RALLY CAP
STRATEGY
a brand + marketing + insights studio
CONSUMER/
B2B
RESEARCH
IDEATION +
NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
BRAND
STRATEGY
+ MARKETING
CONSULTING,
COACHING +
PARTNER SERVICES
ABOUT
Rally Cap Strategy is an independent brand + marketing + insights studio serving the needs of modern businesses, from startups to brand leaders, at any point along their strategic journeys.
Based in Austin, TX, Rally Cap specializes in consumer/B2B research, ideation, brand + marketing strategy, creative + campaign strategy and consulting.
WHO WE ARE
Rally Cap's founder, Jim Firestone, is a longtime brand marketing, strategy & insights leader, previously at national agencies GSD&M and T3.
With over 25 years of experience building major brands, integrated marketing programs and winning campaigns, Jim is well-versed in a wide range of B2C/B2B categories. He set the strategic course for Popeyes including its famous chicken sandwich launch, which won the U.S. Grand Effie for proven effectiveness and the 2023 Cannes Silver Lion for audience insights.
With Rally Cap, Jim serves as a strategic consultant to brands and agencies, as a fractional CSO | CBO | CMO and as a general contractor for a wide range of projects that require strategic focus, creative thinking and a can-do approach. Here are a few brands Jim has worked with extensively prior to Rally Cap:
VALUES
Humanity first.
All brands, businesses and marketplaces are, first and foremost, about people -- what they feel, think and do. But, too often, this reality gets obscured behind marketing jargon, isolated data points and fragmented silos. We believe the strongest strategic and creative thinking starts with basic human understanding and empathy.
Always stay curious.
Today's hot trends and market landscapes can shift overnight with little warning, just when you thought you had a handle on them. The #1 antidote to this is curiosity. Never stop questioning, never stop learning.
Business solutions, not advertising solutions.
The sheer number of opportunities available to marketers is mind-boggling. When everybody's got a cool new capability or idea to sell, it's not always easy to keep eyes on the prize. We orient our work toward desired outcomes and, ultimately, real growth.
Simple is smart.
These days, unnecessary complexity is overwhelming us all. It's no surprise that 64% of us are willing to pay more for simple experiences and 61% are more likely to recommend a brand that's simple, according to global branding firm Siegel + Gale. We expect that's true for businesses, too. So, while depth and nuance are always welcome in the right places, we're big believers in the value of short, sweet and actionable.
Winning is a team sport.
Modern brand-building and marketing requires a mix of generalist and specialist disciplines working together. These collaborations come in all shapes and sizes. No matter the context, we pride ourselves on being thoughtful, highly-engaged partners - to each other, to our brand and agency clients, and to our communities. The proof of this is in the pudding.
WHAT WE DO
While strategic work is typically evidence-based and builds on best practices, it's also necessarily custom to each client brand and scenario. Still, there are some familiar needs that organizations have and then various go-to tools and processes we can use to help address them. If you don't see something you're looking for, we're always happy to chat and/or suggest potential partners for specific project needs.
Research:
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Macro-analysis (a fresh look across existing research)
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Qualitative study design and execution
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Quantitative study design and execution
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Stakeholder interviews (tap internal knowledge and wisdom, setting the table for alignment and focus)
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Secondary info collection and logic/story building
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POVs and thought leadership pieces
Ideation + New Product Development:
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Ideation sessions & workshops
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Strat Rallies (strategic sprints)
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New product concept/value prop development
Brand Strategy + Marketing:
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Brand development - e.g., Brand DNA, positioning, character/personality, brand roadmaps
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Audience definition and insights
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Journey mapping + bringing segmentation to life
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Marketing planning (and pre-planning prep)
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Performance and KPI selection
Creative + Campaign Strategy:
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Creative strategy development
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Creative briefs + briefings
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Comms + campaign integration
Consulting/Coaching + Partner Services:
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Fractional CSO-CBO-CMO services
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Custom workshops + seminars - e.g., trends, briefing
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Creative concepting (with partners)
