Scaling a truly bold brand identity: Scott Smith, Intercom

In this episode of The Changemakers, which was recorded as part of our virtual summit Bring Your Own Bold, Dave Corlett sits down with Scott Smith, Creative Director at Intercom, to dive deep into a critical question for B2B scale-ups: How do you build and scale a brand identity that’s truly bold?

Scott, a champion of exceptional creative vision, unpacks the secrets behind Intercom's award-winning identity.

Together they unpack:

• How the Creative Studio operates as an in-house agency, starting every project by asking: How can we execute this in the most exceptional creative way possible?
• The system for scaling a complex brand identity across all touchpoints, using the "brand matrix" to push the boundaries creatively while still ensuring a through-line.
• The importance of leading by example in a creative studio and how Scott fosters a culture of high engagement and serious, fun work.
• How Intercom’s C-suite acts as a creative partner, riffing with the team to shape a vision where the final creative work is often stronger than the initial idea.

This conversation is full of tips for any marketing or creative leader ready to embrace a philosophy of constant change and craft a sophisticated brand that stands out from the crowd.

Listen now 🎧

Timestamps

02:03: Brand is a galaxy, the antithesis of a brand-in-a-box.

03:36: Brand idea: Customer service changes everything. Change is key.

05:25: How to execute in the most exceptional creative way possible.

06:38: The "super bloom" creative concept for the Pioneer event.

12:28: Scaling the complex brand using the strategic "Brand Matrix."

12:56: Ace the Basics: The fallback brand skeleton when moving fast.

17:15: The best job part: Team creative is stronger than initial vision.

21:30: Creative leadership tenants: Early is on time, lead by example.

23:13: Creative team is the example for company operations, not the exception.

Send us a message if you enjoyed this episode

If you enjoy the chats then there are more ways to quench your thirst for creative inspiration in the world of B2B tech.

👉 Watch episodes on YouTube
👉 Follow us on LinkedIn for regular snippets in your feed
👉 Visit our website for more in-depth thinking on topics
👉 Subscribe to Beyond our monthly collection of insight, opinion and inspiration

And finally please rate our podcast on Apple if you enjoyed it!

✌️