Focus On Brand

What does it really take to lead a successful B2B rebrand — one that aligns internal teams, resonates externally, and drives measurable ROI?In this episode, Contentstack CMO Gurdeep Dhillon joins Focus Lab CEO Bill Kenney to break down the full rebranding journey. You’ll learn how Gurdeep approached agency selection, structured internal collaboration, navigated creative feedback, and activated the brand with impact.Whether you're planning a rebrand, navigating M&A, or evolving your company's voice, this is a playbook for brand leaders who want to get it right.What you'll hear:How a refresh clarified the need for a full rebrandThe four traits Contentstack used to select a brand agencyEarly ROI indicators just weeks after launchAdvice for CMOs leading their next rebrandEpisode Resources:Contentstack <> Focus Lab Case StudyContentstack's Rebrand AnnouncementFollow Gurdeep on LinkedIn---Focus Lab is an established B2B brand agency that believes, without question, that the most successful companies are the ones who invest in branding. Focus Lab creates transformative B2B brands that resonate with their customers and stand out as industry leaders. Through a proven process and a shared commitment to create unforgettable experiences, we develop true partnerships that help B2B brands become their boldest, most original selves.---STAY IN TOUCH:Focus Lab NewsletterLinkedInYouTube ChannelInstagramLooking for a brand agency? We would love to hear from you. Email us: hello@focuslab.agency

In the final episode of our Brand and Product series, Bill Kenney (Focus Lab) and Lee Eisenbarth (MaxQ) look ahead: What does the future hold for brand in a world shaped by evolving user expectations and AI tools?From kids swiping TikTok to professionals navigating enterprise software, the bar for user experience is higher than ever. So how does brand show up — not just in how things look, but in how they feel?This episode dives into:Why younger generations will force brands to prioritize experience inside productsWhat Apple teaches us about branding beyond visualsHow AI is changing creative work — and where humans still hold the edgeOne mindset shift every founder should make about brand and productAnd so much more!Whether you’re a founder, product, or brand leader, this conversation will challenge how you think about the emotional resonance of brand, and its vital role in the future products we build.Watch the full series for a complete perspective on how to bridge brand and product in ways that endure.---Focus Lab is an established B2B brand agency that believes, without question, that the most successful companies are the ones who invest in branding. Focus Lab creates transformative B2B brands that resonate with their customers and stand out as industry leaders. Through a proven process and a shared commitment to create unforgettable experiences, we develop true partnerships that help B2B brands become their boldest, most original selves.---Stay in Touch:Subscribe to the Focus Lab NewsletterFollow us on LinkedInFollow us on Instagram

When brand and product are treated as separate silos, user trust suffers. In this episode, Focus Lab CEO Bill Kenney and Max Q Co-Founder Lee Eisenbarth unpack what it means to build software experiences that feel cohesive—because they are.They explore how design systems, microcopy, onboarding flows, and even 404 pages can carry the weight of brand, not as decoration, but as the soul of the experience. You’ll hear examples from companies like Slack, Linear, and Ledger, and leave with tactics to align product with purpose — even on a lean budget.Key Takeaways:Why brand-product misalignment kills trust (and how to fix it)Where to inject brand personality into the product — without overdoing itSmall but mighty ways to make technical UX feel humanHow internal teams (not just marketing) scale brand consistentlyWhether you’re building your MVP or scaling a platform, this is your playbook for embedding brand into every corner of your product.Episode Resources:Learn more about MaxQ"Brand Isn't the Frosting. It's the Framework." (Article by Lee Eisenbarth)Connect with Lee on LinkedInPrint Magazine / Headspace Brand ArticleFocus Lab is an established B2B brand agency that believes, without question, that the most successful companies are the ones who invest in branding. Focus Lab creates transformative B2B brands that resonate with their customers and stand out as industry leaders. Through a proven process and a shared commitment to create unforgettable experiences, we develop true partnerships that help B2B brands become their boldest, most original selves.STAY IN TOUCH:Newsletter: https://focuslab.agency/subscribeLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/focus-lab-llcInstagram: @focuslabllc Looking for a brand agency? We would love to hear from you. Email us: hello@focuslab.agency

Totango’s CMO Karen Budell joins Focus Lab’s Bill Kenney to unpack how bold branding choices and a tight internal team led to a rebrand that didn’t just look good — it worked.From aligning internal cultures to creating a booth activation that got people talking, Karen shares tactical insights and strategic takeaways that any B2B leader navigating brand change can apply.In this episode, you’ll hear:The role a small, empowered team plays in driving rebrand successHow honest feedback (and base jumping) sparked a bold creative pivot mid-projectBehind the scenes insights from Totango’s booth activation — and why it workedWhy upholding the brief is one of the CMO’s most critical rolesAnd so much more!🔗 Learn more about Focus Lab’s branding approach here.Episode Resources:👉 View the new Totango brand in action👉 Totango <> Focus Lab case study👉 Check out the communities Karen is a part of:PavilionWomen in RevenueCMO Coffee Talk---Focus Lab is an established B2B brand agency that believes, without question, that the most successful companies are the ones who invest in branding. Focus Lab creates transformative B2B brands that resonate with their customers and stand out as industry leaders. Through a proven process and a shared commitment to create unforgettable experiences, we develop true partnerships that help B2B brands become their boldest, most original selves.---FOLLOW US: ► Podcast: https://anchor.fm/focuslab► Instagram: @focuslabllc ► LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/focus-lab-llc► Dribbble: https://dribbble.com/focuslab ► Web: https://focuslab.agencyLooking for a brand agency? We would love to hear from you. Email us: hello@focuslab.agency

Brand isn't just a creative exercise — it’s a product that drives ROI.Back for his third appearance on the Focus on Brand podcast, Sergio Claudio (ex-Adobe, Marketo, Zuora) joins us to challenge how organizations perceive and measure creativity. Is it just a cost center—or a powerful growth engine?In this episode, Sergio unpacks how creative work can (and should) drive business outcomes. From C-suite blockers to strategic alignment, we cover how to elevate creative teams from "make it pretty" to make it perform.What we cover:🔹 Why creativity is still misunderstood in many orgs🔹 Common executive roadblocks—and how to address them🔹 How to align creative efforts with real business goals🔹 Tactical ways to integrate brand moments into the customer journeyWhether you're a brand leader, CMO, or creative looking to make a bigger impact, this episode is packed with clarity, inspiration, and action.---Episode Resources:Marketo <> Focus Lab Case StudyThe Marketo Debrief with Sergio Claudio & Sarah Kennedy EllisZuora <> Focus Lab Case StudyThe Zuora Debrief with Sergio Claudio---Focus Lab is an established B2B brand agency that believes, without question, that the most successful companies are the ones who invest in branding. Focus Lab creates transformative B2B brands that resonate with their customers and stand out as industry leaders. Through a proven process and a shared commitment to create unforgettable experiences, we develop true partnerships that help B2B brands become their boldest, most original selves.---FOLLOW US: ► Instagram► LinkedIn► Dribbble ► WebsiteLooking for a brand agency? We would love to hear from you. Email us: hello@focuslab.agency

In our latest episode of The Debrief, we're sitting down with MessageGears VP of Marketing, Will Devlin. After 10 years with the same logo, the MessageGears team's rebrand mantra was "anywhere but here" — and their rebrand project benefited greatly from that mindset. Will and Bill touch on so many important topics such as: The inflection point for the MessageGears rebrand The challenge of the unknown when entering a brand project The benefits of setting expectations when committing to something new The importance of a strong strategy in a rebrand And so much more! You won't want to miss this episode. Will and his team were a highlight of our year and being able to debrief with him was the cherry on top! P.S. Don't forget to like + subscribe. --- Episode Resources: MessageGears / Focus Lab Case Study Sydney Sloan/Salesloft Debrief Episode More info on Conquer Your Rebrand --- Focus Lab is an established B2B brand agency that believes, without question, that the most successful companies are the ones who invest in branding. Focus Lab creates transformative B2B brands that resonate with their customers and stand out as industry leaders. Through a proven process and a shared commitment to create unforgettable experiences, we develop true partnerships that help B2B brands become their boldest, most original selves. --- FOLLOW US: ►Podcast: https://anchor.fm/focuslab ►Instagram: @focuslabllc ►LinkedIn: / focus-lab-llc ►Dribbble: https://dribbble.com/focuslab ►Web: https://focuslab.agency Looking for a brand agency? We would love to hear from you. Email us: hello@focuslab.agency

In our latest episode of The Debrief, we're sitting down with Cadmium's marketing director, Jessie Reyes—and she brings as much data as she does passion to this conversation. Jessie and Bill touch on so many important topics such as: 👉 The lead-driven reasoning behind Cadmiums rebrand 👉 The benefits of working with an "A" Team agency 👉 The importance of leadership championing a rebrand 👉 How brand architecture played a role in the rebrand ROI 👉 And so much more! For all of our marketing subscribers, this is a can't miss episode. Jessie shoots it straight and gives invaluable advice for anyone entering into their own rebrand project. --- Focus Lab is an established B2B brand agency that believes, without question, that the most successful companies are the ones who invest in branding. Focus Lab creates transformative B2B brands that resonate with their customers and stand out as industry leaders. Through a proven process and a shared commitment to create unforgettable experiences, we develop true partnerships that help B2B brands become their boldest, most original selves. --- FOLLOW US: ►Podcast: https://anchor.fm/focuslab ►Instagram: @focuslabllc ►LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/focus-lab-llc ►Dribbble: https://dribbble.com/focuslab ►Web: https://focuslab.agency Looking for a brand agency? We would love to hear from you. Email us: hello@focuslab.agency

In this episode of The Debrief, we're sitting down with Irwin's VP of Marketing, Melissa Homère, and digging into their team's experience working alongside Focus Lab to level up their existing brand. Irwin had an innovative product and a respected brand, but recognized that they were in need of a refresh to get organized, strategic, and elevated. In our conversation, we touch on everything from: 👉 Verbalizing the importance of a rebrand to the larger team 👉 The importance of strategy in their rebrand effort 👉 Quantifying the ROI of the rebrand after just a few months And so much more! Additional Resources: Focus Lab <> Irwin Case Study Irwin Article: Boldly Forward, Introducing Our New Brand Focus Lab is an established B2B brand agency that believes, without question, that the most successful companies are the ones who invest in branding. Focus Lab creates transformative B2B brands that resonate with their customers and stand out as industry leaders. Through a proven process and a shared commitment to create unforgettable experiences, we develop true partnerships that help B2B brands become their boldest, most original selves. --- FOLLOW US: ►Podcast: https://anchor.fm/focuslab ►Instagram: @focuslabllc ►LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/focus-lab-llc ►Dribbble: https://dribbble.com/focuslab ►Web: https://focuslab.agency Looking for a brand agency? We would love to hear from you. Email us: hello@focuslab.agency

In this episode of The Debrief, we are sitting down with our pal Philip Lakin, former CEO and co-founder of NoCodeOps. What do we mean by former, you ask? Well, a few weeks back our friends at NoCodeOps were acquired by "their favorite player in the space" — Zapier. Focus Lab CEO, Bill Kenney, sits down with Phil to relive their rebrand experience with us from two years ago and discuss how the brand has helped get them to where they are today. They touch on topics such as: 👉 The strategy behind making tough brand architecture decisions 👉 The success behind a community-based approach as a SaaS company 👉 How the brand investment helped with the Zapier acquisition And so much more! --- NoCodeOps / Zapier Acquisition Press Release: https://www.nocodeops.com/zapier NoCodeOps Case Study: https://focuslab.agency/work/nocodeops

Join us in our latest episode of In Conversation as we chat with John Rougeux — founder of Flag & Frontier, a company that specializes in narrative design and execution. In this episode, John and host Bill Kenney break down various category design strategies, discuss how to find c-suite alignment without taking away autonomy from the larger team, dig into what the right mindset is to have when approaching a big brand change, and so much more. Whether you're a business owner, marketer, or creative we think you'll find some valuable insights from John! --- Learn more about Flag & Frontier: 👉 https://www.flagandfrontier.com/ Subscribe to John's newsletter, The Narrative Field Guide: 👉 https://www.narrativefieldguide.com/subscribe

Calling all B2B marketing professionals out there — our latest episode of In Conversation is not one you'll want to skip. Today we're sitting down with Palmer Houchins, currently Head of Marketing at G2 (maybe you'v heard of it). In our latest episode, Palmer and Bill dive into Palmer's early days at MailChimp, the tricky science of measuring brand ROI, the future of B2B marketing, and so much more! A huge thank you to Palmer for joining us on the podcast and for sharing so many nuggets of wisdom. Resources: 2030 B2B Trends Report from the LinkedIn B2B Institute Exit Five B2B Marketing Community Palmer's LinkedIn Post on B2B Branding

As an AI company who was building their premium product well before the big AI boom, PolyAI recognized that their previous brand did not represent the level of power and maturity they had achieved — it was time to level up. It was a pleasure to have Kylie Whitehead, Senior Director of Marketing and Brand at PolyAI, sit down with Focus Lab CEO Bill Kenney to reflect on their rebrand project with our team. Tune is as they discuss PolyAI's choice to reposition their company prior to finding a rebrand partner, the major benefits of transparency in a rebrand project, the importance of getting your C-suite on board, and so much more. Click here to view more of our work with PolyAI.

Rewind to 2022 when we were still gearing up for Odi, our sister agency purpose-built for startups. In order to drum up some excitement, we ran a giveaway — a free brand project for one lucky (soon-to-be) client. The winner of that giveaway was no other than Noelle London, founder and CEO of Illoominus, a company focused on simplifying HR tech stacks in order to transform organizations into people-first workplaces. Tune in to our latest episode as Noelle and Bill sit down to discuss how it felt to be the first ever Odi project, how the B2B landscape is becoming more humanized, and Noelle's approach to making brand decisions that would grow with her business goals. View the full Illoominus case study Learn more about what Noelle + team are doing at Illoominus

We're back at it again with David Placek, founder of Lexicon Branding. This time we dive into the idea of sustainability in when it comes to brand naming, specifically focusing on Lexicon's role in naming Lucid, a luxury EV car, as well as Mainspring, Subaru Outback, and beyond! You don't want to miss this episode as we get into the weeds of creating value through brand names, the approach behind brand naming, and David's excellent advice for founders in the process of choosing their company's name (we promise it's not "call Lexicon"). Learn more about Lexicon Branding: https://www.lexiconbranding.com/

Get excited: we've got a brand new Odi Debrief episode! Odi is a B2B brand agency built from the team at Focus Lab specifically to serve early-stage startups. You won't want to miss this episode as we sit down with Ryan Masuga, owner of Masuga, a web development company that has been around for 17 years and recently made the bold and brave decision to rethink their brand after a hard economic year for so many service-based businesses. Tune is as Ryan and Bill discuss what Ryan's approach to investing in brand, his best advice for founders considering a brand investment, how impactful the new brand has been for his business even after just two months. Check out the Masuga case study: https://odibrand.agency/work/masuga Learn more about Masuga: https://www.gomasuga.com/ Resources mentioned in this episode: The Bureau of Digital: https://bureauofdigital.com/ Conquer Your Rebrand: https://conqueryourrebrand.com/ --- Odi is a B2B brand agency serving the unique demands of early-stage startups. Created by the global brand experts at Focus Lab. https://odibrand.agency Looking for a brand agency? We would love to hear from you. Email us: hello@odibrand.agency