Podcast
On Brand with Nick Westergaard
Hosted by Nick Westergaard · EN
On Brand helps you tell stronger stories and build better brands. Each week, host Nick Westergaard, author of Get Scrappy and Brand Now, interviews marketing and communication thought leaders and innovators from brands like Ben & Jerry’s, Microsoft, LinkedIn, Meta, Crayola, Beats by Dre, Southwest Airlines, Reddit, Spotify, and MailChimp. Watch the full, in-depth conversations and get actionable insights to help you and your brand stand out in a crowded, distracted world.
For show notes and more, please visit http://onbrandpodcast.com.
33episodes
Episodes
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Startup Storytelling Through Your Customer’s Eyes
Jan 1200:30:22Tap to summarizeStorytelling is easy to talk about—and hard to do well. On this episode of On Brand, I’m joined by John Elbing, Chief Storybuilder Officer at Standpoint, to unpack how his Storybuilding approach helps startups and brands clarify their value, sharpen their pitch, and actually connect—with a framework so effective it’s now a #1 international bestselling book. What You’ll Learn in This Episode Why most brands jump to storytelling tactics before they understand the story they should be telling How recognition, perception, and projection shape whether people connect with your brand Why customer standpoint matters more than founder backstory How structure can unlock creativity instead of killing it A simple way leaders can improve their story starting this week Episode Chapters (00:00) Intro (01:15) Why storytelling became a buzzword (02:50) Storytelling vs storybuilding (04:00) Coaching startups to find focus and alignment (07:30) Why the customer—not the founder—is the hero (08:05) Recognition, perception, and projection explained (16:00) Aspirations, problems, and emotional contrast (21:30) One practical fix leaders can make today (24:00) A brand that made John smile About John Elbing John Elbing is the Chief Storybuilder Officer at Standpoint and a leading authority on Business Storytelling for startups and growth-focused organizations. With a background spanning computer science, finance, digital marketing, and entrepreneurship, John has coached more than 150 startups and companies, helping them clarify their value, sharpen their positioning, and win with purpose. He is the creator of Storybuilding, a practical, canvas-based methodology that turns strategy into compelling customer-centered narratives, and the author of Storybuilding, a #1 international bestselling book. John also teaches entrepreneurship and digital transformation and works with incubators, accelerators, and social-impact initiatives worldwide—proving that when story is built right, it drives both growth and good. What Brand Has Made John Smile Recently? John shared the story of Felco, a Swiss company known worldwide for its professional-grade garden shears. What began as a durable tool brand for field workers uncovered a passionate fan base of everyday gardeners—some so devoted they’d tattoo the logo. By recognizing different customer aspirations and building distinct story worlds around them, Felco expanded into new audiences, including children, proving that even the most practical products can build emotional connection when the story is built from the user’s standpoint. Resources & Links Connect with John on LinkedIn. Check out the Standpoint website. Listen & Support the Show Watch or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon/Audible, TuneIn, and iHeart. Rate and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to help others find the show. Share this episode — email a friend or colleague this episode. Sign up for my free Story Strategies newsletter for branding and storytelling tips. On Brand is a part of the Marketing Podcast Network. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →B2B Podcasting Best Practices with Prarthana Sibal
Apr 11, 2022Tap to summarizePrarthana Sibal is Head of Client Services at Pikkal & Co, a B2B podcast agency. This week she joined me on the On Brand podcast for a discussion of global podcasting markets and how to plan an effective B2B podcast.About Prarthana SibalAs Head of Client Services at award-winning B2B Podcast Agency Pikkal & Co. Prarthana Sibal has managed over 1,000 Podcast Episodes from idea to launch. Branding, Public Relations, Corporate Communications, Brand Reputation, and Podcasting for Brands. Born in India, Educated in SMU Singapore. She is based in Singapore. And she’s our guest this week on the On Brand podcast. Episode HighlightsIs it still the ‘golden age’ of podcasting? Prarthana added an important global perspective to this opening question. “You have to remember that Asia is 5–6 years behind the west. We still have a long way to go (in this growth).”How do you start a B2B podcast? “First, you have to align your podcast objective with your business objective.” From here, Prarthana shared the three most frequent B2B podcasting objectives: Awareness Acquisition Influence What’s one of the most critical needs in planning and launching a successful B2B podcast? “Your podcast design depends on your business objective and your host.” Specifically, Prarthana stressed the importance of the host’s style and the relationships they’ve built. These “people skills” ensure that your show can facilitate engaging conversations with guests.What brand has made Prarthana smile recently? “It’s not really a brand, it’s a person—Gary Vee.” Prarthana shared how Gary Vaynerchuk is a great example of what we were just talking about.To learn more about Prarthana, connect with her on LinkedIn or check out the Pikkal & Co. website.As We Wrap … Listen and subscribe at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon/Audible, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, iHeart, YouTube, and RSS. Rate and review the show—If you like what you’re hearing, be sure to head over to Apple Podcasts and click the 5-star button to rate the show. And, if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review to help others find the show. 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. On Brand is a part of the Marketing Podcast Network. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Ramping Your Brand with James Richardson
Aug 31, 2020Tap to summarize“Until you have decent consumer intelligence and some competitive market information from the cash register, you don’t have the basis for what I would call a tight strategic plan.” With extensive experience in the consumer packaged goods industry, James Richardson brings his background as a cultural anthropologist to understanding the social science and symbology that goes into brand building. He’s also the author of the new book Ramping Your Brand. We discussed all of this and more on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast.About James RichardsonDr. Richardson is the founder of Premium Growth Solutions, a strategic planning consultancy for early-stage consumer-packaged-goods brands. As a professionally trained cultural anthropologist turned business strategist, he has helped more than 75 CPG brands with their strategic planning, including brands owned by Coca-Cola Venturing and Emerging Brands, The Hershey Company, General Mills, Kraft Foods, ConAgra Brands, and Frito-Lay as well as emerging brands such as Once Upon a Farm, Mother Kombucha, Bobby Sue’s Nuts, Rebel Creamery, zaca recovery, and others. He also hosts his own podcast—Startup Confidential. His thoughts appear regularly in industry publications such as Foodnavigator. And he’s the author of the new book Ramping Your Brand.Episode HighlightsWhat does a cultural anthropologist bring to brand building? With a background as a trained anthropologist, James brings a unique set of skills to his work as a strategist and brand builder. “It means I know the difference between what people say they care about and what they actually care about.” This is key to understanding your brand’s audience.About Aunt Jemima … As a brand strategist with extensive experience working with CPG brands, I had to ask James about the future of the Aunt Jemima brand. “What you’ve uncovered here (with Aunt Jemima) is a zombie brand. It had become a zombie brand—a zombie brand dressed in racism.” With nothing remarkable about the “dollar-store” product they sell, the brand is in trouble for a lot of reasons.Think of your brand launch as a beta. Taking a page from the software industry, James encourages businesses to be flexible in the early days of a brand launch.The key ingredients of a successful strategic plan. “Until you have decent consumer intelligence and cash register and sales data, then you don’t have the basis of a strategic plan.”What should you do in the next five minutes? As Tom Peters said on this podcast, excellence is the best short-term strategy. I asked James what you should do in the five minutes after this show … “What is the outcome you’re selling and what symbols are you putting out that point to that?”What brand has made James smile recently? “That’s easy—Progressive Insurance with their Zoom ad creative.” This has come up a lot recently on the On Brand podcast!To learn more, go to the website for James’s book Ramping Your Brand. There you can find several resources including his Founder's Quiz. The Quiz tests founders' self-awareness of what needs to be in place to grow exponentially. Ramping Your Brand can be purchased on Amazon in all formats.Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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