7 Emerging Consumer Brands We'd Bet On

From wellness to beauty to sportswear — these consumer brands should be on your radar. Plus, a really good Nike moment and better-for-you bug repellent.

Welcome to Inside The Collective, a newsletter that invites you into the brains, conversations and ideas of Allison Collins and Jessica Ramírez, friends and cofounders of The Consumer Collective. Here, we share weekly thoughts on consumer sentiment, news, retail, fashion, beauty, business, things we like, things we don’t — and why. We hope it helps you connect the dots across the consumer world.

What we’re watching:

• Nike executed a major marketing stunt with the Breaking4 campaign last week, where Faith Kipyegon attempted to become the first woman to run a mile in less than four minutes. While she shortened her time and broke the existing record (already hers), she didn’t break the four-minute mark. No matter — the buzz and goodwill Nike generated through the event is effective marketing, and Kipyegon remains a role model and champion.

  • Later that same day, the company released earnings: there are green shoots in sneakers and sports (running, soccer and basketball products and marketing), but inventory overhang remains. We’ll be keeping a close eye on the off-price channel for offloaded goods as the company’s turnaround continues.

• Domestic travel is happening in the U.S. — by car. According to AAA, a record 72.2 million people will travel domestically for the July 4 holiday, the majority by car (61.6 million). Gas prices are also the lowest they have been since 2021.

• Retailers got an early start with July 4 promotions, which are closely followed by major summer promotions (Target Circle Week, Walmart Deals, Amazon Prime Day). This week, Target and Amazon are going head-to-head with their grocery and snack promotions, with competing burger deals for the holiday.

• Home Depot is paying $4.3 billion to bring in contractors and other construction pros via the acquisition of GMS, a building products distributor.

• Young people drinking less alcohol is impacting New York’s nightlife economy.

• Happy Fourth: bug spray is the latest CPG category getting a makeover (Mimikai, Kate McLeod). (Allison Collins & Jessica Ramírez)

We Like: Listening bars

Inside Moondog Hi-Fi, a listening bar in Brooklyn.

While fashion has been my passion for many years, music ranks high on the list too. Lately, New York has been swept by a fresh wave of listening bars. These days, my friends and I treat listening bars similar to dining out, complete with curated music and a well-crafted sound experience that sets the tone for the night. My top picks so far are Eavesdrop, Port Sa’id, and Moondog Hi-Fi (disclosure: owned by a friend). I love getting the full music experience without the late nights I used to pull in my youth. (Jessica Ramírez)

What we’re reading:

The WNBA is expanding to three more cities. (The Athletic)

Prices on Amazon for products made in China are rising faster than inflation. (Reuters)

About beauty companies (finally) leaning into Gen X (Whatever Nevermind)

Google is testing an app that can create AI clips of people wearing different outfits. It’s not going perfectly. (The Verge)

The Analysis: 7 Consumer Brands We’d Bet On

The Analysis is available for paid subscribers only. This week, we’re shining a spotlight on consumer brands we think you should pay attention to, possibly invest in, and why. Like The Consumer Collective, they run across the entire spectrum of the consumer world, from wellness and astrology to jewelry and sportswear. For more insights or to share brands you’d bet on, send us a note at info@theconsumercollective.co.