Before embarking on the Saltire Fellowship programme, I had the privilege of working in a team to develop a new beer brand for one of Scotland’s premier breweries.  The client brief was clear.  We were asked not just to identify a ‘gap in the beer market’ but also to find out if there was indeed a ‘market in the gap’.  In other words we had to be sure to avoid developing a product in a void that the market was perfectly content with.  To illustrate this point, it transpired that Scotland was not ready for a ‘lite’ beer!  Gap in the market? Yes.  Market in the gap?  A resounding no!  (As an aside, we ended developing a considerably heavier beer which has now been produced and will launch this Spring.)

The process in finding and developing a new beer brand was far from straightforward.  After all, most people’s reaction to something they’ve never tried before is to reject it.  Most people would argue that identifying a genuine market opportunity is an art and that there is no ‘silver bullet’, or quick and easy solution.  But that might be about to change.  I met with Zag Invention, a brand invention company in New York, last weekend.  They have developed software that mines social networks for spaces they call ‘brand lag’.  In their words, this is simply a space where customer activity or engagement outpaces brand activity or brand presence.  Once they’ve identified these opportunities Zag call on the considerable resource and talent available at Bartle Bogle Hegarty (one of the world’s biggest and greatest ad agencies) to hone and refine these new brand ideas. 

Zag have three successful new brands already under their belt.  With many more in the pipeline this is definitely one business model to watch.  It’s also a great opportunity for canny Scottish entrepreneurs who are happy to share some equity in return for world-class marketing.