I spent two days this week at The Lead Summit in New York — 3,000+ senior brand, retail, and DTC leaders packed into Pier 36 for back-to-back sessions on what's actually moving the needle for growth brands right now. Just the real conversations happening at the intersection of media strategy, brand building, and performance marketing. Here's what I brought back — and why it matters if you're running a brand between $5M and $50M in revenue trying to figure out where to put you

Gap didn't set up a merch table at Coachella this year. They built a Hoodie House. Customization stations. Daily limited drops. $100 hoodies you could only get at the festival. The kind of experience that gets 1.3K likes on Threads and turns attendees into brand evangelists. This isn't just a clever activation. It's a signal of where smart brands are investing in 2026: experiential marketing that creates moments people actually want to participate in, share, and remember. Aft

B Corporation Event at Prose HQ You've seen the logo. Maybe on a bottle of olive oil, a skincare brand, or a bag of coffee. That small black and white B Corp certification badge. You've probably wondered: what does it actually mean — and is it worth pursuing for your brand? The answer is more relevant right now than it's ever been. First, What Is B Corp Certification? B Lab is the global nonprofit behind Certified B Corporations — a community of businesses that meet verified