1
Move: Nutella goes to the moon.
The Artemis II mission marked NASA’s return to space exploration - but one of the most talked about moments came from a jar of Nutella. During the mission, a tub of Nutella drifted into perfect view four minutes before the crew set a new world record - and it wasn’t staged. This was 100% authentic, and it resonated. The brand quickly seized the moment, and then NASA amplified it.
Signal: Authenticity matters.
Artemis II captured the imagination of a nation, and Nutella (one of the 189 approved food items onboard) captured its hearts. The success highlighted the importance of unplanned moments, and being present in culturally relevant ones. It reminds us that authenticity and spontaneity cannot be bought, and that no matter how far we travel, home holds a special place for most of us.
What about Omega?
Good question. Omega watches are official astronaut equipment, and the Artemis II crew were all wearing Omega X-33 watches, continuing a legacy. Omega has released a Moonwatch update to mark the occasion. It’s not a contest. Omega has successfully used the moment to build story, meaning, and reinforce its heritage.

2
Move: Starbucks unveils a new loyalty program.
Last month, the coffee giant introduced a new tiered program with three levels - Green, Gold and Reserve - with exclusive benefits for its 36M active members in the US. Stars remain the reward currency, but the thresholds to earn them have changed (members argue they need to spend more). There are new ways to earn, for example, Double Star Days, and stars no longer expire for active members. So immediate and fierce was the response that the brand received 3.4k comments within 24 hours online.
Signal: Gold is not just a colour.
Most of the response focuses on the downgrade that those who were Gold are now Green. It’s a reaction rooted in symbolism. Gold signals luxury, success and achievement. Green… doesn’t carry the same meaning. Starbucks has positioned the shift as moving from a transactional to a more relational model, which is a good thing. But they seem to have missed the impact of the colour change culturally. Why not Gold, Black and Reserve?
Was it necessary to update the program?
Some say if it’s not broken, don’t fix it, though the response does reveal brand love. Not all loyalty rewards need to be explicit. A number of these rewards could have been introduced quietly, as unexpected delights to drive engagement. In any case, let’s applaud their courage and wish them well.

3
Move: Demand based pricing starts to feel exploitative.
I got lucky. Two tickets won in the Wimbledon Tennis Championships Ballot. GAME. Then came the search for a hotel, and the discovery of one within walking distance that still had availablity. SET. Then the realisation that a two night stay would cost over £2k - 313% more than the standard room rate. NO MATCH. I accept that peak periods cost more - but how far is too far before trust is destroyed?
Signal: Clients need fairness, transparency and boundaries.
When pricing feels like it’s taking advantage of a moment and becomes unreasonable, it starts to feels like opportunism at the expense of the relationship. There are other ways to protect revenue: minimum stays, packages - but there must be a ‘cap’ that prevents it becoming excessive. And there should be no-go zones, such as hidden fees. Above all, loyalty should be rewarded. Your best clients both expect and deserve fairness, and in return will give you their lifetime value.
Final thought?
Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should - the fact that this Wimbledon hotel still has rooms available during the most prestigious event of the year says enough.

If this made you think, please share it.
Noorin

Image reference: Wimbledon Tennis Championships, Sinner Semi-Final Breakthrough
Sources: Starbucks Unveils Reimagined Loyalty Program, ALMCorp: Nutella on Artemis, Foodchain Magazine: From spacecraft to supermarket, Instagram @ferrerogroupglobal, World of Omega, Our Space Legacy