JUST Branding
JUST Branding - by Jacob Cass & Matt Davies
The JUST Branding Podcast, hosted by Jacob Cass & Matt Davies, is the only podcast dedicated to helping designers & entrepreneurs grow brands.
Each episode goes deep into the details of the brand building process, with professional insights, actionable tips and resources to help you build better brands.
The focus is on helping designers & entrepreneurs bridge the gap between strategy and design. Branding professionals from around the world join Jacob & Matt in discussing the benefits of brand strategy, top tools, how to sell strategy, brand purpose, brand positioning, neuroscience, brand personality, messaging, storytelling, brand naming, tag lines, logo design, brand identity design and brand experience.
ABOUT JACOB CASS
Jacob Cass is a Sydney-based designer & strategist who runs JUST Creative, an award-winning branding & design firm that doubles as an industry leading blog. Jacob helps brands grow & get results by crafting distinctive logos & brand identities that are backed by a solid brand strategy.
He recently rebranded San Francisco and Puerto Rico, and also branded New York's Digital District. Other clients have included the likes of Disney, Nintendo and Jerry Seinfeld. Jacob has spoken at TEDx, been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur and has been awarded LinkedIn’s “Best of” for branding.
For him, design is a lifelong journey of continuously honing his craft, as well as educating other fellow designers & business owners to build on theirs, which has allowed him to build a large and loyal following, including his website which has been been viewed over 50 million times. Jacob is an avid traveler and has traveled to 87 countries.
ABOUT MATT DAVIES
Matt is a brand strategy specialist working with leaders to align around their brand and get it ready to connect deeply with those inside and outside of their organisations. His work enables you to grow your business faster and easier. Matt solves a variety of brand challenges, from strategy and positioning to naming and identity right through to company culture and product innovation.
Each episode goes deep into the details of the brand building process, with professional insights, actionable tips and resources to help you build better brands.
The focus is on helping designers & entrepreneurs bridge the gap between strategy and design. Branding professionals from around the world join Jacob & Matt in discussing the benefits of brand strategy, top tools, how to sell strategy, brand purpose, brand positioning, neuroscience, brand personality, messaging, storytelling, brand naming, tag lines, logo design, brand identity design and brand experience.
ABOUT JACOB CASS
Jacob Cass is a Sydney-based designer & strategist who runs JUST Creative, an award-winning branding & design firm that doubles as an industry leading blog. Jacob helps brands grow & get results by crafting distinctive logos & brand identities that are backed by a solid brand strategy.
He recently rebranded San Francisco and Puerto Rico, and also branded New York's Digital District. Other clients have included the likes of Disney, Nintendo and Jerry Seinfeld. Jacob has spoken at TEDx, been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur and has been awarded LinkedIn’s “Best of” for branding.
For him, design is a lifelong journey of continuously honing his craft, as well as educating other fellow designers & business owners to build on theirs, which has allowed him to build a large and loyal following, including his website which has been been viewed over 50 million times. Jacob is an avid traveler and has traveled to 87 countries.
ABOUT MATT DAVIES
Matt is a brand strategy specialist working with leaders to align around their brand and get it ready to connect deeply with those inside and outside of their organisations. His work enables you to grow your business faster and easier. Matt solves a variety of brand challenges, from strategy and positioning to naming and identity right through to company culture and product innovation.
Episodes
Mentioned books
12 snips
Feb 11, 2025 • 56min
S06.EP02 - Building Influence: How to Authentically Build Trust, Drive Change, and Make an Impact with Lida Citroën
Lida Citroën, an award-winning expert in reputation management and author of The New Rules of Influence, shares her insights on building trust and authentic influence. She discusses how the landscape of leadership is shifting, emphasizing the importance of genuine connections. Lida presents a 10-step process for influencers and highlights the role of storytelling in creating impactful relationships. Tune in for actionable strategies to boost confidence and lead with purpose in today's evolving world.
5 snips
Feb 2, 2025 • 56min
S06.EP01 - How to Go From Bland to Brand with Steve Noss of Cooper Parry
Steve Noss, the Head of Creative at Cooper Parry, is the creative mind transforming accounting into a vibrant brand. He shares insights on how culture and authenticity can revolutionize a traditionally bland industry. From adopting innovative workplace policies like unlimited holidays to emphasizing customer centricity, Cooper Parry stands out as a rebel in accountancy. Noss also discusses the importance of aligning brand image with company values, all while creating a fun and engaging company culture that attracts top talent.
14 snips
Dec 26, 2024 • 51min
Best of 2024 (Season 5) with Jacob Cass & Matt Davies
Join hosts Jacob Cass and Matt Davies as they highlight the best insights from 2024’s top branding experts on Just Branding.
👉 Learn more: https://justcreative.com/podcast
This episode features the brightest minds, including Byron Sharp, Andy Raskin, Alex Smith, Alexandra Watkins, Tom Roach, Nick Asbury, Maria Brasil, and more.
From brand positioning models to strategic narratives, purpose-driven branding, and the future of strategy, we explore actionable advice and thought-provoking ideas to help you grow your brand.
Discover:
• Differentiation vs. distinctiveness
• Humour in branding
• Brand naming secrets
• Streamlined strategy frameworks
Whether you’re a strategist, designer, or brand leader, this “best of” episode distills the key themes that shaped branding in 2024.
Tune in and get inspired!
10 snips
Dec 17, 2024 • 1h 7min
S05.EP20 - Bridging Strategy and Design with Richie Meldrum
Richie Meldrum, a distinguished brand strategist and educator, shares his journey from copywriting to impactful branding. He discusses the vital connection between strategy and design, emphasizing how aligned branding fosters cohesive identities. Richie's insights on collaborating effectively between designers and strategists are invaluable. He also explores the importance of understanding target audiences, the role of storytelling in brand identity, and the need for research in developing strong branding strategies.
8 snips
Dec 3, 2024 • 54min
S05.EP19 - Rethinking Brand Purpose with Nick Asbury
In this engaging discussion, Nick Asbury, a creative writer and branding expert known for his thought-provoking insights, critiques traditional purpose-driven marketing. He argues that brands often mishandle their ethical responsibilities, leading to unintended consequences. By examining Patagonia's unusual campaigns, he highlights the tension between business profit and environmental ethics. The conversation also emphasizes the importance of authenticity, community support, and the need for brands to adapt over time, blending creativity with genuine purpose.
20 snips
Nov 20, 2024 • 50min
S05.EP18 - Simplifying Strategy with Mark Pollard
Mark Pollard shares his journey from hip-hop to brand strategist, emphasizing the power of storytelling and empathy in brand narratives. He introduces a 4 Point Framework for creating simple, actionable strategies that resonate. The discussion delves into the balance of creativity and analysis, highlighting memorable campaigns. Challenges strategists face today, such as client skepticism and the need for innovative approaches, are explored. Insights into consumer connections and evolving industry dynamics round out this engaging conversation.
6 snips
Nov 6, 2024 • 34min
S05.EP17 - Humour in Branding with Paddy Gilmour
Join Paddy Gilmour, a branding expert who helps brands like Harley-Davidson and Epson harness humor in their communications. He reveals how humor can make brands more relatable and memorable. Discover the strategic application of humor in branding, including when and where it's most effective. Paddy shares his step-by-step guide to crafting humorous copy and highlights pitfalls to avoid. With real-world examples, he emphasizes that calculated risks in humor can lead to substantial rewards, enhancing customer experiences and brand affinity.
Oct 22, 2024 • 46min
S05.E16 - Brand & Performance Marketing with Tom Roach
Tom Roach, Vice President of Brand Strategy at Jellyfish, shares insights from his 20+ years in advertising. He tackles the balance between long-term brand building and short-term performance goals, urging marketers to blend creativity with measurable results. Roach explores the impact of generative AI in marketing, highlighting its potential while stressing the need for human oversight. He also discusses the evolving role of technology and social media in shaping effective brand strategies for a digital-first world.
Oct 9, 2024 • 1h 6min
S05.EP15 - Brand Positioning Models with Magdalena Adamska
In this episode, we sit down with Magdalena Adamska, founder of BrandStruck and a seasoned freelance strategist, to explore the world of brand positioning.
👉 Learn more: https://justcreative.com/podcast
We’ll start by getting to know Magda and how she founded BrandStruck, a platform dedicated to brand strategy insights. Then, we dive into the essentials of brand positioning—what it is, why it’s crucial for businesses, and how it helps shape a company’s market presence.
Magda shares insights into popular brand positioning models, weighing their pros and cons, and offering practical tips for selecting the right approach. We also discuss common mistakes businesses make when positioning their brands and how to avoid them.
Whether you’re building a brand or refining an existing one, this episode provides actionable strategies to position your brand effectively. Tune in to learn from an expert and discover where you can follow Magda for more branding wisdom!
Sep 18, 2024 • 52min
S05.EP14 - Brand Management with Raitis Velps
In this episode, we tackle the often-overlooked challenges of brand identity asset management and explore why traditional style guides might not be enough.
👉 Learn more: https://justcreative.com/podcast
Joined by Raitis Velps, we dive into the common pitfalls brands face, from outdated assets to inconsistent branding across platforms.
Discover how these issues can dilute brand perception and hurt performance in competitive markets.
We also examine where static brand guidelines fall short and introduce innovative tools like Corebook Studio, which offer dynamic, real-time solutions for modern brand management.
Learn how digital-first brand guidelines can streamline consistency, improve collaboration, and elevate your brand’s value.
Whether you’re an agency or a brand leader, this episode provides actionable insights to rethink how you manage brand assets in today’s fast-paced world.
Tune in and explore the future of brand management!
