We help brands grow by connecting with the real lives of consumers.
Our work helps brands stay close to the real lives of the people who power their business. We challenge the assumptions that quietly limit growth and help brands build deeper, more meaningful relationships with consumers—translating cultural understanding into clearer strategy, sharper focus, and better decisions.
What makes our work different is where it comes from. Our perspective comes from an unusual and compelling combination: deep operating experience inside consumer brands and academic research in media and culture. That combination allows us to move fluidly between theory and practice—and offer advice that is perceptive, grounded, and designed to drive growth.
Founder, Annie Bystryn
Why do we buy what we buy? It’s the question that has fueled 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. Today, those stories are increasingly molded by social media and AI – often in ways that we don’t fully see.
I founded Bistro Brand Advisory to help brands cut through the algorithmic haze and spark lasting growth by connecting with the real lives of women. My hands-on brand expertise and ongoing academic work come together in a distinctive approach that helps brands stay close to the women who drive their business. Much of my work today focuses on the wellness economy — a fast-growing space where cultural ideals, consumer contradictions, and brand opportunities collide.
As a brand strategist and cultural analyst, I focus on the intersection of media, consumer culture, and gender. I work with brands in wellness, beauty, food, and lifestyle to thrive in this shifting landscape, with a lens on how algorithms are reshaping consumer expectations. My work is grounded in 15+ years of building and scaling brands in the beauty industry – one of the first consumer categories to grapple with the power (and chaos) of social media. I’ve led marketing for brands like KORRES Natural Beauty, BECCA, Laura Geller Beauty, and Clean Beauty, overseen $100M influencer and celebrity campaigns, and helped guide the rise and $250M acquisition of BECCA by Estée Lauder.
With an MBA from Wharton, an MA in Media, Culture, and Communication from NYU, and a BA in History from Brown, my advisory approach blends cultural insight with hands-on brand building, giving founders and investors a nuanced perspective on how digital platforms shape identity, narratives, and consumer behavior.
At its core, my work is focused on helping brands find their distinct voice and grow for the long term — shaping strategy, positioning, and storytelling so they truly resonate with consumers and fuel brand love.
As you can probably tell, I’m something of a culture & media geek. But most of the time, I talk shop like someone who has owned a brand P&L — because I have. And no matter what language I’m speaking — academic or biz — my obsession is always the same: helping folks resonate with the real stuff — the messy, busy, brilliant reality of women’s lives today.
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 “bystry” to café owners – calling out for swift refills of wine. The French co-opted the word and made it their own.
We think of bistros today as warm, low-key and quick on their feet. We are dedicated to creating advisory relationships that share the same spirit. And since Annie’s last name is Bystryn - violà!