THE PLAYBOOK FOR AI BRAND BUILDING
Sources.
The research behind our figures, with the scope of each comparison.
Launch success and structured workflows
The 76% failure figure concerns new FMCG product launches within their first year. The 6% figure is the inverse of a 94% success result for the best-performing product businesses in a separate study.
The “up to 4×” comparison divides 94% by 24%, giving 3.9, rounded. These figures come from different research populations. They are not a controlled comparison or measured outcomes for Playbook users.
O’Reilly, L., ‘3 in 4 FMCG launches fail within a year’, Marketing Week (2014); Victory, K., Tanusondjaja, A., Dawes, J., Nenycz-Thiel, M. and Romaniuk, J., ‘Are there generalizable patterns in line extension performance?’, Journal of Product & Brand Management, 33/6 (2024); Victory, K., Romaniuk, J., Nenycz-Thiel, M., Tanusondjaja, A. and Dawes, J., ‘How to identify line extensions that survive’, Journal of Product & Brand Management, 35/5 (2026); NielsenIQ, Launch Fast, Learn Faster (2026).
Stage-Gate International, Winning at New Products (2017), presenting SGI–IFMA Research Study (2014).
40 million+ annual registrations
The headline uses brand launches as shorthand for business-formation activity. The underlying total is registrations, not a count of distinct new brands.
Data and definitions
Our calculation from 2025 national registration and business-formation data across 19 economies, with partial US coverage (Florida and Delaware); the selected counts total approximately 40.28 million and the headline is rounded down. Includes companies, sole traders and other registered business forms; national definitions vary and the series are not harmonised. Some registrations represent existing activity becoming formal, new legal vehicles or business names, and a registered entity may never begin trading — this is an indicator of annual formation activity, not a deduplicated count of newly trading ventures or brands, and a separate population from the product-failure studies at reference 1. Principal sources: China SAMR, Sebrae (Brazil), INSEE (France), Destatis (Germany), Companies House (UK) and twelve other national registries and statistical offices. Data checked 19 September 2026.
The consultant cost comparison
Illustrative cost comparison. 12 weeks × 5 working days × an assumed £2,500 per day = £150,000. This is a UK worked example, not a supplier quote or a typical project cost. It assumes a full-time consultant for those 12 weeks. The Playbook is self-directed; your own time and AI subscription are separate, and the scope is not the same as a consultant or agency engagement.
The UK example is not a dollar conversion. For US context, Clutch’s Branding Pricing Guide 2026 reports US branding agency rates of $100–$149 per hour, based on client reviews. Actual rates, scope and project costs vary. Source checked 4 October 2026.
Business planning research
Sources and study context
Up to 2×. In a University of Oregon analysis of 2,877 business owners, 36% of those who had completed a business plan had secured a loan and 36% investment, against 18% and 18% of those who had not: Ding, E. and Hursey, T., Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Business Planning Using Palo Alto’s Business Plan Pro (Department of Economics, University of Oregon, 2010), reported by Small Business Trends; respondents were users of the sponsor’s software. The government-backed Start Up Loans scheme requires a business plan and cash-flow forecast to assess “the strength and viability of your business”: British Business Bank, Start Up Loans: how to apply (2026). Market potential is the first thing business angels and venture capital funds weigh in a plan: Mason, C. and Stark, M., ‘What do Investors Look for in a Business Plan?’, International Small Business Journal, 22/3 (2004). Your Launch Book is that plan, with the evidence attached.
The U.S. Small Business Administration advises that business plans “can help you get funding or bring on new business partners”: SBA, Write your business plan (2025). SBA ↗
Using the Playbook
AI subscriptions are separate. The typical 12-week schedule is self-paced. The Playbook does not guarantee a commercial outcome. Read the membership terms.
Reader testimonials describe individual experiences; names are withheld for privacy. Read the full approved testimonials.
Acme Corporation is an illustrative venture used in the demonstrations. It is not a customer result.