“Alec’s Ice Cream”
Series A Growth Acceleration Proposal
The Case Challenge
What began as a class assignment for CCT302: Developing and Launching Communication Campaigns quickly evolved into a full case study of its own. Our team was tasked with selecting a Series A startup and building a $1M integrated marketing communications plan designed to accelerate growth, reach new customer segments, and solidify the brand’s position in a competitive market.
We anticipated that most teams would choose AI, education, or tech startups, so we intentionally took a different route. To stand out…and to challenge ourselves…we selected a CPG brand: Alec’s Ice Cream.
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Our team chose Alec’s Ice Cream, as it was the first U.S. ice cream brand using regenerative organic dairy and A2 milk. This was a category differentiator that consumers didn’t yet fully understand. During initial research, we found that Alec’s struggled with:
Low brand awareness
Limited trial in a taste-driven category
No loyalty or CRM engine
The challenge was to design a strategy that could educate, convert, and retain consumers while introducing the new Culture Cups line and my team wanted to take this challenge on.
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Our research focused on market size, industry behaviours, and emerging consumer trends.
Key Insights:
Functional ice cream is a fast-growing niche
Growing at 7–8% CAGR, doubling from approx. $0.25B to $0.51B by 2034.Taste remains non-negotiable
Consumers refuse to sacrifice flavour for health claims. Alec’s strong taste profile gives it an advantage.Ingredient transparency drives purchase
Young adults read labels, follow wellness influencers, and seek clean-label brands.Foodie families represent high-value trial & conversion potential
Parents shopping at Whole Foods/Sprouts prioritize premium ingredients and sustainability.Sustainability is not a “nice to have,” but a purchase driver
60%+ of consumers prefer brands with ethical sourcing and regenerative practices.
These insights helped shape our segmentation and communication strategy and we identified our target markets as: Ingredient Conscious Young Adults, Foodie Families, and Planet-Positive Progressives.
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Our plan targeted the entire marketing funnel — Awareness → Trial → Conversion → Loyalty — anchored in real consumer touchpoints.
Key Execution Pillars:
Awareness (Q1)
TikTok, Reels, YouTube Shorts
Founder storytelling + regenerative agriculture education
Trial & Conversion (Q2) — our biggest budget allocation at 47%
In-store sampling across Whole Foods/Sprouts/Erewhon
Farmer’s market pop-ups
Instacart geo-targeted ads
Loyalty & Retention (Q3+)
New CRM system
Segmented email marketingExclusive flavor drops + member benefits
Brand Building & Earned Media
Sustainability-focused press
Thought leadership around regenerative dairy
Chef collabs to increase cultural credibility
SMART Goals by FY26:
10M+ impressions
75k samples at 20% conversion
5,000 loyalty members at 40% repeat purchase
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Addresses Alec’s biggest barrier: consumers need to taste to believe
Uses regenerative farming as a strong differentiator in a saturated premium market
Builds long-term retention infrastructure for future growth
Meets Series A expectations by prioritizing education, trial, and community building
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I spearheaded the market analysis (competitive landscape, consumer insights, segmentation)
I shaped our strategic positioning of Alec’s as the leader in conscious indulgence.
Collaborated with my teammate on messaging across the awareness, trial, and loyalty pillars
Supported the creation of SMART goals and KPI frameworks tied to consumer behaviour.
Ensured our strategy reflected Series A realities, grounded in scalability and ROI
This project strengthened leadership skills and ability to turn industry data into strategic marketing decisions. This has also increased my knowledge in CPG, wellness, and sustainable food brands.
Campaign Proposal Deck
