Jackie (Irmen) Mellon

Yesterday, I listened to an insightful and engaging live with Julia Hartz and Michelle Thames and out of the many gems, I felt compelled (as the curator for HUE Affair) to share a few that brands should absolutely be thinking about as they plan events for 2026. Think layers, not labels. The most compelling experiences aren’t boxed in. Mashups like curls & coffee or walkers for wellness work because they reflect how people actually live. Intimate can outperform large-scale. Smaller rooms often create deeper connection, stronger conversation, and more meaningful brand impact. Big isn’t always better, intentional is. Community, defined in one word: warmth. Not the agenda. Not the swag. The emotion people feel when they’re in the room together. As brands map out 2026, the opportunity isn’t just to host events, it’s to design environments people want to return to.

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https://lnkd.in/gUxzz5E6 Most retail accelerators for indie beauty brands are missing one critical thing: Long-term commitment. Over the past few years we’ve seen a wave of funding and incubator programs aimed at helping underserved Black and Brown founders break into retail. It's incredibly important work. But a one-time grant or accelerator program doesn’t prepare a brand for what actually happens after entering retail that include inventory pressure, cash flow strain, marketing demands, and velocity expectations. What founders really want is an ecosystem of support that lasts beyond the initial check. That’s where retailers like Ulta Beauty have a real opportunity to differentiate themselves from competitors like Sephora. I appreciate Erica La Sala for hearing my voice and sharing it inside this recent article from Beauty Independent. Read the full article by clicking the link. Curious to hear from others: What support actually makes the biggest difference when entering retail?

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For Campaign US's latest Question of the Week, industry leaders were asked: “Which emerging brands are catching your eye and have the potential to change the game?” Julian Leon Director of Design at MAS highlighted Anthropic—an AI company that’s redefining what it means to build with intention. For Julian, its understated brand presence and thoughtful design signal a kind of innovation that lasts it's a brand that is quietly shaping the infrastructure of the future. Alexandra Aviv, Director of Strategy and Marketing at MAS looked to Cognition and Eight Sleep as examples of how AI can elevate everyday experiences. From autonomous AI engineers to adaptive smart mattresses, Alex sees these brands as proof that technology can drive both efficiency and innovation in daily life. Read the full piece here: https://lnkd.in/eCKZtmWc #MAS #MoreMAS #CampaignUS #EmergingBrands #CreativeStrategy #Design #AI

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In a world of thousands of daily brand messages, discover the five-finger framework that determines whether your brand matters to your audience right now.

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Growth-stage brands move fast. Traditional research...doesn’t. In our latest blog, we break down what’s changed—and what modern brands need instead. It covers: - Why traditional timelines miss cultural moments - What fast research actually looks like - How Dash delivers confident decisions in under 10 days Read it here: https://lnkd.in/eYxTQsfy #FastResearch #GrowthBrands #DecisionIntelligence #ModernInsights

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With 85% of U.S. households expected to have CTV access within the next year, the opportunity for brands has never been greater. At Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, Jon Gibs (Walmart Connect) joined us to explore how CTV and retail media are evolving together, blurring the lines between inspiration and transaction. By connecting “carts to minds,” this convergence is redefining how we measure engagement and influence emotion throughout the consumer journey. Watch the full video to discover how CTV and retail media are unlocking new possibilities for brand connection and conversion. #WalmartConnect #OMGatCannes2025 #CreatorEconomy #TheOmnicomSpace #TheStudio

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The convergence of CTV and retail media is transforming how brands connect with shoppers—and how inspiration drives transactions. Hear more from Jon Gibs, Walmart Connect's Group Director of Media Insights and Measurement, in conversation with Omnicom Media Group about how we’re harnessing the power of #CTV and offsite media. #WalmartConnect #RetailMedia #CannesLions

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Keurig Dr Pepper has dismantled its internal creative agency, known as Liquid Sunshine, as it moves away from an in-house creative model and shifts work to external firms. Liquid Sunshine was a full-service agency employing more than 80 people doing work for 125 brands throughout the Keurig Dr Pepper portfolio, according to a description on the LinkedIn page of Kristine Kobe, who led Liquid Sunshine as KDP’s VP of marketing. “We made the difficult decision to move away from our in-house creative model, which unfortunately meant that we had to discontinue our in-house agency, Liquid Sunshine,” Keurig Dr Pepper said in a statement provided to Ad Age. “These decisions aren’t easy—Liquid Sunshine was full of talented creatives. But we believe the infrastructure and efficiencies of our external agency partners are better suited to help us to unlock world-class personalized creative at scale.” Read the full story at the link in the comments. 🔗

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  Control is no longer about cost savings.... It’s about #CreativeEffectiveness. 🟣 When brands own more of the #CreativeProcess they unlock: 👉 Faster response to culture 👉 Clearer brand voice across channels 👉 Better integration between strategy, content, and performance This is what we mean when we say “take control of your creative process.” Not by cutting corners or cutting partners but by #DesigningOperatingModels that put brands back in the driver’s seat. #InHouseInfluencers are one expression of that control. But the #BiggerOpportunity is rethinking how creative work gets done, who owns what, and where flexibility and accountability truly live. Control isn’t about doing everything yourself. It’s about building a #CreativeEcosystem that works on purpose. 🟣 🔗 Digiday on #DicksSportingGoods and the rise of in-house creators https://lnkd.in/gAaWjuhq

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Optimizing for conversion without brand is a race to diminishing returns. Performance without brand becomes transactional and fragile. Brand creates demand; performance converts it. Data sharpens creativity, but it doesn’t replace it. The brands that scale do not choose between ROI and relevance. They integrate both. Inspired by a thoughtful Inc. article on brand + performance. #BrandBuilding #PerformanceMarketing #BrandStrategy

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Subscriptions aren’t failing but trust is eroding. As brands pile on pricing tiers, auto-renew traps and forced commitment, consumers aren’t cancelling out of anger. They’re cancelling out of fatigue. This story looks at why subscription complexity is quietly killing lifetime value and what marketers should do now to rebuild trust, reduce churn and design for long-term relevance. If you work in marketing, product or growth, this one matters. https://lnkd.in/dm8d_aac

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Most CPG brand redesigns fail before the first sketch is even drawn. 🎨 Why? Because they start with aesthetics instead of insights. If you’re thinking about a brand refresh, stop. Before you open a design file, you need to go back to the beginning. The most successful brands don't just "look better"—they understand: ▶️ The Shelf: What is actually happening in the physical or digital aisle? ▶️ The Audience: Have you actually surveyed your customers lately? ▶️ The Gap: Where is your product now, and where does it need to be? Competitive analysis isn't just a box to tick. It’s how you find what is unique and ownable. If you can’t find that one thing to hammer away at, your redesign is just a coat of paint. Learn more about this "Back to Basics" research framework in our latest RangeMe blog post from my how in my latest blog post, from my interview with Dave Korinek, Chief Brand Officer at Pearl Resourcing | CPG Brand + Packaging Design. It also includes a video of our full interview, recorded on location at ECRM's Health & Beauty Care Sessions in Dallas! 👇 Link to the blog in the comments below! Emily Anne Page START to SOLD Sarah Davidson Kurt R. Greg F.

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Exciting news from Canadian partner ShopLiftr—and even bigger news for brands: ABCS Insights’ rigorous, household-level campaign lift measurement is now expanding across Canada, powering real outcomes.

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Shortly after SACHEU landed at Target last fall, its viral Stay-N Peel Off Lip Liner became the No. 1 product in the retailer's lip makeup category. Building on that early momentum, Target is expanding the brand's full assortment of 46 SKUs to nearly 1,600 stores. The rollout comes as Sacheu, which is also available at Ulta Beauty, looks to diversify distribution beyond digital channels. Wholesale has gone from practically nothing to roughly half of the brand's sales in under two years. The brand is projected to reach $110 million in sales this year, up from $85 million. Content creator and founder Sarah Cheung says, "We thrived before TikTok Shop, and we've thrived during TikTok Shop. I'm confident about our future no matter how our distribution channels evolve." Read more: https://bit.ly/4rro3sd

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McCANN New York has been named U.S. creative agency of record for four Reckitt Essential Home brands—Woolite, Resolve, Rid-X, and Easy-Off—following an eight-week review. The agency, which replaces incumbent Havas, will lead strategy and creative across TV, digital, social, and experiential through its New York and Toronto offices, with support from McCann Content Studios.

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Cross-category collabs are changing the game. Beverage brands aren’t just in bars, they’re in streetwear drops, lounges, and curated cultural spaces. Because today, relevance happens where culture collides. BVRG Strategy: Brand partnerships + cultural placement → https://bvrgagency.com

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Shortly after SACHEU landed at Target last fall, its viral Stay-N Peel Off Lip Liner became the No. 1 product in the retailer's lip makeup category. Building on that early momentum, Target is expanding the brand's full assortment of 46 SKUs to nearly 1,600 stores. The rollout comes as Sacheu, which is also available at Ulta Beauty, looks to diversify distribution beyond digital channels. Wholesale has gone from practically nothing to roughly half of the brand's sales in under two years. The brand is projected to reach $110 million in sales this year, up from $85 million. Content creator and founder Sarah Cheung says, "We thrived before TikTok Shop, and we've thrived during TikTok Shop. I'm confident about our future no matter how our distribution channels evolve." Read more: https://bit.ly/4rro3sd

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Taste still matters - and so does staying true to your brand’s unique voice. B&B studio’s Head of Strategy Lisa Desforges recently spoke to Hazel Davis in her piece for Creative Review about how the rise of GLP-1s, which reduce appetite, are reshaping the F&B landscape. As Lisa notes, it is no surprise that many mainstream brands, especially those that offer ultra-processed food, are refocusing on nutrition. But in doing so, they risk losing sight of what makes them unique in the first place. For premium brands, it's different. They have the opportunity to double down on messaging of quality over quantity. Lisa said: ‘‘Emphasising, rather than reinventing this messaging should be key - with luxury food brands embracing their role as purveyors of exquisite, ritualistic experiences and positioning themselves as rare, high-quality treats that contribute to life's joys.’’ Read the full piece in Creative Review: https://lnkd.in/eczgM7r5

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