The Marketing Millennials 7 Lessons From Magic Spoon, Dark Horse, and Other Challenger Brands with Louis Grenier, Founder of Stand the F*ck Out | Ep. 346
Sep 9, 2025
Louis Grenier, founder of Stand the F*ck Out, shares his expertise on branding and marketing strategies that make challenger brands thrive. He discusses how category creation may be a myth and the significance of smart subcategory positioning. The conversation dives into Magic Spoon's clever blend of nostalgia and health for millennials, and the branding approach of Dark Horse that uses a detective board aesthetic. Finally, Grenier highlights the importance of continuous engagement and understanding consumer psychology for long-term brand success.
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Dark Horse’s All-In Detective Brand
- Dark Horse agency uses a detective-board aesthetic across the whole brand to stand out in a crowded market.
- They keep category conventions (services, case studies) so visitors still understand what they do.
Category Creation Is Mostly A Myth
- Brands almost never create entirely new categories; they form subcategories that lean on existing demand.
- Marketers must find existing demand and position within it rather than trying to invent mass-market categories.
Magic Spoon: Nostalgia With Product Differentiation
- Magic Spoon positioned itself as 'cereal for adults' by leaning on nostalgia while changing the product (higher protein, no sugar).
- They targeted millennials explicitly and anchored design and product features to that memory-driven audience.
