Brand Odyssey

For our season three finale Kylie takes us deep into one of the most misunderstood rebrands in music history - the moment Prince ditched his own name, invented an unpronounceable glyph, and forced every 90s magazine to install a custom floppy-disk font just to talk about him. What looked like diva behaviour was actually a genius contract hack - a creative rebellion that changed conversations about...

What happens when a brand decides half the population isn’t its target market? In this episode, Miranda dives into one of the most baffling soda campaigns of all time - Dr Pepper Ten, the 2011 “manly” diet drink that proudly declared itself “Not For Women.” Because nothing says “refreshing” like sexism in a can. ____ Got a question? Feedback or thoughts? Suggestions for topics? Want to work with u...

If you caught our Black Star Pastry episode, you’ll remember us talking viral cakes and cult brands. So in this bonus chat, we’ve roped in the woman who keeps that iconic brand thriving online: Jarrah Brailey, founder of Jampacked Agency and certified social-media powerhouse. Jarrah joins Kylie and Miranda to talk about launching her agency at 19, how to turn an iconic brand into an iconic social...

In the late ’90s, Ireland set out to celebrate the new millennium with a bold idea - a six-tonne digital clock submerged in the River Liffey, counting down the seconds to the year 2000. What started as a symbol of optimism quickly turned into chaos: faulty wiring, murky water, divers on algae-scrubbing duty, and locals dubbing it “the chime in the slime.” Miranda and Kylie dive into the story of h...

When a cake goes viral, what happens to the creator behind it? Black Star Pastry became a global icon, thanks to its famous watermelon creation – the world's most instagrammable cake. But for founder Christopher Thé, the fame was both a dream and a trap. Kylie and Miranda unravel how a simple slice of Sydney turned into a worldwide obsession, and along the way get side-tracked (of course) by cake...

MySpace wasn’t just a website - it was where your Top 8 friendships played out, your profile song spoke louder than words, and your HTML skills defined your aesthetic.  In this episode, Kylie and Miranda rewind to the mid-2000s to unpack the rise and spectacular fall of the platform that gave us Lady Gaga and Panic! at the Disco, confused parents with glitter graphics and code, and then lost...

Visit us:  threeblocksleft.com.au Think the Tube is just a way to get from A to B? Think again. From the iconic roundel to Johnson Sans, the London Underground quietly invented modern branding long before anyone called it that. In this episode of  Brand Odyssey , we hop on a steam-powered time machine (mind the gap!) to explore how Frank Pick and a team of designers turned a chaotic tran...

Get in touch  threeblocksleft.com.au What happens when a quirky Hollywood stoner with a love of pottery decides to start a brand? You get Houseplant - Seth Rogen’s cannabis-meets-homewares empire that’s stylish, self-aware, and genuinely cool. In this episode of Brand Odyssey, we dig into how Rogen flipped weed from lava lamps and tie-dye to mid-century chic. From clever packaging you’ll neve...

Get in touch  threeblocksleft.com.au Oldsmobile once ruled American roads with rocket-era muscle cars and million-unit sales. Then came the 1988 ad campaign: “This is not your father’s Oldsmobile.” Cue: awkward Nepo-baby commercials, bland cars, and a rapid skid into irrelevance. Turns out, if you try to reinvent yourself midlife without knowing your audience… you might just end up in the jun...

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez got married - and we couldn’t care less about the dress, the guests, or the gondolas. We’re here to talk about the  invitation . Specifically: why does it look like it was designed in MS Word 2003 by a bored teenager with a clip art addiction? In this bonus  Brand Odyssey  episode, Miranda and Kylie dissect the now-viral Bezos x Sanchez wedding invite....

This week, we’re biting into the surprising history of the apple - the fruit that has shaped mythology, science, and branding. From Adam and Eve to Isaac Newton to a certain tech empire, how did this everyday fruit become such a powerful icon? Then, we take a whiff of iSmell, a bizarre attempt to bring the internet to your nose. Imagine browsing the web and suddenly smelling fresh coffee or ocean...

As promised - and in our very first interview episode - we’re sitting down with Tony Ibbotson, founder and creative director of The Creative Method, to talk all things logos. From the bold Red Rooster rebrand to what makes a great logo stand out, Tony shares his insights on design, storytelling, and building brands that last. Short, sharp, and packed with branding gold! ____ Get in touch! We would...

This week, we’re diving into two very different brand stories - one that rose from the ashes (or the deep fryer) and one that crashed before it even got started. First up, Red Rooster’s redemption arc. For years, Australia’s OG chicken chain had an identity crisis - was it fast food? Was it a Sunday roast? Did anyone actually go there on purpose? But in a move no one saw coming, Red Rooster went f...

We're back, and this time, we’re unwrapping the colourful and unexpectedly sophisticated world of Chupa Chups - the Spanish-born lollipop brand that’s been delighting taste buds since the ‘50s. Chupa Chups is proof that smart branding (and a whole lot of sugar) can go a long way. Then, we’re diving into one of the strangest brand extensions of all time - Cosmopolitan magazine's attempt to break in...

First, it’s time to unwrap the vibrant story of Tony's Chocolonely - a brand as bold in its mission as it is in its colourful packaging. From its humble beginnings as a journalist’s crusade against child labour in the cocoa industry to becoming a global phenomenon, Tony's proves that purpose and personality can mix deliciously. Then, Kylie and Miranda take a saucy detour into Heinz’s QR code campa...

Another big bumper episode - but this time it’s a break takedown with Miranda exploring one of the biggest relics of 90’s content consumption, Blockbuster! When we think of Blockbuster’s demise, we think of netflix and streaming services being the reason for their bankruptcy, but as always, when you scratch the surface there’s always more to the story.  From refusing an offer of purchase from...

Shock horror, Miranda and Kylie are changing up the format again! Kylie got lost in the Barbie Malibu dream house and needed her own episode to do the 2023 Barbie brand world takeover justice.  Hold onto your pink party pants people - Kylie is taking us through the journey of the world’s most beloved and the world’s most problematic doll. BARBIE. How did this little lady change the...

A deep dive into the cutest little guys on text message and how a rebrand cost the company close to $1 million a day in orange juice sales. Strap in! In this episode Miranda takes us on a journey through the secret lives of emojis. From their birth in Japan, to their rise in popular culture and how different generations use them to communicate, these critters really are a central part of modern da...

How did a poster by a previously incarcerated street artist manage to influence a presidential election and what is the one thing you’d want to steer clear of when designing a logo for a women’s network?  This week Kylie dives into the glory days of 2008 and the presidential election that saw Barack Obama become the first African-American president in U.S. history. Specifically how a poster b...

Our first ep! In our maiden voyage we deep dive into the ‘fabulous’ (and famously un-copyrighted) Las Vegas sign and how The BOM (The Bureau of Meteorology) managed to totally bomb their rebrand.  But before we get into our weekly make and break this week we spill the tea on how we came up with this idea, with Miranda retelling the story of a $2 million Gold Coast sign installation that sound...

A story of redemption for the little font that could, and proof that not even the big guys like Nike always get it right.  Kylie turns heads as she makes the case for a comic sans comeback. Sharing its origin story, its pivotal role in the desktop publishing revolution, why it's misunderstood and its triumphant hero’s journey back to cultural icon, will she be able to change Miranda’s mind?&n...

How our favourite photo sharing app found its feet after an alcohol fuelled start, and how could a brand be so bad that it unites all New Yorkers in a shared hatred for it? Who knew Instagram started as a bourbon appreciation passion project? Not. Us. This week Miranda lifts the curtain on the humble beginnings of everybody’s favourite ‘photo sharing app’ Instagram, and dives into its controversia...

Join Miranda and Kylie each week on an expedition into the creative universe. Each episode we will tell each other a story that the other hasn't heard before – one where creativity has triumphed and one where things have not gone to plan, mixed in with some chit chat and side quests. Hop in, pop on your seatbelts because we are going on a Brand Odyssey. ____ Get in touch! We would love to hear fro...