Marketing Strategy Adjustment

10 growth tactics that never work with Elena Verna. Elena was formerly head of growth at Amplitude, Miro, Dropbox, and SurveyMonkey, and a growth advisor to Netlify, Superhuman, MongoDB, Sanity, and Similarweb. She's the most knowledgeable person I know on B2B growth, and this is her third visit to the podcast (a record!). Learn: 🔸 10 common growth tactics that never work 🔸 Elena's three favorite growth frameworks 🔸 Ways to increase your career optionality Listen now 👇 • YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gQ-aaKZD • Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gU5xRF3k • Apple: https://lnkd.in/gTBinsX2 Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for supporting the podcast: 🏆 Sinch — Build messaging, email, and calling into your product: https://sinch.com/lenny 🏆 Vanta — Automate compliance. Simplify security: https://vanta.com/lenny 🏆 OneSchema — Import CSV data 10x faster: https://oneschema.co/lenny Some key takeaways: 1. A redesign may feel like a fresh start, but if you’re expecting it to solve your growth issues, think again. It’s a long-term play, and you’ll likely see a dip before you see any improvement. Understand that rebrands are a necessary step for the future but won’t immediately improve acquisition. If you go through with it, be prepared to spend months optimizing after launch to get back to where you were—or better. 2. Copying competitors rarely works because: a. You don’t know if what you’re seeing is their actual experience b. Their tactics are specific to their customers and channels c. You miss the context and learning that led to their current solution Instead, use competitor analysis for inspiration and patterns, but do your own research and testing. 3. Instead of focusing too much on SEO, SEM, or paid social channels (where you’re essentially paying for access to someone else’s audience), prioritize building owned and earned channels—like virality, word of mouth, and user-generated content. These are channels that your competitors can’t replicate, and they can provide a more sustainable growth engine in the long run. 4. Don’t get paralyzed by testing everything. If you can’t get statistical significance within a month, use pre/post analysis instead. Trust intuition more, especially when: a. You have low traffic/conversion volumes b. The change is low-risk c. You need to move quickly d. The impact is obvious 5. Stop wasting time on tactics that rarely move the needle, like: a. Button-color optimization b. Single one-off emails c. Adding more auth providers d. Blindly “simplifying” flows without solving specific user problems 6. Evolve your growth model every 18 months: a. Layer new channels on existing ones b. Expect diminishing returns from current tactics c. Spend 20% to 25% of resources exploring new growth loops d. Plan for 6 to 18 months before new channels show meaningful results

This redesign led to $300M in annual sales — because Spindrift focused on ONE critical thing: They defined a core mission — the concept of being “REAL” — and let all design decisions flow from that. For context: Spindrift uses real fruit juice, which is a differentiator in its category, but its original design barely communicated that… ❌ Sterile-looking can; the dripping fruit looked gross ❌ The term “fresh squeezed” was generic ❌ Calorie count and “no sugar added” gave diet vibes When it rebranded in 2016, it fixed those problems with… ✅ An appealing fruit (instead of the brand name) in the center ✅ The term “fresh squeezed” replaced by “real squeezed fruit” — which is clear, unique, and framed as a recipe ("sparkling water & real squeezed fruit") ✅ The bottom now says: “Yup, that’s it.” — a clever line emphasizing how REAL it is. ✅ By filling the lower half of the can with color, they communicate how flavor-filled it is. Now ask yourself: Are you being this clear on your CORE MISSION — and are you doing everything you can to convey it? It’s a $300 million question. 👉 𝗪𝗔𝗡𝗧 𝗙𝗘𝗘𝗗𝗕𝗔𝗖𝗞 𝗢𝗡 *𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥* 𝗣𝗔𝗖𝗞𝗔𝗚𝗜𝗡𝗚? I’m hosting a call to give free feedback to CPG founders! https://lu.ma/vhvfexhc If this post was helpful, please share it and follow Jason Feifer for more.

The Kellogg's Rebrand: Simplicity as a Strategy for Success Examining standout packaging redesigns is one of my greatest passions as a creative director at Ginger Storm. The recent Kellogg's transformation by Landor offers a masterclass in strategic simplicity that deserves our attention – particularly as the most significant update in the brand's century-plus history. Why the Rebrand? The trigger was strategic: Kellogg's needed to recapture its leadership position in an increasingly competitive cereal market. Consumer feedback revealed a desire for clearer, less cluttered packaging that communicated health benefits transparently. Rather than defensive positioning, Kellogg's saw an opportunity to strengthen brand recognition while addressing evolving consumer expectations. Design Change What strikes me most is how Landor elevated the Kellogg's logo to become the central design element – a trend I'm seeing numerous brands adopt with remarkable effectiveness. This strategic enlargement transforms the logo into a distinct brand asset, with colour and imagery taking supporting roles in a contemporary layout. The result is extremely clean, graphic, bold, and visually striking. Iconic characters like Tony the Tiger were thoughtfully refreshed while maintaining their beloved status. I'm particularly impressed by the vibrant, contemporary colour palette that brings excitement to store shelves and how the uncluttered product photography creates such visual impact. Most importantly, all brand extensions within the architecture follow identical structural principles, creating powerful brand continuity while still establishing unique category differentiation. Evolution, Not Revolution This rebrand exemplifies the power of thoughtful evolution. Unlike failed rebrands that discard established equity, Kellogg's retained core visual anchors while enhancing clarity and shelf presence. They recognized that successful transformation isn't about erasing the past but building upon it meaningfully. The Results The numbers validate this approach: nearly 70% of consumers reported easier product identification on shelves, purchase intent increased by approximately 50%, and sales rose by 6% following the redesign. The work has garnered over 30 industry awards in four years – a testament to its strategic excellence and creative execution. What fascinates me most is how this rebrand proves that sometimes the most powerful design strategy isn't adding complexity but thoughtfully subtracting it. By elevating the logo to hero status and embracing disciplined simplicity, Kellogg's has created a system that works brilliantly across physical and digital touchpoints while honouring its rich heritage. This is brand evolution at its finest.

The flight from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur is only 55 minutes. But in B2B sales, they might as well be on different planets. If you pitch "Efficiency" in Singapore, you win. If you pitch that same "Efficiency" in KL, you lose. Most expansion teams look at the map targeting (MY/ID/PH/SG) and see one region ("SEA"). I see four distinct psychological zones. You cannot copy-paste your content or your sales script across these borders. Here is the "Value Decoder" for the markets that matter right now: 🇲🇾 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) = PRAGMATISM - The Buyer's Mindset: "Is this proven?" - The Reality: They are price-sensitive but status-conscious. They want "Singaporean Quality" at a "Malaysian Price." - The Adjustment: Stop selling "Future Roadmaps." Sell proven case studies. And never bypass the hierarchy, if you don't have buy-in from the titled leadership (Dato/Datuk/Tan Sri) at the top, the deal is dead, even if the engineering team loves you. 🇮🇩 Jakarta (Indonesia) = SAFETY - The Buyer's Mindset: "Will I lose my job for buying this?" - The Reality: Deeply risk-averse. - The Adjustment: Your "Disruption" pitch sounds like "Danger" here. Pivot to Compliance. Cite OJK regulations, data sovereignty (UU PDP), and your local support team. They buy peace of mind, not specs. 🇸🇬 Singapore = EFFICIENCY - The Buyer's Mindset: "What is the ROI?" - The Reality: High-trust, high-cost, Westernized. - The Adjustment: Skip the relationship-building fluff. Go straight to the data. Show the ISO certifications, the API documentation, and the global case studies. 🇵🇭 Manila (Philippines) = RAPPORT The Buyer's Mindset: "Do I trust you on a personal level?" The Reality: Relational and Western-aligned. The Adjustment: Trust precedes the contract. If you treat them like a transaction, they will ghost you. You need to invest time in the personal connection ("Malasakit") before you push for the close. This is why your "Global" LinkedIn page isn't converting and probably WASTE of time if you are serious about APAC. Must have Local channels for every country you are SERIOUS about, and tailor the messaging accordingly. Marketing must sync with Sales, otherwise you are burning your budget on silly activities that is irrelevant to all countries in APAC (as they are not the same) -- P.S. We (Xpandeast) identify and engage qualified companies and right-fit personas to build your pipeline and get them to discovery calls in SE Asia. Crucially, we also deploy the trust-building content so that when they check you, your brand actually matches their local expectations. To learn more link in bio.

For 13 years, I’ve been on the frontline of the B2B data wars. Here are the 5 strategies startups can use to defeat larger incumbents in their battle for market share: BACKGROUND: When I was VP at ZoomInfo they outflanked D&B by going after SMB. When I was President/COO at Apollo I saw them build a self-serve PLG engine to take that very same SMB segment from ZoomInfo. In the coming years, some B2B data startup will do to Apollo what they did to ZoomInfo, and ZoomInfo did to D&B. That is the nature of the beast. Here are the 5 ways I've seen new companies defeat incumbents: 1. Capture Attention Better Than Your Competition -  Only companies with the ability to cut through the noise succeed -  No matter what you do, there are likely over 20 teams doing the same -  Lower the search cost for the buyer. Nurture a community, develop a memorable brand, think about market virality early on, invest in an Inbound flywheel 2. Just Be Different - There’s always room to innovate - Innovation can be in GTM or packaging (doesn't have to be product) Example (Packaging): ZoomInfo differentiated from D&B by selling a self serve tool for $5K/year; when most data vendors were selling data dumps for $100K+/year. Apollo differentiated from ZoomInfo by selling a self serve tool for $99/user/mo to SMB; when others were selling $25K/year plans to enterprise. Example (GTM): ZoomInfo innovated in GTM with efficient inside sales teams as opposed to D&B’s field sales staff. Apollo innovated with PLG for the data business as opposed to ZoomInfo’s inside sales team 3. Refuse To Copy Your Dominant Competitor - Most entrepreneurs have so much respect for the dominant competitors that all they can think of is playing catch up and aim for feature parity - By the time you copy a feature, the dominant player will build 5 more and the gap widens - Instead, craft your own path. Identify an audience that your competitor is ignoring and roadmap that will make you look distinct 4. Relentless Focus On Optimizing The Low End Of The Market - Most disruption comes from the low end of the market - Zoominfo went after the SMB, which D&B was willing to forego without a fight - As the ZoomInfo business grew, they moved upstream and Apollo went after the low end of the market that ZoomInfo did not care as much about anymore - It’s only natural that Apollo will find going upstream more attractive as the business scales, paving way for a NewCo to acquire the SMB market once again 5. Be the best at something and don't try to be good at everything - Every team can be exceptionally good at something - Identify what your superpowers are - Is it Product, Sales, Marketing, CS? - Double down on your strengths, ignore your weaknesses - Do more of what you are good at to create a competitive edge TLDR: 1. Learn how to capture attention 2. Be different 3. Don't copy your competitor 4. Focus on low end of the market 5. Be the best at something P.S. Have questions? AMA in the comments. 👇

For decades, Cracker Barrel has been less of a restaurant and more of a ritual. The rocking chairs out front. The peg game on the table. The logo etched into memory like the smell of biscuits and gravy. Last week, Cracker Barrel unveiled a new logo after 55 years. What’s left is cleaner and simpler. But it also raises a $700M question about brand transformation. Logos aren’t just assets. They hold history, sentiment, identity. And when you alter them, you’re not just tweaking design, you’re touching memory. So the reactions came quickly: ↳ Supporters see necessary evolution. ↳ Critics see abandonment. Both are right. Because Cracker Barrel is attempting something nearly impossible: How do you modernize a brand where 43% of guests are 55+ while also appealing to the 23% who are under 34? That demographic gap shapes everything. From a design perspective, the move makes sense. Simpler. Scalable. Easy to deploy across thousands of touchpoints. And that’s why the logo is just the door opener. The real playbook lives elsewhere: → Burger King paired its retro rebrand with $400M in remodels. → McDonald’s invested $6B to modernize stores and operations. → Denny’s Heritage remodels are driving +6% sales lifts today. This suggests that not only logos move comps. Remodels do. Cracker Barrel knows this. They’re testing the largest menu overhaul in company history, with 19 remodels and 12 refreshes already complete. Field leaders are asking to be on the remodel list, which is an insider signal that carries significant weight. Success will be measured by four numbers: ↳ 6-12% comps in year one for remodeled stores. ↳ Dinner share up 200–400 basis points. ↳ Guest mix shifting 5–7 points toward 18–34. ↳ Retail attach rate climbing above today’s 19.5%. Relevance shows up in the P&L, not the PNG. The $600–700M transformation spans stores, ops, menu, and digital. If they nail it, they join Burger King and Denny’s in the winner’s circle. In 2025, branding isn’t just about being future-ready. Rebrands are about finding the balance between carrying the soul of the past and inviting the future in. The update might attract new curiosity, but what happens once people walk in the door? Are the in-store and digital experiences aligned with the new identity? Does the service, menu, and environment reflect the promise the brand is now projecting? The logo is just the beginning. Can brands honor the guests who built the brand while inviting a new generation to make it their own? Weigh in.

Not every brand needs a new identity 🗣️ Some brands have built solid equity with their target audience using their existing identity so scrapping it completely to start a fresh may not be the best idea. Sometimes, subtle improvements can be made to bring more life to the brand without jeopardising what they’ve worked so hard to build 🤝 In this case, for specialist Amazon consultancy, Consulterce, I made a few subtle but very impactful changes: 🐴 Simplfied the logomark by focussing on the key visuals identifiers of the knight chess piece ➡️ Reflected it to face the right to infer forward thinking 🌟 Swapped out the display typeface for something more sophisticated and unique (same for the body copy typeface) 🎨 Upped the saturation of the existing colour palette and added 3 new hues to give the brand more flexibility 🧩 Created a bespoke pattern to add a branded feel to more basic assets These changes truly refreshed the brand without losing any brand equity 💪🏼 My takeaway message to you guys is; before getting over excited and designing a completely new identity for a brand, consult your client further to ascertain what’s best for them - not just your portfolio 🤙🏼 Have a killer end to your week ya legends 💚 #logo #logos #logotype #branding #logodesigner #graphicdesign #graphicdesigner #logodesigns #logomark #logoinspiration #brand #design #rebrand #identity #brandidentity #branding #typography #graphic #logomarks #logotype #sketch #adobeillustrator #learning #minimal #designer #brandidentitydesign #type #logoprocess #logomark #process #learn #education

Evolution takes time… But listening always pays off. A couple of years ago, we made one of the hardest, And smartest decisions in our journey. When we first launched Mid-Day Squares in 2018, the product worked. The excitement was real. The brand was growing. But as we scaled, we started listening to feedback, to the data, and to how people were actually enjoying the product. We learned something important: Many customers were eating one square at a time and putting the second back in the fridge. The problem? That second square wasn’t staying as fresh. At the same time, raw material and supply chain costs were skyrocketing. To survive as a business, we had to make a bold call: Move from two squares to one. And to raise the price of our product. And over time, we realized the change wasn’t just practical, it was right. The single square became the perfect amount for that midday moment we were built for, the pick-me-up between lunch and dinner. It was the right format for the use case our consumers wanted most. As the product evolved, so did how we presented it. We refined the flavour name to be clearer and instantly communicate what it tastes like. And the packaging evolved too. We went from having lots of words on the front to leading with what mattered most: Our brand identity, our logo, and the actual product image. Simple. Confident. Recognizable. At first, the transition wasn’t easy. Sales dipped. Feedback was mixed. But over time, everything started to click. The product stayed fresher. The brand looked cleaner. And then growth came back: First steady, then it started compounding fast. Today, most of our consumers love the change. It was hard, but one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. Real evolution doesn’t happen overnight. But when you listen, adapt, and stay true to your purpose, it always pays off. #packaging #cpg #sales #retail #grocery Mid-Day Squares.

Most APAC expansion strategies don’t fail because of the market. They fail because of the assumptions going into the market. One framework that has stayed with me over the years comes from The Culture Map, the idea that business behaviours don’t just vary by degree across countries, they vary by dimension. And nowhere is that more evident than in APAC. Having spent 20+ years scaling businesses across India, Southeast Asia, China, and ANZ, I’ve seen global companies consistently underestimate this. APAC is often treated as a single growth lever. In reality, it’s one of the most fragmented operating environments in the world. A few reasons why expansion strategies break: • “One APAC strategy” doesn’t exist What works in Australia will fail in Indonesia. What works in India won’t translate to Japan. • Underestimating go-to-market complexity Distribution, partnerships, and decision-making styles vary far more than most expect. • Over-centralisation Too many decisions made from HQ slow down execution in markets that require speed and localisation. • Misaligned product-market fit Products built for mature markets don’t always translate to high-growth or price-sensitive economies. • Hiring too late (or wrong) Strong local leadership early on is often the single biggest determinant of success. The companies that succeed in APAC do one thing differently: They build market-specific strategies on top of a strong regional operating backbone. It’s not about choosing between global vs local. It’s about knowing what must be standardised and what must be reinvented. As more companies look to APAC as the next growth engine, this distinction will matter even more.

Only 1 in 3 rebrands actually work. Here’s Why: Markets never stop moving, and neither do consumers or competitors. That’s why brands must speak today’s language and stay relevant. But before you swap the logo or pick a new colour, pause. A rebrand isn’t decoration, it’s a business decision with real consequences. Done right, it transforms perception and growth. Done wrong, it wastes millions and confuses everyone. Here are 5 questions to ask before a rebrand. 1. Why now and what problem are we solving? - “It’s been a while” isn’t a strategy. - “Our competitors did it” isn’t a strategy. - “There’s a new CEO” isn’t a strategy. - "We want to be like Apple" isn’t a strategy. Rebrands often start from boredom, fear of stagnation, or a desire to replicate successful stories. According to Bynder, 74% of S&P 100 companies rebrand within seven years, yet most see no ROI because they can’t explain the “why.” Ask: → Has your market shifted? → Has your value evolved? → Are you out of sync with customers? Without a clear catalyst, you’re repainting walls while foundations crack. You can’t fix a weak strategy with better design. 2. Who is this rebrand really for? If your brand still speaks yesterday’s language to today’s buyer, you’ve already lost relevance. About 57% of rebrands aim to modernise identity, 41% target new audiences. Yet most fail because the new look reflects the CEO’s taste, not customer truth. Ask: → Who are we speaking to now? → What do they expect from brands like ours? → Is our story keeping up, or stuck in nostalgia? 3. What do we want to be known for, and will the new identity show it? A new logo won’t fix weak positioning. Branding is about perception, not presentation. People define your brand by what they think and feel, not what YOU say. Ask: → What single idea do we want to own? → Does our identity make that obvious? → Are all touchpoints building one perception? If the rebrand doesn’t make it easier to remember why you matter, it’s not branding, it’s painting. 4. Is our team ready to live the new brand? Rebrands fail more from the inside than the market. If employees don’t understand or believe the change, credibility collapses. Brand starts from the inside. Ask: → Can everyone explain what we stand for? → Are they proud to represent it? → Are we equipping them to deliver daily? If the brand isn’t understood inside, it won’t be believed outside. 5. How will we measure success? A rebrand without metrics is expensive theatre. The top performers report 10–50% ROI, with outliers hitting 150% but only if they measure. Set metrics before you start: Awareness: searches, mentions, recall Perception: preference, NPS Commercial: CAC, CLV, market share Treat your rebrand as a measurable transformation, not a marketing makeover. Rebranding isn’t about looks. It’s about what you mean and why you matter. The brands that win aren’t those that refresh most often they’re the ones that stay relevant and remembered.