How To Keep Customers & Build Community

Times are tough, consumer sentiment is bad and people are smoking again. What's a brand to do?

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:

• Jerome Powell x Inflation: The Fed chair has expressed his commitment to keeping inflation in check, but said that tariffs will likely impact interest rate shifts. It all feels very TBD — not good for consumer confidence.

• We did not expect last month’s upbeat consumer confidence status to hold and … the mood has since plummeted. Consumers expressed increasing concerns re: tariffs, inflation and job security. We don’t anticipate meaningful improvement in the near term given increasing geopolitical and social unrest.

• We’re keeping an eye on Nike’s results, which come out today. At the same time, Nike-sponsored athlete Faith Kipyegon will attempt to break the four-minute mile in Paris this afternoon.

• People are smoking (cigarettes) again. We’re seeing this IRL in New York, as well as in pop culture. To us, it feels like it underscores the existential dread of the moment than anything else.

• There’s been plenty of beauty M&A activity this year. The latest deals focus on men: Unilever’s acquisition of Dr. Squatch and TSG Consumer’s investment in DUDE Wipes. (Jessica Ramírez)

We like: The Pineapple Ride

Participants of the 2025 Pineapple Ride at Liberty State Park.

One of my favorite things to do is cycle and go on adventures with my friends. This past Saturday was one of those days — even in the blistering heat, I made the trek to New Jersey for the Pineapple Ride, an organized cycling journey where riders explore the area’s hidden gems and historical corners. I love it because I get a forced digital detox, time with friends and an opportunity to learn new things (I didn’t know New Jersey had its own version of Little Venice — it’s pretty cute!) It’s also very on trend — we talk a lot about group activities that build community. (Jessica Ramírez)

We recommend reading:

About China’s grown green economy (Jing Daily)

Why streaming is the future of TV (NYTimes)

About changing relationship between Americans and their cars (WSJ)

Why Novo exited its GLP-1 partnership with Hims/Hers (Bloomberg)

The Analysis: How Brands Can Turn Up The Charm IRL

The Analysis is available for paid subscribers only. This week, we’re talking about how brands enhance their emotional connections to consumers with play, discovery and fun — and why it’s important right now. For more consumer insights, send us a note at info@theconsumercollective.co.