Boots puts pharmacists on standby in cafés and parks. Bradley Cooper defends football’s honor with a wink. A nine-year-old’s drawing powers a global creativity chain. Nike asks a hard question and hands athletes a simple next step.

This week’s newsletter is about simple marketing ideas paired with serious distribution and proof that shows up on the scoreboard. Ready to dive in?

This Week’s Lineup

1. Boots repositions pharmacists as first-line care—everywhere
2. Uber Eats drafts Bradley Cooper to debunk a “wing conspiracy”
3. The “storyteller” hire isn’t a content job—it’s narrative architecture
4. Crayola turns a child’s drawing into a global creativity chain
5. Switzerland Tourism taps Federer & Halle Berry for mindful fall travel
6. Gap extends Katseye momentum with a multigenerational holiday platform
7. Liquid Death’s “Small Ones”: a double-entendre with distribution logic
8. Lime’s strike-day OOH: product as real-time utility
9. Liquid Death x Boost Mobile: horror parody with a value prop
10. Nike’s “Why Do It?” reframes “Just Do It” for anxious athletes

This Week’s Marketing Stories

1) Boots repositions pharmacists as first-line care—everywhere

Imagine noticing a rash on a run and a pharmacist pops out of a hedge with practical advice. That’s the gag and the strategy. Boots’ new platform turns pharmacists into pop-up guides who “appear” in cafés, parks, living rooms, even date nights, to rewire the first step in care from GP to pharmacy. The joke lands because the service is real: 1,800 stores, no appointment needed, and trained professionals who can advise, diagnose, and treat common conditions.

The brand also puts real Boots pharmacists on screen and mirrors live locations across channels so the promise feels accessible, not abstract. The creative device keeps repeating until it becomes a memory shortcut. When you feel unwell, you picture a pharmacist nearby and act faster.

Storytelling framework to steal: First-Step Reframe

Find the default behavior you need to change. Create one vivid interruption that appears at the exact moment of choice. Back it with proximity proof people can repeat.

Key Takeaway: If you want behavior change, brand the first step and make access the hero. Read more

2) Uber Eats drafts Bradley Cooper to debunk a “wing conspiracy”

Uber Eats is not running a one-off. It is running a show. The “food conspiracy” universe returns with Bradley Cooper defending football from a wing-selling accusation, then collapses in delightful fashion. Each week promises a fresh beat with NFL icons, but the core premise never changes. Viewers know the rules, so the brand can ladder in talent, moments, and endings without rebuilding the world.

That structure matters for sports calendars. You get anticipation, lower marginal production cost, and a reason to come back on game weeks. The comedy carries the message and the message carries the schedule.

Storytelling framework to steal: Premise as Platform

Lock one dramatic question you can answer many times. Map episodes to tentpole dates so the audience knows when to return. Rotate talent inside a stable narrative world.

Key Takeaway: Treat the season like programming, not posts, so attention compounds over time. Read more

3) The “storyteller” hire isn’t a content job—it’s narrative architecture

“Companies are desperately seeking storytellers” is quite the headline from The Wall Street Journal! On the surface, it sounds like staffing for more content. It isn’t. The surge in “storyteller” roles reflects a deeper shift. Brands are building and sustaining their own narratives across social, newsletters, YouTube, podcasts, and communities. That requires someone to define what the company stands for, who it serves, what proof earns trust, and how that spine holds across PR, product, sales, CX, employer brand, and recruiting.

Your best voices often already work for you. Product leads, engineers, marketers, and customer teams know the problems and the language. The job is to coach them, set quality bars, and run an editorial P&L that connects stories to measurable business outcomes.

Storytelling framework to steal: Narrative Spine OS

• Stand: clarify what you believe and what you reject.
• Serve: name the audience segments and their jobs to be done.
• Proof: codify evidence standards that win trust.
• Voice: define tone, formats, and non-negotiables. System: map channels, cadence, and governance.
• Score: measure trust, pipeline quality, recruiting health, not just views.
• Run a six-week writer’s room to coach internal experts as recurring voices.

Key Takeaway: Do not hire a storyteller to ship more assets. Elevate a narrative architect to build the system and teach the voices you already have. Read more

4) Crayola turns a child’s drawing into a global creativity chain

A nine-year-old fills a page with all 64 colors. Crayola asks creators worldwide to pick one hue from that drawing and make something new. The brand then reveals the ripple back to the child on camera. The rule is simple, the result is emotional, and the community gets credit in the main story.

Because the prompt is clear, creators can jump in without permission or confusion. Because the reveal is generous, people want to be part of the next chapter. That is how you turn a purpose statement into a ritual people recognize and repeat.

Storytelling framework to steal: Participatory Ritual

Set one rule anyone can follow. Show the chain reaction and name contributors. End with a reveal that rewards participation.

Key Takeaway: If creativity is your mission, design a prompt-to-showcase loop that people can copy tomorrow. Read more

5) Switzerland Tourism taps Federer & Halle Berry for mindful fall travel

Roger Federer hosts Halle Berry through golden Switzerland in a Marc Forster short that sells pace, not just the place. The spot features boats on Lake Lucerne, quiet trains, a cable car, a vintage postbus, and a single call to action that fits the story: the Swiss Travel Pass. The film invites longer, slower stays at a moment when autumn demand is rising, especially from the United States.

The craft is restrained, the scenes are unmistakably Swiss, and the booking bridge is baked into the journey. You leave wanting the feeling and knowing how to get it.

Storytelling framework to steal: Seasonal Ownership

Define the job of the season. Prove it with three to five set pieces. Weave in one friction-free way to book the feeling.

Key Takeaway: Own an underused season with a clear point of view and a single step to convert interest into itineraries. Read more

6) Gap extends Katseye momentum with a multigenerational holiday platform

After riding creator heat with the viral success of Katseye, Gap keeps the music signature and widens the circle. “Give Your Gift” centers on Sienna Spiro’s cover of “The Climb” sung by a choir aged eight to seventy-two. It is still about voice and togetherness, but now it reads as family ritual, not just youth culture.

The discipline is the story. Keep the device, rotate the cast, publish early, and connect the feeling to results like search interest, sell-through, and category rank. That is how a hit becomes a platform.

Storytelling framework to steal: Platform, Not One-Off

Codify the signature you will repeat every year. Alternate creator spikes with inclusive moments. Report cultural and commercial receipts together.

Key Takeaway: When something works, scale the signature, not just the spot, so equity compounds across seasons. Read more

7) Liquid Death’s “Small Ones”: a double-entendre with distribution logic

The “small ones” innuendo joke writes itself and then it writes the shopping list. People talk about “small ones,” laugh, and leave knowing exactly which size to buy and where to find it. The ad introduces 12-ounce cans in grocery and Amazon, reminds buyers about 19.2-ounce tallboys in convenience, and sets expectations that cases of 19.2-ounce return next year.

It is classic Liquid Death: provocation to stop the scroll and precision to move units. No whiplash. No mystery. Just a punchline that ends as a plan.

Storytelling framework to steal: Provocation to Precision

Hook with heat that travels. Close with format, channel, and timing on screen. Measure assisted where-to-buy taps and store velocity.

Key Takeaway: Attention is rented, conversion is owned, so use the same thirty seconds to win both. Read more

8) Lime’s strike-day OOH: product as real-time utility

When London’s Tube strikes hit, Lime mirrored TfL’s own language with “Good Service on All Limes.” It is a one-line headline that rides a citywide conversation and points straight to an alternative. Morning peak rides jumped by more than fifty percent because the message was simple and the service was ready.

This is what real-time looks like when marketing and ops rehearse. You do not scramble. You execute.

Storytelling framework to steal: Service Spike Playbook

Pre-approve lines for predictable disruptions. Pair inventory, maintenance, and pricing with comms. Publish receipts within forty-eight hours.

Key Takeaway: Be the useful update when the system breaks, then show the receipts while the moment still matters. Read more

9) Liquid Death x Boost Mobile: horror parody with a value prop

“Cellphone Bill” is a Silence of the Lambs spoof that takes genre seriously. The lighting, the framing, the basement pit, the deranged monologue, all in service of one truth: if you respect the form, the audience will stay for the joke and absorb the offer. The escape from the pit is not a cutaway card. It is the deal itself.

Two brands, one coherent tone, high rewatch value. You laugh, you quote it, you share it, and the value message sneaks in on every replay.

Storytelling framework to steal: Genre Contract

Pick a genre your audience loves and obey its rules. Make your benefit resolve the scene. Track rewatch rate and quoted lines in comments.

Key Takeaway: Commit to the bit so entertainment carries persuasion inside the moment people remember. Read more

10) Nike’s “Why Do It?” reframes “Just Do It” for anxious athletes

Nike names what stops a lot of young people from trying, then gives them a smaller step to take today. Tyler, the Creator voices the hesitation, while LeBron James, Carlos Alcaraz, and Caitlin Clark show the messy middle of sport, not just the podium. The line does not replace “Just Do It.” It translates it for a generation that worries about being watched and judged.

The campaign stretches from a hero film to on-the-street activations so the words live where the audience actually moves. It is timely without being topical.

Storytelling framework to steal: Empathy to Agency

Say the fear out loud so it feels seen. Offer one action that is doable right now. Track talkability alongside brand lift.

Key Takeaway: Do not retire mantras, make them useful again so a new audience can pick them up and use them. Read more

My Stories

Joining SharkNinja as VP, Integrated Marketing (UK, Ireland & Nordics)

I’m excited to share a new chapter: I’m now a few months into my role at SharkNinja, where I lead integrated marketing across the UK, Ireland, and the Nordics. My role spans social, PR, and media for two category-defining brands I’ve long admired: Shark and Ninja. The team’s ambition and pace are electric, and I can’t wait to help turn more customer moments into measurable growth. Read the announcement

YouTube Review: The Eliot Hotel, Boston (Back Bay)

My honest review of The Eliot Hotel covering the room tour, comfort and quiet, Wi-Fi performance, bathroom/shower, and the Back Bay location near Newbury Street and Fenway. If you’re planning a Boston business trip or weekend away, this will help you decide if it’s the right fit. Watch the video

Stylish. Strong. Smart: My Honest Level8 Luggage Review

Two new carry-ons from Level8 landed at my door, the Luminous Textured 20″ and the Road Runner 20″ with a front laptop pocket, and I put both through real travel scenarios. If you’re choosing between sleek durability vs. quick-access productivity, this side-by-side helps you pick the right carry-on for your trips. Read the review

Unlock More of My Stories

🌍 Website: JessicaGioglio.com Your one-stop shop for all my books, speaking engagements, and blog posts on marketing and storytelling.

📚 Books:

• The Power of Visual Storytelling: Learn how to shape a visual story around your brand using images, videos, GIFs, infographics, and more. Get your copy here.
• The Laws of Brand Storytelling: The definitive guide to using storytelling to win over customers’ hearts, minds, and loyalty. Grab it here.

📱 Social Media:

• LinkedIn
• Twitter/X
• Instagram
• YouTube

Let’s connect and keep the conversation going!

Until Next Time

Thank you for being part of this journey. Whether you’re here for marketing trends, storytelling inspiration, or both, I’m so grateful to have you along for the ride.

Keep telling the stories that matter, Jessica