Lights dim. Sounds hush. The aerialist spins into the air. Sequins sparkle in the warm light of a followspot, and my weird little brain wonders: “What does marketing look like for a travelling circus where every other week brings a totally new market?” When I went searching for the answer, I found, instead, one of the most genuinely profound and heartfelt conversations I’ve had in a long time. And the reinforcement of my belief that, sometimes, the most important lessons for marketers… don’t come from marketers at all. Kevin Venardos Owner/Founder/Ringmaster of Venardos Circus Fun fact: I’m sorry, what could […]

“I think we’re moving into a space where most beauty companies are tech companies,” says Maya Smith. It’s a striking claim from a brand that launched in 2012, long before AI was everywhere. But The Doux has always been ahead of the curve. Since day one, the haircare brand has been anchored in culture: hip-hop references, retro- and Afrofuturism, Black hair-salon nostalgia, all in service of marketing hair products to Black women. For all AI can do, Smith, who’s The Doux’s co-founder, CEO, and creative director, is well aware that system biases are still rampant; the tech is accelerating faster than […]