While traveling in Salzburg, Austria, our president, Brent Niemuth, stood in front of the Mozart statue. Horses trotting by, the castle looming above, and an observation: When you think of Salzburg, a few things instantly come to mind: Mozart. The fortress. The Sound of Music. Clear, simple, unmistakable associations. Your brand works the same way. […]
A Practical Look at Attention, Momentum, and a Message That Sticks “If you’ve got a riff, you’ve got a song.” – Keith Richards“A lot of the time, if somebody only knows a little bit of a song, it’s the hook.” – Taylor Swift Two artists.Two eras. Same truth: The opening makes or breaks you. […]
Do Consumers Want Fewer, Better Things? Or More Options? In this edition of Burning Questions, we asked 250 consumers a deceptively simple question: Which feels more true for you most of the time:“I’d rather have fewer, higher‑quality pieces,” or“I’d rather have more options, even if quality is just okay”? Why? The answer was clear: 74% […]
Why Touch Is the Heartbeat of Modern Brand Experience Yes, “RoT” can actually be a good thing. It stands for Return of Touch, a cultural shift highlighted in The Return of Touch: Consumer Engagement Has an Omnichannel Revival, a study by Quad and The Harris Poll. As consumers grow weary of living life behind a […]
When we think about strong brands, we often picture logos, taglines, or beautifully designed experiences. But sometimes, recognition happens even faster than that. Sometimes, it starts with color. In this quick hit from the road, J.Schmid President Brent Niemuth shares a simple branding lesson from Mykonos, Greece, where white buildings and blue water communicate a […]
We’re sending heartfelt wishes for a joyful and safe holiday season. There’s nothing quite like coming together, sharing laughter, building connections, and truly enjoying each other’s company. It’s the perfect way to celebrate the season and close out the year on a high note. Here’s to making 2026 even more amazing!
What Really Wins Brand Loyalty? Insights to Keep Customers Coming Back In our latest Burning Questions study, we asked 500 consumers: “What’s one product or brand you keep coming back to, even when you have other options? Why does it win your loyalty?” We found that four things rose to the top: Consistency. Taste. Value. […]
Connection Is How Brands Move Forward When times get tough for businesses, marketing is often the first thing on the chopping block. Budgets get slashed. Campaigns get delayed. Creative teams get told to “do more with less.” But here’s the hard truth: you can’t cut your way to connection. And if you’re trying to build […]
Consumer Reactions to Review Sites In our latest Burning Questions study, we asked 250 consumers: “Which consumer review sources are you most likely to trust?” Many gave multiple sources a nod, while others told us they only trusted reviews that are not sponsored. We found that most consumers no longer take reviews at face value. […]
