Our purpose
Our goal is to help our clients build sustainable competitive advantage.
We do this by supporting organizations to deliver unique and differentiated value propositions, tailored to match their reality, and built with critical insight and practicability.
What challenges do we help our clients overcome?
Which direction should be taken to drive revenue, market share, or profitability.
We help organizations establish a clear strategic north and the roadmap to reach it, answering questions like:
- What is the best strategy to enter a new market segment or geography? (Should I enter it?)
- What changes must I make to my business model to meet the changing demands of my customers?
- Should I acquire my competitor? What are the risks? What are the value generation levers?
How to create a compelling value proposition that connects my portfolio of products/services to the needs of my customers.
We support our clients to understand their customers deeply, moving away from a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to deliver targeted and effective brand activation; determining how to:
- Craft a multinational sales strategy that can embrace a diverse range of countries, brands, channels, and consumer profiles
- Organize the portfolio to boost market share whilst optimizing profitability?
- Ensure the brand strategy is effectively translated into the field through commercial teams and their organization
Which business model will efficiently deliver distribution, drop size, and service level targets, tailormade to my market segments’ needs.
We help organizations determine the service model strategy which will empower it to effectively and profitably serve varied consumer segments across its target markets; addressing challenges such as:
- How do I adjust my channel strategy and everything it entails (assortments, pricing, service level, sales presence, etc.) to account for regional or geographic differences?
- How do I leverage partners, franchisees, distributors, wholesalers, and licensees to increase my presence while maintaining my identity?
- How do I build a deep understanding of my cost to serve with enough granularity to optimize my investments and drive profitability?
What are the execution levers to focus on to activate consumers and increase sales and profitability?
We help our clients translate their positioning into tactical actions which drive results, answering questions like:
- What category management strategy (assortment, pricing, product hierarchy, etc.) should I employ to deliver increased revenue and profitability?
- How do I deliver a customized and fluid customer experience across online and offline channels?
- How do I unite the inputs of advanced statistical analysis with ethereal and non-technical concepts such as style and branding?
What makes us different?
We achieve tangible results for our clients by bringing together expertise, method, and mindset.
EXPERTISE
Cross-industry expertise
- We combine your business knowledge with our multi-sectoral understanding and relationships with industry experts to bring relevant outside challenges, practical references, benchmarks, and best-practices.
Understanding of the commercial ecosystem
- Across the commercial arm of a business, there are natural tensions and overlaps, both inside and outside the company. Our teams can connect the commercial discussion with its impacts in both internal (e.g. production, distribution, finance) and external areas (e.g. wholesalers, retailers, merchandisers).
METHOD
Built from the outside-in
- We respect the ‘voice of the market’, listening to the consumers, clients, and stakeholders which compose each market through interviews, field visits, focus groups, and surveys. This ensures our approach is truly consumer-centred and free from the constraints of existing strategies
Strong and transparent technical base
- Our recommendations are supported by robust analysis and business model simulators which are presented openly for you to understand, adjust, and own after our project closure.
Movement and involvement
- Our teams guarantee the involvement, active participation and alignment of your professionals across all areas, not just commercial, ensuring a sustainable and smooth company-wide transformation
MINDSET
A unique project, a unique solution
- Our projects, solutions, and recommendations are always developed bespoke to your needs considering your unique context, starting point, the desired end goal, and the market itself.
Essence is as important as analytics
- We believe that the most important decisions should be made based on more than number crunching and quantitative analyses. Our strategies strive to balance the market needs with the inherent business essence, culture, and values.
Humility and respect
- It should never appear that we are delivering an “Integration project” but, rather, “our project”. We seek out and are open to your feedback and we respect that you know your business better than anyone else.
OUR SERVICES
Our support in addressing these challenges translates itself into solutions across 4 segments:
BUSINESS
STRATEGY
Providing a deep understanding of a market ecosystem (e.g. a new consumer segment, category, region or country) and recommendations as to how to enter.
Designing the optimal commercial strategy based on internal and external variables; and its pragmatic route to implementation considering the revenue, distribution, and capability ramp up.
An independent and rigorous commercial assessment of acquisition targets considering market environment, competitive landscape, company capabilities, and performance.
Supporting our clients to define their strategic paths/vision for the future and the concrete steps to achieve it (projects, investments, team, etc.) through a collaborative journey that builds understanding, leadership unity, and impetus for action.
Supporting our clients along their unique digital journey through a holistic approach considers people as well as technology.
VALUE
PROPOSITION
An in-depth analysis of the consumer base to define behavioral and market clusters to enable targeted and effective consumer-centric strategies.
Establishing the goals and activation strategies for a brand based on target consumer segments, positioning compared to competitors, and market performance.
Marketing & Trade Marketing Organization Design
Ensuring the brand strategy becomes a reality – empowering Marketing and Trade Marketing to translate strategy into execution, through the organization, management, and capability development.
Definition of a portfolio strategy that brings clarity on product/service roles and positioning considering the internal and external context; allowing better prioritization, investments, and innovation.
Development of the internal mindset, methodology, analytical tools, and governance to boost successful product or service innovation and time to market.
Delivering ROI optimization through coordinated actions across GTM, Product Portfolio and Commercial Policy driven by a deep understanding of costs at client and product level.
DISTRIBUTION
& AVAILABILITY
Definition/revision of the service model strategy that allows an organization to effectively and profitably serve varied consumer segments across its target markets.
Definition or revision of the indirect channel strategy, operating model, and distribution network with the goal of improving cooperation, efficiency, and sales.
Development of a high-performance sales force and culture through the formation of rituals, processes, tools and KPIs aligned to customer needs and the GTM model.
EXPERIENCE
& ENGAGEMENT
Improving sales and profitability by optimizing the assortment offered, its means of display, and enhancing the retailer’s differential to the shopper.
Translating the industry strategy into a consumer-driven store execution, to maximize the brand experience and sales performance.
Ensuring the best possible experience for customers through the clear definition of value propositions per journey and the internal service model to deliver them.
SUCCESS STORIES
CHALLENGE
An international cement producer launched a revision of its Go-to-Market strategy based on the thesis that its main growth driver laid in the indirect channel. The client sought our help in determining the best way to approach the indirect market – what service model to use, which companies to partner with etc.
APPROACH
The first step was an in-depth analysis of the market size and composition per region, type of cement use, size of the end-user company, and client drivers for decision making in the purchasing process (e.g. technical specs vs price).
This provided valuable market insights, identified key growth drivers, and highlighted financial opportunities in certain geographical regions. For example, we identified that 50% of the market were small stores receiving on average smaller drop sizes than what the client was historically able to deliver in a profitable manner. This provided the client with a clear opportunity to grow by delivering small drop sizes in a cost-effective manner in this highly fragmented market.
Subsequently, multiple cross-industry reference cases were studied to define a brand-new indirect model combining exclusive distribution, brokers, and logistics operators that would be best suited to tackle both financial and growth drivers.
RESULT
A tailor-made methodology was created alongside the client’s experts to evaluate the operational competency of 172 potential partners, leading to the selection of 70 best-suited to their needs.
In order to guarantee the new model implementation, we structured an exclusive service area for the whole country with a fully defined indirect management model. This included a contract model, remuneration model, new distributor manager routine and training, and the creation of a 150+ page Distributor Excellency Program manual, written in collaboration with the network’s best-in-class partners and covering all operational aspects of the new hybrid model.
CHALLENGE
A plant-based food startup hired Integration to size the market potential for plant-based hamburgers and to create a plan to take these new products to the Brazilian and European Markets. In particular, they asked for our support in understanding consumer behavior in this booming market where there was limited data.
APPROACH
Given the lack of available market data, Integration focused on building a large body of primary research to help our client. By studying plant-based food dynamics in Europe and North America, interviewing experts, and conducting statistically significant surveys with consumers, we were able to develop an insightful and original understanding of the market dynamics and create various market entry scenarios.
RESULT
Our work provided detailed information about potential income per category, price sensitivity, potential risks, main competitors, and market size per region in the client’s geographical areas of interest.
In parallel, Integration developed a detailed implementation roadmap and the commercial model design. With this information, it was possible for our client to understand and address the success factors needed to develop the category in Brazil and Europe and kick-start their operations and sales.
CHALLENGE
A tile producer and its private equity partner looked to Integration for support in redesigning its Portfolio to boost market opportunities, but also to overcome internal resistance to simplify and de-list items from a highly sophisticated portfolio.
APPROACH
This success of this project relied on three major contributors: (1) an outside-in strategic segmentation showed clusters of very low differentiation in the portfolio which could be simplified, whilst also pinpointing “white spaces” where innovation could plug market gaps; (2) careful work in the “transition” – to ensure the products being cut from the portfolio would be correctly managed in terms of operations, volume and client satisfaction; and (3) robust governance to ensure all multifunctional area would be involved to carefully validate, manage and sustain the portfolio strategy.
RESULT
We achieved a 35% reduction in the size of the portfolio, resulting in a more than 15% increase in the average gross margin contribution, and a great reduction in operational complexity.
CHALLENGE
One of the largest convenience chains in the world needed to reinvent itself in Brazil, having consistently lost market share against local and more regionally adapted competitors.
They had struggled to keep pace with the unique characteristics of the market, with its regional specificities and highly heterogenous and numerous franchisee profile – which demanded different assortments, pricing, local heroes activation, bespoke management, training and execution guidance to drive results
APPROACH
Integration supported the client in creating a local identity aligned with its global policies, but also unique in its positioning and clear in its differentiation compared to strong local competition.
We developed guidelines to manage assortment clusters, prices, promotional campaigns, and store layout – all with simplicity in mind – a key success factor for implementation with franchisees. Integration supported the implementation of these guidelines with a pilot user-base, measuring results, and making the necessary adaptations.
RESULT
The pilot presented a 4% increase in revenue in the first month, and an increase of 7-10% was forecasted by our client for the long-term.
The category management culture was reinforced in the company to provide it with the tools and methods it would need to continue improving and to tackle new contexts or regions. Concretely, these included governance rituals and decision-making moments embedded per team to deal with the tactical assortment, pricing, exposure, and promotion decisions in each region.
Go-to-Market Vice-President for Kraft Heinz Latin America Alexandre Ustulin talks about his long-term relationship with Integration and the process of redefining Kraft Heinz’s service model for the market together. For him, the team’s governance, method and hands-on attitude were key pillars of the project’s success.
André Martino, Vice President of Gallo – Brazil, talks about the challenges the company faced, and how Integration was able to support them during a difficult time and structure new processes, with deep awareness of regional culture.
In this video, Mr Carrillo highlights the great results obtained with the projects which were carried out in partnership with Integration, in Brazil as well as in Mexico. According to him, the implementation characteristics and the presence of the global mind-set Integration has makes a lot of difference for the results to be satisfactory.
In this video, Mr Acedo describes the way in which Integration approached the challenge of expanding into other countries within Latin America. He believes the success came from the analysis of each country within Latin America, by really working together with the internal team, with the understanding of TricorBraun’s business model, and with investing a lot of time and walking together to achieve the objective.
In this video, Mr Ceppi describes the approach of Integration to a constant challenge Concha y Toro face within the market, and highlights that not only do Integration identify the solution to the problems, but provide support and advice for the implementation. He mentions that by working together in this way, they have developed internal capabilities in the company.
In this video, Mr Barone shares his experience of Integration’s third project within Sanofi, and he explains that Integration no only brings the knowledge and technical aspect, but really ensures the recommendations are implemented fully but working with the whole team and really engaging everyone.
Fabio Spinelli in this video talks about a project Integration undertook to redefine DPA’s GTM strategy in Brazil. More than just redefining the strategy, the project delivered a transformation in the mindset, capabilities and processes of the commercial team. He says that Integration is absolutely unique in the way it works with clients and are a part of DPA’s huge success in Brazil.
Fernando Rodriguez, Sales and Distribution Director at Phillip Morris, talks about why he chose to hire Integration, and the project experience that followed.
In this video, Mr Teles gives some background into the reasons for contracting Integration to develop a segmentation model to be able to serve small retailers. He explains that Integration’s approach was completely different to other companies, and that Integration’s main differential was the ability to put itself in the client’s place, and bring a solution that could be fully implemented.
In this video, Mr Martins describes the three projects he worked on with Integration and points out Integration’s ability to build teams that perfectly integrate into the client’s reality.
Gonzalo comments that he has already worked with Integration on several projects throughout his career. He remembers fondly the Go-to-Market project to expand coverage of Kimberly Clark in Latin America. In his testimonial, he highlights the quality of the professionals, [their] flexibility, deep technical knowledge on the methodologies and principles of the multinational organizations and depth they presented during the execution process.
In this video, Mr Gatti shares his experience of the knowledge Integration brought to support Fedex in developing a strategy for a newly acquired transport business in Brazil. He highlights the added value that Integration brought in helping them understand the market, its customers, its environment; and develop a strategic plan to go forward. He further notes that since then, Integration became their reference to assess new markets.
In this video, Mr Chicarino talks about his experience of working with Integration in five large projects. He highlights the presence of the Managing Partners and the quality of the team as determining characteristics for the success of the relationship, which has lasted for over 10 years.
In this video, Mr Goñi highlights two main differences in our work, having worked in several cases with Integration: the importance of understanding the client’s reality to be able to define creative and specific solutions; and the concern with the implementation, expressed in the genuine will and ability to implement.
In this video, Mr Velázquez details the role Integration played in the spin-off, in chancing the company’s trademarks. From the organisation of the information which involved over 14 brands in 14 countries, Mr Velázquez was already able to see that the team of consultants became the company’s own team, presenting a strong commitment to achieving the result with the involvement of all the stakeholders.
João Caetano Mello, President of Ebba, talks about Integration’s contribution to a Due Diligence, Supply Chain and Go-to-Market project, and how Integration approached cultural issues within the company.
In this video, Mr Rigon explains how Integration helped to review their sales process, all the way up to the implementation. He mentions that a key differential is that Integration worked very closely with the internal team throughout the project.
In this video, Mr Levy shares his experience with Integration and says that the unquestionable knowledge that Integration has in the segmentation area, and their great experience in stimulating and facilitating strategic discussion through the high quality of its professionals left an excellent legacy for the company and a relationship that has continued since 2006.
Paul Price comments on his motivation in hiring Integration to carry out the transition of a joint venture in Brazil to a company which was 100% independent and controlled by Hershey’s. He talks about his satisfaction with Integration, who assured the necessary resources for the needs of the local Operation, and also highlights the local expertise, international knowledge and easy access to the company’s partners.
Randy Millian discusses his long relationship with Integration, having hired them in different countries and for different types of project. He points to how Integration acts as the company’s partner. For him, one of the strengths of the work carried out is its practical nature, with a focus on execution.
Ricardo Barbosa points out that the GTM project, carried out by Integration, was extremely important and with a very satisfactory result, because Integration is a company that has flexibility in discussions, works with 4 hands, shares all its experience, focus on work, firmness in conduct and its professionals are participative and work with pride and passion.
In this video, Mr Manjarrez remembers the first day of the project when the Integration team presented themselves in a very open manner to understand the company’s reality and were willing to find a realistic solution. During the project, which was divided into three modules, the Integration team always showed great technical ability and, most of all, a willingness to hear the needs of all those involved.
In this video, Mr Ludorf shares the main challenges that were related to understanding the markets Petronas wanted to enter in Latin America, and the prioritisation of these markets. Integration developed an entry strategy, and he recommends Integration because of the understanding of what Petronas wanted, and not only have strong methodology, tools and structuring, but people that really make a difference.
Sean Summers, Senior Vice President of Mercado Libre, talks a bit about the project Integration developed with the company, and why the team’s understanding of cultural changes and challenges finalized his choice of consultancy.
In this video, Mr Grasso talks about the growth moment the company was going through and the need to organise itself and analyse the path to obtain better results. It is in this context that Integration helped to structure the synergies between the commercial and supply chain areas, overcoming the challenges and guaranteeing the best level of operation and service.
Walter Celli, president of Beam Suntory in Brazil, talks about the challenges of launching the company’s GTM. Celli had already worked with Integration in other projects, so he was familiar with Integration’s specialization in this topic. In his opinion, Integration has three differentials: first, the fact that the team thinks about the project from beginning to end; second, the team’s availability; and, third, the networking opportunities Integration provides.
INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE
Our Marketing & Sales practice has delivered over 600 projects in the Americas, Europe, and across the globe, serving more than 20 different sectors such as Consumer Goods, Retail, Pharma Healthcare, Services, Industrial sectors, Financial Sector, Agribusiness, and others.
Our professionals are trained in our methodology by applying and implementing them in a wide range of sectors and contexts – to offer our clients a deep understanding of market dynamics, emerging and best practices, offering complimentary channels, clients, and consumer insights and recommendations.
TALK TO US
Alice Maschera
Alice Maschera is a manager within Integration's UK operation. Alice is a specialist in the field of Marketing and Sales having supported numerous Consumer Goods and Retail companies in their market entry and commercial strategy. A graduate from the University of Cambridge, Alice is well-rounded and experienced across many of Integration's methodologies and service areas.
André Valente
André is a director at Integration and leader within the Marketing & Sales practice. Working across sectors, he is a senior specialist advising especially on the revision of Go-to-Market Models, Market Entry Strategy to new markets, Strategy and Innovation Processes and Marketing and Trade Processes. Before Integration, André worked as a Business Developer at Sandvik, [...]
Andrea Aun
Andrea is a Founding Partner at Integration and is recognized as an important female leader among Brazilian executives, participating in the LIDEM (Group of Leading Entrepreneurial Women) Executive Committee. She is an expert within the field of Marketing & Sales and Retail and has led over 100 projects in these areas. She continues to be [...]
Augusto Ribeiro
Augusto Ribeiro is a Managing Partner at Integration and has been working since 2003 in the Marketing & Sales practice. Augusto built a solid international experience, leading and implementing strategic Marketing & Sales projects in industries ranging from Consumer Goods through Construction & Property Development to the Financial Industry, especially in the Private Equity sector.
Carlos Lima
Carlos is the President of Integration and a Founding Partner. Carlos has worked with leading international companies across the globe as a consultant for the last 30 years and has developed a particular specialization in Marketing and Sales. He is considered an expert in the Consumer Goods sector and on the topics of Commercial and [...]
Daniel Rodrigues
Daniel is a Director within our Marketing & Sales practice and leader of Integration’s TechLab. Over the course of over 10 years with Integration, Daniel has helped clients from diverse industries and countries with digital and commercial challenges ranging from Go-to-Market Strategy to Commercial Due Diligence. Through his extensive business experience Daniel ensures that our [...]
Fernando Hazzan
Fernando is a manager within Integration's Marketing & Sales practice and has been working with the company since July 2020. He started his career at Integration as a consultant in the same practice, transitioning to Bain & Company as a senior consultant and then Google as a strategy and operations manager. In consulting, his experience [...]
Gary Singer
Gary Singer is a Managing Partner at Integration. He brings more than 25 years of experience helping companies in diverse industries improve top- and bottom-line results through new Sales and Marketing Strategies. Gary holds an MBA in Marketing & Statistics from the University of Chicago and a bachelor's degree in Quantitative Business Analysis from Pennsylvania [...]
Guido Solari
Guido is the leader of our Buenos Aires and Santiago office and is a director within our Marketing & Sales practice. Having worked with Integration since 2006, he has completed a wealth of projects across Latin America, the United States, Canada and Europe with clients spanning many sectors, including Retail, Consumer Goods, Government, Healthcare and [...]
Ian Matiussi
Ian joined Integration in 2010 and now with over a decade of experience, he is a Manager in our Marketing & Sales practice. Comfortable with a wide range of topics in this area, he is especially known for his expertise in strategic marketing initiatives such as Market Scans, Go-to-Market and Commercial Policy. His track record includes sectors [...]
Jamie Gale
Jamie is a Partner in our office in London. He has spent more than 25 years in the consulting industry and private sector. Jamie is recognised for his extensive experience in digital, developing and executing strategies that enable business transformation. He has supported clients across Manufacturing, Retail, Telecommunications, Financial Services and Transportation with improving operational [...]
Luis Bernal
Luis is a Manager in the Marketing & Sales practice. Originally from Columbia, Luis is an entrepreneur at heart, and has worked in several start-ups in Colombia, receiving his MBA from IPADE. He has accumulated international consulting experience whilst working across the United States, Mexico, Caribbean and Central America, Colombia and Brazil in industries such [...]
Matt Suggett
Matt Suggett is a Director at Integration, with significant consulting experience in projects such as Commercial Strategy, Market Entry Strategy, Pre- and Post- Deal M&A, and Organizational Redesign. He has supported clients in industries ranging from Consumer Goods and Healthcare to Metals & Mining across four continents. He holds a master's degree in Management from [...]
Ricardo Bello
Ricardo joined Integration in 2018 having worked in leadership positions within Logistics, Planning and Sales at Ambev and with investment management at Pátria. A senior manger in our Marketing & Sales practice, he has experience scoping, managing and implementing projects mainly related to topline growth, such as Go-to-Market models, Entry Strategy, Market Scan and Strategic [...]
Rodrigo Pasianotto
Rodrigo Pasianotto is a Director at Integration, with more than 15 years of consulting experience, especially in the field of Marketing and Sales Consulting. Rodrigo has supported our clients across a range of challenges focusing on Strategic Roadmap, Go-To-Market, Market Scan, Entry Strategy, Brand Positioning, among other methodologies. He holds an MBA from Haas School [...]
Roger Saltiel
Roger is a partner at Integration and has been working since 2002 in the Marketing & Sales practice. Considered an authority in the Indirect Channel and Partner Relationship Management (PRM), he is a member of the Associação Brasileira de Atacadistas e Distribuidores (ABAD) [Brazilian Association of Wholesalers and Distributors], working in the leadership of the [...]
Vinicius Olivo
Vinicius brings a broad and deep understanding of our Marketing & Sales solutions having joined Integration in 2011. He supported leading national and international organizations in Retail and Consumer Goods in building sustainable competitive advantage. His project experience ranges from Go-to-Market models, Market Scans, Customer Segmentation, Category Management and Perfect Store design.
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