In our first-ever episode of Marketing vs The World, host Abbie Dando sits down with very special guest Rebecca McKee, founder of This Brand Works. Together, Abbie and Rebecca chat about the critical role of branding in business success, the importance of long-term brand building and the integration of creativity and data in marketing. And, because every episode unpicks a personal life challenge too, Abbie and Rebecca talk about challenges faced by female leaders in the industry. In this episode, Abbie and Rebecca discuss: Rebecca McKee's Background Journey from a Northern steel town to founding This Brand Works.Career highlights include roles at National Express, Virgin Atlantic, Expedia, eBay, and Sky. Importance of Branding Brand is not just a logo; it's the essence of your business.Consistent branding creates long-term memory structures in customers' minds. Brand vs. Performance Marketing Balancing short-term sales tactics with long-term brand building.The concept of 'compound interest' in brand awareness. Case Studies Virgin Atlantic's unique brand positioning in a commoditised market.Liquid Death's disruptive branding in the bottled water industry. Strategies for Startups Importance of customer insights and research.Building a community and co-creating the brand with the audience. Challenges for Female Business Leaders Overcoming imposter syndrome and taking up space in male-dominated industries.The significance of personal branding and appearance in professional settings. Long-Term Investment in Branding Differentiating between immediate ROI and sustainable brand value.Successful examples like Airbnb's brand-focused marketing strategy during the pandemic. Key takeaways from this episode: Know Your Customer: Conduct thorough research to understand your audience's needs and perceptions.Consistent Branding: Invest in long-term brand building for sustained business growth.Balancing Act: Combine short-term performance marketing with long-term brand strategies.Personal Brand: Female leaders should leverage their own unique qualities and experiences to build strong personal brands. What you’ll get from this episode: This episode will help you view your brand as the cornerstone of your business strategy and help you understand why you should invest time in understanding ‘who’ and ‘what’ you want your business to be and how to build up your brand to reflect this effectively. Subscribe & Connect: Don't miss an episode of Marketing vs The World. Subscribe now and join us every other Monday for more insightful discussions and practical marketing tips. Make sure you follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram, too. In our next episode, we mix inspiration and education in a very special episode with John Wilson, co-founder of Honest Video. Marketing Vs The World is produced and managed by Urban Podcasts.