It might seem clever, but it’s actually one of the worst days of the year to go live with something real. On a day when the internet is flooded with fake products and pranks, your launch risks being ignored, misunderstood, or turned into a meme. Even worse? You miss the chance to actually have fun and show off your brand’s personality.
In this blog, we break down why April 1st is a terrible launch date and how to turn it into a creative win instead.
The outdoor industry isn’t dying—it’s evolving. While headlines shout doom and gloom, the truth is this moment isn’t a collapse, it’s a correction. The brands that over-ordered, under-innovated, and relied on hype instead of quality are feeling the squeeze—but that’s not the whole story. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reimagine what we make, why we make it, and who we make it for. Innovation isn’t optional—it’s the path forward. Let’s stop treating this like a funeral and start treating it like a forge. The next era of outdoor is coming. The only question is: who’s ready to lead it?
In an era where brands have more tools, data, and channels than ever before, marketing should be in its golden age. Yet, instead of groundbreaking creativity, we’re stuck in a cycle of sameness. Marketing has become vanilla—bland, predictable, and indistinguishable.
Artificial Intelligence is revolutionizing marketing, but is it truly objective? Many AI tools and Large Language Models (LLMs) are designed with commercial incentives, subtly steering users toward in-house products while downplaying competitors. This blog explores the hidden biases in AI-driven recommendations, the 'walled garden' effect, and how marketers can navigate these digital gatekeepers to make unbiased, data-driven decisions. Don't let AI limit your choices, learn how to spot and counteract marketing bias in the tools you rely on.
The apparel industry has fallen into a trap of sameness—recycled marketing messages, tired buzzwords, and "unique" selling points that aren't unique anymore. Consumers are getting bored, and the next wave of industry disruptors won't be the legacy brands stuck in their old ways. In The Death of Differentiation: Why Consumers Are Over Boring Brands, we explore how a new generation of scrappy, bold companies is set to shake things up. The future belongs to those who dare to be different.
If Big Agnes was a person, I would want to be her friend. I think we’d go on some amazing adventures together. This week I will focus on Big Agnes’s brand and the five key components that have contributed to their marketing success - Brand Position, Brand Promise, Brand Personality, Brand Story and Brand Association.
We have reached the half way point of the Made in Colorado series. This week I’ll be discussing digital marketing from Smartwool. Smartwool is an innovative company at its core, pioneering the first ski sock that cost over $20. I have a lot of Smartwool socks that have stood the test of time, but I can’t say the same about Smartwool’s digital marketing. This week I will solely focus on their website, brand and social media channels.
Osprey Packs is a company offering innovative, high performance gear for adventurers and outdoor seekers. Osprey was founded over forty years ago by outdoor aficionado and mad hatter, Mike Pfotenhauer. The company calls Cortez, Colorado home where the pace of life is slower and they sit in the grandeur of the San Juan Mountains.
Living in Colorado you have a great mix of old Colorado and new Colorado. RiNo is just one area in Denver that has become a millennial mecca and a hub of creativity and entrepreneurship. Stem Ciders is an urban cidery founded in 2013 by two passionate entrepreneurs, Eric Foster and Phil Kao. Stem Ciders believes in three main principles: quality, style and tradition.
