Since the days of David vs. Goliath the underdog has won out over the big guys. As the leading food and drink agency, the underdog or as we call it ‘challenger brand mind-set’ is one we love. There is nothing better than shaking-up a market with a new entrant who can re-write the rules and take no prisoners. Don’t get me wrong, there is a place for the big household names and we are lucky enough to work with a number of food and drink big boys across foodservice, convenience, retail and consumer markets, but even when we’re working with the established names we bring a challenger brand mentality to bear.

It’s about angles and disruption, about bringing something new and making your mark, and we would argue that the new guys often come from exactly that place, but that doesn’t mean those who have been around the block a few times can’t get in the same head-space and use it to their advantage. In this age of social media the barriers to entry that were once there are no longer. Small guys can punch well above their weight with the right communications, just as equally a challenger brand mind-set can help the big guys make waves.

It is often the case that new niche brands get PR pick-up because they are exactly that, something new, but equally established brands have the resources and the experience to create some of the most innovative NPD. The fact remains it comes down to an entrepreneurial mind-set and the empowerment to make things happen. The analogy of a speed boat vs. a tanker is commonly used to compare new agile brands to their more established counterparts, but taking that analogy one step on, what’s stopping those tankers sending out some ribs? – safe in the knowledge that they have the tanker on a steady path but can take some risks with the super speedy off shoots.

At Jellybean we love working with clients who believe in their brand and have the passion and the confidence to push boundaries and take risks whatever their size. We have helped challenger brands such as Aviko and Almondy launch into the UK and have worked with them for over ten years, seeing them flourish and become established brands across foodservice and retail with our continued support. We are also pleased to be working with some exciting new artisan challenger brands such as Morocco Gold and ManiLife at the start of their journey. Whilst on the flip-side we have market leaders such as Tilda, Hobart, McCormick and Nutella who number amongst our long standing clients and where we can bring our challenger brand mind-set to bear helping to keep them fresh and relevant in the ever changing world of food, drink and equipment marketing. An approach which has been born-out by the number of accolades and awards as well as positive feedback that we have picked up along the way.

It’s about the why, not the what, it’s about brands that have a purpose. In these days of analysis and ROI we mustn’t forget that if you aim for the lowest common denominator you’ll get what everyone else is doing and of course the definition of madness is continuing to do the same thing time and again and expecting a different result. Sometimes being brave is the safest route to success, whatever your size and with the right expertise, the right insight and of course the right product, it can really deliver dividends.

I’ll leave you with this thought from Gail Hyatt – “People lose their way when they lose their why.” Something that is equally true for brands whatever their size.

Jellybean Creative is a leading food and drink agency. We help top brands with foodservice pr, foodservice marketing, digital and design. If you feel we could help you with your marcomms, strategy, public relations, creative or digital then drop us a line today.

@JellybeanAgency