V Strategy

09/15/2025

Sometimes change isn’t good and updates don’t resonate. I’m kind of surprised that they didn’t do a poll of customers before rolling out such an expensive rebrand. We love doing competitor analysis and focus groups to gain insights on what hits emotions with buyers. You can’t live in your brand silo and not get out in the field with the buyer. What you think and what they think is usually very different.

05/23/2025

How do you get people to pay $300 for something that used to cost $30?

YETI figured it out and built a $2.6 BILLION empire selling... plastic boxes.

In 2006, two frustrated fishermen noticed something insane:

People spent $50,000+ on fishing boats but used $30 coolers that constantly broke.

The contrast was pretty massive.

Premium boats with garbage coolers?

The Seiders brothers made a counterintuitive bet that changed everything:

People would gladly pay $300+ (10X the competition!) for a cooler if it was virtually indestructible.

Every retailer told them this was crazy.

It turned out those retailers couldn’t have been more wrong.

Here's some of the psychology and strategies behind how they built a $2.6B empire:

1️⃣ They created a new category ("premium coolers") instead of competing in an existing one.

This category creation eliminated direct competition and allowed them to establish the rules and price anchors for an entirely new market.

2️⃣ They used extreme demonstrations instead of boring specs.

Videos of bears attacking coolers, trucks driving over them, and coolers being dropped from cliffs created a powerful vividness effect.

These demonstrations formed stronger mental impressions than any spec sheet ever could.

3️⃣ They built a documentary content strategy that barely mentioned products.

Their films tell authentic outdoor stories that create emotional connections without sales pitches.

This narrative transportation makes viewers associate the positive feelings with YETI.

4️⃣ They selected authentic experts over celebrities.

Instead of paying random celebrities, they partnered with fishing guides, hunters and outdoor experts who were ALREADY using their products.

This created genuine credibility that money can't buy.

5️⃣ They maintained strict pricing discipline.

Their rigorous MAP policies and minimal use of deals/discounts protects value perception and minimize buyer's remorse.

When customers see consistent pricing, it reinforces they made the right decision.

The Seiders brothers' bet paid off in a huge way for them:

📈 $1.83B annual revenue
📈 58.1% gross margins
📈 $2.66B market cap
📈 70% revenue from products that didn't exist 10 years ago
📈 Sales growth from $5M in 2009 to $1.83B

Here’s some of the ways you can use these lessons from Yeti in your marketing:

1. Find contrast opportunities where consumers buy premium in one category but budget in a related one.
2. Create a new category instead of competing in an existing one.
3. Use dramatic demonstrations not boring specs.
4. Select authentic ambassadors not just celebrities.
5. Rarely discount to maintain value perception.
6. Build content that tells stories without pitching products.

This is exactly what we do at Unicorn Innovations for our clients every day.

What other brands have used clever marketing psychology to make you happily pay premium prices?

04/21/2025

01/19/2025

"You don't expect to buy a Lambo from a Kia dealer." This was my analogy yesterday, at the Boss Mares business event at the Cowgirl Museum in Fort Worth. (Cool place BTW). A friend asked the speaker about marketing their ranch-raised horses for sale. Now, most there didn't know my friend's story; they are ranching heritage breeders and turn out quite a few nice horses. But they don't have their brand built up like Terry Stuart Forst (the speaker) has their Stuart Ranch built up to brand recognition.

It doesn't matter what your product is--perception is reality. And, there is nothing wrong with a Kia. But if you're trying to sell a Lamborghini, and 30 Kias are sitting out in front, it confuses the brand and the value perception. And, conversely, if you can only afford a Kia, you're probably not seriously shopping at the Lambo dealer.

Think about what you have out there for your brand. Location, employees, website, packaging, ads. What is the brand perception? Does it align with your product, pricing, and target audience? A master's degree project was on Old Navy vs. Gap vs. Banana Republic. You could get a black T-shirt at all three. Old Navy $5.99, Gap $18.99, Banana $39.99. Just like you can get a AQHA bay weanling at many places. Some for $800, maybe $3500, and some $20k. But there are many variables to that price. Some of them are tangible (parent earnings) BUT, some of them are brand perception, perceived value, and recognition.

This leads me into my next post which is going to be on brand audits and why you need to do one. Because what you THINK may not be what is the reality to your buyer.

01/16/2025

We love a good ad.

01/09/2025

You can’t say logos don’t work. 😆

12/11/2024

Doing some fun projects lately! My last sale flyer (and on site banners) helped get a buyer who wasn’t even in the market to spend a significant $$$ on a new ride at the Riata Stallion Incentive! Getting top dollar for your horse is a skill with a lot of moving parts. Let me know if I can help you get maximum impact for your sale horses!

10/19/2024

I like to lecture on logos. So many businesses have logos that are busy, many colors, and look like a painting. They don’t work well outside of digital. Worse, they have a lot of distraction going on. Many times, a logo needs to be used in other formats—like this gate. Our client Is a horseman and musician and we incorporated both with his initials (subtle!) but in a simple format that can be easily used on decals, embroidery, metal, etc.

Think of the most iconic brand logos—where the mark makes you think of the brand, without words. Nike Swoosh, Target, Chevrolet bow tie, Ford Mustang, etc. Those are logos. Be cognizant of your mark and keep it simple.

09/25/2024

When clients want to chat, but you’re at the deer lease.

09/13/2024

Interesting history and change to an iconic brand.

Mark Clouse, Campbell’s president and CEO, said the company has “been on a transformative journey.”