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Niagen Bioscience CEO Robert Fried recently made waves at the prestigious Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, where he was featured prominently by LA Times Studios in both an exclusive interview and a high-profile panel discussion. His appearances showcased not only the groundbreaking science behind our parent company, Niagen Bioscience, but also his insights on building authentic, science-driven brands in an era of rapid change.
Setting the Record Straight on NAD+ Science
In his featured interview with LA Times Studios, Rob addressed one of the most critical issues facing consumers today: the widespread misinformation in the NAD+ supplement market. His message was clear and backed by our rigorous science.
"NAD+ itself is not bioavailable," Rob explained to the LA Times audience. "If you swallow something that's called NAD+, it'll just flow through your bloodstream. It'll try to get into the cell and fail." This fundamental misunderstanding has led to a market flooded with ineffective products that prey on consumer confusion.
The solution lies in NAD+ precursors—specifically Niagen®, our patented form of nicotinamide riboside (NR), the science-backed molecule that our flagship product Tru Niagen is built upon. Unlike direct NAD+ supplements, Niagen can actually penetrate cells and convert into NAD+ inside the cell where it's needed most.
The Integrity Crisis in Supplements
Perhaps most striking was Rob's revelation about the supplement industry's integrity problem. When Niagen Bioscience tested competing companies claiming to sell NAD+ products and NAD-boosting precursors NMN and NR, the results were shocking: a majority of the products did not match their label claims, with containing none of the stated active ingredient at all.
"We're not selling sawdust," Rob emphasized. "We're selling a real thing that has therapeutic and prophylactic benefits." This commitment to scientific integrity sets Niagen Bioscience apart in an industry where bold claims often aren't backed by research.
Unparalleled Scientific Investment
Rob highlighted what truly differentiates Niagen Bioscience: our unprecedented investment in research. With 40+ peer-reviewed human clinical studies already published and another 40 currently in process on Niagen NR, plus over 100 preclinical studies, no other dietary supplement company comes close to our level of scientific rigor.
Our research spans multiple areas of healthy aging, from cellular energy metabolism to recovery and overall wellness. This comprehensive approach to studying nicotinamide riboside sets the foundation for our position as the most scientifically validated, patented, efficient NAD+ precursor on the market.
Authentic Brand Evolution: Lessons from the Panel
Rob's insights extended beyond science during his participation in the panel "Timeless, Not Static: Evolving Brand Identity With Purpose," alongside marketing leaders Brendan Ripp (CEO of Pushly) and Meridith Rojas (CMO of VidaCorp North America).
The discussion centered on a crucial question for modern brands: How do you evolve without losing your core identity? Rob's answer was characteristically grounded in authenticity: "The best way to be a trusted brand is to be a trustworthy company."
The Science-First Approach to Branding
For Niagen Bioscience, this philosophy translated into our recent company rebrand from ChromaDex—a decision driven entirely by our scientific breakthroughs with NAD+. "We decided that the science was so dramatically better than any other ingredient in the industry... that we would dedicate the entire company to literally to that endeavor of NAD+," Rob explained.
This wasn't reinvention for reinvention's sake. It was intentional evolution based on scientific reality and market need.
Authenticity As a Practice, Not a Tagline
Rob's approach to authenticity differs from typical marketing speak. Rather than asking "how do we come off as authentic," he focuses on "how do we be authentic." This means:
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Being genuinely real in a sea of companies that are not
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Swimming upstream by being conservative, science-based, and trustworthy
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Being prepared to spend money and make sacrifices to maintain integrity
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Ensuring zero risk that product testing or quality investigations would find shortcomings
"We try to distinguish ourselves by just being extremely genuine, conservative, science-based, trustworthy, and real," Rob shared with the panel audience.
Looking Forward: The Gold Standard in NAD+ Research
Rob's appearances at Cannes Lions reinforced our mission: to establish Niagen as the gold standard in the NAD+ space through uncompromising scientific research and authentic communication. As he told the LA Times audience, "We consider ourselves the gold standard in this NAD+ space, and we're hopeful that people will come to appreciate that about us."
The recognition at Cannes Lions—a festival celebrating creativity and innovation—validates our approach of letting science lead the way. In an industry often driven by marketing hype over substance, Niagen Bioscience continues to prove that authentic science-based messaging resonates with both industry peers and consumers.
As we continue advancing NAD+ research and educating consumers about the importance of choosing science-backed supplements, Rob's thought leadership on the world stage at Cannes Lions helps position not just our company, but the entire field of healthy aging, for a more credible and impactful future.