From Erewhon Moms to Ohio Dads: How to Build a CPG Brand for Everyone | Blake Mitchell (Interact Brands)

In this episode, I’m sitting down with Blake Mitchell of Interact Brands to dissect the modern realities of CPG packaging design and strategic brand building. Rooted in old-school Rust Belt Ohio principles from our entrepreneurial fathers, Blake and I champion the timeless rule of constructing brands that solve real problems for real people. And while we’ve both eventually left Ohio, our upbringing continually provides a unique foundational perspective on bridging the gap between coastal elite trends and everyday consumers…balancing the needs of "Erewhon Moms" and "Toledo Dads" without falling into cultural echo chambers. Additionally, Blake and I explore how today’s economic landscape has created a K-shaped world, forcing consumers to constantly trade up or down. Value is no longer a demographic. Instead, it’s a rapid-fire habit requiring instant recognition on retail shelves. We also chart the evolution of product categories (like protein bars) from strict functionality to lifestyle-driven emotion, examining how to design for mature consumer markets. Finally, we dive into the Grüns blueprint to see how supplements can break out of sterile pharmacy aisles, and discuss the massive, untapped opportunity in making men's reproductive health approachable and engaging.