Research Concept · 2025
Brand Recognition Analysis
A diagnostic study identifying why a well-loved product wasn't translating into unaided brand recall.
Spec, self-initiated, or academic work, never run for a paying client. Judge the thinking, not the numbers.
Provenance
Spec or academic
Brand studied
Emerging Beverage Brand (Concept)
Industry
CPG · Beverage
Role
Spec or academic · Brand Research & Strategy
Year
2025
Case Study · 11
"Recall isn't built by frequency, it's built by distinctiveness. The brand's visual identity was beautiful but generic."
Objective
Diagnose the gap between trial and recall, and define a corrective brand strategy.
Result
A research-backed brand strategy reframing the assets that were holding the brand back.
Deliverables
- ·Recognition study
- ·Audit
- ·Strategic recommendations
- ·Asset roadmap
Skills applied
Challenge
Repeat purchase was strong; unaided recall was weak. People liked the drink but couldn't name it.
Strategy
- ●Audit the brand's distinctive assets against the category.
- ●Identify which assets are doing memory work and which are decoration.
- ●Reframe the visual system around 3-4 distinctive codes.
Execution
- ●Ran a recognition study against five category competitors.
- ●Delivered a strategic recommendation document with prioritized fixes.
- ●Built an asset roadmap with quick wins and long-term shifts.
What the build proves
- ●Clear answer to a question the brand had been avoiding.
- ●A prioritized fix list rather than a vague rebrand.
Key Learnings
- ●Distinctiveness compounds; differentiation decays.
- ●The brand assets you protect are more important than the ones you create.
What I Would Do Next
- ●Roll the distinctive codes into the next packaging refresh.
- ●Measure recall lift quarterly.
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