Beyond the Meat Stick: How Chomps Built a Brand with Emotional Bite

Episode notes

In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, host Ryan Joe sits down with Stacey Hartnett, SVP of Brand and Marketing at Chomps, for a conversation recorded live at Brandweek. They explore the strategic journey of how a "scrappy startup" moved from a purely direct-to-consumer performance marketing play into a powerhouse brand that competes with industry giants. Stacey details how Chomps successfully shifted the perception of meat sticks from "mystery meat" to a high-quality protein staple by obsessing over their community and finding an unexpected primary audience: Zillennial moms. The discussion dives deep into the mechanics of scaling, including the evolution from functional messaging to emotional storytelling, the role of retail media networks like Amazon, and the brand's bold testing of high-impact cultural moments like Thursday Night Football. Packed with practical insights on research-led pivots and maintaining "social currency," this episode provides a blueprint for any brand looking to expand its reach without losing its core identity. What You'll Learn: How to transition from ROI-focused performance media to long-term branding.