Challenger brands don’t win by shouting louder, they win by strengthening their signal. This piece breaks down how clarity, values, and showing up in the right spaces help brands build familiarity faster than category leaders, all without increasing spend.

The commission model wasn’t built for today’s media ecosystem and it’s costing challenger brands clarity and performance. Here’s why transparent fee structures create stronger partnerships, smarter spend, and better outcomes for growing brands.

Most brands don’t fail because of bad ads, they fail because of the myths guiding their media decisions. We break down three of the biggest misconceptions costing challenger brands the most and share what actually drives clarity, trust, and measurable results.

On Thanksgiving, we’re pausing to reflect on the people and communities who make responsible media possible from independent publishers to challenger brands daring to show up with humanity. Here’s what we’re grateful for this year, and how it shapes the work we’re committed to in the months ahead.

Thanksgiving as we know it was crafted through decades of media influence creating shared rituals while erasing Indigenous truths. This reflection unpacks how the holiday’s story was built, what was left out, and what today’s challenger brands can learn about using media to shape culture responsibly.

Campfire recertified as a B Corp with a score of 133 — a milestone that reflects our commitment to serving challenger brands with transparency, stewardship, and smarter media. Here’s what this certification means for your business and how it strengthens the way we plan, buy, and measure media.

Most brands invest in paid media before they’re ready. This piece breaks down the clarity, resonance, and channel-fit tests that reveal whether your strategy can truly scale and shows how to build the foundation that makes every media dollar work harder.

Most brands blame their ads when growth stalls, but the real issue usually lives upstream. This piece breaks down why more budget won’t solve unclear positioning, weak demand, or a story that doesn’t resonate, and shows how strategy, not spend, is what actually unlocks momentum for challenger brands.

Big cultural moments change how people pay attention and this week’s Wicked premiere is one of them. Cinema and out-of-home aren’t just high-visibility channels; they’re high-receptivity environments where challenger brands build familiarity faster than anywhere else. When audiences gather in shared spaces, attention deepens, emotion rises, and brand signals get clearer. In a fragmented digital landscape, these channels help brands be recognized, remembered, and chosen. Here’s what this moment reveals and why it matters for every challenger brand looking to grow.

As the world gathers for Climate Week, it’s time to recognize media as part of your supply chain. Every ad campaign carries a carbon cost—and chasing bargain CPMs only fuels waste, fraud, and emissions. By buying direct and investing in quality journalism, brands can cut carbon, reduce wasted spend, and strengthen the truth at a moment when it’s under attack.

Inside the store isn’t a free pass. Make RMNs accountable with clear tests, brand-safe contexts, and carbon-aware choices. We also cover the magic that can happen when you pair the right direct-to-publisher opportunities with your retail marketing.

Every dollar matters when your media budget is small. Here are practical strategies to help you target smarter, choose the right channels, and get the most out of your spend—so your message reaches the right people without wasting resources.

Media ownership is shifting again, with David Ellison taking control of Paramount and reports of Bari Weiss stepping into CBS News leadership. What does this mean for trust in journalism, and why should brands and communities care?

The best messages don’t just persuade — they get repeated. In this conversation with political communications strategist Anat Shenker-Osorio, we explore how shared values, simple language, and a clear vision can turn your audience into your amplifiers. Perfect inspiration as you plan your 2026 campaigns.

Attribution isn't a one-click answer. In this Fireside conversation, Campfire's Chris Marine and M Squared's Madan Bharadwaj unpack why true marketing insight comes from triangulation, not dashboards, and how brands can make smarter, more honest decisions about media ROI.