On Brand: A Podcast About Branding For Brand Builders, By Brand Builders

Sandy Skees is EVP, Global Purpose and Impact Lead at Porter Novelli and author of the book Purposeful Brands. While it seems like purposeful branding and marketing is everywhere these days, that doesn't diminish the importance and responsibility of this work. And it doesn't make the work any easier. We discussed all of this and more this week on the On Brand podcast. About Sandy Skees Sandy Skees is EVP, Global Purpose and Impact Lead at Porter Novelli, a leading communications consultancy, part of the Omnicom Group. With over three decades of expertise in management consulting and strategic communications, Sandy has worked with clients including Visa, Abercrombie & Fitch, eBay, and Panasonic, among many others. Recognized as PRWeek's Woman of Distinction 2023 and Most Purposeful Agency Pro 2021, Sandy holds a Board Director position at Sustainable Brands and is an advisor to The Diversity Center. Author of Purposeful Brands, she is an experienced speaker on branding, messaging, and sustainability topics. S

Jay Mandel is the author of the book Brand Strategy in Three Steps, as well as an entrepreneur, professor, consultant, and coach. In all of his work, he leads with his core values of candor, curiosity, and collaboration. We discussed all this and more this week on the On Brand podcast. About Jay Mandel Jay Mandel, a multi-faceted entrepreneur, professor, consultant, and coach, is not only the author of the book Brand Strategy in Three Steps, but also an embodiment of core values such as candor, curiosity, and collaboration. His transformative journey from corporate America to coaching reflects his commitment to infusing meaning and authenticity into the business world. With two decades of corporate experience, including a notable role as the former social media and content lead for Mastercard's global team, Jay's brand methodology is honed through a diverse range of corporate, entrepreneurial, and academic experiences. Armed with a Masters's in strategic communications from Columbia University, Jay is dedica

Karen McFarlane is the founder and CMO of Kaye Media, a fractional marketing firm for startups to enterprises. With over 25 years of experience, Karen is renowned for her transformative purpose-driven brand strategies and has been recognized for her leadership and deep commitment to equity and belonging. We discussed all of this and more this week on the On Brand podcast. About Karen McFarlane Karen McFarlane, the founder of Kaye Media, is a seasoned marketing executive with over 25 years of experience. Her expertise in shaping compelling brand narratives and strategies has guided businesses toward transformative growth and market clarity. Karen's role extends beyond her company, as evidenced by her impactful tenure as President of the New York chapter of the American Marketing Association (AMA), where she earned eight Chapter Excellence Awards and now champions equity as the Chair of DEI Innovation. Additionally, Karen serves on the Board of the Hudson Valley Credit Union, New York's fifth-largest credit un

Robert Felder is the founder of Bearbottom Clothing, a one-for-one clothing manufacturer. Felder is an expert in DTC, growth, social entrepreneurship, and, of course, brand building. We discussed all of this and more this week on the On Brand podcast. About Robert Felder Robert Felder founded Bearbottom Clothing in 2012, launching it in 2014, after visiting Bangladesh as a high school student. Felder saw firsthand the need for quality jobs and basic necessities like clothing within the community. Felder returned home with the mission to make an impact on the people of Bangladesh, and Bearbottom Clothing was born. As one of the largest apparel manufacturers in the world, Felder could provide jobs while donating back to the community through the one-for-one business model. Since then, Bearbottom has expanded not only its clothing line but also its impact on the people and communities they work with. Felder is an expert in DTC/E-commerce supply chain, product development, fulfillment/warehousing, social entrepr

Jackie Bebenroth is a positioning expert and founder of the agency Muse. She and her team help transformative leaders with positioning through their unique Productive Distancing approach. We discussed all of this and more this week on the On Brand podcast. About Jackie Bebenroth Jackie Bebenroth is an award-winning positioning expert and agency founder who draws from two decades of experience as a brand strategist and entrepreneur to help visionary leaders achieve transformation inside their businesses and beyond. Jackie has shaped some of the nation’s leading brands. Using her own Productive Distancing techniques for brand strategy, she helps businesses evolve and define their true purpose – the WHY – so they can march forward with unwavering clarity and confidence. At her agency, Muse, she leads a team of strategists and creatives who are dialed into the needs of clients in nutrition and wellness segments, where behavior and lifestyle changes are prerequisites to success. She’s picked up a few accolades al

Pam Sherman is an actor, writer, leadership consultant, and recovering lawyer. Her work helps leaders, law firms, and Fortune 500 brands with the tasks of finding and sharing their unique stories. We discussed all of this and more this week on the On Brand podcast. About Pam Sherman Pam Sherman is an actor, writer, leadership consultant, and recovering lawyer who was profiled in People Magazine about her transition from lawyer to actor. Today, she speaks, facilitates, and coaches leaders all over the world about how to ignite their audiences with who they are and their stories, and to find their EDGE: Explore, Dream, Grow, & Excite®. She works with Fortune 500 companies, law firms, and advertising agencies, and is a highly rated global resource for the leadership organizations, EO, Vistage, YPO, and Tiger 21. Her nationally syndicated column, The Suburban Outlaw was published in the USA Today Network for 15 years. Sherman also starred in Erma Bombeck: At Wit’s End breaking box-office records around the Unite

Melanie Deziel is an award-winning branded content creator and author of the books The Content Fuel Framework and Prove It. She also is the Co-Founder of The Creator Kitchen mastermind group. We discussed all of this and more — with cooking metaphors aplenty — this week on the On Brand podcast. About Melanie Deziel Melanie Deziel is a keynote speaker and award-winning branded content creator who is passionate about helping individuals, teams, and organizations unlock their creative potential and organize their creative efforts. She is the Co-Founder of The Creator Kitchen mastermind for creatives, and the author of both The Content Fuel Framework: How to Generate Unlimited Story Ideas and Prove It: Exactly How Modern Marketers Earn Trust. Links from the Show Check out The Creator Kitchen mastermind. And here are links to Melanie's two books we discussed — The Content Fuel Framework and Prove It. Looking for more smarts from Melanie? Check out her previous appearances on the On Brand podcast back in 2016

Aaron Templer is the author of the book Leading a Social World and the owner of the marketing firm, Three Over Four. He brings a unique background in the arts to his work, which is focused on the convergence of strategy, leadership, and social media. We discussed all of this and more this week on the On Brand podcast. About Aaron Templer Having studied music, English lit, and earned an MBA, Aaron Templer is an unapologetic, eclectic marketing leader, and at-times agitator. With more than 25 years of experience, Aaron is a marketing firm owner, professional instructor for the American Marketing Association, occasional speaker and professor, and hobby percussionist. His firm, speaking engagements, teachings, and writings are at the intersection of strategy, creativity, brand, influence, and leadership. Some call him the Gora Dhol Wallah. Aaron recently authored Leading in a Social World, a six-time award-winning book for business leaders and marketers that sets out a different approach to marketing in online s

Chris Kocek is the founder and CEO of Gallant Branding and the author of the new book Any Insights Yet? His work helps brands looking to make a difference in the world make sense of all of the data and insights at their fingertips. We discussed all of this and more this week on the On Brand podcast. About Chris Kocek Chris Kocek is the founder and CEO of Gallant Branding, a creative branding firm in Austin, Texas focused on building brands for a better world. Over the past 10 years, Gallant has helped dozens of companies with brand overhauls, new product launches, and data-driven campaigns, resulting in triple-digit growth and national recognition. In his new book, Any Insights Yet? Connect the Dots. Create New Categories. Transform Your Business, Chris Kocek demystifies the insight-building process in a way that can help any business leader or marketing practitioner get to higher ground. Packed with real-world examples from leading brands and award-winning campaigns, Any Insights Yet? provides a dynamic ste

Mark Miller is co-author of the book Legacy in the Making, founder of The Legacy Lab, and Chief Strategy Officer at Team One, a leading luxury agency. As all of this would suggest, Mark is an expert in both legacy building for brands and luxury branding. We discussed both this week on the On Brand podcast. About Mark Miller Mark Miller is the co-author of Legacy in the Making: Building a Long-Term Brand to Stand Out in a Short-Term World (McGraw-Hill Education). He is the founder of The Legacy Lab, a thought leadership and consulting practice that explores how brands can build modern legacies. He is also the Chief Strategy Officer at Team One, Publicis Groupe’s global luxury and premium brand agency. Mark is a sought-after presenter, keynote speaker, and panelist on global luxury and premium brands, leadership and culture, legacy-making, and his recent book. Links from the Show Mark’s big and small legacy brand examples — Wimbledon and their retractable roof) and Me & the Bees Lemonade. Is Patagonia act

Matt Abrahams is a leading expert in the field of communication and a lecturer in Organizational Behavior at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, where he also hosts the popular, award-winning podcast Think Fast, Talk Smart. A sought-after keynote speaker and consultant, his new book is Think Faster, Talk Smarter. We discussed all of this and more this week on the On Brand podcast. About Matt Abrahams Matt Abrahams is a leading expert in the field of communication. As a Lecturer in Organizational Behavior at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, he teaches popular classes in strategic communication and effective virtual presenting and has received the school’s Alumni Teaching Award. Matt also teaches public speaking and co-teaches Improvisationally Speaking in the Stanford Continuing Studies Program. When he isn’t teaching, Matt is a highly sought-after keynote speaker and communications consultant and coach. He has helped numerous presenters prepare for high-stakes talks, includin

Jamie Turner is a lot of things — leading author, professor, consultant, and TV news contributor. However, at the end of the day, Jamie says he’s a helper first and foremost. His work helps brands like Coca-Cola and Mercedes-Benz as well as leaders at organizations of all sizes. We discussed all of this and more this week on the On Brand podcast. About Jamie Turner Jamie Turner is an internationally recognized author, professor, consultant, and TV news contributor who has helped The Coca-Cola Company, Holiday Inn, Mercedes-Benz, and other global brands tackle complex business problems. He has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, HuffPost, Business Insider, Entrepreneur, Inc., and other prominent publications. He's also a regular guest on CNN, where he delivers segments on marketing, customer experience, and leadership. Jamie is the co-author of four essential business books, the latest of which is An Audience of One published by McGraw-Hill. Links from the Show The new book! Here's Jamie’s mo

Ana Andjelic is Chief Brand Officer of ESPIRIT Holdings Limited and the author of the book The Business of Aspiration. Specializing in building brand-driven modern businesses, Ana is one of Forbes’s The World’s Most Influential CMOs. We discussed all of this and more this week on the On Brand podcast. About Ana Andjelic Ana Andjelic is a brand executive, author of “The Business of Aspiration” and one of Forbes’s The World’s Most Influential CMOs. Ana specializes in building brand-driven modern businesses. Most recently, she led the rebrand of Banana Republic and is now the Chief Brand Officer at ESPRIT. Ana earned her doctorate in sociology and is a widely read columnist, speaker, and advisor. Links from the Show ESPIRIT's new line targeted at Gen X and Gen Z (what Ana called “two for one”). Here's a collection of classic ESPIRIT ads from the '80s like Ana and I were discussing during the show. Check out Ana's book The Business of Aspiration. What brand has made Ana smile recently? Art collective MSCHF,

Paulo Ribeiro is the founder of Two Things, a transformative agency for active lifestyle brands. With clients like The North Face, Timberland, and more, Paulo's expertise in brand advertising and global brand strategy has shaped industry leaders like Nike and Electronic Arts. We discussed all of this and more this week on the On Brand podcast. About Paulo Ribiero Paulo Ribeiro is the founder of Two Things, a brand transformation agency that focuses on the active lifestyle category. Two Things serves clients such as The North Face, Timberland, Visit Sun Valley, Mad Hippie, Converse, and Arc'teryx. Paulo began his career in brand advertising first in NYC and then in SF at Hal Riney+Partners, the first creatively led agency, during the dot com boom. At Wieden + Kennedy, he was head of global brand strategy for Nike and Electronic Arts through the era of digital transformation. He led the evolution of innovation agency Redscout to better serve Silicon Valley, working with Reid Hoffman on LinkedIn's positioning a

Anthony Butler is a “can-do” digital marketing and brand growth expert. That motto of the military unit he led in Iraq and he brings that mindset to his work helping businesses address the obstacles they face in building and growing their brands. We discussed all of this and more this week on the On Brand podcast. About Anthony Butler Anthony Butler is the founder of the digital marketing agency Can-Do Ideas and the author of Primal Storytelling, Marketing for Humans. He is a highly regarded expert in brand storytelling and digital marketing. Anthony served as both enlisted and as an officer in the US Army. He also graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point and the US Army Ranger School. He is a combat veteran and commanded an infantry company in Iraq during the invasion of Baghdad. He is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu blackbelt and currently resides in Montana with his wife and two sons. Episode Highlights From the military to marketing. Anthony shared his compelling life story — from his backg

Thaler Pekar is a pioneer in the field of organizational storytelling. Her work helps leaders, employees, and customers connect around shared stories. We discussed all of this and more this week on the On Brand podcast. About Thaler Pekar Thaler Pekar is a communication pioneer, lauded as one of the world’s leading experts on institutional storytelling. For 18 years, she and her team at Thaler Pekar & Partners have advised visionary leaders worldwide on gaining confidence, insight, and influence. Episode Highlights How institutional storytelling works. “It helps to have an equitable leader,” Thaler began, describing how the stories leaders share can connect all levels in an organization. Small stories can exemplify the brand. Thaler shared a story from her work with retail giant Kiehl's. “They're really committed to the idea of hospitality,” she notes. “Finding stories is about learning more about what customers want.” “People don't listen because they themselves don't feel heard.” I had to pause the interv

Jay Norman is the Global Head of Music Marketing at Spotify. His work at Spotify and his background as co-founder of the content shop Verse + Hook has focused on helping brands create and connect through culturally impactful work. We discussed all of this and more this week on the On Brand podcast. About Jay Norman Jay Norman is a creative leader, marketer, and co-founder with a 15-year + commitment to designing campaigns merging culture and human emotional experiences. Currently serving as the Global Head of Music Marketing at Spotify, Justin has worked with several international brands, organizations, and artists, creating genre-bending, culturally impactful work. Within his agency career, he has led campaigns and content for brands such as Johnson and Johnson (Listerine, Tylenol, Zyrtec), Stellantis (Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Maserati), Unilever (Country Crock, Bertolli, Popsicle, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter) JBL, Harman Kardon, McDonald's, and more. The award-winning content shop he co-founded, Verse + Hook

Stacey Zimmerman serves as Managing Director at Big Spaceship, where she focuses on deepening client relationships, growing the agency at large, and leading the Account Management discipline. Her passion lies in helping client partners work collaboratively with their agency partners, underscoring how collaboration leads to the most impactful work. We discussed all of this and more this week on the On Brand podcast. About Stacey Zimmerman Stacey Zimmerman serves as Managing Director at Big Spaceship, where she focuses on deepening client relationships, growing the agency at large, and leading the Account Management discipline. Her passion lies in helping client partners work collaboratively with their agency partners, underscoring how collaboration leads to the most impactful work. Nurturing diverse teams, Stacey helps provide education and opportunities to aspiring talent by teaching advertising at both East and West Coast universities for the past decade, serving as executive sponsor for one of Big Spaceshi

Ariadna Navarro is the Chief Growth Officer and Chief Strategy Officer at VSA Partners where she and her team help clients of all shapes and sizes—from blue chips to B2B to startups. We discussed all of this and more this week on the On Brand podcast. About Ariadna Navarro Ariadna Navarro is the Chief Growth Officer and Chief Strategy Officer at VSA Partners, an agency that designs for a better experience. VSA Partners works with a wide range of businesses, from blue chip companies like IBM, AT&T, and Google; to B2B brands like Cargill, Curia, and Ever.AG; to startup disruptors like Black Telehealth and Robinhood. Ariadna helps clients identify and unlock growth potential by connecting business strategy to brand and experience strategy to relentlessly and cohesively deploy a company’s ambition. Episode Highlights Fluff vs. business asset. Ari began our conversation by sharing that VSA takes a different view of brand. “We see brand as a business asset. Some think it's just advertising—brand as fluff.” “Techn

Abbey McGrew is the founder and creative director of Wayfarer Design Studio, where she helps thoughtful e-commerce founders to bring their brands to life through visual identity, packaging, and web design. We discussed all of this and more this week on the show. About Abbey McGrew Abbey McGrew is the founder and creative director of Wayfarer Design Studio. Known for her heart-led approach to design, Abbey helps thoughtful e-commerce founders to bring their brands to life through visual identity, packaging, and web design. She believes that great branding is more than skin deep and always finds a way to weave deeper meaning into every last detail of her work. Episode Highlights What's in a name? “The name Wayfarer carries personal significance for both me and my clients,” Abbey shared. “To me, it symbolizes a passion for exploring the world with my husband, which inspired me to establish the company in 2016. To my clients, it speaks to the experience of embarking on a journey without clear direction, as is o