Millenials & Marketing: Recent Episodes
Isaac Brody
Millenials and Marketing is a podcast where you will hear perspectives from 2 millennials born on opposite ends of the millennial age range.
Our first returning guest Ryan Blad comes on to talk through his teams viral video for Sun Warrior. We talk all about how this video came to life and what's next for the video and the brand.
In an effort to continue our deep dive on Regerenerative Agriculture we invited Mary Purdy, from the Nutrient Density Alliance to discuss the importance of connecting regenerative agriculture with nutrient-dense outcomes. We explore the challenges of getting buy-in from various stakeholders, including consumers, farmers, retailers and food industry leaders. It also delves into the need for education and communication to help consumers understand the benefits of nutrient-dense food and the importance of regenerative farming practices.
In this episode, we interview Daniela, the founder of Big Picture Foods, a brand that focuses on regenerative farming and produces olives, peppers, and capers. Daniela explains the traditional slow curing process of olives using salt and how it has been replaced by industrialized methods. She emphasizes the importance of natural fermentation and the use of wild native cultures derived from the soil. The conversation also covers the challenges in the food system, the need for clean ingredient products, and the impact of regenerative agriculture on soil health and carbon sequestration. The sourcing and supply chain of Big Picture Foods are discussed, highlighting the partnerships with small farms and the focus on nutrient density and resilience in the face of climate change. Big Picture Foods is a regenerative food company that focuses on creating clean, healthy, and sustainable products. They are committed to educating consumers about the importance of reading ingredient labels and making informed choices.
We are joined by Alex Temple from Mable Marketplace. Mable is turning itself into a valuable tool for emerging brands and Alex tells us how. Mable is a marketplace technology for distributors and a selling platform for brands in the food and beverage industry. They enable distributors to sell third-party products to their customers without warehousing them, and they enable emerging brands to drop ship products to customers they couldn't otherwise reach. We chat with Alex about how Mabel started as a B2B marketplace connecting emerging brands directly with retailers but pivoted to partnering with distributors to make restocking seamless for buyers. And then how they work with distributors like McLane and help brands get into convenience stores and other retailers. She shares how Mabel's platform provides data sharing, forecasting, and support for brands to scale their businesses.
Marcus Lasky from FDM Sales discusses his background and the role of FDM in the consumer goods industry. He highlights the importance of supply chain and omni-channel strategies in the CPG business, as well as the role of social media in brand marketing. Marcus emphasizes the value of FDM's personal touch and its role as an extension of the brand. He also provides insights on trade shows, including the importance of being memorable and the value of attending category-specific shows. Marcus mentions Pop Daddy as a brand that has gained buzz and success in the industry.
In this episode, Isaac and Ryan are joined by Anthony Corsaro and Kyle Krull, hosts of a ReGen Brands Podcast. They discuss the concept and benefits of regenerative agriculture, the challenges of defining and certifying these products, and the importance of building a supply chain. Brands like Kettle & Fire and Zack's Mighty are highlighted as examples incorporating regenerative principles. The episode also explores the market potential for regenerative products, the connection to nutrient density, and the regulatory challenges of making health claims. Additionally, they discuss the adoption of regenerative practices by retailers, the need for clear messaging, and the relationship between regenerative and organic agriculture. They recommend watching documentaries like 'Kiss the Ground' and 'The Biggest Little Farm' to learn more about regenerative agriculture.
Isaac discusses the social influence scorecard created by him and his team at Socialike. The scorecard focuses on midsize retailers and their ability to help CPG brands. Isaac explains that retailers can be considered influencers, as they already have a social following and a level of trust from consumers. The scoring methodology takes into account factors such as the number of stores, follower count, engagement rate, and the quality of community management. The top five retailers on the scorecard are Green Natural Foods, Kimbertons, Deer Bergs, Harmons, and Fresh Thyme. The conversation concludes with a discussion on personal shopping habits and appreciation for the report.
In this episode, Ryan, Isaac, and guest Mike Scavuzzo from Numerator discuss various trends and challenges in the beverage industry. They dive into the trending category of prebiotic and probiotic soda, highlighting brands like Ollipop and Poppi. They also explore the rise of non-alcoholic beverages and the challenges of merchandising these products. The conversation touches on the synergy between alcohol and non-alcoholic options, the growth of mocktails, and the specialty coffee market. In this conversation, Mike Scavuzzo discusses consumer insights, data collection methodologies, and the value of data for brands. He highlights the importance of understanding consumer behavior and purchase patterns, as well as the challenges smaller brands face in accessing and utilizing data. Mike also shares his experiences working with Red Bull, RX Bar, and Midday Squares, showcasing the success and strategies of these brands. Overall, the conversation emphasizes the role of data in retail decision-making and the impact it can have on brand growth and execution.
Kamal Jarrett from Hillside Harvest discusses his journey in the food industry and the growth of his brand. He highlights the importance of regional collaboration and the impact of events like Naturally New England. Kamal shares his experience in expanding his brand's reach and the challenges and opportunities of marketing Caribbean-inspired products. He emphasizes the need for authenticity and innovation in the industry.
Kamal also discusses the value of social media and the benefits of participating in holiday markets and pop-up events. He provides advice for CPG founders and shares his excitement for Expo West.
In this episode, we interview Alex Adam from Boredom Kills Creative, a creative agency based in England. We discuss Alex's background in music and how he transitioned to working with CPG brands. We also explore the value of mascots in branding and building a tribe.
Alex shares insights on the importance of food imagery in packaging and staying ahead of design trends. We talk briefly on the different approaches for e-commerce and retail brands and the importance of understanding the brand's problem and goals. The conversation concludes with a discussion on exploring opportunities at trade shows and Alex's music career
Matt Levine, founder of Chlorophyll Water, shares his journey in the beverage industry and the success of his brand. He discusses the brand partnership with Alo and how it has influenced the growth of Chlorophyll Water. Matt also talks about the importance of strategic placement in stores and the approach to retail expansion. He emphasizes the focus on one core product and the frugal approach to growth.
Matt shares insights on trade shows, social media strategy, and leveraging trends to attract buyers. He discusses the challenges of educating buyers about chlorophyll water and how it differs from other superfoods. He also talks about the success of chlorophyll water and the importance of marketing and growth. The conversation ends with a discussion about the Billy Madison reference and plans for Expo West.
We went deep with Brady. Beyond TruFru which is a great story by itself we really leaned on him to give his insight on larger aspects of marketing. Like why enlist Snoop Dogg and then fire a CEO? What is Whalebone? And showing up for your consumer.
Season 2 Premiere! In the first pod of season 2 we kick off with Ryan Forsythe from Pitted Labs. They help CPG brands with all things Amazon. We chatted a lot about Amazon but also picked Ryan's brain on a few other CPG topics
In our final episode we catch up with Erin Del Ponte from Swanson Health. Erin is the VP Marketing and shares her thoughts and processes around leveraging social media at a retail level
In episode 5 we meet Ryan Blad. He is the VP Marketing for Sun Warrior vitamins and supplements. We've heard from agencies and founders so far. Ryan helps gives some perspective on how internal teams at brands view and execute social media in tandem with retail
In this episode we interview Melissa Buckley from Honeybee Garden. She provides her wisdom on retail and social and why her approach may differ from new founders.
Alison Cayne everyone! Ali joins us talk about her journey with social media and its importance to her brand. Also, we couldn't let her go without getting her perspective on a handful topics in the CPG industry.
In episode 2 we dig into Ryan's background as a buyer at Target and get his perspective on all things retail and social
Preview of our upcoming limited series on the intersection of social media, CPG brands and the retail space
Today we discuss the importance of products being made in the USA. One item we discovered was the negative impact the made in China stigma carries.
Everything we do has been uprooted. Today David and I speak about how our consumption of audio has shifted during the 2020 pandemic.
There is no doubt that COVID-19 has drastically changed the way we all think about discretionary spending. Today David and I discuss if these impacts will be permanent.
How a 38 year old and a 21 year olds social media habits have changed for the better or worst during the 2020 pandemic.