Let's talk branding

Recently, I got caught in a bit of a storm. People on YouTube got angry about the use of AI footage in my recent documentary on brand mascots. “AI slop! I’m not watching this stuff!” It got me wondering (some great comments in that LinkedIn thread) about what the future for brands would be like. Enter: Joe Burns, who’s been dropping the most insightful and amazing flipbooks on LinkedIn.Joe did not disappoint, we had a fascinating conversation about the impact AI has on brands, creative teams, the agency world, content creation, and the strategy behind it. Joe brings a fresh perspective to the table, or as he likes to call them, ‘strategic cold cuts’. There is no playbook for the future, but Joe is giving us some handles to think about what’s coming, and I’m grateful for it. What do you think? Is the sloppening upon us? Let me know by replying to the email or commenting on Substack. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit labmarcel.substack.com

Hey everyone! Super happy to kick off a new season with more brand-building legends and insights.In this conversation, I chat with Damian Borchok, Managing Director of Koto for the Asia Pacific region. A conversation sparked by a great article on Koto ‘s newsletter, We discussed the nuances of branding, rebranding, and brand refreshes. Damian emphasizes the importance of understanding the value of a brand and the strategic decisions behind rebranding efforts. Through various case studies, including Walmart, Burger King, Bolt, Tropicana, and Jaguar, Damian explores the complexities of brand identity, market signals for change, and the execution of branding strategies. He highlights the need for brands to evolve while maintaining their core identity and the significance of research in understanding brand equity.Takeaways* A brand refresh can be a missed opportunity if not executed boldly.* Rebranding should consider both visual identity and communication strategy.* Longevity of a brand does not guarantee its equity in the market.* Brands must align their internal culture with their branding efforts.* Research is crucial in identifying valuable brand assets.* Market shifts can signal the need for a rebrand or refresh.* Effective branding requires a long-term commitment, not just a one-time campaign.* Brands should avoid generic approaches and strive for distinctiveness.* The execution of a brand rollout is as important as the design itself.* Successful rebranding can lead to significant market advantages. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit labmarcel.substack.com

Show notes* John on LinkedIn* John’s Substack and other linksSummary* John shares his journey from advertising to consulting, focusing on practical outcomes rather than marketing politics.* He highlights the common misconception that advertising only means paid ads and explains that any brand communication can be seen as "advertising."* John describes the industry's split between "brand" and "performance" marketing, noting that customers don’t view these distinctions.* He emphasizes the importance of measuring marketing's financial impact and explains why companies need an "always-on" approach to marketing for lasting brand recognition.* John criticizes the "trust-me" approach in marketing and suggests that marketers should communicate results clearly to executives, especially in financial terms.* He explains how changes in privacy and digital tracking have made it harder to measure digital ad performance accurately.* His recommendation for effective marketing measurement is to return to basic incrementality testing to see what actually drives growth.* John stresses the need for brand-building but advises against over-investment in specific channels too early. He supports a balanced approach, combining testing and targeted investments.* He concludes by encouraging marketers to detach emotionally from their campaigns and focus on long-term growth. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit labmarcel.substack.com

Here are the key takeaways from the podcast:* Effectiveness in marketing: It's about ensuring that marketing efforts, particularly advertising, achieve their intended goals, whether that's awareness, behavior change, or sales.* Econometrics simplified: Econometrics uses data to determine if a marketing campaign worked by analyzing both the campaign’s direct impact and other factors (e.g. a competitor campaign) that could influence the outcome.* When to use econometrics: It's most useful for businesses with multiple marketing channels and more complex budgets but might not be necessary for very small businesses with straightforward marketing efforts.* Creativity matters: In a world with fragmented attention, compelling creative content is essential. Strong branding and creative consistency across platforms amplify marketing effectiveness.* The rise of digital: While traditional media like TV is losing its dominance, the advent of digital tools allows for more targeted, cost-effective, and immediate marketing responses, making brand-building and performance marketing work hand-in-hand.Links* Grace Kite & Magic Numbers* Grace on LinkedIn This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit labmarcel.substack.com

Discover the 5 key brand religions, their core beliefs, and how they can apply to your brand.Important links* Download the white paper to take a deep dive into the 5 brand religions* Kristof on LinkedIn* The episode with Jan Verlinden (Ritchie)Creative business companyOne of the biggest challenges in my own career has been trying to convince business leaders that their ‘brand’ is one of the most important assets of their company.That’s why this episode is sponsored by Creative Business Company, a strategic consultancy on a mission to make brand more accountable and effective.They take the lessons they’ve learned from over a decade of experience working with big brands like Morningstar, Formula E, and Shell, and adapt them to work with smaller, fast-growing companies to help them get more attention, convert leads, and drive sales.So if you’re trying to get the budget for ‘brand’, create messaging that converts, or lower your cost of acquisition, check out Creative Business Company for ideas, evidence and tools that will help you make an impact fast. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit labmarcel.substack.com

A deep dive into the problematic state of online advertising, from its lack of effectiveness to its societal impacts. Show notes* Find ‘Adscam’ + the free ebooks on Bob’s website * Bob on LinkedInCreative business companyOne of the biggest challenges in my own career has been trying to convince business leaders that their ‘brand’ is one of the most important assets of their company.That’s why this episode is sponsored by Creative Business Company, a strategic consultancy on a mission to make brand more accountable and effective.They take the lessons they’ve learned from over a decade of experience working with big brands like Morningstar, Formula E, and Shell, and adapt them to work with smaller, fast-growing companies to help them get more attention, convert leads and drive sales.So if you’re trying to get the budget for ‘brand’, create messaging that converts, or lower your cost of acquisition, check out Creative Business Company for ideas, evidence and tools that will help you make an impact fast. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit labmarcel.substack.com

In this episode, we discover the power of ‘associative attention’, a framework developed by Max Stricker and Samuel Brealey. It zooms in on the importance of not only getting attention but the right type of attention through strong association. Show notes* Associative Attention Paper & ‘Health Check’Associative Attention is a framework that helps brand owners deliver better executions (think advertising, POS material, packaging). It connects the dots between the WHAT and the HOW of attention. Brand owners need to do well in both areas and those who do can see transformational executions.You can download the full article here. It also includes a quick ‘Health Check’ you can take to start your Associative Attention journey. * Max on LinkedIn* The article with Samuel Brealey on WARC (paywall)* This episode is sponsored by Creative business company. Find your free no-bs brand-building guides here.Brand strategy courseActivate your strategic brain and level up your creative business. Find courses on brand strategy, brand workshops, and brand strategy presentations. You can use LTBPODCAST to get a 20% discount. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit labmarcel.substack.com

Show notes* The multiplayer brand slidedeck* Zoe on LinkedIn* This episode is sponsored by Creative business company. Find your free no-bs brand-building guides here.Brand strategy courseActivate your strategic brain and level up your creative business. Find courses on brand strategy, brand workshops, and brand strategy presentations. You can use LTBPODCAST to get a 20% discount. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit labmarcel.substack.com

How brands can create an unfair creative advantage.Show notes* Discover the full paper here.* Dan Salkey on LinkedIn.* This episode is sponsored by Creative business company. Find your free no-bs brand-building guides here.Brand strategy courseActivate your strategic brain and level up your creative business. Find courses on brand strategy, brand workshops, and brand strategy presentations. You can use LTBPODCAST to get a 20% discount. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit labmarcel.substack.com

Show notes* Bart on LinkedIn* Bart’s new venture: I know a guyKey Takeaways* Understanding client problems and formulating them better than the clients themselves is crucial in agency-client relationships.* The balance between digital and branding is essential in marketing strategies, with a shift towards investing in branding for long-term effectiveness.* New platforms like TikTok and AR are on the rise and should be explored for marketing opportunities.* Investing in the fundamentals of marketing while experimenting with new platforms is a key approach to future-proofing marketing strategies.Learn more about brand strategyActivate your strategic brain and level up your creative business. Find courses on brand strategy, brand workshops, and brand strategy presentations. You can use LTBPODCAST to get a 20% discount. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit labmarcel.substack.com

Summary* 🤖 AI in Mascot Creation: Making it easier and more accessible, especially for smaller brands.* 💡 Before AI: Creating a mascot was a big deal – think illustrators, 3D artists, studios. Now, AI tools like Midjourney and Dali are game-changers.* 🎨 AI's Impact: Brands can now craft imaginative characters consistently and bring them to life in various contexts.* 🚀 Haris’s Story: How he crafted the purple, chef-hat-wearing monster, Calvin Cooks, and made his content more memorable.* 🛠️ DIY Mascot Magic: Using Bing AI Image Generator for consistency across marketing touchpoints.* 🌟 The Power of a Mascot: Standing out in B2B marketing, attracting attention, and enhancing brand recall.* 🔮 The Future: The growing role of AI in branding and marketing, plus tips for those interested in creating their own mascots.🚨 Important note on legal protection: In the podcast, I stated that it’s not possible to trademark assets generated by AI, I was notified that this is not the case, you CAN 100% trademark an AI-generated mascot as long as it’s not descriptive of the goods and services. My confusion was mainly around ‘copyright’, where this is indeed the case (the need for human input). I will follow up in more detail in an upcoming podcast episode.Subscribe to the YouTube channel here to get notified when the tutorial is live.Important links* Discover Haris Spahic (and Calvin Cooks) on LinkedInLearn more about brand strategyActivate your strategic brain and level up your creative business. Find courses on brand strategy, brand workshops, and brand strategy presentations. You can use LTBPODCAST to get a 20% discount. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit labmarcel.substack.com

SummaryHere's a summary of the key points from the podcast:* The Evolution and Challenges in Branding: The podcast features Jacob Cass, the founder of Just Creative, discussing current trends and challenges in the branding industry, including the impact of AI, the rise of accessible design tools like Canva, and the changing landscape of pricing strategies.* The State of Brand Report: Cass released a comprehensive report titled "The State of Brand," based on interviews with 267 branding professionals worldwide. The report highlights key areas like pricing strategies, client acquisition, AI's future in branding, and professional development in branding.* AI's Increasing Influence: There's a significant focus on the role of AI in branding, with both excitement and apprehension about its potential to make branding work easier while also posing a threat to traditional methods. Cass shares his own experiences with AI tools like ChatGPT and Adobe Firefly, emphasizing the importance of adapting to these technologies.* Personal Branding and Online Presence: Cass stresses the importance of having an online presence for brand designers, viewing it as an enabler of creative freedom. He discusses how his online platform serves various purposes, including as a resource hub, a community for creatives, and a marketing tool for his services.* Future of Branding: Looking towards the future, there's a discussion about the branding industry's direction, focusing on authenticity, personalization, and purpose-driven branding. The conversation also touches on the necessity for branders to evolve with changing technologies and market demands.Important links* The report * Jacob on LinkedInLearn brand strategyActivate your strategic brain and level up your creative business. Find courses on brand strategy, brand workshops, and brand strategy presentations. You can use LTBPODCAST to get a 20% discount. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit labmarcel.substack.com