Mind over meh: What marketers can learn from brain science, wellness – and a bit of consumer testing

When you're leading campaigns, juggling deadlines, and switching between 17 tabs (physically and mentally), it's easy to chalk up mental fatigue to just part of the job. But what if those “meh” moments were actually valuable signals from your brain telling you it’s time to pay attention?

That’s exactly what we explored in our latest Stickybeak webinar: Mind over meh – Wellness, Brain Boosters, and Consumer Testing.

We also dove straight into how The Vitalogy Project used consumer testing to help scale into Australia!

You can watch the full webinar here 👇 or keep ready for our quick takes.

💡Why a wellness session?

You might be wondering why a consumer testing platform is hosting a wellness session… At Stickybeak, we’re known for helping marketers move faster and make smarter decisions through rapid, cost-effective consumer testing. But we also strongly believe in supporting the people behind those decisions. 

We kicked off the year with our Glow Up event, and Mind over meh was the perfect follow-up—a short, sharp session designed to empower marketers with practical wellness insights, and who better to share this wisdom than Stickybeak customer, Megan Wilks.

🌿 Meet Megan Wilks & The Vitalogy Project

Megan is the Founder and Chief Vitality Officer at The Vitalogy Project, a wellness brand focused on teaching people the importance of brain health as a key factor behind mental wellbeing and vitality. They have an amazing range of supplements to support brain health - all backed by science and built for real life. (Take their Wellness Quiz and get a 25% off discount code 😊)

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Consumer testing helped shape Vitalogy’s range

Before launching her product range into Australia, Megan had already commissioned a large-scale research project via Kantar. But she came to Stickybeak for further validation.

Megan was able to test her NPD pipeline, and develop two new skus based on what her target consumer really wanted. 

This testing played a key role in helping The Vitalogy Project scale into Australia with confidence, armed not just with a great product, but insight into how real consumers respond to it.

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🧠 Why brain health matters 

Megan explained that symptoms like forgetfulness, fatigue, poor focus, and irritability aren’t personal flaws—they’re often signs of chronic stress and mental overload. And in fast-paced roles like marketing, we can become so accustomed to these signals that we stop noticing them.

Here’s the science: under prolonged stress, your brain is constantly operating in fight-or-flight mode. This reduces your ability to focus, make clear decisions, and even sleep—creating a cycle that’s hard to break unless you actively support your brain’s recovery.

Luckily for us, Megan shared her top strategies for supporting your brain health. 

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✨ 5 Things to do today to boost your brain

Here are the standout takeaways from the session:

1. Recognise the signs

Mental fatigue, poor focus, and brain fog are signals, not shortcomings. Pay attention early so you can avoid hitting burnout.

2. Take 5 deep breaths

This isn’t woo-woo—it’s neuroscience. Deep breathing tells your nervous system you’re safe, helping restore clarity and calm.

3. Try 2 minutes of mindful Meditation

Even short moments of stillness help your brain break the loop of mental overload. No need to overthink it—just pause. Or check out one of Megan's favourite apps - Insight Timer. All types and lengths of meditations including breathing techniques on there, plus sleep stories (however no crime stories as far as wknow!)

4. Move your body

Whether it’s a stretch or a walk around the block, getting your body moving helps reset your brain too.

5. Hydrate like you mean it

Keep that water bottle handy. Your focus and mood will thank you.

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If you're interested in measuring your stress levels, try Dr Stan Rodski’s test for a nervous system checkup (do it on your phone). It measures your Heart Rate Variability (HRV) using your phone, only takes 40 seconds, and provides an excellent biomarker for people’s current levels of stress.

The test is free to do and submit, but the results report and workbook are AU$25. Dr Stan would be in touch with people directly about payment and results.

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Consumer testing doesn’t need to be big, slow, or expensive. Stickybeak helped The Vitalogy Project quickly validate product concepts, making their Australian expansion smarter and more successful. Want to talk to us about how consumer testing can help with your next product or campaign? Let’s chat.

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