The Business of Selling Calm

ABOUT THE EPISODE In a beverage market built around energy, caffeine, and alcohol, Recess is building a brand around the opposite need: a moment to unwind.

Zech Francis, CMO of Recess, explains how the company is making relaxation a more relatable consumer occasion. He discusses the strategy behind mood-support sparkling water and zero-proof mocktails, how Recess is expanding beyond a single product into a broader platform brand, and why rituals and real-world sampling matter when marketing a new category.

Francis also shares how Recess uses retail media, Amazon, and product trial to build awareness, and why AI works best as a tool for stronger human thinking rather than a substitute for it.

ABOUT THE PODCAST Marketing Matters is hosted by Wharton marketing professors Barbara Kahn and Americus Reed. Each week they discuss marketing and advertising trends, consumer behavior, data and analytics, the latest in retail marketing, brand-building, and much more with their expert guests. Episodes are recorded at the Wharton School.

----- The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is committed to sharing its intellectual capital through Knowledge at Wharton, the school’s online business analysis journal.

Launched in 1999, Knowledge at Wharton offers free access to:

- Articles, podcasts, and videos highlighting Wharton faculty research and analysis of current business trends - Interviews with book authors from Wharton School Press - In-depth series of curated content like Wharton Executive Education’s Nano Tools for Leaders - A searchable database of more than 10,000 articles covering all aspects of business - A weekly newsletter that delivers Knowledge at Wharton insights directly to your inbox

Visit the Knowledge at Wharton homepage: https://whr.tn/3qUpSBE Subscribe to the Knowledge at Wharton YouTube channel: https://whr.tn/3DEAgAU