Listen "Luke Montgomery-Smith - Reinventing Hydration (and Ditching the Bottles and Cans!)"
Episode Synopsis
On this episode, we’re joined by Luke Montgomery‑Smith, Co‑founder of Plink!, the effervescent hydration tablet brand that’s rethinking what it means to enjoy a drink without the waste of bottles or cans.Before launching Plink!, Luke co‑founded Wild Fizz Kombucha, a multi‑award‑winning beverage that saw early success before the pandemic forced a shutdown. Now, as a second‑time founder, he’s bringing those hard‑won lessons into a new category.Luke dives deep into how he’s building Plink! as a second-time founder, how they nailed a distinct packaging form factor, and how to stand out and win in a crowded market. We explore everything from designing for impulse purchases to the realities of working with retailers like GNC, plus how to scale a demo and sampling strategy.—---------------Episode Highlights:🚀 How second‑time founders approach growth differently🎯 Standing out in a crowded category with unique positioning📦 Designing a packaging form factor that drives trial🎨 Visual identity that sparks curiosity and shelf appeal🛒 Creating packaging for impulse purchases🔑 “Trojan Horse” messaging that drives adoption🛤️ Go‑to‑market strategy and early traction🏬 Winning at GNC📈 Retailer velocity expectations and what sets them apart🥤 Demoing and sampling strategies that convert—---------------Table of Contents:00:52:57 – Plink origin story03:59:07 – Launching Plink after shutting down Wild Fizz Kombucha07:25:22 – Learning lessons as a second time founder09:57:24 – Standing out in a crowded market13:52:18 – Nailing down a unique packaging form factor19:26:00 – Visual identity and packaging design22:43:09 – Designing for the impulse purchase25:17:01 – Messaging, positioning, “Trojan Horse”28:19:14 – Go-to-market31:32:00 – Launching in GNC35:13:15 – Retailer differences, velocity expectations37:51:05 – Demos and sampling at scale—---------------Links:Plink! – https://drinkplink.comFollow Luke on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/lukejms/Follow Adam on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-martin-steinberg/For help with CPG production design - packaging and label design, product renders, POS assets, retail media assets, quick-turn sales and marketing assets and all the other work that bogs down creative teams - check out KitPrint.
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