Monthly Archives: October 2025

by | Monday, October 27, 2025 · 7:10 am

Buckets, Bags, and Brand Stickers: Why Gen Z Loves Limited-Edition Swag

What do a $3 Halloween bucket, a giant Aldi tote, and a pack of Glossier stickers all have in common? They’re proof that marketing isn’t just about selling products, it’s about selling belonging.

Take Home Depot’s viral Halloween bucket. A simple $2.98 orange pail decorated with bats and spiderwebs became a hot commodity, with fans scouring stores or DIY’ing their own versions when supplies ran out. The frenzy demonstrates how a limited-edition item, even one as humble as a bucket, can drive store traffic, spark social media buzz, and boost seasonal sales. Aldi recently showed the same power with its oversized “Aldi Big Bag,” which sold out online in under 20 minutes. The hype was not about buying groceries, it was about owning a piece of the Aldi brand.

And then there is the rising world of brand swag. Stickers, tote bags, and other tangible goods become conversation starters and signals of community. Glossier, for instance, has turned its collectible stickers into a cultural calling card – so much so that fans trade them on Reddit and meet up in person at store events. For Gen Z, branded merch is a way to create real-world connections in an era when digital life dominates. The marketing lesson? Scarcity, creativity, and community turn everyday items into cultural moments.

Discussion Questions and Activities

  1. Why do you think low-cost items like buckets and tote bags can create so much hype?
  2. How does scarcity (limited-edition drops) influence consumer behavior?
  3. Do you see branded swag as a form of advertising, community building, or both?
  4. How do experiences (like pop-up shops) add value to physical merchandise?
  5. Brand Swag Brainstorm. In groups, design a limited-edition merch item for a brand you love and explain how it will go viral.
  6. Retail Tourism Roleplay. Map out how a pop-up shop could drive traffic and create social buzz.
  7. Scarcity Simulation. Run a quick in-class activity where a “limited” item is given to only five students—observe and discuss reactions.
@lizandeddie

The HomeDept Halloween Bucket #fyp #halloween #homedepot

♬ Halloween ・ cute horror song – PeriTune

Sources:

Cross, Greta (12 Sep 2025) Internet in Frenzy over New Home Depot Halloween Decoration. It’s Not What You Think. USA Today. Pasquarelli, Adrianne and Schultz, E.J. (19 Sep 2025) Marketing Winners and Losers of the Week, Ad Age. Pasquarelli, Adrianne (20 Mar 2025), Gen Z Loves Brand Swag – How Marketers are Using Stickers, Tote Bags and More to Drive Loyalty, Ad Age.

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by | Monday, October 20, 2025 · 7:10 am

Taco Bell Seeks Cultural Rebels

If you want a real-world example of marketing strategy in action, look no further than Taco Bell. The brand is on a mission to triple its international store count in five years, and it’s doubling down on what its CEO calls the “magic formula.” That formula blends four key elements: a buzzy brand and culture, strong value offerings, digital dominance, and constant innovation. In the U.S., this approach has fueled growth through bold campaigns, celebrity partnerships, and limited-time menu drops that keep fans talking. Add value-driven options like the $5, $7, and $9 Luxe Boxes, and you have a strategy that resonates with price-conscious but experience-hungry consumers.

But here’s the challenge: what works in the U.S. doesn’t always translate globally. Taco Bell’s brand thrives on being playful, rebellious, and culturally relevant which is perfect for cultural rebels, those consumers who reject the ordinary and crave something bold. The question is how to keep that spirit alive in markets like India, Spain, or the Philippines, where taste preferences, price sensitivity, and cultural norms differ. This is where “glocalization” comes in: maintaining the brand’s core identity while adapting menus, pricing, and marketing to local tastes. It’s not just about selling tacos but importantly, it’s about creating a movement that feels authentic everywhere.

For marketers, Taco Bell’s brand strategy showcases its commitment to the values of its core customers. After failing in Mexico, time will tell if the quick service restaurant’s planned global expansion will be able to balance brand consistency with cultural flexibility.

Discussion Questions and Activities

  1. Who are the “cultural rebels” on our campus? Describe their tastes, media habits, and why a brand like Taco Bell resonates with them. What signals would you track in social data to find more of them?
  2. Who are cultural rebels, and why does Taco Bell appeal to them?
  3. Which brand elements should stay consistent globally, and which should adapt?
  4. Will the $5/$7/$9 value tiers work in other countries? Why or why not?
  5. How can Taco Bell keep innovation exciting without overwhelming customers?
  6. What three metrics best measure global brand buzz and success?
  7. Glocal Menu Challenge: Redesign a Taco Bell Luxe Box for a specific country. Include price, cultural twist, and a short launch pitch.
  8. Digital Journey Map: Create an app-to-store path for a value offer, including KPIs and one A/B test idea.
  9. Social Buzz Audit: Compare Taco Bell’s social content to a local Quick Service Restaurant (QSR). Recommend three posts for cultural rebels in that market.

Sources:

Canham-Clyne, Aneurin (22 Sep 2025) Taco Bell promotes execs focused on branding, technology, Restaurant Dive. Haddon, Heather (4 Sep 2025) How Taco Bell’s CEO is Keeping Gen Z Obsessed, Wall Street Journal.

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by | Monday, October 13, 2025 · 7:13 am

Soda Wars 2025: Is Pepsi Losing Its Fizz?

For decades, the “Cola Wars” were simple: Coke vs. Pepsi. But in 2025, the battlefield looks very different. Pepsi, once Coke’s fiercest rival, has slipped to fourth place in U.S. soda sales behind not only Coca-Cola, but also Dr Pepper and Sprite. What happened?

Part of Pepsi’s challenge is strategy. Coca-Cola slimmed down years ago by spinning off its bottling operations, freeing up money and attention for marketing and brand building. Pepsi kept its bottling business in-house and has been weighed down by trucks, warehouses, and complexity. Coke’s sharper focus has paid off: bigger ad budgets, leaner operations, and stronger brand loyalty.

But Pepsi’s decline isn’t just about Coke. Smaller challengers and new products are reshaping the market. Dr Pepper leaned into quirky flavors and TikTok buzz. Sprite reinvented itself with Gen Z-friendly campaigns and a new hit product, Sprite Chill. Meanwhile, health-focused upstarts like Olipop and Poppi are doubling sales with prebiotic sodas marketed as better-for-you alternatives. Even celebrities like Ben Stiller are entering the soda space, banking on nostalgia and personality-driven branding.

For marketers, the lesson is clear. Competition is no longer just “big vs. big.” A strong distribution system matters, but so do brand positioning, innovation, and the ability to connect with consumers’ changing values, whether that’s health, fun, or belonging to a cultural moment. Today’s soda aisle shows how brand strategy, innovation, and cultural relevance decides who wins and who fizzles out.

Discussion Questions and Activities

  1. How has Coca-Cola’s decision to spin off its bottling operations helped its brand stay strong?
  2. What factors explain why Dr Pepper and Sprite have overtaken Pepsi in market share?
  3. How do health-focused startups like Olipop position themselves differently than legacy soda brands like Coke and Pepsi?
  4. What risks and opportunities come with celebrity-led brands like Stiller’s Soda? Watch Ben Stiller’s ad for his new soda here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WwWg0Hf38Y.
  5. If you were Pepsi’s CMO, what would you do next to regain market relevance?
  6. Brand Battle Map. Students create a product perceptual map of major soda brands, plotting them by “traditional vs. health-conscious” and “mass-market vs. niche,” then discuss positioning strategies.
  7. Ad Campaign Remix. In groups, students redesign a past Pepsi ad campaign to target Gen Z more effectively.
  8. Startup Pitch. Students role-play as founders of a new soda brand, pitching their product’s positioning, target audience, and marketing strategy to the class.

Sources: Miller, Merlyn (23 Sep 2025), Ben Stiller Is Launching a Soda — and We Got a First Taste, Food and Wine. Wainer, David (12 Sep 2025) If Pepsi Wants to Win, It Has to Play Coke’s Game, Wall Street Journal. Roche, Calum (30 Jul 2025) Pepsi’s free fall to 4th place in the Soda Wars: These 3 soft drinks now top the list in the U.S., Diario, AS. Doering, Christopher (8 Jul 2025) Olipop doubles down on health claims as Pepsi, Coke enter better-for-you soda space, Food Dive.

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