Define the Brief
Set the foundation for your brand study. A clear brief ensures alignment on what you are investigating, who you are investigating it for, and how you will measure success.
Study Brief Template
Fill in each section to create a complete brand study brief. All fields are editable and stored in your session.
Collect Inputs
Gather all relevant internal and external source materials. Cast a wide net, then filter for relevance and quality during synthesis.
Source Notes
Track links and notes for materials you have collected or still need.
Synthesize Findings
Look across all collected inputs to surface patterns, tensions, unmet needs, and differentiators. Generate hypotheses to validate — not "truths" unless they are proven.
What recurring themes emerge across inputs?
Where do customer expectations and brand reality conflict?
What are customers asking for that nobody fully delivers?
What makes KITSCH uniquely positioned to win?
Hypotheses are not conclusions. They are testable statements that need evidence before they become strategic recommendations.
Build Audience Profiles
Create 2-4 personas grounded in real data. Each persona should represent a distinct motivation cluster, not a demographic checkbox.
Identify the "kitsch moments" — routine moments and life triggers when customers are most open to discovering or repurchasing KITSCH products.
Map Competitive Landscape
Analyze 6-10 competitors (direct and adjacent) to identify where KITSCH sits today and where white space exists for differentiation.
Direct & Adjacent Competitors
List 6-10 competitors. Include both direct competitors (same category, same customer) and adjacent competitors (different category, overlapping customer).
Plot competitors on these axes to visualize strategic positioning. Use the map below as a reference framework.
Price vs. Premium Feel
Sustainability vs. Convenience
Playful vs. Minimal
Where do the differentiation maps reveal open space that KITSCH could credibly own?
Positioning & Messaging
Craft the positioning statement, value propositions, messaging architecture, and voice guidelines that will guide all brand communications.
Draft 1-2 positioning options
Format: For [target audience] who [need/desire], KITSCH is the [category] that [key benefit] because [reason to believe].
3-5 value props with proof points
Each value prop should be specific, defensible, and tied to evidence.
- Use conversational, warm language
- Celebrate everyday moments
- Be specific about product benefits
- Lead with positivity, not fear
- Keep it simple and jargon-free
- Use clinical or overly scientific tone
- Talk down to the customer
- Make vague, unsupported claims
- Use shame or insecurity as motivation
- Sound corporate or impersonal
Recommendations & Experiments
Translate study findings into a phased action plan and testable experiments. Prioritize quick wins and high-impact bets.
Design experiments to validate positioning and messaging. Each experiment should have a clear hypothesis and success metric.