On Brand with Nick Westergaard

Using Stories to Ignite Change with Patti Sanchez

01 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Stories can be powerful tools for moving people and building brands. This isn’t as easy as it could sound. Storytelling is both an art and a science...

Why Brands Should See Ideas Everywhere with Ashley Zeckman

04 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

“I love looking at other industries and seeing what they’re doing.” As Director of Agency Marketing at TopRank Marketing, Ashley Zeckman has a l...

The Case for Badassing Your Brand with Pia Silva

27 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

“It’s better to whole-ass one thing than half-ass several.” As the author of the book Badass Your Brand, my conversation with Pia Silva was bou...

How to Create “Aha!” Positioning for Your Brand with Andy Cunningham

20 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

“The biggest problem we marketers face today is trying to be all things to all people.” Andy Cunningham would know. She’s spent her career pos...

Finding and Following Your Brand's Purpose with Robin Fisher Roffer

23 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

“You’re only a brand if you have meaning beyond your name.” One of the more challenging questions I ask on a regular basis is, “How do you de...

Why Brands Should Trust the Moment with Jeff Suhy

16 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

“Brands today are looking for immediate feedback. And if it’s negative, they’re done.” What are brands missing today? According to Mod Op’s ...

Better Storytelling Through Empathy with Nancy Duarte

02 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

“There’s so much power in the spoken word.” Nancy Duarte would know. She’s the world’s leading expert on visual communication, ranked #1 on ...

Faster Than Normal Branding with Peter Shankman

11 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

“There’s a common theme to everything I do — I create content that helps people.” And Peter Shankman does just a few things as an author, sp...

Social Sound Bite: Facebook Page Reach Down 20%

08 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

On this week’s Social Sound Bite — recorded live at the KXIC studios in Iowa City — Jerry and I discussed some new data from Buzzsumo showing ...

Bringing the IBM Watson Brand to Life with Amber Armstrong

04 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

“We want to personify the Watson brand.” But how do you personify a machine? That’s one of the many challenges that Amber Armstrong faces on a d...

Social Sound Bite: Why Email Marketing Still Rules

01 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

On this week's Social Sound Bite — recorded live at the KXIC studios in Iowa City — Jerry and I discussed why email should be a bigger part of you...

Alan Alda on Communicating and Relating to Others

23 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

“My whole life has been a big improvisation — I follow my nose.” Improvisation has played a big role in Alan Alda’s career in more ways than o...

Social Sound Bite: Facebook Makes Its Ad Reporting Even Better

14 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

On this week's Social Sound Bite – recorded live at the KXIC studios in Iowa City — Jerry and I discussed Facebook's latest innovation in advertis...

Social Sound Bite: America's Online Advertising Duopoly

07 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

On this week's Social Sound Bite – recorded live at the KXIC studios in Iowa City — Jerry and I discussed just how much of the online advertising ...

Creating an Authentic Healthcare Brand with Mark Viden

31 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

“Branding is finding what’s true in any organization.” Mark Viden has experience in brand advertising with lots of different types of organizati...

Designing a Sustainable, Fashion Brand with Hamilton Perkins

24 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

“The future should be sustainable materials.” After years in finance, Hamilton Perkins discovered his new calling while shopping for a bag. A bag ...

Social Sound Bite: What Your Customers Need Most from You

21 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

On this week’s Social Sound Bite – recorded live at the KXIC studios in Iowa City — Jerry and I discussed what’s most important for customer...

Creating Brand Homes with Experience Expert Christian Lachel

17 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

“We create experiences that touch the heart.” In our increasingly digital world, it may surprise some to learn that creating engaging physical exp...

Brand Leadership Through Employee Engagement with Michael Brenner

03 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

“As marketing leaders, we have to give up control.” As CEO of Marketing Insider Group, author Michael Brenner knows a thing or two about marketing...

Why You Should Build a Free Range Brand with Nicole Ertas

26 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

“You have to be able to let go.” As brand builders, we’re used to being in control of our brands. But that’s something we have to get over tod...

Social Sound Bite: Most Lack Confidence in Social Media ROI

19 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

On this week's Social Sound Bite – recorded live at the KXIC studios in Iowa City — Jerry and I discussed the latest on how marketers are using so...

Social Sound Bite: Top 7 Findings of Mary Meeker’s Internet Trends 2017

12 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

On this week's Social Sound Bite – recorded live at the KXIC studios in Iowa City — Jerry and I discussed several new and emerging trends from Kle...

How to Listen for Brand Advocates with Mack Collier

05 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

"It takes time to cultivate relationships." Mack Collier has been cultivating relationships for a long time. The social media strategist, speaker, and...

Social Sound Bite: The Reports of Facebook’s Death Are Exaggerated

02 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

On this week’s Social Sound Bite – recorded live at the KXIC studios in Iowa City — Jerry and I discussed some new data that disproves a popular...

Social Sound Bite: Customers Don't Like When You're Snarky

26 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

On this week’s Social Sound Bite – recorded live at the KXIC studios in Iowa City — Jerry and I discussed some new data from Sprout Social on wh...

A Healthcare Branding Prescription from Vince Parry

22 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

"Brand identity helps doctors see the patient behind the condition.” Vince Parry has spent his career at the forefront of the healthcare branding in...

Social Sound Bite: Snapchat's Millennial Users Remain Loyal

19 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

On this week's Social Sound Bite – recorded live at the KXIC studios in Iowa City — Jerry and I discussed some new data on Snapchat's users follow...

Personal Branding from A to Z with Barry Feldman

15 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

“There’s often some confusion and conflict around personal branding.” It’s true. For whatever reason, some people and companies have trouble w...

Preparing Your Brand for Wilderness Survival with Jonathan David Lewis

08 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

“Research shows that our psychology is very similar in situations where we’re struggling with branding and marketing challenges and when we’ve c...

Social Sound Bite: Instagram Numbers Take Off Exponentially

05 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

On this week’s Social Sound Bite – recorded live at the KXIC studios in Iowa City — Jerry and I discussed the latest social media usage statisti...

How Nationwide Employs a Flexible, Memorable Brand Voice

01 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

“Our brand values are up on the wall but there’s more to it. We have a very specific way of talking.” In addition to being a part of Nationwide’...

Exploring the History of the Maker’s Mark Brand with Bill Samuels, Jr.

24 Apr 2017

Contributed by Lukas

“For us, marketing meant polishing the apple. Not chasing people, letting them find you.” Over the past 59 years, quite a few people have found Ma...

BarkBox on Branding: The Convergence of Culture & Audience

18 Apr 2017

Contributed by Lukas

“Branding is thousands of tiny punches that add up.” And few deliver as many meaningful little punches as Bark & Co, the powerhouse brand dedicate...

How to Protect Your Brand with Kerry O'Shea Gorgone

03 Apr 2017

Contributed by Lukas

“The only policy you need is ‘don’t be a jerk!'” While this may seem like surprising legal advice, it shouldn’t be considering the source. I...

Connecting the Dots of Customer Experience with Bill Price

27 Mar 2017

Contributed by Lukas

“Too often today we over-survey our customers.” As Amazon’s first Worldwide VP of Customer Service, Bill Price is a legend in the field of custo...

Social Sound Bite: Which Social Networks Are Used Most Often

24 Mar 2017

Contributed by Lukas

On this week's Social Sound Bite – recorded live at the KXIC studios in Iowa City — Jerry and I discussed the latest social media insights from th...

Access, Authenticity & Internal Advocacy with Bruce Kennedy

20 Mar 2017

Contributed by Lukas

“If you want to be authentic as a brand, you have to be able to make a mistake.” As social media manager for Cision, Bruce Kennedy is on the front...

LIVE Onstage at SXSW with Duff Stewart & Heather Whaling

13 Mar 2017

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we have a special LIVE episode of the On Brand podcast — on stage from SXSW Interactive. Recorded last Saturday, March 11 in Austin, this...

Reinventing Integrated Marketing Communications with Don E. Schultz

06 Mar 2017

Contributed by Lukas

“A brand is a relationship between a customer and an organization.” Don E. Schultz has spent his storied career navigating, teaching, and writing ...

How to Aim Your Brand for a Content Marketing Win with Doug Kessler

27 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

“A brand is a set of promises. If you break that, you hurt the brand.” With a storied career in advertising including his current gig as co-founde...

Social Sound Bite: Facebook’s New Business Feature – Job Postings!

24 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

On this week’s Social Sound Bite – recorded live at the KXIC studios in Iowa City — Jay and I discussed Facebook’s newest feature for business...

Telling Your Brand’s Story in the Snapchat Age with Jed Record

20 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

“When you don’t answer your customers — you’re sending them a message.” Today we have to meet our audience on an increasingly diverse array ...

Social Sound Bite: What Goes Into the Instagram Algorithm

17 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

On this week’s Social Sound Bite – recorded live at the KXIC studios in Iowa City — Jay and I discussed a recent report on how Instagram’s alg...

Developing a Consistent Brand Voice and Language with Brad Flowers

13 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

"Branding is complicated when you try to define it." If there was an ongoing theme of the On Brand podcast, this week's guest hit the nail on the head...

Social Sound Bite: As Snapchat Stumbles, Facebook Flexes

10 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

On this week's Social Sound Bite – recorded live at the KXIC studios in Iowa City — Jay and I discussed some recently released numbers from both F...

Answering All of Your Customers Questions with Marcus Sheridan

06 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

“The art of the question has fundamentally been lost.” As a global speaker and consultant in digital marketing and sales, Marcus Sheridan has made...

Social Sound Bite: Instagram Stories Are More Popular Than Snapchat

03 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

On this week’s Social Sound Bite – recorded live at the KXIC studios in Iowa City – Jay and I discussed some new stats on Instagram Story use v...

Standing Out by Creating Content Customers Want with Dave Gerhardt

30 Jan 2017

Contributed by Lukas

"The only way to stand out is to build a brand." B2B marketers often focus most of their energy on sales funnels, lead generation, and analytics. But ...

Social Sound Bite: Rogue Tweets from Badlands National Park

27 Jan 2017

Contributed by Lukas

On this week's Social Sound Bite – recorded live at the KXIC studios in Iowa City – Jay and I discussed recent "rogue tweets" from Badlands Nation...

Millennial Marketing and Media Brands with Gabriella Mirabelli

23 Jan 2017

Contributed by Lukas

"You are the steward of the cluster that’s drawn to your brand.” Today, we’re simultaneously in control of our brands and not in control, as we ...

Creating Stories from Customer Empathy with Carla Johnson

16 Jan 2017

Contributed by Lukas

“Brands that we look to, that are charismatic, know their audience. They know who they are.” Stories, personality, and experiences are the buildin...

Moving Your Brand from Average to Exceptional with Jay Acunzo

09 Jan 2017

Contributed by Lukas

“All advice is bad advice unless it’s contextualized to you.” As marketers and brand builders, we get advice left and right. Do this, not that. ...

Social Sound Bite: How Wendy’s Handles Social Media Trolls

06 Jan 2017

Contributed by Lukas

On this week's Social Sound Bite – recorded live at the KXIC studios in Iowa City – Jay and I discussed a recent Twitter exchange between fast foo...

Seth Godin on Branding, Books, and Education (Episode 100 – Part 2)

02 Jan 2017

Contributed by Lukas

In 100 episodes we’ve had a lot of our expert guests define what branding is. Today we add a new definition to that list. Seth Godin joined me to ce...

Authenticity in Branding with Patrick Hanlon (Episode 100 - Part 1)

26 Dec 2016

Contributed by Lukas

This week we have a very special episode of the On Brand podcast! Actually, it’s Part 1 of a two-episode special commemorating 100 interviews with i...

Non-Obvious Trends for 2017 with Rohit Bhargava

19 Dec 2016

Contributed by Lukas

“I don’t look far enough ahead to call myself a futurist.” Instead, Rohit Bhargava focuses on being a “non-obvious” trend curator, to the be...

What’s Next for Brands and Content Marketing with Robert Rose

12 Dec 2016

Contributed by Lukas

“Most content marketing is stuck in the ‘meh’ gear.” Robert Rose knows a thing or two about content marketing. He literally co-wrote the book ...

Social Sound Bite: Liking Comments and Other New Instagram Features

09 Dec 2016

Contributed by Lukas

On this week's Social Sound Bite – recorded live at the KXIC studios in Iowa City – Jay and I discussed several new features making their way to ...

Creating Experiences Customers Crave with Nicholas Webb

05 Dec 2016

Contributed by Lukas

"The future for both organizations and entrepreneurs is in leveraging innovation techniques to design masterful customer experiences." Nicholas Webb k...

Social Sound Bite: Should You Use Hashtags on Facebook?

02 Dec 2016

Contributed by Lukas

On this week's Social Sound Bite – recorded live at the KXIC studios in Iowa City – Jay and I discussed a question on the minds of many social med...

How to Develop the Right Brand Name with Naming Expert Mike Pile

28 Nov 2016

Contributed by Lukas

“We have to make a distinction between the name and the brand. The name piques your interest or curiosity. It’s like having someone over for coffe...

Answering Difficult Questions Can Create Breakthrough Brand Stories

14 Nov 2016

Contributed by Lukas

“You have to look beyond the color and logos with brand identity. They're really the product of something deeper." It's this kind of brand introspec...

The Impact of Social Currency on Branding with Erich Joachimsthaler

07 Nov 2016

Contributed by Lukas

“A brand is not just to make marketing better. It’s to lead the company into the future.” Erich Joachimsthaler of Vivaldi Partners has a decided...

How to Be Your Brand’s Editor in Chief with Ann Handley

31 Oct 2016

Contributed by Lukas

"The value of an editor cannot be understated. The editor is the proxy for the audience." As the Chief Content Officer of MarketingProfs and the best-...

Social Sound Bite: Election Fatigue Hits Social Media

28 Oct 2016

Contributed by Lukas

On this week's Social Sound Bite – recorded live at the KXIC studios in Iowa City – Jay and I discussed what people are tired of hearing about on ...

Creating a Crisis-Ready Brand with Melissa Agnes

24 Oct 2016

Contributed by Lukas

"It's not about crisis preparedness. It's about how culture approaches challenges." Social media has created a powerful new dynamic for brands of all ...

How SEO Can Help You Grow Your Brand with John Jantsch

17 Oct 2016

Contributed by Lukas

“SEO isn’t done unless your done growing.” Growth is something that John Jantsch has helped countless small businesses with in his decades of ex...

Social Sound Bite: Why Social Platforms Don't Want to Be 'Social'

14 Oct 2016

Contributed by Lukas

On this week's Social Sound Bite – recorded live at the KXIC studios in Iowa City – Jay and I discussed a recent article from Adweek, which noted ...

Selling Brands by Telling Stories with Paul Smith

10 Oct 2016

Contributed by Lukas

“Brands don’t have stories. People have stories.” Paul Smith is an acclaimed speaker and expert trainer. Specifically his work focuses on how st...

Branding and Search: Getting Found vs. Getting Chosen with Ronell Smith

03 Oct 2016

Contributed by Lukas

“I always say it's not that a brand can't be successful. It's that they have already self-selected unsuccessful." As a Moz Associate, Ronell Smith ...

Amplifying Your Brand’s Online Reputation with Aaron Weiche

19 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

“If you’re not amplifying the positive stories around your brand, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity.” This past week, I had the pleasur...

Using Influencer Marketing to Optimize Your Brand with Lee Odden

12 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

“There's a gravity to shiny new objects and tactics that people can easily fall prey to." As CEO of TopRank Marketing, Lee Odden helps both B2B and ...

Social Sound Bite: What Facebook Video Length Works Best?

09 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

On this week's Social Sound Bite – recorded live at the KXIC studios in Iowa City – Jay and I discussed new data on Facebook video length from Q2....

Get Scrappy with Nick Westergaard LIVE at Prairie Lights

05 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we have something a little different for our podcast listeners. Recently, I was asked to do a reading of my new book, Get Scrappy: Smarter ...

Branding in the Age of Disruption with Geoffrey Colon

29 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

“The new normal is that there is no normal.” Geoffrey Colon opened this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast with these daunting words. Colon,...

Brand Yourself or You Risk Being Branded by Others

22 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

“It’s brand or be branded.” That’s the ultimatum that Deb Gabor presented this week on the On Brand podcast. The founder and CEO of Sol Market...

Social Sound Bite: Is Twitter in Trouble?

19 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

On this week's Social Sound Bite – recorded live at the KXIC studios in Iowa City – Jay and I discussed the latest news out of Twitter. And it's n...

How Schwinn Uses Stories to Power Brand Advocacy

16 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

“Don’t be afraid to to embrace your brand ambassadors. Make them a part of your marketing.” Schwinn Bicycles is a historic brand that’s part o...

Social Sound Bite: Why Is Facebook Blocking Ad-Blockers?

12 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

On this week’s Social Sound Bite – recorded live at the KXIC studios in Iowa City – Jay and I discussed an interesting development. Just as Face...

How Stories Can Help Your Brand Stand Out with Aaron Orendorff

01 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

“It’s almost cliche to say but the Internet is challenging. There’s so much noise. Why do weed another blog or another channel?” While digital...

Connecting Brain Science and Branding with Daryl Weber

25 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

“In marketing we’re trying to get people to do something. We need to understand why we do what we do. What motivates us?” Building on a career a...

Practicing Data-Driven Empathy with Andy Crestodina

18 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

“A bad marketer is one who does things based on their gut.” As the co-founder of Orbit Media, an author, and host of Content Jam in Chicago, Andy ...

Social Sound Bite: Why You Should Pay Attention to Pokemon Go

15 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

On this week’s Social Sound Bite – recorded live at the KXIC studios in Iowa City – Jay and I discussed … Pokemon Go! Love it or hate it (and ...

Embracing Your Community Both Online and Off with Erica McGillivray

11 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

“It doesn’t matter where you interact with us — you’re part of our community.” Being on the community team at SEO software giant Moz isn’t...

How Adobe Enables Their Social Brand Ambassadors

04 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

“Employees are trusted more than the organizations they work for.” Citing this simple stat from the Edelman Trust Barometer, Adobe’s Lauren Frie...

Social Sound Bite: Facebook's New Like Button (and What It Means)

01 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

On this week's Social Sound Bite – recorded live at the KXIC studios in Iowa City – Jay and I discussed the news that Facebook has redesigned thei...

Understanding Native Advertising and Content with Melanie Deziel

27 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

What sets apart good branded content? “Strategic tools, storytelling, and understanding your objectives.” Melanie Deziel helps brands and publishe...

Social Sound Bite: Instagram Has Twice the Daily Users as Snapchat

24 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

On this week’s Social Sound Bite – recorded live at the KXIC studios in Iowa City – Jay and I discussed some new numbers that Instagram shared t...

How to Build a TV Brand with Andy Bryant and Charlie Mawer

20 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

“There’s something inherently valuable about viewing television.” Andy Bryant and Charlier Mawer would know. As the creative force behind the UK...

Creating Culture Through Brand Camp at Spiceworks

13 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

“Everything we do as employees translates into the brand.” I’ve been fascinated by the Spiceworks brand since I first read about them in Jay Bae...

Social Sound Bite: Snapchat Overtakes Twitter in Daily Use

10 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

On this week's Social Sound Bite – recorded live at the KXIC studios in Iowa City – Jay and I discussed a shocking new stat about Snapchat's use n...

How Snapchat Helps Humanize Brands with Carlos Gil

06 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

“Snapchat is Twitter meets YouTube.” The meteoritic rise of this new network has left many marketers scratching their collective heads. Not Carlos...

Social Sound Bite: Who's Sharing What on Facebook

03 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

On this week's Social Sound Bite – recorded live at the KXIC studios in Iowa City – Jay and I discussed some new data compiled by Fractl outlining...

The Future of Social Media with Jason Keath of Social Fresh

30 May 2016

Contributed by Lukas

“You learn more by doing than by watching.” Jason Keath knows a thing or two about learning and doing. As CEO and Founder of Social Fresh, he help...

Building the Brand Experience Inside and Out at Salesforce

16 May 2016

Contributed by Lukas

“You have to build marketing inside out today. It has to come from inside the company.” It’s this kind of hard work that drives John Zissimos, C...

Brands Need to Listen Up Says Elasticity’s Jason Falls

09 May 2016

Contributed by Lukas

“Branding today isn’t that different. It’s just harder.” Jason Falls is a branding, digital marketing and PR expert. The founder of Social Med...

Social Sound Bite: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram vs. Snapchat

06 May 2016

Contributed by Lukas

On this week’s Social Sound Bite – recorded live at the KXIC studios in Iowa City – Jay and I discussed an emerging turf war between social medi...

Why Your Content Strategy Is Only As Good as Your Brand Strategy

02 May 2016

Contributed by Lukas

“The companies that don’t have a good strategy around their content usually don’t have a good strategy around their brand either.” Creating an...

Social Sound Bite: YIKES! A New Facebook Algorithm (AGAIN!)

29 Apr 2016

Contributed by Lukas

On this week’s Social Sound Bite – recorded live at the KXIC studios in Iowa City – Jay and I discussed Facebook’s latest, greatest (frustra...

Behind the Scenes of the Whole Foods Brand Voice with Lisa Grimm

25 Apr 2016

Contributed by Lukas

“Our Instagram voice is very different than even Facebook and Twitter.” As Associate Director of Social Media at Whole Foods Market, Lisa Grimm is...