In this episode of The Future of Consumer Marketing, Brett Stapper speaks with Kim Chappell, Chief Brand Officer at Bobbie. As the first new infant formula company to enter the US market in eight years, Bobbie has created a beloved brand by addressing a critical gap in the baby nutrition market. Kim shares how Bobbie built remarkable brand loyalty in a heavily regulated and emotionally charged category by leading with authentic storytelling, creating real community connections, and turning marketing challenges into opportunities to drive meaningful change for parents.

Topics Discussed:

• Building a trusted brand in a highly regulated and emotionally charged category

• Creating a marketing strategy with minimal budget by leveraging authentic community building

• Navigating the transition to a fully remote company structure during the pandemic

• Managing supply chain disruptions and their impact on brand trust

• Balancing premium positioning with transparency about ingredient sourcing

• Developing an activist brand voice that resonates with modern parents

• Executing impactful experimental marketing campaigns

Lessons For Consumer Marketers:

Lead With Trust When Marketing Essential Products

In categories where trust is paramount, Bobbie prioritized building relationships over immediate sales. Their early strategy centered on weekly Zoom sessions with parents to share stories, gather feedback, and build a community of allies who would become authentic brand advocates at launch.

Transform Real User Pain Points Into Brand Pillars

Bobbie’s marketing approach was built directly from the founders’ personal experiences importing formula from Europe. By addressing stigma around formula feeding and creating a clean, transparent alternative, they aligned product development, messaging, and brand purpose to solve a genuine consumer problem.

Create Marketing That Reflects Your Team’s Authentic Experience

With a team comprising parents who used their own product, Bobbie’s marketing naturally resonated with their audience. This authenticity created a foundation where storytelling and community building became more powerful than traditional advertising approaches.

Build Activist Elements Into Your Brand When Appropriate

Bobbie incorporated an “elbows out” attitude toward outdated stigmas around infant feeding, channeling this energy into their “Bobbie for Change” initiative. This transformed customer frustration into positive community action, deepening brand loyalty beyond transactional relationships.

Turn Supply Chain Challenges Into Opportunities for Transparency

When facing inventory issues, Bobbie created their “Peace of Mind Promise,” guaranteeing formula availability for subscribers through their baby’s first year. This crisis-inspired innovation became a key differentiator and customer acquisition driver.

Balance Premium Positioning With Inclusivity

While offering a premium product, Bobbie carefully avoids messaging that shames parents who use other formulas. Their communication emphasizes product quality and sourcing transparency without implying other feeding choices are inferior.

Embrace Experience-Based Marketing for Emotional Connection

Bobbie’s Times Square billboard campaign celebrating “OG influencers” (everyday moms) demonstrated how experiential marketing that honors real customers can create deeper emotional connections than traditional influencer partnerships.