Guiding consumer brands through social media, platform dynamics & AI.
We are a boutique advisory firm that helps CMOs cut through the vortex of social media and AI-generated content to protect brand equity and create real, rich and sustainable connections with women consumers.
Social media and AI can’t sit in a marketing silo – they operate at the very heart of today’s consumer brands. Chasing engagement spikes might seem like an effective approach, but it is a narrow and short-term strategy that carries serious risks – and neglects the big picture opportunities to connect genuinely with consumers in their everyday lives. Too often, social media and AI are pushing the conversation with women in the wrong direction – not moving it forward.
Bistro Brand Advisory offers a distinct, whole-body approach to give brand leaders the strategic analysis and nuanced guidance they need to build thriving, long-term relationships with the women consumers who drive their business.
Founder, Bistro Brand Advisory, Annie Bystryn
Why do we buy what we buy? It’s a question that has always captivated me and fuels my career. We create meaning from what we consume. And those stories quietly but powerfully shape who we are, often without us even realizing it. In today’s world, those stories are increasingly molded by algorithms, platforms, and AI — mostly in ways that consumers and brands can’t fully see.
I founded Bistro Brand Advisory to use my unique blend of professional experience and academic scholarship to help brands navigate the new media landscape. My clients are CMOs and investors who want to cut through the vortex of social media, algorithmically-created bubbles and AI-generated content to protect their brand equity and create real, rich and sustainable connections with women consumers. Today’s social and cultural landscape is more fluid than ever. And while virality is exciting, it’s turbulent and short-lived. My passion is building resilient consumer relationships with women for brand growth that lasts.
The business is built around hands-on experience from the beauty industry — an early leader in social media — and 15 years of connecting with highly-engaged female consumers. That practical expertise is enriched by my recent academic work into how consumer culture is shaped by platforms, algorithms, social media and AI.
With two master’s degrees (an MBA & a MA in Media, Culture and Communication), I adore geeking out on research. If you’d like me to, I can chew your ear off talking about the dynamics between culture, gender, AI and social media — and how they shape our daily lives. But most of the time, I talk shop like someone who has owned a brand P&L… because I have.
I’ve overseen the rise and $250M acquisition of BECCA, an inclusive makeup brand, by Estée Lauder; led marketing for several brands, including KORRES Natural Beauty, Laura Geller Beauty, and Clean Beauty; and driven $100M influencer and celebrity campaigns.
A cornerstone of my career has been working closely with investors and private equity firms to achieve growth while protecting brand value. I have navigated M&A transactions, including go-to-market positioning, leading due diligence processes and establishing risk management protocols to protect brand equity.
My passion has always been connecting brands, marketers and investors to the real lives - both offline and online - of the women consumers they care about.
Why is the business named Bistro?
Funnily enough, the French word “bistro” actually comes from the Russian word “bystry”- which means swift or rapid. The story goes that in 1814, when Russian soldiers were camped in Paris, they often shouted out bystry to café owners – nudging them to swiftly refill their wine glasses. The French co-opted the word and made it their own. Today, bistros are a beloved type of restaurant known for being warm, low-key and quick on their feet. We are dedicated to creating advisory relationships that share the same spirit of down-to-earth warmth and nimble thinking. And since Annie’s last name is Bystryn - violà!