Let's talk branding

Show notes* John on LinkedIn* John’s Substack and other linksSummary* 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 customerSummary* 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 companyOne 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 companyOne 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 LinkedInCreative business companyOne 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 positioningShow notes* Felicia on LinkedIn* The Morningstar case study by Creative business companyBrand strategy courseActivate 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 courseActivate 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 courseActivate 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 courseActivate 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 courseActivate 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 courseActivate 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 hereBrand strategy courseActivate 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 guyKey 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 strategyActivate 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 strategyActivate 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

Summary* 🤖 AI in Mascot Creation: Making it easier and more accessible, especially for smaller brands.* 💡 Before AI: Creating a mascot was a big deal – think illustrators, 3D artists, studios. Now, AI tools like Midjourney and Dali are game-changers.* 🎨 AI's Impact: Brands can now craft imaginative characters consistently and bring them to life in various contexts.* 🚀 Haris’s Story: How he crafted the purple, chef-hat-wearing monster, Calvin Cooks, and made his content more memorable.* 🛠️ DIY Mascot Magic: Using Bing AI Image Generator for consistency across marketing touchpoints.* 🌟 The Power of a Mascot: Standing out in B2B marketing, attracting attention, and enhancing brand recall.* 🔮 The Future: The growing role of AI in branding and marketing, plus tips for those interested in creating their own mascots.🚨 Important note on legal protection: In the podcast, I stated that it’s not possible to trademark assets generated by AI, I was notified that this is not the case, you CAN 100% trademark an AI-generated mascot as long as it’s not descriptive of the goods and services. My confusion was mainly around ‘copyright’, where this is indeed the case (the need for human input). I will follow up in more detail in an upcoming podcast episode.Subscribe to the YouTube channel here to get notified when the tutorial is live.Important links* Discover Haris Spahic (and Calvin Cooks) on LinkedInLearn more about brand strategyActivate 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

Summary* 📈 David Taylor discusses distinctive brand assets: their importance in branding and the gap between understanding their value and effectively managing them.* 🌎 Taylor's experience: Over 22 years with The Brand Gym, helping brands from banking to biscuits grow, and running the Brand Gym Academy for training.* 📊 Research insights: Despite unanimous agreement on the importance of brand assets, only 15% are truly distinctive, revealing an 'implementation gap.'* 🛠️ Challenges in brand asset management: Subjectivity in decisions, an obsession with novelty, and difficulties in amplifying assets across channels.* 🚀 Strategies for success: Importance of cross-agency collaboration, brand archaeology, and leveraging underutilized assets like sonic branding and mascots for brand growth.Important links* The paper we discussed* David on LinkedIn Learn more about brand strategyActivate 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

SummaryHere's a summary of the key points from the podcast:* The Evolution and Challenges in Branding: The podcast features Jacob Cass, the founder of Just Creative, discussing current trends and challenges in the branding industry, including the impact of AI, the rise of accessible design tools like Canva, and the changing landscape of pricing strategies.* The State of Brand Report: Cass released a comprehensive report titled "The State of Brand," based on interviews with 267 branding professionals worldwide. The report highlights key areas like pricing strategies, client acquisition, AI's future in branding, and professional development in branding.* AI's Increasing Influence: There's a significant focus on the role of AI in branding, with both excitement and apprehension about its potential to make branding work easier while also posing a threat to traditional methods. Cass shares his own experiences with AI tools like ChatGPT and Adobe Firefly, emphasizing the importance of adapting to these technologies.* Personal Branding and Online Presence: Cass stresses the importance of having an online presence for brand designers, viewing it as an enabler of creative freedom. He discusses how his online platform serves various purposes, including as a resource hub, a community for creatives, and a marketing tool for his services.* Future of Branding: Looking towards the future, there's a discussion about the branding industry's direction, focusing on authenticity, personalization, and purpose-driven branding. The conversation also touches on the necessity for branders to evolve with changing technologies and market demands.Important links* The report * Jacob on LinkedInLearn brand strategyActivate 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

Here's a summary of the podcast transcript:* Chris Walker's Background and Journey: Chris Walker, CEO of Refine Labs, shared his journey from an engineering role at BEA Inc. to product management, and eventually starting his own company. He emphasized his diverse experience in B2B companies across roles like product management, engineering, and marketing, which laid the foundation for his business success.* Refine Labs' Impact on B2B Marketing: Under Chris's leadership, Refine Labs has significantly influenced how B2B companies approach demand generation and revenue operations. He discussed the company's innovative strategies in media, distribution, content, and analytics, which have been pivotal in his journey.* Demand Creation vs. Demand Capture: Chris highlighted the difference between demand creation and demand capture, arguing that many B2B companies overly focus on demand capture through direct sales methods. He stressed the importance of understanding customers and engaging them through valuable content and interactions, rather than aggressive sales tactics.* Brand Building and Content Strategy: He discussed the distinction between brand awareness and demand creation, emphasizing the importance of creating content that resonates with the target audience. Chris also stressed the need for a shift from traditional brand building to more strategic demand creation activities.* Evaluating Marketing ROI and Strategies: Chris critiqued the traditional ROI measurement methods in marketing, suggesting a more holistic approach that assesses the impact of marketing on overall business growth. He also emphasized the importance of customer insights and content quality over mere distribution tactics.This summary captures the key points discussed in the podcast, including Chris Walker's career progression, the innovative approach of Refine Labs in B2B marketing, and the strategic insights on demand creation, brand building, and evaluating marketing ROI.Important links* Follow Chris on LinkedIn* Chris his company: RefinelabsLearn brand strategyActivate 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