GOOD THINKING

Chris Danton & Kirsten Ludwig | IN GOOD CO
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This podcast will dive a little deeper into bit of our weekly GOOD THINKING letter. Not a recap or a reading, just chatting more, unpacking, giving more insights—the fun stuff. Like the letter, the lens is a best-of-the-best on culture, trends, marketing, etc. What I’m dropping to friends on Slack or finding useful in meetings with brands. ingoodco.substack.com

  1. قبل ٥ أيام

    Benito Bowl had so many brand lessons

    What brands can learn from Bad Bunny + the ads we loved and those we didn't. A few things: 1) In no way is this comprehensive. Drop ones you loved and hated in the comments. 2) It goes without saying, but I said it twice just in case: Whatever we say about an ad, or whatever you want to say about commercials as a ‘relevant’ form of advertising, we know teams put a lot into these. And you deserve to pat yourselves on the back and celebrate. It’s no small feat. Well done to all. 3) The timestamps lead to the section in the pod, and the brand names lead to the ads. Enjoy! Skip to the bits you fancy 01:28 — BAD BUNNY // Just wow. On every level. Thoughtful, layered, inspiring. From the details he wove into every part of it (talk about lore!), to the Puerto Rican sign language interpreter, to all the Latin American designers represented, to the custom Zara (!?) look, every detail had meaning. And the BTS was engineered perfectly for social. If you’re looking for brand inspiration, unpack this. It does a lot of what we’ve told you is working. And let this Ricky Martin quote bring you to tears while you’re there: “I know what it means to succeed without letting go of where you come from. I know how heavy it is, what it costs, and what is sacrificed when you decide not to change because others ask you to. That’s why what you have achieved is not just a historic musical accomplishment, it’s a cultural and human victory. You won without changing the color of your voice. You won without erasing your roots. You won by staying true to Puerto Rico.” 07:06 — INSTACART // Great casting. Who doesn’t love Benson Boone, and pairing him with Ben Stiller was genius. The vibe was great. And that’s where it went to pieces. But the message was lost. The short version was confusing, the long version too bizarre. 09:12 — TBNP // A (regional) Super Bowl ad from a ‘new media’ brand is notable on its own. Using logos of past guests to turn the spot into a reach machine, now that was really clever. Brands proudly sharing “Mom, I’m on TV.” was very feel-good, too. Smart, generous, and very made for sharing. Claps. 11:32 — LIQUID IV // Singing toilets are unhinged. But it pays off. Clear insight, catchy song, and an actual aspirational flex people are seeking (no yellow pee) to close it out. 13:34 — COINBASE // A clever sing-along idea, for sure. The issue is that the brand perception for Coinbase gave everyone the ick when they were tricked into singing the brand name. You need brand love for this crescendo to hit. 15:24 — DUNKIN’ // Stacked cast (that made sense together) and packed with nostalgia. Add all the bits of Boston energy, and it just worked. 17:50 — FANATICS // Pulling a fun, real bit of lore like the Kendall curse and then managing to convince her to be in on the joke should get applause on its own. It was also executed very well. 20:23 — MANSCAPED // This felt Dr Squatch adjacent. Certainly appealing to the same audience. Unhinged, weird, slightly provocative on almost-mention of ball hair. Funny and certainly memorable. Well played for a small brand. 21:41 — LEVI’S // A fun, well-executed reminder of how iconic Levi’s is. Ending on Doechii was the icing. And the “Behind every original” was excellent. 23:05 — PRINGLES // Ok, points for putting the product front and center, which is hard with a star like Sabrina Carpenter. But the tone didn’t feel like her. Memorable, but slightly off. 24:41 — PEPSI // With our small group of Alphas, this spot hit. The Coke bear reference was greatly enjoyed. The Coldplay scandal was funny if you got it. But the AI-ness was very distracting. 26:00 — POPPI // Great cast, pure vibes, which might just have been the entire brief. The premise has been done a thousand times. Drink this, enter another world, followed by “Can I have some of that?” Felt too familiar, but perhaps it’s novel enough for the generation they’re targeting. 27:08 — XFINITY // Not a brand either of us had on the bingo card, so claps just for that. The old Jurassic Park footage mixed with new moments to show WiFi speed was genuinely funny. The product made the joke work, which is rare, but when it happens, it’s great. 28:59 — RAISIN BRAN // You can picture this in the pitch room, and it felt like it made it to the screen in its full purity. Which never happens. It was just too good. Shockingly, one of the best, from a category that felt dead in the water. 30:26 — NERDS // It was hard to make sense of this. Andy Cohen makes sense if you know Real Housewives = moms = candy gatekeepers. But the leap was too big. Candy has a perception problem, and this didn’t solve it. 32:15 — RITZ // Jon Hamm, Bowen Yang, Scarlett Johansson, what could go wrong? Apparently, more than you think. 33:32 — KINDER BUENO // The “No bueno” line was sticky. Not much else, but sometimes the line does the job. 34:26 — BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM // This was a PSA for the UACR urine test as an early warning for stroke and heart attack in women. Octavia Spencer and Sofía Vergara made it fun. And shockingly informative. 35:45 — NOVARTIS // If one PSA had to win, though, it would be this one. “Relax your tight end” for colon cancer screening is genuinely funny. Beautifully shot, misdirects before the payoff in a good way, and removes shame. Very well done. 37:16 — SQUARESPACE // Film noir and horror vibes mixed with Emma Stone. Felt threatening, a tad wasteful, and oddly angry. Missed the plot. 38:05 — RO // Clear and functional. Shows how the app works. Does the job. Didn’t inspire, but got the message through on a big stage. 38:56 — SLACK // This didn’t hit with any audience. The overlap wasn’t there. Alphas who like MrBeast couldn’t care in the least about Slack or Salesforce. For Slack users, the Salesforce connection gave us all the ick. 40:25 — RAMP // “Multiply what’s possible” is fine. Generally love what this brand does. But sticking with Kevin from The Office as mascot felt like an old-school advertising model. Not something we associate with this brand. 41:53 — OPEN AI // “You can just build” didn’t land. Tried to borrow warmth without earning it. Boring. 42:58 — GOOGLE GEMINI // Google remains unmatched at heartfelt tech storytelling. Human, emotional, and genuinely moving. Very few brands can balance heartfelt correctly. Many have tried and most fail. Google does it consistently. 43:41 — CLAUDE // Went straight at AI ad anxiety and made it funny. Bold, accurate, and self-aware. Well played. 44:35 — BUD LIGHT // Stacked cast that was odd but worked, the product front and center, and it was actually funny. Traditional Super Bowl energy but done right. 45:26 — BOSCH // Execution was fine. Campaign line was elite: “The more you Bosch, the more you feel like a Bosch.” Made me laugh at least. 46:14 — SVEDKA // AI robots, no story. Felt flat and boring. A theme emerged with AI use, and this pointed directly to it. 46:48 — REALFOOD.GOV // MAHA’s processed food PSA with Mike Tyson deserves its own unpacking one day. The link between food and mental health that MAHA is pushing is getting much louder. But that aside, do we need to ask who wants Mike Tyson as their role model in a PSA? Wow. 47:27 — ELF // Hysterical telenovela with Melissa McCarthy. Timely, specific, and genuinely funny. One of the favorites. 48:18 — GRUBHUB // The line “Grubhub will eat the fees” is smart. Clear product benefit, easy to remember. Why George Clooney, someone else will have to answer that. 49:11 — DOVE // Strong message about girls dropping out of sports due to body confidence (something a few brands have latched onto in the last year). Meaningful, but didn’t hit the emotional heights of Dove’s classics. If they can modernize without losing that emotion, it would be amazing. 50:36 — HERS / HIMS // The “Rich people live longer” opening was tough. Very dystopian. But the access message and pointing to the changing meaning of “the frontier of good health” felt very aligned with where culture is going. 51:11 — AI.COM // Nothing to say. Site crashed. Worst of the bunch. And I couldn’t find the ad for you. 51:42 — THEMES // Lots of unhinged, which might not work next year (we say why). Unexpected winner. Good castings. And a very telling mix of AI-forward and human-forward. ABOUT Chris and Kirsten are the founders of IN GOOD CO, a consultancy that ignites challenger brands with fearless and proactive positioning. Chris writes a weekly newsletter for +16K subscribers that shares the best-of-the-best on culture, trends, marketing, etc. What she's dropping to friends on Slack or finding useful in meetings with brands | Follow her on Substack Get full access to GOOD THINKING at ingoodco.substack.com/subscribe

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  2. ٥ فبراير

    Brands are refusing to scale and it's working

    We’re back with another edition of GOOD SIGNS—a monthly round-up of 4 letters, looking at what’s bubbling up. Again, these aren’t trends (yet!). That’s way too heavy for a month’s worth of content. These are signals, patterns, counter-trends. Stuff that’s emerging, continuing, sticking out, or simply what we’re finding interesting in the last month. Enjoy! And let us know what you think in the comments. Skip to the bits you fancy 1. 01:00 — ANTI-SCALE BY DESIGN // We’re watching brands quietly reject growth-for-growth’s sake. In a moment where almost anything can scale instantly, value is accruing to experiences that don’t. The limit isn’t artificial. It’s structural. Places it’s showing up: * A watch that’s only available to buy when it’s snowing. * 113 Spring’s 1.5-hour mind-scent experience to create a single fragrance. * Invite-only, no-phone parties in Ibiza capped at 300 people. Pendulum swing → At the same time, we’re getting a giant as we’ve never seen. OpenAI is introducing ads. It is already the new health infrastructure (see below). And automated replies, instant, and everyone being able to ‘mass communicate’ features like “comment XXX for a DM” mean we have scale like never before, from individuals to potentially the biggest juggernaut we’ve ever witnessed. 2. 08:10 — ZERO BARRIER ECONOMY // The cost of making something has collapsed. Shipping is easy. Tools are everywhere. But speed alone isn’t defensible. And feature most certainly are. If building isn’t the advantage, what is? A perspective. Places it’s showing up: * A custom run-tracking app built in ~30 minutes with a Claude Code subscription. * Alphas and young Zs moving from influencer dreams to fast-built entrepreneurship. * OpenAI opening ads, reshaping discovery, and monetization. Pendulum swing → Acquisitions take time, and speed is at an all time high. Expect more strategic partnerships this year. See: OpenAI–Pinterest rumors. Olive Young landing inside Sephora. Apple and Google are getting friendly again. 3. 16:45 — NO SAFE BETS, THX // We want difference. We want originality. But the systems we’ve built reward sameness. Community becomes a weakness when it only gives you more of the same and doesn’t stretch you. Places it’s showing up: * Patrick Kho called out “community” in favor of scenes built on intersection and contrast. It might sound like semantics, but it’s actually just pointing out what we’ve diluted in our push for getting closer to our consumers. * 222 Place selling chance encounters with no profiles, no DMs, no swiping. * Casting Connor Storrie is an argument against overly algorithmic decision-making. Pendulum swing → We want difference, but, unfortunately, it’s not safe to be different (obviously, you can see this in a very macro way in the news lately). Algorithms reward consensus. Institutions avoid risk. But humans still crave surprise. And we crave debate. Zoe Scaman, using AI as a sparring partner, is telling. We need safe places to say the ‘thing.’ 4. 24:30 — LET ME ENTERTAIN YOU // We’ve talked about high-effort content a lot. But the lens is zooming out. It’s not just content. It’s seeing your brand as an entertainment engine. We want reasons to invest in you, to remember you, and buy you. And that’s requiring investment. Places it’s showing up: * Gap and Dick’s hired Chief Entertainment Officers. * Bissell turned a vacuum into a mini-series where the product is essential to the payoff. * Guess and a flash drive brand ran absurd ads that require us to think differently. * W Magazine made a film, then elevating the BTS to be the actual ‘work.’ * Luxury brands like Tiffany & Co are leaning into relevant stories. Recognizing that gloss can come with a side of real. Pendulum Swing → Influence is shifting from polished sellers to real participants. Brands are giving the power to the people. 5. 33:20 — STACK OF RECEIPTS // Wellness has moved from belief to evidence. What used to be dismissed as “soft” now comes with data, continuity, and proof. Places it’s showing up: * Eli Health’s saliva-based hormone testing or a Rythm on you arm monthly makes testing constant. * Recovery is becoming sport—from toe spacers to sensory shoes—because we can not only feel the value, we can track and measure it. * ChatGPT Health is connecting records, habits, and biometrics into one system. It’s now the operating system of wellness, and you can search it, query it, and better yet, let it get proactive. * We unpack this more on this pod. Pendulum Swing → The softer side grows in parallel. Fun, friendship, posture, nights out are becoming revalued. And while now we COULD track them, that’s entirely not the point. The letters referenced in this episode: * Louis Vuitton is making houses * Drunk Elephant has lost it * Banana Republic has a speakeasy ABOUT Chris and Kirsten are the founders of IN GOOD CO, a consultancy that ignites challenger brands with fearless and proactive positioning. Chris writes a weekly newsletter for +16K subscribers that shares the best-of-the-best on culture, trends, marketing, etc. What she's dropping to friends on Slack or finding useful in meetings with brands | Follow her on Substack Get full access to GOOD THINKING at ingoodco.substack.com/subscribe

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  3. ١ فبراير

    Mucinex is in the mascot game. Meet Mr Mucus

    Welcome to EPISODE 100 (!) of GOOD THINKING. When I started this letter, I thought it might only last a few weeks, and here we are. It’s truly one of the best things about my week. Has introduced me to so many wonderful people. And honestly has just been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. To celebrate, Kirsten decided to interview me for a special edition of the pod. As you might have gathered, I don’t LOVE talking about myself, so take this as the rare occasion that it is to hear the rather funny origin story, everything the letter has taught me, and a lot more. And to say thank you, and because one of the best parts about this letter is the sheer variety of people who read it (you all work in so many interesting categories and businesses!) we’re going to give away 100 year-long subscriptions. The only thing I ask is: tell us what category you’re in and something fun that makes you ‘different.’ Big or small. I’ll close out the offer next week, so get in there. And share it with anyone you think would like a free sub!ABOUT Chris and Kirsten are the founders of IN GOOD CO, a consultancy that ignites challenger brands with fearless and proactive positioning. Chris writes a weekly newsletter for +16K subscribers that shares the best-of-the-best on culture, trends, marketing, etc. What she's dropping to friends on Slack or finding useful in meetings with brands |Follow her on Substack Get full access to GOOD THINKING at ingoodco.substack.com/subscribe

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  4. ٢٩ يناير

    Where to eat, drink, shop, spa this Winter Olympics

    For those of you who don’t know, I live in Italy, near the Dolomites And the folx at Amigo (my favorite travel app, and no, this isn’t sponsored), asked me to write about the best-of-the-best, as people begin to fly in for the Olympics. Of course, I had thoughts. You can find all my recs in the article, alongside many, many other favorites I have in the area, on the app. Use the code GOODTHINKING to skip the waitlist. Enjoy! 00:01 — HOLY GEOGRAPHY // This is the most spread-out Olympics ever. Milan is not close to Cortina. We chat about why you have to ‘enjoy the journey’ to make this work. Luckily, Italy does have a lot to make that easier. 04:05 — MILAN // Where we eat, drink, shop, and get our faces reshaped (in the most amazing way) when we’re in the city a lot. Milan takes some time to fall in love with. But it’s possible. 17:30 — CORTINA // Cute, cold, and way farther than you think. We give a reality check on distance, and chat about where to stay, where to eat, and where to shop. And why you should probably just stay the night, or five. 28:55 — DOLOMITES // Big landscapes, gorgeous (and new) spas, modern Alpine hotels, and why this is where you go to exhale. 37:00 — ALTO ADIGE & TRENTINO // The broader region quietly has some of the best stuff. Especially if you’re visiting in a warmer season. Great Wine, amazing architectural gems, food to write home about. ABOUT Chris and Kirsten are the founders of IN GOOD CO, a consultancy that ignites challenger brands with fearless and proactive positioning. Chris writes a weekly newsletter for +16K subscribers that shares the best-of-the-best on culture, trends, marketing, etc. What she's dropping to friends on Slack or finding useful in meetings with brands | Follow her on Substack Get full access to GOOD THINKING at ingoodco.substack.com/subscribe

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  5. ٢١ يناير

    The future of wellness

    Last week, we were in Michigan and had countless fascinating conversations about where wellness is going. We’ve discussed all these topics in the last year in the letter, but we’ve never done a deep dive on what’s emerging in wellness in one spot. Well, here it is! Not trends. Not protocols. Just the stuff that feels in motion right now. Enjoy! Hit the links to skip to the bits you fancy 02:53 — TRANSPARENT PROCEDURES // The shame cycle around cosmetic work has broken down. Neck lifts, blephs, face lifts, people will give you all their secrets. People want results to look natural, but they are no longer pretending nothing happened. 05:54 — MEN’S BEAUTY MOMENT // Men’s ‘beauty’ and wellness has actually arrived. Gen Z and Alpha boys are driving it, from skincare to Botox to testosterone to lookmaxxing. And it’s pulling older men in with them. And much like women’s beauty, it’s coming with confidence and dysmorphia in equal measure. 07:56 — BRAIN HEALTH AS A WELLNESS ZONE // The brain is giving the heart a run for its money as your most focused-on organ. Brain massages, neurosensory meditation, and tracking cognitive states as a biomarker are emerging fast. 10:24 — ROUTINE LONGEVITY // Full-body MRIs, biological age testing, and everyday interventions move from elite to expected. Longevity stops being abstract and starts becoming operational. 12:05 — PEPTIDES SURGE // In the post-GLP-1 world, where injectables aren’t feared, sub-Q peptides emerge as the next frontier for longevity and skincare. 14:10 — ERGONOMICS AS BIOLOGY // Posture, oxygen, heart rate, brain function. Ergonomics will stop being about comfort and start being about measurable biological impact. 15:52 — CYCLICAL EATING // Carb and protein cycling, seasonal eating, PMS, and postpartum menu planning are bubbling on the fringes. How, when, and why you eat is going to get more nuanced. And tracked (see: WEARABLE PROOF). 'Protein everything' is a yesterday conversation. 18:28 — PSYCHEDELIC PRECISION // Ibogaine and other psychedelics move out of counterculture and into targeted mental health conversations, with a growing focus on safety, structure, and outcomes. 20:40 — BEAUTY TOURISM // Skincare vacations are becoming commonplace. Where you become well is the topic du jour. And new realms will emerge. 22:00 — WEARABLE PROOF // Wearables are shifting trust. Reviews will come with screenshot evidence. The bar gets higher. But new potential is being unlocked. 23:52 — FUN IS HEALTHY // Perhaps the most radical wellness trend is the rejection of caring about wellness trends at all. Less optimization. More pleasure. Fun is a legitimate wellness strategy. As just more evidence, look the heart action here: 26:28 — TCM IS HOT // Chinese medicine, hot foods, women being believed, and treating causes instead of symptoms. What’s old is very much in right now. For good reason. There’s a lot of overlapping ideas in these Part 1 & Part 2 of the 2026 Predictions. Give those a listen/read if you haven’t. ABOUT Chris and Kirsten are the founders of IN GOOD CO, a consultancy that ignites challenger brands with fearless and proactive positioning. Chris writes a weekly newsletter for +16K subscribers that shares the best-of-the-best on culture, trends, marketing, etc. What she's dropping to friends on Slack or finding useful in meetings with brands | Follow her on Substack Get full access to GOOD THINKING at ingoodco.substack.com/subscribe

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  6. ١٤ يناير

    Do moms make the best CMOs?

    Hi all, Ready to be inspired? Us too. One chat with Carmen Graham, former Frida marketer and new CMO of Genexa, did just the thing. This episode is about challenger energy, leadership inside regulated categories, motherhood, and how trust actually gets built when the stakes are high. If you’re managing up, this episode has got tips for you. If you’re new to, or considering a new category, it has great advice. If you’re a leader who needs a jolt of ‘YES!’, it has that too. And if you’re a working mom, hold onto your seat. It’s thoughtful, funny, and very human. Enjoy! Meet Carmen Graham Carmen Graham is the CMO of Genexa and one of the most grounded, lovely, and culture-literate marketing people you’ll have the pleasure of meeting. Having spent the last 15 years working publisher, agency, and brand-side, Carmen’s career spans Complex, Verizon, agency life, and most recently Frida, where she helped define a new tone for modern parenthood brands. She’s also a mom of three, outspoken about motherhood and leadership. And must-follow on LinkedIn because of it. I can’t wait for you to meet her, truly. Hit the links to skip to the bits you fancy 01:29 — NEW ROLE, REAL MOMENT // Why Carmen took the Genexa job and what drew her to the brand. 04:01 — FROM FRIDA TO HEALTHCARE // Bringing challenger brand energy into a highly regulated category. 08:35 — SHAKING THE TREE // How Genexa’s first campaign landed internally and why that mattered more than metrics. 10:49 — TRYING AGAIN AS A CULTURE // Why being willing to experiment, even when things don’t work the first time, is a rare but wonderful instinct to build. 15:02 — GENERIC MOM ADS ARE DEAD // Why reality beats perfection. And why being polarizing is better than not speaking to anyone at all. 18:24 — THE MOM GROUP CHAT // Turning real parental behavior into insights. 22:30 — WHAT ‘CHALLENGER’ REALLY MEANS // Disrupting a 70-year-old category without losing credibility. 26:12 — MAHA AND AGENCY // We went there. 31:21 — TRUST IS THE MOAT // Why Genexa is playing the long game in healthcare. 34:35 — MOTHERHOOD ON LINKEDIN // Why visibility, honesty, and sharing logistics actually matter. 39:10 — HOW CARMEN LEADS // Transparency, calendars, and building a team culture that works and lets you be your best. 43:02 — UNCONVENTIONAL LEADERSHIP // Breaking silos and bringing teams along for the ride. 45:24 — QUICK FIRE // The rapid hits on brand, leadership, and instinct. * 3 things every brand should do? “They should leverage social as the first place for their insights...Care about how you look. Care about the aesthetics…And take care of your people.” * What’s your biggest learning / what would you do differently? “I would never sacrifice my integrity for work. And I would never sacrifice the integrity of the work for one piece of feedback. Stick to your guns.” * If you could collaborate with one other brand on something, who would it be and why? “I would love to collaborate with Poppi. Wash it down.” * If there were one celebrity spokesperson for the brand, who could it be? “The Foster Sisters.” * One word that sums up your brand? “Relief. Feeling better.” Huge thanks to Carmen for chatting. And if you’re building a brand, new or established, and pushing things. Reach out! chris@weareingoodco.com That’s all, folx.– Chris If you listened/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. Get full access to GOOD THINKING at ingoodco.substack.com/subscribe

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  7. ٨ يناير

    Part 2: 2026 Predictions 🔮 across every category

    Welcome to the 2026 Predictions, guest edition! In case it’s not abundantly clear, this Substack is based on my love of reading a borderline insane amount of just about everything. And nothing gives me more pleasure than reading those with perspectives as strong as my own. I asked some of those I admire and read most to share their thoughts on the year ahead. I’m genuinely humbled by the caliber of people who agreed. And finally, a quick reminder that we put all this goodness into a fun stand-alone site for you to share, devour, and explore. Check it out here (use your Substack email for the email section, and it won’t duplicate you.) As always, the lens of this letter & pod is a best-of-the-best on culture, trends, marketing, etc. What I’m dropping to friends on Slack or finding useful in meetings with brands. Enjoy! Hit the links to skip to the bits you fancy! 05:00 — CULTURE ANU LINGALA ANU : Connecting dots and building a world-class trends library. ASPIRATIONAL HUMANITY // We’ll see the continued acceleration of Aspirational Humanity — as artificial intelligence hyper-flattens mass culture, anything denoting evidence of humanity becomes exceptionally desirable. And as a consequence, we’ll begin to see the emergence of a Hierarchy of Humanness. * Human-created cultural products positioned as most valuable, and priced accordingly * Elevated synthetic content that is “humanwashed” to recreate a semblance of humanness — the new “premium mediocre.” * Synthetic slop for the masses, akin to ultra-processed food and fast fashion I’m hopeful that 2026 will see the rise of Subversive Sincerity, or a version of progressivism that is less ‘cringe’ and channels a more rebellious energy. This would manifest primarily in subcultural spaces that intentionally evade the algorithm. But some of mainstream cultural indicators would include the resurgence of rock music and a revival/remix of punk, goth, and grunge aesthetics in fashion. MATT KLEIN ZINE : You know him. You love him. Culture interpreter extraordinaire. NUANCE BECOMES THE ANTIDOTE // In 2026, our planetary crises and personal conflicts will increasingly stem from a culture that has abandoned complex, ambiguous, grey-area thinking. Strengthening this atrophied capacity for nuance is mission critical. MICHELLE BLASER The Pollinatr : An expert observer, tracking things coast to coast. SOUTH > COASTS // The coasts are out and the South is in. Visa’s data shows the South is now growing faster in population and GDP than any other region, and it’s expected to keep outspending the rest of the country through 2026. The old “undereducated redneck” stereotype is dead. Southerners have real buying power, and they want brands that speak to their culture, not around it. YETI, Dr. Pepper, and Tecovas get it. The rest of the industry needs to catch up. VICTORIA MONTGOMERY Women in Brand : A woman putting words to culture. And connecting women in brand worldwide. NOSTALGIA FOR HUMAN KIND // Well, the world’s a bit rubbish, isn’t it? In 2026, brands will compete for ‘culture shaper’. With the 2025 AI avalanche making us so co-dependent we ask Chat to remind us of our own name, brands will tap into smaller communities to build trust, champion human connection, and find extraordinary in the ordinary (with a conversion KPI). Think Claude pop-ups and AmEx live, but the onus on unique experiences that spread joy. We’ll see human-crafted content win - though the jury’s still out on whether that’s perfection in imperfection (the ultimate UGC), or polishing the slop with quality craftsmanship and big budgets (more Apple mnemonic). OCHUKO AKPOVBOVBO as seen on : Wise, always on point, and giving it to us from the Gen Z perspective. NEW LOOK // There’s going to be a shift away from the “glossier-fication” of everything towards a design language that is sexier and more mature, particularly in beauty and wellness. MARIE DOLLÉ Marie Dollé : A modern-day philosopher bringing the best perspectives to your inbox. NONSENSE COMMUNITIES // Dictionary.com named “6-7” as word of the year. What does it mean? Nothing, really. It’s just a meme that lots of people repeat whenever they get the chance. Some teens shout “six-seveeeeen” because they think it’s funny. And others do it because they think it’s cool to say. While it may seem trivial, I think, in fact, that it illustrates a broader sociotechnical trend in which meaning is deliberately erased to create tighter human bonds. Think about it: AI can repeat “6-7,” map its spread, or generate infinite variants, but it cannot belong, because it has no playground, no fear of exclusion, no thrill of a joke whispered behind the teacher’s back. This logic appears elsewhere, from children banned from social media who end up building an entire social network inside a shared Google Doc, to the rise of algospeak in 2022, when users on TikTok and YouTube invented coded language to evade automated moderation, turning nonsense, euphemisms, and emojis into a shared dialect. Across these cases, humans exploit ambiguity and absurdity as a feature. How so? By creating communication systems that are illegible to machines and outsiders. The point is to produce a sense of community rooted in the deep pleasure of co-created secrecy and belonging. What brands could leverage: Instead of chasing clarity or viral simplicity, brands can create cultural magnetism by designing spaces where audiences shape the meaning with micro-languages, evolving symbols, playful rituals, or ambiguous signals that reward participation over passive consumption. It’s a great way to cultivate singularity, insider affinity, generate culturally resilient engagement, and occupy a space algorithms, and competitors, cannot easily imitate or infiltrate. 23:33 — F&B FRED HART @fredwhart : LinkedIn’s and my favorite expert on all things F&B EMBRACE THE ANALOG // As AI flattens culture into frictionless sameness, drowning out the authentic voice and dulling our senses with visual slop, more value shifts to the unmistakably human and the art of craft, taste and principles. While Coke catches flak for its second AI-generated Christmas ad, Apple has skipped CGI and used hand-cut glass in its latest ad. Lay’s global redesign uses real potato-stamping patterns, Polaroid is rejecting screens, and Radford Beauty used nothing more than the founders’ handwriting and sketches to create a category-shaking brand identity. In a world obsessed with automation, human inefficiencies are becoming the competitive moat. All hail the analog. 26:27 — SILVERS, ALPHAS & ZS EINAT ISRAELI @einatisraeli : A lover and champion of all things Silvers and longevity. MIDLIFE SPOTLIGHT // Midlife is about to steal the cultural spotlight. We’ve spent years idolizing youth as the engine of culture, but the real disruption is coming from people 45–65 - the ones rebuilding careers, bodies, identity, and relationships, and for women, navigating menopause with a new kind of confidence. In 2026, midlife emerges stronger as a cultural force, influencing wellness, work, style, and the way we imagine the 100-year life. BEN VARQUEZ @benvarquez : A man on the ground with Gen Zs on campus. REAL COMMUNITY // When it comes to Gen-Z/Gen-Alpha, influencers will take a back seat to community. There’s been a lot of recent backlash for over-consumerism and being out of touch with the general state of the economy (see: Jaclyn Hill), so we’d love to see more brands do PR trips with regular consumers they gather through public UGC instead of paid creators. 33:00 — FASHION & RETAIL MICHAEL ABATA @michaelabata : A retail expert with killer observations and a heart of gold. AUTOMATED AND POP-UP RETAIL KEEP GROWING // Staffing challenges + the mall declines + “I just want it now” = more automated and pop-up retail. From airports to college campuses, more brands and retailers will explore automated and pop-up retail moments in high traffic areas. In 2025 we saw Amazon, Chick-fil-a, Bath & Body Works, Lululemon, Auntie Anne’s, Funko and Pokemon expand into these retail quick solutions. Who will be next? Link 1 Link 2 Link 3 Link 4 Link 5 Link 6 MORE LUXURY GOES HOSPITALITY // From Coach to Ralph Lauren, luxury brands will continue to lean into hospitality to expand their brand presence and create deeper emotional connections with consumers. I suspect we’ll see unexpected brands jump into hospitality in 2026. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Alo, Beis, Tiffany & Co or Rivian jump in. Link 1 Link 2 Link 3 Link 4 Link 5 QSRS JUMP INTO THE BEVERAGE CATEGORY // McDonald’s tried it with CosMc’s. Now Chick-fil-a and Taco Bell are in on the hot hot hot coffee and beverage growth as consumers are spending money on little luxuries and Starbucks loses significant share. New competitors like 7Brew and Dutch Bros have lit a fire under traditional QSRs. Who will be next in 2026? My bet is on Chipotle or Cava taking an agua fresca approach. Or perhaps we’ll see another unexpected player like Shake Shack spin something up? Link 1 Link 2 Link 3 38:17 — TECH DANIELLE GREENBERG @danielle-greenberg : No one knows more about where AI is headed than this woman. And she’ll teach you everything. PERSONAL TOOLBOX // AI use will shift from choosing one assistant to assembling a personal toolkit. I already use ChatGPT for personal tasks, Gemini for analytical or visual work, and Claude for creative thinking. This kind of deliberate, purpose-driven use will define mainstream behavior next year. Example here. BRANDS, PLURAL // Brands have already started moving away from mass appeal, and 2026 is the year this becomes the norm. They will design for people as they truly are: contradictory, plural, and complex. The brands that respect that complexity will outperform the ones still chasing a single story. MICRO MADE // Micro-apps will become the default way people interact wi

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    2026 Predictions 🔮 across every category

    Welcome to Year 2 of GOOD FUTURE. Everything you should be watching in 2026. Unlike a typical issue, most of these links lead back to past GOOD THINKING issues, so you can dive deeper into each topic. It’s a rabbit-hole wonderland. Each prediction comes with a counter-prediction: the pendulum swing. These two realities will live simultaneously, sometimes appealing to the same consumer. This email is long. It might be cut off. Read it in the app. In the podcast episode, we dive deep into each of these, unpacking them more. It’s not just a reading of the list but a guide to help you understand each prediction more. Hit the titles to skip to the bits you fancy! And this year, we went even BIGGER. Now, if you’re eager to share this with your team, colleagues, boss, mom, bestie, or just want to be even more consumed, we made a site with all the predictions, pics, and examples, explainers and AMAZING guest predictions (that we’ll be discussing and sharing here in the new year!) from so many incredible contributors including Ochuko Akpovbovbo, Matt Klein, Michelle Blaser, ANU, Marie Dollé, Jamie Rosen | Beauty Notes, Devi Rhodes, Fred Hart, Michael Abata, Danielle Greenberg, Jenny Evans, Ben Varquez, Einat Israeli, Victoria Buchanan, and Women in Brand. CHECK IT OUT! Let’s dive in! 05:22 — CULTURE INNER WORLDBUILDING // Culture is swinging inwards. As the constant availability of knowledge increases, we are reclaiming intuition, privacy, and unshared experience. In 2026, we place more boundaries. Protection from the prying eyes of strangers’ lenses, the near-invisible listening and recording devices that are always on, and AI sleuthing that allows anyone to know anything. This isn’t just about evasion. It’s about valuing your gut, keeping things for just you and your close friends. We’re building inner worlds. * ‘Camouflage Culture’ rises. “The run you don’t track, the party you don’t post.” * Group chats become a ‘channel.’ * ‘Algorithmic Evasion’ sounds sensible and not sci-fi. * No-camera zones become standard practice. * ‘Intuition’ regains validity. Improvisation is seen as a valued skill. The pendulum swing?Radical spectacle rises. As inner worlds get gated, shared experiences get bigger. Brands build wonderlands to compete with AI for attention. Building brand in this era will be about showing up. And our expectation is brands go big or not come home with us. 13:13 — F&B BIOLOGICAL DINING // Food becomes a protocol. Biology is replacing diet culture. Think: mitochondria health, hormone regulation, vitamin absorption, glucose-safe, recovery enhancing. We want our food to be working for us, not against us. * ‘Deuterium-depleted’, ‘hydrogen-packed’, we get comfortable with scientific terms. * Patented ingredients like low-absorption fats become power plays. * Non-glucose-spiking becomes a strong position. * Creatine-infused milks arrive from a major player, not just a niche brand. * The wearables are everywhere, and smaller. Tooth-worn wearables aren’t extreme. * DoorDash or [insert delivery brand here], powered by AI, allows you to customize biology-supporting meal delivery. The pendulum swing?Food bites into entertainment experiences. As many brands turn to hard facts, other swing toward lore, play, and worldbuilding. Every surface and touchpoint is an opportunity. Character IP booms. Restaurants become cinematic extensions. Brand mythologies become an essential brand-building tool. 18:45 — DRUGS & BOOZE HIGHLY USEFUL // Drugs will get rebranded as productivity and recovery tools. The stigma dissolves, and we shift our perception from escape to enhancement. * Psychedelics get longevity framing. * Ketamine is increasingly recognized as a focus/ADHD aid. * More states fund Ibogaine trials for PTSD and more. * ‘Clean’ nicotine mainstreams. It’s on the shelves in offices. And locker rooms. * GABA gets more energy. * Even cannabis is getting a more generous lens. The pendulum swing?Let’s live a little makes a comeback. Vices regain popularity. A glass of wine, a late night, and a cheeky cigarette are no longer counter to your other lifestyle goals. Think: moderation in a more extreme way. 24:21 — SILVERS POST-DEMO // Age and stage no longer map to behavior. Mindset > metadata. * Brand books with age demos become laughable. * Kids are sushi connoisseurs and edit like expert showrunners. * Silvers are doing Hyrox competitions, gaming nightly, and cruising constantly. Retirement is a sport. * Millennials and young Gen-X begin electing for part-time retirement as job cuts reframe careers. Fractional work is the new norm in this cohort. * Senior sports get reinvented. Mixed-age teams and strategy-forward formats built for older bodies emerge and are welcomed. The pendulum swing?Aging is assisted, but not in assisted living centers. Exoskeletons replace canes. AI lenses for vision makes bifocals history. Hearing gets truly augmented. Regular homes are transformed to allow for longer aging in place. Even advanced healthcare comes in-home as remote monitoring becomes easily accessible, and healthcare distrust/staffing shortages make patients feel safer with loved ones. 30:35 — ALPHAS & ZS ALPHA AGENCY // Kids aren’t passive consumers anymore. They’re co-authors. Alphas gain real influence at home and in culture. Brands start designing for participation, not passivity. * Tweens drive family viewing and large purchases. * Kids focus on soft skills and learn to be persuasive. * Cars, homes, tech, all have to appeal co-generationally. * Participation expectations and tools explode. Alphas assume your IP is theirs to play with. * Kids (and their parent) will craft their own versions of shows to fit their personal interests. The pendulum swing?They embrace self-selected digital hermit-dom. Not completely, but often. As Alphas’ agency expands online, the countermove is retreat. Post-social media worlds emerge where teens make the rules away from prying eyes. And quiet, analog, real-time experiences and interests rise. They are doing it not for the feed but for the fun. Think long, slow experiences like movies, golf, chess, the list goes on. But don’t be fooled, they won’t be playing it in your old-school ways. 38:38 — RETAIL FULL SPLIT // This trend is a full pendulum swing in and of itself. Shopping is going to split into two extremes: effortless automation or intentional effort. AI will handle transactions instantly. And, physical retail swings towards immersion and old-school brand building. * For example: Car dealerships become about the experience and brand. Your AI agents handle the negotiations end-to-end. * LLMs will get ads. And we learn to ignore them. Brand building is about to become paramount. * Luxury goes full experiential. Planes, trains, boats, art galleries and hotels are the new retail store. But you can track the price of your purchase before you make it. Spas reach new heights. But AI-tailored treatments enter the chat. * Vintage thrives (even in luxury) as provenance beats AI slop and tariff-induced cost-cutting measures lower quality to impossible-to-justify standards. Smart brands will take note. The pendulum swing?Invite-only aisles replace public browsing. Anti-algorithmic, ‘taste-driven’ platforms rise. Friend-vetted, invite-only/members-only, no-website stores become bigger. No digital or AI layering here. 46:58 — TECH TRUST COLLAPSE // When everything looks real, nothing feels real. AI is making influencers indistinguishable from their digital twins. Trust becomes the word of the year. * Brands generate perfect AI creators, ushering in a new era of character IP. * Influencers outsource themselves to clones, and the industry collapses under the fakery. * Students outsource their taste to AI. * Human-made and the ‘evidence’ proving the fact becomes a point of pride and a needed standard. * Brands that breach trust and plant seeds of doubt. A ‘made by humans’ stamp, like ‘Organic’ emerges. But much like the former, we don’t know what to believe. * Ultra simple, human-focused content surges. * Recommendations change venues. We trust our train AIs over influencers. * Brands hire human experts to infuse humanity into robots and AI systems to make them more appealing. The pendulum swing?Influence shifts to intimacy. IRL, face-to-face, local communities, real experts, and small groups where you know the person in front of you isn’t a clone go wild. Meet-ups, audience gatherings, niche communities (including on group chats that filter bots) get bigger. Disconnection has been predicted for years, but we’re demanding it now. 53:17 — SPORT AMATEUR GLORY // Amateur sport becomes the main event. Creator leagues, street tournaments, and amateur leagues become the real entertainment. And snag major league ad deals and the glory. * High-stakes peer leagues grow. * Fan festivals become competition hubs. * Neighborhood tournaments get elite-level branding and facilities. * Everyday-athlete competitions surge, hosted in spectacular venues. * Fan proximity expectations deepen. * Fans become the media. Superstars become guests. Amateurs take the trophies and the revenue. The pendulum swing?Recovery becomes a serious sport. Social saunas, no-workout-full-recovery gyms, and wellness dayclubs turn restoration into the main event. Brain massages, recovery treats, and plunge/bathing pop-ups spread. Smart mattresses and wearables turn recovery scores into status. 58:18 — WELLNESS & BEAUTY EVERYDAY INTERVENTION // Wellness shifts from self-care to self-intervention. People treat their bodies like systems to tune, upgrade, and augment. Biohacking but commonplace, zero feelings of ‘that’s extreme.’ Self-diagnostics become routine and expected. * Peptides on every corner, not just in whispers. * NAD+ is everywhere, but injectables become the only acceptable format. * Full-body scans, biomarkers and bloodwork become

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This podcast will dive a little deeper into bit of our weekly GOOD THINKING letter. Not a recap or a reading, just chatting more, unpacking, giving more insights—the fun stuff. Like the letter, the lens is a best-of-the-best on culture, trends, marketing, etc. What I’m dropping to friends on Slack or finding useful in meetings with brands. ingoodco.substack.com

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    Chris Danton & Kirsten Ludwig | IN GOOD CO
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