Welcome to the May edition of The Strategy Pulse, where we explore why brands, consultancies, and strategists are all hitting the reset button and why in 2025, simplicity might just be the ultimate power move.

This month, we’ve got big brands pulling apart their own architectures, Patagonia rewriting the loyalty playbook, and BCG trying to measure consumer chaos (because, of course, they are).

Big Shift: Brand Architecture Is Breaking (Finally)

Traditional brand architectures (the neat pyramids of sub-brands, endorsed brands, and hero products) are struggling to survive in a world of fragmented loyalty and micro-audiences.

🔹 Stat check

Kantar’s May 2025 report shows 68% of Gen Z shoppers are loyal to experiences, not logos, and switch brands twice as often as Millennials. Companies like Unilever and Nestlé are restructuring brand portfolios around consumer tribes and moments, not legacy categories.

🔹Why It Matters

✅ Brand loyalty isn’t dying; it’s just getting extremely niche.

✅ Strategy teams must build modular, flexible brand ecosystems.

✅ Innovation pipelines need to match shifting micro-communities, not old-school demographics.

🔹 Takeaway

If your brand architecture still looks like it belongs on a 2015 keynote slide, it’s time for a serious strategy renovation.

Brand in Focus: Patagonia Bets on Less (and Wins Loyalty)

While most brands are adding products like there’s no tomorrow, Patagonia is cutting 30% of its product lines by 2026, doubling down on the idea that less really is more.

🔹 Quote of the Month

“Loyalty comes from trust, not choice overload.” – Ryan Gellert, CEO of Patagonia

🔹 Why this matters

• Patagonia’s shifting from wide product choice to selective, values-led simplicity.
• Consumers are overwhelmed, and they reward brands that simplify their lives.
• Strategic curation is becoming as valuable as innovation.

🔹 Takeaway

Sometimes, the boldest brand strategy is knowing what not to offer.

Consulting Corner: BCG Launches a “Fragmentation Index” (Because Chaos Needs KPIs)

Boston Consulting Group just dropped its Consumer Fragmentation Index, a global benchmark measuring how scattered, volatile, and unpredictable brand loyalty has become.

🔹 Stat check

• Loyalty down 21% YoY in food & drink
• Down 17% in beauty
• Down 28% in personal tech

🔹Why It Matters

✅ Consultants are no longer just “mapping markets”. They’re measuring consumer volatility.

✅ Strategy teams must plan for instability, not just “pivot” when it hits.

✅ Brand portfolios will need constant recalibration, not static roadmaps.

🔹 Takeaway

In 2025, the real skill isn’t just building brands. It’s rebuilding them… again and again.