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Executive summary

What is this?
This is the step-by-step process we use to build a logical, numbers-based business case for investing in top-of-funnel brand marketing initiatives.

Who is it for?
Companies who have hit a growth ceiling, maxxed out their performance campaigns, or are struggling with rising or unsustainable new customer acquisition costs (CAC).

How does it help?
Instead of trying to educate executives on marketing theory and the long-term effects of brand-building, it frames ‘brand’ as a crucial element of a larger short-term plan for growth.

What will I get?
Following the process produces a 12-month marketing plan that forecasts the overall ROI of your marketing spend, with dedicated and defendable budget for brand initiatives. View a sample plan.

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WATCH: BRAND INVESTMENT BLUEPRINT OVERVIEW [05:43]

View sample plan

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Using ‘brand’ as a lever for growth

95% of customers aren’t actively shopping the category at any given time; you need brand marketing to get on their radar and into their consideration set

In every category there’s existing demand; a small number of people in the market for products and services
Performance marketing harvests existing demand by targeting people who are in-market
But 95% of your total addressable market aren’t in-market, and aren’t showing any intent to buy
You need to use broad-reach, ‘soft-sell’ brand marketing to create future demand by getting into people’s consideration set before they’re ready to buy

Source: The 95-5 Rule; How B2B Brands Grow, Prof. John Dawes, Ehrenberg-Bass Institute

IN-MARKET (5%)

Performance marketing

FUTURE CUSTOMERS (95%)

Brand marketing

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Stop competing at the point of purchase; start selling before the click

Over-investing in short-term performance marketing traps you in ‘The CAC Valley of Death’

After exhausting existing demand for your product or services, performance marketing quickly drives acquisition costs through the roof
Costs skyrocket because you’re fighting with competitors over a dwindling pool of in-market prospects
Using brand marketing to enter a prospects consideration set lowers acquisition costs by creating a larger pool of warm leads
It’s easier to sell to people who already know who you are, are familiar with what you offer, and think of you when they’re ready to buy

Brand starts

to advertise�

Gets better at digital advertising

Underinvestment in TOFU, no new demand created

CAC gets unsustainable

TIME

COST OF ACQUISITION (CAC)

YOU DIE HERE

Source: Why All the Warby Parker Clones Are Now Imploding, Maya Kosoff, Medium

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Why is it so hard to sell ‘brand’ to the C-Suite?

Brand-building and performance initiatives work over different time periods

Most executives and companies focus on short-term (<12 months) gains
Performance marketing has an immediate, trackable impact on the bottom-line
Brand-building doesn’t have an impact until 12-24 months
The short-term ROI of brand initiatives is usually negligible, or untrackable
In isolation, brand-building will never deliver higher ROI compared to performance marketing
You need to present brand-building as a crucial element of a larger plan for growth

Source: Les Binet and Peter Field, The Long and the Short of it, IPA

Brand

Performance

TIME

SALES UPLIFT

Short-term effects dominate

6-12 months

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How to build the business case for brand

1. Segmentation and targeting
Stop wasting money on people who aren’t going to buy, and double down on your most profitable prospects.
Segment your market by buying behaviour Find the population size of each segment Calculate the value of each segment Identify key purchase drivers Include funnel data on awareness to purchase

2. Positioning
Figure out exactly what to say to people at each stage of the sales funnel to make them think of you more favourably and buy from you more often.
Identify your key audiences and their challenges Explain how you solve for each challenge Create a memorable, persuasive promise Use brand pillars as key sales messages Ensure each pillar supports the promise

3. Objectives and tactics
Find and fix the bottlenecks where you’re losing the most customers, and set measurable, actionable objectives that guide your team’s activities and efforts. Know exactly what channels to use, and how much to spend on each one.
Map out every step of the buying journey Populate each step with data from the past year Calculate conversion rates between each step Identify where you lose the most customers Create SMART objectives for each stage Determine the initiatives required to achieve each objective

4. Budgets and forecasting
Create accurate sales/revenue forecasts for all brand and performance marketing initiatives and calculate the ROI of brand-building.
Estimate the cost of achieving your objectives Using your funnel, forecast the resulting revenue of achieving each objective Create a summary of the expected costs/profits Calculate the ROI of all marketing investments Present to the leadership team for approval

Create a 12-month plan that forecasts the impact and ROI of all marketing spend on the bottom line

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Contents

09—12		Segmentation
13—16		Targeting
17—21		Positioning
22—26		Objectives
27—30		Tactics
31—33		Budgets & Forecasting

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Find your most profitable customers

SEGMENTATION

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The right way to segment a market

Most segmentations fail because they don’t reflect how people actually behave in your category
Instead of looking at generic demographic data, break the market down by buying behaviour specific to your category
Use research to size out each segment and understand their barriers to purchase

The right way to segment a market

How to start building a brand strategy for any category using market segmentation

FREE GUIDE

READ NOW

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EXAMPLE

STEP 1

Break down the market by how people shop or behave in your category.

Use research to estimate the number of people in each segment, and multiply that number by your average customer or purchase value to see how much they’re worth.

MARKET United States SECTORS Workforce management, B2B YEAR 2023

Tech-Savvy Enterprises

57.1 million ppl.

$428.3 billion value

10% Aware

5% Consideration

0% Purchase

0% Loyal

Key driver: Staying compliant with local & global regulations

Luddite SMEs

2.9 million ppl.

$7.3 billion value

75% Aware

15% Consideration

60% Purchase

45% Loyal

Key driver:

Optimizing schedules

Savvy Startups

4.9 million ppl.

$51.5 billion value

25% Aware

45% Consideration

5% Purchase

2% Loyal

Key driver: Demand forecasting

Luddite Enterprises

234,900 ppl.

$587.3 million value

80% Aware

75% Consider

10% Purchase

5% Loyal

Key driver:

Staying compliant with local & global regulations

Savvy SMEs

396,900 ppl.

$4.2 billion value

50% Aware

45% Consideration

3% Purchase

3% Loyal

Key driver:

Optimizing schedules

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EXAMPLE

STEP 2

Using your customer research, add funnel data and key drivers of purchase to each segment.

TIP

Use the Meaningful-Actional Grid to determine your segmentation variables. Learn how

Tech-Savvy Enterprises

57.1 million ppl.

$428.3 billion value

10% Aware

5% Consideration

0% Purchase

0% Loyal

Key driver: Staying compliant with global regulations

Luddite SMEs

2.9 million ppl.

$7.3 billion value

75% Aware

15% Consideration

60% Purchase

45% Loyal

Key driver:

Optimizing schedules

Savvy Startups

4.9 million ppl.

$51.5 billion value

25% Aware

45% Consideration

5% Purchase

2% Loyal

Key driver: Demand forecasting

Luddite Enterprises

234,900 ppl.

$587.3 million value

80% Aware

75% Consider

10% Purchase

5% Loyal

Key driver:

Staying compliant with global regulations

Savvy SMEs

396,900 ppl.

$4.2 billion value

50% Aware

45% Consideration

3% Purchase

3% Loyal

Key driver:

Optimizing schedules

MARKET United States SECTORS Workforce management, B2B YEAR 2023

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Double down on your best prospects

TARGETING

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Stop chasing people who won’t buy

Your segmentation will reveal the types of people who are more likely to buy from you
You can’t afford to target the whole market - prioritize the segments you can realistically reach with your budget
Deciding what you don’t do is just as important as what you do

Choosing the right target

Geography: what countries and regions are we prioritizing?

Product: what products and services will we offer?

Segments: What groups of customers will we target? Which price tier? Meeting which needs?

Distribution: how will we reach these customers? Which channels will we use?

CHECKLIST

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EXAMPLE

STEP 1

Analyse the segments you feel are the most likely to be interested in your products and services.

Think about how many people you can realistically target with your budget and resources, and look for areas of high value and low competition.

Business size	Tech-Savvy Enterprises 500+ employees	Savvy SMEs 20-499 employees	Savvy Startups 1-19 employees
LTV (USD)	$760k per client	$160k per client	$70k per client
Companies Value	x 10,173 $7.7 billion	x 167,440 $26.8 billion	x 1.4 million $98 billion
Market share	16 clients 0.16% share	13 clients 0% share	19 clients 0% share
Competition	Low	Medium	High
Price sensitivity	Low	Medium	High
In-house skills	High	Medium	Low
Challenge	Meet local regulations in every country of operation	Optimize schedules to reduce overtime	Forecast demand to meet capacity
Competitors	Large/expensive SaaS platforms In-house teams	Cheap SaaS platforms High-end freelancers In-house teams	DIY tools/Excel Cheap freelancers

MARKET United States SECTORS Workforce management, B2B YEAR 2023

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EXAMPLE

STEP 2

Strategy is sacrifice.

Given your limited resources, choose 1-3 segments to go after, and dedicate 100% of your efforts into marketing to them for the next 12 months.

TIP

In addition to segments, targeting the entire market (TAM) is an option - if you have the budget to do so

Business size	Tech-Savvy Enterprises 500+ employees	Savvy SMEs 20-499 employees	Savvy Startups 1-19 employees
LTV (USD)	$760k per client	$160k per client	$70k per client
Companies Value	x 10,173 $7.7 billion	x 167,440 $26.8 billion	x 1.4 million $98 billion
Market share	16 clients 0.16% share	13 clients 0% share	19 clients 0% share
Competition	Low	Medium	High
Price sensitivity	Low	Medium	High
In-house skills	High	Medium	Low
Challenge	Meet local regulations in every country of operation	Optimize schedules to reduce overtime	Forecast demand to meet capacity
Competitors	Large/expensive SaaS platforms In-house departments	Cheap SaaS platforms High-end freelancers In-house teams	DIY tools/Excel Cheap freelancers

✘

✔

MARKET United States SECTORS Workforce management, B2B YEAR 2023

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Know what to say to make people choose you

POSITIONING

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Create brand messages that sell

Most brand campaigns don’t sell because they’re built to change brand perceptions
Instead, you must aim to influence purchase and consumption
Create a positioning framework focused around a compelling reason to buy brings cohesion across business units and teams
Use it to craft memorable and persuasive messages for both brand and performance marketing campaigns

How challengers can re-position for growth

Finding your hidden advantage to unlock the power of brand marketing

FREE GUIDE

READ NOW

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PROBLEM
SLOGAN
NARRATIVE

MANAGE Less admin, more managing
Make AI-powered schedules in 5 minutes instead of 5 hours. Standardized scheduling: One way to manage your workforce across different countries and locations Ensured compliance: Configure automated checks for every local, regional and national labour law and regulation Time & attendance: Ensure breaks, absences, vacations and sick-leave are calculated and paid for correctly

OPTIMIZE Work schedules can work for all
Create schedules that improve people’s lives and your bottom line. Labor optimization: Our app gives you the data to balance business and worker performance for better profitability Flexible work: Allow employees to easily swap and schedule their own shifts Demand forecasting: Optimize schedules for hourly demand peaks and troughs

ENGAGE Small things make a big difference
Build strong teams and recognize good work with community perks and rewards. Task management: Assign and track daily or weekly tasks and updates Training & Rewards: Upskill your workforce and recognise their achievements Team building: Get community tools that ensure everyone understands their role and feels part of the team

SUPPORT Deliver from day one and beyond
Start optimizing operations in days with support from our experts. Quick start: We help you import and configure all the data you need to create the perfect schedule Easy integrations: Quinyx connects seamlessly with your payroll, HR, and other systems Scales with you: Dedicated customer success teams help optimize the platform across new countries, locations, and categories

Frontline worker churn is a huge detriment to doing good business
It’s the small things that make people stick
Money, purpose, meaning, passion. The silver bullets for solving engagement and retention. But what about the small stuff that’s often forgotten? Like saying thank you for a job well done? Or making it easier to swap shifts so dad can be home for the school run? Or offering online training so workers can move up to the next rung? We know it’s the small things that make people stick. That’s why, from the back office to the front line, we build tools that make everyone’s work life a little bit easier. And if you ask us, those small things really add up.

PILLARS

Brand / top-funnel campaigns

Performance / sales campaigns

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Brand positioning and key messages

To raise awareness of our brand, we need messages that stand out and speak to people who are not ready to buy but will enter the market in the future.

PROBLEM
SLOGAN
NARRATIVE

Frontline worker churn is a huge detriment to doing good business
It’s the small things that make people stick
Money, purpose, meaning, passion. The silver bullets for solving engagement and retention. But what about the small stuff that’s often forgotten? Like saying thank you for a job well done? Or making it easier to swap shifts so dad can be home for the school run? Or offering online training so workers can move up to the next rung? We know it’s the small things that make people stick. That’s why, from the back office to the front line, we build tools that make everyone’s work life a little bit easier. And if you ask us, those small things really add up.

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Sales positioning and key messages

MANAGE Less admin, more managing
Make AI-powered schedules in 5 minutes instead of 5 hours. Standardized scheduling: One way to manage your workforce across different countries and locations Ensured compliance: Configure automated checks for every local, regional and national labour law and regulation Time & attendance: Ensure breaks, absences, vacations and sick-leave are calculated and paid for correctly

OPTIMIZE Work schedules can work for all
Create schedules that improve people’s lives and your bottom line. Labor optimization: Our app gives you the data to balance business and worker performance for better profitability Flexible work: Allow employees to easily swap and schedule their own shifts Demand forecasting: Optimize schedules for hourly demand peaks and troughs

ENGAGE Small things make a big difference
Build strong teams and recognize good work with community perks and rewards. Task management: Assign and track daily or weekly tasks and updates Training & Rewards: Upskill your workforce and recognise their achievements Team building: Get community tools that ensure everyone understands their role and feels part of the team

SUPPORT Deliver from day one and beyond
Start optimizing operations in days with support from our experts. Quick start: We help you import and configure all the data you need to create the perfect schedule Easy integrations: Quinyx connects seamlessly with your payroll, HR, and other systems Scales with you: Dedicated customer success teams help optimize the platform across new countries, locations, and categories

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Find and fix the bottlenecks where you’re losing customers

OBJECTIVES

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Set ambitious, but achievable, goals

Creating custom buying funnels lets you to see where you’re losing the most customers
Think of water flowing into a leaky pipe - fixing the biggest holes first will save the most water
Tie your objectives to specific stages of the funnel; most companies want between 1-5
Every objective must be specific to your targeted segment(s), be measurable and time-bound
Use industry and category benchmarks to make sure your objectives are realistic

How to create custom funnels that drive sales

Ditch generic marketing funnels for custom ones that drive sales for your company

FREE GUIDE

READ NOW

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EXAMPLE

STEP 1

Map out each stage of the purchase journey for your product or service and populate each stage with data from the past 12 months using a mixture of quantitative survey data and website and CRM analytics.

FREE GUIDE

How to measure brand awareness for free

Quantitative research (surveys)

Web analytics

CRM data

2,162,490 website page visits

1,578,617 ‘Solutions’ pageviews

1,578 Contact form submissions (MQL)

394 sales calls (SQL)

39 proposals

11 clients

6,553,000 people aware that we exist

65,530,000 people (total addressable market)

2.5%

0.25%

<0.01%

10%

TIME PERIOD Past (12 months) DATA SOURCES Survey data, web analytics, CRM YEAR 2023

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EXAMPLE

STEP 2

Calculate the conversion rates between each funnel, and compare to industry or competitor benchmarks.

Your objective is to fix the largest leaks by either increasing the volume of people at any given stage, or increasing the conversion rate from one stage to the next.

2,162,490 website page visits

1,578,617 ‘Solutions’ pageviews

1,578 Contact form submissions (MQL)

394 sales calls (SQL)

39 proposals

11 clients

10%

25%

0.1%

CONVERSION RATE

33%

73%

6,553,000 people aware that we exist

65,530,000 people (total addressable market)

10%

2.5%

0.25%

<0.01%

30%

10%

TIME PERIOD Past (12 months) DATA SOURCES Survey data, web analytics, CRM YEAR 2023

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EXAMPLE

STEP 3

Use the funnel to forecast different scenarios by changing the conversion rates at different stages.

Each change moves more customers down the funnel, resulting in more customers and revenue.

4,324,980 website page visits

3,157,235 ‘Solutions’ pageviews

15,786 Contact form submissions (MQL)

3,946 sales calls (SQL)

591 proposals

177 clients

25%

CONVERSION RATE

33%

73%

13,106,000 people aware that we exist

65,530,000 people (total addressable market)

20%

6.5%

0.02%

0.01%

<0.01%

30%

0.5%

15%

166 new clients

TIME PERIOD Future (12 months) DATA SOURCES Funnel forecasts YEAR 2024

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Know where to spend

TACTICS

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Balancing long-term growth and short-term sales

Each objective needs to be supported by a list of relevant tactics
You must select a mix of brand and performance initiatives that will achieve each objective
Brand initiatives typically best support top-of-funnel objectives (awareness, consideration)
Performance initiatives drives sales at the bottom of the funnel (preference, purchase)
Ask your team or agency to select the channels and estimate the cost of achieving each objective

A simple one-ad campaign framework

Here’s how you can mimic the impact of a big TV campaign using a single low-cost online video.

ARTICLE

READ NOW

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EXAMPLE

STEP 1

List every tactic and channel you need to achieve the objective, and work with your team to estimate the cost required.

Use brand campaigns to increase the volume of top-funnel stages, and initiatives like brand positioning and visual identity to increase conversion rates between middle and bottom funnel stages.

TIP

Most brands can expect to increase awareness between 5-10% in a year, and change preference and purchase rates by 1-5% per year.

GOAL	Increase awareness amongst Luddite and Tech Savvy Enterprises from 10% to 20% by Dec. 31, 2024
TACTICS	Out-of-home campaign	$900,000
	YouTube video brand campaign	$650,000
	Radio campaign	$250,000
	CEO interviewed on top 3 business/investing podcasts	$10,000
	SEO campaign	$350,000
TOTAL INVESTMENT		$2,160,000

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EXAMPLE

STEP 2

Use your funnel to re-calculate the revenue you’ll generate if the you meet the goal by the end of the year (ex. if Awareness is 20% instead of 10%).

Annualize each revenue forecast to account for longer sales cycles and the delayed impact of marketing.

Repeat this process for every objective in your plan.

You need to find the right mix of bottom vs. top funnel initiatives and spend to ensure a positive return on investment for all the objectives combined.

GOAL	Increase awareness amongst Luddite and Tech Savvy Enterprises from 10% to 20% by Dec. 31, 2024
TACTICS	Out-of-home campaign	$900,000
	YouTube video brand campaign	$650,000
	Radio campaign	$250,000
	CEO interviewed on top 3 business/investing podcasts	$10,000
	SEO campaign	$350,000
TOTAL INVESTMENT		$2,160,000
ANNUALIZED REVENUE FORECAST		$1,760,000

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Calculate the ROI of brand

BUDGETS & FORECASTING

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EXAMPLE

STEP 1

Summarize your objectives, estimated marketing spend and forecasted revenue.

Compare it to your company’s expected revenue for the year, and calculate the incremental revenue if all marketing objectives are achieved.

		2024	Expected Final Revenue	$1.9 million
Objective		Proposed Budget	Gross Sales	Net Revenue
1	Increase awareness amongst Tech-Savvy Enterprises and Luddite Enterprises from 10% to 20% by Dec. 31, 2024	$2.16 million	$1.76 million	$1,176,626
2	Increase qualified leads amongst Tech-Savvy Enterprises from 0.1% to 0.5% by Dec. 31, 2024	$445,000	$4.47 million	$2,995,048
3	Increase proposal closing rate amongst Tech-Savvy Enterprises from 10% to 15% by Dec. 31, 2024	$65,000	$1.28 million	$855,728
		Marketing Budget	Total Gross sales	Total Net revenue
		$2.67 million	$7.51 million	$5,027,402
		2024 Estimated Total Revenue		$5.03 million
		2024 Incremental Revenue		+ $3.13 million

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EXAMPLE

STEP 2

Present this slide to your executive team to secure the marketing budget you need to achieve all three objectives.

Use the rest of the presentation to explain how you are setting objectives, and how you plan on achieving each one.

Treat the revenue projections as a total package - lowering the marketing budget or changing tactics and objectives will mean re-calculating the estimated revenue for achieving each goal.

		2024	Expected Final Revenue	$1.9 million
Objective		Proposed Budget	Gross Sales	Net Revenue
1	Increase awareness amongst Tech-Savvy Enterprises and Luddite Enterprises from 10% to 20% by Dec. 31, 2024	$2.16 million	$1.76 million	$1,176,626
2	Increase qualified leads amongst Tech-Savvy Enterprises from 0.1% to 0.5% by Dec. 31, 2024	$445,000	$4.47 million	$2,995,048
3	Increase proposal closing rate amongst Tech-Savvy Enterprises from 10% to 15% by Dec. 31, 2024	$65,000	$1.28 million	$855,728
		Marketing Budget	Total Gross sales	Total Net revenue
		$2.67 million	$7.51 million	$5,027,402
		2024 Estimated Total Revenue		$5.03 million
		2024 Incremental Revenue		+ $3.13 million

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You have questions.

We have answers.

You might be thinking, “this is great, but will it work for me?”

The short answer is “yes”, but the longer answer is “yes, but we’ll probably have to tweak a few things based on your category and business model.”

If you’re stuck on something, or want to know exactly how this would work for your company, fill out this short form.

One of our team will get back to you shortly!

How long does making a brand investment plan usually take?

We’re usually able to complete a brand investment plan in ~6 weeks. But if you plan on tackling this solo, I’d set aside ~3 months.

Your examples are all B2B; does this work in B2C too?

Yes; B2C funnels have different stages and larger total addressable markets, but the approach is exactly the same.

What if I don’t have all the research or data that’s required?

We use a Lean-Luxe research framework that gets all the customer/market/funnel data you need for less. Contact us to learn how it works.

What does a brand investment plan look like?

Check out our sample plan with example data - this shows you how to bring everything together into a short presentation that you give to executives.

Ask a question

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Need a hand?

OPTIONS	Amount (USD)
360° GROWTH PLAN Develop a comprehensive 12-month marketing plan for profitable growth INCLUDED DELUXE RESEARCH PACKAGE ($65,000 VALUE) MEDIA PLANNING PACKAGE ($6,000 VALUE) IN-PERSON STRATEGY SESSION ($25,000 VALUE)	$115,000.00
6-WEEK BRAND BLUEPRINT BOOTCAMP Our team of experts builds your business case for brand marketing INCLUDED LEAN-LUXE RESEARCH PACKAGE ($30,000 VALUE) BUDGET BRAND-BUILDING FRAMEWORK ($500 VALUE) REMOTE ROI FORECASTING TRAINING ($3,000 VALUE)	$39,000.00
BRAND INVESTMENT CONSULTING (x3) days of 1-1 consulting time to help your team complete and present the business case for investing in brand initiatives	$9,000.00

T&Cs
Creative Business Company works with clients on a fixed-fee, fixed-time basis. If project timeline is delayed due to client circumstances, a change order will be issued for a weekly run rate equal to total professional fees divided by number of originally planned weeks. A change order will also be issued for any scope change. Fee does not include Taxes Billing schedule is half the fees in week 1 and the remaining on completion of the project. Payment terms are net 45 days. Fees do not include costs associated with purchasing, licensing or creation of photography, illustration assets, fonts, music licensing or third party fees involved in brand launch Our fee total does not include third party production costs out-of-pocket and travel expenses, billed at no more than 10% of total fees or which can be further defined together during the first week of the project.

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Need a hand?

OPTIONS	Amount (USD)
12-MONTH BRAND CAMPAIGN Reach more customers for less with always-on, digital brand marketing. Stop competing at the point of purchase and engage prospects earlier with low cost digital video campaigns. Learn more	$199,000.00
6-MONTH BRAND CAMPAIGN Reach more customers for less with always-on, digital brand marketing. Stop competing at the point of purchase and engage prospects earlier with low cost digital video campaigns. Learn more	$129,000.00
VISUAL IDENTITY Create a distinct look and feel that makes you stand out and get noticed, and influence a better user experience. See our work	$65,000.00
BRAND POSITIONING Position your brand so it comes first to mind when customers are ready to buy, and create brand advertising that sells more stuff. Learn more	$59,000.00

T&Cs
Creative Business Company works with clients on a fixed-fee, fixed-time basis. If project timeline is delayed due to client circumstances, a change order will be issued for a weekly run rate equal to total professional fees divided by number of originally planned weeks. A change order will also be issued for any scope change. Fee does not include Taxes Billing schedule is half the fees in week 1 and the remaining on completion of the project. Payment terms are net 45 days. Fees do not include costs associated with purchasing, licensing or creation of photography, illustration assets, fonts, music licensing or third party fees involved in brand launch Our fee total does not include third party production costs out-of-pocket and travel expenses, billed at no more than 10% of total fees or which can be further defined together during the first week of the project.

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An introduction to�Creative Business Company

2024

creativebusinesscompany.com

A strategic growth consultancy at the

intersection of marketing and brand

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Get your brand back in the black

Brand has a reputation problem: it’s seen as expensive, unaccountable and incapable of making any real financial impact. But we know its true potential. And we help strategic marketers unlock brand, and its value.

Business leaders are quick to shout about the value of their brand. But slow to invest in it.

This is especially true in sectors where people buy products and services for apparently rational reasons.

We work with strategic marketers in exactly those sectors. Helping them transform brand from a cost center in the red, to a revenue driver in the black.

PROBLEM

CBC OVERVIEW

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Our mission is to make brand more accountable and effective

We run the numbers

We re-frame brand as a commercial engine – �so that not investing in your brand looks risky.

We create tangible value, fast

Our brand work delivers results. Not “over time”. �But real results this quarter. Results you can shout about around eight weeks after launch.

We use metrics they can’t argue with

We have practical, simple tools that measure the impact of brand. Analyzing brand performance using KPIs that show up in your P&L.

We champion brand. And champion you

The more your business underdogs brand, the hungrier we are to work with you to unlock its value.

PROBLEM

CBC OVERVIEW

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We help you get attention, convert leads and drive sales

01 BRAND PLANNING Get the budget �for brand
Win over the C-suite by proving the impact of brand on the bottom line Market segmentation Brand investment planning Customer / market research Key drivers

02 BRAND POSITIONING Create messaging that converts
Find the sweet spot between what makes you unique and what makes people buy Full funnel positioning Message and testing Identity and guidelines Value proposition

03 BRAND CAMPAIGN Lower your cost �of acquisition
Reach more customers and acquire them for less with always-on brand campaigns Campaign and media strategy Concept and creative Artwork and copywriting Measurement and optimization

04 PORTFOLIO+ARCHITECTURE Make it �easier to buy
Streamline your offerings and reduce confusion with a brand portfolio strategy Brand portfolio strategy Brand architecture strategy Governance and systems Employee induction

CBC OVERVIEW

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We partner with �challengers & champions

CBC OVERVIEW

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The way we work, works

We’re a flexible, fast-moving, group of strategists and creatives. We work as an extension of your team, relying on evidence not hunches to deliver real results, fast.

$900m	Valuation achieved for ABB Formula E, three years after strategically repositioning the brand and less than six years after a near insolvency

580%	Yearly increase in return on ad spend (ROAS) for Penny Appeal Canada after introducing a top of funnel campaign into their marketing stack

10x	Increase in MQLs for Callstack, within 3 months of repositioning their brand in a crowded global B2B software development space

3x	Increase in candidate leads for EngagedMD thanks to new full funnel messaging and website design that helped them reposition in a crowded medtech space

7	Transform and Strategy Magazine Awards for winning case studies in brand positioning, visual identity and brand campaigns

CBC OVERVIEW

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“Creative Business Company has unique brand expertise that is very difficult to find. Their skills and approach result in exceptional quality work with the right amount of rigor and long-term focus.”

SOL SENDER

HEAD OF BRAND STRATEGY & GOVERNANCE

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“I’ve worked with a lot of third party vendors over the course of my career and NEVER has an external partner understood our business and our needs as well as CBC. The final output shows just how much pride they take in their work and their desire for us to be successful.”

JEFF ISSNER

CO-CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

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“Faisal worked with the global brand strategy team at Shell to develop a set of strategic equities that would serve as the foundation for the Shell brand globally. His approach was rigorous, analytical and thoughtful and ultimately this piece of work became known as the Shell way. A pleasure to work with.”

RAHUL MALHOTRA

HEAD OF GROUP BRAND STRATEGY

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“Creative Business Co redefined how Formula E competes. Their knowledge, insight, and expertise were unapparelled and a huge advantage to our business.”

ALASDAIR RUSSEL

CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER

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“For anyone cautiously considering brand, CBC are THE GUYS FOR YOU. Software developers are typically brand skeptical, but with logic, a lot of persistence, and their famous no B.S. approach, CBC managed to transform our leadership team from brand skeptics to brand advocates. I consider them essential partners helping power Callstack’s next phase of growth.”

SŁAWOMIR KAMIŃSKI

HEAD OF MARKETING

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We are

thought leaders in marketing and brand effectiveness

“I have read a lot of Byron Sharp, Mark Ritson, Les Binet, Peter Field and so on. But I have to say your theories and the way you present them are fantastic. You hit the nail on the head multiple times.”

BRAND MANAGER�BRIDGEFUND

Brand Investment Blueprint

�The exact process we use to convince executives to invest in brand.

Helping a software pioneer drive results fast by shifting perception and driving sales

�Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt

Why performance marketing won’t grow your brand

�The rise of performance marketing has given us cheaper and more efficient ways to advertise, but has created very few big brands.

3 ways to measure brand awareness for free

�Don't have the time or money for primary research? Estimate your brand's awareness for free.

Why hard times are good times for challenger brand

�Read why downturns are one of the few times that challenger brands can become champions.

Planning

�Overview of our simple 12 month plan that you and the team can use to work more efficiently and effectively

3 ways to lower your cost acquisition

�Simple strategies to acquire customers more sustainably.

How do you differentiate yourself?

�At Creative Business Company we talk about the six sources of strength challenger brands can draw upon to unlock their hidden advantage...

CBC OVERVIEW

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Our work is recognised globally

Gold • Best Naming Strategy	MORNINGSTAR 2023 Transform Award

Gold • Best Visual Identity by a Charity, NGO or NFP	HOOPO 2022 Transform Award

Bronze • Best Brand Architecture Solution	MORNINGSTAR 2023 Transform Award

Bronze • Best Creative Strategy in the Tech Sector	CALLSTACK 2022 Transform Award

Gold • Best Brand Development Project	HOOPO 2022 Transform Award

Bronze • Best Visual Identity �in the Tech Sector	CALLSTACK 2022 Transform Award

CBC OVERVIEW

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Core team

Ian�Barnard
STRATEGY DIRECTOR TORONTO, CA
A brand and marketing consultant with hands on experience in scaling companies, Ian creates brand strategies that deliver marketing results. With 10 years of experience in the non-profit and retail industries, he specializes in data-driven marketing strategy and brand management for online businesses who want to grow.

Felicia Rosenzweig
STRATEGY DIRECTION LONDON, UK
A senior consultant and advisor with strong and diverse experience in customer / employer brand, marketing, innovation and customer / employee experience across sectors and geographies. Deep experience in financial services (insurance, banking, asset management) and FMCG, amongst many other industries, leading projects around the world that span strategy, value proposition, transformation, implementation and culture change. Until mid-2019, she was a Partner with Prophet in London, where she has lived and worked since 2010 after relocating from New York.

Turlough�Fortune
CREATIVE DIRECTOR LONDON, UK
Turlough Fortune is a creative director and graphic designer specialising in brand and identity design. He began his career at renowned agency Pentagram, before progressing as a freelance designer at several prominent London studios. Between 2016 and 2019 he worked on the company-wide rebranding of British multinational telecommunications company BT and was involved in the change managment process across the business. Turlough takes a strategic approach to design and has over 10 years of experience across a variety of sectors.

Faisal Siddiqui
FOUNDER TORONTO, CA
A board level strategist for Fortune 500s, start-ups & non-profits, Faisal delivers high performance brand & marketing strategies that help organisations scale & speed up. A specialist in developing positioning strategies that perform. He has over a decade of experience leading large-scale engagements in over 15 countries around the world. His clients include Google, Shell, Morningstar, Callstack, ABB Formula E Racing, Al Jazeera, Turkish Airlines, and Wahed. Before founding his own firm, he spent 11 years living and working in London, UK and was last the Senior Director of Strategy at Prophet.

CBC OVERVIEW

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Core team

Toby Ingram
COPYWRITER LONDON, UK
Toby is a brand and strategy writer who converts strategic thinking into clear, human language, building distinctive stories, messages and communications. Toby has written for a great range of businesses in many sectors. Today, his clients range from luxury hoteliers, to UK Government investment funds and Peruvian fruit growers. In the recent past he has written strategy and delivered campaigns for the Toronto Star, BP, Samsung and Nat West Bank.

Dan Mcallister
COPYWRITER LONDON, UK
Dan is a writer. First, as a national journalist writing for The Financial Times, The Independent, The Times, Evening Standard and Daily Mail. Then, as a conceptual copywriter for creative agencies in London, New York and Bristol, working on global brands from Sony to Spotify, and everything in between. Dan is a writer. He has helped businesses from Christie's to Nestlé get their story straight, and express their value and difference, in a language that provokes, informs and inspires..

Jean-Remy Benat
ART DIRECTOR TORONTO, CA
Jean Remy is an experienced Designer and Art Director with over 7 years experience in digital design, brand identity, editorial design, motion design, video editing. He consistently strives to strike the perfect balance between great design and consumer experience, and has worked with Puma, Mozilla, and Digiphy. Jean Remy’s strengths are (but not limited to), digital design, brand identity, editorial design, motion design, video editing.

Iain Montgomery
INNOVATION DIRECTOR TORONTO, CA
Iain has spent the past decade helping established organizations identify, design and launch the breakthrough new propositions critical for their long term futures.

CREATIVE BUSINESS COMPANY

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Our work gives

customers new reasons

to believe and employees new reasons to belong

CASE STUDIES

CBC OVERVIEW

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We serve as global brand guardians

for an investment ratings giant

BRAND Morningstar SECTORS Brand Strategy Brand Campaigns Brand Architecture

CASE STUDY

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BRAND Morningstar SECTORS Brand Strategy Brand Campaigns Brand Architecture

CASE STUDY

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BRAND Morningstar SECTORS Brand Strategy Brand Campaigns Brand Architecture

CASE STUDY

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BRAND Morningstar SECTORS Brand Strategy Brand Campaigns Brand Architecture

CASE STUDY

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We helped an ethical investment platform grow beyond their base

BRAND Wahed Invest SECTORS Brand Strategy Visual Identity Brand Campaign

CASE STUDY

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BRAND Wahed Invest SECTORS Brand Strategy Visual Identity Brand Campaign

CASE STUDY

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BRAND Wahed Invest SECTORS Brand Strategy Visual Identity Brand Campaign

CASE STUDY

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PURPOSE
PROMISE
PILLARS
PERSONALITY

ACHIEVEMENT Invest in yourself
Set goals and reach them with easy to follow plans, guides and progress trackers that let you know how far you are on your journey
Encouraging but not judgmental

ACHIEVEMENT Invest in yourself
We make investing easy to understand, simple to get started and available to everyone with no minimum investments and low tees
Quietly evangelical

STABILITY Rock solid stocks
Instead of risky crypto and day trading we spread your money across a number of dependable, long-term investments proven to outperform the market
Solid but not soulless

ETHICS Make your principles pay
Instead of risky crypto and day trading we spread your money across a number of dependable, long-term investments proven to outperform the market
Solid but not soulless

DEBT-FREE Break up with your bank
It you're in debt, you can't build wealth. Learn how Wahed is building a financial future where banks partner with (not profit oft their customers
Courageous & contrarian

Wealth. It's not just for the wealthy.
Wealth for those who work for it Make your money work as hard as you do, simply and responsibly, with Wahed

PROPOSAL

CBC x [CLIENT NAME]

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We helped

a B2B software developer stand out and drive sales

BRAND Callstack Engineers SECTORS Brand Strategy Visual Identity Digital Design

CASE STUDY

CBC OVERVIEW

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BRAND Callstack Engineers SECTORS Brand Strategy Visual Identity Digital Design

CASE STUDY

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BRAND Callstack Engineers SECTORS Brand Strategy Visual Identity Digital Design

CASE STUDY

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BRAND Callstack Engineers SECTORS Brand Strategy Visual Identity Digital Design

CASE STUDY

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WHO
WHAT
WHY

CROSS-PLATFORM CAPABLE Build across multiple platforms and operating systems
Unified UI language on every platform Javascript runtime environment Cross-platform functionality Instant cross-platform updates iOS/Android/web support for wearables and niche platforms

BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION Simplify team structures and reduce duplication of work
One programming model Improve end-to-end development skills and capabilities Breakdown knowledge and communication silos with a single programming model Access an ecosystem of expert Open Source community knowledge

FASTER WITH FULLSTACK Develop both the front and back-end in one language
Universal Javascript/Typescript front and back-end frameworks Trusted & maintained Open Source libraries Faster user pageloads with server-side rendering Dynamic code loading and global OTA updates

BOOST APP PERFORMANCE Find and fix issues that stop your apps from performing
Diagnose and reduce technical debt Perform holistic performance audits and code base optimizations Remove technology and process obstacles Futureproof your tech stack Upskill and train your teams

Total Software Engineering Consultancy
We transform organizations and teams through transformative apps
Most software is built in silos. This leads to duplication of teams, processes and work. That’s why at Callstack we build apps in the React Universe - our cross-platform and full-stack tech stack that combines different languages and frameworks into a single programming model. The result is transformative apps that transform the way you work.

HOW

PROPOSAL

CBC x [CLIENT NAME]

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We helped a medtech SaaS company get famous beyond fertility

BRAND EngagedMD SECTORS Brand Strategy �Visual Identity

CASE STUDY

CBC OVERVIEW

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BRAND EngagedMD SECTORS Brand Strategy�Visual Identity

CASE STUDY

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BRAND EngagedMD SECTORS Brand Strategy�Visual Identity

CASE STUDY

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BRAND EngagedMD SECTORS Brand Strategy�Visual Identity

CASE STUDY

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SLOGAN
PROMISE
POSITIONING

Deliver better staff and patient experiences Give carers the time and space to do what they do best and deliver better quality care to more people.
Allow for more efficient and effective consultations Improve patient satisfaction with seamless, personalized processes Put more power into patients’ hands by completing pre and post-treatment activities from home See more patients without having to hire more staff

Save time by automating admin Automate patient education and admin processes to deliver meaningful time savings to front line staff.
Get patients into your EMR workflow instantly and effortlessly Make in-person classes a thing of the past Cut out time-consuming paperwork Let our smart robot handle patient reminders and routine interactions

Reduce risks and improve compliance Ensure patients understand their procedures and comply with necessary rules and regulations.
Ensure every form is completed correctly with no missing signatures Embedded knowledge checks to ensure patient comprehension Provide an audit trail showing patients meet full compliance before and after treatment Reduce the legal risk of lawsuits and malpractice claims due to human error or oversight

Make your medical practice run like magic Take the friction out of front-line care with an intuitive software platform that evolves with your needs.
Works seamlessly with your existing EMR and workflows Beautifully crafted, simple to get started, easy to use Custom-developed for your medical practice’s area of expertise Frequent updates with new features and integrations to meet your evolving needs

Helping carers carry on caring
We help carers operate at the top of their license by automating up to 56 minutes of education and admin work per patient.
EngagedMD automates patient education and admin, two time-intensive functions that get in the way of carers actually caring for people. Medical practices that use EngagedMD save up to 56 minutes of patient time per day. Which means more time for high-quality consults, more space to support patients, and more moments to breathe. The effect? Happier staff taking better care of more people. What would you do with an extra hour a day?

PILLARS

PROPOSAL

CBC x [CLIENT NAME]

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We helped a social fintech reposition for accelerated growth

BRAND Hoopo SECTORS Brand Strategy�Naming�Visual Identity

CASE STUDY

CBC OVERVIEW

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BRAND Hoopo SECTORS Brand Strategy�Naming�Visual Identity

CASE STUDY

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BRAND Hoopo SECTORS Brand Strategy�Naming�Visual Identity

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BRAND Hoopo SECTORS Brand Strategy�Naming�Visual Identity

CASE STUDY

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SLOGAN
ABOUT US

From donations to dividends
We’ve created an investment - not a donation - model. Micro entrepreneurs get the investment they need to succeed and you get a healthy return on investment, making Hoopo a sound financial choice and a sound moral one too.

From aid to employment
Donations create dependency. We think there’s a better way. We put your kindness where it counts, creating jobs that transform poverty-stricken communities into thriving social enterprises.

From bloated to lean
When you donate to a charity, nearly half the money doesn’t make it to the field. Our admin fees are zero. So all of your money funds micro investments that deliver a macro impact that lift up communities for good.

Re-defining charity from pity to paychecks
Hoopo is a social enterprise that transforms impoverished communities through the power of work. Our unique investment model creates jobs that break the reliance on handouts, while delivering a return to our supporters as well. We put your kindness where it counts.

PRINCIPLES

PROPOSAL

CBC x [CLIENT NAME]

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