160: Shane Stewart on how to build brands with fizz

This week we went around slurping muddy water from puddles in order to win the sympathy of Shane Stewart – brand man, running man and fizzy drink saviour.Chief brand brain at XOXO soda, Shane has built his career around launching and marketing drinks that do good stuff for your innards, while looking extremely cool on your outtards. Before shaking up the canned drink business with XOXO he helped create a large and loyal community of slurpers for Moju, a ginger and turmeric shot that’s a bit like unleashing a troop of helpfully energetic monkeys inside your tired old brain. And, as well as bringing better branded bubbly beverages to Britain and beyond, he’s even found the time to launch Step by Steppers, a marvellous running club designed to help people dealing with grief to feel less alone.This episode is very proudly dedicated to his Dad. /////Follow Shane on LinkedIn and InstagramStep by Steppers Run ClubTimestamps03:14 - Shane's Early Career in Hospitality05:08 - Cultural Significance of Pubs in the UK07:29 - Importance of University Experience Over Degree Choice08:50 - Shane's Interest in Brands and Marketing10:57 - Shane's Time in Australia and Farm Work Experience13:04 - Transition from Hospitality to Marketing14:40 - Working at Northern Block Ice Cream16:05 - Joining Moju and Creative Job Application18:22 - Continuous Learning and Mini MBA20:19 - Transition to XOXO Soda23:37 - Challenges and Opportunities in the Functional Soda Market25:21 - Product Range and Flavor Development at XOXO29:27 - Psychological Aspects of Product Taste and Health Benefits31:12 - Listener Questions: Startups vs. Big Brands34:47 - Listener Questions: Convincing Retailers to Stock Products39:42 - Introduction to Step by Stepper Run ClubShane's Book Recommendation is: The Chimp Paradox - Prof Steve Peters/////