Velo
How a communications framework and connections plan gave Velo's U.S. relaunch clarity, consistency, and a roadmap.

Relaunching a nicotine pouch brand in the U.S. meant navigating one of the most regulated, most scrutinised consumer categories in the world. Getting the product right wasn't enough — every touchpoint, message, and channel had to work in concert, within strict boundaries, without losing brand coherence.

I built the end-to-end communications framework and connections plan that made the launch executable — mapping consumer journey phases, defining channel roles, aligning messaging to RTBs, and building a quarterly activation calendar across social, CRM, partnerships, and more.

The Strategic Framework

I led the development of a communications framework built around three consumer journey phases: Desire, Enjoy, and Embrace. Each phase had a defined job — moving the consumer from awareness and curiosity through trial and into habitual loyalty. I overlaid a Jobs To Be Done lens onto each phase to sharpen the role of every sub-phase, ensuring the brand wasn't just present at each touchpoint but purposeful.

From there, I mapped key messages to the most impactful reasons-to-believe in the brand's arsenal — prioritising what needed to land at each stage of the journey rather than saying everything everywhere.

The Connections Plan

The framework was only as useful as its execution logic. I built a detailed connections plan that defined the role of every channel in the mix — social, CRM, rewards, in-store, and Velo's integrated partnership with McLaren F1. Each channel had a distinct job; none were treated as interchangeable delivery vehicles.

This culminated in a quarterly activation calendar developed in partnership with the creative team — a structured roadmap spanning campaign, social, CRM, in-person activation, and strategic partnerships, with creative ideas mapped to each phase and moment.

The Outcome

The framework gave Velo's U.S. relaunch something harder to build than creative: coherence. A regulated category with strict communication guardrails demands strategic discipline at every level — and the connections plan ensured that Velo's messaging, presence, and brand experience were consistent, compliant, and built for long-term engagement rather than a single launch moment.

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