I’m Judson – a human spark plug, brand strategist, Smiski collector, risk taker, and bald baddie.

A lifelong fascination with pop culture, combined with a decade of marketing leadership experience help me develop approaches that can survive the boardroom and the group chat.

CASE STUDIES

Recent Work

The best work comes from paying attention to culture, understanding what people care about, and making something that works for the business too. I trust my gut, but back it up with solid research — all while keeping things smart, simple, and practical.

What if being loved for one thing made it harder to sell another?

We all know and love Dave’s Killer Bread. It’s the #1 organic bread in the country and the #2 bread, period. Did you know they also make snacks? Don’t worry, neither did I!

Problem

Dave entered a new category but no one noticed.

Objective

Break Dave out of the bread aisle.

Insight

America is full of shit.

Strategy

Humanize the most ignored nutrient.

See Work
See Work

What if waiting for food was the best part of ordering it?

Orderly is the first food delivery app that aggregates options based on speed, but speed alone isn't sticky enough to keep people in the app.

Problem

Social platforms own the boredom scroll.

Objective

Keep users in Orderly by serving up the right content.

Insight

Undemanding content is a ritual of release.

Strategy

Turn downtime into showtime.

See Work
See Work

What if the people wine needs most want it the least?

Wine has a Gen Z problem! They’re not avoiding it because they hate it, they’re avoiding it because they hate feeling out of control in a world that never forgets.

Problem

Gen Z isn't drinking wine like previous generations.

Objective

Reimagine wine's role for a generation leaving it behind.

Insight

In sureveillance culture, sobriety feels like safety.

Strategy

With Wonderwerk, you hold the glass, it doesn't hold you.

See Work
See Work

What if a motel was the plan, not the backup?

Motel 6 has a bit of an image problem. Motels aren’t exactly a “flex,” and most people don’t choose a budget hotel… so much as they end up there.

Problem

Motels are seen as a last resort.

Objective

Rebuild cultural relevance for Motel 6.

Insight

The hotel isn't the destination, it's the basecamp.

Strategy

Show that proximity is Motel 6's greatest asset.

See Work
See Work
SUBCULTURES

Cultural Signals

Decoding communities from the inside out — what they do, why they do it, and why it matters.

What if your mom joined a cult?

What should have been a normal car purchase, quickly turned into something way deeper.

Dive In
Dive In

What if horse girls are just theater kids?

After noticing a pattern in horse names, I learned both worlds are driven by the same performative energy.

Dive In
Dive In
GUIDES

Resources & Guides

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