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Introduction
Even the most well-developed brand marketing strategy can fall flat if it doesn’t account for what’s actually happening in the field. For multi-location brands, this disconnect shows up in missed deadlines, inconsistent execution and partner teams feeling left out of the loop.
The issue isn’t strategy—it’s execution. Local teams want to support national initiatives, but they often don’t have the tools, visibility or flexibility to follow through. Without systems that connect the two sides, growth slows and brand consistency starts to slip.
The Disconnect That Slows Down Growth in Multi-Location Brands
When Headquarters Pushes, and the Field Isn’t Ready
In distributed models, corporate sets the vision—but it’s regional teams, franchisees and field marketers who actually bring campaigns to life. When there’s no clear plan for rollout, support or follow-through, things break down fast.
Common signs of disconnect:
- Store teams receiving campaign kits after launch dates
- Channel partners improvising due to missing or unclear assets
- Vendors unaware of timelines or campaign objectives
- Inconsistent branding from market to market
Without tight coordination, strategy gets lost in translation—and campaign performance suffers.
Examples of Misalignment (and How to Fix Them)
Applebee’s: Strengthening Local Execution with National Consistency
Applebee’s faced the challenge of enabling hundreds of franchise locations to execute local marketing that stayed true to national brand standards. Before GearBox®, campaigns were fragmented, with materials scattered across teams and unclear execution timelines.
How IRIS helped:
- Gave franchisees access to brand-approved marketing kits
- Automated distribution of assets for seasonal and regional campaigns
- Provided visibility into what was used and when
- Reduced execution delays and improved in-market consistency
Read the Full Applebee’s Case Study
Meritage Homes: Scaling Strategy with a Lean Team
As Meritage Homes expanded across new communities, they struggled to align growing marketing demands with limited internal resources. Teams were managing requests manually, which slowed down execution and left room for error.
How IRIS helped:
- Centralized campaign requests and approvals in GearBox®
- Streamlined the delivery of marketing materials across locations
- Enabled faster execution without adding headcount
- Improved alignment between national messaging and local activation
Read the Full Meritage Homes Case Study
IRIS Tools That Align Strategy and Execution
GearBox® by IRIS Connects Corporate and Field Teams
GearBox® by IRIS Strategic Marketing Support (IRIS) is a modular platform designed to help brands close the gap between planning and execution. Built for marketing and operations teams working across distributed networks, GearBox® centralizes assets, approvals, and workflows to ensure strategy gets carried out the right way—every time.
With GearBox®, brands can:
- Distribute pre-approved marketing kits across teams and regions
- Customize assets for local use without compromising brand standards
- Automate workflows for vendor coordination, campaign setup and delivery
- Track performance and usage across partners, markets and stores
From national campaigns to localized activations, GearBox® gives every team the tools to execute faster, better and on-brand.
Schedule a Demo with GearBox®
If your brand marketing strategy isn’t showing up the way you planned in the field, it’s time to close the gap. GearBox® by IRIS gives marketing and operations leaders one system to connect strategy, execution and performance across every location.
Schedule your free demo today to see how IRIS helps bring your marketing plans to life.
