Helping FMCG Challengers Bring the Fight

Making a dent in the market starts with strategic differentiation. It is not about centring the story on claims, but on meaning and sending the right signals across every point of sale, whether in supermarkets or online. In today’s landscape, FMCG brand strategy matters as much as distribution.

Today’s FMCG Landscape

Without question, competition is rife and people are ever shorter on attention. When it comes time to stock fridges and pantries, most shoppers prefer the path of least resistance, sticking with what they usually buy and rarely deviating from set routines. It takes the right amount of effort to establish relevance and familiarity in order to shake them out of their usual patterns.

Getting stocked is a critical step and a difficult one at that but compared with developing a brand that can convince shoppers to switch, distribution would be easier for most to navigate and just-as-critical a step that challengers get stumped at.

The Myths That Hold Brands Back

Myth 1: Our products are better
How are people to gauge just how different one product is from the next? Many upstarts either imitate their competitors’ claims, or they list so many virtues that it becomes overwhelming. In both cases the shoppers just get confused and revert to their usual brand.

Sales floor tactics are just that: tactical, establishing trust, communicating adequately and effectively with potential customers as the bigger game. This is played not only by having the right claims on your pack, but by treating the pack as a billboard and every other touchpoint working in tandem to support product education and brand building.

Myth 2: Follow the leader
Many upstarts try to borrow legitimacy by echoing the category leader. Some brands avoid standing out because they fear looking “too different” creates friction for shoppers. The result is a wall of sameness that keeps people in their patterns and only the largest players benefit. These upstarts often misunderstand the purpose of brand and marketing, solely relying on aggressive launch promotions which yes, deliver initial sales spikes but are unsustainable as it does not develop any loyalty.

It is well established that shoppers scan quickly; typically having limited headspace for unfamiliar brands. As such upstarts may feel fearful to rock the boat, forgetting that they can overcome this friction by developing familiarity outside points of sale too.

Myth 3: I'll refine after the product takes off
Testing the market is sensible when done at a smaller scale to gather immediate feedback and garner early fans. Treating the go-to-market as a test could work, but it is also a costly experiment. The public’s perception forms immediately and impressions harden very quickly; cutting back too much on branding could mean losing control of how a brand (however strong the product is) is understood. To rehabilitate that takes significant effort than trying to get it right from the get-go.

Standing Apart Meaningfully
Brand impressions are formed when shoppers are scanning—deciding what each brand represents just before they read a flavour, benefit, or claim. A brand's advertisements, packaging, imagery and tone shape this first interpretation, often more powerfully than text alone can. Most brands manage that well, of which many of them manage an image. But there are the few brands that actually carry meaning.

A brand shaped by meaning expresses to people clearly why the brand exists, what it values, and who it is for. This meaning is not to be mistaken for a slogan. It is an internal belief that guides the role the brand seeks to play in someone’s life. When said meaning is clear, the brand identity becomes a shorthand for people to not just recognise but easily understand the brand. Conversely, when meaning is not established, a brand is just a shell that looks good and in short time, wavering as trends shift.

Brand Identity that Carries Meaning
The creation of that central meaning is FMCG brand strategy and the identity is its expression; a byproduct and not decoration. What makes a brand identity strong? Firstly, it must be different from whatever is out there; and it is not being different just for the sake of it. It is a concerted effort of clear brand strategy and design to achieve distinction in the marketplace. It establishes recognition by conveying its meaning to people.

A Clear Idea at the Centre
Successful brands have a simple organising idea that guides internal decisions and all forms of expression. It constantly reinforces its message to the public. This is what establishes momentum and brand recall.

Designed to Break Routines
Shoppers choose with their eyes. Effective packaging designs disrupt shoppers’ routines. It is friction for shoppers but without which, a challenger will go unnoticed.

Avoid Trend-led Design
Trend-led designs can quickly help brands establish a sense of relevancy, particularly ageing brands. But trends are trends because many brands jump on the bandwagon, creating dilution all over again. Being trend-led may also mean too strong a departure from a brand’s authentic meaning, and we have all seen how that can backfire. Back to the point, a strong identity is built on a brand’s clear sense of meaning. A fitting identity is one that is authentic, measured and balanced to be contemporary.

Winning in FMCG
It is not about how loud or decorative your brand can be. It is about being clear and steady enough for people to recognise you, trust you, and eventually welcome you into their routine. The decision may happen on a shelf or a screen, but the belief that shapes that decision is built long before someone reaches for your product.

For more on how we support FMCG companies, explore our work with challenger brands

FAQ for CPG / FMCG Brand Owners

What is CPG / FMCG branding?
CPG / FMCG branding is the work of helping shoppers recognise, understand and trust a brand in fast-moving categories where decisions are made quickly. It blends brand strategy, identity, packaging and marketing to create meaning people can recall.

What is CPG / FMCG brand strategy?
CPG / FMCG brand strategy helps brand owners translate their brand's beliefs into a framework that governs every touchpoint, ensuring the brand is easy to understand.

What makes an CPG / FMCG brand succeed today?
Brands succeed when they combine clear meaning with consistent identity that can break through the noise. Shoppers choose brands they can understand and recognise. Education about the brand needs to happen before the product reaches stores and consistently continued well after that too.

How can a new CPG / FMCG brand stand out on crowded shelves?
Developing an identity that's truly unique to the brand, not borrowed from category leaders. Being relevant to the audience is important but be watchful of chasing after trends as trends fade fast.

Why do many CPG / FMCG brands struggle to get early customers?
They depend on distribution and price only, overlooking product and brand education, intelligent marketing that builds brand equity. Shoppers rarely choose products they cannot identify and relate to confidently.

What matters most in CPG / FMCG packaging design?
Traditionally, visibility on the shelf, clarity of variant, and consistency across products. However, for new entrants, packaging should be seen more like a billboard—an opportunity to draw people in, not bombard with information. Good design helps people make choices they feel good about.

How can CPG / FMCG brands scale across different markets?
The right distributor and partner that understands the brand and who is able to help cultivate meaningful brand presence is critical.

Do CPG / FMCG brands need marketing beyond packaging?
Comes without saying. A pack can only do so much storytelling. Branding and marketing is what helps people understand and remember the brand before they encounter it in-store or online.

Developing a FMCG brand?

We work with challenger brands to build momentum, sharpen identity and earn recognition across retail and e-commerce.

If you would like a partner on your brand journey, we are here.

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