The brand plan for Gray's Cookies outlines strategies to increase awareness and trial among mainstream consumers. Key issues include whether to prioritize new users or frequency among loyalists. Strategies include advertising Gray's "stay in control" positioning to appeal to health-conscious consumers and using a sales blitz to expand distribution from 62% to 72%. A competitive defense plan aims to attack competitors' credibility by highlighting Gray's lower calorie count. Goals are to increase penetration to 12% and awareness to 42% through sampling and advertising targeting "Proactive Preventers".

1. Brand plan includes the vision, purpose, goals, analysis,
key issues, strategies, execution plans and measurements
Brand Plan
format

2. Case Study: Gray’s Cookies
Gray’s Cookies is a 40-year-old family recipe, used for years in a local coffee shop in Stowe
Vermont. Gray’s was a local favorite and even among tourists, famous for it’s Chocolate Chip
and Peanut Butter flavors. No one realized it was also a healthy treat—low fat, low calories.
With the growing health trend, the Gray family decided to capitalize and launched Gray’s on
a regional basis in New England and received moderate success. In 2005, one of Boston’s
internationally known health experts came out with a glowing review of Gray’s. Other
nutritionists backed Gray’s. The brand was now receiving national attention and demand.
Using the regional sales results, Gray’s gained a national listing at Whole Foods in 2006. Other food retailers
took notice and Gray’s secured listings at Safeway, Kroger, Tops and A&P. Gray has a strong listing base at
food, but limited in other channels. Gray’s launched one new product every 2 years, with Oatmeal in 2009,
Peanut Butter in 2011 and Cranberry in 2013. Only Peanut Butter is meeting current sales thresholds. Gray’s
success came from “proactive preventer” consumers, who claim to work out 3+ times per week and ‘read
labels before eating’. Gray’s is loved among the very tight niche, but has yet to be embraced by mainstream
consumers. The brand’s awareness is soft, trial is fair, and conversion to purchase is very strong because of
the taste. Gray’s recently conducted a blind taste study shows Gray’s is as good as the market leaders. On
top of that, watching what Special K was doing, they did a study that showed if you used Gray’s as a Desert
replacement, consumers could lose 5lbs over 12 weeks. The current customer value proposition is targeting
Healthy Proactive Preventers. Arguably, Gray’s is a beloved brand already among that niche target. Where
else can they go, in order to get a broader mainstream audience? Main benefit is balance of taste and health.
Emotional connection is the guilt-free zone; allowing consumers to cheat, yet stay in control of their diet.
Reason to believe is one backing up of the taste and the other the health. Natural ingredient is a bit of a
throw away re-enforcement, maybe for the packaging.
The big question for Gray’s is how do you gain a broader audience for Gray’s? Or do we try to get current
users to use more. How do we use Advertising to drive more awareness? What role does gaining a broader
distribution play? And while there’s been mixed success using innovation, what’s the plan going forward?

3. Brand
Plan
Analysis Issues and Strategies Execution Plans
P&L forecast
• Sales $30,385
• Gross Margin $17,148
• GM % 56%
• Marketing Budget $8,850
• Contribution Margin $6,949
• CM% 23%
Drivers
• Taste drives a high conversion of Trial to
Purchase
• Strong Listings in Food Channels
• Exceptional brand health scores among Early
Adopters. Highly Beloved Brand among niche.
Inhibitors
• Low familiar yet to turn our sales into loyalty
• Awareness held back due to weak Advertising
• Low distribution at specialty stores. Poor
coverage.
• Low Purchase Frequency among most loyal.
Risks
• Launch of Mainstream cookie brands
(Pepperidge Farms and Nabisco).
• De-listing 2 weakest skus weaken in-store
presence
• Legal challenge to taste claims
Opportunities
• R&D has 5 new flavors in development.
• Sales Broker create gains at Specialty Stores
• Explore social media to convert loyal following.
Key Issues
1. What’s the priority choice for growth: find new
users or drive usage frequency among
loyalists?
2. Where should the investment/resources focus
and deployment be to drive our awareness
and share needs for Gray’s?
3. How will we defend Gray’s against the
proposed Q1 2014 ‘healthy cookie’ launches
from Pepperidge Farms and Nabisco?
Strategies
1. Continue to attract new users to Gray’s
2. Focus investment on driving awareness and
trial with new consumers and building a
presence at retail.
3. Build defense plan against new entrants that
defends with consumers and at store level.
Goals
• Increase penetration from 10% to 12%,
specifically up from 15% to 20% with the core
target. Monitor usage frequency among the
most loyal to ensure it stays steady.
• Increase awareness from 33% to 42%,
specifically up from 45% to 50% within the
core target. Drive trial from 15% to 20%. Focus
for sales to close distribution from 62% to 72%.
• Hold dollar share during competitive launches
and continue to grow 11% post launch gaining
up to 1.2% share. Target zero losses at shelf.
Advertising
• Use awareness to drive trial of the new Grays.
Target “Proactive Preventers”. Suburban
working women, 35-40.Main Message of “great
tasting cookie without the guilt, so you can stay
in control of your health”. Media includes 15
second TV, specialty health magazines, event
signage, digital and social media
Sampling
• Drive trial with In-store sampling at grocery,
Costco, health food stores and event sampling
at fitness, yoga, women’s networking, new
moms.
Distribution
• Support Q4 retail blitz with message focused
on holding shelf space during the competitive
launches. Q2 specialty blitz to grow distribution
at key specialty stores.
Innovation
• Launch two new flavours in Q4/15 & Q4/16.
Explore diet claims, motivating and own-able.
Competitive Defense Plan
• Pre Launch sales blitz to shore up all
distribution gaps. At launch, heavy
merchandising, locking up key ad dates,
BOGO. TV, print, coupons, in-store sampling.
• Use sales story that any new “healthy” cookies
should displace under-performing and
declining unhealthy cookies.
Brand Vision: To be the first ‘healthy cookie’ to generate the craving, popularity and sales of a mainstream cookie. $100 Million brand by 2020.
Annual Brand Plan

4. Brand
Plan
Brand Vision
To be the first ‘healthy cookie’ to generate the craving, popularity and sales of a
mainstream cookie. Make Gray’s a $100 Million brand by 2020.
Our purpose
At Gray’s, our purpose is to give people the cookie they will never feel guilty
about eating. We know healthy can taste great.
2016 Goals
Goals 2019 2020 Comments
Sales $27.5M $30.38M 11% growth rate
Share 0.8% 1.2% New triple chocolate 0.5% share
Distribution 62% 72% Increase coming mainly from fixing specialty.
Awareness 33% 42% Below norm, 80% among niche, < 20% overall
Purchase 10% 12% Brand promise & sampling helps drive trial.
Repeat 4% 5% High quality Taste converts high repeat

5. Brand
Plan
Sales Projection
Forecast for 2016 $27,354 Current LE for the year.
Forecasted Gains Comments
Added Awareness $6,565 New consumers become aware of Grays
Higher Trial Rate 2,000 Using awareness and sampling to drive trial
Wal-Mart listing 340 New food listing
C store Listing 200 Based on success of last year's test
New Innovation 1,500 Two new flavours in Q3
Forecasted Declines
Two New Launches 4,500 Ipsos predicted impact on Gray's
Lost spring displays 630 Cancelled displays to pay for defense plan
Discontinued flavors 430 Cutting two worst performers
Net Forecast for 2017 $30,385 Expected gain for 2017 will be +11% growth.

6. Brand
Plan
Profit Projections
2015 2016 2017
$ g% $ g% $ g% Comments
Net Sales 21,978 44% 27,354 24% 30,385 11% With 2 competitors launching, growth will slow to +11%
Cost of Goods Sold 10,333 40% 12,606 22% 13,237 5% New plant production has given lower cost of goods.
Gross Margin 11,645 49% 14,748 27% 17,148 16% Gross margins continue to make efficiency gains.
GM % 53% 54% 56%
R&D 346 3% 352 2% 360 2% Holding steady R&D flavor innovation budget.
Marketing Budget 5,528 22% 7,962 44% 8,850 11% Spending up in line with the sales forecast.
Ad Merchandisers 568 22% 855 51% 850 -1%
TV 1200 42% 900 -25% 1200 33% Increased budget as part of defense plan
On Line 233 3% 480 106% 900 88% Staying competitive with shift to on line.
Print 1355 22% 1050 -86% 1000 -100% Continued use of specialty health magazines
PR 59 15% 77 31% 200 160%
Sampling 500 4% 1200 140% 1400 17% Sampling is part of the mix to drive trial. Defense Plan.
Sponsorship 100 33% 500 400% 0 -100%
Research 200 55% 300 50% 500 67% Added tracking of two competitive launches.
Packaging 133 66% 100 -25% 50 -50%
Display 430 44% 1300 202% 1400 8% Lock up displays during the competitive launches.
Trade 750 1200 60% 1350 13% Increased trade spend to stay competitive.
Other SG&A 2,000 22% 289 -86% 989 242%
Contribution Income 3,771 22% 6,145 63% 6,949 13% Gains coming from production efficiencies.
CI % 17% 22% 23%

7. Brand
Plan
Drivers
• Taste drives a high conversion of Trial to Purchase (65% vs. norm of
50%).
• Strong Listings has driven strong Distribution in Food Channels (95%)
• Exceptional brand health scores among Early Adopters (“Proactive
Preventers”) making it a highly Beloved Brand among the niche.
Inhibitors
• Brand Funnel scores show that we are still a niche player (low familiar),
but have yet to turn our sales into strong following (low loyalty)
• Awareness among mainstream target (20%) held back due to weak
Advertising scores. Low Attention scores and Brand Link scores.
• Low distribution at specialty stores at only 16%. Poor sales coverage.
• Low Purchase Frequency (2.2 boxes per year vs. norm of 7.3) even
among the most loyal early adopters.
Drivers and Inhibitors

8. Brand
Plan
Risks
• Mainstream cookie brands could enter the ‘health’ segment through
R&D or Acquisition. Rumors that Pepperidge Farms will launch in Q1
2014, and Nabisco Q3 2014.
• De-listing of our 2 weakest skus (Oatmeal and Cranberry) because of
POS thresholds, could weaken our in-store presence down to 3 skus.
• Legal Challenge to “tastes as good as your favorite cookie”.
Opportunities
• R&D has 5 new flavors in development. Could launch Peanut Butter in
Q4 of 2013 (top 15% in testing), Chocolate Chunks in Q2 of 2014 (top
50%)
• Specialty Sales Broker could specifically target Specialty Stores, which
are in high growth mode (+15% per year)
• Explore social media options as a vehicle for converting strong loyal
following into a more mainstream mass appeal.
Risks and Opportunities

9. Brand
Plan
Key Issues and Strategies
What’s the priority for growth:
driving new users or driving
frequency among current users?
How do we fix the distribution gaps
to add to Gray’s momentum?
1
2
How will we defend Gray’s against
the proposed Q1 2014 ‘healthy
cookie’ launch from Nabisco?
3
Key Issues Strategies
Attack Nabisco’s ‘healthy’ credibility
by having 60% higher calories
Drive trial by advertising Gray’s
“stay in control” positioning
Fix Gray’s distribution gaps with a
sales force blitz at food and drug

10. Brand
Plan
Strategy #1: Drive trial by advertising Gray’s
“stay in control” positioning
Strategic Objective:
• Advertise Gray’s “stay in control” positioning to new “proactive preventers” to move consumers
from consideration to trial and steal competitive users.
Goals:
• Increase penetration from 10% to 12%, specifically up from 15% to 20% with the core target.
Monitor usage frequency among the most loyal to ensure it stays steady.
Tactical Program:
• Ensure all programs target the “Proactive Preventer” target, who is 35-40 female, who work out 3x
a week.
• Use “guilt free treat” message across advertising, packaging, in-store and events, which has tested
as the most motivating and own-able message for Gray’s.
• Recommend a balanced consumer marketing mix of advertising to drive positioning and sampling
to drive trial. More details are outlined on the next strategy.
Watch out:
• At this point, we believe the product taste and consumer habits around healthy eating can help
drive frequency of use.

11. Brand
Plan
Strategy #2: Fix Gray’s distribution gaps with
a sales force blitz at food and drug
Strategic Objective:
• Sales force blitz to fix Gray’s distribution gaps at drug and mass to continue Gray’s momentum
and strengthen Gray’s market share.
Goal:
• Focus for sales is to close distribution gaps going from 62% to 72%. Increase distribution up to
90% at food and 70% at national drug stores. Gain fair share of merchandising in all channels.
Tactical Program:
• Use sales blitz team to increase distribution at specialty stores, while holding shelf space at
grocery, health stores during the competitive launches. Focus on increasing distribution from
62% to 72%.
• Leverage key results, planogram recommendations and in-store specialty store merchandising
team to build displays, manage shelf sets.
• Drive fair share of shelf, merchandising and leverage in-store sampling to gain added display.
Watch outs:
• Trying to do too many activities overloads the team, watch the working/non-working marketing
spend.

12. Brand
Plan
Strategy #3: Attack Nabisco’s ‘healthy’
credibility by having 60% higher calories
Strategic Objective:
• Continue to dominate healthy cookie segment, owning “great tasting lowest calorie” claims pointing
out Nabisco’s 30% higher calories to help maintain Gray’s loyal fan base.
Goal:
• Hold dollar share during competitive launches and continue to grow 11% post launch gaining up to
1.2% share. Target zero losses at shelf.
Tactical Program:
• Pre-launch (Q4) sales team to shore up all distribution gaps. Leverage category data to close deals.
At launch defense plan (Q1) includes heavy merchandising, locking up key ad dates and BOGO.
• Marketing support (Q1) includes 15s TV ads and high frequency magazine 1/3 page ads to muddy
airwaves, coupons and in-store sampling.
• Use sales story that any new “healthy” cookies should displace under-performing and declining
unhealthy cookies.
Watch outs:
• Stay aware of exact timing to ensure focused defense plan lines up. Cannot lose our shelf space.
Hold $2 Million contingency defense plan for Q2/Q3 timing, depending on performance of the
competitive launches.

13. Brand
Plan
Brand Communications Plan
Strategy:
• Advertise Gray’s “stay in control” positioning to new “proactive preventers” to move consumers
from consideration to trial and steal competitive users.
Target Market:
• “Proactive Preventers”. Suburban working women, 35-40, who do what it takes to stay healthy.
Main Benefit:
• Guilt free cookie that tastes so good that you can stay in control of your health.
Support Points:
• Blind taste tests, Gray’s matched the leaders on taste, but only 100 calories and 3g of net carbs.
• 12-week study, consumers using Gray’s once a night as a desert were able to lose 5-10 pounds.
Brand Idea:
• Grays are the best tasting yet guilt free pleasure.
What do we want consumers to think, do or feel? Desired Response:
• Try Grays to see if you like the great taste.
Media Options
• Main creative will be TV 15-second spot, with specialty health magazines, event signage and in-
store sampling. Want to carry the idea into digital, social media and a website.

14. Brand
Plan
Consumer Experience Plan
Strategy:
• Use in-store and event sampling to get consumers to try and experience the Grays Cookies.
• Free sample packs at 2,000 gyms/yoga studio that can be taken in their lunch bags.
Target Market:
• “Proactive Preventers”. Suburban working women, 35-40, who do what it takes to stay healthy.
Main Benefit:
• Guilt free cookie that tastes so good that you can stay in control of your health.
Support Points:
• Blind taste tests, Gray’s matched the leaders on taste, but only 100 calories and 3g of net carbs.
• 12-week study, consumers using Gray’s once a night as a desert were able to lose 5-10 pounds.
Brand Idea:
• Grays are the best tasting yet guilt free pleasure.
What do we want consumers to think, do or feel? Desired Response:
• Try Grays to see if they like the great taste.
Location Options
• In-store sampling: grocery, Costco, health food stores. Event Sampling: Fitness Shows, Yoga
events, Women’s networking and new Mom groups.

15. Brand
Plan
Category Management Plan
Strategy:
• Gain added distribution points at specialty stores. Hold shelf space at grocery, health stores
during the competitive launches. Focus on increasing distribution from 62% to 72%.
Target Market:
• “Proactive Preventers”. Suburban working women, 35-40, who do what it takes to stay healthy.
Main Benefit:
• Guilt free cookie that tastes so good that you can stay in control of your health.
Support Points:
• Blind taste tests, Gray’s matched the leaders on taste, but only 100 calories and 3g of net carbs.
• 12-week study, consumers using Gray’s once a night as a desert were able to lose 5-10 pounds.
Big Idea:
• Grays are the best tasting yet guilt free pleasure.
What do we want people to think, do or feel? Desired Response:
• Try Grays to see if they like the great taste.
Programs:
• Support Q4 retail blitz with message focused on holding shelf space during the competitive
launches. Q2 specialty blitz to grow distribution at key specialty stores.

16. Brand
Plan
Sales and Retail Plan
Sales Strategy:
• Fix Gray’s distribution gaps with a sales force blitz at food and drug
Tactics
• Leverage key results, planogram recommendations and in-store specialty store merchandising
team to build displays, manage shelf sets.
• Drive fair share of shelf, merchandising and leverage in-store sampling to gain added display.
• Sales blitz team to increase distribution at specialty stores, while holding shelf space at grocery,
health stores during the competitive launches. Focus on increasing distribution from 62% to 72%.
Consumer Target Market:
• “Proactive Preventers”. Suburban working women, 35-40, who do what it takes to stay healthy.
Main Benefit:
• Guilt free cookie that tastes so good that you can stay in control of your health.
Brand Idea:
• Grays are the best tasting yet guilt free pleasure.
What do we want consumers to think, do or feel? Desired Response:
• Try Grays to see if they like the great taste.
Retail Programs
• Q2 specialty blitz to grow distribution at key specialty stores.
• Q4 retail blitz with message focused on holding shelf space during the competitive launches.
• Gain displays for back-to-school promotional lunch program.

17. Brand
Plan
Innovation Plan
Strategy:
• Leverage stage gate process to gain approvals and consumer acceptance. Continually launch
new flavors, expanding the Gray’s line up. Leverage 2 new innovations to build the Gray’s line up
around key flavor trends among our “proactive preventer” target.
Target Market:
• ‘Proactive- preventers’, suburban working women, 35-40, who do whatever it takes to stay
healthy.
Main Benefit:
• Guilt free cookie that tastes so good that you can stay in control of your health.
Support Points:
• Blind taste tests, Gray’s matched the leaders on taste, but only 100 calories and 3g of net carbs.
• 12-week study, consumers using Gray’s once a night as a desert were able to lose 5-10 pounds.
Brand Idea:
• Grays are the best tasting yet guilt free pleasure.
Internal Beacon:
• Healthy doesn’t have to taste bad. We need to make healthy, low carb cookies that never settles
on taste. Continue to push the taste profile to ensure we are as good as the non-healthy cookies.
Programs:
• Launch Lemon Poppyseed in 2017, Lemon in 2018. Explore new formats and diet claims
motivating to target and own-able for Gray’s.

18. Brand
Plan
Competitive Defence Plan
Strategy:
• Build defense plan against new entrant that defends with consumers and at store level. Hold dollar
share during launch and continue to grow 11% post launch gaining up to 1.2% share. Target zero
losses at shelf.
Target:
• Current heavy users of Gray’s, so we can hold on to them during the first few months of the launch.
Leverage the excitement of two new launches to gain new users. “Proactive Preventers”. Suburban
working women, 35-40, who do whatever it takes to stay healthy.
Big Idea:
• Grays are the best tasting yet guilt free pleasure
Desired Response:
• Try Grays to see if they like the great taste.
Program:
• Pre-launch (Q4) the sales team to shore up distribution gaps. Leverage data to close deals.
• At launch defense plan (Q1) includes heavy merchandising, locking up key ad dates and Buy-One-
Get-Ones (BOGOs).
• Marketing support (Q1) includes 15s TV ads and high frequency magazine 1/3 page ads to muddy
airwaves, couponing and in-store sampling.
• Use sales story that any new “healthy” cookies should displace under-performing and declining
unhealthy cookies.

19. Brand
Plan
Planning Activity Calendar
Activities J F M A M J J A S O N D
TV Adv. (15 sec)
Print in Health Magazines (full page)
Digital Ads
Social Media Hits
PR in health Magazines
In-store Sampling
Event Sampling
Retail Blitz
Special Store Blitz
In store BOGO
Display Program
FSI Couponing Programs
Communications Sampling In store Coupons

20. Brand
Plan
Marketing Budget Breakout
Activities 2014 2015 2016 Comments
Merchandisers Artwork 68 55 50 Merchandising went up significantly in 2015, we are expecting it to hold through 2016.
Signage 200 300 300
Fees 300 500 500
TV Advertising Production 350 0 350 We make a new TV spot every 2 years, needs re-fresh behind new message for 2016
Talent 50 50 50
Media 800 850 800 TV media holding at 800, as we shift some spend to on line.
Print Production 155 200 150 Major part of plan. Decline is more that we are shifting to on line version of same magazines.
Talent 100 100 100
Media 1100 850 750
On Line Production 50 100 100
Talent 15 20 80
Media 100 260 520 On line continues to grow as we look to online to target Healthy Proactive Preventers
Social Media 20 100 200 Using social media to connect to our most loyal users and creating a following for Gray’s.
Sampling Sample costs 100 300 350
Supplier 100 100 125 Both events and retailer sampling shown to drive a high conversion of trial to usage and
Event Costs 100 400 425 becoming a Loyal user. This will be a major part of our defense plan to tie up sampling events
Retailer Costs 200 400 500 In Q1 to thwart the competitive launch.
Research Tracking 100 150 250 Significant increase due to tracking of two new competitors plus ensuring Gray’s is healthy.
Testing 100 150 250
Other Marketing Packaging 133 100 50
Sponsorship 100 500 0 Sponsorship did not pay out so it was cut to fund increases in sampling and on line.
PR costs 59 77 200
Display Artwork 80 150 150 Display up significantly
Signage 200 350 400
Fees 150 700 850
Trade Marketing Coop/Display 750 1200 1350
MARKETING BUDGET 5480 7962 8850 Increased in line with sales growth. Contingency defense spend.

21. Brand
Plan
Brand Vision
• To be the first ‘healthy cookie’ to generate the craving, popularity and sales of a mainstream
cookie. Make Gray’s a $100 Million brand by 2020.
Strategies
1. Continue to attract new users to Gray’s
2. Focus investment on driving awareness and trial with new consumers and building a presence
at retail.
3. Build defense plan against new entrants that defends with consumers and at store level.
Objectives for 2016
1. Continue to gain new users for Gray’s, driving trial from 15% to 20% and household
penetration from 10% to 12%.
2. Hold Gray’s share during the two competitive launches and show 11% sales growth.
3. Increase Gray’s distribution from 61% to 72%, while increasing the footprint of “healthy
cookies” at the shelf.
Plan Summary