Today’s guest is Mark Kingsley, an award winning designer, brand strategist and author of the Universal Principles of branding. During the conversation, as well as understanding Marks career influences from Carlos Santana, working on HP where as Mark says “they printed everything I created” we uncover the balance between creativity and corporate demands. We discuss global branding challenges and his strategic approach to maintaining brand identity across diverse markets but allowing that all important space for local nuances. Yes those local nuances do actually matter. We discuss some of Marks projects, like working on the Ogilvy positioning and the sometimes burdensome legacy of charismatic founders and the importance of experiential and emotional connections in brand development.  And of course we chat about Marks acclaimed book, 'The Universal Principles of Branding,' providing insights into its creation and the overarching principles that guide effective brand strategy and how actually it is so nuanced.  As is the case now, no episode is complete without a discussion on the ever-evolving role of AI in the creative industry, acknowledging both its potential and its challenges. We discuss how AI can democratise design tools while emphasising the irreplaceable human element in truly impactful art and branding. Mark's reflections on his teaching experiences and the importance of meditative thinking in creativity offer valuable lessons for aspiring designers. Marks enthusiasm for his work is palpable, and his insights into the intersection of art, technology, and branding are inspiring. This episode is a treasure trove of knowledge for anyone passionate about creativity and its myriad applications in the modern world. 00:00 Introduction and Event Recap 00:27 Journey into Irish Music 01:52 Influence of Carlos Santana 03:43 Designing for Music Legends 05:08 Grammy Nomination Experience 07:15 Transition to Corporate Work 12:20 Global Branding Challenges 19:50 Writing the Book on Branding 24:21 Empowering Employees at Ritz Carlton 25:14 Understanding Brand Transformation 26:02 Political Ramifications in Branding 28:53 The Story of Dapper Dan and Gucci 33:50 AI's Impact on Creativity and Design 38:03 Balancing Calculative and Meditative Thinking 40:18 The Role of Taste and Pride in Creativity 42:49 Current Projects and Future Endeavours Sponsor the podcast: https://www.thatswhaticallmarketing.com/sponsor Find Conor: https://www.linkedin.com/in/conorbyrne/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.