When we talk about POSM, the conversation usually starts with formats, finishes, and visibility. But the most forward-thinking brands are shifting their focus—from materials to meaning. The R&D Catalogue makes one thing clear: real POSM impact happens when you stop designing for the shopper’s eyes and start designing for their psychology.

Why Brand Experience ≠ Brand Loyalty

Most POSM is built to be noticed. But being noticed isn’t the same as being remembered—and it definitely isn’t the same as being chosen again and again.

What the R&D framework outlines is simple but powerful: brand experience becomes brand loyalty when the experience connects to personal benefit.

Not just “this looks cool,” but:

• “This brand fits who I want to be.”

• “This product adds to my identity.”

• “I feel better about myself when I choose this.”

That’s a different kind of conversion.

From Storytelling to Self-Image

The most catalytic POSM doesn’t just tell a brand story—it reinforces a shopper’s sense of self. And when consumers internalize a brand as part of their identity, they don’t just buy it—they advocate for it.

This model helps us ask better questions when designing POSM:

• What emotional benefit does this drive?

• How does this reinforce the shopper’s self-image?

• Where in the journey can we create positive disruption?

If your POSM doesn’t spark reflection, inspire action, or shift perception, it’s decoration—not strategy.

M&E Perspective: POSM That Moves People, Not Just Product

We’ve always believed that POSM is a moment of influence, not just exposure. What this model helps clarify is that those moments work best when they tap into esteem, purpose, belonging, and growth—because that’s what people are really shopping for.

In other words:
✔️ Design for decision-making
✔️ Think beyond format
✔️ Make people feel something about themselves—not just your brand

The brands that win aren’t louder. They’re more emotionally precise.

Want to see how we’re using this thinking to shift consumer behavior in the off-trade?
Contact us or explore our latest POSM work in the Projects Section.