Curious Kyle
@curiouskyle.bsky.social
A curious marketer sharing stuff for other curious marketers.
Unless what you’re selling is solely aimed at the base of Maslow’s pyramid then the purchase decision is an emotional one.
We are creatures of story. How your brand furthers, amplifies, or enhances the consumer’s personal story is the decision matrix.
via Gallup
We are creatures of story. How your brand furthers, amplifies, or enhances the consumer’s personal story is the decision matrix.
via Gallup
November 8, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Unless what you’re selling is solely aimed at the base of Maslow’s pyramid then the purchase decision is an emotional one.
We are creatures of story. How your brand furthers, amplifies, or enhances the consumer’s personal story is the decision matrix.
via Gallup
We are creatures of story. How your brand furthers, amplifies, or enhances the consumer’s personal story is the decision matrix.
via Gallup
Machine in the Ghost: https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/11/07/machine-in-the-ghost.html
November 7, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Machine in the Ghost: https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/11/07/machine-in-the-ghost.html
Love this Why People Buy pyramid.
It aligns with a messaging framework I like to use for clients.
The best marketing has messaging for each level, acknowledging that people are looking for different things at different times.
Developing this for your brand would not be a waste of time.
It aligns with a messaging framework I like to use for clients.
The best marketing has messaging for each level, acknowledging that people are looking for different things at different times.
Developing this for your brand would not be a waste of time.
November 6, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Love this Why People Buy pyramid.
It aligns with a messaging framework I like to use for clients.
The best marketing has messaging for each level, acknowledging that people are looking for different things at different times.
Developing this for your brand would not be a waste of time.
It aligns with a messaging framework I like to use for clients.
The best marketing has messaging for each level, acknowledging that people are looking for different things at different times.
Developing this for your brand would not be a waste of time.
What people think and feel is more important than what is “true.”
Shoppers don’t care what the indicators say about the strength of the economy or buying power. They care about how it feels to watch the numbers tally up at checkout.
Vibecessions feel worse than recessions.
via EMARKETER
Shoppers don’t care what the indicators say about the strength of the economy or buying power. They care about how it feels to watch the numbers tally up at checkout.
Vibecessions feel worse than recessions.
via EMARKETER
October 31, 2025 at 1:17 PM
What people think and feel is more important than what is “true.”
Shoppers don’t care what the indicators say about the strength of the economy or buying power. They care about how it feels to watch the numbers tally up at checkout.
Vibecessions feel worse than recessions.
via EMARKETER
Shoppers don’t care what the indicators say about the strength of the economy or buying power. They care about how it feels to watch the numbers tally up at checkout.
Vibecessions feel worse than recessions.
via EMARKETER
Replace “music” with “marketing,” the idea’s still sound.
And this nugget is perfect for thinking about your messaging:
"every part has to be really, not necessarily catchy, but something about it that draws you in, ... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/10/30/replace-music-with-marketing-the.html
And this nugget is perfect for thinking about your messaging:
"every part has to be really, not necessarily catchy, but something about it that draws you in, ... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/10/30/replace-music-with-marketing-the.html
October 30, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Replace “music” with “marketing,” the idea’s still sound.
And this nugget is perfect for thinking about your messaging:
"every part has to be really, not necessarily catchy, but something about it that draws you in, ... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/10/30/replace-music-with-marketing-the.html
And this nugget is perfect for thinking about your messaging:
"every part has to be really, not necessarily catchy, but something about it that draws you in, ... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/10/30/replace-music-with-marketing-the.html
The thumb is hovering over the buy button…
What’s the last nugget of info that gets the click?
Is it right next to the button?
It probably should be 👇
"Added a USP bar under the Add to Cart button to communicate value with... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/10/21/the-thumb-is-hovering-over.html
What’s the last nugget of info that gets the click?
Is it right next to the button?
It probably should be 👇
"Added a USP bar under the Add to Cart button to communicate value with... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/10/21/the-thumb-is-hovering-over.html
October 21, 2025 at 5:44 PM
The thumb is hovering over the buy button…
What’s the last nugget of info that gets the click?
Is it right next to the button?
It probably should be 👇
"Added a USP bar under the Add to Cart button to communicate value with... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/10/21/the-thumb-is-hovering-over.html
What’s the last nugget of info that gets the click?
Is it right next to the button?
It probably should be 👇
"Added a USP bar under the Add to Cart button to communicate value with... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/10/21/the-thumb-is-hovering-over.html
YouTube’s new Brand Pulse Report seems like it could be really useful.
"evaluate your brand presence across YouTube by detecting brand mentions via visuals (brand logos, product shots, etc.) and language (audio, video ... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/10/10/youtubes-new-brand-pulse-report.html
"evaluate your brand presence across YouTube by detecting brand mentions via visuals (brand logos, product shots, etc.) and language (audio, video ... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/10/10/youtubes-new-brand-pulse-report.html
October 10, 2025 at 6:07 PM
YouTube’s new Brand Pulse Report seems like it could be really useful.
"evaluate your brand presence across YouTube by detecting brand mentions via visuals (brand logos, product shots, etc.) and language (audio, video ... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/10/10/youtubes-new-brand-pulse-report.html
"evaluate your brand presence across YouTube by detecting brand mentions via visuals (brand logos, product shots, etc.) and language (audio, video ... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/10/10/youtubes-new-brand-pulse-report.html
Consumer confidence dipped
Income-based splintering continues
Luxury shoppers are feeling good
Jobs numbers aren’t great
And it’s beginning to look a lot like an expensive holiday season
Prices ... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/10/08/consumer-confidence-dipped-incomebased-splintering.html
Income-based splintering continues
Luxury shoppers are feeling good
Jobs numbers aren’t great
And it’s beginning to look a lot like an expensive holiday season
Prices ... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/10/08/consumer-confidence-dipped-incomebased-splintering.html
October 8, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Consumer confidence dipped
Income-based splintering continues
Luxury shoppers are feeling good
Jobs numbers aren’t great
And it’s beginning to look a lot like an expensive holiday season
Prices ... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/10/08/consumer-confidence-dipped-incomebased-splintering.html
Income-based splintering continues
Luxury shoppers are feeling good
Jobs numbers aren’t great
And it’s beginning to look a lot like an expensive holiday season
Prices ... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/10/08/consumer-confidence-dipped-incomebased-splintering.html
Jobs report: fewer jobs, better pay?
No federal jobs data this month due to the shutdown, so ADP’s data will have to do:
"Private sector employment shed 32,000 jobs in September and pay was up 4.5 percent year-over-year... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/10/02/jobs-report-fewer-jobs-better.html
No federal jobs data this month due to the shutdown, so ADP’s data will have to do:
"Private sector employment shed 32,000 jobs in September and pay was up 4.5 percent year-over-year... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/10/02/jobs-report-fewer-jobs-better.html
October 2, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Jobs report: fewer jobs, better pay?
No federal jobs data this month due to the shutdown, so ADP’s data will have to do:
"Private sector employment shed 32,000 jobs in September and pay was up 4.5 percent year-over-year... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/10/02/jobs-report-fewer-jobs-better.html
No federal jobs data this month due to the shutdown, so ADP’s data will have to do:
"Private sector employment shed 32,000 jobs in September and pay was up 4.5 percent year-over-year... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/10/02/jobs-report-fewer-jobs-better.html
A sharp deterioration in consumers’ views of the current economic situation weighed on confidence
😬
Present situation vibes dropped 7 points .
Expectations dipped (again) and have now been below 80 (the unofficial... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/10/01/a-sharp-deterioration-in-consumers.html
😬
Present situation vibes dropped 7 points .
Expectations dipped (again) and have now been below 80 (the unofficial... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/10/01/a-sharp-deterioration-in-consumers.html
October 1, 2025 at 12:19 PM
A sharp deterioration in consumers’ views of the current economic situation weighed on confidence
😬
Present situation vibes dropped 7 points .
Expectations dipped (again) and have now been below 80 (the unofficial... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/10/01/a-sharp-deterioration-in-consumers.html
😬
Present situation vibes dropped 7 points .
Expectations dipped (again) and have now been below 80 (the unofficial... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/10/01/a-sharp-deterioration-in-consumers.html
The key to branding and messaging in a post-AI world? Personality
Average is easy to churn out at a superhuman clip. Stand out by saying things that only apply to your brand.
I’ve seen this advice a lot lately, this classic New Balance ad is a great example.
Say something only you can say.
Average is easy to churn out at a superhuman clip. Stand out by saying things that only apply to your brand.
I’ve seen this advice a lot lately, this classic New Balance ad is a great example.
Say something only you can say.
September 22, 2025 at 6:12 PM
The key to branding and messaging in a post-AI world? Personality
Average is easy to churn out at a superhuman clip. Stand out by saying things that only apply to your brand.
I’ve seen this advice a lot lately, this classic New Balance ad is a great example.
Say something only you can say.
Average is easy to churn out at a superhuman clip. Stand out by saying things that only apply to your brand.
I’ve seen this advice a lot lately, this classic New Balance ad is a great example.
Say something only you can say.
The Year of the Splinter 🐀 continues (more of a decade, maybe an era).
Relevant headlines:
The top 10% of Americans account for nearly half of consumer spending
"highlighting the growing divide between high-income earners a... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/09/22/the-year-of-the-splinter.html
Relevant headlines:
The top 10% of Americans account for nearly half of consumer spending
"highlighting the growing divide between high-income earners a... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/09/22/the-year-of-the-splinter.html
September 22, 2025 at 1:24 PM
The Year of the Splinter 🐀 continues (more of a decade, maybe an era).
Relevant headlines:
The top 10% of Americans account for nearly half of consumer spending
"highlighting the growing divide between high-income earners a... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/09/22/the-year-of-the-splinter.html
Relevant headlines:
The top 10% of Americans account for nearly half of consumer spending
"highlighting the growing divide between high-income earners a... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/09/22/the-year-of-the-splinter.html
Have a high price, high quality product? Lean into emotional ads.
Have a low price, low quality product? Focus on informational ads.
Emotional ads draw interest, informational ads close sales.
Both are needed. The mix is based on how short the path to purchase is.
via Science Says
Have a low price, low quality product? Focus on informational ads.
Emotional ads draw interest, informational ads close sales.
Both are needed. The mix is based on how short the path to purchase is.
via Science Says
September 17, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Have a high price, high quality product? Lean into emotional ads.
Have a low price, low quality product? Focus on informational ads.
Emotional ads draw interest, informational ads close sales.
Both are needed. The mix is based on how short the path to purchase is.
via Science Says
Have a low price, low quality product? Focus on informational ads.
Emotional ads draw interest, informational ads close sales.
Both are needed. The mix is based on how short the path to purchase is.
via Science Says
Science Says a logo icon related to your offering is rated “more positively, authentic and warm, regardless of how much they liked the logos' visuals.”
Why?
"Descriptive logos are easier to process so we immediately understa... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/09/16/science-says-a-logo-icon.html
Why?
"Descriptive logos are easier to process so we immediately understa... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/09/16/science-says-a-logo-icon.html
September 16, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Science Says a logo icon related to your offering is rated “more positively, authentic and warm, regardless of how much they liked the logos' visuals.”
Why?
"Descriptive logos are easier to process so we immediately understa... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/09/16/science-says-a-logo-icon.html
Why?
"Descriptive logos are easier to process so we immediately understa... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/09/16/science-says-a-logo-icon.html
Handy chart for your channel mix planning from EMARKETER.
As always, what’s old is new again.
The key is figuring out where we are in that looping cycle.
As always, what’s old is new again.
The key is figuring out where we are in that looping cycle.
August 22, 2025 at 9:46 PM
Handy chart for your channel mix planning from EMARKETER.
As always, what’s old is new again.
The key is figuring out where we are in that looping cycle.
As always, what’s old is new again.
The key is figuring out where we are in that looping cycle.
This slide from Dan Frommer’s mid-year consumer trends report is a perfect example of pay attention to what people do, not what they say.
This is why focus groups or asking people “would you buy this? what would you pay?” rarely lead to great decisions.
This is why focus groups or asking people “would you buy this? what would you pay?” rarely lead to great decisions.
July 23, 2025 at 7:14 PM
This slide from Dan Frommer’s mid-year consumer trends report is a perfect example of pay attention to what people do, not what they say.
This is why focus groups or asking people “would you buy this? what would you pay?” rarely lead to great decisions.
This is why focus groups or asking people “would you buy this? what would you pay?” rarely lead to great decisions.
This is interesting
"In a recent update, Google has started indexing and sourcing Instagram content."
Now posts and reels function like blog posts from an SEO perspective.
For professional accounts this could mean approachi... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/07/20/this-is-interesting-in-a.html
"In a recent update, Google has started indexing and sourcing Instagram content."
Now posts and reels function like blog posts from an SEO perspective.
For professional accounts this could mean approachi... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/07/20/this-is-interesting-in-a.html
July 21, 2025 at 2:14 AM
This is interesting
"In a recent update, Google has started indexing and sourcing Instagram content."
Now posts and reels function like blog posts from an SEO perspective.
For professional accounts this could mean approachi... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/07/20/this-is-interesting-in-a.html
"In a recent update, Google has started indexing and sourcing Instagram content."
Now posts and reels function like blog posts from an SEO perspective.
For professional accounts this could mean approachi... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/07/20/this-is-interesting-in-a.html
Turns out Meta is like X and LinkedIn, it doesn’t want your links in the main post.
Users have reported seeing the following message when preparing to post a link in Facebook page posts:
"Maybe that means that you should be i... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/06/17/turns-out-meta-is-like.html
Users have reported seeing the following message when preparing to post a link in Facebook page posts:
"Maybe that means that you should be i... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/06/17/turns-out-meta-is-like.html
June 17, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Turns out Meta is like X and LinkedIn, it doesn’t want your links in the main post.
Users have reported seeing the following message when preparing to post a link in Facebook page posts:
"Maybe that means that you should be i... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/06/17/turns-out-meta-is-like.html
Users have reported seeing the following message when preparing to post a link in Facebook page posts:
"Maybe that means that you should be i... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/06/17/turns-out-meta-is-like.html
Sometimes you just need to acknowledge the state of reality and keep things simple
May 17, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Sometimes you just need to acknowledge the state of reality and keep things simple
You can set brand guidelines in Meta Ads Manager to help steer / personalize the AI to your brand for more on-brand generative options.
Another clear step towards less direct input from marketers and more genAI in the ads platform (and everywhere else) a.k.a. Zuck’s dream.
Another clear step towards less direct input from marketers and more genAI in the ads platform (and everywhere else) a.k.a. Zuck’s dream.
May 8, 2025 at 7:53 PM
You can set brand guidelines in Meta Ads Manager to help steer / personalize the AI to your brand for more on-brand generative options.
Another clear step towards less direct input from marketers and more genAI in the ads platform (and everywhere else) a.k.a. Zuck’s dream.
Another clear step towards less direct input from marketers and more genAI in the ads platform (and everywhere else) a.k.a. Zuck’s dream.
April 25, 2025 at 12:45 PM
This highlights the difference between “creative” as a noun and “creative” as an adjective.
A creative piece of creative stands out in a sea of uncreative pieces of creative.
via Edward Cotton
A creative piece of creative stands out in a sea of uncreative pieces of creative.
via Edward Cotton
April 25, 2025 at 1:01 AM
This highlights the difference between “creative” as a noun and “creative” as an adjective.
A creative piece of creative stands out in a sea of uncreative pieces of creative.
via Edward Cotton
A creative piece of creative stands out in a sea of uncreative pieces of creative.
via Edward Cotton
Trust boosts purchase potential. And transparency boosts trust.
I love this example from the Nudge newsletter:
This is especially true in food, but sectors have opportunities.
Peel back an element of your sector people assume the worst about, are suspicious of, or want made clearer.
I love this example from the Nudge newsletter:
This is especially true in food, but sectors have opportunities.
Peel back an element of your sector people assume the worst about, are suspicious of, or want made clearer.
April 15, 2025 at 1:48 AM
Trust boosts purchase potential. And transparency boosts trust.
I love this example from the Nudge newsletter:
This is especially true in food, but sectors have opportunities.
Peel back an element of your sector people assume the worst about, are suspicious of, or want made clearer.
I love this example from the Nudge newsletter:
This is especially true in food, but sectors have opportunities.
Peel back an element of your sector people assume the worst about, are suspicious of, or want made clearer.
Had a great time @ Grok Conf (unrelated to the AI model)
Some of my notes from the various talks:
Write more
Your work is only as good as the team & clients around you
Internet is in a liminal space | Have fun & be weird
Play w... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/04/11/had-a-great-time-grok.html
Some of my notes from the various talks:
Write more
Your work is only as good as the team & clients around you
Internet is in a liminal space | Have fun & be weird
Play w... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/04/11/had-a-great-time-grok.html
April 11, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Had a great time @ Grok Conf (unrelated to the AI model)
Some of my notes from the various talks:
Write more
Your work is only as good as the team & clients around you
Internet is in a liminal space | Have fun & be weird
Play w... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/04/11/had-a-great-time-grok.html
Some of my notes from the various talks:
Write more
Your work is only as good as the team & clients around you
Internet is in a liminal space | Have fun & be weird
Play w... https://curiousmarketers.club/2025/04/11/had-a-great-time-grok.html