ROI Case File No.204 | 'The Ambiguous Brand Strategy of South American Food Manufacturer'

Chapter 1: New Products in Succession—Scattered Corporate Energy

After the TechFlow Solutions speed recovery case settled, an intriguing request arrived from South America.

"Detective, every one of our new products should be excellent, so why don't they succeed in the market?"

Carlos Santos, Marketing Director of Delicioso Foods, couldn't hide his bewilderment. Around him were stacked packages of new products launched within the past year.

"We've been conducting aggressive new product development to meet market needs. Last year alone we released 18 new products, all with quality we're confident in."

Delicioso Foods' New Product Lineup (2024): - Organic frozen food series (6 products) - High-protein snack series (4 products) - Premium seasoning series (3 products) - Low-sugar dessert series (3 products) - Regional limited fruit juice series (2 products)

Carlos proudly introduced the products, but fatigue was clearly visible in his expression.

"However, we haven't reached expected sales. Every product has ended with mediocre results."

New Product Performance (1 year after launch): - Sales target achievement rate: Average 47% - Market recognition: Average 23% - Repeat purchase rate: Average 31% - Retailer continuation rate: 68%

The numbers told a harsh reality.

Chapter 2: Why Messages Don't Resonate—Scattered Communications

"Mr. Carlos, please tell us about the marketing strategies for these new products in detail."

Holmes asked gently.

Carlos pulled out a thick file from the pile of materials.

"We took different marketing approaches for each product."

Marketing Initiative Reality:

Organic Frozen Foods: - Target: Health-conscious housewives - Ad message: "Nature's bounty, just as it is" - Sales channels: Premium supermarkets - Price range: +30% vs. competitors

High-Protein Snacks: - Target: Fitness enthusiasts - Ad message: "Achieve your ideal body" - Sales channels: Sports stores, convenience stores - Price range: +15% vs. competitors

Premium Seasonings: - Target: Cooking enthusiasts (men and women) - Ad message: "Professional taste at home" - Sales channels: Specialty stores, department stores - Price range: +50% vs. competitors

I felt something strange looking at the materials.

"Each target and sales strategy is completely different. How do customers perceive the Delicioso Foods brand?"

Carlos's expression darkened.

"Actually... that's the problem. Customer research showed our brand image is ambiguous."

Brand Recognition Survey Results: - "What kind of company is Delicioso Foods?" → Only 32% could answer accurately - Brand image: "Don't know" was the most frequent response (28%) - Differentiation from competitors: "Nothing special" (45%)

Chapter 3: The Strategic Maze Drawn by 4P—Disconnected Elements

⬜️ ChatGPT | Catalyst of Vision

"4P is the skeleton of marketing. Not just products, but the harmony of price, place, and promotion was missing."

🟧 Claude | Alchemist of Narratives

"If a story has too many characters, readers get confused. Brand strategy is the same."

🟦 Gemini | Compass of Reason

"Let's organize with 4P and integrate scattered tactics into coherent strategy."

The three members began analysis. Gemini deployed the "Marketing Mix 4P" on the whiteboard.

4P Analysis Framework: - Product - Price - Place (Distribution) - Promotion

Analyzing each product category with 4P revealed surprising facts.

Product Analysis: - Of 18 products, only 5 had clear differentiation factors - Functional differences from competitors: Average 15% - Proprietary technology/patents: 0 - Quality test results: Equivalent to competitors

Price Analysis: - Pricing rationale: "High quality, therefore high price" (qualitative judgment) - Price elasticity research: Not conducted - Competitive price comparison: Conducted after launch - Customer price acceptance research: Not conducted

Place (Distribution) Analysis: - Sales channels: Different for each product (no consistency) - In-store positioning: Disadvantaged positions due to weak negotiation power - Inventory management: Different systems for each channel - Logistics efficiency: Not optimized

Promotion Analysis: - Ad messages: Completely different tones for each product - Media selection: Many mismatches with targets - Promotion budget allocation: Equal distribution (no strategic focus) - Effect measurement: Not implemented

Claude made a sharp observation.

"This is like 18 different companies selling 18 products. There's no unity in the Delicioso Foods brand."

Chapter 4: The Wandering Brand Strategy—Customer Confusion

Detailed market research revealed customer confusion clearly.

Customer Interview Results (30 people):

"I bought Delicioso Foods frozen food thinking it was healthy, but the same company makes junk snacks? There's no consistency." (40-year-old woman)

"The seasoning was delicious, but I don't know what other products they have. Hard to remember as a brand." (30-year-old man)

"I've seen ads for high-protein snacks, but didn't know they were Delicioso Foods products." (20-year-old woman)

Even more serious was feedback from retailers:

Retail Manager Voices: "I don't know where to display Delicioso Foods products. Health food section? Snack section? Seasoning section? It's too scattered for store operations."

"Different salespeople come for each product. I don't see unified sales strategy."

"When customers ask about 'other products from that company,' I can't answer. There's no brand recognition."

Carlos was stunned.

"We were trying to meet customer needs, but instead we were confusing customers."

Chapter 5: The Detective's 4P Analysis—Reconstructing Disconnected Tactics

Holmes compiled the comprehensive analysis.

"Mr. Carlos, the essence of 4P is 'integration.' The four elements must support each other to create a consistent brand experience."

4P Integration Strategy Reconstruction Plan:

1. Product Strategy Unification - Core value clarification: "Delicious foods supporting family health" - Product line consolidation: From 18 products to 8 - Unified quality standards: Common quality indicators across all products

2. Price Strategy Systematization - Unified price positioning: "Premium health foods" - Consistent +20% vs. competitors pricing - Value-Based Pricing implementation

3. Place (Distribution) Strategy Optimization - Channel focus: Health-oriented supermarkets primarily - Unified brand display realization - Online sales channel strengthening

4. Promotion Strategy Integration - Unified brand message: "Delicioso = Delicious Health" - Cross-selling promotion: Emphasizing product relationships - Integrated digital marketing

Specific Implementation Plan (6 months):

Phase 1 (1-2 months): Product Line Organization - End sales of bottom 10 products - Rebrand remaining 8 products - Unify package design

Phase 2 (3-4 months): Distribution Strategy Reconstruction - Review relationships with key channel partners - Optimize in-store displays - Integrate sales systems

Phase 3 (5-6 months): Integrated Marketing Deployment - Launch brand unification campaign - Integrate digital platforms - Build effect measurement systems

"4P seeks overall optimization, not individual optimization. Only when all elements work together can strong brands be born."

Chapter 6: Integrated Strategy Practice and Results

Eight months later, a report arrived from Delicioso Foods.

4P Integration Strategy Results:

Product Success: - Product line consolidation improved investment efficiency per product by 3x - Quality consistency improved customer satisfaction from 68% to 84% - Resource concentration shortened new product development period by 40%

Price Success: - Unified pricing strategy clarified brand positioning - Price premium acceptance improved (15% → 20%) - Profitability improved by 35%

Place Success: - Average product count per major channel expanded from 2.1 to 4.3 - Improved in-store visibility secured 1.7x shelf space - Logistics efficiency reduced delivery costs by 25%

Promotion Success: - Brand recognition dramatically improved from 23% to 58% - "Company name and brand image match" improved from 32% to 71% - Marketing ROI improved by 2.3x

Carlos's letter conveyed deep emotion:

"4P analysis enabled us to integrate our scattered tactics. We learned that 'diversity' and 'consistency' aren't opposing forces—we can offer diverse products under unified brand value. We built strategy that's clear to customers and efficient for us."

Detective's Perspective—The Integrative Power of Marketing

That night, reflecting on the case, I considered.

The Delicioso Foods case clearly showed the "tactical dispersion" problem modern companies often fall into. Even if individual tactics are logical, without overall integration, effectiveness is halved.

The value of the classic 4P framework lies in its integration. When the four elements of product, price, place, and promotion complement each other, they can provide customers with a consistent brand experience.

"Marketing is a promise to customers. And that promise must be fulfilled through all four elements."

Even in today's digital age, this basic principle remains unchanged. Indeed, in an information-saturated era, consistent brand messaging becomes even more important.

The next case will surely await another business leader struggling in the real business arena.

"Strategy isn't deciding what to do. It's integrating what you do. And that integration creates the true power of brands."—From the Detective's Notes

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