by Jeff Slater | May 25, 2026 | Branding Issues, Marketing Advice
When The Ordinary launched under the DECIEM Company umbrella, it felt like a small, sharply focused rebellion against the beauty category. DECIEM was a multi-brand beauty incubator. Instead of focusing on one line, it launched multiple brands at once, all rooted in...
by Jeff Slater | May 3, 2026 | Branding Issues, Marketing Advice
I’ve been in a lot of packaging reviews lately—brands at every stage, from scrappy startups to mid-sized companies trying to grow their retail footprint. The categories are different. The products are different. The founders are different. The problem is always...
by Jeff Slater | Dec 21, 2025 | Branding Issues, Interesting Brands
Ever hear of Quince? I hadn’t heard of this business until I heard about efforts to disrupt the luxury goods industry. And that, beyond apparel, they were sticking a big toe into the food-and-beverage world. This Quiet Giant Is Reshaping Consumer Expectations...
by Jeff Slater | Nov 23, 2025 | Branding Issues, Marketing Advice
Brand Consistency Builds Mental Real Estate In an era obsessed with rebrands, refreshes, and “modernization,” some of the world’s most valuable brands have quietly maintained the same visual identity for over a century. While agencies pitch the...
by Jeff Slater | Nov 16, 2025 | Branding Issues, Marketing Advice
Every consultant eventually faces the exact uncomfortable moment. You are producing smart content, showing up consistently on LinkedIn, maybe even hosting a podcast, and yet your calendar remains frustratingly empty. You are not invisible, but you are not converting...
by Jeff Slater | Nov 9, 2025 | Branding Issues, Marketing Advice
I met Steve Mark in the early 1990s when I was the EVP of Marketing for GoodMark Foods, the parent company of Slim Jim. Steve worked at North Castle Partners, our Stamford, Connecticut-based agency of record. Steve was a part of a dynamic duo called “The Steves”, a...
