Project services
Positioning & Purpose
Messaging Frameworks
Our brief
Salt & Twine began in 2015 in the kitchen of an award-winning deli just outside Boston, driven by a desire to share the Old-World craft of charcuterie with family and friends. Formerly known as New England Charcuterie, the brand was recently acquired by the Italian Parmacotto Group and rebranded as Salt & Twine—but it lacked a clear brand story and, most importantly, a defined market positioning.
As the brand prepared for sales meetings with Whole Foods and other national retailers, it needed more than just a new name and packaging. It needed a compelling narrative and strategic proposition to both differentiate itself and help retailers re-energise a stagnant category.
As the brand prepared for sales meetings with Whole Foods and other national retailers, it needed more than just a new name and packaging. It needed a compelling narrative and strategic proposition to both differentiate itself and help retailers re-energise a stagnant category.
What we did
Category & competitor analysis
We first needed to look into the category and gain standout cultural insights.
We audited and mapped the U.S. salami market, identifying key messaging themes, design codes, and white space. Salt & Twine’s flavour range (including bold combinations like Mezcal & Salted Lime and Bacon & Bourbon) was more inventive than anything in the category. While some competitors experimented with flavours, most still leaned heavily on provenance – Italian or American – and stuck to traditional profiles.
We saw a clear gap: no brand was leading with bold flavour and pure enjoyment, independent of a heritage story. To shape the right tone and messaging, we looked outside the category to brands like Glenmorangie in whisky and Chamberlain Coffee – examples of how to spotlight flavour in categories rooted in craft and tradition.
We saw a clear gap: no brand was leading with bold flavour and pure enjoyment, independent of a heritage story. To shape the right tone and messaging, we looked outside the category to brands like Glenmorangie in whisky and Chamberlain Coffee – examples of how to spotlight flavour in categories rooted in craft and tradition.
Mapping competitors on a positioning framework to identify the white space
Positioning
To excite retailers, we introduced a new growth platform: Flavored Salami as its own new subcategory, inspired by the flavoured whisky model – not subtle seasoning, but bold, unapologetic taste.
Unshackled by heritage, we defined the value proposition as The First Flavored Salami Brand for Food Lovers. This positioning shifted salami from a charcuterie board staple to a creative culinary ingredient. To land this, we created a bold brand idea: Think Outside the Board – positioning salami as the star in tacos, sliders, and even as a great pairing for tequila & picklebacks. It became a story of colour, flavour, and modern food culture – abundant, playful, and full of casual charm.
Unshackled by heritage, we defined the value proposition as The First Flavored Salami Brand for Food Lovers. This positioning shifted salami from a charcuterie board staple to a creative culinary ingredient. To land this, we created a bold brand idea: Think Outside the Board – positioning salami as the star in tacos, sliders, and even as a great pairing for tequila & picklebacks. It became a story of colour, flavour, and modern food culture – abundant, playful, and full of casual charm.
Messaging frameworks
The brand idea Think Outside the Board became the campaign tagline, but the interim identity felt misaligned – dark and edgy, while the packaging used pastel colours and flowing typography. To bridge this, we proposed an interim campaign key visual that built on packaging graphic assets and therefore reinforced existing memory structures and improved recognition.
Launch plan
With positioning, messaging, and a unified design direction in place, we created a go-to-market plan built around a brand world we called Street Salami – inspired by the flavour innovation and cultural fusion of food trucks.
- Retail Activation: in-store tasting stands and point-of-sale materials inspired by street food – complete with fast-food-style baskets and deli paper.
- Launch Event: a Salt & Twine food truck popping up in urban hubs and sports events, serving pizzas, tacos, and sliders made by an influencer chef- all featuring Salt & Twine salami.
- Social Strategy: a multi-channel plan with earned, paid, and owned content, chef influencer collaborations, and content pillars focused on playful, personality-driven recipes that celebrate bold flavours and unexpected pairings.
