Nike’s collaboration with Skims, Kim Kardashian’s billion-dollar shapewear empire, is one of the most talked-about partnerships in years. Within days of the announcement, Nike’s market cap surged by $6 billion, a clear signal that investors saw financial upside.
From all my years in research and consulting, I think I’ve learned a thing or two about marketing worth sharing. Enduring fundamentals, mostly—yet often overlooked. So, this year, I want to share some snippets for your consideration. I hope they’re helpful. This week’s thought: Marketing is about wants, not needs.
There’s a familiar kind of panic that happens when a new technology arrives—one that feels like it threatens something uniquely human. We saw it when photography emerged—surely painting was over. When synthesisers arrived—real musicianship was doomed. And now, here we are with AI, having the same debate over creativity.
In 2000, political scientist Robert Putnam lamented the growing social isolation and loss of social capital in American society. In his book Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community, Putman documented the declining participation in civic, religious, sports, volunteer, and fraternal organizations, among others. Associated with this decline is a loss of the social relationships that create a sense of shared values and common purpose.
Recently, Bloomberg ran an article about Dr. Bronner’s. If you are unfamiliar, Br. Bronner’s Wikipedia page states: “Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps is an American producer of organic soap and personal care products headquartered in Vista, California. The company was founded in the late 1940s by Emanuel Bronner and continues to be run by members of the Bronner family. The company’s products are known for their text-heavy labels and the variety of their advertised uses for a single product (e.g., one soap advertises eighteen uses, from toothpaste and shampoo to toilet scrubber and insecticide).”
