The client is a French paint manufacturer and specializes in premium architectural coatings paint (a highly specialized product) at competitive prices for both normal as well as specialized target groups. Packaging was an innovation area for the company and banked heavily on it’s smaller SKUs. 

They have been able to serve a niche market with almost no competition from the large paint manufacturers and hence have had sustainable profitable growth in the previous years. 

(A) The company main focus now was market expansion by entering key markets with strategic importance and future growth potential. While the focus was on USA, key markets (cities) needed to be figured out based on specialized criteria catering the company’s future plans. 

(B) They needed help in shortlisting the market to be targeted being in line with the current product portfolio and customer focus. They also needed guidance on ascertaining newer customer groups and fine-tuning existing ones based on the nature of demand and its associated utility. 

Since the company was evaluating a completely new geography, the issues started with understanding the market itself, along with its needs and specific characteristics - packaging, pricing, partnerships, etc. This was crucial in deciding the 

They also had little experience in driving am effective marketing strategy in this new geography and needed requisite support. 

The market sizing tool was developed to form a bench-marking index of priority cities to focus. It was based on (but not limited to) ease of use, market stage, customer price sensitivity and other factors.

A phased approach to capture the market was suggested, which expanded from independent and single retailers, to all the way to big box retailers. Respective effort needed to convert these accounts was also adequately mapped. 

Trade shows and other marketing campaign ideas were suggested with specific consumer level directed insights to build suitable messaging.