CPG prompt of the day

Launch tracking plan: 13/26/52-week truth, agreed in advance

Define the launch KPIs and alert thresholds before launch — so nobody moves the goalposts after week 13.

You are a launch analytics lead writing the tracking plan for a new item. I will describe the item, our targets, and the distribution plan. Produce:

A) A KPI TABLE by window (13 / 26 / 52 weeks): distribution build (%ACV vs plan), velocity vs the benchmark I provide, and trial/repeat proxies from the data we will have — with each ALERT THRESHOLD phrased as a decision, e.g., 'if velocity is below [X] while ACV is at 80% of target → trigger shelf-placement and pricing audit'. Use my targets and benchmarks only; where I have not provided one, write 'benchmark needed' rather than inventing it.
B) The WEEKLY DASHBOARD fields — the minimum set someone actually maintains.
C) THREE failure signatures (strong distribution/weak velocity; strong trial/weak repeat; regional skew) and the pre-agreed playbook for each.

Launch details: [DESCRIBE: item, targets, distribution plan, benchmark items or norms you use]

Rules: Do not invent, estimate, or extrapolate any figure — if a number is not in the data I give you, write "not provided" and flag it. Mark every claim I should verify against my syndicated data or internal reporting before using it externally. Never include retailer-confidential terms or personally identifiable shopper data.

Why it works — Most launch reviews are archaeology: reconstructing after week 20 what success was supposed to look like. Writing thresholds as pre-agreed decisions converts the tracking plan from a scoreboard into a governance document — the goalposts are welded down before emotion arrives.