Brand Awareness Campaign Debrief with Creative Director, Stef Hanson

The most overdue guest: Stef Hanson on big swings, creative campaigns and dropping the mask This week, Mia is joined by long-time friend and the most overdue guest in Got Marketing? history — Stef Hanson. Stef is a Creative Director, storyteller, and the brains behind some of the boldest small business campaigns inside (and outside) Marketing Circle. What started as weekly “therapy session” chats between Mia and Stef has finally been recorded — and it’s a deep dive into dropping the mask, taking big creative swings, and why bland headshots are the enemy of brand building. From repositioning her business with a standout brand awareness campaign, to challenging small business owners to ditch the beige and embrace risk, Stef shares how she went from shooting corporate conferences she hated… to creating concept-led campaigns that attract dream clients. 🎧 Press play if you’ve ever felt stuck doing work that doesn’t light you up — and you’re ready to swing for the fences. We’d love to hear from you. DM us anytime, or leave a review if you found it valuable.   What you’ll takeaway from in this episode:  ✨ Why Stef ditched cookie-cutter corporate jobs for creative campaigns that light her up ✨ The art of getting people to drop the mask — and why it’s Stef’s secret superpower ✨ How choosing clients by psychographics beats niching by industry ✨ Why bland headshots won’t cut it (and what to do instead) ✨ The making of “The Beach Campaign” — and how it repositioned Stef’s business overnight ✨ How to turn testimonials into must-watch content (not beige text screenshots) ✨ Why the real risk in marketing is blending in with everyone else ✨ How small businesses can access agency-level creative thinking without the agency price tag ✨ Practical ways to bring more playfulness and personality into your brand   🎾 The Big Swing: How to find your next “big swing” idea by stealing creative tactics from TV and film — from breaking the fourth wall to the immersive magic of a one-shot   Connect with Mia: Connect with Mia on LinkedIn Follow got marketing? on Instagram   Connect with Stef: Website: https://www.stefhansonproductions.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stefhansonproductions/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stef-hanson-62a63574/   Get the backstage pass to Got Marketing? on Substack. The ideal companion to the show and place to share your thoughts about the Got Marketing? podcast episodes.   Ask me anything We will have dedicated episodes where Mia answers your questions. Submit questions here: Got Marketing Podcast or send us a DM.    🎷 Ripple Festival Nov 12 & 13, Grazeland, Melbourne: see you there? Ripple Festival is where music, art, comedy, and small business collide. Because creativity isn’t just for artists, and strategy isn’t just for boardrooms. Tickets are on sale now. Visit RippleFestival.au for details 👩‍💻 Mia and the Campaign Del Mar team use and love Kajabi; it powers our whole business. Try it free for 30 days with Mia's exclusive link.    Still here? Give us feedback Marketing Circle Download the Focus Framework to learn where to focus your marketing efforts based on your stage of business, individually for product and service-based brands.