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Protein is everywhere these days. The cultural obsession with the macronutrient has become unavoidable; from constant protein-adjacent Instagram ads to protein-focused recipes and protein-filled Chipotle bowls, Starbucks drinks, and Pepsi products. All of these products are starting to sound like part of some big, loud, fitness influencer chorus. But theres one brand thats managed to break through the noiseoften, by saying nothing at all. Early this month, the protein bar company David debuted a print campaign in the New York City subway system featuring plain images of its bars, with no text or embellishments, surrounded by a sea of blank white space. Its the encapsulation of a marketing strategy thats catapulted the brand into the cultural zeitgeist and the protein bar big leagues. Where other protein bars sport colorful, energetic packaging with bold fonts and crisp product imagery, David bars come in sleek gold packages with a serif wordmark and a few simple macronutrient descriptors. Instead of vying for consumer attention with eye-catching graphics and silly ads, David shows up online and in the real world with a distinctly minimalist aesthetic and serious, no-frills brand voice. Its an approach that founder Peter Rahal describes as anti-marketingbut, counterintuitively, is actually a highly effective marketing tactic. [Photo: courtesy David] Rion Harmon, executive creative director of the creative agency behind the David brand, Day Job, says an atypical ethos has guided the creative from the start: [The brand] should not be your best friend. Every brand was trying so hard to win you over, to be just like you, Harmon says. David didnt care. David was here to be effective. To design solutions. To create a superior product, with a superior brand. How David built a protein-obsessed following Since it debuted last September, David has amassed an almost cult-like following of customers who patiently await its next protein innovation. David was founded by Rahal, a serial entrepreneur who also cofounded the brand RXbar; and Zach Ranen, who previously founded the better-for-you cookie brand Raize. After launching, the company managed to sell more than $1 million worth of bars in a week. By the following May, it had raised $75 million in Series A funding, at a $725 valuationand, according to a report from The New York Times in September, it was on track to hit $180 million in retail sales this year. (David declined to share updated financial information with Fast Company.) This month, David announced that it would appear on shelves at Walmart and Target. [Photo: David] Fitness gurus and casual protein-seekers alike are attracted to the David bar by its impressive macros (28 grams of protein for 150 calories and zero grams of sugar; a ratio thats almost unbeatable in the bar category). But a large part of Davids meteoric success is also owed to its branding and marketing strategies. As a student of the protein bar category, Rahal says, hes noticed that natural food players like Lärabar and his own RXBar kicked off a trend from around 2000 to 2015, wherein protein bar companies stopped using their packaging to signal a certain brand, but to instead convey flavor. What happened is when you would look at the category, you would see confusion, Rahal says. Rather than identifying brands, it was organized by flavor. So you’d see purple, blue, green, red, yellow. That was innovative in the 2010s, he adds, but it quickly turned the protein aisle into a colorful kaleidoscope of sameness. David returned to an earlier era of brandingthink ’80s and ’90s candy bars, for examplewhen the primary goal of the packaging was to communicate brand, and the secondary goal was to communicate flavor. One thing we did is make gold the primary focus,” Rahal says. “This is ironic because it’s actually really differentiated. I find it interesting how history repeats. Davids brand guidelines are fairly straightforward: It stands out by embracing simplicity. Instead of adding more product descriptors or colors on its packaging, it subtracts them. Its loud by being quiet, Harmon says. ‘Restraint can cut through when chaos is the norm’ Nowhere is that less is more philosophy more clear than in Davids latest print campaign in the NYC subway. The campaign comes directly on the heels of several other headline-grabbing subway brand stunts. Those include a controversial September campaign from the AI companion company Friend, which inspired intense vandalism, and, just over a month later, a campaign from the embryo screening company Nucleus Genomics that incited widespread backlash online. Both of these campaigns were intentionally designed with provocative copy and imagery to spark conversation. Compare that to Davids designwhich is quite literally just a David bar on a blank canvas, with zero copy in sightand the difference is almot visceral. [Photo: David] When everyone is doing one thing, theres often an advantage in doing the opposite, Harmon says. A lot of shock-driven work depends on escalation. It has to keep pushing harder to stay visible. Restraint can cut through when chaos is the norm. This campaign isnt trying to provoke a reaction so much as invite your own. Rahal says he doesnt like marketing, and prefers a non-traditional, anti-marketing approach whenever possible. It would be wrong to characterize David as a buttoned-up brand, thoughin fact, its pulled several audacious marketing stunts in the last few months. Earlier this year, the brand introduced a real line of frozen boiled cod to its portfolio as a nod to its protein bars similar macronutrient profile (David declined to share sales data on the cod, though Rahal says it was not that convenient and expensive. You can still buy it online for $69.) And, this month, David sent out PR packages that included both a protein bar and a vibrator, alongside copy like, Finish twice, and Pick your pleasure; seemingly insinuating that its bars are orgasmic. Harmon and Rahal argue its still ultimately in line with the brands anti-marketing ethos. David usually keeps things pretty straightforward, he says. This one seems like an outlier, but honestly it still fits the same principle. No fluff, no over-explaining, just the product in a context that feels true to the brand. If anything, it’s just a different take on the same idea. Rahal adds, The thinking is still anti-marketing: one clear message rooted in the product truth, delivered in a novel way.”
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E-Commerce
Remember a couple of years ago when Intel declared that the “age of the AI PC” had arrived? Back at CES 2024, the chip giant was saying that its Core Ultra processors would usher in a new era of personal computing, enabling all kinds of new on-device AI capabilities. As Michelle Johnston Holthaus, then the company’s CEO of products, said in a keynote presentation, AI is “fundamentally transforming, reshaping, and reimagining the PC experience.” Two years later, there’s been a vibe shift. While Intel is still talking about AI, it now believes its PC processors will play more of a supporting role for cloud-based AI tools. At the CES trade show earlier this month, the company put a bigger emphasis on meat-and-potatoes concerns such as performance and battery life. “With all the excitement around AI, we always remind ourselves, fundamentals still matter,” Jim Johnson, head of Intel’s Client Computing Group, said at a CES launch event. A disconnect with consumers David Feng, VP/GM for Intel’s PC client segments, says in an interview that the change in emphasis was intentional. For all the talk about AI PCs, consumers haven’t been all that interested. “There’s this disconnect between people in the industry who are looking a couple generations or a couple years ahead, versus the general public,” Feng says. He jokes that for a while, Intel had a hard time getting through meetings without explaining its AI strategy, but when it asked retailers if customers were seeking out AI PCs, the answer was typically “no.” “I’ll sort of confess in a way, and say, when we first coined the term AI PC, in hindsight we probably spent a little bit too much energy trying to justify running AI on the PC locally,” Feng says. Unsurprisingly, what consumers want instead are basic PC things like better battery life and improved graphics performance. Intel’s partners are realizing the same thing, with one unnamed Dell executive telling PCWorld that it’s shifting its marketing focus away from AI PCs and “getting back to our roots with a renewed focus on consumer and gaming.” While Microsoft remains all in on the AI PC concept, it too has started downplaying the value of on-device AI in favor of the cloud, declaring that all Windows 11 computers are AI PCs now. Meanwhile, Intel began its shift toward more fundamental concerns with its Core Ultra 200V processors, which were an attempt to compete on power efficiency with Apple’s M-Series processors and new PC chips from Qualcomm. Now, Intel is promising further improvements with its Core Ultra Series 3 chips, which uses a new manufacturing process and started shipping in laptops this month. The new chips have double the number of low-power computing cores, which are optimized for basic tasks such as web browsing and document editing, and those cores are more performant than before. Intel now plans to move all of its processors over to this architecture, including those for desktop PCs and gaming laptops. “It’s a big leap,” Feng says. Moving to hybrid AI None of this means that Intel has stopped talking about AI PCs entirely. But instead of emphasizing AI tools that run on-device, Intel is now touting “hybrid” applications, in which the AI primarily runs in the cloud but offloads certain tasks to the PC. “We’re just more mature about thinking about this,” Feng says. “We’re not going to replace ChatGPT or Perplexity, and nobody’s asking us to replace them. The whole premise of a hybrid is, instead of choosing either or, how about you make them work together?” For example, ByteDance’s CapCut video editor can now use on-device AI for its “AI Clipper” feature, which analyzes videos for potential highlights. This helps reduce the strain on ByteDance’s cloud servers. Intel also teased a potential partnership with Perplexity, with Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas speaking at the chipmaker’s CES event. While Srinivas didn’t announce anything specific, he talked about how on-device large language models could preserve privacy, reduce latency, and cut cloud computing costs. A browser like Perplexitys Comet, for instance, might use on-device large language models to provide insights on users’ browser histories, but turn to the cloud for web-based queries. “Performance, security, economics, controlthese make local compute such an obvious thing to work on,” Srinivas said. Still, it’s early days even for these efforts, so why all the early hype about AI PCs a couple of years ago? Feng says Intel was just signaling that it was the start of a new era. Now, it can thankfully turn its attention to more near-term concerns that PC buyers actually care about. “Right now, we’re just saying, look, the future is AI PC, but we don’t have to keep beating the drum the same way we beat it two years ago,” he says.
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E-Commerce
Most of us know that job loss is emotionally difficult, but whats less talked about is the experience of knowing you will be terminated without knowing when. This process can be drawn out and draininga form of anticipatory griefan emotional response to a loss before it occurs. Often experienced by the loved ones of terminally ill patients, a version applies in the workplace when job loss is on the horizon. In todays volatile landscape, this kind of professional uncertainty is increasingly common, prompting leadersin limbo due to mergers, acquisitions, funding losses, or downsizingto feel a loss of self-identity, irritability and helplessness at not being in control. As an executive career coach and former headhunter, I have worked with dozens of leaders facing these circumstances. Here are four practical strategies to help you stay grounded, proactive, and resilient during uncertain times. 1. Plan for the future (even when you dont feel ready) Its tempting to wait for clarity on your situation before taking action. But even during the fog of ambiguity, creating time for thinking is beneficial. One of my clients, Matt, was a director at a global finance firm that was being acquired, creating duplicate functions. He agreed to stay on to lead the reorganization and focused all his time on the business priorities, not his own. He was so dedicated he didnt start planning for his future until his boss was let go and reality hit home that it could be him at any moment. Give yourself the gift of forward planning by scheduling time to reflect on what is important to you in your work and life both in the short and longer term. Ask yourself a series of questions to determine what you want your ideal future to look like and steps to move you towards it: Where do I see myself in 10 years? Be as specific as you can about what you would love to do, not just what you could do. You may even consider creating a career vision board for your future using images and statements. With that vision in mind, what experience do I want to gain in my next organization? For instance, if you aspire to be a nonexecutive director long term, you may wish to strengthen your committee experience in the roles you hold between now and then. What are my nonnegotiable and desirable criteria in my next role? For example, you might want to be on the same time zone as corporate HQ but are flexible about the business size. Or increasing your compensation may be nonnegotiable, but you would be willing to travel more. 2. Refocus on what you need to thrive in the short term Take an honest look at your role and what you want to prioritize. One equity partner I worked with in consulting, Claire, knew the firm would be sold at some stage but the date was ambiguous. As the time stretched on, she became disengaged and frustrated, especially in meetings which were becoming increasingly political. She was ready for a change but was tied into the business financially. She realised shed moved away from the work where she most excelled. Ask yourself: What activities energize you at work? What activities drain you? For example, perhaps you thrive on being client facing, selling the services of the business, but you find writing the proposal document dull. Perhaps you love leading teams but find large leadership meetings sap your energy. This will help you identify your strengths. The more you use them the happier, more energized and resilient you will feel. Claire negotiated changes to her role that protected her future package whilst moving into a client practice she excelled in. She took on more mentoring work internally, negotiated greater flexibility, and relinquished elements she no longer enjoyed such as the board meetings. While many leaders would avoid making waves, when the timeline is unknown, its worth a discussion with your line manager about ways to do more of the activities you thrive on, build experiences you want to gain, and make your remaining time more meaningful. You may be there longer than you think and its beneficial to exit on a high. 3. Reconnect with your external network When I surveyed more than 100 leaders for a forthcoming research project, the vast majority (nearly 90%) said they would like to network more, yet only a handful proactively scheduled time for it. They regarded it as importantbut never urgentso consistently let their regular responsibilities take priority. Your wider network is an important source of executive leadership positions. Dont wait until you exit and are job hunting, instead reach out now. Begin with genuine connections you havent spoken to in a whileyour weak ties. Be discreet, but where you can, open up and seek support. If its been some time since you were last in touch, acknowledge this, and offer support in return. A simple message might look like this: Hi [Name], I hope you are well. Ive been thinking back to our conversations at [Company/Project] and I always valued your insights. Id welcome your perspective on a work challenge I am navigating. Would you be open to a short coffee or video call soon? Let me know how I can support you in return. 4. Expect and respect your emotions When significant change is coming in your work, it is normal to feel a rollercoaster of emotionsworry, sadness, resentment. Serena Williams shared the emotional difficulty of approaching the end of a long-term role, describing transitioning from professional tennis as painful. Emotions are interpretations of your feelings and it helps to understand them. Instead of ignoring or suppressing them, pay attention to them and explore what they are telling you. For instance, the sadness you are feeling may, more specifically, be guilt about letting your family down or disappointment that you didnt achieve everything you hoped for in the role. Reflective writing has been linked to improved mental well-being and laid off professionals being more quickly rehired. Get a notebook, set a timer and let your thoughts flow freely. The Feelings Wheela tool that lists 114 emotionscan help you recognize and articulate what you’re experiencing. You may not be able to control the situation of your impending job loss, but you can control how you respond. Invest time in yourself and your future plans. Harness your professional relationships and manage your emotions. With the right mindset and actions, this unplanned change could serve as a catalyst to a positive career step.
Category:
E-Commerce
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