Brain Driven Brands

Sarah and Nate break down a super strange, but very psychology-based CRO test, we chat about how bundles have completely changed Original Grain's whole business strategy, and contemplate the meaning of brand. All this and more, on this episode of Brain Driven Brands.   JOIN The TETHER Community- https://www.skool.com/tether-lab/about   CoHost: Nate Lagos Twitter: https://x.com/natelagos LinkedIn:...

Where did all the customers go? Did the economic downturn really crush DTC? And what does that mean for e-commerce brands? (Especially ones who might not be considered a "necessity" product? In this episode of Brain Driven Brands, we dissect the basics of what it takes to survive an economic downturn as a brand, and why it all comes down to management of your customer's psychological perception.  ...

On this episode of Brain Driven Brands, we dive deep into the waters of creative strategy with a talented strategist who's fronting one of the largest brands in the industry (and doing it with a great sense of humor). We talk about: How to hire naturally talented creators (and why delivery is more important than scripts). Why you should hire for personality over metrics. The number one thing Sarah...

After being in business for 12+ years, Original Grain finally made a massive breakthrough that will help them blow past their $30M mark this year. Nate and Sarah walk through one of the most impactful strategies Original Grain has implemented in 2025…one that's so simple, it gets completely overlooked by 99% of brands. Have a listen, take some notes. This one is GOLD. JOIN The TETHER Community- ht...

Your customer isn't doing math. They're doing emotional accounting to justify every decision they make! In this episode, we break down the weird, emotional, and totally irrational world of pricing psychology: why $50 for shipping feels outrageous, but $50 for same-day delivery feels like a luxury…and why a $7 deodorant gets pushback, but a $7 smoothie gets the go-ahead every time. In this episode...

We dive in this week with another science quiz! Sarah stumps Nate this week with a scientific study that even she didn't see coming. We break down how this study affects brands (from start ups to 9-fig) and why every marketer should be using this tactic TODAY to increase their customer's willingness to pay by 18.3%! Study source: https://app.sciencesays.com/p/color-saturation-perceived-size JOIN T...

Do you love Brain Driven Brands but only have 20 minutes to spare today? We've got some great news for you - in this episode, Sarah and Nate break down the top 3 simple messaging tweaks Original Grain has put in place this year that has made them well over $1M…and they're all psychology-based. Studies referenced: "The effects of repetition frequency on the illusory truth effect" (Hassan & Barber,...

In this episode of Brain Driven Brands, Sarah sits down with an expert to talk about creative strategy, why most people are bad at using humor in ads, and why the "volume" conversation might be doing more harm than good. Joanna Wallace from Hexclad joins us for an epic conversation…get ready to take notes.   Guest: Joanna Wallace  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joannasloamewallace/ CoHost:...

In this episode of Brain Driven Brands, Sarah makes Nate cry with ad copy she created from a super secret prompt. We dive deep into how the prompt works, and why it might just be the best creative strategy tool of 2025! CoHost: Nate Lagos Twitter: https://x.com/natelagos LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natelagos/ Tactical and Practical Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tactical-...

What if your product layout was costing you conversions…and you didn't even know it? In this episode, we unpack the psychology behind horizontal vs. vertical product displays, and how Amazon quietly uses this principle to push higher-quality, higher-priced items—boosting premium conversions by up to 25.7%. You'll learn: Why horizontal layouts make people focus on quality, not price How vertical la...

The title says it all. Listen to this one if you're just kinda done with being told the sky is falling, cost caps will save you, and everyone's doing better than you…because it's wrong. CoHost: Nate Lagos Twitter: https://x.com/natelagos LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natelagos/ Tactical and Practical Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tactical-practical/id1752915534   Learn mor...

In this episode, Sarah quizzes nate on a fascinating study co-authored by Jason Pallant that analyzed nearly 21,000 tweets from celebrity chefs, fashion bloggers, and personal trainers. The surprising insight? The most retweeted posts aren't hot takes or personal facts—they're something much simpler… We dig into: Which tweet styles boost reach (and which kill it) Why storytelling beats facts—even...

Marketers are masters of persuasion…but where's the line between influence and illegality? In this episode, advertising lawyer Robert Freund joins us to unpack how psychological tactics like loss aversion, authority bias, and default choices can backfire fast if you're not careful. We cover the legal side of ad claims, UGC licensing, dark patterns, and why "clever" marketing often needs a legal au...

Why are all skincare/soap brands selling "self-care" these days? I'll give you a hint: it's not because marketers just randomly decided to start selling emotion. Soap was actually sold in a  highly logical way before 1950. Then some random psychologist named Ernest came along and changed the way we market hygiene products forever…this is his story.  🎉 JOIN THE COMMUNITY → skool.com/tether-lab CoH...

Why do people tend to buy more health products during the beginning of the year? That's right - the "new" year drives behavior. Why do people tend to shop more on the weekends? That's right - the "start" of the weekend triggers buying behavior. These are simple examples of an amazing psychological tendency all humans have, but it goes much deeper than New Years and Fridays. In this episode we brea...

On this episode of Brain Driven Brands, Sarah and Nate do a workshop for a brand who put a call out for help on Twitter…with some surprising results. We break down the number one reason why most brands will fail in the next 2-3 years (hint, it's not because you're prices are too high…it's actually the exact opposite), and dive deep into perception theory to help this brand go from super stuck to s...

Sarah and Nate are back with a lightening round that will put Nate's knowledge of psychology to the test! We dive into heuristics (mental shortcuts) and do a bonus round on a little-known mental bias that might have Nate stumped…   CoHost: Nate Lagos Twitter: https://x.com/natelagos LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natelagos/ Tactical and Practical Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podca...

In this episode, Sarah and Nate unpack a surprisingly simple psychological switch that leads people to spend 35% more—without discounts, gimmicks, or aggressive upsells. If you've ever written a headline, built a landing page, or tried to justify a premium price—this episode might just change how you sell forever. ( Hint: It's not about being vague or clear. It's about when you're being vague or c...

It this episode, we walk through the story of Nate—a customer who walked into the dealership craving nostalgia, heritage, and the familiar comfort of a classic Ford. But he drove away in a Range Rover. Why? In this episode, we dissect the identity shifts that quietly hijacked Nate's decision in real time. You'll learn: The subconscious identity conflict that made Ford feel right—but Range Rover fe...

Apples had the head start, a catchy slogan, and decades of trust. So how did oranges swoop in, steal breakfast, and build a billion-dollar juice empire? In this episode, Sarah and Nate break down the biggest fruit war in history—a juicy battle of marketing, identity, and manufactured need. You'll hear: 🍏 Why apples lost, even with "an apple a day" as a slogan. 🍊 How orange growers invented a cri...

In this episode, we're putting cohost Nate on trial—brand trial, that is. Sarah, Nate, and Tether Insight's new AI research intern, DEX play The Tattoo Test, a brutal brand-building game show where each level challenges Nate to prove his brand is worthy of obsession, devotion... and maybe even a little ink. Guided by Sarah and judged (mercilessly) by Dex—our British, sarcasm-laced AI intern—Nate m...

What if one tiny shift in your ads could increase the ratings of your products? In this episode, Sarah and Nate reveal the underrated psychology tactic that boosted product satisfaction by 32% in live tests. This one's fast, practical, and immediately useful. If you're stuck in performance purgatory, this is your way out. Source: https://app.sciencesays.com/p/where-being-creative-truly-matters   C...

Marketers obsess over Millennials and Gen Z, but the real money? It's in Gen X. They're in their peak earning years, make major purchasing decisions, and quietly fuel some of the most successful brands today. So why do most marketers overlook them? In this episode, we break down how Gen X shops, what makes them buy, and the 'lazy' way to sell to them without trying too hard. What You'll Learn: 💡...

In this episode, we get a sneak peek into one of Sarah's newest projects (the BPE) and dissect what Original Grain is doing right…and what they're still missing - more specifically, the killer positioning play they're missing out on! We'll use the BPE to break down: The biggest gap in their brand strategy (and how most brands fall into the same trap). Why "handcrafted" and/or "craftsmanship" isn't...

Special Guest Kevin Luby of High Camp Flasks joins Sarah this week to break down one of the most difficult (and most lucrative) parts of DTC - building a brand voice, personality, and vibe. We work through what High Camp is doing differently this year to accelerate their growth, talk about the levers they need to pull to be able to build brand properly, and debate the difference between "growth" a...