Customer-Centric Branding in Manufacturing with Katie Graham

In this episode of Unpacking the Brand, hosts Ken Theriot and Randy Kessler sit down with Katie Graham, Regional Marketing Communications Manager at Bobst North America, to explore how customer-centric marketing is changing the face of industrial branding.From long sales cycles to global communications challenges, Katie breaks down what makes manufacturing marketing so unique — and how aligning messaging, analytics, and authenticity can help even the most technical brands stand out. They dive into topics like digital transformation, CRM adoption, and the importance of personal branding in the B2B space. Whether you're in sales, marketing, or leadership, this is a masterclass on how to build real value in modern industry.Chapters00:00 – Intro: Welcome back to Unpacking the Brand01:44 – Guest intro: Katie Graham of Bobst North America03:00 – Why manufacturing marketing is different05:00 – B2B brand building and customer engagement07:15 – Global marketing vs. regional strategy09:00 – Tech, CRM, and digitalization at Bobst12:00 – Strategic filtering: which initiatives to pursue14:05 – Case study: Building a new market presence17:00 – Sales and marketing alignment done right20:15 – How perception shifts drive brand expansion23:00 – The role of personal branding on LinkedIn25:00 – Katie’s top advice for new professionals30:00 – The future of AI and marketing analytics33:06 – Rapid Fire: Brands, books, and beachside insightsMentionedAtomic Habits by James ClearWomen of FlexoBobst Competence Centers in Atlanta and L.A.