This episode explores emotional resonance in food and branding. Stephanie and Dan discuss why what we love to eat is often shaped by memory, culture, and context. Through stories ranging from Kraft mac and cheese to McDonald’s, Dan and Stephanie unpack why “authentic” is a limiting idea, and why resonance, integrity, and shared meaning matter more when creating brands that truly connect.

In this episode, Dan and Stephanie explore a product failure that revealed a core truth of building great brands: a strong concept is nothing without aligned execution. They break down how ignoring constraints, skipping collaboration, and bypassing consensus can derail even the most promising ideas, and how leveraging the power of the Four C’s can prevent it.

In this episode, Stephanie and Dan share the surprising origin story of their hit product, Cranberry Jalapeño and how casual conversations and early collaboration turned a quirky idea into a breakout success. They also look at the “one step away” rule and discuss how to keep the customer out of the Freak Out Zone. It’s a quick look at how great products are sparked long before the brief is written.

In this episode of Thursday Lunch, Dan Howell and Stephanie Robbins explore why constraints aren’t creative limitations but powerful tools for focus, clarity, and better decision-making. Through real-world product stories, brand examples, and lessons learned the hard way, they show how understanding hard and soft constraints leads to stronger products, faster alignment, and greater brand integrity.