CPG Brand Builders

Hosted by Braden Douglas, one of North America’s top CPG growth strategists, this channel breaks down what it truly takes to build, scale, and protect a consumer brand today. With more than 25 years of experience working with brands like Procter & Gamble, Frito-Lay, Conagra, Lindt, and SunRype, Braden shares proven strategies from the front lines of CPG marketing.You’ll learn:• How to build brands that actually grow• How to grow from any brand stage whether startup or category leader• How to create strategy that drives revenue, not just awareness• How top CPG companies approach innovatio

CPG Brand Builders is a business podcast hosted by Braden Douglas, with 24 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Braden Douglas hosts CPG Brand Builders, a business show with 24 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  CPG Brand Builders

  How CPG Brands Can Beat Private Label

  Sep 3, 20268 minS1

  Private label is getting better, prices are competitive, and crowded categories like popcorn are full of options. So how can branded CPG companies actually win? In this video, Braden breaks down Whole Foods 365 White Cheddar Popcorn vs. SkinnyPop to explore the bigger battle between private label and branded CPG. Private label can compete on price and check important consumer boxes like organic, gluten free, and dairy free. But what does private label often miss? Brand connection. Personality. Differentiation. Braden explains how CPG brands can compete by: • Innovating with flavors and products that private label cannot easily replicate • Building a stronger emotional connection with consumers • Using branding to create meaningful differentiation • Finding the right price point instead of competing only on being cheaper • Creating collaborations that connect the brand with specific audiences • Using multipacks and other strategies that are more difficult for private label to replicate • Avoiding the mistake of giving every retailer your entire playbook And for private label, there is a major opportunity: stop being just the cheaper alternative and start building a brand consumers actually connect with. If you are a CPG marketer, brand leader, founder, or retail executive, this is an important look at how branded CPG companies can protect their differentiation and compete against private label. Join our CPG Brand Builders community: www.cpgbrandbuilders.comConnect with other CPG marketers, brand leaders, and founders and get access to our community, Strategy School, and CPG resources. #CPG #CPGMarketing #PrivateLabel #BrandStrategy #CPGBrands #RetailMarketing #BrandBuilding #ConsumerBrands #MarketingStrategy #SkinnyPop

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  CPG Brand Builders

  What Do Marketers Actually Do? The 3 Roles Every Marketer Must Master

  Aug 17, 202613 minS1

  Everyone seems to have a different definition of marketing. Is it advertising? Branding? Social media? Promotions? Research? Sales? In this episode of CPG Brand Builders, Braden Douglas goes back to the fundamentals of economic exchange, supply and demand to explain what marketing really is and what marketers actually do. At its core, marketers create demand. But how do we do that? Braden breaks the marketer’s role into three essential areas: 1. Strategy Understanding the market, the consumer, the competition, and where the brand can win. 2. Planning Turning strategy into a clear plan for how the brand will create demand and achieve its objectives. 3. Execution Bringing the strategy and plan to life through the marketing activities that connect brands with consumers and drive results. In this episode, you will learn: • What marketing really is • How economic exchange and supply and demand connect to marketing • Why marketers are fundamentally in the business of creating demand • The three critical roles of a marketer: Strategy, Planning, and Execution • How marketers create value for both consumers and businesses • Why marketing is so important to business growth • How to better communicate the value of your role as a marketer By the end of this episode, you will have a much clearer understanding of what marketing is, what marketers actually do, and why marketers are invaluable to their organizations. If you are a CPG marketer, founder, brand leader, or business executive, this episode provides a practical framework for understanding the real purpose and value of marketing. Like, subscribe, and share for more conversations and practical growth strategies for CPG brands. Join CPG Brand Builders: brandbuilderscpg.com. #CPG #Marketing #MarketingStrategy #BrandBuilding #CPGMarketing #DemandGeneration #MarketingLeadership #BrandStrategy #ConsumerGoods #BusinessStrategy #GrowthMarketing #MarketingInsights

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  CPG Brand Builders

  How Gatorade Got People to Buy Something That Didn’t Exist

  Aug 11, 202612 minS1

  How Gatorade Got People to Buy Something That Didn’t Exist How do you get customers to try a product they have never seen before? Gatorade offers one of the best lessons in CPG marketing. When Gatorade was created in 1965, it wasn't simply entering an existing beverage category. It was introducing something completely new. The brand's early success came from identifying the right people to try it first: innovators who were willing to embrace a new solution to a real problem. In this episode, Braden breaks down the story behind Gatorade and the marketing principles that helped turn a new product into a category-defining brand. You'll learn: How to identify your innovator audience Why your first customers can be critical to your brand's growth How to find people who are willing to try something new Why solving a real customer need is essential to building demand How early adopters can help create credibility for a new product What Malcolm Gladwell's concept of "Mavens" can teach CPG marketers Why brands need patience to build lasting momentum How to build a brand that can grow beyond its initial audience If you are a CPG founder, marketer, or brand builder launching a new product or creating a new category, this is a lesson worth studying. The question is: Who is your innovator audience? Find the people who are willing to try your product first, solve a meaningful problem for them, and use that early credibility to build momentum for your brand. JOIN OUR CPG BRAND BUILDERS COMMUNITY Want more strategies, education, and real-world insights to help you build and grow a CPG brand? Join the community at brandbuilderscpg.com Subscribe to CPG Brand Builders for more conversations, strategies, and case studies designed to help CPG founders and marketers build stronger brands and drive growth. #CPG #CPGMarketing #BrandBuilding #Gatorade #BrandStrategy #CPGBrands #ProductLaunch #MarketingStrategy #ConsumerPackagedGoods #BrandFounders #CategoryCreation #BrandBuilders

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  CPG Brand Builders

  Inside the $1.5 Billion Kombucha Boom: What Consumers Really Want

  Jul 20, 202622 minS1

  What do consumers really want from their kombucha? Kombucha has grown into a $1.5 billion category, growing 10-15% a year as more consumers move toward functional beverages that support gut health. In this episode, Braden Douglas breaks down what's driving that growth and takes a close look at the real marketing decisions behind some of the biggest names in kombucha. In this episode, you will learn: -How the Core 8 methodology applies to a fast-growing functional beverage category -How 365 by Whole Foods, Synergy, Alive & Well, Humm, and Brew Dr. Kombucha are each positioning their brands -How probiotic brands like Poppi are shifting what consumers expect from "better for you" drinks -What consumers actually look for when they choose a functional beverage -Practical marketing strategies for kombucha and functional health brands Braden Douglas is one of the most respected growth strategists in CPG marketing, with a career built at P&G and Frito-Lay and two decades running Crew Marketing Partners. He's known for helping brands identify overlooked opportunities and scale with intention. If you're building a brand in functional health or kombucha, this episode is filled with practical insights you can apply immediately. Join CPG Brand Builders for our next cohort: brandbuilderscpg.com #Kombucha #FunctionalBeverages #GutHealth #CPGMarketing #BeverageIndustry #BrandStrategy #BetterForYou #ProbioticDrinks #CPGBrandBuilders #MarketingStrategy

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  CPG Brand Builders

  What Every CPG Marketer Should Know About the Olive Oil Category

  Jul 13, 202618 minS1

  Most CPG categories already have dominant brands. Olive oil is different. Despite being a more than $3 billion category, olive oil has surprisingly low brand awareness, creating a rare opportunity for one brand to establish itself as the category leader. In this episode, leading marketing strategist Braden shares his perspective on why olive oil may be one of the greatest untapped branding opportunities in CPG. Drawing on his expertise in consumer behavior, category growth, and brand strategy, Braden explains where the market is headed, what is driving demand, and how brands and retailers can position themselves to win. Topics include: • Why olive oil remains one of the lowest brand awareness categories in grocery. • What aided brand awareness reveals about the competitive landscape. • Why the category is projected to grow approximately 7.4% annually over the next five years. • Why today's olive oil market resembles the wine industry in the 1970s. • How consumers are changing the way they purchase and use olive oil. • Emerging trends, including premium gifting and olive oil shots. • Why Costco has the potential to transform the olive oil category, much like it did with wine. • Which brand has the opportunity to become the defining category leader. If you are a CPG marketer, brand leader, retailer, founder, or anyone responsible for growing brands, this is an episode you do not want to miss. Braden's strategic insights challenge conventional thinking and highlight opportunities that many companies have yet to recognize. Subscribe for more thought leadership on marketing strategy, consumer behavior, retail innovation, and category growth. Join our CPG Brand Builders Community today: www.cpgbrandbuilders.com #CPG #MarketingStrategy #BrandStrategy #OliveOil#ConsumerInsights #RetailStrategy #CategoryManagement #BrandBuilding#ConsumerPackagedGoods #Costco

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