4 ways to make a brand indispensable

"When we first started Little Spoon, our mission was clear: Make fresh, healthy food accessible at every age and stage of early childhood. But we quickly realized checking the proverbial boxes alone (nutritious: check, convenient: check) wasn't enough. After all, parents are inundated with options-the decision fatigue surrounding parenting choices is overwhelming. What makes a brand stand apart isn't utility; it's the ability to understand and affirm who your customer is (and hopes to be)."

"Parents want to feel emotionally supported, seen, and confident in their decisions, particularly within the vast excess of parenting advice in 2025: chock full of dated narratives. So for my brand, it's critical for us to show, not tell, our customers that we're a partner in this complex and dynamic life stage. This lesson isn't specific to parenting brands, either. Look at Olipop, which bucked an "influencer-first" approach early and sent product PR mailers to their customers rather than to recognizable faces."

"It's not about flooding the market; it's about creating trust and showing-not telling-customers that you understand their acute emotional-need states. BUILD AN INNOVATIVE BRAND Here are four things I've learned about building a brand with emotional resonance and true product innovation: Design products that acknowledge emotion. Products should not just solve a logical problem, but an emotional one. For Little Spoon, that means removing stress and adding joy, a combination parents desperately crave."

Little Spoon set out to make fresh, healthy food accessible at every early childhood stage while learning that utility and convenience alone are insufficient. Parents face decision fatigue and crave emotional support, visibility, and confidence amid abundant, often dated parenting advice. Brands gain traction by showing understanding and affirming who customers are and hope to be, building trust through empathetic actions rather than broad exposure. Examples include Olipop sending PR to customers, rhode skin simplifying product choices, and Athletic Brewing sponsoring social events. Product innovation should acknowledge emotion by removing stress and adding joy for customers.

Read at Fast Company