Hey crew,

Mystery boxes. Millennial cringe. Cracker Barrel’s identity crisis. What a week. Brands are out here reminding us that anticipation is still the ultimate marketing drug. People love the dopamine hit of the unknown. They crave sincerity when culture feels over-produced. And they will roast you if you scrub your brand so clean it has no soul left.

The through line is simple. If you do not control the story, the story controls you. The best brands are not just reacting to culture, they are bending it. They are keeping people leaning forward, waiting to see what is next.

We are leaning into that same energy, especially in the UK where foresight is quickly becoming the power play. You do not need fancy tools to start. Just make space each week to scan the horizon. Spot the weak signals. Anticipate instead of react. Do that long enough and suddenly you are not chasing the moment. You are defining it.

Shameless Plug: we are hosting a London breakfast where foresight takes center stage. If you are around, hit us up and we will save you a seat.

See you on the dance floor.

Becky and Greg 

Experiment with anticipation: Top brands are seeing major benefits with the “mystery box” trend

TL;DR: Major brands like Le Creuset, Labubu, and Cava are tapping into the serotonin boost that never ages; opening presents. “Mystery boxes” are having a moment as consumers are increasingly buying more items without exactly knowing which product, or variation of the product, they’re going to receive.

Takeaway: For these brands, this clever strategy is hitting the mark for several reasons. It taps into the dopamine rush of surprise and delight, which in turn can encourage repeat purchases; it presents an opportunity to reach customers outside of their ICP; and it’s a creative and useful way to clear out older inventory at a lower price point. By framing the “unknown” as part of the experience, brands like Labubu and Cava are turning shopping into a game that consumers want to play again and again. In an era where differentiation is increasingly hard to come by, blind-box strategies offer a low-barrier way to stand out, build brand loyalty, and create a UGC campaign that practically works for itself.

Consider:

• How can you build mystery into your campaigns? If your brand doesn’t sell a physical product, is there merch, branded snacks, or gift cards you could include in your purchases? 

• How can you strike a balance between making the experience feel rewarding and fun, rather than exploitative and overdone? 

• What are some ways to innovate this strategy as it evolves, to ensure the novelty always remains relevant?

Take back the narrative: Why leaning into “Millennial cringe” could foster sincerity

TL;DR: Brands like Crocs, Duolingo, and Taylor Swift are leaning into the sincerity and nostalgia-infused, “Millennial cringe,” a previously mocked aesthetic by gen Z. In a time where audiences crave emotional honesty and cultural fatigue, when executed correctly, such campaigns can meaningfully resonate.

Takeaway: Embrace your cringe; but only if it feels authentic. The same earnestness that we once saw in early 2000s branding is now resurfacing as a cultural asset. These top brands are proving that leaning into the awkward side of themselves can have major payoffs. As Gen Z ages out of the teen/early 20s age bracket, their maturity gives brands the green light to diversify tone, flexing empathy and nostalgia when it aligns with who they are.

Consider:

• Which generation or generations make up the majority of your audience? Consider incorporating cultural moments from their youth that align with your brand to use as leverage in your campaigns.

• How can you stay flexible, but genuine? Have fun experimenting with irony, nostalgia, and earnestness in a way that’s authentic to your brand. 

• If you’ve been around for awhile, audit some of your oldest content. Is there anything you can resurface or revamp as a “throwback” that your audience would love to see again?

Act, react, & respond: Lessons learned from Cracker Barrel stripping its identity of “what mattered” 

TL;DR: Earlier this summer, Cracker Barrel revealed an updated, modernized logo that removed the old man and barrel, leaving a simpler, cleaner design. The intention was sincere, but the backlash was so intense and immediate, that the chain restaurant felt they had no other choice than to backtrack and reverse the damage. 

Takeaway: Don't dilute your soul in the name of clean design (and definitely don’t do it abruptly). Cracker Barrel’s recent logo overhaul is a textbook misstep: while the clean typography and streamlined visuals might perform well on apps and avatars, they stripped away what made the brand resonate most with its audience; its emotion, warmth, and the comforting figure of Uncle Herschel. The company put the desire to attract younger, digital-native audiences over the need to foster their current following with a slower rollout, or even a pulse check, which inevitably backfired.

Consider:

• Test before you trim the heart out. If you’re planning on a rebrand or refresh, make sure you perform some sort of brand equity research to ensure you understand what your loyal audience cherishes before modernizing. 

• If your brand has symbols or figures that carry meaning, treat them with care when making rebranding decisions.  

• Are you able to explore dual paths for growth? How can you keep your heritage experience appealing while exploring modern expressions elsewhere? 

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