On Brand with Nick Westergaard

Nick Westergaard
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Feb 26, 2018 • 39min

Hammering Home Your Brand with Words and Visuals with Laura Ries

“The tactics have changed but the strategy of owning and building a brand hasn’t.” Laura Ries can share first hand how branding has stood the test of time. “It’s why some rise and others don’t — it’s the brand.” Together with her father, positioning pioneer Al Ries, Laura authored some of the seminal branding texts of our time including The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding. We discussed positioning, visuals, slogans, and more on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast presented by Twenty20.About Laura RiesLaura Ries is an internationally recognized branding expert, best-selling author and television personality. After graduating from Northwestern University in the top 2% of her class, she worked at TBWA Advertising before partnering with her father and positioning pioneer Al Ries. Al and Laura founded Ries & Ries consulting in New York in 1994.In 1997, Ries & Ries relocated to Atlanta, GA. Together the dynamic duo consults with companies around the globe including Disney, Ford, Frito-Lay, Papa John’s Pizza, Samsung and Unilever on branding and marketing strategy. Laura has co-authored five books with Al including The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding, The Fall of Advertising & the Rise of PR, The Origin of Brands, and War in the Boardroom.Laura’s first solo book, Visual Hammer has been translated into the Chinese, Russian, Turkish, Polish, and German languages. Words alone can’t build a brand, driving an idea into the mind is best done with the emotional power of a visual. Her latest book Battlecry complements Visual Hammer by outlining five strategies for improving the effectiveness of a company’s slogan or tagline.In addition to her consulting assignments and corporate speeches, Laura is a frequent guest on major television programs from the Today Show to Squawk Box. She appears regularly on Fox News, Fox Business, CNBC, CNN, and HLN.Episode HighlightsThe more things change, the more they stay the same. As co-author of a landmark book on branding, I was eager to ask Laura how her work has stood the test of time — and rapids media shifts. “Positioning is owning an idea in the mind of the customer. The tactics of how that happens have changed but the strategy of owning and building a brand hasn’t.”What startups and emerging brands have in common with airplanes. “Companies and brands are like airplanes. You spend 110% to get off the runway but once you’re in the air it’s not hard. Startups and small companies are like brands on the runway.”Using visuals to hammer home your brand’s big idea. From Coke’s iconic contoured bottles to Colonel Sanders, strong brands are built with icons, or visual hammers as Laura describes in her book of the same name. Why are visuals so appealing? “They appeal to both the left and right brain. You can further hammer that home with your advertising.”Words matter. From slogans to taglines, Laura admitted that brand strategists like us have muddied the lexicon of labels. That’s why in her book on brand language she focuses on the idea of a battlecry. “It has to get you up and excited.” It also has to say something relevant. She pointed us to Little Caesar’s whose battle cry, “Pizza! Pizza!” built upon their strategic positioning of two pizzas for the price of one.What brand has made Laura smile recently? First, Laura asked the million-dollar question. “Is it a good or a bad smile?” After a laugh, Laura noted that Tommy John, the underwear brand that promises “no adjustment needed,” has made her smile — particularly as a mother of teenage boys. I can relate!To learn more, go to ries.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Feb 23, 2018 • 7min

Social Sound Bite: Facebook Use Down for the First Time in 10 Years

On this week’s Social Sound Bite — recorded live at the KXIC studios in Iowa City — Jerry and I discussed some new data from Edison Research’s Infinite Dial study showing that Facebook use is down for the first time in a decade! Listen for the full sound bite and enjoy these useful links to the news, trends, and tips included in this week’s show. Beyond the Sound Bite Facebook Declines for the First Time in Infinite Dial History (Edison Research). Remember, the Social Sound Bite is just the appetizer! On Mondays, we serve up a fresh new episode of the On Brand podcast. Thanks again to our sponsor Twenty20. Your source for on brand photography for your brand. You can get five photos with Twenty20’s one-week free trial at Twenty20.com/OnBrand. Last but not least … Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via iTunes, Stitcher, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to iTunes 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, see you on the Internet! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Feb 19, 2018 • 30min

How to Project Brand Confidence with Melanie Spring

“You have to find people who like you but aren’t like you.” This is a mistake many brands make. They look for customers just like them — with their specific interests and characteristics — instead of people who like your brand and what it stands for. Melanie Spring is a speaker, facilitator, and brand strategist at Branded Confidence. We discussed community, culture, and more on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast presented by Twenty20.About Melanie SpringWhen you ask a brand strategist how she defines her brand and she says “Approachable Badass”, you know you’ve found someone who can help you define your own brand. Melanie Spring was put here to get you outside of your box and firmly in your purpose – professionally and personally.Melanie runs Branded Confidence as an international speaker and facilitator – bringing her charisma and confidence to humans worldwide. She’s so dedicated to her purpose that she once drove 7,000 miles in 3 weeks to find out why great brands work.Episode HighlightsWait — 7,000 miles in 3 weeks? I had to ask Melanie about this first. “Five and a half years ago I was frustrated with my life so I took a road trip to learn about brands.” And being a brand practitioner herself, she gave it a name and branded it!“The Live Your Brand Tour” led Melanie from DC to California and back again, visiting a variety of brands from Timbuk2 and Chobani (check out our podcast episode featuring Chobani) to a jewelry store in San Luis Obispo. She documented her travels and the brand stories she uncovered in Entrepreneur magazine.Knowing your humans. Many of her stories focused on brands building community and culture. But what if you don’t know your humans? “Most haven’t asked. If you just ask them they’ll tell you everything.”Grandma’s still not sure … When being an “approachable badass” is part of you’re bound to raise some eyebrows. And sometimes they are your grandmother’s eyebrows! Melanie joked that her grandma said, “She’s still not okay with the ‘ass word.’ The ‘f-word’ is off limits because then mom can’t share it with her church friends! But brands need a bit of an edge.” Melanie specifically uses the word ‘badass’ to help screen potential clients. “If you can’t handle the word ‘ass’ you won’t like working with me!”What brand has made Melanie smile recently? “I just moved from DC to Denver and I love REI.” Melanie then shared their recent #OptOutside campaign. “If you can get an everyday human like me to giggle, I’m all over that kind of stuff.”To learn more, go to brandedconfidence.com and kickasshumansclub.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Feb 12, 2018 • 36min

Mastering the Storytelling Edge with Joe Lazauskas

"A lot of content being produced is not good. That's because it's not telling a great story." As Editor-in-Chief and Director of Content Strategy at Contently, Joe Lazauskas understands the interconnected relationship between content and story. It's the focus of his new book, The Storytelling Edge, and our discussion on this week's episode of the On Brand podcast.About Joe LazauskasJoe is the co-author of the Amazon #1 New Release The Storytelling Edge: How to Transform Your Business, Stop Screaming Into the Void, and Make People Love You with Contently co-founder Shane Snow. He’s also the head of Content Strategy for Contently and Executive Editor of The Content Strategist, winner of the 2016 Digiday Award for Best Brand Publication. A technology and marketing journalist, Joe is a regular contributor to Fast Company and has written for Mashable, Digiday, and Forbes, amongst other publications.Episode HighlightsWhy does story matter for brands? "When we hear a good story our brains react. It releases an empathy drug called oxytocin." This neurotransmitter is powerful as it helps us develop empathy for brands.The four elements of great storytelling. How can content marketers embrace story? Joe reminds brands to focus on the four elements most great stories have — (1) relatability, (2) novelty, (3) tension, and (4) fluency. Tension can be tricky as most businesses "don't want anything bad to happen."Who embraces these four elements? "American Express Open Forum and GE." The community AmEx created helped bring Small Business Saturday to life while GE Reports is a blog run by a former Forbes editor that reports on innovations inside GE.Why do marketers need to be better journalists? "Because journalists ask the right questions as they interview engineers, salespeople, even customers."How can marketers become better journalists and storytellers? Don't forget to look outside your bubble — Joe finds inspiration in New Yorker collections and the writing of David Sedaris. "If you want to reach Wall Street Journal readers, then study Wall Street Journal writing."A serving of content marketing vegetables. When I asked Joe what marketers need to be focused on in 2018, he surprised me by not pivoting to story. Rather, he served up some classic content marketing vegetables — audience (what do they really care about?), distribution (we have better tools than ever before), and leveling up the business impact of our content (it can't just be page views and impressions).What brand has made Joe smile recently? "Track Maven. At Content Marketing World a few months ago, they had people put on goggles and throw spaghetti at a wall." This powerful brand experience brings to life a story many marketers know all too well — throwing things/tactics at the wall and seeing what sticks.To learn more, go to The Storytelling Edge website and connect with Joe on LinkedIn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Jan 22, 2018 • 31min

Branding Is the New Advertising with Fabian Geyrhalter

"Everyone thinks that branding isn't important today but branding is the new advertising." Despite media and technology shifts, the brand behind your stories and status updates is more important than ever. We unpacked all of this and more on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast featuring brand strategist and author Fabian Geyrhalter.About Fabian GeyrhalterFabian Geyrhalter is a renowned brand strategist and the founder and Principal of FINIEN, a Los Angeles-based consultancy specializing in turning ventures into brands. Geyrhalter is also a columnist for Inc and Forbes, and he has been published by the likes of The Washington Post, Mashable, Entrepreneur and The Huffington Post. He is an advisory board member of Santa Monica College and has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Southern California and Art Center College of Design. A frequent speaker and mentor to entrepreneurs worldwide, he is a “Global 100” mentor at the Founder Institute, and his book How to Launch a Brand is a #1 Amazon Bestseller. His newest book is Bigger Than This. He lives and works in Long Beach, California and is a graduate of Art Center College of Design.Episode HighlightsWhy is branding so important today? "Things have really changed. It's so intrinsic today. Take Everlane, for example. It's all about transparency." In everything they say and do.Branding is easier for startups. "Startup brands have it easy — all they have is the brand." Due to their small size, they can also exert greater control over the various brand touchpoints.Look at Shinola — The innovative watch company acquired an inactive brand name — Shinola — and established a sense of place around Detroit, endowing the new brand with meaning in the hearts and minds of their customers.How can a brand that's lost its way successfully rebrand? "Hire the next generation. You also have to find the secret sauce again. It all comes down to why the founders (of the business) did what they did."What brand has made Fabian smile recently? Fabian told us about Poppin — a company that's disrupting the office supplies category by delighting customers through quirky touchpoints such as the order confirmation email.To learn more, go to the website for Fabian's new book Bigger Than This, follow him on Twitter, and connect with him on LinkedIn.As We Wrap …Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community …Frequent listener Sean Carpenter gave On Brand a shout on Twitter in a roundup of his favorite podcasts. Thanks for listening!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. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via iTunes, Stitcher, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to iTunes 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. Remember – On Brand is brought to you by my new book — Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. Order now at Amazon and check out GetScrappyBook.com for special offers and extras. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Jan 1, 2018 • 30min

Using Stories to Ignite Change with Patti Sanchez

Stories can be powerful tools for moving people and building brands. This isn’t as easy as it could sound. Storytelling is both an art and a science. We unpacked all of this and more on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast with Patti Sanchez, Chief Strategy Officer at Duarte.About Patti SanchezPatti Sanchez, Duarte’s Chief Strategy Officer, creates IP and counsels clients to create authentic connections with their audiences through persuasive presentations and story-based communications. She is the co-author, along with Nancy Duarte, of the award-winning book, Illuminate: Ignite Change Through Speeches, Stories, Ceremonies, and Symbols. Patti leads an expert team of communication consultants and creative writers who help clients move their audiences in one powerful moment or in a movement over time.Applying insights from more than 25 years of communication experience, Patti helps leaders and persuaders understand the inner workings of the human mind and heart and then use that knowledge to craft engaging narratives that cut through the clutter and resonate on a deep level. Patti packages her expertise into inspiring and educational keynotes for executives, entrepreneurs, and marketing and communication professionals on how they can lead movements, use storytelling as a strategic tool, and harness the power of presentations as a persuasive communication platform.She has delivered highly rated presentations at conferences and events including Khosla Ventures CEO Summit, The CEO Alliance, Vital Speeches CEO Communications Summit and Leadership Communication Days, IABC World Conference, HBR, Marketing Profs, Salesforce ExactTarget Connections, Invent Your Future, WATT, CASRO, and Presentation Summit. Patti also delivers custom keynotes, addressing corporations such as Facebook and Google as well as higher-education institutions such as Stanford and Rice University. Her work has been honored by IABC, BMA, Vital Speeches of the Day, and Axiom.Episode HighlightsCo-author connections. This may be the first episode of the On Brand podcast where both co-authors were interviewed separately! I chatted with Patti’s Illuminate co-author, Nancy Duarte, last summer.The inciting incident. How did Illuminate come to be? “We noticed a changing nature of the questions coming from our clients. More and more were saying, ‘We want to use the power of stories.’”The Duarte storytelling methodology. “It follows the heroes journey — the 3 part story where we meet the hero, something happens, and the hero is changed.” We can use this archetype in moving ideas internally and building brands externally.What brand has made Patti smile recently? Mini! Talk about a brand full of smiles. Every part of the MINI experience has Patti grinning from ear to ear.To learn more, go to duarte.com and follow Patti on Twitter and LinkedIn.As We Wrap …Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community …Steve Hutt gave us a shout on Twitter for several of our recent episodes. Thanks for listening!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. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via iTunes, Stitcher, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to iTunes 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. Remember – On Brand is brought to you by my new book — Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. Order now at Amazon and check out GetScrappyBook.com for special offers and extras. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Dec 4, 2017 • 31min

Why Brands Should See Ideas Everywhere with Ashley Zeckman

“I love looking at other industries and seeing what they’re doing.” As Director of Agency Marketing at TopRank Marketing, Ashley Zeckman has a lot on her plate working — both agency marketing and client marketing. In some organizations, these two pursuits don’t always play nicely with each other (see “the cobbler’s son has no shoes”). But Ashley makes it work. We discussed all of this and more on this week’s On Brand podcast.About Ashley ZeckmanAshley Zeckman is the Director of Agency Marketing for TopRank Marketing, a fully integrated digital marketing agency. In addition to finding innovative ways to showcase the exceptional work of her team, she is also responsible for creating digital marketing programs that drive customer acquisition and growth for the agency. Her background includes expertise in content strategy, branding, influencer marketing and social media.Episode HighlightsWhat about the “cobbler’s son” thing? “The cobbler’s son is something we talk about constantly internally. It’s fun to test out all of the cool things we do with our clients on the agency and vice versa.”TopRank specializes in influencer marketing. What’s their definition of this rising trend? “Basically, we’re co-creating content with influencers.” Like many marketing strategies, this was something that TopRank experimented with on their own first by doing influencer ebooks with Content Marketing Institute.Where does Ashely go for inspiration as a marketer? “I love looking at other industries and seeing what they’re doing. I also love the Social Media Masterminds group on Facebook and everything from Ann Handley.”What brand has made Ashley smile recently? “BarkBox —they have the perfect combo of humor and tugging at your heartstrings.” For more on BarkBox, listen to the On Brand episode with Stacie Grissom, Head of Content at Bark.To learn more, connect with Ashely on LinkedIn, check out the TopRank blog and agency website.As We Wrap …Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community …Recently, Don Stanley gave us a shout on Twitter for our episode featuring Andy Cunningham.Thanks for listening!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. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via iTunes, Stitcher, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to iTunes 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. Remember – On Brand is brought to you by my new book — Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. Order now at Amazon and check out GetScrappyBook.com for special offers and extras. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Nov 27, 2017 • 31min

The Case for Badassing Your Brand with Pia Silva

“It’s better to whole-ass one thing than half-ass several.” As the author of the book Badass Your Brand, my conversation with Pia Silva was bound to be both fun and irreverent. In all seriousness, powerful language helps you cut through the clutter. You can’t succeed by being everything to everyone. Pia and I discussed badassery in all of its forms this week on the On Brand podcast. Enjoy!Enjoy This Episode Now Download Episode Subscribe via iTunes Subscribe via Stitcher About Pia SilvaEntrepreneur, speaker, and author Pia Silva is a partner and brand strategist at Worstofall Design where they build “Badass Brands without the BS” for 1-3 person service businesses in 1-3 day intensives. She is also a Forbes contributor and author of Badass Your Brand: The Impatient Entrepreneur’s Guide to Turning Expertise into Profit.Episode HighlightsWhat’s in a name? A lot! And Pia’s branding firm has an interesting name — Worstofall Design. They’re so named because they help their clients — mostly small service businesses — create badassery. There’s another secret story behind the name that you’ll have to listen to discover.Why is branding so hard today? “There’s a very generic idea of how brands exist but that’s different for corporations, small businesses, fashion brands.”How is branding for a small service firm different? “The brand comes from the owner — it should really be pulled out of that.” This makes the brand more authentic and personal.What’s one thing Pia would advise impatient brand builders to do? “Identify your best, favorite customer and start saying no to everyone else.” Again, you can’t standout by being everything to everyone.What brand has made Pia smile recently? The email signature from The Middle Finger Project. You’ll have to listen to the podcast to learn why.To learn more, you can get a free chapter of Badass Your Brand online and you can follow Pia on Instagram.As We Wrap …Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community …Kerry O’Shea Gorgone gave us a shoutout on Twitter as a podcast she doesn’t miss. Thanks for listening, Kerry!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. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via iTunes, Stitcher, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to iTunes 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. Remember – On Brand is brought to you by my new book — Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. Order now at Amazon and check out GetScrappyBook.com for special offers and extras. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Nov 20, 2017 • 33min

How to Create “Aha!” Positioning for Your Brand with Andy Cunningham

“The biggest problem we marketers face today is trying to be all things to all people.” Andy Cunningham would know. She’s spent her career positioning brands. As the jacket of her book says: “Trust Andy. Steve Jobs did.” That’s right. Andy played a key role in the launch of the original Macintosh. We discussed all of this on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast.About Andy CunninghamAndy Cunningham is the founder and president of Cunningham Collective, a marketing, brand and communication strategy firm dedicated to bringing innovation to market. She is also the author of Get to Aha!: Discover Your Positioning DNA and Dominate Your Competition (McGraw-Hill), and the host of the popular podcast Marketing Over Ice.An entrepreneur at the forefront of marketing, branding, positioning and communicating “The Next Big Thing,” Andy has played a key role in the launch of a number of new technology categories and products (including the Apple Macintosh) over the past 35 years.Today she advises startups, serves on several corporate boards, is a Henry Crown Fellow and a trustee at the Aspen Institute. She is a graduate of Northwestern University and lives in Sausalito on an old wooden boat with her husband Rand Siegfried.Episode HighlightsIt’s easy to forget: “The first six months of the Mac were another dismal failure.” Andy reminded us of an early pivot of the now venerable brand that initially set out to replace the PC at work. “We realized it wasn’t the computer for the rest of us. It was for the best of us.” This led Andy and the team to focus on the creatives who “eventually brought the Mac to work through the back door.”“You have to find your tribe.” This now-accepted idea was pretty revolutionary at the time. But a lot has changed about how we build brands today.“Everything today is a dialogue, not a broadcast.” It’s about having a conversation with your customers and community. Speaking of the letter C …The Six Cs of Positioning. Andy’s new book Get to Aha! builds on the classic work of Al Ries and Jack Trout with a new framework for positioning brands today: Core Category Community Competition Context Criteria What brand has made Andy smile recently? “Cheddar — it’s like CNBC for millennials.” They’re engaging and they know their tribe.To learn more, check out the website for her book Get to Aha! and her firm Cunnigham Collective. You can also follow her on Twitter.As We Wrap …Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community …Recently Steve Hutt gave us a shout on Twitter for our episode featuring Amber Armstrong of IBM Watson. Thanks for listening, Steve!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. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via iTunes, Stitcher, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to iTunes 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. Remember – On Brand is brought to you by my new book — Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. Order now at Amazon and check out GetScrappyBook.com for special offers and extras. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Oct 23, 2017 • 34min

Finding and Following Your Brand's Purpose with Robin Fisher Roffer

“You’re only a brand if you have meaning beyond your name.” One of the more challenging questions I ask on a regular basis is, “How do you define what a brand is?” Strategist Robin Fisher Roffer didn’t miss a beat. You have to have meaning and communicate it across all touchpoints. You know, the easy stuff! We discussed all of this and more on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast.About Robin Fisher RofferBrand strategist and storyteller, Robin Fisher Roffer has provided the rocket fuel that has launched and evolved dozens of media brands all over the world such as A&E, Animal Planet, CNN, Comedy Central, Discovery, FX, Hallmark Channel, History, Lifetime, MTV, and TNT.As Founder and CEO of Big Fish Marketing, Inc., she leads an award-winning creative team adept at unearthing a brand’s essence and filter, its look, feel and tagline, market positioning, value proposition and key messaging to both consumers and the trade.With a mission to inspire professionals to fearlessly reach their potential, Robin has authored four books, including Make A Name For Yourself (now available on audible) and Your No-Fear Career, 2nd Edition.Episode Highlights“Every day is a day to become brand new.” Robin offered this inspirational mantra for brands everywhere. You can further your brand’s story or write a new one every single day. How can you tell your story?It’s all about the mission statement. And, no, the mission statement isn’t that bloated couple of paragraphs at the front of your annual report or in a framed poster in your lobby. Robin reminds us that your mission — why you do what you do — should be seven words or less. She has a whole chapter on this in her book, Your No-Fear Career.What’s the purpose of your purpose? “Your mission should be what you walk, lock-step toward every day — your North Star.”Don’t bury the lede. FX didn’t. Like journalists, Robin reminded us not to bury the lede. Often we have to work to uncover our real purpose. Robin related a story about FX. While most of the network’s programming consists of movies, they have several award-winning original TV shows. “They put their best foot forward” by making their brand about original programming.What brand has made Robin smile? We all know Apple is great but Robin smiled when, after installing the new iOS software, she received a text from Apple with an emoji heart. “Every touchpoint, a brand has to do something to show their love.To learn more, go to Robin’s website.As We Wrap …Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community …Recently Marc Sauro gave us a shout on Twitter for our episode featuring Amber Armstrong of IBM Watson. Thanks for listening, Marc!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. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via iTunes, Stitcher, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to iTunes 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. Remember – On Brand is brought to you by my new book — Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. Order now at Amazon and check out GetScrappyBook.com for special offers and extras. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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