By Steve Fairhurst - a man who now talks to computers for a living. I have a confession to make. Last Tuesday, I spent forty-five minutes having a conversation with an AI about the emotional resonance of lager. And somewhere around minute thirty-two, when the machine told me that consumers in the 35–54 demographic associate the smell of beer with "freedom," I realized two things simultaneously: First, that it was right, and second, that I needed a drink. My name is Steve. I
Most UK challenger brands think their problem is budget. It isn’t. Their problem is bravery. And I’m not talking about bold risks that aim to “disrupt” – I’m talking about challenging the frustrating ‘norms’ of the customer experience. Because in the UK right now, the market is set up for challengers to win. Half of shoppers have bought from them in the last six months, and higher‑income households are even more likely to try them than lower‑income ones. There’s a £4b
