Marc’s Minute

United Airlines has officially broken from the pack, and it's a strategy Marc has been preaching for years. In this episode of Marc's Minute, we dive into United's sweeping premium strategy: slashing budget seats, expanding first class and premium cabins, rolling out lie-flat beds on transcontinental routes, and even introducing caviar in international business class. Is this the ultimate value bifurcation play? Will other carriers follow suit? And most importantly, will the investment pay off? ✈️ See you in the skies.

In retail, price drops can look like decisive action, but that does not make them a strategy. This week in Marc’s Minute, Marc reacts to Target’s announcement that it will drop prices by 5% to 20% and explains why the right move depends on the real root cause. He outlines how teams should diagnose whether the issue is pricing, product quality and assortment, or a broader macro effect, then tailor the response instead of making reactive cuts. Learn more: https://revenueml.com ‪@target‬

In consumer goods, some of the most common pricing habits sound safe on the surface, but that does not make them good strategy. This week in Marc’s Minute, Marc debunks three common pricing myths in consumer goods. He explains why pricing by averages, chasing lift instead of true incrementality, and relying on promo ideology can lead teams in the wrong direction. Learn more: https://revenueml.com

Consumers are becoming more intentional about where they shop and how they spend, with three priorities rising to the top: low out of pocket costs, strong value, and convenience. This week in Marc’s Minute, Marc breaks down why channel strategy needs to evolve with these shifts and how aligning your offerings to different buying contexts can help capture demand. Learn more: https://revenueml.com

Discount discipline is becoming one of the fastest paths to net price improvement and it’s happening before list price moves. This week in Marc’s Minute, Marc breaks down why more consumer goods teams are pushing net price increases through discount management instead of relying on list price. If you’re trying to improve net price this year, where is the bigger opportunity for your team right now, list price or discounts? Learn more: revenueml.com

Pricing tools are getting smarter but that’s not why they succeed or fail. This week in Marc’s Minute, Marc breaks down the real reasons pricing tools stall after launch. It’s rarely the tech. The biggest blockers are people and operating habits, change management that never sticks, processes that don’t evolve with the tool, and capability gaps where teams aren’t trained to use it well. If you’ve rolled out a pricing tool recently, what’s been harder, the implementation or the adoption? Learn more: revenueml.com

Revenue is still showing up in retail, even when shopper sentiment says it shouldn’t. This week Marc breaks down why retail sales can rise while consumers report higher anxiety, and what that disconnect means for pricing teams. The takeaway is simple: demand is holding, so pricing still matters, but it requires discipline. Be selective with price increases, avoid over-relying on discounts, and focus on where revenue and margin are actually coming from. Most importantly, use real sales data, not sentiment alone, to guide pricing decisions. Are you seeing the same pattern in your category? Learn more: https://revenueml.com

Revenue targets are being missed across CPG, and the problem isn’t ambition. This week Marc breaks down why many consumer goods companies underperformed their revenue goals and what actually got in the way. On average, companies missed targets by about 2.7%, driven by execution gaps rather than strategy. If hitting revenue targets is part of your 2026 agenda, this is worth a minute. Where do you see execution breaking down most in your organization? Learn more: https://revenueml.com/insights/articles/2026-executive-pricing-benchmarks-consumer-goods-and-services

I wanted to share some exciting news. In this special edition of Marc’s Minute, I talk about something we have been building that I am genuinely excited about, our Executive Share Groups. These sessions are not about presentations or sales pitches. They are about honest, peer-level conversations with leaders who are navigating the same pricing, growth, and commercial challenges. As I say in the video, “you’re rubbing shoulders with giants.” Our next Executive Share Group is taking place on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, from 2:00 to 6:00 PM CT in Chicago, at 1 N Wacker Dr, Suite 3800. If you are a senior pricing or commercial leader and want to learn more, you can find more details here: https://revenueml.com/insights/events/executive-share-group-chicago-2026 If you have questions or would like to explore whether this is the right fit, reach out directly at [email protected]

Gen Z is accelerating the rise of micro trends, and that creates real pricing challenges for brands. In this episode of Marc’s Minute, Marc breaks down why micro trends are moving faster than ever and what leaders need to watch for as they plan for 2026. Marc covers three key pricing watch-outs: Overpricing hype without validating willingness to pay The race to the bottom as competitors flood the market Misusing scarcity pricing with a Gen Z audience that values transparency If capturing micro trends is part of your growth plan, this is a conversation worth watching. What do you think the next Gen Z micro trend will be?   #GenZ #MicroTrends #PricingStrategy #RevenueManagement #ConsumerTrends #CPG #RetailStrategy #2026Trends www.revenueml.com

In this Marc’s Minute, Marc breaks down one of the clearest pricing lessons coming out of the post-holiday period: the volume imperative and elasticity sensitivity. As consumers become more selective, small price moves are having outsized effects on demand. This insight explores why understanding elasticity is now critical, how pricing decisions can protect or suppress volume, and what it means for pricing strategy moving forward. Learn more: www.revenueml.com

In this Marc’s Minute, Marc talks about a trend that’s becoming harder to ignore in consumer goods: value bifurcation. Consumers are increasingly splitting into two groups. One is looking for the lowest possible price. The other is willing to spend more, but only when the value is clear and compelling. What’s disappearing is the middle. Companies that stay stuck between these two ends often struggle to defend share. This insight looks at why that’s happening and what it means for your pricing strategy. Learn more: www.revenueml.com

World Cup 2026 ticket prices are rising fast. Not because costs are higher, but because demand is far outpacing supply. More host cities, massive global interest, limited inventory, and a once in a generation experience are driving extremely high willingness to pay. Pricing is simply responding to that reality. The lesson goes beyond football. When demand looks like this, static pricing leaves value on the table. If prices do not adjust by city, match, and timing, secondary markets will step in and capture that value instead. What do you think about World Cup 2026 ticket prices?

In this episode of Marc’s Minute, Marc breaks down how quickly consumer buying behavior is changing. Shoppers are moving away from base price decisions and placing more weight on promotions, affordability, and perceived value. What we are seeing at Walmart, McDonald’s, and Chili’s reflects a broader shift that is forcing pricing strategies to evolve in order to protect volume and demand. Subscribe for short, practical insights on pricing, value, and revenue strategy. Learn more at revenueml.com

Introducing a brand new video series from Marc Carias. Marc was employee number four at Revenue Management Labs and brings a wealth of experience built over 20 plus years in CPG pricing and commercial strategy. Marc’s Minute delivers one clear idea each week that helps make sense of pricing in a crowded and fast moving category. Subscribe to follow the full series. First episode coming soon. Learn more about Revenue Management Labs here #CPGPricing #PricingStrategy #ThePricingGuys #RevenueManagement #ConsumerGoods #PricingInsights #RML #MarcCarias #BusinessStrategy #marketinganalytics