Didn't See It Coming with Marc Stoiber

Today was a big one. First, Tiger Woods made sporting history with one of the greatest comebacks of all time. What implications were there for Nike, the brand that has stuck by Tiger through thick and thin - and what does this say about the role of brands in teaching us integrity? By the way, it's estimated Nike made $22,540,000 with Tiger's win. Meditate on that a moment. In a VERY unrelated story, Donald Trump tweeted advice to Boeing, makers of the beleaguered 737 Max aircraft. According to Trump's tweet, making good on the terrible deaths of hundreds of crash victims would be as simple as fixing up the problems with the aircraft, putting in some great new features, and rebranding it. Soooooo, what should Boeing do with that advice? Those are the stories I went on the air with today, chatting with CFAX's Mark Brennae. The conversation was lively, to put it mildly. Enjoy! If you enjoy this interview, please share. Hey, sharing is caring. Also, make sure to sign up for my newsletter. And would it hurt to write? You never write. The neighbours are wondering how you're doing.

This past week, hockey commentator and icon Don Cherry took the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes to task, calling them a 'bunch of jerks' for celebrating their wins post-game with silly pantomimes. The Hurricanes, far from being cowed by Cherry's curmudgeonly comment, printed 'Bunch of Jerks' shirts and embraced the moniker as part of their brand. This is classic pirate brand (or outlaw brand) behaviour: taking the status quo and turning it on its head. Often, the pirate brand isn't intentional. Harley Davidson wasn't always the brand of outlaws and rebels. But the art of listening to your constituents, then giving their sentiments a creative twist, can lead to powerful results. Another brand that might find itself in pirate territory? Canada. As a Canuck, I've often bemoaned our stereotypical 'nice guy' image - until the age of Trump. This comes to light in a recent Family Guy episode, where Peter Griffin and Donald Trump beat each other to a pulp - only to be saved from themselves by dapper Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Turns out, being conciliatory and collaborative might be a more powerful brand than we thought! For more on this, check out this podcast - an interview I did on CFAX with Mark Brennae. Enjoy! If you enjoy this interview, please pass it along on social media. And subscribe for more!

Tessa McLoughlin has a gift for creating incredible community and creativity in the workspaces she designs. Now, the founder of Club Kwench is taking it to the next level. She's creating the next wave of workspaces, with her Culture Club concept space. Sitting down with Tessa, I got big insights on the recipe to successful co-working (hint: it's more than open areas, hot desks and a kitchen); why co-working spaces at leading tech companies often fall flat, despite looking brilliant from the outside; how to create cross-pollination critical to the success of small (and large) companies; and what the future holds for workspaces. Enjoy the interview. And if you're in Victoria in the new year, check out the new Club Kwench in the Phillips Brewery block - I can guarantee you haven't seen anything like this before. If you enjoy this interview, please pass it along on social media. And subscribe for more!

Today in the NY Times, Third Love CEO Heidi Zak posted a full page ad bemoaning the regressive thinking of Victoria's Secret CMO Ed Razek. The ad seemed to encapsulate the plight of so many brands that were having trouble adapting in today's rapidly morphing marketplace. Long story short - it seemed like a great reason to go on the air with CFAX's Mark Brennae and unpack the laundry, so to speak. Enjoy! If you like this interview, make sure to get my insights straight to your inbox by subscribing. And don't forget to download my new, free e-book Stop Busting Your Brand!

Today, Sears filed for Chapter 11. It's the end of a powerful story in retail, innovation, and brand building. It's also a story about the evolution of brands, and how brands lose their way. To talk about the demise of Sears, creative destruction, and the brand heir to the Sears throne, I went on the air with CFAX's Mark Brennae. Enjoy the conversation! If you like this interview, make sure to get my insights straight to your inbox by subscribing. And don't forget to download my new, free e-book Stop Busting Your Brand!

There are some brand issues that never lose relevance, never go out of fashion, never get 'fixed'. Positioning is at the top of the heap. No matter how shiny your technology, or how brilliant your analytics, lack of proper positioning can still sewer your brand. In the spirit of public service (and good natured fun) I went on the air with Mark Brennae at CFAX to talk about positioning, and how everyone - butcher, baker, candlestick maker - can build a better business with it. If you like this interview, make sure to get my insights straight to your inbox by subscribing. And don't forget to download my new, free e-book Stop Busting Your Brand!

Didn't See It Coming usually digs into brands that are breaking new ground. But are there basics that brands really need to stick to? I brought aboard entrepreneur, futurist and brand consultant Jim Bottomley to chat about brand fundamentals - and much more. Check out this fast-paced free-for-all chat for some invaluable nuggets on what brand basics you need to protect to succeed. If you like this interview, make sure to get my insights straight to your inbox by subscribing. And don't forget to download my new, free e-book Stop Busting Your Brand!

Today, Roseanne Barr had her show cancelled by ABC because of her Twitter tirade (smearing, among others, Valerie Jarrett, Chelsea Clinton, the Muslim Brotherhood and George Soros). Is ABC simply running away from the disaster? Or is human decency, and its implications for a decent company culture, dictating a new responsibility for corporations that want to succeed? In this interview with CFAX's Mark Brennae, I dissect what could be a very good shift in the brand of the 'good company'. If you like this interview, make sure to get my insights straight to your inbox by subscribing. And don't forget to download my new, free e-book Stop Busting Your Brand!

Infographics are the simplification antidote to the data firehose.But anyone who has tried to construct an infographic quickly learns it isn't the graphics that make the difference. It's the art of reduction, organization, and discipline. So where do you start? With my interview with Venngage's Midori Nediger. If you like this interview, make sure to get my insights straight to your inbox by subscribing. And don't forget to download my new, free e-book Stop Busting Your Brand!

I've known Heidi Ehlers for many years. She started as an advertising copywriter, became a recruiter for creative talent and (after a few more career iterations) has found an in-demand calling as the career coach for the creative class. What fascinates me about Heidi (and provides rich material for our regular catch-up calls) is the psychology of creative professionals. They preach bold innovation, but often find it hard to embrace uncertainties and risk. They talk brand brand brand, but have a difficult time building their own brand. The contradictions are legion. I finally decided to hit 'record' the last time we spoke. I'm sure you'll find the conversation entertaining, and a revealing glimmer into the quirky soul of the creative type. If you enjoy this podcast, don't forget to subscribe to hear all my latest episodes. And while you're at it, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter to get my Insights straight to your inbox.

A few weeks ago, I had the good fortune to cross paths with ConveYour co-founder Isaac Tolpin. Isaac and his partner had invented a solution to a very big, frustrating pain point for me - how to create a better online course? A course that people actually cared about, and would finish? (Remember, even Ivy League online courses have a drop out rate of about 90%!) Isaac and I did a podcast together. I was so taken by the conversation that I dropped my current online course platform, and started building my new SpeechDIY course on ConveYour. Fast forward to today. I've actually gotten my hands dirty building the SpeechDIY online course. And I definitely have some insights to share with Isaac and my listeners. That's why I convinced Isaac to come aboard for a series of 'check-in' podcasts where we could talk about what I'd done with my course, and more important what I could do better. Hope you enjoy this first update! As a brand strategy expert, successful entrepreneur, and award-winning author, Marc Stoiber uses simplicity and creativity to help people discover what’s awesome about their business… and then helps them tell the world. For more on creating your company’s value proposition, connect with Marc on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, and sign up to his monthly newsletter.

Didn't See It Coming usually explores brands that learn from the past, look to the future, and profit because of it today. But every once in a while, you meet someone who has such a terrific story, you have to bend the rules a bit. Not that Damion Lupo doesn't have an awesome personal brand. It's just that, well, in his case, defining him as a brand seems to miss the point. Damion has learned from an often tumultuous life how to let definitions like 'brand' fall away as he seeks to help people overcome their addiction to accumulation. Ironically, by doing so, he often empowers them to succeed beyond their expectations. Check out our conversation on aikido, Bali, skateboarding, doing what you want, real estate, retiring with millions, and how to get past yourself...enjoy! As a brand strategy expert, successful entrepreneur, and award-winning author, Marc Stoiber uses simplicity and creativity to help people discover what’s awesome about their business… and then helps them tell the world. For more on creating your company’s value proposition, connect with Marc on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, and sign up to his monthly newsletter. Want to try building your own powerful brand to create an unfair business advantage? Try out Marc’s Brand DIY Course – available now.

Not long ago, my wife pointed out that the Christmas shopping season was now not only infringing on Thanksgiving - but even Halloween! What next? Would we be doing our Christmas shopping in July? Is this hypermarketing of Christmas a new phenomenon, or a tradition? I went on the air with CFAX's Mark Brennae to chat about some Christmas marketing that has been with us a surprisingly long time. Enjoy!