Episodes
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How to create a transformative personal brand
'Personal brand' is an overused, increasingly meaningless term. What it should stand for is clarity in who you are, and what you stand for. But it has been co-opted by the get-rich-quick-self-help crowd, and devolved into little more than superficialities - what you wear and who you hang out…
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Getting your brand story right... finally!
Brand storytelling is both powerful and perplexing. We all acknowledge that a good story 'sticks' better than any list of brand features or benefits... but we also know that crafting a memorable story is damn hard. What's worse, there are no easy step-by-step processes or manuals that enable you…
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How to build a values based brand that lets you sleep at night
I've known Len Laycock for years. His stunning home furnishings design / retail brand Upholstery Arts was a beacon on the Vancouver scene - not least of which for its impeccable sustainability cred. Fast forward a few years, and Len is launching another green brand. Horizontal.eco is a stunning…
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Fashion, COVID, and unleashing entrepreneurial creativity
Sarah Darcey aspired to build a fashion styling brand. But with a great job, her aspiration never left the back burner. COVID-19 changed all that. For months, Sarah was confined to her apartment. The more time she spent staring at the wall and reflecting, the more she knew she had to make her…
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Delivering brand disruption, one order at a time
As COVID and the economic meltdown grind on, we're seeing yawning market chasms emerge that are ripe for brand disruption. One of the most glaring is the massive gap between 'big' retail and, well, all other merchants. The poster child for big retail is Amazon. Granted, the giant has delivered an...
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Doing a successful pandemic brand pivot
How do you do a successful pandemic brand pivot? COVID has spawned a cottage industry of advice on shifting the tactics of your brand - amping up the education and free value to your followers, reaching out more often, focusing on empathy over persuasion, etc etc. But so much of it seems, well,...
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In disruptive times, you need outsider marketing
Outsider marketing means getting an 'outside the jar' perspective on your company's positioning, messaging and selling. Here's why it's more important than ever. The economy is melting down. Everywhere you look, companies are ducking for cover, going under, or struggling to stay alive. Or are…
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From idea to innovation to business success: the story frustrated entrepreneurs need to hear
Chris Meade, his brother, and his best friend were just sitting around watching ESPN when an idea for a cool game hit them. Today, that game is on the shelves at Amazon, Wal-Mart and Home Depot, to name a few. It's called CROSSNET, and it comes with a story that'll inspire every entrepreneur...
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Build a better brand with customer discovery
As an entrepreneur, I know how easy it is to be swept up by a new idea, ignoring lukewarm or contradictory feedback from potential customers. 'They don't get it' or 'They don't know what they want', we blithely say while charging forward. Truth is, consumers do get ideas they like. And if your…
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Test or trust: the idea validation debate rages on
Oh, the stories I could tell of pitched battles over idea validation. I've seen the debate swing like a pendulum between test and trust through the years. In the pre-digital days - back when dinosaurs and mad men roamed the savannah - creatives like myself battled researchers over the validity of...
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What goes into a great elevator pitch?
What goes into a killer elevator pitch? Turns out, many of the same things that go into a great brand. On March 3rd, I'm going to be the lead judge at an event where participants compete with their elevator pitches. Not only will this be a fun evening, but I'm certain we'll see that we all get…
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Do sustainability and real estate marketing mix?
Spirit Bay is a whole new kettle of fish when it comes to real estate marketing. The village, on the southern coast of Vancouver Island in Canada, was developed based on traditional principles of community design: Building light on the land, with homes following the contours of topography –…
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Solar lighting: unleashing the brand
Solar lighting as a brand is beset by misperceptions. People still overwhelmingly believe the lights break, the batteries don’t last, the whole category is a cheap, Home Depot novelty. Winning hearts and minds over to solar may be a big challenge. But the reward for breaking down the…
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How to build a top tech city brand
Quick, name two top tech cities. San Francisco, and, ummm... Exactly. Being a top tech city and being known as a top tech city are two quite different things. I challenge that the difference all comes down to brand. Here in Victoria BC, my hometown, we're blessed with an exploding tech industry....
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The rise and fall of podcasting?
To me, podcasting is a passion - I simply love bringing guests on who have an interesting perspective on brands, marketing and communication, and I love sharing their ideas with my audience. If someone gives me business because they enjoy my podcast, that's icing on the cake. Nice, but not...
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The Calgary Stampede brand: evolve or die?
The Calgary Stampede - the greatest outdoor show on earth - just wrapped up. This year, the show was marred by the tragic deaths of 6 horses in the chuckwagon races, sparking outrage among fans and activists alike. Is it time for the Calgary Stampede to evolve its brand? Or can it weather the...
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Pushing past your comfort zone: my University of Adversity interview
My journey through the world of marketing has had its fair share of ups, downs, goods, bads and uglies. So when University of Adversity podcast host Lance Essihos dialled me up to relate my stories to his audience, I happily obliged. Our little chat covered a lot of ground. From getting my start…
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Can you eliminate gender stereotyping from advertising?
On Friday June 21st, the UK enacts a regulation barring gender stereotyping from advertising. It's a noble initiative but, I believe, a futile one. Advertising, to paraphrase Malcolm McLaren, is all about sex. Sex sells. And with sex come stereotypes of gender that are hard, if not difficult to...
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Drake, the Raptors, and the EU election: What's the brand connection?
There's never a shortage of great marketing and brand-related stories. But we really hit the jackpot the last little while. So I went on the air with Mark Brennae of CFAX to talk about it. First, what's up with Drake? Is he the new Toronto Raptors mascot, or a genius marketer? If you haven't been...
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What's in the coffee? The unlikely rise of McDonald's brand brew.
The other day, I was strolling through Costco, and saw McDonald's coffee pods on sale. I was amazed - not so long ago, I was working on the McDonald's account as a creative director and writer, and the coffee was our Achilles' Heel. How did they do it? I mean, people were now not only ordering…
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Tiger Woods, Donald Trump, and Boeing. A big day for brands.
Today was a big one. First, Tiger Woods made sporting history with one of the greatest comebacks of all time. What implications were there for Nike, the brand that has stuck by Tiger through thick and thin - and what does this say about the role of brands in teaching us integrity? By the way…
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University-gate: a tale of rich people, and the depths they'll plumb for status brands
A few days ago, the hallowed halls of elite colleges like Yale, Stanford and USC were blown apart with news that wealthy parents had paid college entry 'consultant' Rick Singer upwards of $25 million to short circuit the admissions process for their children. Buying entry into great schools is...
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The Carolina Hurricanes, Justin Trudeau, and the art of the pirate brand
This past week, hockey commentator and icon Don Cherry took the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes to task, calling them a 'bunch of jerks' for celebrating their wins post-game with silly pantomimes. The Hurricanes, far from being cowed by Cherry's curmudgeonly comment, printed 'Bunch of Jerks' shirts and...
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Gillette, branded commentary and the razor's edge of public opinion.
A short time ago, Gillette waded into the social commentary sphere, releasing a long format ad counselling men to 'Be Better' and stand up to issues like bullying. The ad prompted an outcry, with negative comments outweighing good. It has since been dissected by prominent journals including The...
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From Co-working to Club 2.0: Creating the Future of Work
Tessa McLoughlin has a gift for creating incredible community and creativity in the workspaces she designs. Now, the founder of Club Kwench is taking it to the next level. She's creating the next wave of workspaces, with her Culture Club concept space. Sitting down with Tessa, I got big insights…
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Ivanka, Facebook, and Brand Betrayal
Today was a busy day in the news. ExxonMobil was in hot water again - this time for creative accounting that conned investors; migrants were turned away from the US border with tear gas; Facebook was called to the carpet in the UK as part of the ongoing data selling fiasco; a judge ruled that the...
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A tale of two underwear brands
Today in the NY Times, Third Love CEO Heidi Zak posted a full page ad bemoaning the regressive thinking of Victoria's Secret CMO Ed Razek. The ad seemed to encapsulate the plight of so many brands that were having trouble adapting in today's rapidly morphing marketplace. Long story short - it...
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Halloween, Fear, and Brand Thinking
I love pulling together tangents that don't obviously belong together. That's why, in honour of Halloween (yesterday) I did a bit of research into the correlation between fear and brand thinking. Crazy? Actually, I was surprised by how MUCH correlation there was. If you want the whole story…
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The fall of Sears (a brand story)
Today, Sears filed for Chapter 11. It's the end of a powerful story in retail, innovation, and brand building. It's also a story about the evolution of brands, and how brands lose their way. To talk about the demise of Sears, creative destruction, and the brand heir to the Sears throne, I went on...
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How to build a brand that actually sells stuff
The gap between marketing and sales is toxic and timeless. Here's the old trope. Marketing folks determine what the message is (too often guided by asinine insights from focus groups), then throw it over the fence to the sales folks. Sales folks grumble that marketing is disconnected from...
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Everything you wanted to know about positioning, but were afraid to ask.
There are some brand issues that never lose relevance, never go out of fashion, never get 'fixed'. Positioning is at the top of the heap. No matter how shiny your technology, or how brilliant your analytics, lack of proper positioning can still sewer your brand. In the spirit of public service…
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Nike, Kaepernick, and the power of a bold brand
Last week, Nike launched a monumental ad campaign featuring Colin Kaepernick. With the rallying cry Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything the campaign took a bold political stance and - I would argue - threw down the gauntlet at the Tweeter in Chief, Donald Trump. It…
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Getting Back to Brand Basics
Didn't See It Coming usually digs into brands that are breaking new ground. But are there basics that brands really need to stick to? I brought aboard entrepreneur, futurist and brand consultant Jim Bottomley to chat about brand fundamentals - and much more. Check out this fast-paced free-for-all...
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Putin And The Brand of Authoritarian Strongmen
This week, politics took a turn for the surreal as US President Trump kowtowed before Russian President Putin in Helsinki. What is the allure of Putin? And why are we witnessing the proliferation of authoritarian leaders around the world? Looking behind the headlines, I saw unmistakable...
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Cancelling Roseanne: Are companies adopting the brand of human decency?
Today, Roseanne Barr had her show cancelled by ABC because of her Twitter tirade (smearing, among others, Valerie Jarrett, Chelsea Clinton, the Muslim Brotherhood and George Soros). Is ABC simply running away from the disaster? Or is human decency, and its implications for a decent company…
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Brand Building in a Gig Economy World
The big ad agencies are falling like dinosaurs, replaced by small, hungry gig economy 'mammals'. But how does a small gig economy worker build a brand when the economy for their services is all about bidding wars and aggregation on curator sites like Upwork and 99 Designs? Nathan Hirsch is the 28...
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The trick to creating infographics that work
Infographics are the simplification antidote to the data firehose. But anyone who has tried to construct an infographic quickly learns it isn't the graphics that make the difference. It's the art of reduction, organization, and discipline. So where do you start? With my interview with Venngage's...
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What happens when iconic founders leave the brand?
One of my all-time favorite shoe designers, John Fluevog, is rumoured to be leaving the company he founded and built over the past 40 years. When ANY founder leaves, it can be bumpy for the brand. But when that someone is Fluevog, whose design ethos defined the company, the brand can be in for a...
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The curious case of the creative person
I've known Heidi Ehlers for many years. She started as an advertising copywriter, became a recruiter for creative talent and (after a few more career iterations) has found an in-demand calling as the career coach for the creative class. What fascinates me about Heidi (and provides rich material…
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The branding of marijuana
I just finished my second stint consulting for a marijuana company. As luck would have it, this coincided with my regular slot chatting with Mark Brennae of CFAX radio. So Mark and I had a great conversation on the dilemmas - and opportunities - in store for marijuana companies trying to set...
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The SpeechDIY Files: Creating a Breakthrough Course
A few weeks ago, I had the good fortune to cross paths with ConveYour co-founder Isaac Tolpin. Isaac and his partner had invented a solution to a very big, frustrating pain point for me - how to create a better online course? A course that people actually cared about, and would finish? (Remember,...
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Online education: killer brand building tool.
I have a confession to make. For the better part of a year, I've been struggling to translate my brand knowledge into meaningful online education. I know, I know, I've helped other people create great online learning brands (my latest project - Family Sparks). I have my courses structured and...
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Damion Lupo, and the Antidote to the Accumulation Nation
Didn't See It Coming usually explores brands that learn from the past, look to the future, and profit because of it today. But every once in a while, you meet someone who has such a terrific story, you have to bend the rules a bit. Not that Damion Lupo doesn't have an awesome personal brand. It's...
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How to truly stand out as a solopreneur
I recently had the opportunity to speak to a group of solopreneurs and small businesspeople on the importance of standing out from the competition. More important, I took them through a simple process for discovering their Unique Selling Proposition, and making that the foundation of their brand.…
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Has Christmas always been hypermarketed?
Not long ago, my wife pointed out that the Christmas shopping season was now not only infringing on Thanksgiving - but even Halloween! What next? Would we be doing our Christmas shopping in July? Is this hypermarketing of Christmas a new phenomenon, or a tradition? I went on the air with CFAX's...
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How to create simple social
I recently had the opportunity to deliver a keynote at Social Media Camp. Instead of just talking about social, though, I decided to take it a step further - I partnered with a local company and helped them create a social media campaign, which I then described in the talk. Make sure to check out...
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Crafting a Killer Presentation: The Documentary...
A short while ago, I had the opportunity to coach a group of CEO's who wanted to craft TED-calibre speeches. Even better, we got to host our two day workshop at a wonderful fishing resort on the rugged coast of BC. Listen in as I describe the full experience, from nervous preparation to proud...
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How to lizardproof your brand
For most marketers, cutting through the noise with their brand message is a big concern. But even if your message gets to its audience, there's no guarantee they'll absorb it. This speech, delivered September 28th 2017 to a group of financial managers, describes how our 'lizard brain' blocks...
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How to avoid a publicity stunt disaster
Recently, two Victoria BC groups tried to garner publicity with stunts - and failed miserably. The first, Fresh Coast Eatery, took to Instagram with a photo that was derided as fat shaming, in order to promote its healthy cuisine. The second, a stunt promoting a local comedy show, subjected white...
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The eclipse, superstition, and marketing.
On August 21st, the world witnessed a stunning solar eclipse. Also on August 21st, I was scheduled to chat marketing on the air with CFAX's Mark Brennae. It only seemed natural to connect the two. But what exactly is the connection between eclipses and marketing? Turns out, there are more than…
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About this show
Join Marc as he digs into the brand and marketing secrets of everyone from brash startup founders to sophisticated corporate marketers. An easy, conversational podcast with tips and hints guaranteed in every episode!
Hosted by
Marc Stoiber
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