Everything is brand

What is a purpose driven brand? From environmental, societal, and charitable efforts - there are many ways for brands to build meaning into their business. And the data tells us people are looking for conscientious companies to shop with, and work for. Let's talk about what it means for a brand to lead with purpose - ranging from pharmaceuticals, to clothing and energy. Join our Zync brand experts as we discuss these questions - and more - in this week's episode of #EverythingIsBrand. For more on brand, connect with us through zync.caThis episode was recorded on June 29th, 2022.

Loyalty programs allow us to pick up rewards with our coffees, trips, and clothes - and they also allow companies to gather data about us and our purchases. What data are we willing to share? When does the cost of privacy outweigh the benefits of points and perks? We cover #TimHortons, #Aeroplan, and how loyalty and data both play an important part in building brand trust.  Join our Zync brand experts as we discuss these questions - and more - in this week's episode of #EverythingIsBrand. For more on brand, connect with us through zync.caThis episode was recorded on June 15th, 2022.

When it comes to a brand's values, messaging, and impact - are consumers holding them accountable? And how can they?As ESG - Environmental, Social, and Governance - has made its way to the forefront, brands are under pressure to make their positioning known. But what is a brand promise with no action behind it? Let's talk Chik-Fil-A , Unilever, and corporate karma.Join our Zync brand experts as we discuss these questions - and more - in this week's episode of #EverythingIsBrand. For more on brand, connect with us through zync.caThis episode was recorded on May 13th, 2022.

Content and how we consume it has changed.  How can brands get - and keep - the attention of their audience? What content formats are compatible with our fast-paced lives? From articles to audio, Clubhouse to TikTok, we take a look at what content consumers are craving, and how brands can adapt to best serve their audience. Join our Zync brand experts as we discuss these questions - and more - in this week's episode of #EverythingIsBrand. For more on brand, connect with us through zync.caThis episode was recorded on April 29, 2022.

Web 3 is the next iteration of the internet. Is it coming quickly? Is it going to change the world? The simplest way of describing its evolution would be the following: Web 1.0: ReadWeb 2.0: Read, writeWeb 3 (3.0): Read, write, ownWhat does decentralization of the worldwide web mean? And more importantly, what does it mean for brands moving forward?Join our Zync brand experts as we discuss these questions - and more - in this week's episode of #EverythingIsBrand. For more on brand, connect with us through zync.caThis episode was recorded on April 22, 2022.

Is your target audience in different age groups? Branding for all ages—from baby boomers to gen Z and alpha—has its own set of considerations and requirements. Do all brands meet the need?Does intergenerational branding bring any advantages? How can we make sure that brands can attract audiences from multiple generations? When a brand is launching, is it better to target a specific audience or go broad?   This week we talk about Tiktok, Canadian Tire and even Facebook and their strategies when it comes to attracting multiple generations.Join our Zync brand experts as we discuss these questions - and more - in this week's episode of #EverythingIsBrand. For more on brand, connect with us through zync.caThis episode was recorded on April 1st, 2022.

This week we talk about some of the dilemmas brand face on social media. As brands try to navigate social media, there are a lot of issues and roadblocks that can arise, from influencers going rogue to brands being misinterpreted.Are brands at risk when they have a spokesperson/ambassador? How should a brand react when an influencer says something out of line?  Are brands taking advantage of outspoken people to gain influencers and is this the right way to go? Join our Zync brand experts as we discuss these questions - and more - in this week's episode of #EverythingIsBrand. For more on brand, connect with us through zync.caThis episode was recorded on Monday 21st, 2022.

Ipsos recently released their list of “The Most Influential Brands in Canada” for 2021" - so we’re talking about it with the author and storyteller of the list: Steve Levy. Our discussion will highlight some of the key attributes of the top brands and expand on the multiple elements that drive influence. This year, Google again tops the list. But, most of the Top 10 have a very strong digital presence, regardless of their industry. The three biggest gainers are TikTok, Skip the Dishes and Loblaws. Below, you'll find this year's list in order of appearance:GoogleAmazonYouTubeAppleMeta (Prev. Facebook)MicrosoftNetflixVisaPC OptimumWalmartJoin us as Brad Breininger discusses the list with Steve Levy in this week's episode of #EverythingIsBrand. For more on brand, connect with us through zync.caThis episode was recorded on March 4th, 2022.Source: Most influential brands in Canada 2021, Ipsos.Want more insights? Hear what the CMOs from Canada's Most Influential Brands have to say.

This week we talk about what a merger or acquisition can mean for a brand.  Recently, there have been multiple mergers and acquisitions in different industries. Some of the most recent examples are: Microsoft and Activision/Blizzard Merck and Acceleron Intuit and MailchimpEven some older ones - like Disney + Marvel - are still having an impact on their brands. What does this “coming together” mean to the involved brands? Does it affect their equity and reputation? Does the big brand usually absorb the smaller one? Or is it better to keep the acquired brand as it's always been?Join our Zync brand experts as we discuss these questions - and more - in this week's episode of #EverythingIsBrand. For more on brand, connect with us through zync.caThis episode was recorded on February 4th, 2022.

This week, we expand on one of the hottest topics for this year: NFTs.  Although there's recently been a lot of volatility in cryptocurrency, NFTs— or Non-Fungible Tokens—are stronger than ever.Are brands ready to jump on the NFT bandwagon? What are brands like Coca-Cola, Taco Bell, Gucci and McDonalds doing? Is this something for brands of all shapes and sizes? Are NFTs only for art collectors or are there a wide range of other purposes?Join our Zync brand experts as we discuss these questions - and more - in this week's episode of #EverythingIsBrand. For more on brand, connect with us through zync.caThis episode was recorded on January 26th, 2022.

Welcome to the first edition of Everything is Brand in 2022, our third season! Everything from NFTs to crypto, to the metaverse, micro-influencers and video. A lot is potentially coming up for brands and their marketing strategies. We talk about some of the things that will become bigger in 2022.  Are brands ready to navigate through these changes? How can brands be prepared for what's coming? Some of the topics we cover during this episode:NFTsCryptocurrency and its impactThe metaverseInclusive and topical marketingCustomer service speed expectationsVideoMicro-influencersCrowdsourcing contentHumanizing brandsSocial media advertising (Tik Tok)Join our Zync brand experts as we discuss these questions - and more - in this week's episode of #EverythingIsBrand. For more on brand, connect with us through zync.caThis episode was recorded on January 7th, 2022.

2021 has sped by like a blur – and it's been quite the ride, again!Like our 2020 wrap up last year, this episode is all about the key themes and trends that we noticed during the #year2021.  Everything from the continued rise and influence of social media to the importance of partnerships, digital footprints, the importance of people, working from home - and more. What's very clear though is that things have changed - forever.Join our Zync brand experts as we discuss these questions - and more - in this week's episode of #EverythingIsBrand. For more on brand, connect with us through zync.caThis episode was recorded on December 10th, 2021.

When is a brand is not the brand? With the rise of marketplaces and partnerships, sometimes the brand that you're seeing is not the brand that it is... More and more, brands are turning their websites and the way they come to retail into marketplaces: Walmart, Best Buy, and even Hudson's Bay.  What's happening is that a lot of times, we're seeing these huge brands, but actually purchasing from smaller brands without actually realizing it.  That might affect crucial aspects of the buying process like returns, shipping, and even the prices. Is this a good or a bad thing? And is this affecting their reputation negatively?Join our Zync brand experts as we discuss these questions - and more - in this week's episode of #EverythingIsBrand. For more on brand, connect with us through zync.caThis episode was recorded on November 15th, 2021.

How important is branding to the big banks? Does it make a difference?When big banks rebrand - like CIBC just did - what are the most important aspects? Is it the logo? Is it the story they tell? Is it their history? Or, their place in the Canadian and global markets? Join our Zync brand experts as we discuss these questions - and more - in this week's episode of #EverythingIsBrand. For more on brand, connect with us through zync.caThis episode was recorded on November 2, 2021.

Facebook is rebranding. Its new name is Meta, and it seems it's here to stay. With everything that's going on with the company, we have a bunch of questions: Can a rebrand help Facebook? Does it hinder them? Does Facebook need saving as opposed to helping? What's the reason behind the rebrand? Is this a strategy to carve Facebook off and focus on some of their other properties and initiatives?  And is it too little, too late at this point?Join our Zync brand experts as we discuss these questions - and more - in this week's episode of #EverythingIsBrand. For more on brand, connect with us through zync.caThis episode was recorded on October 29, 2021.

This week we want to revisit a topic we covered last year—Brand trust.  We believe we are at a point where we can evaluate the effect of the pandemic on brand trust. We also take a look at the updated Gustavson Brand Trust Index report and talk about what's changed in a year.  Did the pandemic effectively have an effect on brand trust? What did we discover in this year's report? How has the pandemic affected big corporations like Bell, Telus, or Amazon? And how has it impacted the smaller brands?Join our Zync brand experts as we discuss these questions - and more - in this week's episode of #EverythingIsBrand. For more on brand, connect with us through zync.caThis episode was recorded on October 15, 2021.

With vaccine passports on the horizon, the government is talking about issuing QR codes to facilitate a “quick response” to get into places like restaurants and other public establishments. To some, this represents a resurgence for the trusty QR code - but is this comeback really a comeback? Or has this technology been used in multiple ways over the years? Is North America just behind the rest of the world?  Are there any security concerns involved? What's changed since the QR technology was created? Also, are there other opportunities to using these codes?Join our Zync brand experts as we discuss these questions - and more - in this week's episode of #EverythingIsBrand. For more on brand, connect with us through zync.caThis episode was recorded on October 1, 2021.

How can brands deal with digital ID?  In Canada and around the world, people are talking about vaccine passports - and digital IDs in general. Governments, organizations, and brands will need to adapt to these changes too.How important is it to transform your business to incorporate these new directives? Is it more difficult for small and medium businesses compared to big corporations? How do brands need to think about their communication plans and prepare for these changes? And what role do companies like Yelp, Facebook and Google play?Join our Zync brand experts as we discuss these questions - and more - in this week's episode of #EverythingIsBrand. For more on brand, connect with us through zync.caThis episode was recorded on September 17, 2021.

More and more, personal brands have become integral to the marketplace - for influencers, politicians, and any other person or organization. Are personal brands part of life going forward? What does a personal brand really entail? What's the difference between a personal brand and a corporate brand? Does everyone need one? And, what do social channels like TikTok or Twitter have to do with the way you manage your brand? Join our Zync brand experts as we discuss these questions - and more - in this week's episode of #EverythingIsBrand. For more on brand, connect with us through zync.caThis episode was recorded on September 3, 2021.

As sustainability gets more and more important, we ask the question: Are brands greenwashing? What is greenwashing? Why was it created? Are brands making themselves seem more environmental than they actually are?  And is sustainability from the brand perspective pure marketing?We talk about this issue and how it's affecting current brands, like H&M, Ikea, McDonald's, etc. Are these brands really doing something for the environment? Who is going to challenge their statements? And in reality, how truthful are keywords like "responsibly made", sustainable, eco-friendly, antibiotic-free? Join our Zync brand experts as we discuss these questions - and more - in this week's episode of #EverythingIsBrand. For more on brand, connect with us through zync.caThis episode was recorded on August 20, 2021.