In this episode, we chat with Hilary Dubin and Caroline Vasquez Huber, the founders of Jones, about how they’re re-imagining the healthcare space (spoiler: they consider themselves a wellness & beauty brand). And along the way, we get into some of our favorite topics: shame (a topic we also tackled in a recent episode with strategist and cultural futurist, Jasmine Bina), gratitude, and vulnerability.

Jones is building a suite of cessation products, from mints to an app, but it’s bigger than that. They are re-defining what it means to be a Quitter. And giving us a great example of how healthcare is changing.

Huge thanks to Caroline and Hilary for chatting. Give Jones a follow on Instagram and TikTok. And if you happen to be looking to quit, this is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of resources:

* The benefits of quitting vaping.

* The science behind Jones' app.

* And the ultra taboo question: Will I gain weight?

ABOUT

Hosted by Chris Danton and Kirsten Ludwig, this show cuts through the noise, pulling sharp insights from across retail, tech, F&B, wellness, travel, sports, beauty, and more. No silos, no fluff—just the most relevant trends and strategies shaping business today.

Subscribe to the best brand and marketing on YouTube and to GOOD THINKING on Substack to get the sharpest insights delivered every week.

PS. If you prefer Apple, Spotify, or YouTube, you can listen there too.

Robbie Bent and his 4 co-founders didn’t just build a wellness brand—they've built an emotional experience people cry in (literally).

In this episode, we go deep on the origin and evolution of Othership: how it went from backyard ice baths to a multisensory space where people breathe, feel, and transform.

We talk about building a 100-year brand, the power of consistent design, why vulnerability is a strength, and how Othership became a space for everyone—not just the “wellness elite.” Whether you’re building a business, a community, or a category, this one’s packed with insights.

Skip to the bits you fancy:

01:54 — BACKYARD BATHS // Othership’s journey begins in a backyard, with a few baths.

04:00 — SAUNA LOVE STORY // How a sobriety journey and a Valentine’s Day date turned into an emotional wellness movement.

11:04 — SCIENCE NOT SPIRITUALITY // We chat about why the language brands use is critical.

12:12 — EMOTIONAL GYMS // A future where emotional wellness classes are as normal as SoulCycle—Robbie’s 100-year vision.

16:54 — VULNERABILITY FOR ALL // It’s not just tech bros crying in saunas. But why that diversity is a good thing.

20:43 — BRICK & MORTAR BATTLES // The unseen complexity of scaling a business that has walls.

25:05 — EVERY DETAIL MATTERS // Custom scents, audio, even receipts—why obsessive brand execution is the the secret to success.

29:15 — THE SECRET SAUCE // The one big lesson every brand can learn from Othership’s journey.

30:37 — FRIENDSHIP FIRST // How to make a 5-founder model work. How co-founding with your partner and friends can work—if you're willing to do the hard stuff.

37:07 — QUICK FIRE STARTS // Robbie answers our lightning round.

46:32 — THE BIG TAKEAWAYS // Kirsten and I get into our big takeaways from the conversation.

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 +14K 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

Any missing links, check the Substack!

This week, we’re breaking down the wildest, weirdest brand campaigns making noise — and what they say about where marketing is headed. From a tween tantrum turned Toblerone ad to OpenAI’s cringe-core collab with Jony Ives, we’ve got thoughts.

Skip to the bits you fancy!

04:31 — TOBLE MELTDOWNA tween tantrum goes viral in an airport. Turns out to be a Toblerone ad. Smart or triggering? We get into it.

13:15 — HELI DELIVERYElf airdropped skincare to a sailor mid-ocean. Fun. But did it make sense?

20:22 — PURE GOLDWhen a sugar-drink giant tried to block PureSport’s activation at a half-marathon, they pivoted. It was brilliant. Here’s the LinkedIn post we mention.

25:15 — AI TATTOOSThis Cybersmile campaign is unsettling, powerful, unforgettable — exactly as intended. This might be the best use of AI imagery I’ve seen yet.

32:01 — OPEN CRINGESo many people loved the AI-heavy OpenAI Jony Ives launch video/photo. We had other feelings.

41:32 — CHUCKMATESChicken Shop Date’s Amelia joined forces with Converse for ‘Chuckmates’, a dating show where shoes are the first impression.

45:13 — TOMATOES RISINGHigh fashion goes playful with Loewe’s giant tomato hot air balloon. The luxury brand that dares to be witty and weird — and pulls it off.

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 +14K 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

Any missing links, check the Substack!

This week, we’re talking to one of the most interesting thinkers on LinkedIn: Jasmine Bina. We got deep into how shame is the final frontier for brands, and what it takes to reframe our most deeply held beliefs.

Skip to the bits you fancy!

04:35 — THE SHAME REFRAME // Why shame is valuable for brands and how it’s about reframing the story — not just taboo busting.

08:05 — CHANGING THE STORY // How brands can actually create a new identity for consumers to overcome shame. 12:09 — UNTAPPED FRONTIERS Menopause, debt, obesity — shame is where brands make real cultural change.

14:03 — GOOD EXAMPLE // A look at MindBloom, the ketamine therapy brand talking transformation, not just mental health.

16:00 — AI & SHAMING // Jasmine on whether AI will just perpetuate our shame scripts.

21:00 — THE PENDULUM SWINGS WITHIN US // Why consumers are living contradictions — no more neat labels, and how this is also true for shame stories.

28:17 — CRAVING REAL // There's a real appetite for brands that are honest and vulnerable. Why that’s the biggest opportunity now.

31:09 — THE QUICK FIRE // Jasmine answers our quick fire:

What’s the biggest conversation you don’t think is being had right now?The disappearance of the menopause ‘dark years’ and the rise of ‘gambling over everything.’

What’s your biggest thing you think a brand should be doing differently as compared to two years ago?”Get away from vibes and go back towards meaning-making….People are looking for deeper systems, myth-making, world-building.”

Favorite Substack or podcast?

Political Currents by Ross Barkan

And Peter Zeihan’s Patreon, “for his quarterly calls where he explains the world to you in an hour.”

What’s one new tool that you use that everyone should know about?My Mind. “It's like a much, much smarter version of Pocket that's way more visually useful too."

What niche brand is crushing it right now?”A high luxury brand from India called Sabiasachi.”

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 +14K 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

Now, the newness continues. As I mentioned, rather than a weekly companion podcast, we’re going to do a monthly round-up of 4 letters, looking at what’s bubbling up.

We’re not calling these trends. That’s way too heavy for a month’s worth of content. These are GOOD SIGNS. Signals, patterns, counter-trends. Stuff that’s emerging, continuing, sticking out, or simply, what we’re finding interesting in the last month.

Hit the links to skip to the bits you fancy

1

03:31 — FRICTION FLEX // Friction is the new flex. This isn’t about limited-edition or scarcity. This is brands (and people) deliberately introducing slowness and effort. Making everything less greased for ease. Opting into harder, slower, more friction-filled experiences now signals care, taste, and, yep, luxury. It’s a pretty big flip on the last decade, where the definition of greatness was ‘frictionless’.

Places it’s showing up:

Outline’s print catalog with over-the-phone orders.

Deliberately slow experiences.

Friction-filled Substack strategies.

Invite-only drops, referral-only conferences.

Scratch-and-sniff campaigns you have to see IRL for the full experience.

Paynter jackets.

Pendulum Swing → Without a doubt, it’s AI. We are hurtling towards working with our eyes closed (or with no human eyes at all). But much like self-service kiosks and self-checkout have proven, it’s critical to think about what consumers want ‘eased’. There’s a lot. But it’s not everything. Sometimes frictionless causes friction.

2

17:07 — HARDCORE WELLNESS // We’ve moved past wellness meaning ‘spa’. We’re all-in on wellness to confront the un-fun stuff—death, grief, chronic stress, parenthood, aging, mental load, brain health, menopause, you name it. This isn’t the mental health conversation. It’s a conversation about what ‘caring for ourselves’ really means.

Places it’s showing up:

Eazewell’s AI-powered death concierge as ‘mental load’ relief

Postpartum hotels and beautiful birthing tools.

Longevity dads & health as the new ‘provider mode.’

Eldercare’s overhaul.

Preventative health boom.

Pendulum Swing → There’s a growing rejection of the wellness industry as a whole. Meaning? Fewer supplements. Less optimization. For ‘leave me be’.

3

24:50 — INTELLIENT OR INTIMATE? // The ‘I’ in AI might need to change from ‘intelligence’ to ‘intimacy’. We’ve gone from not wanting Apple to track our data to offering a meal delivery business our biometric data and health history. And used ChatGPT to discuss our deepest concerns. Why? There’s value in the exchange. We’re also seeing consumers trust the logic of a bot over the bias of a body. Our comfort with AI's ‘wisdom’ is growing faster than most expected.

Places it’s showing up:

Meta glasses with live translation

Wonder’s biometric meal deliveries

Waymo’s rise

ChatGPT is everyone’s therapist.

Pendulum Swing → A deep mistrust "tech bros" still lingers. And the conversation around he value of intuition and anti-patterning is growing louder every day.

4

31:39 — REAL ROMANCE // We’re seeking human experiences more than ever. And not just basic ones. Core-memory-worthy ones. Intimate-ones. We are completely in love with ‘real’. It’s all about the romance.

Places it’s showing up:

Corona’s Brazilian mega concert

Alo Pit Stop recovery bar

Shopping at the old Barney’s

Intimate Uno-filled after parties

BookTok and wine

Breakfast club

Pendulum Swing → Especially for post-Covid teens, online identities now feel more “real” than their physical presence. IRL is ‘fake’ and their online presence is a more ‘true’ expression of who they are.

5

39:59 — GREAT EXPECTATIONS // Maximalist mindsets and max expectations are everywhere. From travel to renting, everything is getting layered with extras. You could say ‘downtime must now do something’, but it’s more about wanting to get the max out of life. We’re squeezing the most out of everything.

Places it’s showing up:

Airbnb offering glam, training, and massage to supercharge travel.

Supplements and skincare minibars are coming to hotels.

In-building amenities as renter requirements (co-working, dog runs).

My own work travel philosophy.

Pendulum Swing → The growing movement of anti-consumerism. Happenstance travel.

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 +14K 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

Substack is the new shiny penny in brand marketing—but done wrong, it can do more harm than good. In this episode, we get into how brands can actually use it well: what’s working, what to watch out for, and what too many are getting wrong. We’re talking strategy, good examples, and the insights everyone seems to be searching for. Skip to the bits you fancy.

03:01 What’s Substack? // A primer on the platform reshaping content and brand engagement.

Who’s Nailing It? // The brands making Substack work—and those that aren't.

12:03 American Eagle x Casey Lewis // How AE's collaboration with a Substack OG is redefining brand partnerships.

14:53 Hinge’s 5-Part Tease // Exploring 'No Ordinary Love' and the power of a limited series.

17:56 Loeffler Randall’s Founder-Led Take // Jessie Randall's personal Substack and the rise of founder-led content.

20:59 Must-Haves and Must-Nots // The do's and don'ts for brands venturing into Substack.

39:53 Who’s Reading // Understanding your audience and delivering real value.

46:45 The Basic Basics // From welcome letters to cross-posting—Substack fundamentals.

52:04 Takeaways, Insights, and Nuggets // Key lessons and actionable insights for brand strategists.

If you 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.

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 +14K 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

In this inaugural series episode 'HOW GOOD GETS GOOD', we talk to Moot, a new model for youth hospitality. A membership club created by teenagers, for teenagers.

We talk about why Moot started, the enormous appetite from tweens, teens, and parents for spaces like this, and what other brands should know about building for the oft misunderstood Alpha.

Hit the links to skip to what strikes your fancy!

03:04 — What is Moot and why teens (and parents) are desperate for it.

06:08 — Meet Cheryl and Paul, the founders of Moot.

07:07 — Why society fears Alphas. But shouldn’t.

10:58 — Are sanctioned spaces inherently uncool?

17:20 — How Moot designed their space with teens.

22:00 — Parents hold the purse strings. Teens hold the influence. You need both.

24:47 — Trust your audience. Give them respect and they’ll give it right back.

28:42 — Advice for brands? No shock. It’s all about vibe.

31:08 — Brand partnership opportunities & not mollycoddling teens.

USEFUL LINKS

Meet Moot, a new model for youth hospitality. A membership club created by teenagers, for teenagers.

Website | Insta

ABOUT THE PODCAST

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 +14K 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

PPS. If you like this, I write a newsletter for 14K subscribers on the best-of-the-best on trends, marketing, and culture—everything I’m dropping to friends on Slack or finding useful in meetings with brands. Get GOOD THINKING in your inbox weekly with the link in my bio.

This special edition of GOOD THINKING WEEKLY unpacks the 5 big lessons we learned on our inaugural live GOOD THINKING NYC TOUR. If you haven’t read the letter, it’s a good one. But rather than recapping the letter, we unpack our most important takeaways from the day.

Hit the links to skip to what strikes your fancy!

05:58 — The biggest themes from the tour—what kept showing up.

12:06 — Intentionality is the new baseline. The best brands are doing more.

18:07 — Why the consumer journey still matters—and where most brands miss.

23:56 — Retail as an experience lab: who’s getting creative, and how.

28:08 — From tiny touches to full-on immersion: experience wins.

30:13 — What today’s consumers expect (hint: it’s not just convenience).

32:30 — Pop-ups, collabs, and why they still work when done right.

36:20 — Retail’s AI era is here. It’s not about automation—it’s about brand.

43:27 — Respect your consumer. If you don’t, someone else will.

54:45 — IRL is having a moment. Smart brands are showing up in person.

Missing the letter this all ties back to? This way.

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 +14K 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

Hi all,

Welcome back to our weekly companion podcast to the Sunday letter. We get deeper into the big hits across every category. And unpack them further.

I’m playing with the formatting of these podcast emails to see if we like them better. Let me know what you think!

Hit the links to skip to what strikes your fancy!

* 2:20 — Why pricing isn’t just about affordability anymore—it’s about perception.

* 7:32 — First Rounds On Me: the dating app that opened a café. IRL is booming.

* 11:40 — Heineken’s anti-phone stunt (but can they make it really happen?)

* 15:50 — Minecraft’s movie moment, Gen Alpha zone, and why brands are missing it.

* 19:28 — Retailers using Close Friends as a loyalty tool.

* 29:37 — Shopify’s approach to AI was a messy message. It didn’t have to be.

* 30:30 — Atlanta Hawks are now a content company too.

* 33:28 — Exosomes, salmon sperm, and skincare that’s pushing limits.

* 35:35 — Proper Hotels wants locals in the sauna—it’s smart.

* 39:18 — LeBron’s Barbie moment and why it matters, especially now.

* 42:51 — Mystery cups, chocolate drops, and fun in a feed-first world

* 43:51 — Stüssy’s consistency and mastering multigenerational influence.

Missing the letter this all ties back to? This way:

https://ingoodco.substack.com/p/minecraft-made-an-experiential-movie

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 +14K 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

Hi all,

Welcome back to the podcast! We’re breaking the typical companion podcast cadence this week with a fun Milan Design Week 2025 edition.

I was in town for a couple of days and wanted to share everything I saw and a few other bits and pieces I didn’t catch that are worth knowing about.

As always, this pod dives into the biggest trends, shifts, and brands. This week is no different there.

Quick note: This email will get cut off due to all the photos. Carry on in the browser for all the pics.

THIS WEEK’S EPISODE:

* La DoubleJ turns a Milan rooftop into a sound bath — and it worked.

* A Japanese shop proves cool people love golf. So much so, they wear it off-course.

* A tiny non-alc brand shows how small budgets can still win big.

* Google went immersive but nailed it in other ways.

* Marimekko and Laila Gohar was the most FOMO-clap-worthy moment of the week.

* Gucci was beautiful but did it lose itself?

* Muji was classic Muji.

* Belmond took over Airmail’s newstand but their new cookbook isn’t what stood out.

* Porsche x Marzocco was a masterclass in why you need to hire good designers—in a bad way.

* Loro Piana’s was stunning but zero percent ‘quiet’.

* Sigma threw a party you can’t enter — and somehow still won.

* Chiquita also threw a party. But for the wrong crowd?

Enjoy!

What we get into:

LA DOUBLE J

02:27 — HIGH VIBES // Gongs, rooftop rituals, and patterned shoe bags—La Double J's love of high-vibrational is great worldbuilding and great to experience.

TENOHA & OPPURE

10:06 — LIFESTYLE LOVES GOLF // I stumbled into Tenoha, a Japanese shop, And found these rad shoes. Clearly golf-inspired. We discuss why that’s interesting.

11:16 — SMALL BRAND, BIG WIN // A small non-alc brand, Oppure, made big impact with simple basics: repetition & a good location. A nice lesson for smaller fish in a big pond.

PALINURO & ZAZIE

14:11 — NATURAL WINE, GOOD VIBES // Next year I must get a press pass but no invites meant I hit up by fave Milanese wine bar, Palinuro for chilled red, much need food and records. And then popped into Zazie, which was lovely too, if you like quiet but with a vibe, this one is for you.

LOSTE CAFÉ

15:20 — PASTRY WITH A POV // Rhubarb miso pastries, yellow tiles, and great coffee—lots to love.. Loste Café is a great example of brand building in small spaces and small ways.

GOOGLE

17:15 — GOOD WORK GOOGLE // Light tunnels and design team docents were great. But what I loved most about Google’s "Making the Invisible Visible" was the products and the displays—pretty shocking.

MARIMEKKO X LAILA GOHAR

29:19 — DESIGN WEEK’S BEST // This was the one. I give it an A++. A line worth waiting in, a reveal worth the FOMO, and the only brand that made the line semi-pleasurable. All the details were right at this one.

GUCCI

41:07 — BAMBOO ENCOUNTERS // Gucci’s massive two-palazzo takeover was filled with art installations, flying kites, and soft green floors. The space was stunning, chill but interesting. But perhaps could have belonged to any brand? We discuss. We talk staffing strategy too.

MUJI

49:47 — QUIETLY ON BRAND // Muji built a tiny home that told a story of ‘reuse’. ‘Functionality’ might have been a better word. We get into why.

AIRMAIL X BELMOND

50:31 — CUTE BOOKS // Airmail’s iconic Milan newsstand has a Belmond lens for Design Week. I loved their new cookbook but it was the other books that had everyone’s attention.

PORSCHE X MARZOCCO

54:41 — MISSED MOMENTUM // This collab should have been a showstopper. Last year’s Rimowa collab was all over my feed for weeks. We get into why it did not hit this year. If you want to know why good design is critical, this is your example.

LORO PIANA

57:02 — QUIET LUXURY? // A velvet-curtained clad quiet ‘movie’ was a great idea. But the dramatic lighting, immersive sets, and spectacle of the whole thing felt very off-brand.

SIGMA & CHIQUITA

01:04:52 — WINDOWS & FOMO // Both threw private parties on the first public day—dangerous. One had windows and one did not and it made a huge difference. Seb Curi’s illustrations were the Chiquita draw for me and I did go back to Chiquita with my daughter the next day and all I have to say is: she loved it. Fun but mismatched with the audience.

TAKEAWAYS

01:05:57 — LESSONS FOR NEXT YEAR // A little recap with some big takeaways.

EXTRA FUN

Stuff I didn’t see but looks great:

* Wish I had made it to Miu Miu’s ‘literary club’.

* Very sad to have missed Prada’s train.

* So many people wanted to see this Lavazza pop-up.

* Loewe and Hermes look very understated and beautiful.

* Not for Design Week but I wanted to see this new Amazon ‘pharmacy’.

That’s all folx.

-Chris

If you 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.

PPS. All typos are a result of 10 days of mayhem. Gratitude for the patience.