Word & Mouth Blog

Where food, hospitality, branding, and human behavior all crash into each other. I write about restaurants, wine, placemaking, customer experience, and the small details that make people talk about a business long after they leave.

For even more snarky takes on marketing, pop culture, branding, and the internet, visit my Substack, Burnt Popcorn & Branding: Substack

  • A mix of hospitality, branding, customer psychology, hospitality culture, and internet behavior from someone who’s worked behind the scenes in marketing long enough to know what feels authentic and what feels painfully forced.

  • Yes. Especially if your marketing currently sounds like ChatGPT wrote it.

  • No LinkedIn thought leadership energy here. Just strategy, storytelling, and occasional side-eye toward trends, Chat-GPT written branding advice, and “disruptive” ideas that all look the same.

  • People in marketing, hospitality, branding, retail, wine, or anyone who secretly judges restaurants by their menu design before reading the food list.

Social Media Shana Bull Social Media Shana Bull

Elon Musk's Purchase of Twitter is Dangerous - Especially for Fake News On Social Media Platforms

The rise of misinformation and disinformation on social media is a major threat to our society and democracy. With Elon Musk now in charge of Twitter, the problem is only getting worse. This blog post explores various strategies for fighting against the spread of “Fake news” on social media, including advocating for stronger policies from social media platforms and holding our leaders accountable for their roles in the public narrative.

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Live Your Values as a Marketer

Great modern marketers are defined, perhaps more than anything, by their resiliency and agility.

They stay on their toes, ready to pivot and adjust amid constantly changing conditions. They have the ambition and openness to try new things, never boxing themselves in. They stay motivated and optimistic even in the face of enormous challenges and setbacks.

Shana Bull embodies so many of these qualities.

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So, Are We Setting Goals For 2021?

2020 turned out to be something that NOT any of us could have predicted. With massive job loss and stay at home orders due to the pandemic, 2020 goals changed. Even though my New Year Resolutions looked different, I still made time to goal plan and create small goals to get me to the next step in my career and for my health. Here are some action items for setting 2021 goals.

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Digital Marketing, Social Media Shana Bull Digital Marketing, Social Media Shana Bull

Should Brands Post About Juneteeth on Social Media?

Juneteeth is an important holiday and there are a few action items brands can do to show support on social media. Right now brands are looking to speak up, and I applaud that—but I also want to help friends realize that it is more than just a black square on social media. You must back up your voice, your claim to solidarity, with action.

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Digital Marketing, Pivotal, Social Media Shana Bull Digital Marketing, Pivotal, Social Media Shana Bull

How To Start a NEW Business During a Crisis

Sisters, Claire + Bronwyn from Mighty Market planned on opening their zero waste, clean beauty, and bulk refill brick and mortar shop in Downtown Martinez East Bay) - little did they know, a worldwide pandemic would shut down retailers across the world. Quickly they adapted to creating an eCommerce website to sell products, and used social media to connect with customers.

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