WE UNLOCK
THE POWER OF
UNCONSCIOUS
BRANDING

M7

It’s time for your brand to connect with consumers on an unconscious level. While most marketers focus on the conscious side of brands, Major 7 leans into a more impactful and effective approach. There’s a lot of talk about reaching consumers “emotionally,” but most agencies still focus on conscious elements. We, however, explore the powerful, but usually hidden, unconscious side of brands – the heart of why shoppers choose one brand over another.

Our research is a deep dive into the human psyche. While we may employ similar qualitative and quantitative techniques as other researchers, we pursue an entirely deeper level of understanding of a brand’s unconscious associations. We discover the often hidden and latent thoughts in the depths of consumers’ minds.

This insight will be a product of consumer research, consisting of:

  • Focus Groups
  • In-Depth Interviews
  • Friendship Groups
  • Ethnographies

Major 7 help brands reach their true potential by employing a strategic approach involving the

“4 C’s”. We uncover subconscious brand associations in the recesses of Consumers’ minds, combine these with insights that differentiate the brand from Competitors, take great consideration of Cultural trends, and ensure alignment with the brand-owning Company’s philosophy, history and DNA. The result is development of an ownable brand territory that resonates powerfully with the target consumer.

Our brand strategy work includes:

  • Brand Identity and Positioning
  • Brand Purpose
  • Portfolio Architecture
  • Messaging and Design Strategy

Sometimes it takes an outsider to envision new applications or market for a product. Major 7 can help chart these new opportunities for your brand’s future. We look at consumer psychology and dynamics, cultural and competitive trends, and your brand’s unique heritage to define new territories for growth within your brand’s parameters. We develop exploratory research, generate new product and service concepts, test these concepts, and help bring them to life.

Our innovation services include:

  • Exploratory Qualitative Research
  • Innovation Platform Development
  • Concept Writing and Development
  • Qualitative Concept Testing
  • Naming
  • Visual Identity & Packaging Design

DARYL WEBER

Managing Director

Daryl’s groundbreaking work in consumer research and brand strategy has taken iconic brands to new levels. 

As Global Director of Creative Strategy at Coca-Cola Company, he developed new product innovation, consumer insights, brand positioning and brand strategy for many of the company’s billion-dollar brands. 

Daryl advised Fortune 100 companies, including Diageo, Pepsico, Nike, Johnson & Johnson, and Pfizer as Director of Strategy at the agency Redscout. For Saatchi & Saatchi, he worked on Procter and Gamble brands (Pampers, Old Spice) and General Mills brands (Total, Wheaties, Fiber One cereals, Fruit Roll Ups).

brand-seduction

Daryl authored Brand Seduction: How Neuroscience Can Help Marketers Build Memorable Brands. In it, he shares his study of the unconscious mind and how to unlock it to create more compelling and successful brands. Thousands of copies have been sold worldwide.

Daryl authored Brand Seduction: How Neuroscience Can Help Marketers Build Memorable Brands. In it, he shares his study of the unconscious mind and how to unlock it to create more compelling and successful brands. Thousands of copies have been sold worldwide.

Image assets © Diageo.  Website © Faccio/Deneen Group, LLC 2023. All Rights Reserved

Discovering Brand Preference Rationale

  • Challenge: Uncover the real reasons why Ketel One is a preferred vodka. Diageo purchased the brand and needed to know in order to drive growth.
  • Approach:
    • Series of focus groups
    • Projective exercises
    • Deep dive into brand’s history
  • Discovery: Ketel One is more masculine, robust, bold, and strong compared to the cold, sleek, minimalist style of competing brands.
  • Results: A completely new marketing strategy and creative campaign was developed, fueling U.S. revenue growth and paying off for Diageo.

Image assets © The Coca-Cola Company.  Website © Faccio/Deneen Group, LLC 2023. All Rights Reserved

Innovating for New Products

  • Challenge:  Conceive new Coca-Cola products and services to maintain and build brand love with Gen Z.
  • Approach
    • Innovation brainstorm sessions
    • Conceptualize, name and illustrate new products and services
    • Focus grouped across the country to test and refine 40 ideas
    • Determine lead concepts for quantitative testing
  • Discovery: Tapping into nostalgia, Americana, and the ”magic” of Coca-Cola, the brand can come to life in exciting new ways for Gen Z.
  • Results: Five concepts exceeded established quantitative benchmarks and are moving forward towards development and launch.

Image assets © Alex Yeung | Shutterstock, Google.  Website © Faccio/Deneen Group, LLC 2023. All Rights Reserved.

Reframing How Advertisers See YouTube

  • Challenge:  Shift advertisers’ perception of YouTube from a “digital marketing channel” to a mainstream, “above the line” medium.
  • Approach
    • Market Research
    • Brainstorming Workshops
  • Discovery: Gen Z cares less about a singular mainstream version of culture. They’re interested in specific niches within. Subcultures are the new mainstream. This is why they go to YouTube. 
  • Results: Insights led to a new B2B messaging strategy that helped marketers tap into the target’s preferred subcultures and niches.

Image assets © Rémy Cointreau.  Website © Faccio/Deneen Group, LLC 2023. All Rights Reserved

Understanding the Luxury Spirits Drinker

  • Challenge: Explore what truly drives the luxury spirits drinker. Identify mental associations between Remy Cointreau and target the consumer. Strengthen their emotional connection.
  • Approach:
    • Ethnographies with luxury spirit drinkers in home, bars, clubs in LA and NYC
    • Interviews with club owners, retailers, journalists
    • Cultural study of modern luxury
  • Discovery: Luxury spirits are products of aspiration, conjuring feelings of becoming the person the target wants to be.
  • Results: A deep psychological understanding of the person who buys luxury spirits improved how Remy Cointreau’s high-end brands resonate with this crowd.

Image assets © Bedfellow.  Website © Faccio/Deneen Group, LLC 2023. All Rights Reserved

Modernizing Sleepwear for Men

  • Challenge: Reinvent and modernize the old fashioned pajama category for men.
  • Approach:
    • Confirm gap in consumer satisfaction
    • Develop and design product
    • Position and design brand
    • Develop name
    • Source supply chain and manufacturing
    • Strategize marketing
    • Produce messaging
  • Discovery: The sleepwear market for men hasn’t changed in decades. Men want improved sleep, and to look better in the process.
  • Results: Bedfellow launched June 2021, received rave product reviews, numerous PR mentions, and is experiencing profitable growth.