by | Monday, January 5, 2026 · 7:15 am

Wearable Wellness

Have you ever thought about how the products people choose reflect their values and desires? In today’s dynamic marketplace, organizations are marketing experiences and lifestyles that resonate with an increasingly health-conscious consumer base. This reflects marketers’ need to create genuine value for customers. Recent examples highlighting this in practice are Nike’s new Mind footwear line and innovative wellness apparel, both drawing connections between physical products and mental well-being.

Nike’s Mind 001 and 002 shoes represent a groundbreaking approach to performance gear, utilizing sensory nodes designed to enhance mental clarity, focus, and cognitive engagement. Discovering and meeting customer needs can extend beyond traditional research methods. Nike launched its Mind Science department in 2023 to extend research into the mind-body connection and tap into athletes’ and everyday consumers’ focus on mental preparation to enhance physical performance.

Similarly, brands like Coperni and Elastique are redefining clothing by integrating skin-care benefits into everyday wear, crafting a concept where fashion meets self-care. This trend emphasizes the importance of building genuine customer relationships through innovation. By aligning products with consumer desires for health, wellness, and improved quality of life, brands stand out in a crowded market. Consumers today prioritize products that contribute to their overall wellness, showcasing a desire for deeper, value-laden connections with brands.

As these examples demonstrate, the marketing landscape is evolving. Innovations like Nike’s Mind shoes and wellness-integrated apparel highlight the emotional and psychological connections created by marketers’ efforts to meet customers’ unmet needs. In this wellness-driven marketplace, brands that effectively connect with consumers can shape loyalty and advocacy in remarkable ways. So, the next time you pre-game for an exam or presentation, you may want to think about what you are wearing.

Discussion Questions and Activities:

  1. How do innovations like Nike’s Mind shoes influence consumer perceptions of brand value?
  2. In what ways can marketing strategies adapt to meet the growing demand for wellness-focused products?
  3. What other trends can you identify that marketers are or should be leveraging to meet consumer needs?
  4. Check out Nike’s Mind Shoes. In groups, discuss the mind-body connection and whether you think these shoes or other wearable wellness products provide real benefits for the everyday consumer.
  5. Product Concept Brainstorming: Create a product concept that combines wellness benefits with an everyday item and discuss marketing strategies for it.
  6. Mini Marketing Debate. Pair participants as brand marketers and consumers, where one pitches wellness-focused products while the other expresses concerns or desires, emphasizing customer needs and relationship building.

Sources:

Florsheim, Lane (18-Dec. 2025), These Clothes and Shoes Promise Better Skin, Mental Clarity and Blood Flow, Wall Street Journal; Marron, Christo, (25-Dec-2025) Nike Launches Mind Footwear Line with Neuroscience-Backed Focus Boosting Tech, StupidDope.com.

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by | Monday, December 29, 2025 · 5:06 pm

Storytelling Is the New Marketing Superpower

Marketing jobs used to come with neat labels like copywriter, social media manager, and brand strategist. Now, companies are hiring something that sounds both ancient and futuristic – storytellers. And no, this isn’t about sitting around a campfire and yes, this is something many students are probably already doing.

Across industries, brands are racing to control their narratives. LinkedIn data shows job postings mentioning “storyteller” have doubled in just a year, spanning tech, finance, media, and entertainment. Why? Because content is everywhere, attention is scarce, and brands need people who can turn ideas, data, and culture into stories audiences actually care about.

Look at Sony Pictures. Their marketing campaigns often begin with a simple question, “What if?” That mindset led to a collaboration between Megan Thee Stallion and the character Venom. It was an idea rooted not in demographics, but in cultural fluency and genuine fandom. The result was more than a promotion; it was a moment people wanted to share. That’s storytelling as branding.

At the same time, AI is changing how marketing content is produced. Algorithms can generate headlines, images, and variations instantly. They can’t, however, decide which story matters. That’s where new hybrid roles like creative strategists come in. These marketers blend analytical thinking with narrative instinct, using AI to test ideas while relying on human insight to spot cultural signals and emotional resonance.

For students – whether or not marketing is your future – the takeaway is powerful. Storytelling isn’t a soft skill. It’s a career skill. It shows up in brand strategy, content marketing, leadership, and even how you pitch your own ideas. In a noisy world, the ability to make meaning is what cuts through.

Discussion Questions and Activities

  1. Why do you think companies are rebranding marketing roles as storyteller positions?
  2. Can storytelling be measured, or is it purely creative?
  3. How does cultural fluency affect brand credibility?
  4. What can AI do well in marketing and where does it fall short?
  5. Is storytelling more important today than it was 10 years ago? Why or why not?
  6. Career Scan. Analyze three marketing job postings and identify the storytelling skills they require.
  7. “What If?” Workshop. In groups, create a bold campaign idea starting with “What if…?”
  8. Story Audit. Evaluate a recent brand campaign and map the story it’s trying to tell.

Sources: Deighton, Katie (12 Dec 2025), Companies Are Desperately Seeking ‘Storytellers’, Wall Street Journal; Fisher, Jennifer D., Sony Executive Perspectives in The Wall Street Journal, Deloitte Services LP; D’Alterio, Darren, (22 Oct 2025), 5 New Marketing Jobs Created by AI Automation, Ad Age.

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by | Tuesday, December 23, 2025 · 7:01 am

When a $50 Price Cut Beats a Gaming Giant

What happens when a startup rewrites the rules of product design, pricing, and retail? It wins the holidays. This season, Nex Playground did something few thought possible – it outsold Microsoft’s Xbox during Black Friday week. Not by chasing hardcore gamers, but by building a product for people who don’t even think of themselves as gamers. That is, parents and kids. The strategic choice Nex made touches three core marketing decisions every company faces: what to build, how to price it, and where to sell it.

Start with product development. Nex didn’t ask, “How do we make a better console?” Instead, it asked, “What problem are parents trying to solve?” The answer wasn’t graphics or frame rates, but rather screen-time guilt. By designing a motion-based system that gets kids moving, Nex positioned its product as part toy, part activity, part peace-of-mind purchase. Licensing games like Bluey only strengthened that family-first positioning.

Next comes pricing. At $249 and on sale for $199 during Black Friday, Nex Playground’s pricing landed far below traditional consoles. That $50 holiday discount wasn’t just a deal, it was a trigger. While Xbox held firm on price, Nex leaned into value perception at the exact moment parents were comparison shopping. Same category, very different pricing logic.

Finally, retail strategy sealed the deal. Instead of relying on specialty gaming stores, Nex went where parents already shop and were looking for value: Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and Amazon. Being visible in the toy aisle and topping Amazon’s charts reframed the product from gaming console to must-have gift.

The bigger lesson? Market leaders don’t always win because of better technology. Sometimes they win because they’re solving the right problem for the right customer.

Discussion Questions and Activities

  1. How did Nex redefine its competitive set compared to Xbox and PlayStation?
  2. Was the Black Friday price cut a short-term tactic or a long-term brand risk?
  3. How did product design influence where Nex could sell the Playground?
  4. Could this strategy work outside the kids/family market?
  5. What happens to demand when the holiday discounts disappear?
  6. Product Repositioning. Redesign an existing console for a non-gamer audience.
  7. Pricing Scenario Create three pricing strategies for Nex post-holidays.
  8. Channel Strategy. Decide which retail channels best fit different types of products and why.
  9. Perceptual Mapping. Create a perceptual map showing product positioning of different gaming consoles and brands.

Sources: Cohen, Ben (12 Dec 2025), The Hottest Toy of the Year Is Made by a Tech Startup You’ve Never Heard Of, Wall Street Journal; The Tech Buzz, (13 Dec 2025) Nex Playground’s Holiday Surge Leaves Xbox in the Dust, The Tech Buzz.

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