According to a 2019 study by Statista, McDonald’s brand value is estimated at over $130 billion dollars. Almost three times more than number two, Starbucks, on the “fast food” category. How does a brand who regularly receives harsh criticism have such high brand value? And how do they keep their brand integrity and consistency in over 37,000 restaurants in 120 countries?

Part of the YMCA success is their ability to change, but how does a massive global organization master the art of understanding audience needs, have the willingness to change and adapt while staying true to its brand essence? ken Lima-Coelho, VP of Community Engagement with the YMCA Calgary tells us how the YMCA does it and how they are investing in the brand. 

This is the third and final episode of a three-part series where we go deeper on how to define and operationalize your purpose and core values and how to create and nourish the right culture.

Almost every organization has a set of values, but most don’t know how to live by them. Operationalizing your values, translating them into actions and experiences is very hard to do. In this episode we pull the curtain to show you how Airbnb did it.

There is a lot of information about defining your purpose but there is not a lot on how to find your purpose and even less on how to implement it. This three-part series, will walk you through how to find your purpose and how to bring it to life. We’ll give the behind the scenes details of how Airbnb did it, including the process and exercises they went through.

Events can be a great way to fully immerse your audience in your brand. Good food and a good venue are important but to achieve a memorable brand experience and meaningful connection with your audience you need to go beyond the basics.   In today’s episode we're sharing some great tips and advice on how to create events that will attract and connect your audiences, internal or external, with your brand.

Injecting your brand in your spaces enhances the connection with your brand values reinforces your culture, nourishes staff and customer engagement and creates the right brand experiences.

Every brand should have a good handle on who their ideal customer is, not just based on age or gender but rather on their needs and desires.  In this episode we explore some ways to uncover the information you need to truly understand your audience and be able to provide them with the right product or service and craft the right messages and strategies to reach and convert them.

In this episode I’m talking to Barry Enderwick, who helped shape the Netflix brand in its early days. We discuss how Netflix has been able to continuously change and adapt, staying on top of its game and how you can do so as well.

Most brands dedicate resources to carefully select the right images and although sound can make an image much more powerful very few brands spend time selecting the right sounds.

Douglas Atkin, former Head of Community at Airbnb walks us through how to identify your purpose, how to evaluate it to ensure it’s a good one and how to bring that purpose to life which is the hardest part of all and essential to have a cult like brand.

Swell Bottle was not the first to come up with a multi-use water bottle but how did they get the attention of people like Oprah, publications like Vogue and retailers like Starbucks? What is the magic behind Swell? What is the "secret sauce"?

Lush Cosmetics is not afraid to stand for what they believe in and what they are against. In this episode Brandi Halls, Brand Director North America, shares with us how Lush lives by their values, how they have grown a cult like following.

Social enterprise may likely be the new business model. In this episode I’m talking to Dave Cree, co-founder of Common Good Linens. Get a behind the scenes on a successful social enterprise that is helping those facing homelessness and poverty.

With 1 billion users spending an average of 53 minutes a day on the app, 50% actively following brands and 72% purchasing from them, Instagram is a platform you should be at. But how can you use Instagram for your organization in an effective way?

What makes a remarkable brand, well…remarkable? What are their characteristics? What decisions their leaders make? What goals they pursue? Do they share similar attributes? More importantly, what can we learn from them and apply to our own experience?

This is the last episode of 2018, I wanted to pick the one episode from all year that is a definite "do not miss". If you only have time to listen to one episode this is it. If you've already listened to it it's totally worth while to do it again.

Like it or not we all have to “sell” our products or services or cause. In this episode, Hamish walks us through the best way to approach selling, the proven seven step process to convert and the psychology behind successfully selling.

Brian knows a thing or two about building remarkable brands. He is not limited to traditional and digital creative marketing campaigns but rather the entire process of building a brand from within, creating strong cultures that live and embrace the brand.

If you know Terry, you're not reading this, you've hit play already. If you don’t know Terry, boy are you in for a treat. He is an esteemed adman, author and the host of the hugely popular and award winning radio show and podcast "Under the Influence".

A Branded World is celebrating its first anniversary. I can't let this date go without thanking everyone who has contributed with their time and insights.  This podcast is possible because of them and listeners like you. Thank you!

Follow a few organizations who are going through Fast Pitch, a program provided by Social Venture Partners, to help craft a strong pitch. We go behind the scenes and look at what it takes to develop a simple, clear and impactful pitch.

Staying true to your brand values and purpose can feel like climbing a building from the outside during a hurricane. It’s not easy. And for those of you who are trying to do it, you know exactly what I mean and this episode is for you.

This is part two of my interview with Christina Zeidler. What makes the Gladstone a remarkable brand is the fact that Christina has identified a set of values that guides every decision turning those values into actions and experiences.

Christina Zeidler rejuvenated a historic Toronto landmark, the Gladstone hotel and build a brand that has deep connections with the community, visitors and staff. Christina managed to build a brand that is much more than the services it offers.