Why Lululemon Is Failing and What Trump Gets Right

Oct 17, 2025

The discussion dives into Lululemon’s shocking stock drop and how its founder’s candid critiques highlight brand missteps. They explore the dangers of AI in creative fields, asserting that technology can't replace genuine human insights. The hosts also analyze why luxury brands like Dior are shifting away from flashy logos to embrace subtlety. Insights on Trump's branding tactics reveal how simplicity and memorable phrases can create lasting impressions. Plus, they question the effectiveness of social media popularity versus authentic content that drives real business.

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INSIGHT

When Brands Try To Please Everyone They Fade

Lululemon lost its distinctiveness by trying to please everyone and shifting away from its original, focused customer.
Camille Moore and Phillip Millar warn that brands that speak to everybody become boring and commoditized.

ANECDOTE

Chip Wilson's WSJ Ad And Book Wake-Up Call

Camille Moore recounts reading Chip Wilson's book and his full-page Wall Street Journal ad criticizing Lululemon's direction.
She says his honesty exposed product misuse and board decisions that undermined the brand's quality and focus.

ADVICE

Use Radical Honesty To Diagnose Product Failures

Be radically honest about product problems and who misuses your product.
Use that honesty to realign product design, returns, and customer expectations before decline accelerates.

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This week on Art of the Brand, Camille and Phillip unpack why Lululemon’s stock is down 57%, what Dior’s logo change really signals for fashion, and how AI is reshaping (and limiting) creativity. From Chip Wilson’s brutal honesty to Trump’s micro-script mastery, they connect the dots between brands that win by taking risks and those that die trying to please everyone. Expect contrarian takes on luxury, AI, influencers, and why even OnlyFans creators understand brand psychology better than billion-dollar companies. Chapters
00:00 – Welcome to Art of the Brand
The most controversial, unfiltered branding podcast in the world.01:00 – Lululemon’s Collapse
Why founder Chip Wilson took out a full-page ad to call out his own company.04:00 – The Death of Innovation
How bureaucrats, bean counters, and “feel good” marketing destroyed a legacy brand.10:00 – What Founders Can Learn from Chip Wilson
The importance of risk, focus, and making products that actually mean something.16:00 – Rory Sutherland & The AI Problem
Why agencies replacing creatives with AI is a dangerous illusion.20:00 – AI vs. Human Creativity
Camille’s take on why AI can’t hook audiences—and how founders should actually use it.24:00 – The Hairdresser Lesson
What most entrepreneurs get wrong about content and why it’s not about you.30:00 – The Truth About Virality
Why follower counts don’t matter and how micro wins compound into massive results.38:00 – Dior’s Logo Change
Why luxury fashion is moving away from logos—and what it means for brand scarcity.45:00 – Chanel’s $4,000 Shirt & Calculated Risk
How controversy fuels earned media and why brands need more danger, not less.47:00 – CNN & Trump’s Branding Strategy
Camille breaks down her CNN interview and what Trump teaches us about attention.53:00 – The Power of Micro Scripts
How “Sleepy Joe” and “Crooked Hillary” prove simplicity wins in the attention economy.57:00 – OnlyFans & Reverse Psychology in Branding
What Bonnie Blue understands about awareness and why brands should study her.01:02:00 – The Death of Moral Branding
Why most marketers want to be right instead of successful—and how that kills growth.01:10:00 – Skims’ Viral Drops
Are hairy thongs genius marketing or lazy shock tactics?01:16:00 – Brand Coherence & The Porsche vs. Volvo Test
How to know if your brand actually stands for something.01:20:00 – Final Challenge: Don’t Be Boring
Why being safe is the fastest way to die in today’s market.