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The right question or creative exercise can unlock the hidden potential of a brand.
Whether it’s in the midst of a collaborative co-creation workshop, or in the intimate environment of ethnographic research in a mom’s kitchen, our deep toolbox of techniques (based in neuroscience and the science of creativity) enables us to discover the insight or idea that can propel the growth of your brand.
Our goal is to get you to AHA!
We believe that the aha! occurs when due diligence meets divine inspiration....and we have built our process to access the power of both.
Strategy and Insight
Techniques
Qualitative Research | Experiential Immersions | Category Crawls | Shop-alongs | Playgroups | Ethnographic Observation
Outputs
Brand Strategy & Positioning | Consumer Portrait | Creative Briefs | Purpose | Portfolio Management | Brand Architecture
How Next Step Can Help...
Kid Why: The underlying developmental psychological principles that explain why children do what they do, and why they buy what they buy....the foundation of powerful brand strategies and positioning.
Kid When: A segmented look at the 4-11 life-stage and how kids, their needs, motivations and wants change as they grow up....a precise targeting tool that fine tunes creative expression and activation.
Eight kinds of Fun: A deeper look at this critical component and common brand attribute to help clients identify the one(s) that can drive their business.
Conquering Cool: Not a trend study that lists "what" is cool at the moment, but rather an examination of "why" something is cool...so that brands seeking to be cool can build it for themselves.
Seven Faces of Mom: A strategic deconstruction of the primary motivations at the root of purchase decisions that moms make for their children.
Youth & Family Intelligence
Sampling of Research and Presentations:
Branding Workshops
Agency Optimizer
Client-side strategist with time, experience and ability to help your agency get to their best ideas quickly.
Brand Compass | BrainTrust Expert Panel | Consumer Co-creation Sessions | Brand Purpose | Adjacency Analysis
Brand Compass | BrainTrust Expert Panel | Consumer Co-creation sessions | Brand Purpose | Adjacency Analysis
Seven Faces of Mom: A strategic deconstruction of the primary motivations at the root of purchase decisions that moms make for their children.
Kid Why: The underlying developmental psychological principles that explain why children do what they do, and why they buy what they buy....the foundation of powerful brand strategies and positioning.
Kid When: A segmented look at the 4-11 life-stage and how kids, their needs, motivations and wants change as they grow up....a precise targeting tool that fine tunes creative expression and activation.
Eight kinds of Fun: A deeper look at this critical component and common brand attribute to help clients identify the one(s) that can drive their business.
Conquering Cool: Not a trend study that lists "what" is cool at the moment, but rather an examination of "why" something is cool...so that brands seeking to be cool can build it for themselves.
Youth & Family Intelligence
Sampling of Research and Presentations:
We help brands and leaders discover what they didn’t know they know, so they can see a clear path forward.
Case Studies
"When we first met Julie and the Next Step team, we thought we needed a new package design that was more modern and relevant. Thanks to Julie, we learned we had an even bigger opportunity and more powerful way to grow our business. She suggested that we embark on creating an updated brand positioning, corresponding brand name and THEN a full design exploratory to find the optimal expression of that idea. Next Step designed and executed a multi-stage work plan based in qualitative and quantitative consumer research that helped us move from a 100+ SKU collection of recipe kits to a powerful, relevant, contemporary brand – “Concord Fresh Success.” Feedback has been exceptional: retailers and consumers love the new strategy, name, cleaner ingredient list, and attention-getting packaging. We have been thrilled to have Julie and the Next Step Strategy team help Concord Foods get closer to our consumers and grow our business.”
— Peter Neville, Chairman Concord Foods
"Thanks to Julie, we learned we had an even bigger opportunity and more powerful way to grow our business."
"In my years as VP of Global Consumer Insights at General Mills and then as President and CEO of the Advertising Research Foundation, Julie stands out - as a consummate branding strategist who is especially insightful about each and every generation, up and down categories and verticals. She has a keen ability to translate insights into brand strategy and into creative ideas for growth and, quite simply, she delivers value wherever she goes.”
~Gayle Fuguitt, CEO & President, The Advertising Research Foundation
"Julie stands out–as a consummate branding strategist who is especially insightful about each and every generation."
“What makes Next Step stand out is that they’re brilliant at both Research and Consulting. You’re not just getting good research; you’re getting a strategic partner of a caliber that is very hard to find in a vendor. At Danone they are viewed as an extension of our team providing equal parts qualitative expertise and strategy building that is unparalleled.”
~Elizabeth Ackerley, Strategy & Insights, Danone USA
"At Danone they are viewed as an extension of our team."
“Julie Halpin Anderson and her team were instrumental in helping our team develop a revised Brand Strategy and Disease State messaging strategy. Her process and framework are comprehensive and robust, and ensured full alignment across the cross functional team at the close of our session. Her significant added-value is coming from her personality, her experience and her unique way to facilitate and push the group discussion to get and recognize key insights and use these to drive the generation of a revised, clear and concise strategy. We look forward to working with Julie again on other projects.”
~Adele Deering, Global Commercial Lead Endocrinology, Shire
"Her process and framework are comprehensive and robust, and ensured full alignment across the cross functional team at the close of our session."
Julie Halpin Anderson has been and will continue to be my trusted source to make sure that I am centered and to allow the members of our cherished company to keep doing what we do in the way that has made our company so special for almost the last 15 years. She has the ability to listen, speak and push back so you know that she has your best interests at heart. She brings other highly valued resources to serve the purpose of making us better. Julie is someone that has the curiosity to want to know more but the good sense to know when enough is enough. If you want a peer
and a guide as your coach, Julie will make sure that
you enjoy the journey.
~Steve Marlowe, CEO, Chef LMT Foods
"She has the ability to listen, speak and push back so you know that she has your best interests at heart."
"I'm so glad we opted to work with Julie and use her Brand Compass approach."
As a new brand company entering a crowded and complex market, we knew that we needed a considered, distinctive brand strategy if we were going to get the uptake we needed at launch. I'm so glad we opted to work with Julie and use her Brand Compass approach. We were struck by how effectively and efficiently this got us all to a place of consensus and enthusiasm for a clear, actionable brand strategy that really felt "like us."
Carla Small, CEO EarlyBird Education
