof Of Value Use category-relevant proofs that reinforce the positioning Preference, stated reasons to choose, price premium realised Kantar BrandZ

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do Category Entry Points Translate Into Creative Briefs?

Each priority buying moment becomes a brief line that ties the situation to a promise and a cue. Creative then repeats that cue so memory builds over time. reference

What Is A Good Brand And Activation Split?

Start with 60 to 40 as a benchmark and adjust for market maturity, pricing power, and sales cycle. Review quarterly using effectiveness and financial data. reference reference

How Do We Decide Between A Branded House And A House Of Brands?

Score options on risk separation, cross-sell potential, and resource focus. A house of brands can reduce risk across segments; a branded house can scale shared equity. reference

Want A Ninety Day Brand Plan? We can map entry points, refresh assets, and set the portfolio roles with a quarterly effectiveness review.

Request a workshop

Sources

  • IPA EffWorks. Effectiveness Evidence And Reports. https://ipa.co.uk/initiatives/effworks/effworks-ft-reports
  • Marketing Week. Most Budgets Skew To Performance Despite The 60:40 Rule. https://www.marketingweek.com/majority-marketing-budget-performance/
  • Performance Marketing World. IPA Bellwether On Balancing Short- And Long-Term. https://www.performancemarketingworld.com/article/1925973/ipa-bellwether-16-marketers-balancing-short-term-long-term-goals
  • Kantar BrandZ. Global Top 100 And Insights. https://www.kantar.com/campaigns/brandz/global
  • Kantar. Meaningful Difference And Salience. https://www.kantar.com/inspiration/brands/meaningful-difference-the-strategic-growth-driver-behind-iconic-brands
  • Ehrenberg-Bass. Category Entry Points And Mental Availability. https://marketingscience.info/research-services/identifying-and-prioritising-category-entry-points/
  • Mini MBA. What Are Category Entry Points. https://minimba.com/what-are-category-entry-points/
  • Europanel. Brand Portfolio Strategies. https://insights.europanel.com/brand-portfolio-strategies/




About the Author

Aykut Cakir

Aykut Cakir

Aykut Cakir, Senior Partner and Chief Executive Officer, has a demonstrated history in negotiations, business planning, business development. He has served as a Finance Director for gases & energy, pharmaceuticals, retail, FMCG, and automotive industries. He has collaborated closely with client leadership to co-create a customized operating model tailored to the unique needs of each project segment in the region. Aykut conducted workshops focused on developing effective communication strategies to ensure team alignment with new operating models and organizational changes. 

 

 

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