Few people have brought more joy to the grocery aisle than Nicole Ayers, Business Unit Director at General Mills. From sparking nostalgia with Lucky Charms and Cinnamon Toast Crunch to launching Blue Buffalo’s Love Made Fresh, the brand’s first-ever line of fresh pet food, Nicole has spent more than 15 years helping legacy brands innovate like startups.

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In this episode of Question Everything, we talk about:

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• Launching new products that actually stick
• Turning your community into your most powerful marketing channel
• And what not to do during concept testing
  
  

Nicole shares four relatable lessons for brand leaders across any category.

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1.) Bring innovation to market… like a boss

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For decades, Blue Buffalo has been the go-to name in natural kibble. But when consumers began seeking fresher, more “real” pet food options, Nicole and her team saw an opportunity to evolve.

Enter Love Made Fresh – Blue Buffalo’s first step into the fresh food space.

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Nicole shares three guiding principles for brands stepping into new territory:

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1. Be clear on your value.
   Consumers choose clarity over complexity. Love Made Fresh stands out by pairing the same trusted natural ingredients Blue Buffalo is known for with versatile serving options—mix it, top it, or serve it solo.
   
   

1. Trust your agency – and embrace creative tension.
   The best ideas come from respectful pushback and brave collaboration. Trust starts with the initial “yes,” but grows through mutual respect and a shared willingness to explore bold ideas. Nicole emphasizes that the best work comes when neither side defaults to a hard “no.” Instead, stay open to new ideas, take risks, and be hard on the work, not the people.
   
   
2. Tap into culture.
   Don’t force your way into conversations. Earn your spot by showing up authentically, at the right time, with the right message. If you can find a way to get people to stop, listen, and share your story, you win. Attaching yourself to culture authentically can help you get there, especially if you nail the timing.
   
   

2.) Retail partnerships that pop

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Blue Buffalo’s sister brand Edgard & Cooper made its U.S. debut through an exclusive partnership with PetSmart. Their bold, playful turquoise branding created a striking in-store experience that drew shoppers in and built awareness fast.

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Lesson: In-store activations can elevate digital strategy and turn physical shelves into brand billboards.

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3.) Build Hype Through Brand Intimacy

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When asked which product launch she envies, Nicole doesn’t hesitate: Glossier.

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The beauty brand has mastered authentic advocacy by co-creating with its community. Every launch feels personal, and every post feels fan-driven.  Glossier’s social listening is its key to success. They practically co-create products with their consumers. Their community listens and amplifies, often before the brand even asks.

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Nicole is applying that same playbook at Blue Buffalo, activating employees and agency partners as the brand’s first influencers. Because brand belief starts inside.

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4.) Turn “Thinks” Into “Knows”

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Six seconds. That’s all you've got to get your message across. So how do you ensure what you’re doing is right? Spoiler alert, you can’t ever be 100% sure.

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Nicole’s team has a simple rule: count your “thinks” versus your “knows.”

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When they find themselves guessing too often, they go straight to consumers. Quick prototype testing helps them validate ideas before scaling.

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For Nicole, testing isn’t where creativity dies. It’s where it levels up. “Even rough ideas deserve a gut check,” she says. “Testing helps us refine brilliance, not reject it.”

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Want More?

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Catch the full episode with Nicole Ayers on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. We also unpack:

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• What Lucky Charms can teach Blue Buffalo about brand magic
• Whether she’d ever green-light an AI-generated ad
• And the story behind Cinnamon Toast Crunch’s ‘cereal cannibalism’ spot
  
  

What was your favorite takeaway? Tag us on social.

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ABOUT THE QUESTION EVERYTHING PODCAST

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Part interview, part therapy, part Price Is Right, the Question Everything podcast puts your favorite CMOs and thought leaders in the hot seat. That means while they're facing off against our game board, you'll learn from the successes and failures of the best in the biz who were daring enough to be curious.

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