FAQ - CenterBrain's most Frequently Asked Questions

I have an Advertising agency. Why would I need CenterBrain?
While ad agencies always include positioning as one of the services they offer, it is not something they generally do well.

The reason lies in the fundamental difference between advertising and positioning. Advertising as practiced today is largely about how to communicate the message. It involves elements of execution such as technique, style, application of special graphics effects and media planning. Positioning is about what to communicate. It involves the blending of good pragmatic strategy with the precise application of creativity.

A Positioning Agency such as CenterBrain Partners specializes in making the content of your selling message precise, so your advertising agency can concentrate on doing what they do well-executing it.


What's so special about Triads? Our marketing research department conducts focus groups. Aren't you doing the same type of qualitative research-but with groups of three?
We are focused on creating a high ground, unique positioning for your brand. To this end our process is about creative development, not merely "Focus Groups." The goals of focus groups and the Triad™ Process are different. More importantly, the people involved are different. The CenterBrain Partners team conducts Triads every week in different categories. So we bring a listening expertise that has been carefully honed through thousands of hours of practice. And while there are elements of qualitative research in the Triad Process (we use screeners to recruit consumers and we conduct our sessions at research facilities), that's where all the similarities between focus groups and the Triad Process end.

Focus groups tend to be passive undertakings, most often with the objective of gathering information. The Triad Process is dynamic, with the objective of creating the optimum conditions for the consumer to stimulate creativity-ours and yours. While we spend time in each group collecting background information on category usage and behavior, it is done to create the context for positioning development. We are focused on a defined outcome-the most precise and compelling positioning for your product, brand, or service.

What members of my group would work with CenterBrain Partners?
Our experience is that in order to move quickly, everyone who needs to take ownership of the positioning should be involved in the process. Typically our key contact is someone in marketing. We also think it is important to have a technical person join the team. They can offer valuable on-the-spot expertise for product related claims we might want to explore. It is critical that these team members participate in the entire process. Since we are continuously building, refining and precision crafting positioning communication, it is vital that the entire team knows where we've been, as well as where we're going. This insures that energy is expended on moving forward, as opposed to justifying why we're moving ahead with a particular idea.

What if you don't have experience in our particular category? Don't you need that to be successful?
Every one the over 100 categories we have worked in was new to us at one time. Unlike many consultants or agencies who claim "They will know your category better that you", we make no such assertions. You live, eat, and breathe your business, so you are the expert. We live, eat and breathe consumer positioning communication, that's why you hire us. We move fast using your expertise, our expertise and the consumer's input. Our objective of building a positioning based on our Three T's criteria relies on the team (you, us and the consumer).

How much does your process cost?
While each project is different, we find most projects cost from $15,000-$100,000. Our research shows that over 90% of our clients have a minimum return of at least 100 times their investment within 18 months of completing a project with CenterBrain.

How long does it take to complete the process?
The beauty of the Triad Process is that you begin learning almost immediately. There is no black box revelation. We have also never been the rate limiting factor on a project. Typically we find it takes about 6 weeks to develop a precise positioning - A bit longer if we put it to a quantitative test.

Who are some of your clients…and can you work in complicated categories?
We have positioned everything from Huggies diapers for Kimberly-Clark, to Minute Maid, to sophisticated laser rangefinders for Bushnell, and even hi-tech diabetes monitors for Abbott Labs. We work with Fortune 100 companies and small organizations who can't afford a sophisticated in-house marketing organization. For a more complete review of our client list, visit our list of success stories.

How do we get started?
Simple! Just contact Jim Ebel.