u1492637478_a_healthy_looking_Gen_Z_woman_drinking_flavored_w_7a9a94bf-47c7-4d84-92ec-8eb42986a005_3 Branding The Water Wars: Navigating Gen Z's Thirst for Authenticity In Brief The U.S. bottled water market is now valued at $47.4 billion and projected to reach $66.4 billion by 2030. The water category is experiencing a cultural shift. Gen Z isn't just buying water; they're buying values. Sustainability claims, brand transparency, and By Tobias Dahlberg • 10 min read
convenience store lunch Convenience-Centric The $10 Lunch War – How Convenience Chains Are Weaponizing Value Type Micro Trend Category Retail & QSR Strategy / Food & Beverage / Pricing & Positioning In Brief Lunch is the new front line of the value economy. From Pret’s subscriptions to Sweetgreen’s price resets and 7-Eleven’s hot-food push, every brand wants to own the “$10 comfort zone.” Consumers By Tobias Dahlberg • 3 min read
shrinkflation Behaviors Shrinkflation Psychology – How Consumers Read “Less for More” In Brief Shrinkflation isn’t new—but 2025 made it personal. As brands quietly reduce pack sizes or reformulate recipes to protect margins, consumers have turned into forensic investigators, publicly naming and shaming offenders. The result? A crisis of trust in the grocery aisle. In 2026, packaging isn’t just By Tobias Dahlberg • 3 min read
man working 1 Branding The Streaming Brand Collapse: Why Consumers Don’t Care About Your Platform Logo Streaming platforms spent a decade fighting for brand recognition. The signal: it didn’t work. Consumers don’t care whether it’s Netflix, Max, or Peacock — they care about content. The deeper truth? In subscription markets, the logo doesn’t drive loyalty — the library does. The shift is from platform By Tobias Dahlberg • 1 min read
