Podcast Summary: The Art of the Brand – Episode 10: Breaking the Branding Mold with Ashwin (@Shwinnabego)

Release Date: October 21, 2024
Host: Third Eye Insights (Camille Moore and Phillip Millar)
Guest: Ashwin (@Shwinnabego), Branding Expert and Founder of Schwinnebago

Introduction

In Episode 10 of The Art of the Brand, Camille Moore and Phillip Millar welcome Ashwin (@Shwinnabego) to delve deep into contemporary branding strategies. Ashwin, an acclaimed branding expert, shares his journey, insights, and actionable strategies that challenge traditional branding paradigms. The conversation spans from foundational branding concepts to real-world case studies, offering listeners a comprehensive understanding of effective brand building in today’s dynamic market.

Branding: Divergence Over Creation

Key Insight: Ashwin emphasizes that true branding lies in diverging from existing categories rather than creating entirely new ones.

• Ashwin at [00:00]: "Branding isn't creating new categories. It's diverging from existing ones."

• Discussion: Many new brands mistakenly believe they must be entirely novel to succeed, inspired by revolutionary figures like Steve Jobs. However, Ashwin argues that "9.9 out of 10 businesses are not revolutionary. They're not terribly novel. They have just done like a couple of things different and found success through doing those things different." This approach applies not only to branding but also to distribution and other business facets.

• Supporting Literature: The conversation references Origin of Branding by Laura Rice and her father, Ed Rice, which adopts a Darwinian perspective on branding evolution. This analogy underscores the importance of evolving within a category to achieve market success.

Case Study: Nutter Butter’s Branding Strategy

Key Insight: Nutter Butter successfully leveraged chaotic and unconventional content to reignite brand engagement.

• Ashwin at [26:06]: "Nutter Butter has been making increasingly just, like, unhinged, like, acid trip content…it's pure chaos...every video performs super well, gets like millions of views."

• Discussion: Despite being a legacy brand, Nutter Butter adopted an unexpected, chaotic social media strategy that resonated with audiences, leading to increased brand recall and engagement. Ashwin cautions against blindly replicating such strategies without understanding brand fit and audience alignment.

• Key Takeaway: "If you are a brand that does $40 million selling…the way Nutter Butter did it works for them because people already know them." Attempting similar tactics without brand recognition can lead to ineffective or even detrimental outcomes.

Navigating Branding Challenges: Bike Shedding and Dunning-Kruger Effect

Key Insight 1: Bike Shedding refers to the tendency to focus on trivial details instead of important strategic elements.

• Ashwin at [37:36]: "Bike shedding is this concept where the discussion focuses on minor details…like debating the color of a bike shed while ignoring the more critical nuclear reactor project."

• Discussion: In branding meetings, stakeholders often get bogged down by insignificant details (e.g., color palettes, logo tweaks) instead of concentrating on overarching brand strategy. This phenomenon stifles creativity and progress.

Key Insight 2: Dunning-Kruger Effect highlights how individuals with limited knowledge may overestimate their expertise, leading to misguided branding decisions.

• Ashwin at [45:09]: "The more you know, the less confident you feel in speaking confidently…the less you know, the more overconfident you feel."

• Discussion: In the realm of branding and marketing, individuals may offer opinions without a deep understanding, resulting in ineffective strategies. Ashwin underscores the importance of expertise and continuous learning to mitigate this effect.

Founder CEOs vs. Hired CEOs

Key Insight: Founder CEOs bring a unique passion and understanding to branding that hired CEOs often lack.

• Ashwin at [56:57]: "Founder CEOs are a different beast…they intuitively understand the role without it even being a conversation or explanation."

• Discussion: Founder CEOs are deeply invested in their brand’s identity and strategy, often driving more authentic and effective branding efforts. In contrast, hired CEOs may operate within bureaucratic structures, limiting their ability to innovate and execute agile branding strategies.

• Example: Ashwin cites how founder involvement in content creation (e.g., Ketone IQ’s social media) can lead to more relatable and engaging brand narratives compared to delegated efforts by larger organizations.

Trends and Future Directions in Branding (2025 Forecast)

Key Insight: Branding strategies are evolving to prioritize authenticity, relatability, and strategic use of social media platforms.

• Ashwin at [76:35]: "Brands need to show up on platforms like TikTok in an interesting way…they should reverse engineer campaigns from potential virality."

• Discussion: As social media continues to dominate, brands must adapt by creating content tailored to platform-specific audiences. Authenticity and engagement trump traditional advertising methods. Ashwin advocates for "reverse engineering from social" trends to develop campaigns that resonate and have the potential to go viral.

• Example: Liquid Death’s partnership with a casket company exemplifies innovative, attention-grabbing strategies that align with brand identity while leveraging social media’s virality.

Legacy Brands in Modern Branding

Key Insight: Legacy brands have untapped potential to innovate and revitalize their presence through strategic branding.

• Ashwin at [73:22]: "Legacy brands like Speed Queen can stand out by leveraging unique brand names and authentic storytelling."

• Discussion: Legacy brands often possess strong brand recognition but may lag in contemporary branding practices. By embracing unique naming conventions and relatable storytelling (e.g., Big Ass Fans, Speed Queen), these brands can rejuvenate their market presence and connect with newer audiences.

• Example: Fabletics’ entry into the medical scrub market showcases how legacy brands can successfully diversify by aligning new product lines with their established brand values and leveraging strategic partnerships (e.g., with comedian Ken Jeong).

Conclusion

Ashwin (@Shwinnabego) provides a wealth of knowledge on modern branding strategies, emphasizing the importance of divergence within established categories, the pitfalls of over-focusing on trivial details, and the unique strengths of founder-led organizations. Through insightful case studies and practical advice, he highlights how brands can navigate the complexities of today's market to achieve lasting success.

Notable Quotes:

• Ashwin [00:05]: "9.9 out of 10 businesses are not revolutionary. They're not terribly novel. They have just done like a couple of things different and found success through doing those things different."

• Ashwin [37:36]: "Bike shedding is this concept where the discussion focuses on minor details… like debating the color of a bike shed while ignoring the more critical nuclear reactor project."

• Ashwin [45:09]: "The more you know, the less confident you feel in speaking confidently… the less you know, the more overconfident you feel."

• Ashwin [56:57]: "Founder CEOs are a different beast…they intuitively understand the role without it even being a conversation or explanation."

• Ashwin [76:35]: "Brands need to show up on platforms like TikTok in an interesting way… they should reverse engineer campaigns from potential virality."

Where to Find Ashwin

• Instagram: @Shwinnabego
• TikTok: @Shwinnabego
• Brand Instagram: Schwinnebago

Ashwin concludes the episode by defining branding as a "universe," encapsulating the totality of a brand’s presence, communication, and consumer interactions. This holistic view reinforces the notion that effective branding is multifaceted, requiring strategic consistency and authentic engagement.

Final Thoughts

This episode serves as a valuable resource for business owners and marketing professionals seeking to refine their branding strategies. Ashwin’s expertise and practical examples provide actionable insights that can be applied across various industries to foster brand growth and resilience in an ever-evolving marketplace.