Small Brand. Difficult Market. What Can Start-Ups Do to Break Through? / 4-20-16

Frozen Mousse on a Stick. That'll Sell, Right?

When we first met the Moüsseworks™ folks that wasn't their name. In fact, they had to totally reinvent themselves specifically because the marketplace for frozen desserts is so crowded! Their 'pie on a stick' needed a new product name, and their burgeoning dessert company needed an entirely new name, brand and the works. But where to begin? Moto knows that strong names in the food industry come from deep roots in food. We identified those roots and explored the culture around their creation: it's history, it's baggage. And with that came the pinnings that drove all decisions going forward. The name Moüsseworks and their product the Moüssebar™ were born.

Cultural Shifts Can Be Game Changers.

Their product is unlike any other in that it's not ice cream. It's not pie. It doesn't even really need to be frozen, or on a stick. They wondered if their peculiar dessert would even be recognized among the vast swaths of frozen dessert bars in the freezer sections across the nation. Moto knew the answer was in their weakness. Because most new products would 'die' for such a strong product personality, to 'stand out' in the marketplace. It's dessert Jiu-Jitsu! (visualize one guy in a robe using another guys weight against him, for the win) We used it's 'not-ice-cream-ness', it's unusual texture, it's super rich ingredients and most of all, it's unique cultural pinnings as the cornerstones for their brand platform, and Voila! The Moüssebar became perfectly primed to get noticed.

Yeah, But What's Going to Make a Shopper Choose Our Package Design?

Oh psychology. It really is a contextual game: who your brand shares shelf space with is as important to consumer choices as what your package looks like. And since shelf placement opportunities and the competition are constantly changing, how do we know how to get inside their heads and make our brand known? There are as many answers to that question as there are products in the world. But the best ones keep it simple and stick to their points of differentiation. Moüsseworks is a playful creation. But one that's grounded in richness too. It's not a rigid, overly self-aware, unobtainable piece of dessert perfection. We lead with those truths. And now when 'oh, I've had that before' is an option sitting next to a Moüssebar box, we've found that customers with a passion for food exploration are highly likely to indulge their curiosity.

Moto has the experience to get you the stand-out results you’re looking for.

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