How Trend Marketing Can Undermine Trust and Public Health.
The iodized salt backlash and the brand lesson every leader must understand.
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How Trend Marketing Can Undermine Trust and Public Health
The iodized salt backlash and the brand lesson every leader must understand
On-trend marketing draws attention by reflecting what people are thinking about in the moment. But as those preferences change, outcomes can change with them, sometimes in ways that go unnoticed until the results start to show up on the bottom line.
The Hidden Risks of Trend Marketing
One of the greatest public-health victories of the 20th century is quietly unraveling because of a simple change in consumer preference as people ditch iodized table salt for its trendier cousin, Kosher salt.
For decades, iodine intake was supported through the widespread use of iodized table salt. But as the market moved toward Kosher salt and sea salt, iodine intake declined because these salts typically lack that essential micronutrient.
How Iodized Salt Addressed a Public Health Challenge
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, iodine plays a central role in thyroid function, brain development, and metabolic regulation. Before iodized salt became common, iodine deficiency contributed to widespread thyroid enlargement and developmental concerns.
Adding iodine to salt created a consistent intake pathway across households. The intervention required minimal change in daily behavior and produced measurable population-wide outcomes.
Iodized salt role in thyroid function
But thanks to chefs, food influencers, and home cooks, that ubiquitous benefit is going away. Sea salt and Kosher salt have been marketed as “pure,” “artisanal,” “natural,” and “chef-approved.” Meanwhile, iodized table salt, the product that single-handedly eliminated iodine deficiency, has been rebranded as “processed,” “cheap,” and “industrial.”
As a result, The Atlantic reported on a six-year-old girl in Rhode Island who arrived at a medical clinic with a neck so swollen it looked like she’d swallowed a grapefruit. Due to insufficient iodine intake, her thyroid gland had expanded to capture what it needed from her bloodstream.
How Consumer Meaning Evolves
That process mirrors how branding works: meaning was formed through storytelling rather than scientific fact and nutritional function.
But First, a Story
Years ago, I worked with a major food company that wanted to rebrand one of its legacy products. They’d spent decades convincing people that their product was the healthiest choice, but as new trends emerged, they found themselves losing market share. The problem? They had spent so much time educating consumers about what was “good” that when the definition of “good” changed, they no longer fit.
What This Means for Your Brand Narrative
What can you do to make sure your brand doesn’t get left behind like iodized table salt? Here are three mandatories:
1. Stay in Control of Your Narrative
Nature, and the public, abhor a vacuum. If you don’t tell your brand’s story, someone else will. The food industry didn’t push back when trendy chefs started advocating for Kosher salt. The same can happen to your brand if you don’t actively control your message.
2. Educate Without Preaching
Consumers don’t like being told they’re wrong. Instead of finger-wagging, successful brands educate their audience through storytelling, compelling content, and real-life, aspirational examples.
3. Keep an Eye on Trends, but Don’t Chase Them Blindly
Trends matter. But blindly following them without understanding the long-term consequences can backfire. The salt industry let “clean” and “natural” become the dominant narrative while failing to remind people about iodine’s crucial role in public health.
Don’t Let Your Brand Become the Next Kosher Salt
Of course, this isn’t just about salt. It’s about how easily a powerful brand position can be undone if you don’t actively manage it. If a product that once saved millions of lives can be reframed as an afterthought, so can anything else. Including your message.
Want to make sure your messaging stays on track? I keynote at conferences around the world, helping brands tell their stories in ways that drive engagement and results. I still have a few dates open in 2026. Let’s talk…