Evolution vs. Revolution: When is it time to make a radical change to a brand plan?
Just as a vehicle requires an annual safety assessment, your brand strategy requires an annual health check. Enter: Annual Brand Planning – a targeted opportunity to pressure-test existing brand goals and the overarching brand strategy in the wake of new learnings, shifts in the external landscape, and evolving internal priorities.
When executed well, the brand planning process is systematic and rigorous – and as a result will deliver a thoughtful, cross-functionally aligned brand plan that is rooted in and reflective of the long-term strategic vision for the brand. Reinventing the wheel on an annual basis is therefore not required – nor is it advisable. Under typical circumstances, updates to the brand plan should amount to an evolution of the outputs from the previous planning cycle. An annually evolving brand plan is one that remains fresh and maintains a healthy agility to respond to newly identified opportunities and challenges, but without deviating from the core strategy and long-term brand vision.
But in what circumstances is evolution simply not enough? When is it time for a brand plan revolution?
A brand plan “revolution” involves a major change in direction to the long-term vision for the brand and the strategy designed to achieve that vision. Though significant course changes can be complex to manage, doing so (under circumstances that demand a change of course) can be the way to maximise an asset’s full potential value.
The option to consider a brand plan revolution can be a proactive effort (e.g., if a previously unforeseen opportunity is identified) or a reactive one (e.g., if the demand is presented in response to something unexpected occurring). The trigger to either proactively or reactively consider a brand plan revolution may relate to internal factors (e.g., data readouts, BD&L activity, corporate strategy). Alternatively, a push towards revolution may be driven by external factors (e.g., competitive landscape dynamics, policy changes). As a result, the circumstances that ultimately prompt a brand plan revolution can vary greatly.
Let’s look at a few examples of major leaps in strategy that would have required a revolutionized brand plan:
- SGLT2 inhibitors – from intention in T2D to fate in CV: Pivot from focus on Type 2 Diabetes indication to cardiovascular health following analysis of data demonstrating significant reductions in heart failure hospitalisations (proactive revolution linked to significant internal learning)
- Ocaliva – missing the mark on broad indication goals: Intercept Pharmaceuticals initially launched Ocaliva in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), a rare condition, with the long-term goal of expanding into the broader NASH market. When Ocaliva failed its NASH trial, Intercept was forced to change course, restructuring their Ocaliva brand strategy and broader corporate focus on rare and serious liver disease (reactive revolution linked to a significant internal learning)
- Patent policy change in Brazil – unexpected acceleration of generics: In May 2021, the Brazilian Supreme Court delivered a ruling that resulted in a reduced exclusivity period for over 60 pharmaceutical products, that found themselves with the prospect of imminent generic competition. As the annual brand plan for a product with 3–4 years of anticipated exclusivity is unlikely to be relevant for a brand facing imminent genericization, a wholly new brand vision and value proposition would have been required for the impacted brands (a reactive revolution linked to a significant external event)
How should brand plan revolution be approached?
Though in almost all cases annual brand planning is a matter of evolution, revolution can be the key to effective navigation through an unexpected challenge or towards a newly uncovered opportunity. So where does a brand strategy revolution start and what should the process involve?
- Triggering event: The starting point. An event that is significant enough to either compromise the existing long-term vision for the asset or that suggests a different long-term vision would maximise full asset potential.
- Scenario analysis: In-depth qualitative and quantitative evaluation of brand strategy scenarios to enable comparison of new vs. existing strategy and understand the incremental opportunity offered from a shift in strategic direction.
- Cross-functional alignment: Cross-functional exploration and discussion of the situation, implications, and opportunity for the brand, resulting in agreement on the best course of action for the brand to execute the strategic shift.
- Value assessment development: Description and detail of the commercial opportunity available through the proposed brand strategy transformation.
- Leadership buy-in: Presentation of the revised plan to senior management, with justification for new strategic direction and specific asks for leadership support.
- Brand Plan Revision: Reworking of the cross-functional brand plan, to include modifications to Strategic Vision, Strategic Imperatives, Strategies, Tactics and more.
Learn more about our brand and portfolio planning services here
Whether your next annual brand plan requires an evolution or a revolution, Align Strategy can help. With extensive experience in building, pressure-testing and evolving (or revolutionising) brand plans, we help clients remain focused on delivering what matters most: Clear, customer-centric strategic planning that is built on key insights and strong cross-functional alignment.
