“In my career, I’ve worked on three brands that I’ve taken from double-digit decline to double-digit growth in less than a year— Altoids, Slim Jim, and David Sunflower Seeds. In all three cases, it was not magic by any stretch of the imagination. It was about getting back to basics.”
Jeni and Ellen met at Wrigley over fifteen years ago. While there, Jeni launched an entirely new mega brand, 5 Gum, and revived a forgotten brand, Altoids. She went on to breathe new life into other brands at ConAgra, Kimberly-Clark, and Daisy with, some might say, “surgical precision.” She calls her methods “getting back to basics” (ya know, the 4Ps) but throughout our conversation, Jeni revealed several more “Ps” in her brand revival toolkit. Take note.
Highlights:
[0:45] Jeni’s career arc in her own words.
[1:45] Finding her J.A.M. with Leslie Perlow.
[3:50] The three turnarounds and “getting back to basics.”
[7:00] Beyond the 4Ps, what does it take? (Hint: People, Playback, Problems and Pecadillos).
[8:50] A real-life case for sonic branding.
[10:20] How to initiate a turnaround.
[11:35] Advice for new brands just starting out.
[15:10] Closing remarks and the importance of watching and listening to consumers in the wild.
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