Brand Strategist

Background & Context

BOTANIKA is preparing the launch of a premium non-alcoholic soda and syrup range in Indonesia, with soda as the priority launch product. The ambition is to build a modern lifestyle beverage brand that sits at the intersection of wellness, social occasions, and premium taste.

Given the complexity of the Indonesian market, channel dynamics, and pricing sensitivity, we want to avoid trial-and-error marketing after launch. Instead, the objective is to enter the market with validated assumptions, clear priorities, and a decision-ready go-to-market plan.

We are looking for a Fractional Go-To-Market or Brand Strategist and this prospect outlines a structured collaboration to ensure BOTANIKA launches with focus, speed, and commercial clarity.

Objective of the Engagement

The objective is to design, validate, and continuously refine a market entry and go-to market strategy that enables:

• A successful soda launch in early Q3
• Clear positioning and pricing logic
• Distributor and sales confidence
• Fast post-launch adaptation based on real market feedback

The engagement is explicitly decision-driven, not exploratory for its own sake.

Key Questions This Engagement Must Answer

This project must conclusively answer the following:

Market Replacement Logic

Which product does BOTANIKA replace in real consumer behavior

• Local soft drinks
• Imported premium sodas / kombuchas
• Functional / wellness drinks
• Alcoholic occasions
• Mixer-only use (to be avoided as primary positioning)

This is critical to volume forecasting, pricing, channel selection, and distributor narrative.

Entry Consumer Validation

• Are cool kids / trendsetters the correct first adopters
• Which adjacent segments unlock scale faster
• What attributes actually drive choice (taste, brand, price, wellness, sustainability)

Channel Strategy

• Where do we win first: community-based channels, on-trade, off-trade, or hybrid
• What channel sequence creates credibility and pull rather than push

Pricing Guardrails

• What price is accepted by consumers
• What price is defendable to trade and distributors
• Where is the elasticity threshold

Positioning Logic

• BOTANIKA as a standalone non-alcoholic drink first
• Mixer potential as a secondary benefit, not the lead narrative

Scope of Work

Phase 1 Hypothesis & Market Framing (Weeks 12)

Purpose: Create clarity before testing.

• Define clear, testable hypotheses across:
• Consumer segment
• Occasion
• Channel
• Price
• Replacement behavior
• Translate BOTANIKA brand DNA into market-facing assumptions
• Define success / failure criteria per hypothesis

Deliverable:

• 1-page hypothesis & validation framework (decision-oriented)

Phase 2 Consumer & Channel Validation (Weeks 36)

Purpose: Validate assumptions with real consumers and real contexts.

• Focus group discussions & tastings
• Incubator venues (cafs, brunch spots, wellness locations, nightlife where relevant)
• QR-based surveys and structured questionnaires
• Explicit validation of:
• Replacement behavior (instead of what)
• Occasion clarity
• Purchase intent
• Channel relevance

Deliverables:

• Consumer & channel validation report
• Replacement map (BOTANIKA vs alternatives by occasion)

Phase 3 Pricing & Positioning (Weeks 57, overlapping)

Purpose: Lock commercial guardrails.

• Price elasticity testing (e.g. Rp18k / 20k / 25k)
• Define:
• Minimum viable consumer price
• Optimal launch price
• Trade price logic
• Translate insights into distributor-ready narrative

Deliverable:

• Pricing & positioning recommendation (launch-ready)

Phase 4 Go-to-Market Roadmap (Weeks 78)

Purpose: Convert insights into execution.

• Channel prioritization (on-trade vs off-trade)
• Soda-first, syrup-later logic
• Target outlet profiles
• 90-day post-launch activation roadmap

Deliverables:

• Go-to-market roadmap
• Distributor & sales enablement summary

Phase 5 Post-Launch Adaptation & Optimization (Post Week 8)

Purpose: Ensure the strategy stays relevant once the market responds.

After week 8, the role continues in a strategic adaptation capacity, focused on learning and adjustment rather than re-analysis.

This includes:

• Reviewing early sales data and distributor feedback
• Reassessing assumptions where reality deviates from expectations
• Readapting pricing, channel focus, or positioning if needed
• Translating learnings into clear actions, not reports

This phase ensures BOTANIKA scales based on real traction, not static plans.

Roles & Dependencies

Brand Strategist Lead (You)

• Strategy lead
• Hypothesis design, validation logic, synthesis
• Ongoing strategic readaptation

Commercial Director

• Commercial input
• Venue and distributor access
• Sales feasibility perspective

Managing Director

• Brand assets & brand DNA
• Cost of goods & financial guardrails
• Final strategic decisions