What Kathy Ireland Says Brands Are Getting Wrong About Millennials
Charlotte-based marketing and branding company Level Brands just went public on the NYSE Friday, then closed Monday at $5.41, below its opening price of $6. In the Regulation A+ IPO, Level Brands raised nearly $12 million. Kathy Ireland, Chief Brand Strategist and Chairman Emeritus at the company, says Level Brands is using the funding for brand development and expansion for companies it believes in.
Ireland says brands that struggle to reach millennials don't listen. Today, millennials are demanding transparency. As a result, the most transparent brands are the most successful according to Ireland.
In September, Level Brands licensed kathy ireland® Health & Wellness. Other Level Brand business units include Beauty & Pin-Ups, Ireland Men One, and Encore Endeavor One. Ireland says she's encouraged by the initial days of trading on the NYSE. Bringing democracy from Wall Street to main street was important to Level Brands in this IPO, says Ireland.
Nestlé has dismissed its CEO Laurent Freixe after an investigation into an undisclosed relationship with a direct subordinate. The company announced on Monday that the dismissal was effective immediately. An investigation found that Freixe violated Nestlé’s code of conduct. He had been CEO for a year. Philipp Navratil, a longtime Nestlé executive, will replace him. Chairman Paul Bulcke stated that the decision was necessary to uphold the company’s values and governance. Navratil began his career with Nestlé in 2001 and has held various roles, including CEO of Nestlé's Nespresso division since 2024.
Kraft Heinz is splitting into two companies a decade after they joined in a massive merger that created one of the biggest food companies on the planet. One of the companies will include brands such as Heinz, Philadelphia cream cheese and Kraft Mac & Cheese. The other will include brands like Oscar Mayer, Kraft Singles and Lunchables. When the company formed in 2015 it wanted to capitalize on its massive scale, but shifting tastes complicated those plans, with households seeking to introduce healthier options at the table. Kraft Heinz's net revenue has fallen every year since 2020.
About 780,000 pressure washers sold at retailers like Home Depot are being recalled across the U.S. and Canada, due to a projectile hazard that has resulted in fractures and other injuries among some consumers.
