Gnarly Jerky Case Study
Background
We began with an audit of the landscape, determining how the majority of the more than 300 jerky brands on sale in the U.S. Market were positioned, and determined the proposed positioning versus the competition. Our industry audit determined that even in this noisy space with 5 major players making up 80% of the product volume and hundreds of upstarts and hangers-on, there was white space for Gnarly to be successful, and their product was a great fit for filling that space between the traditional overly processed products and the high-end newer products.
The challenge was their branding was misaligned with their product. SoCal Approach Marketing and Consulting Group was commissioned to assist Gnarly Jerky in branding, naming, messaging, packaging, positioning, and a sales strategy for its stable of protein snacks.
Overview
Gnarly Jerky was founded to provide a premium alternative to the rest of the snack products on the market, especially the traditional, “gut-stuffing“ jerky market. The founder, a classically trained chef, developed a series of unique and tasty flavors she believed were far superior to those available on store shelves. Believing they had both a higher-quality product and better flavors, Gnarly approached SoCal to help them determine how to stand out in a crowded marketplace.
Problems Faced
No true understanding of
the salty snack category
Lack of brand recognition
The desire to be seen as “Premium” in the space, but a lack of alignment on packaging and messaging
Lack of distribution
and sales
SoCal completed research on the industry and determined to rebrand and position the product as “Gnarly Premium Cut Jerky.”
Solution
Our Effort Resulted In…
1
A full rebrand, including new logos, packaging, and flavor names, and descriptions.
2
Updated messaging based on a new Mission, Vision, and Value Propositions.
3
Repositioning their products into two categories including “Gnarly Global Flavors” to validate the premium offering at a premium price.
4
A relaunch of their distribution, including website as well as an Amazon store.
5
Innovative marketing and promotions, including fundraising and promotional programs to increase momentum in marketplace.
6
Successful support for executive management to present Gnarly offerings to shareholders, investors, and potential retail partners, resulting in millions of dollars in investment and sales.
7
Execution of a messaging strategy including social media, postings, PR placement of stories about the product and positioning Gnarly Jerky as part of an active lifestyle.
