When growth stalls, the reason has to be understood first.
More campaigns, more media spend or a new agency rarely fix a fundamental commercial problem.
First: what's holding customers back, where the wrong assumptions are, and what needs to change to get growth moving again.
My focus is changing customer behaviour through brand and activation strategy, not adding more spend to what already isn't working.
For CEOs, CMOs, COOs, boards and marketing teams at a critical commercial moment.
When activity stops leading to growth
The organisation has a marketing team, agencies, data, technology and budget. Yet growth keeps falling behind.
Positioning loses its edge, acquisition gets pricier, and marketing and sales pull in different directions. A launch doesn't land, or everyone works hard while no one sees the whole picture.
What's needed then isn't another campaign, but clarity:
- What is really blocking growth?
- Which customers and markets deserve priority?
- Why do customers choose, or not?
- Which behaviour needs to change?
- Which activities should stop?
- What should the organisation do first?
The result is a single commercial direction for leadership, marketing, sales, product and agencies.
From complex situation to executable agenda
A good strategy doesn't just clarify what needs to happen. It also clarifies what should stop happening.
Every engagement starts with an objective diagnosis of market, brand, behaviour, proposition and organisation. That produces a sharp problem definition, clear commercial choices, a distinctive positioning, concrete priorities, an executable roadmap, and clear KPIs and ownership.
Brand and marketing aren't soft disciplines here. They're tied to commercial performance, financial risk and enterprise value, in an agenda management and the team can act on immediately, not a report that sits unused.
Proven at commercial turning points
Red Bull
Tightening regulation limited traditional marketing. The approach shifted to content and activation instead. An early step toward what later became Red Bull Media House.
Bavaria 0.0
Alcohol-free beer was barely a relevant category. As brand strategist, I built the positioning and an always-on activation calendar around new consumption occasions, tied to clear trial and repeat targets. 36% market share within three years.
PayPal
A market that overwhelmingly chose iDEAL. As brand strategy director, I removed the extra step adoption required and tied PayPal directly to purchases customers already made. Roughly 10,000 new users per week.
Avéro Achmea
An outdated product in a saturated market. I led the repositioning and rebrand, defining a new value proposition and go-to-market blueprint with clear KPIs across acquisition, conversion and retention. Roughly 200% revenue growth versus prior years.
Hero Gaming
Speedy Spel repositioned for the newly regulated Swedish market. Developed in the period leading up to the successful sale of Hero Gaming.
Chess.com
The growth opportunity wasn't more reach, but better activating existing users. Customer journey focused on the step from passive viewer to paying subscriber.
For moments that call for senior expertise, fast
Temporary senior marketing and brand leadership is relevant when:
- Brand, proposition or go-to-market needs to be redefined
- A launch or repositioning has to land right the first time
- The organisation is too dependent on price, promotions or paid acquisition
- A permanent CMO vacancy needs to be bridged
- Investors or a new owner expect faster results
- The business is being prepared for funding, acquisition or sale
Three ways of working together
Growth Activation Audit
For organisations that know growth is stalling, but not why. In two to four weeks, the real blockers and priorities become visible.
Outcome: a diagnosis, commercial choices, priorities and a business case.
Choose this when: you need clarity before committing to anything bigger. I act as an outside diagnostician, not yet part of your team.
Strategic Transformation Assignment
For a defined commercial question: positioning, category development, a market launch, growth strategy, or preparing for investment or sale.
Outcome: a strategy, activation plan, KPIs and an executable roadmap.
Choose this when: the problem is already defined and needs a plan. I own the strategy and its translation into an executable roadmap.
Embedded Strategic Advisor
For organisations that need extra seniority alongside the CEO, CMO, COO or marketing team, from a few days a month to an intensive period.
Outcome: faster decision-making, one commercial agenda, and senior guidance during execution.
Choose this when: execution needs senior ownership day to day. I act as your fractional CMO for that period, accountable for the commercial agenda.
Strategy that becomes manageable
Erik Pas has spent more than 30 years developing strategies that connect brand, customer behaviour and commercial growth.
He has worked for and with, among others, Red Bull, PayPal, Bavaria, Achmea, KPN, Hero Gaming and Chess.com. He has also built his own companies, platforms and strategic models.
Surprize Me
Surprize Me grew from concept to 255 stores. It shows which incentives actually drive the next purchase, connecting activation to measurable customer value.
OBHI: Operator Brand Health Index
Translates brand performance into information boards and investors can act on, across four pillars and 26 indicators. First built for iGaming, where brand value is hard to measure but critical to growth, investment and acquisition.
This combination of strategist, operator and entrepreneur makes strategy measurable, manageable and executable, not just persuasive in the boardroom.
Experience across FMCG, retail, e-commerce, fintech, SaaS, telecoms, insurance and iGaming.
Recognition
11 international awards, including Brand of the Year (NIMA), a Cannes Lion Award, Challenger Award, Fab Award (UK), Golden Award for Topical Advertising ×2, Golden Esprix, LAMP Gold, LAMP Silver, and SAN Accent ×2.
What clients say
“Erik is an incredibly smart and creative brand strategist with a deep understanding of brand preference, positioning, consumers, market perception and business growth.”
Ismael Diagne, COO / Director
“At eBay/PayPal he demonstrated his execution skills by delivering 10,000 new users per week at high speed.”
Robbert de Haan, Marketing Director, eBay/PayPal
“Erik is a fast-thinking strategist and consultant. He can fully exploit the potential of a brand like no other.”
Piet Zee, Senior Marketeer, Achmea
“Erik is a really honest, loyal and fast thinking, strategic and super creative guy. He can really contribute on the building of brands, both strategic as creative.”
Mark van der Grift, Brand Manager, Red Bull
“Erik is a very passionate and creative marketing consultant. He strongly believes in a non-traditional marketing approach. It's real value for money.”
Peer Swinkels, CEO, Bavaria
Get clear on the real problem first
A first call of 30 minutes is enough to determine:
- Where growth is most likely being blocked
- Which question needs to be answered first
- What form of senior support fits