FORWARD THINKING
Is your HFSS-Compliant Advantage about to Evaporate?
Think your HFSS compliant advantage is secure after January 2026? Brand-only advertising means big indulgent brands will still win on mental availability. Here’s how to fight back....
Ad Age: Pizza Hut’s new logo—what designers like (and don’t like) about the refresh
While Pizza Hut fiddles with typography, Domino's owns digital ordering, Papa John's owns quality, and local pizzerias own craft. Each competitor has clear intent driving every decision. Pizza Hut has...
Crocs: the $4 Billion Strategy of Ugliness
Crocs were mocked as the world's ugliest shoe and ranked alongside asbestos as one of TIME's worst inventions. Instead of redesigning, they doubled down on what made them different. The...
The Founder Advantage: Why 2% Brands Are Stealing 39% of Growth
Brands with less than 2% market share captured 39% of all incremental category growth in 2024. Up from 17% in 2023 and just 6% in 2022, according to Bain's research...
Sriracha: When Category Creation Becomes Competitive Suicide
David Tran built an empire on authenticity and product obsession. But when sriracha shortages hit, shoppers like my wife grabbed any red bottle with a green cap. That’s the danger...
Starburst — A Joyful Redesign That’s Perfectly Squarish
For Starburst, authentic brand truth was hiding in plain sight—those perfect squares fans instinctively stack, mix, and reimagine into personal flavour combinations. We watched people turn candy into self-expression. That...
The Accidental Consumer Brand That Needs Intentional Love
ChatGPT became the fastest-growing consumer brand by accident. Now OpenAI must make intentional brand decisions to protect love and trust....
Jaguar Isn’t Selling Cars Anymore (And That’s Genius)
Everyone got Jaguar's rebrand wrong. The controversial campaign wasn't brand suicide—it was strategic brilliance. Here's why it's working....
Stop Making Business Decisions
In times of pressure, it’s easy to default to what’s measurable—efficiency, cost, ROI. But great brands aren’t built that way. This piece explores why choosing brand-first thinking leads to deeper...
