Hi, I’m Nithya Sudhir. I collect words, chase patterns, and write about whatever makes me curious.
It’s Friday.
Someone forwarded this? 💌Subscribe to get it fresh, every Tuesday.
Missed an issue? 💬Catch up on past essays.
Curious what else we’re building? 💡Insane Media lives here.
Want your campaign in front of our users? 📌Reach out here.
Looking to join the convo? 📲Follow along on Instagram.
Consumer brands win not just on products, but on psychology. From Gen Z’s $20 dopamine treats to luxury petcare rituals and the curiosity gap driving beauty sales, these stories show how emotion and behavior fuel growth in 2025.
Here’s a quick look back at some of the recent stories you might have missed:
🤝 Supported by Levanta
Q4 is the biggest revenue moment for Amazon sellers, but higher ad costs, cautious shoppers, and rising fees make profitability harder than ever. Levanta’s Holiday Playbook aligns pricing, promos, ads, and external traffic to protect margins and capture growth.
Inside you’ll get:
Demand forecasting that prevents stockouts and overages
Smarter promotions and pricing psychology
External traffic tactics that lift rank and unlock referral bonuses
A full checklist from prep through post-event optimization
Gen Z’s obsession with Labubu dolls, $12 matcha, and $20 lip gloss isn’t irrational — it’s Treatonomics. Small indulgences act as emotional anchors in a shaky economy. Brands like Blank Street and Rhode turned those splurges into billion-dollar businesses.
From gourmet meals to couture grooming, petcare has climbed onto the luxury shelf. Two biases — price-quality heuristic and anthropomorphism — explain why owners justify Sephora-level spend for their pets. The message: price is proof of care.
Blind boxes, anonymous product drops, and viral unboxings prove curiosity is the new currency. From Peach & Lily to Labubu collectibles, brands are using mystery to spark engagement and drive repeat buying.
How's the depth of today's edition?
As always, hit reply if something in here hits home.
See you next week,
Nithya
P.S. If you want to get a case study about your own brand, reply to this email. If you’d like to reach our newsletter audience (founders, creators, and marketers), click the button below.
If you’re new here, I’m over the moon you’ve joined us! To help me craft content that’s actually useful (and not just noise in your inbox), I’d love it if you took 1 minute to answer this quick survey below. Your insights help shape everything I write.
Insane Media is more than one voice
💡 Dive into our other newsletters - where psychology meets the founders, creator economy, Human resources and AI trends.
<img src='https://www.vpdae.com/open/7294fdc6.gif?opens=1' width='1' height='1'>