About the Client

The client, Faizan Ali, approached Cosmo for help in positioning their brand in the US market. With the rise of the global health and wellness movement, the demand for healthy foods, such as extra virgin olive oil, has grown significantly in recent years. The client recognized this opportunity and sought to establish their brand in the highly competitive US market.

The Challenge

The challenge was to conduct comprehensive market research, competitor analysis, and brand positioning for the client's olive oil brand in the US market. This included identifying demand, development prospects, key competitors, and distinctive selling points, as well as offering ideas for establishing the brand.

The Solution

Cosmo conducted in-depth research and analysis of the market, competitors, and industry to identify opportunities and challenges for the client's brand. Through our research, we discovered that a strong brand narrative and premium branding would support a higher price point. Marketers must ensure their positioning makes them stand out, as the market is price inelastic. We proposed that the client's brand could provide better pricing due to the low manufacturing costs in Pakistan.

We suggested that the client's brand should be positioned between “The Olive Press” and “Kosterina,” two successful olive oil brands in the US market, which have strong branding and a compelling origin narrative. We recommended that the client's brand could differentiate itself by developing a narrative around Pakistan's rural lifestyle and the finest fresh products brought to these markets, and associating with other fruits like the Pakistani mango to build credibility. We also suggested that a scientific study could support the superiority of olive oil.

To appeal to the younger generation, we proposed that the product's branding and packaging must be distinctive and high-end, moving away from the conventional sleek black bottle. Building a narrative around healthy diet and lifestyle on social media could help the client’s brand appeal to the younger generation.

Our analysis of the supply chain costs helped us suggest a pricing of $35 per bottle with a modified margin of about $19.74, accounting for cost and freight, to maximize profits.

We recommended the client's website as the suggested sales channel since it would allow buyers to interact with the company and learn more about it instead of just buying its products. Amazon's FBA option would offer better profit margins at the expense of minor customer touch. It would be vital for the brand to develop a presence in front of the rivals, especially at first, through this contact and individual feedback on how to enhance the product and experience.

We proposed a comprehensive and adequately thought-out marketing effort before launch to establish the brand in the US market. The internet campaign should consist of blog authoring, social media posting, social media advertisements, influencer marketing, contacting food critics for reviews, website design, SEO, Google Ads, and outreach for article publishing. Gathering authentic and early feedback and getting people talking about the brand and product, samples, and tasting events would be vital for information regarding customers’ views on the product. Other community activities can also be planned in the US for offline marketing.

The Result

Cosmo's market research and competitor analysis helped the client position their brand in the US market successfully. The brand narrative and premium branding resonated with customers, helping them stand out in a crowded marketplace. The unique product packaging and marketing strategy appealed to the younger generation, and a successful launch campaign helped establish the brand in the US market.