
Rachel Vaughn
288 posts
Based in Dublin, Rachel Vaughn is an applied-psychology writer who translates peer-reviewed findings into practical micro-habits. She holds an M.A. in Applied Positive Psychology from Trinity College Dublin, is a Certified Mental-Health First Aider, and an associate member of the British Psychological Society. Rachel’s research briefs appear in the subscriber-only Positive Psychology Practitioner Bulletin and she regularly delivers evidence-based resilience workshops for Irish mental-health NGOs. At DMNews she distils complex studies into Direct Messages that help readers convert small mindset shifts into lasting change.
Why DTC Drug Ads Still Move the Needle for Older Adults in 2025
This article was originally published in 1999 and was last updated June 13, 2025. Tension: Aging consumers want…
Storybuilding: how customer involvement leads to happily-ever-after
Tension: Brands want to empower customer voices, but fear losing control of their story in the process. Noise:…
Why a marketer needs data and soul to shape meaningful brands: Alicianne Rand’s case
This article was originally published in 2015 and was last updated on June 11, 2025. Tension: Alicianne Rand’s…
Why we forget the emotional value of the places we gather
Tension: We claim to value community, but we treat shared public spaces as afterthoughts—revamping them only when they’re…
Why supporting college savings is becoming a brand credibility move
Tension: Marketers want to connect with values-driven consumers, but aligning with financial programs like Upromise can feel transactional…
When incentives spark innovation—and when they actually stall creative ideas
Tension: Incentives are designed to boost innovation, but in practice, they can just as easily stifle the very…
How DMA’s improved mail preference service restores consumer control in direct mail
Tension: Consumers rail against “junk mail,” yet many still enjoy curated offers and handwritten cards—revealing a love-hate relationship…
What Robin Ritenour means when she says CMOs now own more than ever
This article was originally published in 2017 and was last updated on June 9 2025. Tension: CMOs are…
What dying chicks reveal about unseen supply-chain priorities
Tension: Rural hatcheries survive on a seventy-two-hour biological window, yet the networks that move their day-old chicks now…
Inside Pottery Barn’s evolving online home and the future it built
Tension: Pottery Barn sells the tactile comfort of hearth and home, yet it must now deliver that warmth…