Winning in a declining category, with Grant McKenzie, Ex-CMO, Asahi

Operating in a declining category can often feel difficult - where’s the opportunity? What’s the point of investing in a market that’s declining? But for Grant McKenzie, former-CMO of Asahi, it’s exactly because a category is declining, that brands should be excited. His view: “It might be easier to make money in a declining market than it is in a growing one.” Grant has a huge amount of experience working in declining categories, most notably beer, turning brands from regular players to category leaders - and making big profits along the way. In this episode of The Persuasion Game podcast, he shares his experiences  about the different levers marketers can pull to grow in a category that’s in decline. Episodes are released bi-weekly. Follow us on LinkedIn for updates. Subscribe to The Persuasion Game Newsletter on LinkedIn. Want to know more about us? Visit our website here: thisistheforge.com This is an 18Sixty production for The Forge. CHAPTERS: (00:00) Introduction (02:51) Strategies for growth in declining categories (04:08) How Grant tripled beer sales (05:54) Look for the people who’ve given up (19:52) Innovation and Long-Term Strategies (22:05) Private labels