GOOD THINKING
GOOD THINKING
Set Active mess up is brand gold, and Frida frees the (cracked) nipple.
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-39:55

Set Active mess up is brand gold, and Frida frees the (cracked) nipple.

Brands are getting braver.

Hi all,

Welcome back to our weekly companion podcast to the Sunday letter. Hit the links to skip to what strikes your fancy!

But before we dive in next week Kirsten and I are giving a live masterclass on all the things CEOs, CMOs, and execs need to know for Q1. Sign up here if you’re interested!

We also opened some spots for the GOOD THINKING NYC Tour on April 3rd. Tickets are $300—expect a wildly fun and inspiration-packed day.

As always, this pod dives into the biggest trends, shifts, and brands.

THIS WEEK’S PODCAST EPISODE:

  • Frida is freeing the cracked nipple. And fighting back against being censored.

  • Buffalo Wild Wings fumbled a winning idea.

  • We need to give Gen Z a rest, not a ‘restival’.

  • Set Active turned a mistake into a memorable brand moment.

  • AI is turning brands into ‘vibe marketers’. It’s an opportunity and a danger.

  • Food is the new sports medicine.

  • Tower 28 gives us a master class on brand positioning

  • The souvenir industry is getting a shake-up. But there’s more opportunity here.

  • Paris Fashion Week’s best brand move? A black van. No show required.

  • Let’s give Poppi a round of applause, please.

Enjoy!

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What we get into:

CULTURE

01:20— FRIDA GETS REAL // Frida is done being censored. But they need your help. Their new casting call campaign doesn’t just push boundaries—it demolishes them. We talk about why brands that lean into realness are winning.

F&B

04:55 — BUFFALO WILD WINGS FUMBLED // March Madness is a second Super Bowl for a wings brand. Buffalo Wild Wings had a genius idea—glasses that let you watch multiple games at once. But the execution? A mess. We break down why great ideas fail when the follow-through isn’t there.

A post shared by @bwwings

SILVERS, ALPHAS & ZS

06:59 — THE ‘RESTIVAL’ ERA // Gen Z is over music festivals. But not because they want a rest. We get into why brands and the media need to reset and get over Gen-Z stereotypes.

RETAIL

10:48 — UNMISTAKABLE WIN // Set Active turned a mishap into a viral campaign. But was this just for marketers, consumers or does it not matter—spoiler: the latter. We unpack how moves like this are great for brands.

A post shared by @setactive

TECH

14:03 — VIBE MARKETING // Vibe Coding is the new frontier of tech, but ‘vibe marketing’ is about to shake up how campaigns are built. We explain why AI is shifting brand-building—and why clarity matters more than ever.

@andrewchen
Vibe coding, some thoughts and predictions
(above: a vibe coded flight sim from NicolasZu, created from several thousand prompts. Included his notes on his method at the very bottom…
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SPORT

21:43 — FOOD AS SPORTS MEDICINE // Tennis pro Ugo Humbert hired a chef over a coach. Why? ‘Because American food makes him sick’. We discuss the growing conversation about food as (sports) medicine.

WELLNESS & BEAUTY

23:56 — ACTIVE POSITIONING // Tower 28’s “Blush Lives” show is more than just funny—it’s great brand positioning in disguise. We talk about why brands that build through actions versus grand gestures do better.

TRAVEL

31:27 — NO TCHOTCHKES // Amex ays Millennials and Gen-Z are traveling just to shop for local finds‚no surprises. But why hasn’t the souvenir space caught up?

The Stanza
Are you considering moving to Italy?
Hi everyone - Fashion month is over and the madness of Salone is around the corner. Who’s going to be in town? Reply to this email and introduce yourself…
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FUN FOR THE WEEK

34:00 — THE BEST OF PARIS FASHION WEEK // When you’re small, you have to get scrappy. We unpack why PFW’s move is so clever—and how more brands can learn from it. And we chat about what two very different shows both did right.


Missing the letter this all ties back to? This way:


That’s all folx.

-Chris

If you read this and liked it, that little heart is there for that. The algo and I appreciate it.

PS. If you prefer Apple, Spotify, or YouTube you can listen there too.

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