The Currencies of Wellness: A Field Guide to the Unexpected Ways Brands Can Shape Everyday Well-Being - Hardcover

A field guide to the surprising ways everyday life shapes how we feel-and how brands can help create more of what makes us well.

Wellness has become one of the defining pursuits of modern life. Yet for all the attention given to what we eat, how we exercise and the products we buy, some of the most unexpected influences on how well we feel are hiding in plain sight.

The Currencies of Wellness explores the unexpected science of everyday well-being and the small, surprising behaviors, environments and interactions that can influence how we feel physically, emotionally and socially. From movement, play and human connection to comfort, nature, music and a sense of purpose, well-being is being shaped throughout the day-often in ways we barely notice.

Brand strategist Tricia Nichols brings these seemingly disparate influences together through an original framework: the Five Currencies of Wellness-Nutrients, Not Toxins; Play & Movement; Comfort; Togetherness; and Legacy. Drawing on behavioral science, consumer psychology and research into the body's feel-good messenger systems, she examines why everyday experiences matter and how small, intentional choices can support healthier, happier and more connected lives.

But the implications extend beyond the choices individuals make. Brands, particularly those outside the traditional wellness space, are already embedded in many of these everyday moments. They can influence what we eat, how we move, the environments we spend time in, how we connect with others and even the rituals that bring comfort or meaning to our days. Whether they intend to or not, these brands are shaping our well-being. The opportunity is to do it more intentionally.

Drawing on more than two decades of experience leading consumer engagement and marketing for global brands including PepsiCo, Gap, Estée Lauder and Under Armour, Nichols translates this thinking into practical brand strategy. More than seventy actionable ideas demonstrate how companies far outside the traditional wellness category can make thoughtful choices across experiences, products and services that support consumer well-being while strengthening emotional connection and creating what Nichols calls Brand Bonding. Creativity and levity run through the examples, revealing unexpected ways brands can engage our feel-good messengers and make everyday experiences more rewarding.

The Currencies of Wellness is both a guide for curious readers who want to better understand the overlooked forces shaping how they feel and a practical framework for CEOs, founders, marketers, entrepreneurs and brand leaders looking for new ways to create meaningful value in people's lives.

The premise is simple and consequential: once we recognize that we are already engineered for wellness, and that daily opportunities for well-being are all around us, we can make better choices for ourselves-and create better experiences for others.