Episoder
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Recently, I got caught in a bit of a storm. People on YouTube got angry about the use of AI footage in my recent documentary on brand mascots. “AI slop! I’m not watching this stuff!” It got me wondering (some great comments in that LinkedIn thread) about what the future for brands would be like. Enter: Joe Burns, who’s been dropping the most insightful and amazing flipbooks on LinkedIn.
Joe did not disappoint, we had a fascinating conversation about the impact AI has on brands, creative teams, the agency world, content creation, and the strategy behind it.
Joe brings a fresh perspective to the table, or as he likes to call them, ‘strategic cold cuts’. There is no playbook for the future, but Joe is giving us some handles to think about what’s coming, and I’m grateful for it.
What do you think? Is the sloppening upon us? Let me know by replying to the email or commenting on Substack.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letstalkbranding.substack.com -
In this episode, Dan Salkey is back on the show to talk about their latest research paper called ‘Entertain or Die’. This is the second round and this time Dan shares some new insights on how to actually build an entertainment brand.
Important links
* You can find the full report here.
* Find Dan on LinkedIn here
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letstalkbranding.substack.com -
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Hey everyone! Super happy to kick off a new season with more brand-building legends and insights.
In this conversation, I chat with Damian Borchok, Managing Director of Koto for the Asia Pacific region. A conversation sparked by a great article on Koto ‘s newsletter, We discussed the nuances of branding, rebranding, and brand refreshes. Damian emphasizes the importance of understanding the value of a brand and the strategic decisions behind rebranding efforts. Through various case studies, including Walmart, Burger King, Bolt, Tropicana, and Jaguar, Damian explores the complexities of brand identity, market signals for change, and the execution of branding strategies. He highlights the need for brands to evolve while maintaining their core identity and the significance of research in understanding brand equity.
Takeaways
* A brand refresh can be a missed opportunity if not executed boldly.
* Rebranding should consider both visual identity and communication strategy.
* Longevity of a brand does not guarantee its equity in the market.
* Brands must align their internal culture with their branding efforts.
* Research is crucial in identifying valuable brand assets.
* Market shifts can signal the need for a rebrand or refresh.
* Effective branding requires a long-term commitment, not just a one-time campaign.
* Brands should avoid generic approaches and strive for distinctiveness.
* The execution of a brand rollout is as important as the design itself.
* Successful rebranding can lead to significant market advantages.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letstalkbranding.substack.com -
In this episode, we have a good (loyal?) friend of the show back for a second round: John Lyons.
Important links
* John on LinkedIn
* John’s new YouTube show ‘Bin Juice’
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letstalkbranding.substack.com -
Show notes
* John on LinkedIn
* John’s Substack and other links
Summary
* John shares his journey from advertising to consulting, focusing on practical outcomes rather than marketing politics.
* He highlights the common misconception that advertising only means paid ads and explains that any brand communication can be seen as "advertising."
* John describes the industry's split between "brand" and "performance" marketing, noting that customers don’t view these distinctions.
* He emphasizes the importance of measuring marketing's financial impact and explains why companies need an "always-on" approach to marketing for lasting brand recognition.
* John criticizes the "trust-me" approach in marketing and suggests that marketers should communicate results clearly to executives, especially in financial terms.
* He explains how changes in privacy and digital tracking have made it harder to measure digital ad performance accurately.
* His recommendation for effective marketing measurement is to return to basic incrementality testing to see what actually drives growth.
* John stresses the need for brand-building but advises against over-investment in specific channels too early. He supports a balanced approach, combining testing and targeted investments.
* He concludes by encouraging marketers to detach emotionally from their campaigns and focus on long-term growth.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letstalkbranding.substack.com -
Show notes
* Adam’s agency Thinkerbell
* Adam’s book: Stop listening to the customer
Summary
* Adam Ferrier challenges the idea of being "customer-obsessed," arguing that brands lose their identity by focusing too much on consumer needs.
* He believes brands should prioritize their own values and what they stand for instead of solely catering to customer demands.
* Companies like Apple and IKEA are examples of successful brands that don’t always prioritize customer convenience but stick to their vision.
* Ferrier suggests that modern marketing often dilutes creativity, and strong brand leadership is essential to keep a brand distinct.
* He advocates for a company-wide approach to branding, where everyone, not just the marketing department, is responsible for the brand's success.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letstalkbranding.substack.com -
Here are the key takeaways from the podcast:
* Effectiveness in marketing: It's about ensuring that marketing efforts, particularly advertising, achieve their intended goals, whether that's awareness, behavior change, or sales.
* Econometrics simplified: Econometrics uses data to determine if a marketing campaign worked by analyzing both the campaign’s direct impact and other factors (e.g. a competitor campaign) that could influence the outcome.
* When to use econometrics: It's most useful for businesses with multiple marketing channels and more complex budgets but might not be necessary for very small businesses with straightforward marketing efforts.
* Creativity matters: In a world with fragmented attention, compelling creative content is essential. Strong branding and creative consistency across platforms amplify marketing effectiveness.
* The rise of digital: While traditional media like TV is losing its dominance, the advent of digital tools allows for more targeted, cost-effective, and immediate marketing responses, making brand-building and performance marketing work hand-in-hand.
Links
* Grace Kite & Magic Numbers
* Grace on LinkedIn
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letstalkbranding.substack.com -
As a brand designer, Austin experienced a similar journey to mine, he learned about the power of brand strategy and started offering it to clients. Things were great. But on that journey towards becoming a strategist, he also noticed that some things were broken in this new ‘era’ of strategic brand designers.We explore the following topics:
* Is Brand Strategy Overrated?: We dive into whether brand strategy is often overhyped, sometimes leading to boring or trendy brand identities that don't stand the test of time.
* Distinctiveness is key: The key takeaway is that making your brand stand out with distinctive assets—like logos or mascots—is way more important than getting bogged down in traditional strategy stuff.
* What strategy should be about: Instead of getting lost in complex strategies, we should focus on creativity and making brands that are instantly recognizable.
I hope you enjoyed this conversation, please let me know in the comments how you use brand strategy (or how you avoid it 😁).
I also mentioned Roel Stavorinus his book on Strategic brand design, it’s actually available in English now!
Want more critical, hands-on content on brand-building? Please hit that subscribe button!
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letstalkbranding.substack.com -
Discover the 5 key brand religions, their core beliefs, and how they can apply to your brand.
Important links
* Download the white paper to take a deep dive into the 5 brand religions
* Kristof on LinkedIn
* The episode with Jan Verlinden (Ritchie)
Creative business company
One of the biggest challenges in my own career has been trying to convince business leaders that their ‘brand’ is one of the most important assets of their company.
That’s why this episode is sponsored by Creative Business Company, a strategic consultancy on a mission to make brand more accountable and effective.
They take the lessons they’ve learned from over a decade of experience working with big brands like Morningstar, Formula E, and Shell, and adapt them to work with smaller, fast-growing companies to help them get more attention, convert leads, and drive sales.
So if you’re trying to get the budget for ‘brand’, create messaging that converts, or lower your cost of acquisition, check out Creative Business Company for ideas, evidence and tools that will help you make an impact fast.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letstalkbranding.substack.com -
Discover the captivating marketing story of Ritchie, a Belgian lemonade brand built from strong marketing principles by entrepreneur/marketer Jan Verlinden (ex Pepsi-co). Learn how Jan leverages his experience at big brands to grow Ritchie through unexpected marketing channels and tactics to expand his market share gradually.
Show notes
* Jan on LinkedIn
* Check out Ritchie, the amazing brand Jan is building
* The book about the Ritchie story (online in Dutch)
Creative business company
One of the biggest challenges in my own career has been trying to convince business leaders that their ‘brand’ is one of the most important assets of their company.
That’s why this episode is sponsored by Creative Business Company, a strategic consultancy on a mission to make brand more accountable and effective.
They take the lessons they’ve learned from over a decade of experience working with big brands like Morningstar, Formula E, and Shell, and adapt them to work with smaller, fast-growing companies to help them get more attention, convert leads and drive sales.
So if you’re trying to get the budget for ‘brand’, create messaging that converts, or lower your cost of acquisition, check out Creative Business Company for ideas, evidence and tools that will help you make an impact fast.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letstalkbranding.substack.com -
A deep dive into the problematic state of online advertising, from its lack of effectiveness to its societal impacts.
Show notes
* Find ‘Adscam’ + the free ebooks on Bob’s website
* Bob on LinkedIn
Creative business company
One of the biggest challenges in my own career has been trying to convince business leaders that their ‘brand’ is one of the most important assets of their company.
That’s why this episode is sponsored by Creative Business Company, a strategic consultancy on a mission to make brand more accountable and effective.
They take the lessons they’ve learned from over a decade of experience working with big brands like Morningstar, Formula E, and Shell, and adapt them to work with smaller, fast-growing companies to help them get more attention, convert leads and drive sales.
So if you’re trying to get the budget for ‘brand’, create messaging that converts, or lower your cost of acquisition, check out Creative Business Company for ideas, evidence and tools that will help you make an impact fast.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letstalkbranding.substack.com -
A deep dive into brand architecture and how to use it to strengthen your brand positioning
Show notes
* Felicia on LinkedIn
* The Morningstar case study by Creative business company
Brand strategy course
Activate your strategic brain and level up your creative business. Find courses on brand strategy, brand workshops, and brand strategy presentations. You can use LTBPODCAST to get a 20% discount.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letstalkbranding.substack.com -
In this episode, we discover the power of ‘associative attention’, a framework developed by Max Stricker and Samuel Brealey. It zooms in on the importance of not only getting attention but the right type of attention through strong association.
Show notes
* Associative Attention Paper & ‘Health Check’
Associative Attention is a framework that helps brand owners deliver better executions (think advertising, POS material, packaging). It connects the dots between the WHAT and the HOW of attention. Brand owners need to do well in both areas and those who do can see transformational executions.
You can download the full article here. It also includes a quick ‘Health Check’ you can take to start your Associative Attention journey.
* Max on LinkedIn
* The article with Samuel Brealey on WARC (paywall)
* This episode is sponsored by Creative business company. Find your free no-bs brand-building guides here.
Brand strategy course
Activate your strategic brain and level up your creative business. Find courses on brand strategy, brand workshops, and brand strategy presentations. You can use LTBPODCAST to get a 20% discount.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letstalkbranding.substack.com -
Discover what it takes to be a leader in brand for a large B2B tech company.
Show notes
* Gwen on LinkedIn
* This episode is sponsored by Creative business company. Find your free no-bs brand-building guides here.
Brand strategy course
Activate your strategic brain and level up your creative business. Find courses on brand strategy, brand workshops, and brand strategy presentations. You can use LTBPODCAST to get a 20% discount.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letstalkbranding.substack.com -
Show notes
* The multiplayer brand slidedeck
* Zoe on LinkedIn
* This episode is sponsored by Creative business company. Find your free no-bs brand-building guides here.
Brand strategy course
Activate your strategic brain and level up your creative business. Find courses on brand strategy, brand workshops, and brand strategy presentations. You can use LTBPODCAST to get a 20% discount.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letstalkbranding.substack.com -
Show notes:
* Article on Brand difference and pricing power
* Dom Boyd on LinkedIn
* BrandZ index
* This episode is sponsored by Creative business company. Find your free no-bs brand-building guides here.
Brand strategy course
Activate your strategic brain and level up your creative business. Find courses on brand strategy, brand workshops, and brand strategy presentations. You can use LTBPODCAST to get a 20% discount.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letstalkbranding.substack.com -
How brands can create an unfair creative advantage.
Show notes
* Discover the full paper here.
* Dan Salkey on LinkedIn.
* This episode is sponsored by Creative business company. Find your free no-bs brand-building guides here.
Brand strategy course
Activate your strategic brain and level up your creative business. Find courses on brand strategy, brand workshops, and brand strategy presentations. You can use LTBPODCAST to get a 20% discount.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letstalkbranding.substack.com -
Show notes
* Professor Pauwels on LinkedIn
* This episode is sponsored by Creative business company. Find your free no-bs brand-building guides here
Brand strategy course
Activate your strategic brain and level up your creative business. Find courses on brand strategy, brand workshops, and brand strategy presentations. You can use LTBPODCAST to get a 20% discount.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letstalkbranding.substack.com -
Show notes
* Bart on LinkedIn
* Bart’s new venture: I know a guy
Key Takeaways
* Understanding client problems and formulating them better than the clients themselves is crucial in agency-client relationships.
* The balance between digital and branding is essential in marketing strategies, with a shift towards investing in branding for long-term effectiveness.
* New platforms like TikTok and AR are on the rise and should be explored for marketing opportunities.
* Investing in the fundamentals of marketing while experimenting with new platforms is a key approach to future-proofing marketing strategies.
Learn more about brand strategy
Activate your strategic brain and level up your creative business. Find courses on brand strategy, brand workshops, and brand strategy presentations. You can use LTBPODCAST to get a 20% discount.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letstalkbranding.substack.com -
Show notes
* Discover the full trends report here
* Rachael Higgins on LinkedIn
* Will Posket on LinkedIn
Summary
* 🚀 Back to the Pod: Host Stef kicks off the year chatting with Will Posket & Rachael Higgins about 2024's hot branding and marketing trends. Time to dive in and learn!
* 🤖 AI & Truth-Seeking: Will and Rachael talk about AI's rise and its impact on branding. Brands need to be authentic and truthful in an "era of cheap fakes." Think Dove's 'Cost of Beauty' campaign – realness is key!
* 🤪 Embrace the Absurd: Get creative and stand out! Brands should dare to be different, like Liquid Death's wacky marketing. It's all about being bold and breaking the mold.
* 😂 Playfulness is Power: In a serious world, brands that bring joy stand out. Like Specsavers with their funny ads – it's about making people smile and escape the gloom.
* 💡 Future Gazing: Will and Rachael predict more personal brand growth, physical experiences blending with digital, and businesses exploring unique, authentic marketing paths.
Learn more about brand strategy
Activate your strategic brain and level up your creative business. Find courses on brand strategy, brand workshops, and brand strategy presentations. You can use LTBPODCAST to get a 20% discount.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letstalkbranding.substack.com - Se mer
