Strategic Hypotheses: The Benefits of a Healthy Sense of Paranoia

The Blog

Ideas you can use.

Strategic marketing planning results in a plan, typically built on research that defines the theme woven through the approach. Red House’s model has a twist: start with the question “What if we’re wrong?” and embrace the possibility that what you believe may not be true.

Developing several strategic hypotheses opens up more possibilities — then you prove or disprove them. In one engagement, a 75-cell test grid trialed three key message themes across five verticals and three functional decision-making titles, using simple copy-based emails. The results showed which message and theme resonated with which audience in which vertical — all without an asset — and laid the foundation for a tactical plan with a high probability of impact.