David Hughes

Insurgent and challenged brands The Wall Street Journal reports that so-called insurgent brands now capture a wildly disproportionate share of growth. Though they account for less than 2% of food, beverage, and household products, they drove nearly 39% of incremental category gains in 2024, more than double their share the year before, according to Bain & Co. It makes you wonder: perhaps some brand “managers” (really caretakers) should instead be called brand “transformers”, or better yet, “re-igniters.”

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Mind share equals market share: AM/FM Radio builds strong advertiser brands In Lake Charles, Louisiana * Through the outstanding use of AM/FM radio, Able Plumbing has the strongest unaided awareness for plumbing services in Lake Charles * Thanks to AM/FM radio advertising, Burnworth’s AC is a leading Lake Charles brand in unaided awareness; Interestingly, 25% of the market is unable to name any heating/air conditioning service * Powered by AM/FM radio, Meads Automotive is the leading local auto repair brand in Lake Charles; Nearly one-fourth (23%) are unable to name one car repair service * Unaided awareness is a crucial measure of the strength of a business: Advertising creates memories and memories generate sales * Building positive memories creates strong brands: Companies with strong brands sell more at every price point * People buy from brands they know: A strong brand is better at converting ad exposure into sales; The stronger the awareness, the greater the purchase conversion Via the link in the comments, you'll find the executive summary, slides, and video explainer.

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When leaders treat brands solely as cost centers, value disappears. That’s exactly what happened at Kraft Heinz. The 2015 merger promised billions in efficiencies. But efficiency isn’t direction. It’s subtraction. And subtraction at the expense of meaning always comes at a higher cost. The numbers tell the story: • More than $57 billion in market value erased since the merger. • Nearly $9 billion in write-downs in 2019 alone. • Another $300 million in breakup costs just to undo the complexity created. Even Warren Buffett, who once backed the deal, has admitted it was a mistake. But this isn’t just a financial failure. It’s a brand failure. When leadership focused on cutting costs instead of strengthening signals, icons like Kraft Mac & Cheese, Heinz ketchup, Oscar Mayer, and Lunchables didn’t gain new relevance. They lost it. Because brands are value centers — not line items. When leaders treat them as expenses to be minimized, they weaken the very system of meaning that keeps customers choosing them. The Kraft Heinz breakup isn’t proof that mergers fail. It’s proof that without true brand direction, even the strongest ones lose their way. #BrandDirection #BrandStrategy #Leadership #Cohesion #Differentiation #Positioning #BusinessGrowth

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Came across a post from Event Associates that nails what most brands are missing right now: It’s not about showing up anymore. It’s about creating experiences people actually remember. They break down how Brand Activation is changing the game locally, and honestly… it’s spot on. If you’re planning trade shows, corporate events, or activations this year, give this a read. Check it out: https://lnkd.in/gseS2kJX

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