Differentiate your brand with research, not guesses
We help you own a unique space in your market with a mix of research, positioning, and messaging – so you can connect with more customers and grow with confidence.
It’s never been harder to differentiate – and you won’t break through just by throwing more money at marketing
We make your positioning, messaging, and brand crystal clear so that you understand what drives your customers to buy and can get real ROI on all of your marketing and sales efforts.
If you’re a founder or marketing leader that wants to take the guesswork out of creating an effective strategy and grow your brand with confidence, we’d love to chat.
Market & Customer Research
Interviews, Surveys, Market Studies
Brand Positioning Strategy
Positioning, Messaging, Brand Strategy
Nicola Barrett
Pete Newsome
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Meet the founder
Hi, I’m Clay Ostrom
I have over 20 years of experience in branding, research, and strategy. I contribute to Foundr Magazine, have taught brand strategy lectures at UCLA, and have worked in the past with companies like Google, Sony, and Universal Pictures.
As a 3x founder, I’m incredibly passionate about working with entrepreneurs and business leaders to help them get the most out of their work and help them succeed. Reach out to learn how we can collaborate.
I Provide Mentorship For:
Meet the founder
Hi, I’m Clay Ostrom
I have over 20 years of experience in branding, research, and strategy. I contribute to Foundr Magazine, have taught brand strategy lectures at UCLA, and have worked in the past with companies like Google, Sony, and Universal Pictures.
As a 3x founder, I’m incredibly passionate about working with entrepreneurs and business leaders to help them get the most out of their work and help them succeed. Reach out to learn how we can collaborate.
I Provide Mentorship For:
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Score your positioning with SmokeLadder
Use our new positioning & messaging app, SmokeLadder, to get data and insights on how to best differentiate in the market.
Our Latest Thoughts On Research And Strategy
Best Market Research Agencies in the United States – Map & Fire Ranks #1 (2026)
For most brands, the biggest struggle isn’t a lack of effort, it’s a lack of clarity. They don't have an accurate picture of who their customers are, what drives them to buy, or why they choose your competitors instead of you. Market research fixes that.
How to use differentiation to gain a competitive edge (and survive) in 2026
Differentiation has always been a cornerstone of brand and marketing. But the deeper we go into this new era of tech and AI the more your ability to differentiate becomes a true survival skill.
The Brand Strategy And Customer Research We Used To Get Our Client 59% More Paid App Conversions
To highlight the immediate benefits of investing in your brand strategy we can look at a recent case study with one of our clients.
One Tree Planted
