Let's talk branding

Before I take the stage at the Tectonic conference tomorrow, I wanted to share this with you first: a sneak peek of my new keynote on the future of branding. It’s a look at how I see brands evolving in the age of generative AI, and the two very different futures we might be heading toward. I hope it gives you a few sparks of inspiration before the world sees it on stage. Would love to hear your th...

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 n...

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 o...

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...

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 labmarcel.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...

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 ar...

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 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 br...

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...

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...

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...

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....

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 adv...

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...

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...

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 LTBPODCAS...

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 presentatio...

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...

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 ar...

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 authent...

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...

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...

Summary Here'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 rel...

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 busine...