Dr. Yewon Kim is an assistant professor of marketing at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business. Her work broadly focuses on the messages brands convey to consumers and how those consumers respond when firms introduce new information through their marketing strategies.

In this episode, Gheed and Yewon dive into the surprising “middle ground” of sustainability in consumer goods—where green features grab attention but still trail classic priorities like price, packaging, and brand equity ​. They explore why big incumbents hold back, how smaller challengers turn eco-friendly attributes into standout differentiators, and why wildfire smoke, AI-driven badges, and trusted labels can suddenly make sustainable choices pop. They discuss cost-saving storytelling, positive framing, and standardized eco-labels—to finally close the “green gap” and spark real, lasting behavior change.

Dr. Hal Hershfield is the author of Your Future Self, and professor of marketing and behavioral decision-making at UCLA’s Anderson School of Management. His research explores how people perceive their future selves, make financial and ethical decisions, and engage with long-term thinking—all of which are critical in shaping sustainable consumer behavior.

In this episode, Gheed and Hal explore the gap between consumers’ sustainability intentions and their actual behavior, discussing how both psychological factors and firm-level incentives shape sustainable choices. They unpack marketing dilemmas—from greenwashing versus green hushing to brand alignment and segmentation Finally, Hal offers concrete interventions to help consumers turn abstract sustainability goals into real, long-term habits.