Author Archives: Nick Westergaard
Why Conflict Is Critical in Storytelling with Norman Bell
“Storytelling is in the air for business but why is that? Why is it so important?” These questions and more were at the very heart of my interview with Norman Bell, author of The Story Powered Speaker, this week on the On Brand podcast! 
Branding Through Science and Story with Jenna Arkin
“Consumers seek authenticity and they’re getting better at weeding out the greenwashing the brands that don’t have the people, story, and heritage behind them.” As the Vice President of Innovation at green cleaning brand ECOS, Jenna Arkin’s work sits at the intersection between science and creativity. This week on the On Brand podcast, she joined us for a discussion on this innovative brand’s story, differentiation, communicating science, and more.
Building an Influential Brand with Kyle Hjelmeseth
“Influencers take the power out of the hands of those who used to tell us what we should like and not like. You’ve divested power to those bold enough to go online and share their stories.” From the College of Influence to his Normalize Equality initiative, teaching and managing the power of digital influence is at the heart of Kyle Hjelmeseth’s work at G&B digital management. We discussed all of this and more on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast.
Measuring Experiential Marketing with Jonathan Yaffe
“I’ve been completely obsessed with this—not only how do we prove the ROI of these specific experiential programs but how do we do it at scale.” Jonathan Yaffe was one of the first marketing hires at Red Bull following the brand’s entry into the U.S. market. His first task? Quantifying their experiential marketing efforts. Today he does this for numerous brands through his company AnyRoad. We discussed all of this and more on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast.
How Brands Can Overcome Chaos with Michael Zipursky
“There was a big group of people who were able to fare very well during this time and it was those who took action.” As CEO of Consulting Success, Michael Zipursky has worked with hundreds of clients across industries on overcoming the chaos and uncertainty this past year has presented. We discussed how brands can plan, pivot, and take action this week on the On Brand podcast.
Sonic Branding with Mastercard’s Raja Rajamannar
“If you look at designing a brand logo in a visual form, there’s an infinite amount of material. With sonic branding, you have no choice but to create your own playbook. You need to understand the impact that sound has on people’s emotions.” Sonic branding was one of the many marketing and media disruptions I discussed this week with Raja Rajamannar, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer for Mastercard and author of the new book Quantum Marketing.
Future-Proof Your Marketing with Engelina Jaspers
“Marketing’s most fundamental role is understanding markets and consumers better than anyone else around. This past year has allowed us to pause and realign.” Engelina Jaspers has built her career around inflection points in periods of change. The author of the book Marketing Flexology, Engelina stopped by the On Brand podcast this week to share how we can all future proof both our marketing and our careers. Check it out!
Using Smart Data to Fill Brand Gaps with Aimee Irwin
“When you used to think about branding, you’d be thinking about advertising. Now it’s about building trust.” This week on the On Brand podcast, I welcomed back Aimee Irwin from Experian Marketing Services. Since we last spoke way back in 2019, the world has been dealing with the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic. As a result, consumer behavior has changed in ways marketers need to know about. Aimee breaks it down this week on the show. Enjoy!
Agile Marketing in Changing Times with Brian Gioia
“Agile marketing is all about speed, transparency, and iteration.” In the face of a global pandemic, brand builders and marketers have relied increasingly on eCommerce partners like Amazon. This can make it challenging to build seamless experiences and brand trust. That’s where Scrum50 comes in. I talked to Director of Product Strategy Brian Gioia about all of this and more on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast.
How to Build a Purpose-Driven Brand with Katie Burkhart
“As branders, the word soup is absolutely unbelievable.” Words matter. And if you like words as much as Katie Burkhart and I both do, you’ll love this week’s episode. We discuss defining, refining, and developing your brand’s purpose, mission, vision, and more. What do all of these labels mean and how can they help you and your brand? Listen to Katie and learn.
