Dr. Yewon Kim is an assistant professor of marketing at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business. Her work broadly focuses on the messages brands convey to consumers and how those consumers respond when firms introduce new information through their marketing strategies.

In this episode, Gheed and Yewon dive into the surprising “middle ground” of sustainability in consumer goods—where green features grab attention but still trail classic priorities like price, packaging, and brand equity ​. They explore why big incumbents hold back, how smaller challengers turn eco-friendly attributes into standout differentiators, and why wildfire smoke, AI-driven badges, and trusted labels can suddenly make sustainable choices pop. They discuss cost-saving storytelling, positive framing, and standardized eco-labels—to finally close the “green gap” and spark real, lasting behavior change.