Our method

How the work is done.

The method connects market evidence, customer behaviour and operating constraints to a decision, a brief and a measurement plan.

The five stages

One sequence, adapted to the decision.

Understand the market

Establish the commercial facts before defining a brand problem.

Understand the customer

Understand what customers do, choose, avoid and expect.

Make the strategic choice

Compare explicit options and choose one the organisation can defend and apply.

Turn strategy into action

Convert the recommendation into instructions teams and agencies can use.

Measure and improve

Check what changes and decide what to maintain, correct or stop.

Analysis and sources

What is examined at each stage.

The scope is not standardised. Sources are selected according to the decision, the quality of available data, the markets involved and the investment under consideration.

Understand the market

Establish the commercial facts before defining a brand problem.

What we analyse

Category size and dynamics
Performance by market, product and channel
Competitor positioning, pricing, distribution and communication
Regulatory, technological and commercial changes relevant to the decision
Growth plans, operating constraints and investments already committed

Possible sources

Client sales data, CRM, research and reporting
Category studies, published results and available retailer data
Competitor audit across product, price, campaigns, social, retail and experience
Interviews with leadership, markets, sales teams and agencies

Decision or output

A testable definition of the problem, the markets to compare and the opportunities to examine further.

Understand the customer

Understand what customers do, choose, avoid and expect.

What we analyse

Needs, usage, barriers and reasons for choosing
Segments and audiences by current value and potential
Purchase paths, points of friction and reasons for dropping out
Communities, creators and sources of influence in the category
Behavioural differences between generations, markets and contexts

Possible sources

Existing research, segmentation, NPS, reviews and customer language
Customer interviews or qualitative research when required
Social listening, search behaviour, public conversations and content
Web, e-commerce, CRM, customer service and campaign performance data

Decision or output

Priority audiences, the behaviours the work needs to change and the proof required to persuade them.

Make the strategic choice

Compare explicit options and choose one the organisation can defend and apply.

What we analyse

Priority audience and commercial objective
Positioning, proposition and difference from the alternatives
Credibility of the promise and available proof
Consequences for the portfolio, offer, markets and channels
Risks, exclusions and conditions required for each option to work

Possible sources

Conclusions from the market and customer stages
Decision sessions with the relevant executives
Qualitative or quantitative testing when the decision warrants it
Assessment of internal capability, budget, timing and partners

Decision or output

An approved recommendation, a record of rejected options and criteria that protect the decision.

Turn strategy into action

Convert the recommendation into instructions teams and agencies can use.

What we analyse

The role of each channel and customer touchpoint
Priorities for campaigns, social, creators, PR, events and partnerships
Implications for product, retail, hospitality, web and CRM
Launch sequence, responsibilities and dependencies
Agency proposals against the approved strategy

Possible sources

Marketing plans, commercial calendars and media plans
Existing briefs, agency proposals and production constraints
Local team capability and market adaptation requirements
Feedback on concepts, prototypes, content and customer paths

Decision or output

A brief, roadmap, responsibilities and approval criteria precise enough for production to begin.

Measure and improve

Check what changes and decide what to maintain, correct or stop.

What we analyse

The starting position and the data genuinely available
Leading indicators linked to execution and customer response
Commercial results the work may contribute to
Differences between markets, audiences, channels and creative work
Decisions, assumptions and risks that need review over time

Possible sources

Brand tracking, campaign studies and customer research
Analytics, CRM, e-commerce, social and creator data
Sales, acquisition, conversion, adoption, retention and footfall
Qualitative review of content, experiences and market decisions

Decision or output

A limited dashboard of useful indicators, a review rhythm and rules for adaptation.

By engagement

The methods depend on the question.

Brand Diagnostic

Audit of existing data and work, focused interviews, competitor review and identification of causes. It determines what needs attention before a solution is funded.

Consumer & Market Intelligence

Desk research, internal data, interviews, social listening, community analysis, segmentation and market comparison selected according to the question.

Positioning

Options built from the available evidence, then compared with leadership against commercial, customer and operating criteria.

Launch or activation

Work backwards from the objective, audience and launch date to define the proposition, channels, brief, partners, calendar and KPIs.

Executive Advisory & AI Governance

Regular review of decisions, briefs, campaigns, AI uses and agency proposals. Each recommendation is recorded with an owner and due date.

Choosing between options

A recommendation requires trade-offs.

Options are presented with their evidence, consequences and risks. Leadership can see what it is approving and what it is choosing not to pursue. Criteria are agreed at the start of the engagement, then reused in agency reviews and launch decisions.

Customer value

Does the option answer an established need or behaviour?

Commercial case

Can it support growth, market entry, acquisition, preference or efficiency?

Credible difference

Can the brand defend the position with proof competitors are less able to claim?

Ability to execute

Can the teams, budget, channels, timing and partners apply it?

Recommendation to execution

The strategy has to remain intact through production.

Recommendation

The decision, reasons, exclusions and implications are recorded in an executive document.

Brief

The recommendation becomes a brief covering audience, objective, message, channel roles, constraints, outputs and evaluation criteria.

Selection and review

Teams or partners are selected for the requirement. Their proposals are compared with the approved decision, not personal taste.

Execution

Reviews take place while a decision can still be corrected: concept, prototype, production, market adaptation and launch.

Measurement

Measure what the work can reasonably influence.

The measurement plan is set before execution. It separates the quality of strategic application, customer response and commercial results. This avoids attributing to positioning alone what also depends on product, pricing, media, distribution or production quality.

Baseline: Perception, performance, consistency and behaviour before the work begins.
Application: Brief quality, market consistency, internal adoption, approval speed and reduction in rework.
Customer response: Awareness, consideration, preference, engagement, participation, trial and adoption.
Commercial results: Acquisition, conversion, penetration, retention, footfall or category growth when the data supports it.

NETWORK & IMPLEMENTATION

The team depends on the work required.

Moon Above leads the diagnosis, strategic decision and brief. When an engagement requires additional expertise, we work with the appropriate specialists across research, identity, creative, social, influence, content, experience, production and technology.

The client can retain existing agencies, ask Moon Above to support partner selection or appoint Moon Above to govern execution strategically. Responsibilities and decision rights are agreed before production begins.

Strategy Only

Moon Above delivers the recommendation, platform, brief and decision criteria. The client’s existing teams and partners then manage execution.

Partner Selection

Moon Above defines the expertise required, builds the shortlist, writes the brief, reviews proposals and supports the client’s choice.

Implementation Governance

Moon Above remains involved after the brief to review decisions, challenge partners and maintain the link between the approved strategy and launch.

Expertise brought in as required

Research · Strategy · Identity · Campaigns · Social · Creators · PR · Events · Retail · Digital · Technology · Production

What does your brand need to decide?

Tell us what is changing, what is no longer working and what decision your organisation needs to make.

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