Why "Brand" Has Lost Its Meaning

Why "Brand" Has Lost Its Meaning

From Backcountry Marketing by Port Side

January 21, 2026 · 31 min · Season 7 · Episode 226

About this episode

The episode discusses the distinction between a company and a brand in outdoor marketing, emphasizing authenticity and storytelling.

Every company has a brand, but very few have built one intentionally or with differentiation. We use the word "brand" interchangeably with "company," when in reality most companies have never done the work required to intentionally shape what their brand stands for. In this episode, I sit down with Marc Peruzzi, Creative Director at Cache Seven, to unpack one of the most misunderstood ideas in outdoor marketing: the difference between a company and a brand. Marc shares why so many outdoor companies lose relevance when they chase "brand building" instead of grounding themselves in real people, real places, and real stories. We talk about authenticity, storytelling, influencer marketing, and why honesty consistently outperforms hype in the outdoor industry. This conversation is a reminder that brand is not something you manufacture. It is something that emerges when a company knows who it is and who it serves. About: This podcast is produced by Port Side , a creative production studio creating content strategy + production for active brands, rooted in emotion. Enjoy this episode and discover other resources below: Slack Community | Tired of brainstorming with ChatGPT? Join us…

People in this episode

Host: Port Side

Guest: Marc Peruzzi

Topics covered

  • branding
  • outdoor marketing
  • authenticity
  • storytelling
  • influencer marketing

Keywords

  • brand
  • company
  • outdoor industry
  • marketing
  • authenticity
  • storytelling
  • influencer

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Cache Seven

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