2025 NOTES / DISPATCHES
✦ July
🇨🇦 Happy Canada Day from the middle of the Pacific.
From 2008 to 2014, I spent a lot of time in Canada. I even lived in Toronto on a work
NOTES / DISPATCHES
This is where we document what most brands miss. Real-world strategy. Sharp observations. No fluff, no funnels—just practical notes from the frontlines of consumer behavior, culture, and communication.
2025 NOTES / DISPATCHES
✦ June
The Summer of Fewer Mustangs: What's Really Happening to Hawai'i Tourism (Mid-2025)
I was driving to town the other day and noticed something. It wasn't the bright yellow blossoms of
2025 NOTES / DISPATCHES
✦ June
What Is Answer Engine Optimization? No One Really Knows.
Preface
In 1990 we used to skateboard behind an AM/PM on the corner of Goldenwest and Heil in Huntington
2025 NOTES / DISPATCHES
✦ June
The Trust Factory: How a Snowboarder's Frustration Sparked the World's Largest Psychological Commerce Experiment
And what brands can learn from Shopify's approach to manufacturing digital intimacy
In 2004, I spent my days
2025 NOTES / DISPATCHES
✦ June
The Summer When AI Learned to Feel: What's Really Driving Social Media in 2025
Fair warning: this is a long read. But some patterns are worth examining slowly, the way they actually develop in
2025 NOTES / DISPATCHES
✦ June
The Authenticity Advantage: What Social Media's New Favorite Word Really Reveals
Fair warning: this is a long read. But some patterns are worth examining slowly, the way they actually develop in
2025 NOTES / DISPATCHES
✦ June
There's a Difference Between Agencies That Talk About Hawaii Markets and Agencies That Understand There Are 8 Main Hawaiian Islands
Hawaii is 2,397 miles from Los Angeles. That's farther than New York to Denver, though most people
2025 NOTES / DISPATCHES
✦ June
Mango Sticky Rice Smoothie Slay Era Strikes… Come on, who are we kidding? This was some damn good marketing.
This is a Note — quick field observations, no fluff
2025 NOTES / DISPATCHES
✦ June
The Mainland Mirage: Why Most Hawaii Brands Kill Their Own Authenticity
Most Hawaii businesses think they need to become someone else to succeed on the mainland. They're wrong.
We
2025 NOTES / DISPATCHES
✦ May
When Your Customers Have Money But Your Competitors Don’t: The Anti-Payday Strategy
A kitschy leisure apparel company once had it made. Their core audience? Seniors with steady income from Social Security and
2025 NOTES / DISPATCHES
✦ May
Campaign Timing Strategy: The Payday Approach 80% of Brands Miss
boohooMAN didn’t change their product. Didn’t touch their branding. Just timed their ads better. Result: 80% ROAS improvement.
2025 NOTES / DISPATCHES
✦ May
Your Marketing Still Talks to Appetites That Don't Exist
Most brands are still shouting at appetites that aren't there. Selling indulgence to a generation that's
2025 NOTES / DISPATCHES
✦ May
Your Brewery Isn't Failing — The Market Is Changing. Here's How to Adapt
The numbers don’t lie, but they don’t tell the whole story either. Yes, beer volumes are down. Yes,
2025 NOTES / DISPATCHES
✦ May
Your SEO Strategy Is Missing 80% of Where People Actually Search
Let's skip the funeral. SEO isn't dead, but it's no longer where the money
2025 NOTES / DISPATCHES
✦ May
Google Doesn't Just Rank Anymore - It Quotes. Here's How to Get Cited
Today’s search engines don’t just rank. They quote. And trust is earned line by line. That’s why