On Brand with Nick Westergaard

Dan Zavorotny, co-founder and COO of Nutrisense, a metabolic health company, discusses the importance of owning your health. They focus on using glucose monitoring to inspire people to take control of their well-being. The brand's standout wearable devices serve as conversation starters. They also explore adjusting target markets and tailoring health strategies for personalized results.

Donna Griffit is a world-renowned Corporate Storyteller, pitch alchemist, and author of the bestseller Sticking to My Story. Based on 20 years of helping startups, her book and her work help founders and startups who find themselves stuck in telling their stories. We discussed all of this and more this week on the On Brand podcast.About Donna GriffitDonna Griffit, author of Sticking to My Story: The Alchemy Of Storytelling For Startups, is a world-renowned Corporate Storyteller and Pitch Alchemist. She has helped over 1000 startups, corporates and investors raise over one billion dollars and accelerate their sales with a personal touch and unmatched messaging savvy, in any industry, at any phase.Episode HighlightsWait—what is a “pitch alchemist”? I had to ask. “Taking one element and transforming it” as part of a larger brand story, Donna shared.What inspired Donna to write Sticking to My Story? “It was a book 20 years in the making. It’s what I’ve learned along the way. Stories stick. It’s that simple.”How gender dynamics play a role in personal branding and storytelling. “Women struggle when it comes to tooting their own horn as they’re seen as too assertive,” Donna notes. “But you have to toot your own horn.” The secret: “Back up the ‘toot’ with a fact.”What brand has made Donna smile recently? Donna shared a story on the occasion of Microsoft's 8th year anniversary of acquiring LinkedIn, which tied back to our earlier conversation when Donna noted that you should use your LinkedIn summary to tell a story.To learn more, please visit DonnaGriffit.com.As We Wrap … Listen and subscribe at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon/Audible, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, iHeart, YouTube, and RSS. Rate and review the show—If you like what you’re hearing, be sure to head over to Apple Podcasts and click the 5-star button to rate the show. And, if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review to help others find the show. 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 a part of the Marketing Podcast Network. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marcus Collins is head of strategy at Wieden+Kennedy New York and author of the new book For the Culture. In addition to his work as an award-winning marketer and cultural translator, he also teaches marketing at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. We discussed all of this and more this week on the On Brand podcast.About Marcus CollinsDr. Marcus Collins is an award-winning marketer and cultural translator. He currently serves as the head of strategy at Wieden+Kennedy New York and as a clinical assistant professor of marketing at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan. Prior to his advertising tenure, Marcus worked on iTunes + Nike sport music initiatives at Apple and ran digital strategy for Beyoncé. Marcus holds a doctorate in marketing from Temple University, where he studied social contagion and meaning-making. He received an MBA with an emphasis on strategic brand marketing from the University of Michigan, where he also earned his undergraduate degree in Material Science Engineering.Episode HighlightsWhat does a cultural translator do for brands? “My role is to translate the culture of a part of a group of people to a brand.” This draws on Marcus’s background as an engineer looking to build bridges of trust between culture and brands.“Trust is a mechanism that absorbs uncertainty.” This starts with answering questions about how a brand sees the world and the kinetics of how a brand moves through the world. As Marcus notes, “You gotta walk it like you talk it.”For the Culture is for the people. “It's not a marketing book. It's a people book,” Marcus shared as he explained the need for his new book. “You ask about culture and you’re going to get 35 different answers. We need better language.”Speaking of definitions and language ... I love Marcus’s definition of a brand. “A brand is a vessel of meaning. And that meaning is not fixed.”What brand has made Marcus smile recently? “It might be a bit of a chat as it's a client but I didn't work on it.” Marcus shared his love of the nostalgia evoked by McDonald's in their recent campaign celebrating Grimace’s birthday. Still no word yet on what Grimace is exactly ...To learn more, look for Marcus on all of the socials at “Marc to the C.” Here he is on LinkedIn and Instagram.As We Wrap … Listen and subscribe at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon/Audible, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, iHeart, YouTube, and RSS. Rate and review the show—If you like what you’re hearing, be sure to head over to Apple Podcasts and click the 5-star button to rate the show. And, if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review to help others find the show. 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 a part of the Marketing Podcast Network. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Annette Simmons is the author of several books including The Story Factor and Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins. Having read a lot of books about story, I can say that Annette is a leader in this area. That's why I was excited to chat with her about her work this week on the On Brand podcast.About Annette SimmonsAnnette Simmons is a vibrant keynote speaker, consultant, and author of four books: The Story Factor named one of The 100 Best Business Books of All Time, Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins, A Safe Place for Dangerous Truth (AMACOM, 1998), and Territorial Games: Understanding and Ending Turf Wars at Work.Annette started with a business degree from Louisiana State University in 1983, spent ten years in Australia in international business, attained an M.Ed. from NC State in 1994, and started Group Process Consulting in 1996. Annette is surprisingly honest, ferrets out hidden opportunities, joyfully takes risks, and tells a good story.Episode HighlightsA shared story. I began by sharing with Annette that we both have backgrounds in advertising. How did we both get into the business of story? “Advertising is the business of story,” Annette added. “If you like to entertain and influence you end up in advertising and you end up telling stories.”But that only works for so long. “Advertising felt empty after a while. The work of the team became more interesting to me. It's the story that everyone tells themselves that drives the behaviors of the group.”The practice of storytelling. I asked Annette about her two books on story — The Story Factor and Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins — and how they fit together. “I'm a practitioner. I only write about what I've tried and what works with groups.”What brand has made Annette smile recently? “I love gardening,” Annette shared. “The nursery just outside of town—they are just magic.”To learn more, check out Annette's website, and feel free to reach out via email (which she shared during the podcast).As We Wrap … Listen and subscribe at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon/Audible, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, iHeart, YouTube, and RSS. Rate and review the show—If you like what you’re hearing, be sure to head over to Apple Podcasts and click the 5-star button to rate the show. And, if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review to help others find the show. 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 a part of the Marketing Podcast Network. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe Pulizzi is the godfather of content marketing, having first mentioned the term in 2001. A serial entrepreneur, he's the founder of Content Marketing Institute and Content Marketing World as well as The Tilt and the Creator Economy Expo. We discussed as much of Joe's work as we could fit into a half-hour episode this week on the On Brand Podcast. About Joe PulizziJoe Pulizzi is the founder of multiple startups including content creator education site, The Tilt, the content entrepreneur event Creator Economy Expo (CEX), and is the bestselling author of seven books including Content Inc. and Epic Content Marketing, which was named a “Must-Read Business Book” by Fortune Magazine.Joe is best known for his work in content marketing, first using the term in 2001, then launching Content Marketing Institute and the Content Marketing World event. In 2014, he received the "Lifetime Achievement Award" by the Content Council. He successfully exited CMI in 2016 and consequently wrote an award-winning mystery novel, The Will to Die. He has two weekly podcasts, the motivational Content Inc. podcast, and the content news and analysis show This Old Marketing with Robert Rose.His foundation, The Orange Effect, delivers speech therapy and technology services to over 350 children in 35 states. Joe and his family live in Cleveland, Ohio.Episode HighlightsEvents are back! Kind of ... "I'm a connoisseur of events," Joe began. We discussed how events are back but not completely. "Full travel budgets are not there yet. People have kind of forgotten about events." But they shouldn't ...Creating super fans. "A content marketing organization is set up like a media company—you need two things. You need an amazing online presence and an in-person event. Look at Salesforce and Hubspot. Look at Adobe. Look at Red Bull! They all have in-person events. When people connect at your events you create super fans for your brand."What did Joe learn from writing a mystery novel? After selling CMI, Joe took a sabbatical and ultimately tackled an exciting new challenge—writing the mystery novel The Will to Die. What did it teach Joe? "First, everything needs to be entertaining—even B2B. Second, it's okay to play your hits." As marketers, we often think that once a blog post is written on a certain topic it's time to put it away. However, like a rock musician on tour, we need to remember to revisit our hits.What brand has made Joe smile recently? "That one's easy—The Savannah Bananas. I love everything they do—it all makes me smile."To learn more, go to joepulizzi.com, TheTilt.com, and CEX.events.As We Wrap … Listen and subscribe at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon/Audible, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, iHeart, YouTube, and RSS. Rate and review the show—If you like what you’re hearing, be sure to head over to Apple Podcasts and click the 5-star button to rate the show. And, if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review to help others find the show. 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 a part of the Marketing Podcast Network. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tristen Norman is Head of Creative Insights at Getty Images. Using both sides of her brain, she and her team help brands of all shapes and sizes bring their work to life in an increasingly visual world. We discussed what this looks like this week on the On Brand podcast.About Tristen NormanTristen Norman is the Head of Creative Insights, Americas at Getty Images. She operates as one-part visual anthropologist and two-parts data scientist – working across disciplines to understand what motivates visual selection, identify trends within visual language, and using this data to help shape the development of Getty’s creative content globally. Leveraging consumer research, and social and cultural listening and pairing it with proprietary data, Tristen hones in on the valuable insights that feed the development of Getty Images own creative collections.A passionate advocate for elevating marginalized voices within creative spaces, Tristen also plays a critical role in supporting and advancing initiatives and partnerships with the aim of championing diverse visual narratives at Getty Images and beyond.Tristen’s experience stems from over nine years of experience in creative design, market research, and brand strategy. Prior to joining Getty Images, Tristen was most recently a Senior Experience Strategist at Wunderman, where she was responsible for developing creative, data-driven omnichannel creative brand strategies for clients across a variety of industries.Tristen earned her Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from Temple.Episode HighlightsWhat does it mean to be "one-part visual anthropologist and two-parts data scientist"? "I think about visual storytelling all day," Tristen notes. What's going to drive action and move the needle for people?""At Getty, we see ourselves as a content company in an increasingly visual world." Tristen shared several fascinating findings from Getty's new Visual GPS study."Visuals are the centerpiece of storytelling," Tristen explained. "It's about being moved. That's what great brands do."What brand has made Tristen smile recently? "Tinder's latest campaign—it starts with a swipe." Tristen loves this campaign, especially its bold use of color.To learn more, connect with Tristen on LinkedIn and see her team's work at creativeinisghts.gettyimages.com.As We Wrap … Listen and subscribe at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon/Audible, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, iHeart, YouTube, and RSS. Rate and review the show—If you like what you’re hearing, be sure to head over to Apple Podcasts and click the 5-star button to rate the show. And, if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review to help others find the show. 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 a part of the Marketing Podcast Network. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rob Levinson is a corporate brand strategist and personal brand coach. A Madison Avenue veteran, dot-com survivor, and former Marketing Strategies columnist for the Wall Street Journal online, Rob shared how all of his experiences have shaped how he builds brands this week on the On Brand podcast.About Rob LevinsonRob is a corporate brand strategist and personal brand coach who helps leading brands, and those who run them, get noticed, remembered, and results. As the founder of Leverage Advisors, Rob creates comprehensive Brand Blueprints for clients seeking the strategic direction and tools required to inform and guide the development, or reimagining of their brand. As the founder of Brand You Better, Rob helps individuals from recent graduates to C-Suite executives gain the confidence to tell their best, and most impactful, personal brand narrative.Episode HighlightsRob always starts personal branding work with a definition. "I love the Jeff Bezos definition—your brand is what other people say when you're not in the room." That said, this takes a degree of self-understanding and assessment. Rob shared an exercise that makes this a little easier.What does a personal brand blueprint look like? Whether corporate or personal, a brand is more than just a logo. But what are the key deliverables for a personal brand? We always provide someone with an overarching brand story along with a LinkedIn and resume reboot.""It's a matter of intention, it's a matter of purpose." As Rob shared, personal branding starts and ends with purpose.What brand has made Rob smile recently? "There are all kinds of different smiles," Rob began coyly as he shared that the brand that's made him smile most recently is the Royal Family as King Charles steps into a new role in building his own personal brand.To learn more, check out Rob's website on personal branding brandyoubetter.com. For his corporate branding work, go to letsleverage.com.As We Wrap … Listen and subscribe at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon/Audible, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, iHeart, YouTube, and RSS. Rate and review the show—If you like what you’re hearing, be sure to head over to Apple Podcasts and click the 5-star button to rate the show. And, if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review to help others find the show. 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 a part of the Marketing Podcast Network. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steve Rawling is the creator of the innovative cards decks—Workshop Tactics and Storyteller Tactics. These popular tools help organizations like Apple and Facebook generate creative ideas and, most importantly, put them into action. As a user of the decks, I couldn’t wait to chat with Steve this week on the On Brand podcast. About Steve RawlingSteve Rawling is a former BBC TV journalist, turned international author and consultant on business storytelling. He's told over 20,000 stories in his career, so he can probably help you tell yours. Steve's latest venture—a deck of cards called Storyteller Tactics—smashed its target when it went live on Kickstarter, raising $100k in a few weeks. It has now sold over 60,000 copies to people in companies like Apple, Facebook, and IBM.Episode HighlightsCards vs. books. Steve and I are both lovers of books—especially books on workshops and storytelling. However, it can be hard to put the ideas inside these great books into action. “It’s hard to think on paper.” This provided the creative spark Steve needed to create card decks for Workshop Tactics and Storyteller Tactics.Putting story to work. “Story is everywhere,” Steve noted. As a former BBC journalist, he reminded us that there are always at least “two sides to every story.” Steve shared his favorite story “recipe” from the Storyteller Tactics deck—with a reminder that these are “more of a buffet” than recipes.What brand has made Steve smile recently? Recorded the week before Easter, Steve shared a smile from UK grocer Tesco with a fun headline for hot cross buns—All buns glazing! This had Steve reminding us that …“Humor is a powerful tool for brand communication.” It’s certainly high risk but with the proper investment of brain power, it can be high reward as well.To learn more, connect with Steve on LinkedIn or go to PipDecks.com.As We Wrap … Listen and subscribe at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon/Audible, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, iHeart, YouTube, and RSS. Rate and review the show—If you like what you’re hearing, be sure to head over to Apple Podcasts and click the 5-star button to rate the show. And, if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review to help others find the show. 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 a part of the Marketing Podcast Network. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michelle Gladieux is President of Gladieux Consulting and author of the new book Communicate with Courage: Taking Risks to Overcome the Four Hidden Challenges. Communication is an essential building block in leadership at all levels. And yet it's frequently misunderstood. Michelle demystified this and provides help in overcoming some of the biggest challenges this week on the On Brand podcast.About Michelle GladieuxMichelle Gladieux is President of Gladieux Consulting, a Midwest-based team known for the design and presentation of seminars in communication and leadership topics around the U.S. She’s the author of Communicate with Courage: Taking Risks to Overcome the Four Hidden Challenges. She facilitates strategic planning and executive coaching for clients in diverse industries, governments, non-profits, and in academia and has 18 years of collegiate teaching experience at three universities in her home state of Indiana.Episode HighlightsCommunicating from the heart(land). I asked Michelle if being from the Midwest—the heartland—made her a better communicator. She shared a touching story of the "hard-earned pearls" of wisdom her mother passed down to her and how it led her to help others in their own communication."Nobody's born a great leader," Michelle said. Or a great communicator for that matter. Michelle shared a story about how every time someone's implied she's given a great speech effortlessly, she says, "the effortless part is an illusion."What are the hidden challenges in leadership communication today? Michelle shared these along with how they're addressed in her book Communicate with Courage: Hiding from risks Defining to be right Rationalizing the negative Settling for good enough What brand has made Michelle smile recently? "Purdue University is the only university to be included on Fast Company's list of brands that matter." This means a lot to Michelle as Purdue is both an institution she's taught at and her alma mater.To learn more, check out the resources on the Gladieux Consulting website, follow the company on Instagram, and learn more about Michelle's book Communicate with Courage.As We Wrap … Listen and subscribe at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon/Audible, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, iHeart, YouTube, and RSS. Rate and review the show—If you like what you’re hearing, be sure to head over to Apple Podcasts and click the 5-star button to rate the show. And, if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review to help others find the show. 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 a part of the Marketing Podcast Network. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alex Moulton is Chief Creative Officer at Trollbäck+Company, a firm known for designing strategic, sustainable brands including the UN's sustainability goals. When he's not leading creative efforts at Trollbäck, you can find Alex working as a DJ and composter. We discussed all of this and more this week on the On Brand podcast.About Alex MoultonAlex Moulton is Chief Creative Officer at Trollbäck+Company and oversees its exceptional creative and strategic thinkers, designers, and makers to build strategic identities, sustainable brands, and moving experiences. Alex has worked across a diverse range of businesses and institutions including Apple, Google, NBC Universal, NFL, Samsung, Viacom, and West Elm.Outside his work at Trollbäck+Company, Alex is A DJ, composer, and avid speaker about topics at the intersection of music and design. Moulton has also been featured in Billboard, V Man, Electronic Musician, and XLR8R, and has performed at The Guggenheim. Episode HighlightsHow does a brand strategist end up working as a DJ? Or is it vice versa? I've always been fascinated by how music and sound can be used to advance a story," Alex said of his work as a DJ.What skills are needed to work in branding today? "There's nothing better than learning on the job," Alex said. However, he added that his ability to move between the business and artistic mindset has been invaluable.Designing sustainable brands. First and foremost, which meaning of sustainability? "Both," Alex says. His team at Trollbäck developed the UN's sustainability goals. But he also focuses on building brands that are "lowercase S sustainable" and have longevity. This is easier said than done.What brand has made Alex smile recently? Alex pointed us to a recent interview with Ryan Reynolds on Jim Cramer's Mad Money, where Reynolds clearly articulates what Mint Mobile does with regard to emotional investment.To learn more, go to Trollback.com. You can also listen to Alex's work on his website alexmoultoncreative.com.As We Wrap … Listen and subscribe at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon/Audible, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, iHeart, YouTube, and RSS. Rate and review the show—If you like what you’re hearing, be sure to head over to Apple Podcasts and click the 5-star button to rate the show. And, if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review to help others find the show. 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 a part of the Marketing Podcast Network. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices