“A lot of the assumptions we make are bad assumptions.” When it comes to making assumptions, sometimes we marketers can't help ourselves. To avoid this, we need to ensure that we have a good mix of both quantitive and qualitative research. Dr. Duane Varan is a leader in the field of qualitative research and was my guest this week on the On Brand podcast. About Duane Varan Dr. Duane Varan is CEO of both MediaScience and HarkConnect. He is the recipient of numerous awards including the Australian Prime Minister’s Award for University Teacher of the Year, and is a global pioneer in developing new methodologies for the study of audience behavior. MediaScience is a leader in lab-based audience research counting almost every major US television network, social media platform and many global brands as clients. HarkConnect is the world’s most advanced qualitative research platform. Although Dr. Varan is now based in industry, he continues to contribute to academic journals. In fact, in four of the past six years, his work was voted as Best Paper of the year or runner up for Best Paper by the Journal of Advertising Research. Episode Highlights “Qualitative gives us space to explore.” I kicked off our conversation by asking Duane what makes qualitative research different. He also cautioned against the stigma that it's not as serious as quantitative. “That's a mistake.” How is HarkConnect different when it comes to qualitative research? “We have a direct measure of emotion vs. what people are telling us,” Duane said, as he shared how the technology works. A balanced diet of metrics. I couldn't resist being a little punny ... Duane stressed that there are actually three data sets that should be in your diet—qualitative research, quantitative research, and your performance metrics. What brand has made Duane smile recently? M&Ms! “I smile every time I see the characters.” To learn more about Duane, check out the websites for HarkConnect and Media Science. As We Wrap … Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. On Brand is sponsored by my book Brand Now. Discover the seven dynamics to help your brand stand out in our crowded, distracted world. Order now and get special digital extras. Learn more. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to Apple Podcasts and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And, if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

On Brand with Nick Westergaard

Qualitative Research in Branding with Duane Varan

“If you can design triggers into the thing someone’s already doing, you make advertising even more impactful.” Expanding the definition of advertising to include more human-centric and respectful ideas has been at the heart of Dan Greenberg’s work as CEO and founder of Sharethrough and as a leader in the native advertising movement. We discussed all of this and more this week on the On Brand podcast. About Dan Greenberg Dan Greenberg is the CEO and Founder of Sharethrough, the largest independent native advertising platform that powers in-feed native ads for publishers like Forbes, Time, and CBS and enables marketers like Coca-Cola and P&G to programmatically distribute branded content at scale. He dropped out of the Stanford Masters program to start Sharethrough and went on to popularize the term “native advertising” in 2008 and now serves as Chair of the IAB Native Ad Committee. He has been named to Ad Age’s 40 Under 40, Forbes 30 Under 30, Inc.’s 35 Under 35 Founders List, and honored as an Ad Age Media Maven. Episode Highlights “I have money and can steal time” is an advertising approach that’s fading. Dan notes that native advertising is more human as it demands mutual respect between the consumer and the brand. When building a business becomes a movement. “This seed of an academic idea (respectful, human advertising) turned into a business and that turned into a movement,” says Dan. The rest is native advertising history. How to create a movement. Dan was quick to stress that this doesn’t happen on its own. “It starts with conviction. It starts with community.” He then went on to reverse engineer the process behind how this happened in the native advertising movement: Live in the future Find conviction Name it and frame it Help other people find it Speaking of the future, we also did a lot of talking about Web 3. Do yourself a favor and listen to the whole episode but Dan notes that Web 3 will be “owned by users, not the platforms.” What brand has made Dan smile recently? In keeping with our Web 3 theme, Dan pointed to Gary Vaynerchuk and the engaging, human content he creates as a brand that’s made him smile. To learn more about Dan, follow him on Twitter and check out the Sharethrough website.

How Native Ads Build Better Brands with Dan Greenberg

“The pandemic has forced brands to change the way they communicate and the way they operate.” As a research professor, author, and VP at Ipsos, Emmanuel Probst spends a lot of time studying, teaching, and writing about consumer behavior. His latest update to Brand Hacks provides brand builders with a useful compass for navigating the increasingly challenging world we find ourselves in. We discussed all of this and more this week on the On Brand podcast. About Emmanuel Probst Dr. Emmanuel Probst’s background combines over 15 years of market research and marketing experience with strong academic achievements. As Senior Vice President at Ipsos, Emmanuel supports his clients by providing them with a full understanding of their customer’s journey. His experience spans a wide range of industries, including consumer packaged goods, retail, financial services, advertising agencies, and media outlets. He is the author of the upcoming book Brand Hacks: How to Build Brands by Fulfilling the Consumer Quest for Meaning (September 2021). Dr. Probst teaches Consumer Market Research at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). Emmanuel holds an MBA in Marketing from the University of Hull, United Kingdom and a Doctorate in Consumer Psychology from Nottingham Trent University, United Kingdom. Episode Highlights What does the ongoing global pandemic mean for brands? “Everything has changed and nothing has changed.” Brands are still focused on the quest for meaning. What has changed specifically? “What has changed is how we deliver our brands to our customers. The world now is hybrid—or else.” Brands need to demonstrate their purpose. “You need to demonstrate purpose instead of just talking about it,” says Emmanuel. “Brands like Patagonia and National Geographic are built around purpose.” But, he notes, tech brands like Google and Apple are starting to retool around purpose. What brand has made Emmanuel smile recently? In keeping with our theme of brand meaning and purpose, Emmanuel pointed to the (long overdue) rebranding campaign of Ben's Original, formerly Uncle Ben's. This is another example of a brand walking its talk. To learn more about Emmanuel, check out his book Brand Hacks on Amazon, the useful resources on the Ipsos website, as well as Emmanuel's own site. As We Wrap … Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. On Brand is sponsored by my book Brand Now. Discover the seven dynamics to help your brand stand out in our crowded, distracted world. Order now and get special digital extras. Learn more. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to Apple Podcasts and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And, if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

What the Pandemic Means for Brands with Emmanuel Probst

“Storytelling is in the air for business but why is that? Why is it so important?” These questions and more were at the very heart of my interview with Norman Bell, author of The Story Powered Speaker, this week on the On Brand podcast! About Norman Bell Norman Bell is a storytelling and presentation coach, award-winning speaker, theater and film actor, and author of the book, The Story Powered Speaker: How to Own the Stage, Enchant your Audience, and Grow Your Business Using the Magical Power of Storytelling. Norman is passionate about helping purpose-driven entrepreneurs and organizations communicate their stories and messages more effectively so that they connect with their audiences on an emotional level, which leads to more clients, more donations, and more impact. Episode Highlights Where do you start with storytelling? Norman often asks his workshop attendees to start with their why—their origin story. “I focus on telling stories on stage but it applies to all channels.” The trouble with business stories. Norman notes that we get business stories wrong a lot of the time. “Are your business success stories really stories? They have the word story in them but we spend most of our time on the solution—on our features, benefits.” Norman went on to tell us about the power of conflict in the stories that we love. If Star Wars was a business story ... as further proof that business focuses too much on the solution, Norman sketched out the business-story version of Star Wars (1977), which would be 80% medal ceremony rather than the final five minutes of the movie that it actually is. What brand has made Norman smile recently? He gave us two. First up, Tom's of Maine. Norman likes the daily reminder on his toothpaste to “Do a little good today.” Plus, as Norman noted, Tom's walks the talk. He also talked about Simone Biles's courage for taking a stand for her own mental health at the Olympics. Brave stories all the way around. To learn more about Norman, check out his website, StoryPoweredSpeaker.com. He also provided his email at the end of the interview for getting a free PDF of his book! As We Wrap … Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. On Brand is sponsored by my book Brand Now. Discover the seven dynamics to help your brand stand out in our crowded, distracted world. Order now and get special digital extras. Learn more. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to Apple Podcasts and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And, if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

Why Conflict Is Critical in Storytelling with Norman Bell

“Consumers seek authenticity and they’re getting better at weeding out the greenwashing the brands that don’t have the people, story, and heritage behind them.” As the Vice President of Innovation at green cleaning brand ECOS, Jenna Arkin’s work sits at the intersection between science and creativity. This week on the On Brand podcast, she joined us for a discussion on this innovative brand’s story, differentiation, communicating science, and more. About Jenna Arkin Jenna Arkin, Vice President of Innovation at ECOS, uses her unique background in both chemistry and design to innovate safer, more effective formulations and compelling packaging designs for the ECOS product lines. She also leads the ECOS partnership with the U.S. EPA’s Safer Choice program, a third-party certification that helps consumers choose products made with safer chemical ingredients without sacrificing quality or performance. As the Vice President of Innovation, Jenna brings a novel combination of passionate scientist and creative professional to solve modern green chemistry problems and move the cleaning industry toward a more sustainable future. Episode Highlights What led Jenna to the intersection of science and creativity? “Curiosity! And staying curious. It’s never one thing,” Jenna shared. A new digital home. In the midst of the pandemic, while ECOS remained open, they reimagined their digital home at ECOS.com. “Ecos actually means home in Greek.” How does ECOS communicate science in a simple, effective way? “It’s one of my greatest passions. You have to give consumers enough information to make informed decisions,” Jenna noted. “I like to say, it’s not rocket science—it’s soap science.” What brand has made Jenna smile recently? Jenna pointed us to Ritual vitamins, particularly because of the experience she had once she got the product. “I think a lot about the first physical interaction.” To learn more about Jenna, check out the ECOS website—especially Jenna’s clean chemistry section!

Branding Through Science and Story with Jenna Arkin

“Influencers take the power out of the hands of those who used to tell us what we should like and not like. You've divested power to those bold enough to go online and share their stories.” From the College of Influence to his Normalize Equality initiative, teaching and managing the power of digital influence is at the heart of Kyle Hjelmeseth's work at G&B digital management. We discussed all of this and more on this week's episode of the On Brand podcast. About Kyle Hjelmeseth Kyle Hjelmeseth is the Founder and CEO of top-tier talent management agency G&B, which houses both the College of Influence and the Normalize Equality initiative. A self-made minority business owner, Hjelmeseth brings the full extent of his experience living as a half black, half white male to his work building media momentum around messages of diversity and inclusivity with his trademark solutions-driven attitude. Under his leadership, G&B has successfully re-invented the talent management world with integrity while creating a refreshingly diverse company culture, serving more than 60 exclusive clients with a powerfully inclusive ethos that transforms influencers into influential people. Episode Highlights Being an influencer vs. being an influential person. There's a big difference, which Kyle unpacked for us at the top of the show. “It's about building a business that lasts over time. Not just the next 100 followers.” Enter the College of Influence ... We're big fans of strong brand names here on the On Brand podcast. As such, I couldn't wait to ask Kyle about the College of Influence at G&B. “I have a strong connection to education and wanted to reinforce that with our name.” Diversity and inclusivity: Keeping the momentum going. Building on his lived experience as a self-made minority business owner, Kyle leads G&B's Normalize Equality initiative. Following last year's summer of social justice, we've seen a lot of box-checking, however, Kyle is quick to note the need for ongoing momentum. That's why he cited Netflix's ongoing work giving voice to diverse stories. What brand has made Kyle smile recently? “I actually call it a spice lifestyle brand ...” And with that, Kyle introduced us to Fly by Jing spices—who not only made Kyle smile, it made him wear the brand as well! To learn more about Kyle, check out the G&B website and contact him through the form.  As We Wrap … Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. On Brand is sponsored by my book Brand Now. Discover the seven dynamics to help your brand stand out in our crowded, distracted world. Order now and get special digital extras. Learn more. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to Apple Podcasts and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And, if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

Building an Influential Brand with Kyle Hjelmeseth

“I’ve been completely obsessed with this—not only how do we prove the ROI of these specific experiential programs but how do we do it at scale.” Jonathan Yaffe was one of the first marketing hires at Red Bull following the brand’s entry into the U.S. market. His first task? Quantifying their experiential marketing efforts. Today he does this for numerous brands through his company AnyRoad. We discussed all of this and more on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast. About Jonathan Yaffe Jonathan Yaffe is the CEO and Co-Founder of AnyRoad (hailed one of Marc Benioff’s best investments), a data and analytics platform that powers the data behind many of the Fortune 2000’s offline experiences, including Absolut, the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, Michaels Arts & Crafts, Honda, Diageo, Peet’s Coffee & Tea, and the Golden State Warriors. Jonathan began his career in experiential marketing at Red Bull, and holds a degree in Cognitive Science from the University of California Berkeley. Episode Highlights “Experiential marketing is all about the brand—about causing emotions in customers,” Jonathan shared, adding: “And nothing is able to create these emotions at the level that experiences are.” Measuring the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. While I haven’t traveled as much of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail as I’d like to (yet!), I do have a passport. As this brand experience is an AnyRoad client, Jonathan shared how and why measuring this experience is critical. “You visit a distillery and all of a sudden it becomes their favorite brand based on that experience.” “The world of experiential marketing has been data-less,” explains Jonathan noting that many brands like cola companies are still doing taste tests and counting smiles! Jonathan’s company AnyRoad—an Experience Relationship Management or ERM company—certainly sounds like a better road. “We measure anything that changes behavior.” Speaking of smiles … What brand has made Jonathan smile recently? “I smile all the time,” Jonathan began. However, he found himself smiling ear to ear recently due to Lego’s exceptional work developing new products and experiences around their adult customers or AFOLs (Adult Fans of Lego). He also shared that Red Bull called their core customers PINOEs (People In Need of Energy). Naming your core customers can help you get even more specific with your branding efforts. To learn more about Jonathan, check out the AnyRoad website and follow him on Twitter.

Measuring Experiential Marketing with Jonathan Yaffe

“There was a big group of people who were able to fare very well during this time and it was those who took action.” As CEO of Consulting Success, Michael Zipursky has worked with hundreds of clients across industries on overcoming the chaos and uncertainty this past year has presented. We discussed how brands can plan, pivot, and take action this week on the On Brand podcast. About Michael Zipursky Michael Zipursky is the CEO of Consulting Success® and Coach to Consultants. He has advised organizations like Financial Times, Dow Jones, RBC, and helped Panasonic launch new products into global markets, but more importantly, he’s helped over 500 consultants from around the world in over 75 industries add 6 and 7 figures to their annual revenues. Over 35,000 consultants read his weekly consulting newsletter. Michael is also the author of the Amazon Best Sellers ACT NOW: How successful consultants thrive during chaos and uncertainty, The Elite Consulting Mind and Consulting Success®, the book. Episode Highlights How do you prepare for chaos and uncertainty? Michael pointed out that, while we've all had to do this over the past year, this is often the case regardless of whether or not we're grappling with a global pandemic. Most are always dealing with chaos and uncertainty, whether from economic or geopolitical challenges. Who thrives in uncertain times? “We did a 2,800-consultant survey,” Michael shared, to get at this very question. First, they found that those who had an accurate assessment of their strengths and weaknesses thrived. “Those who were prepared—those who had a plan.” It all comes down to knowing your people, your community—building a list. But what if your list sucks? How can you fix it? “Start,” says Michael. You can't be afraid of the vanity metrics you see and the size of other lists out there. How do you start? Ask yourself: “What do they (your customers/community) most want?” Then spend your resources driving people to this lead magnet or opt-in. “It's not just about attracting the most people. It's about attracting the right people.” What brand has made Michael smile recently? Amazon! While this mega-brand can be challenging to some, Michael cited how responsive their customer service has been—even over the phone! To learn more about Michael and access free resources, go to consultingsuccess.com.   As We Wrap … Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. On Brand is sponsored by my book Brand Now. Discover the seven dynamics to help your brand stand out in our crowded, distracted world. Order now and get special digital extras. Learn more. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to Apple Podcasts and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And, if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

How Brands Can Overcome Chaos with Michael Zipursky

“If you look at designing a brand logo in a visual form, there’s an infinite amount of material. With sonic branding, you have no choice but to create your own playbook. You need to understand the impact that sound has on people’s emotions.” Sonic branding was one of the many marketing and media disruptions I discussed this week with Raja Rajamannar, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer for Mastercard and author of the new book Quantum Marketing. About Raja Rajamannar Raja Rajamannar is Chief Marketing & Communications Officer for Mastercard and president of the company’s healthcare business. He also serves as president of the World Federation of Advertisers. With more than 30 years as a global executive, Raja has held C-level roles at firms ranging from Anthem to Humana and has overseen the successful evolution of Mastercard’s identity for the digital age, from its Priceless experiential platforms to marketing-led business models. His work has been featured by Harvard Business School and Yale School of management case studies and taught at more than 40 top management schools around the world. Raja earned an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management and a Bachelor of Technology degree from Omania University. He’s also the author of the new book Quantum Marketing: Mastering the New Marketing Mindset for Tomorrow’s Consumers. Episode Highlights “This has been the most disruptive year for every single company including Mastercard.” And every sector that Mastercard works with has been affected differently. For example, e-commerce has been booming while airlines have frozen. “When revenue is under pressure, marketing dollars are restrained.” With smart speakers, we have to get past the tech and embrace sonic branding. “If you look at designing a brand logo in a visual form, there’s an infinite amount of material. With sonic branding, you have no choice but to create your own playbook. You need to understand the impact that sound has on people’s emotions.” As Raja points out, Alexa and Google only know the top brands. “You have to get past these new gatekeepers and influencers.” Speaking of visual brand identity, what went into dropping the brand name from the Mastercard logo? “We did a lot of research and testing first,” Raja shared. First, they answered the question of why they were proposing this. “The space for our brands to show up today—mostly digital screens—is getting smaller and smaller.” They also tested who could identify the brand without the words and found that 84% globally could still identify Mastercard. What brand has made Raja smile recently? Raja told us a tale of how Burger King made him smile by embracing another disruptive technology—geofencing—to poke at their competitor McDonalds. To learn more, go to quantummarketing.com and connect with Raja on LinkedIn. As We Wrap … Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. On Brand is sponsored by my book Brand Now. Discover the seven dynamics to help your brand stand out in our crowded, distracted world. Order now and get special digital extras. Learn more. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to Apple Podcasts and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And, if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

Sonic Branding with Mastercard's Raja Rajamannar

“Marketing's most fundamental role is understanding markets and consumers better than anyone else around. This past year has allowed us to pause and realign.” Engelina Jaspers has built her career around inflection points in periods of change. The author of the book Marketing Flexology, Engelina stopped by the On Brand podcast this week to share how we can all future proof both our marketing and our careers. Check it out! About Engelina Jaspers Over a rewarding 30-year corporate career, Engelina Jaspers experienced revolving-door CEOs, business course corrections, and lots of reinventions. Across all her VP leadership roles — marketing, brand strategy, environmental sustainability, corporate communications — none escaped disruption. After being tapped to lead multiple company-wide transformations, Engelina became a student and teacher of marketing and career agility. These experiences led her to develop the MARKETING FLEXOLOGY Management Framework — a mindset and a toolset for future-proofing your career, your team, and your marketing platform. Engelina shares marketing agility know-how in her book Marketing Flexology, presentations, and workshops so you, too, can anticipate and prosper from unplanned change. Episode Highlights “A renaissance.” Engelina and I kicked off the conversation with a discussion on the challenges of this past year. “It’s really been a renaissance—a return to marketing fundamentals. This past year has made us pause and realign.” The art and science of marketing. “People talk about the art and science of marketing all the time—I just Googled it yesterday.” As Engelina notes, this has led to an internal tug of war on brand vs. demand. “Forget that. Focus instead on insight and agility.” Prioritizing your focus. Engelina noted that too many practice “me-dership” instead of leadership by focusing on their careers instead of their team, their people, and the customers and business. She advises marketers to think first about the business with a customer mindset. From there, look at what it means to your team and then, finally, consider you and your role. And consider the potential of saying “Yes” to the unexpected especially in your career. What brand has made Engelina smile recently? Prior to the show, Engelina wondered if past guests had brought up her smile-inducing brand, Patagonia, before. While other guests have indeed mentioned Patagonia on the show through the years it’s because this brand is constantly innovating and finding new ways to walk the talk. For example, this week Engelina shared that they’re no longer adding logos to their “power vests” (a staple of Wall Street and Silicon Valley wardrobes). The reason? They found it decreases the life of the vest as people move from job to job. And Patagonia is all about sustainability and making clothes that last and can be used longer. To learn more, check out Engelina's Marketing Flexology website. As We Wrap … Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. On Brand is sponsored by my book Brand Now. Discover the seven dynamics to help your brand stand out in our crowded, distracted world. Order now and get special digital extras. Learn more. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to Apple Podcasts and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And, if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

Future-Proof Your Marketing with Engelina Jaspers

“When you used to think about branding, you’d be thinking about advertising. Now it’s about building trust.” This week on the On Brand podcast, I welcomed back Aimee Irwin from Experian Marketing Services. Since we last spoke way back in 2019, the world has been dealing with the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic. As a result, consumer behavior has changed in ways marketers need to know about. Aimee breaks it down this week on the show. Enjoy! About Aimee Irwin Aimee Irwin serves as VP of Strategy and Partnerships at Experian Marketing Services. Aimee is a skilled strategy and corporate development executive with deep experience in digital marketing and advertising and track record of success in developing and building profitable new digital and mobile businesses at both early-stage and public companies. Aimee led strategic partnerships and strategic initiatives for Nielsen’s Marketing Cloud where she negotiated and managed strategic data and identity management partnerships supporting Nielsen’s data targeting and marketing effectiveness businesses. Aimee also served as SVP of Strategy and Partnerships at Verve Mobile, a leading location-based mobile advertising platform. At Verve, Aimee developed and led Verve’s mobile application business and inventory partnerships with hundreds of media companies. Prior to Verve, Aimee was VP of Strategy and Corporate Development at AOL, where she was responsible for strategic planning, mergers and acquisitions, and strategic partnerships for AOL’s advertising businesses. Previously, Aimee held executive positions at several successful internet and mobile companies including Lightningcast, an Internet video advertising company now part of AOL, Leap Wireless, a large U.S. wireless carrier and Backwire, an internet and mobile marketing company acquired by Leap. Aimee started her career in consulting with KPMG and Bain and Company. Aimee has a BS from Georgetown University and an MBA from Kellogg. Episode Highlights How can brands build trust for consumers impacted by COVID-19? “The consumer has to be at the heart of your strategy. There has to be an appropriate value exchange that happens there in terms of the data collected and consumer control.” What are some examples of brands using smart data? Aimee joked that Amazon is a great example but isn’t a great case study as they “collect lots of data from their customers through several interactions.” She then went on to highlight some innovative things Nordstrom and DSW are doing. What’s one thing marketers can do right now to move the needle? Once again, Aimee reminded us all to develop customer-focused strategies. What brand has made Aimee smile recently? She shared a story about how something as simple as a gift card in the mail from American Express made her day. The little things matter. To learn more, go to Audiences @ Experian Marketing Services. As We Wrap … Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. On Brand is sponsored by my book Brand Now. Discover the seven dynamics to help your brand stand out in our crowded, distracted world. Order now and get special digital extras. Learn more. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to Apple Podcasts and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And, if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

Using Smart Data to Fill Brand Gaps with Aimee Irwin

“Agile marketing is all about speed, transparency, and iteration.” In the face of a global pandemic, brand builders and marketers have relied increasingly on eCommerce partners like Amazon. This can make it challenging to build seamless experiences and brand trust. That's where Scrum50 comes in. I talked to Director of Product Strategy Brian Gioia about all of this and more on this week's episode of the On Brand podcast. About Brian Gioia Brian Gioia is the Director of Product Strategy on the E-Business team at Scrum50, the first born-agile agency. Brian’s career has been focused on connecting dots for his clients and helping them solve their greatest digital marketing and eCommerce challenges. Prior to joining Scrum50, Brian worked for Accenture in its Digital Marketing practice, where he helped his clients transform themselves in order to communicate and transact with consumers through new, digital channels. So, when the opportunity arose to join Scrum50’s e-business practice in 2019, he jumped on it. Brian found a natural home at Scrum50 with its creative and strategic polymaths. In his current role, Brian helps brands come to life on eCommerce channels and does his best to continue learning as fast as the world of eCommerce changes. Episode Highlights So, what is a polymath anyway? “A polymath is a jack of all trades,” Brian noted, adding that marketers with more general skills can be useful in today's rapidly changing digital marketing ecosystem. What is agile marketing all about? Brian summed it up with three key traits/benefits on what this means at Scrum50: Speed Transparency Iteration What are some of the biggest shifts marketers are seeing today? Brian pointed to the emergence of Amazon as a brand breaking up the advertising duopoly of Google and Facebook. Where should marketers begin? Brian notes that paid search is still best. What brand has made Brian smile recently? Like many during the pandemic, Brian has been looking to entertain his family. He and his four-year-old have consistently turned to Lego to do that. Talk about a brand that delivers on its promise! To learn more, connect with Brian on LinkedIn and check out the Scrum50 website. As We Wrap … Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. On Brand is sponsored by my book Brand Now. Discover the seven dynamics to help your brand stand out in our crowded, distracted world. Order now and get special digital extras. Learn more. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to Apple Podcasts and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And, if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

Agile Marketing in Changing Times with Brian Gioia

“As branders, the word soup is absolutely unbelievable.” Words matter. And if you like words as much as Katie Burkhart and I both do, you’ll love this week’s episode. We discuss defining, refining, and developing your brand’s purpose, mission, vision, and more. What do all of these labels mean and how can they help you and your brand? Listen to Katie and learn. Enjoy This Episode Now Download Episode Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify About Katie Burkhart Katie Burkhart is on a mission to move purpose from aspirational messaging to tangible business practice by making the purpose-driven model more accessible and actionable. She started by founding Matter 7, which has built purpose-driven brands for almost a decade. More recently, she launched MatterPulse, which helps organizations run and grow against the double bottom line. Her latest project, MatterLogic, outlines what it means to be purpose-driven and how to operationalize your purpose, solidly moving purpose from brand to business strategy. Episode Highlights What does it mean for a brand to have a purpose? Katie walked us through her five-part system. Purpose-driven brands must have: Purpose Mission Vision Values Story or strategic narrative How do you find these pieces of your brand? “It’s all about refine, define, and develop,” Katie shared as she built on this further. Is purpose-driven branding easier for nonprofits? This was a question I’d recently gotten from one of Katie’s client’s—the smart folks at Kids’ Chance where I served as keynote speaker at their national conference. “That depends,” cautioned Katie. “How semantic do you want to get. A lot of nonprofits have a mission but not a purpose.” What brand has made Katie smile recently? Katie told about a very purposeful smile she’d had in response to a recent takeout order from American Joe’s Bar and Grill. The power of the hand-written note prevails! To learn more, check out Katie’s website (and her newsletter there) and connect with her on LinkedIn. As We Wrap … Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. On Brand is sponsored by my book Brand Now. Discover the seven dynamics to help your brand stand out in our crowded, distracted world. Order now and get special digital extras. Learn more. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to Apple Podcasts and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And, if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

How to Build a Purpose-Driven Brand with Katie Burkhart

“Every day we spend with our fellow human beings, we can contribute to making their life a little bit better—making them a little bit smarter, a little bit more thoughtful, and so on—or not.” It’s rare that a single guest has appeared three times on the On Brand podcast. However, when Tom Peters calls and wants to talk about empathy and extreme humanism in the middle of one of the most challenging times in work and life, you answer the call. I’m thrilled to share my most recent conversation with Tom Peters on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast. About Tom Peters Called “the Red Bull of management consultants,” Tom Peters is a leading business management guru and founder of the Tom Peters Company. He continues to be in constant demand for lectures and seminars. In 2017, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Thinkers50 and the Jack Covert Award for Contribution to the Business Book Industry from 800-CEO-READ. Peters is the bestselling author of seventeen books, including In Search of Excellence (with Robert H. Waterman, Jr.), which is often cited as among the best business books ever written. These tumultuous times demand deep engagement, human connection, and, yes, Excellence. In response, Tom has launched his Excellence Now campaign, which includes a trio of tools designed to help you and your team take action. Episode Highlights “We (management gurus) are carrying a sin around on our shoulders. We behave as if the Fortune 500 is the economy.” In fact, this over-indexed group is only a microcosm of the jobs in the modern world of work. Furthermore, when it comes to impact, Tom stressed the importance of what local small businesses can do. TTDN–Things To Do Now. This feature pops up in Tom’s new Excellence Now course but, as I reminded him, it was a big part of the Tom Peters Seminar cassette tapes I listened to on my way to my first post-college job. (“How old are you?!?” Tom jokingly asked me.) So what’s one thing listeners should do now? “Know your people. Really know them.” Resume values vs. eulogy values. One topic we kept coming back to was David Brooks’ philosophy on resume values vs. eulogy values. “Hard is soft and soft is hard.” We came back to this oldie/goodie once again as well. Why is Tom still talking about all of this? This simple quote provides an answer. What brand has made Tom smile recently? Tom shared a remarkable experience he had during a visit to the town hall in his hometown of Dartmouth, Massachusetts. “They were decent—they were the human face of the town.” To learn more, go to tompeters.com and excellencenow.com. As We Wrap … Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. On Brand is sponsored by my book Brand Now. Discover the seven dynamics to help your brand stand out in our crowded, distracted world. Order now and get special digital extras. Learn more. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to Apple Podcasts and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And, if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

Tom Peters on Practicing Extreme Humanism

“There’s been a big change in how businesses went to market.” Through a storied career that has taken her from Netscape to Salesforce to Oracle, Bonnie Crater gave use some important context in how brand building for B2B tech brands has evolved in the valley and beyond. She also stressed the ongoing importance of experimentation and optimization. We discussed all of this and more this week on the On Brand podcast. About Bonnie Crater Prior to joining Full Circle Insights, Bonnie Crater was a five-time vice president of marketing and executive at many software companies in Silicon Valley. Bonnie held vice president and senior vice president roles at Genesys, Netscape, Network Computer Inc., salesforce.com, Stratify, Realization, and VoiceObjects (now Voxeo). A ten-year veteran of Oracle Corporation and its various subsidiaries, Bonnie was vice president, Compaq Products Division, and Vice President, Workgroup Products Division. In 2013, Bonnie was named one of the “100 Most Influential Women” by the Silicon Valley Business Journal, in 2015 the Sales Lead Management Association named her one of the “20 Women to Watch” and in 2016 Diversity Journal honored her as one of the “Women Worth Watching.” Bonnie holds a B.A. in biology from Princeton University. Episode Highlights “If you’re not experimenting, your marketing is probably going to get worse.” While most marketers and brand builders agree that experimentation is a good thing, few put this into practice in a consistent way. That’s why Bonnie advises, “20% of your marketing should be experimentation.” Agile + brand management? Bonnie’s work at Full Circle Insights sits at this intersection. “Our software is designed to help marketers optimize their mix.” “Most companies don’t measure enough.” Bonnie shared her thoughts on how measuring what matters supports ongoing optimization efforts. While there are countless metrics marketers can follow, Bonnie points to “measuring processes and budget effectiveness” as those most useful in optimization. What brand has made Bonnie smile recently? Our closing podcast question actually made the conversation for Bonnie’s family dinner the night before. While Bonnie pointed to Grisini as a brand that made her smile, the whole family loves the brand of Dog Whisperer Caesar Milan. To learn more, go to the Full Circle Insights website. As We Wrap … Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. On Brand is sponsored by my book Brand Now. Discover the seven dynamics to help your brand stand out in our crowded, distracted world. Order now and get special digital extras. Learn more. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to Apple Podcasts and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And, if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

Optimizing Your Marketing Mix with Bonnie Crater

On Brand is a podcast about the art and science of brand building. Each week host Nick Westergaard of Brand Driven Digital interviews thought leaders or those working for innovative brands like Ben & Jerry’s, Maker’s Mark, the Minnesota Vikings, The Onion, Salesforce, and Whole Foods. For show notes and more, please visit http://onbrandpodcast.com.