An Offer We Couldn’t Refuse: A Case Study on Olive Oil and the Mafia

Here at POWER, we live by the principle that no idea is too wild or wacky, as long as it’s backed by a smart strategy. So, when our client came to us with an idea for a new, Mafia Bros themed olive oil brand, we jumped on it. 

But before we could start selling any bottles, we needed to answer a few questions. 

Would the product be viable? Where does it fit into the market? What would a thoughtful and ideal execution look like? What should the pricing and promotion strategy be? 

The Core Challenge

 Mafia Bros came to POWER with:

• A strong creative concept

• No validated market position

• No pricing or competitive framework

• No clue how their brand would be perceived

They needed clarity on:

• Whether the product could succeed commercially

• Where it fits in the market

• How to execute the brand without alienating buyers

• What a realistic path to profitability looked like

Our Strategy Summary 

Instead of jumping right into crafting social media graphics or ad concepts, we started with a strategic evaluation. To create a comprehensive analysis, we broke down the prototype, conducting an evaluation and recommendations on:

1. The Industry 

2. Positioning, Pricing, and Competition

3. Brand Perception and Targeting

4. SWOT

5. Marketing Plan

6. Projected Results

   
   

The Process 

Step 1: Analyze The Industry

We began by assessing the market. The U.S. olive oil market is growing steadily, with premium and extra-virgin oils gaining share as consumers become more health-conscious and quality-driven. At the same time, the specialty gifting market is expanding rapidly, fueled by e-commerce, novelty products, and consumers’ willingness to pay more for items that feel unique and giftable.

This insight immediately shaped our direction: Mafia Bros did not need to compete with mass-market olive oils. Instead, they could occupy a niche, premium, giftable, and conversation-starting market. 

POWERful lesson: Not every product needs scale to succeed. Some win by owning a clearly defined niche.

Step 2: Competition and Pricing Analysis

Next, we evaluated Mafia Bros against competitors, highlighting grocery-store staples, premium DTC brands, and small Etsy sellers. This helped clarify where there was space in the market. Here, we saw an opportunity for Mafia Bro’s to differentiate itself: both the premium and budget olive oil markets were saturated, but Mafia Bro’s more playful and novelty-driven concept fit in a different niche. 

Based on this, we recommended:  A premium price point that signaled quality and exclusivity, and avoiding mass retail entirely, with leaning into gifting, DTC, and specialty platforms as primary channels.

POWERful Lesson: Your pricing strategy can have important influences on value signaling, determining where your product fits into the industry.

Step 3: Brand Perception & Risk Assessment

One of the most important parts of the process was evaluating how the Mafia theme could be perceived by different audiences. Here, we took a multi-disciplinary approach, utilizing existing consumer research studies to inform our decisions.

In this, we identified a clear risk: while some consumers found mafia-inspired branding humorous or bold, others associated it with violence, unethical behavior, or negative stereotypes, especially if the execution leaned too far into crime imagery.

Rather than abandoning the concept, we decided that keeping the playfulness of the brand, removing the overt references to violence and crime, and reframing the brand around exclusivity, power, and insider status would be the best path forward. This allowed the brand to remain distinctive while significantly reducing reputational risk.

POWERful lesson: Be sure to use data to inform your strategy

Step 4: The Path Forward

As the analysis came together, we determined the next steps. While the strategy, pricing, and positioning made sense, there were still open operational questions, focused around production quality, bottling logistics, and financial risk. We outlined the next steps to: 

1. Refine a label design to align with the updated brand direction

2. Present a modified launch plan to key stakeholders

3. Establish a clear contract outlining roles, costs, and risk allocation

4. Confirm production details before investing heavily in marketing

This approach ensured that creative and marketing efforts would be supported by a strong infrastructure.

POWERful lesson: A clear roadmap is key to product success. 

The Result

By the end of the process, Mafia Bros evolved from an untested idea into a clearly positioned brand with a path to launch. Analysis and alignment are the most valuable in building a brand’s strategy.

Let us make giving your business a clear, data-backed strategy an offer YOU can’t refuse. Schedule a free consultation today.