The Blueprint Group
Strikeforce, The Blueprint Group's ANZ sales and field marketing arm, deploys 3000+ brand activators across 99% of Australia and New Zealand retail to deliver outsourced selling, merchandising, and brand activation for FMCG manufacturers and major retailers, powered by its proprietary Merx cloud field management platform.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1976
- HeadquartersNotting Hill, Australia
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Blueprint Group does
Strikeforce (The Blueprint Group's sales and field marketing group) is a privately held Australian operator providing outsourced field sales, merchandising, and in-store brand activation services across Australia and New Zealand. Founded in 1976 with 48+ years of operating history, the firm deploys 3000+ brand activators under three sales tiers (free-to-buy outlets, head office retail, and in-store brand activators) to deliver 99% retail coverage of ANZ, executing over 1 million store/outlet visits and 150,000 planogram changes annually. Headquartered in Mount Waverley, Victoria, with offices in Bella Vista (NSW) and Eagle Farm (QLD), the firm serves approximately 70% of the top 100 FMCG manufacturers alongside major retailers including Coles, Woolworths, Bunnings, Chemist Warehouse, Priceline, Dan Murphy's, Metcash, JB Hi-Fi, Costco, Australia Post, and Optus.
The company operates a proprietary technology platform called Merx, a cloud-native, 100% API-driven microservice field management system originally developed with IBM heritage and now built in-house. Merx integrates quoting, activation project planning, attributed store/outlet and staff databases, route scheduling, GPS tracking, timesheets, client billing, and real-time reporting. Complementing Merx, the firm offers a Category and Retail Insights platform that joins disparate market, shopper, and in-store execution datasets, and operates an exclusive Blue Yonder alliance for ANZ providing space planning and category management software capabilities. The firm also partners with 3DVRS for 3D visualization and Total Negotiation for commercial capability training.
The business model blends professional services revenue from outsourced selling, merchandising, and category management with subscription/recurring revenue from Merx software licensing. Pricing is quote-based for enterprise contracts under multi-year performance-based and risk-and-reward fee structures, rather than transparent hourly rates. The wholly-owned Extravert subsidiary provides adjacent shopper marketing, experiential, and digital marketing services. Customer segments are primarily enterprise FMCG manufacturers and brand owners (Tier 1), followed by independent grocers and pharmacies served via free-to-buy and head office sales motion, and major retail chains requiring planogram compliance and space optimization.
The Blueprint Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Blueprint Group
- Legal name
- Strikeforce
- Website
- https://strikeforce.com.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1976
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Strikeforce, The Blueprint Group's ANZ sales and field marketing arm, deploys 3000+ brand activators across 99% of Australia and New Zealand retail to deliver outsourced selling, merchandising, and brand activation for FMCG manufacturers and major retailers, powered by its proprietary Merx cloud field management platform.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Blueprint Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Field Marketing & Retail Merchandising Services
- NAICS
- Graphic Design Services (54143)
- SIC
- Services-Advertising (7310)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Retail Execution Technology & Services (SFA, Planogram, Image Recognition) (MPAAAJAM)
Keywords
Where The Blueprint Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Notting Hill
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices3 records
Markets served
The Blueprint Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Outsourced Sales and Merchandising Services: Core revenue stream providing outsourced selling and merchandising in-store execution for FMCG brand owners. Flexible structures include syndicated model (shared visits), dedicated store visits, or dedicated teams for single clients.
- Merx Software Licensing: Licensing of proprietary field management software Merx for remote field team management, available as cloud-based platform with real-time reporting capabilities.
- Space Planning and Category Management Consulting: Expert consulting services for range and space planning, incorporating brand attributes, market insight, shopper insight and retailer operational guidelines. Includes Blue Yonder software implementation and integration support.
- Sales and Negotiation Skills Training: Training programs through Total Negotiation partnership covering negotiation, selling, revenue management, strategic customer account management and procurement capabilities.
- Supply and Demand Planning Services: ISP/VRP services including forecast alignment, order placement, stock management, and replenishment optimization working embedded within retailer offices.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Outcome Based/ Performance | Multi-year contract | Performance-based pricing with risk and reward fee structures |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
The Blueprint Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Blueprint Group, operating under the Strikeforce brand, is a sales and field marketing group providing outsourced retail selling, merchandising, and brand activation services across Australia and New Zealand. The company deploys 3,000+ brand activators achieving 99% retail coverage and serves FMCG manufacturers, brand owners, and major retailers. Service delivery is supported by Merx, its proprietary cloud-based field management software platform that integrates quoting, project planning, route scheduling, GPS tracking, data capture, billing, and real-time reporting.
Product overview
The Blueprint Group operates as a field sales and retail marketing organization offering a proprietary field management software platform (Merx) alongside a comprehensive suite of retail activation services. The core platform, Merx, is a cloud-based, 100% API-driven field management system that unifies quoting, project planning, database management, route scheduling, data capture, GPS tracking, timesheets, billing, and real-time reporting. This platform powers the company's service delivery across merchandising, selling, experiential, and marketing services. The company also operates an in-house creative agency (Extravert) for shopper marketing, experiential, and digital marketing, and partners with space planning specialists using Blue Yonder software. Services are delivered through 3000+ brand activators achieving 99% retail coverage across Australia and New Zealand.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Merx: Proprietary cloud-based field management software solution for remote field team management, including quoting, activation project planning, work allocation, data capture, GPS tracking, and real-time reporting
- Total Negotiation
- Extravert
Products and services
- Merx Field Management Software Proprietary cloud-based field management software platform that serves as a one-stop shop for remotely managing any field team, integrating quoting, activation project planning, store/outlet database, staff database, work allocation, route scheduling, data capture, GPS tracking, timesheets, client billing, and real-time reporting into a unified system.
- Category & Retail Insights
Quantifiable outcome
- 6:1 return on field investment for major beverage brand case study
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use The Blueprint Group
Customer profileNamed customers17 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The Blueprint Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
The Blueprint Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Total NegotiationcoreStrategic partnership with world's leading experts in negotiation and commercial capability training. Provides capability workshops to help client teams excel in negotiation, selling, revenue management, strategic customer account management and procurement. Strikeforce acts as delivery partner for these training programs.
- Blue YondercoreBlue Yonder's exclusive Alliance Partner for the ANZ region. Subject matter experts for Category Management Solutions. Assists clients in implementing or enhancing internal space planning capability, or purchasing industry leading Blue Yonder space planning software. Uses Blue Yonder software for planogram design and optimization.
- ExtravertcoreIn-house agency fully integrated within Strikeforce. Creates insight-led strategies and immersive brand experiences for retail, experiential, and digital space. Manages everything from concept creation to production and build, live activation, product sampling, and social strategy. Delivers shopper marketing, digital marketing, and experiential campaigns.
- ACTIVATE GroupcoreNot-for-profit, member-based industry organization enabling members to join together with collective scale to improve awareness through marketing, lobby Government, and increase the talent pipeline into the industry. Strikeforce's CEO serves as Chair. Runs the Joe Berry Award recognizing talent in Australian retail.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Blueprint Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- CPM Australia: International sales and merchandising agency with ANZ operations delivering outsourced retail field marketing, similar to Strikeforce's syndicated and dedicated field force offerings.
- Smartech (Sales/Merchandising) Australia: ANZ-based provider of retail execution, merchandising, and field marketing services serving FMCG manufacturers and major retailers — directly competes with Strikeforce in the same geography and customer set.
- Crossmark Australia & New Zealand: Direct competitor to Strikeforce in ANZ, providing outsourced retail field sales, merchandising, and in-store activation services to FMCG manufacturers and retailers across Australia and New Zealand.
- SPAR Group Australia: Part of the global SPAR Group providing outsourced merchandising and retail services, operating in ANZ with similar in-store execution and field force offerings to Strikeforce.
Regional players
- Outform (formerly Point of Sale Group): Global retail marketing and point-of-sale display/experiential agency — overlaps with Strikeforce's Extravert sub-brand for in-store displays and shopper marketing, though primarily operating outside ANZ.
Emerging players
- Relex Solutions: Retail planning and supply chain software vendor (forecast, replenishment, space planning) — overlaps with Strikeforce's Merx technology and ISP/VRP supply-and-demand planning services, representing a potential software-driven competitive threat.
- AFS (Acosta Field Services)/Repsly: Field execution and retail intelligence SaaS platform used by CPG brands and agencies to digitize field visits, image recognition, and merchandising — comparable to Strikeforce's Merx software capabilities and a potential substitute.
Broad incumbents
- Acosta Group: Global sales and marketing agency providing retail merchandising, category management, and field sales services to CPG manufacturers, comparable in offering breadth to Strikeforce's combined Merx + service model.
- Advantage Solutions: Large North American-headquartered sales and marketing agency providing sales, retail, and shopper marketing services to consumer goods manufacturers — overlapping with Strikeforce's outsourced field and merchandising model at a much larger global scale.
Others
- Blue Yonder (Space Planning partner): Enterprise supply chain and category/space planning software vendor where Strikeforce is the exclusive ANZ alliance partner — adjacent technology enabler that powers Strikeforce's space-planning service line.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Blueprint Group social profiles
Digital presenceThe Blueprint Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Blueprint Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles15 records
The Blueprint Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
The Blueprint Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Blueprint Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Blueprint Group
What does The Blueprint Group do?
The Blueprint Group, operating under the Strikeforce brand, is a sales and field marketing group providing outsourced retail selling, merchandising, and brand activation services across Australia and New Zealand. The company deploys 3,000+ brand activators achieving 99% retail coverage and serves FMCG manufacturers, brand owners, and major retailers. Service delivery is supported by Merx, its proprietary cloud-based field management software platform that integrates quoting, project planning, route scheduling, GPS tracking, data capture, billing, and real-time reporting.
Is The Blueprint Group a public or private company?
The Blueprint Group is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Blueprint Group founded?
The Blueprint Group was founded in 1976.
Where is The Blueprint Group based?
The Blueprint Group is headquartered in Notting Hill, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does The Blueprint Group make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Outsourced Sales and Merchandising Services are the primary driver. The others are merx Software Licensing, space Planning and Category Management Consulting, sales and Negotiation Skills Training and supply and Demand Planning Services.
Who are The Blueprint Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are CPM Australia, Smartech (Sales/Merchandising) Australia, Crossmark Australia & New Zealand and SPAR Group Australia. Outform (formerly Point of Sale Group) is listed as a regional player. Emerging players are Relex Solutions and AFS (Acosta Field Services)/Repsly. Broad incumbents are Acosta Group and Advantage Solutions. Blue Yonder (Space Planning partner) is listed as an others.
Does The Blueprint Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Blueprint Group.
What industry is The Blueprint Group in?
The Blueprint Group's product category is Field Marketing & Retail Merchandising Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAAAJAM, Retail Execution Technology & Services (SFA, Planogram, Image Recognition). Its NAICS code is 54143 and its SIC code is 7310.