Resetting strategy, rebuilding capability, and restoring alignment across a national marketing program

Overview

Hort Innovation required senior leadership to step into the Australian Avocados national marketing program at a critical point. The program lacked strategic clarity, agency performance was inconsistent, and relationships with the industry advisory group had become strained. We led a full strategic and operational reset focused on strengthening marketing effectiveness and the system that delivered it.

The Opportunity

The program lacked strategic clarity, agency performance was inconsistent, and relationships with the industry advisory group had become strained. Increasing investment required stronger discipline across planning, execution, and measurement. There was a clear need to reset the program and rebuild capability, alignment, and confidence across stakeholders.

Our Approach

We led a full strategic and operational reset with focus on capability, structure, and long-term performance. This included a comprehensive review and revision of strategy, channel mix, and investment allocation. We restructured the agency roster to improve performance and accountability, managed procurement of new agency partners, and introduced greater discipline across budget planning aligned to strategic priorities and measurable outcomes.

The Outcome

The Australian Avocados program transitioned from a fragmented structure to a more aligned, disciplined, and strategically driven model. It demonstrates the value of combining strategic review, continuous revision, KPI-led performance management, and stakeholder alignment to deliver sustained impact at scale.