Making the Brand | Marketing with a Pop Culture Twist

If you're anything like me, you've put off launching a blog, podcast, or business idea for far too long because you couldn't land on the perfect name for it. Well, it's a beautiful day to stop overthinking and just do the damn thing! Here's my best advice on how to pick a name for your brand that not only works, but helps you get going!  For marketing and pop culture wisdom sent straight to y...

Barbra Streisand's music legacy is undeniable! But she is also credited with helping create a social phenomenon every marketer should know: The Streisand Effect. According to The Economist , The Streisand Effect occurs when “efforts to suppress a juicy piece of online information can backfire and end up making things worse for the would-be censor.” We've seen countless examples of this in pop cult...

OMG, we're back again with season 5! I'm sharing a content idea that works every time and will take the guesswork out of content creation. Thanks to Miss Congeniality for the inspiration on this one!  Follow me on Twitter for more branding fun, @brianne2k

Am I dreaming?!!? I interrupt your regularly scheduled programming to bring you this special episode where my friends and I INTERVIEW A BACKSTREET BOY! Long story short, I also co-host a live stream show called Fangirls' Night Out with my friends Danielle, Britt, and Kelsey. Between the four of us and the fangirl powers that be, we made our way to AJ McLean. In this episode, we talk with AJ and hi...

If you watched the Framing Britney Spears documentary and Oprah's interview with Meghan Markle, you learned how the tabloids destroyed their mental health. They were powerless to the narrative the press was building. The tabloids wouldn't have stood a chance if Britney and Meghan were empowered with social media and an online presence. In this episode, you'll hear the importance of using the platf...

Brands want to be where the people are — that's where trending topics come in! Trending topics are a huge opportunity for brands to humanize themselves and create visibility, but insert themselves into the conversation the wrong way. In this episode, we break down some brands who have done it right, along with some examples of what NOT to do.  

My friend Britt and I got so caught up talking about the Backstreet Boys, I had enough content to break it out into a mini bonus episode!  We do a deeper dive on BackstreetBoys.com and all the potential the band could tap into to bring more excitement to their site. Enjoy!                      ...

We love to follow our favorite musicians on social media, but very few have us following their websites. Why do they lack consistency, updates, and great content?! Social media is nice, but your website is your brand's (or band's!) biggest opportunity. In this episode, I chat with my friend, fellow fangirl, and web designer Britt Hyatt about how you AND celebrities can transform your online presen...

If you were a young girl growing up in the ’90s, you pretty much had no choice but to love the Spice Girls. They were absolutely EVERYWHERE.  As part of their legacy, they taught us the importance of friendship. But if you look a little closer, they also taught us about brand purpose.  In this episode, I break down how the Spice Girls' mantra of 'Girl Power' can inspire your brand to do...

In this episode, we dive into the wizarding world of Harry Potter's marketing. I chatted with Jake 'JZ' Zachariah -- a marketer and total Potterhead. From the books, to the movies, merch, and experiences, there's so much we can learn from HP.  Follow JZ: @jzjakez Website: http://jakezachariah.com/ 

If you ask me, Peloton wins the award for brand of the year in 2020. We couldn't have predicted the huge at-home fitness boom the pandemic forced upon us! In this episode, I chatted with passionate Peloton rider and marketing strategist, Christina Garnett, as well as Adam Pierno -- an author, podcast host, and strategist.  We discussed how Peloton brilliantly builds community while leveraging...

The comic book industry began sparking imaginations and building memories for audiences as early as the 1960s, and its magic isn't slowing down anytime soon In this episode, I chat with social media marketer, Jon-Stephen Stansel , about why comics have stood the test of time, and what brands can learn from their success. We dig into specifics like brand voice and other takeaways for content creato...

In the '90s, everyone wanted to be 'Like Mike'. Michael Jordan was an extraordinary athlete with immeasurable influence from TV commercials, magazine covers, and brand partnerships. But how has this landscape changed for the modern athlete in the age of social media? Or more specifically, how has this changed for young athletes?  In this episode, I chatted with Anthony Yepez -- a digital and...

AJ McLean is my favorite Backstreet Boy, but now, he's my favorite businessman. In this episode, I break down branding takeaways from the launch of his new live, Ava Dean Beauty. I share four characteristics of his company launch that explain why it's a success. Shop Ava Dean Beauty here.  

One of the most powerful things a person or brand can do is activate their customers or fans to do their marketing for them. In this episode, I interview business owner / Harry Styles fangirl, Kelsey Anderson. She shares how Harry Styles (formerly of boy brand, One Direction) activated his fans to promote his album and make him a solo superstar. We break down these marketing efforts with takeaways...

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme song is beloved by many, but its lyrics contain an important message for marketers. In this episode, we break down storytelling techniques inspired by Will and how his life got flipped-turned-upside-down.

For decades now, culture has bonded over video games. There's was like gathering your friends together at a sleepover and staying up all night trying to beat a level in a game of Nintendo.  Today, the gaming community is still strong, but it's playing out in bigger ways thanks to the live-streaming platform, Twitch.  In this episode, I interview gaming and streaming expert, Joechuck aka...

If you grew up in the late ’90s and early 2000s, long before Spotify, TikTok, and YouTube, Carson Daly was your gateway to new music. On September 14, 1998, a little show called Total Request Live premiered on MTV. It was a driving force that helped launch the career of a few blonde bombshell likes Britney and Christina, boy bands like BSB and *NSYNC, and rappers like Eminem and Ludacris. But TRL...

Gross, yet oddly satisfying... why are some people so obsessed with Dr. Pimple Popper? On this episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing Andrew Stallings, founder of Athelo Group and unapologetic Dr. Pimple Popper fan. He shared some thought-provoking lessons behind the show and how Dr. Sandra Lee built her massive brand.  Even if Dr. Pimple Popper makes your stomach turn, you'll still appr...

MTV was once known as "music television," but not anymore. Yet, on one night of the year, they host a music awards show.  In this episode, I explain why no one seems to care about the MTV VMAs anymore, and why staying true to your brand purpose is so important. 

The mark of any interesting piece of content is that it serves a purpose. Whether it be to entertain, inspire, connect, or educate, you want to publish content that feeds your audience. Do you remember on Pop-Up Video on VH1? The show shares fun facts during music videos. The facts were far from academic, but they still educated the viewer. They provided context and insights that made the music vi...

In this episode, I chat with photographer and brand builder, Julia Chesky, about her favorite things: fashion, marketing, and the movie Clueless ! We celebrate the 25th anniversary of Clueless by breaking down some of the movies main themes and relating them back to personal branding.  It turns out, your personal brand doesn't need reinvention -- your authentic self is enough! Follow Julia: w...

We're hitting rewind on this episode to talk about the raddest decade: the '80s! I'm interviewing Chris Clews, who is an '80s pop culture expert. From Prince to The Princess Bride, Chris shares biz and marketing takeaways.  We discuss: How the '80s opened the door to give individuals creative access Brands featured in '80s movies, like Vans and Ray Ban Movies like The Breakfast Club, E.T., Ri...

For the second consecutive year, Forbes has named Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as the world's highest paid actor. He's clearly doing something right!  But it all started in the wrestling ring. The Rock and countless other wrestlers have built powerful brands. From their memorable catchphrases, unforgettable outfits, and electrifying stage presence, they each use their platform to create loyal fa...

If there’s anyone whose known for using autotune consistently, it’s hip hop artist, T-Pain. T-Pain stood out in a competitive hip-hop era. He wasn’t necessarily better than other artists of his era, but he packaged his work in a unique way with autotune. It was something we’d never heard before.  Here's how marketers can stand out in their own crowded category.  Show notes Follow me on T...