Guide
Should we spend on this launch?
Making the work and deciding to spend on it are different decisions, and they're often made in the same breath. The brand looks great, the campaign is exciting, and the budget gets approved on momentum. Brandium separates them.
Decide writes a board one-pager and returns one of four verdicts:
| Verdict | Meaning |
|---|---|
| GO | Spend is supported by the numbers you supplied |
| CONDITIONAL GO | Spend is supported if stated conditions are met |
| NO-GO | The numbers you supplied don't support the spend |
| Insufficient data | A required number is missing |
The rule
GO requires an LTV and a CAC you actually supplied. Missing LTV or CAC means insufficient data. A fluent argument doesn't change that.
GO is a spend verdict. It isn't a ban on making the work, and it isn't encouragement.
Example
"Should we spend $40k on this launch next month?"
If no LTV or CAC has been supplied, the answer the rules already state is insufficient data. You may still make the brand. You may still make the campaign. You may not treat the missing number as a small detail.
Getting to a real answer
To move from insufficient data to a verdict, you need:
LTV inputs: average order value · gross margin · repeat rate · lifetime
CAC inputs: planned spend ÷ expected new customers (by channel, if known)
Rule of thumb many teams use: LTV:CAC of 3:1 or better, with payback
inside 12 months. (Your threshold is your decision.)
If you don't have a repeat rate yet, say so. That's a reason for a small test budget, not a full launch.
Pricing from your costs: Model
Model prices from the cost stack you type, with a live formula. Empty boxes stay empty.
"COGS $12, fulfilment $4.20, target margin 55%. What list price does that support?"
Unit cost = 12.00 + 4.20 = 16.20
Price at 55% margin = 16.20 ÷ (1 − 0.55) = $36.00
You get a price the costs can bear, or a blank if you didn't give the costs.
A finance or legal read
On an FIA Plan seat, you can send an FIA Brief to CFO Sentinel for a margin check, or to LIA Pro on claims, and read the reply on that desk.
How to use a NO-GO or insufficient-data verdict
Neither verdict means stop. Insufficient data means "run a test that produces the missing number". A small, capped campaign can establish CAC for one channel, and a few months of orders can establish a repeat rate. NO-GO means the numbers you supplied don't support this spend at this size. Smaller, slower or more targeted may pass. Come back to Decide when the numbers have changed. The verdict changes because the evidence changed, not because the argument got better.
Questions
Does a GO mean Brandium likes the idea?
No. GO is a spend verdict. If LTV or CAC wasn't supplied, the answer is insufficient data.
Is Decide financial advice?
No.
Can I still make the campaign without a GO?
Yes. GO is a spend verdict, not a ban on making the work.