Tag Archives: branding

by | Monday, March 16, 2026 · 7:30 am

New Look New Life for Brands

Walk down any store aisle and you will see something fascinating happening. Products you think you know suddenly look different. New colors, new packaging, new messaging. That is not random. It is brand management in action.

Companies regularly refresh their brands to stay relevant with changing consumers. Consider how Procter & Gamble is rethinking packaging across brands like Olay and Tide. Their latest packaging innovations focus on accessibility and sustainability. One moisturizer jar now includes a tactile symbol on the lid so visually impaired consumers can identify the product by touch. Tide has also experimented with laser-marked packaging that removes traditional labels and adhesives, making bottles easier to recycle. These small design changes reflect a larger strategy. Packaging is part of the product experience.

Other brands are refreshing their visual identity to stand out on crowded shelves. Vitaminwater recently redesigned its bottles with brighter colors, a larger logo and playful messaging aimed at younger consumers. The goal is simple but powerful. When shoppers scan a shelf in seconds, bold packaging helps them instantly recognize the brand and flavor.

Sometimes a refresh signals a broader repositioning. Organic food company Nature’s Path updated its logo, photography and packaging layout to emphasize ingredients and make products easier to find in busy cereal aisles. Meanwhile, the energy drink brand Update relaunched with minimalist pastel cans and the influence of co-founder Kim Kardashian to appeal to younger wellness-focused consumers.

Packaging is not just a container. It communicates brand identity, attracts attention, and signals what the product stands for. A thoughtful refresh can help a familiar product feel new again without changing what customers already love.

Discussion Questions and Activities

  1. Why is packaging often considered a critical part of brand management and product strategy?
  2. How can a packaging refresh help a brand stay relevant with younger consumers? What risks might a company face when updating a well-known product’s packaging or design?
  3. How do sustainability and accessibility influence modern packaging decisions?
  4. When should a company refresh a brand versus completely reposition it?
  5. Brand Refresh Investigation. Students research recent brand refreshes using marketing and design websites such as Packaging Digest. Ask students to identify what changed and assess the strategy behind the changes.
  6. Shelf Test Challenge. Ask students to visit a grocery or convenience store and photograph three products that recently refreshed their packaging. Students should analyze what changed and why it might attract shoppers.
  7. Redesign the Package. In small groups, students select an existing snack or beverage brand and sketch a new package design aimed at Gen Z consumers. Each group explains how their design improves brand recognition and communicates the product’s value.

Sources: Barkho, Gabriela (5 Mar 2026), Kim Kardashian’s Update is the latest brand to give energy drinks a refresh with women in mind, Modern Retail; Nudd, Tim (27 May 2025), Vitaminwater’s packaging overhaul features larger logo and full-bleed labels, Ad Age; P&G Blog (27 Feb 2026), P&G Brands Recognized for Packaging That’s Accessible and Sustainable, Proctor and Gamble; Sosland, Zachary (6 Mar 2026), Nature’s Path Organic Foods is rebranding its packaging and logo in honor of the company’s 40th anniversary, Food Business News;

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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 | 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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