Episodes

  • Green Noise: Why Your Sustainability Story Isn't Landing.

    Green Noise: Why Your Sustainability Story Isn't Landing.
    Jul 15 2026
    Sustainability marketing has a trust problem. Consumers say they're willing to pay more for sustainable products, yet trust in brand sustainability claims is at an all-time low. In this episode, Shana and Ana break down the difference between greenwashing and green marketing, why "conscious" branding language stopped working, and what it actually takes to close the credibility gap between what brands claim and what they deliver. We cover real greenwashing case studies, including H&M's Conscious Collection lawsuit, Patagonia's own admission that "nothing we do is sustainable," and Nudie Jeans' repair program with no fine print. These examples show the difference between sustainability as a marketing campaign and sustainability as a business model. You'll walk away with three practical strategies for sustainability messaging that build trust instead of triggering skepticism: auditing before advertising, choosing specificity over sentiment, and making the customer the hero of your brand story. In this episode:
    • Why 91% of consumers believe at least some brands are greenwashing, according to Capgemini research
    • The H&M greenwashing lawsuit that was legally won but culturally lost
    • What Nudie Jeans does differently in sustainable fashion marketing, and why it works
    • How the StoryBrand framework applies to sustainability marketing
    • Shana's hot take on which legacy brands were never built to be sustainable in the first place
    Because great marketing is never done alone.
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    45 mins
  • Celebrity Philanthropy or Brand Strategy? Breaking Down I Love You

    Celebrity Philanthropy or Brand Strategy? Breaking Down I Love You
    Jul 7 2026
    On his 21st birthday, Jaden Smith parked a food truck on Skid Row and started handing out free vegan meals. Six years later, he's still doing it. So is I Love You genuine philanthropy, or a masterclass in brand strategy? In this episode of Marketing Together, hosts Shana Thomas (brand marketing) and Ana Vazquez (product marketing) break down Jaden Smith's I Love You Restaurant: the nonprofit-meets-fashion-brand model, its "pay-it-forward" funding structure, and how it stacks up against Jon Bon Jovi's JBJ Soul Kitchen and Panera's failed pay-what-you-can experiment. We dig into the branding genius behind the name "I Love You," the transparency gaps in the model, the tension between an $89 merch line and a mission rooted in Skid Row, and whether six years of pop-ups adds up to real, scalable impact, or just really good storytelling.
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    27 mins