Hosted by Jacob Cass & Matt Davies.
The JUST Branding Podcast
The JUST Branding Podcast, hosted by Jacob Cass & Matt Davies, is the only podcast dedicated to helping designers & entrepreneurs grow brands.
Each episode goes deep into the details of the brand building process, with professional insights, actionable tips and resources to help you build better brands. Guests have included thought-leaders such as Chris Do, Marty Neumeier, Michael Johnson and more.
The podcast focuses on helping designers & entrepreneurs bridge the gap between strategy and design. Branding professionals from around the world join Jacob & Matt in discussing the benefits of brand strategy, brand strategy tools, how to sell strategy, brand purpose, brand positioning, neuroscience, brand personality, messaging, storytelling, brand naming, tag lines, logo design, brand identity design and brand experience.
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Meet Your Hosts
Jacob Cass
Jacob Cass is a brand designer & strategist who runs JUST Creative, an award-winning branding & design firm that doubles as an industry leading blog. Jacob helps brands grow & get results by crafting distinctive logos & brand identities that are backed by a solid brand strategy.
Matt Davies
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Season Three
SEASON 3
E1: Designing Company Culture with Josh Levine
E2: Building Legendary Brands with Storytelling w/ Gair Maxwell
E3: Global Brand Strategy with Jan-Benedict Steenkamp
E4: The Future of Brands with Anneli Hansson
E5: Branding for Start Ups with Alex Naghavi
E6: Brand Hacks with Emmanuel Probst
E7: Web3, NFTs & The Metaverse with Konstantinos Kolias
E8: Scaling Brands with Richard Cotter
E9: Agile Swarming with Dennis Hahn
E10: Corporate Branding from The Inside Out with Meg Kypena
E11: Debunking Branding Bull with Austin Franke
E12: Friction in Branding with Soon Yu
E13: Million Dollar Consulting with Alan Weiss
E14: Brand Mindset with Ezequiel Abramzon
E15: Verbal Identity Branding with Niholo (Margaret Kerr-Jarrett / Emunah Winer)
UPCOMING
Have a guest suggestion or want to be on our show?
5 Star Reviews
Press & Stats
- #1 Design Podcast in Switzerland
- #1 Design Podcast in Slovenia
- #1 Design Podcast in Cyprus
- #1 Design Podcast in Nigeria
- #1 Design Podcast in Lebanon
- #1 Design Podcast in Belize
- #1 Design Podcast in Ghana
- #1 Design Podcast in Tanzania
- #1 Design Podcast in Bermuda
- #1 Art Podcast in Serbia
- #2 Design podcast in Austria
- #2 Design podcast in Slovakia
- #2 Design podcast in Croatia
- #6 Design Podcast in Australia
- #7 Design Podcast in UK
- #6 Design Podcast in Canada
- #25 Design Podcast in USA
- #1 Branding Podcast by Welp Magazine
- #1 Branding Podcast by Feedspot
- Top 10 Design Podcasts by ClearDesign
Podcast Stats
- 4.9/5 Star Average Rating on Apple Podcasts (65+ Reviews)
- 10,000+ Monthly Downloads
- 3000+ Listens per episode
- 22 Episodes per Season
- 2 Episodes a Month
Listenership Location
- 64% USA
- 14% UK
- 9% Australia
- 8.5% Canada
- 4.5% India, China
Season Three
S03.EP15 - Verbal Brand Identity with Nihilo
We review what a “Verbal” Identity is and why brands need one. We also explore the principles of the tone of voice and how a verbal identity connects with visual identity.
We also do a deep dive into how this duo works and goes about creating and defining brand identity as well as exploring live projects.
If you want a peak behind the scenes as to how the brand building works in practice – this episode is not to be missed.
S03.EP14 - The Brand Mindset with Ezequiel Abramzon
S03.EP13 - Million Dollar Consulting with Alan Weiss
Who better to learn about consulting from than “the consultant’s consultant” Alan Weiss?
Alan wrote the famous best-selling book “Million Dollar Consultant” and is the author of over 60 books on consulting and business.
In this episode, Matt and Jacob sit down with Alan to discuss how the principles of Alan’s books can be applied to brand strategy.
S03.EP12 - Friction in Branding with Soon Yu
Friction isn’t something to be avoided. Successful brands not only understand the difference between good and bad friction but also know how to embrace a dose of good friction to create greater value.
Soon Yu shows you how to leverage good friction to drive increased engagement, meaning, belonging, rapport, assurance, competence, and exclusivity, for more memorable brand experiences.
S03.EP11 - Debunking Branding BS with Austin Franke
We “debunk” or at least throw a few punches around in regards to what Austin calls “Branding Bullshit”.
In particular, brand differentiation, customer engagement, brand purpose from a values viewpoint, loyalty marketing, and how designers can truly help a brand grow beyond the typical clichés.
S03.EP10 - Corporate Branding from The Inside Out with Meg Kypena
Dig deep into how corporations can use the power of branding to align their people and communicate better.
Meg Kypena, the Freelance Internal Brand Strategist talks about big companies and their struggles with the principles of the brand.
S03.EP09 - Agile Swarming with Dennis Hahn
S03.EP08 - How to Scale Brands with Richard Cotter
If you are serious about brand building at scale, tune in. We talk differentiation, attributes of global brands, power of alignment & organizational momentum.
S03.EP07 - Web3, NFTs & The Metaverse with Kostas K.
What does Web3 mean for brands & creatives? What about NFTs and the Metaverse?
We break it all down for you in layman’s terms, with special guest Konstantinos Kollias, co-founder of The Forest.
S03.EP06 - Brand Hacks with Emmanuel Probst
S03.EP05 - Branding for Start Ups & Founders
Alex Naghavi is the ECD at Josephmark which is a global venture studio.
We learn how to design, validate, launch and sell a brand by deep diving into the process, exploring the benefits and nuances of working with a venture studio VS a traditional design shop.
S03.EP04 - The Future of Brands with Anneli Hansson
Anneli Hansson is a brand strategist, coach & speaker based out of Stockholm, Sweden.
In this episode we discuss “The Future of Brands” and all that entails including sustainability.
S03.EP03 - Global Brand Strategy with Jan-Benedict Steenkamp
Are you looking to take a brand to an international audience?
Global expansion needs careful consideration and so if this is you this episode will be packed with value!
S03.EP02 - Building Legendary Brands with Storytelling w/ Gair Maxwell
The strength of any brand – including yours – hinges on two key factors: Differentiation & Relevance. But it doesn’t stop there. What makes a truly legendary brand is the STORY behind it.
If you want to build a legendary brand, tune into this brilliant episode.
S03.EP01 - Designing Company Culture with Josh Levine
How can you create an amazing company culture that ensures a brand strategy can be actualised?
That’s at the core of this discussion with the amazing Josh Levine, author of Great Mondays.
We sit down with Josh to examine how branding should be done from within by intentionally designing a company culture.
Season Two
Best of 2021 - Season 2
Listen in as we reveal our favourite outtakes from Season 2 of the JUST Branding Podcast in 2021, including branding insights from creative minds such as Sagi Haviv, Joseph Pine II, Denise Lee Yohn, Natalie Nixon, Bill Gardner, Emily Cohen, Armin Vit, Julian Cole and more.
S02.EP21 - Building Brands for a Sustainable Tomorrow with Katie Klencheski
Want to know how to make brands sustainable? This episode will help values-led clients build world changing brands that are better for the earth.
Katie is the Founder and Creative Director of Brooklyn-based SMAKK, a branding and growth studio whose mission is to help values-led clients build world changing brands.
S02.EP20 - Powerful Personal Branding with Rob Levinson
What makes a powerful personal brand and how can you build one that endures? We outline all the steps you need to follow to craft an authentic brand narrative that will help you get noticed, remembered and results.
Rob Levinson is a seasoned brand strategist who’s worked for global consumer brands such as DeBeers, Rolls-Royce, BMW and more.
S02.EP19 - Creative Briefs & Strategy Fundamentals with Julian Cole
Learn how to write rock-solid creative briefs and the fundamentals of strategy so you can gain confidence in your strategic abilities, and ultimately have a bigger impact on your company.
Julian Cole is a strategy consultant for global brands such as Apple, Facebook & Disney.
S02.EP18 - In-House Branding with Kyle Millar
What’s it like working on corporate brands from the inside?
We take a peak behind the curtain to see how big brands are managed by their in-house teams. We sit down with the fantastic Kyle Millar, VP of Marketing at SodaStream Canada.
Kyle outlines how he views brand strategy, the principles he uses to build brand, create memorable customer experiences and to inspire his teams to success.
S02.EP17 - No-BS Strategies To Evolve Your Creative Business with Emily Cohen
Emily is a self-described “brutally honest” consultant to creative professionals and in fact, she even named her book that!
If you’re looking for the tools & strategies to whip your business or team in to shape, this episode is for you.
S02.EP16 - Simplicity in Branding with Scott Buschkuhl
Scott Buschkuhl is the Creative Director at Siegel & Gale and in this episode we discuss simplicity in branding which is S&G’s philosophy on brand in general.
We discuss designing for humans, emotional responses, team collaboration, simplicity as an approach to brand strategy, presentation techniques, and much more!
S02.EP15 - Staying Relevant as a Brand with Allen Adamson
Relevance. That’s the key to ensuring a brand thrives. We sit down with expert and author of “Shift Ahead”, Allen Adamson, to understand how to stay relevant in today’s fast moving world.
S02.EP14 - The Customer Experience Economy with Joseph Pine II
As a customer, you’re not buying the item. You’re buying the experience. Today, we have Joseph Pine, co-author of The Experience Economy, on the show to discuss the importance of delighting your customer, along with some powerful examples that will help you “Design the TIME the customer spends with YOU”. If you work with people, then this episode is for you.
S02.EP13 - Copyright & Trademark Law with Joey Vitale
Trademark law is tricky. And unsexy. But not anymore.
Come join trademark lawyer, Joey Vitale, who will teach you the ins and outs of trademark law so you can practice safe branding.
We break down the legal jargon in a way that actually makes sense, so you can stay safe and keep pumping out great work, without being worried of the consequences.
S02.EP12 - Problem Solving with Sagi Haviv
Sagi Haviv is a logo design legend. However, in this episode we go deeper and uncover what it takes to solve big brand & business problems. We discuss CGH’s branding process using case studies from Discovery+, Harvard University Press and Chase Bank, as well as Sagi’s biggest life lessons, how to “pressure test” a trademark & visual identity system, presentation techniques that win, when & how to break the rules, and ultimately how to “problem solve”.
S02.EP11 - Brand Discovery & Innovation with Jose Cabeller
Jose Caballer is a designer, strategist & creative entrepreneur. In this episode, we discuss CORE, brand strategy & innovation and how these tools can be used to help businesses achieve their goals. Plus, we’ll get a sneak peek into Jose’s latest project, The System.
S02.EP10 - Rebranding Strategy with Armin Vit
When should a brand, rebrand? What makes a good rebrand? How can you use strategy to ensure your brand’s rebrand is a success? Armin Vit answers these questions and more in this episode focused on Rebranding Strategy. Armin also reveals his design process, critiquing methodology, how he built a successful branding conference and shares some classic rebranding failures.
S02.EP09 - Building A Million Dollar Strategic Agency with Mash Bonigala
Mash Bonigala is a brand strategist & owner of Spellbrand, a brand strategy & design agency. Mash reveals his rollercoaster entrepreneurial journey of growing his first agency, going bankrupt, how we overcame these adversities and then how he built up his now, million-dollar agency, Spellbrand.
Mash shares all the techniques he has used to sell design & strategy over the years, with some compelling & unconventional methods that will be sure to blow your mind. You’ll be spellbound in this magical episode.
S02.EP08 - Logos VS Brands with Bill Gardner
Bill Gardner joins Jacob Cass and Matt Davies to discuss the differences between logos and brands, Jennifer Aawker’s brand personality framework, the discovery process with clients, objectivity VS subjectivity, establishing design briefs, how to sell the value of branding, logo design trends and magic. Yes, magic!
S02.EP07 – Primal Human Desires with Nathan Hendricks
Nathan Hendricks believes there is no excuse for a lousy brand. As chief creative officer at LPK, he challenges the organization’s creative teams to uphold the vision that every brand should make a powerful and positive difference for the people it serves. A candid cultural commentator, he’s never afraid to tell it like it is. In this episode, we explore primal human desires and how we can use that to create stronger brands.
S02.EP06 – Brand Building Mistakes with Jacquelin Lieberman
Listen in as we discuss the most common mistakes brands make as they grow & market their brand. This is a juicy episode, where we discuss the brand purpose, core values, uncovering brand truths, brand management, creating value and so much more.
S02.EP05 – Cracking Complexity with David Benjamin
David Benjamin, author of CRACKING COMPLEXITY: The Breakthrough Formula for Solving Just About Anything Fast. Listen in learn how to use systems to crack complex problems.
S02.EP04 – How to Use Curiosity, Improvisation & Intuition to Create More Value with Natalie Nixon
Natalie Nixon is the author of The Creativity Leap and in this episode, she shares her techniques to helping brands through the power of creativity. We tuck into some big ideas like how creativity leads to innovation, why a business needs more creative ideas, anthropology, design thinking and how being curious can create more value for organisations.
S02.EP03 – How To Get Ideas with Creative Bravery with Lisa Hastings
Lisa shares her techniques and ideas in this space and shows how asking the right questions and digging into problems in a deeper way can lead to the solutions that add real value. Along the way she gives live examples from some of her work and inspires us with fresh ways of thinking. If you want ideas, this is the episode for you.
S02.EP02 – Brand & Culture Fusion with Denise Lee Yohn
Denise Lee Yohn is the go-to expert on brand leadership for national media outlets, an in-demand keynote speaker and consultant, and an influential writer. She is the author of the book FUSION: How Integrating Brand and Culture Powers the World’s Greatest Companies. In this episode, you will learn exactly that – how to integrate brand & culture into your company for massive success!
S02.EP01 – The 7 Key Strategies Businesses Need with Kevin Duncan
Kevin Duncan is a business consultant and best selling author – known for his snappy no-nonsense wisdom packed books on business strategy. We dig into Kevin’s approach and his overview of 7 strategies businesses need to create to be successful: Commercial, Brand, Customer, Sales, People, Innovation and Communication.
Season One
Best of Season 1 – 2020
Listen in as we reveal our favourite outtakes from Season 1 of the JUST Branding Podcast in 2020, including branding insights from creative minds such as Marty Neumeier, Chris Do, Michael Johnson, Melinda Livsey, Michael Janda, Tom Ross, Rob Meyerson, Stephen Houraghan, Stef Hamnerlink, Tobias Dahlberg, Valerie Jacobs, Motto and more. Don’t miss this one!
S01.EP23 – How to Build Stronger Brands with Peter Wilken
Dolphins, Donuts and Condoms. What do these three things have in common? Nothing. However, we do touch on these topics through the lens of brand strategy. Peter Wilken is a brand strategy consultant, author and professional speaker. He’s the founder of Dolphin Brand Strategy, as well as the former Head of BBDO Asia Pacific. We explore many bite-sized tools you need to build stronger brands.
S01.EP22 – Building FMCG Brands with Folkert van der Heide
What’s it like to build brands in the food and beverage industries? Folkert van der Heide shares his story brand-building for many years in this space. We dig into the story of his drink brand, Moj, why he created it, and his experiences creating a brand from scratch and bringing it to market. Folkert shares his approach and methodology – including how to create a product with a “big idea” behind it.
S01.EP21 – How to Make a Difference with Branding & Design with Michael Johnson
Michael Johnson is the founder and creative director of Johnson Banks, a design consultancy based in London. His company is known for how they define, then design, brands that make a difference and that’s what we discuss in this episode, as well as Michael’s incredible book “Branding in 5.5 Steps” which is focused on the branding process, from the lens of both strategy and design.
- Listen + View Show Notes (soon)
- Watch on YouTube
S01.EP20 – The Future of Branding with Valerie Jacobs
Look into Valerie Jacobs’ crystal ball and see what lies ahead for the future of branding. You’ll go back to the future, by following Valerie’s journey to becoming a master trend forecaster and how she uses these techniques to innovate & grow Fortune 500 brands.
S01.EP19 – How to Grow Authentic Brands with Dava Guthmiller
Dava Guthmiller, who spearheaded Uber’s branding, is founder and CCO at Noise 13, a branding & design agency in San Francisco. In this episode, you will discover what it takes to be an authentic “real brand” – one that is bold, honest and centred around emotional connections.
S01.EP18 – Growth, Mentorship & Strategy with Philip VanDusen
Join Philip VanDusen as we discuss personal growth, mentorship and how to use the power of strategy, design and marketing to build bullet-proof businesses. Philip VanDusen is the founder of Verhaal Brand Design, a YouTube Star and has over 20 years experience in branding & design including roles like ECD at Landor.
S01.EP17 – Personal Branding with Tom Ross & Michael Janda
Grow your personal brand with confidence. Tune in with Michael Janda & Tom Ross as we explore what it takes to maximise your personal brand’s success! These “Biz Buddies” run multi 7-figure businesses and in this episode, you’ll hear the lessons they’ve picked up along the way.
S01.E16 – Nike & Brand with Matt Watson
What does working at Nike for 10 years teach you about brand? Find out in this episode with Matt Watson, founder of Watson Creative & Brand Labs, as he reveals all, including his strong distaste for the Nike logo.
S01.E15 – Brand Mastery with Tobias Dahlberg
Differentiation. Becoming the “only choice”. Disruption. Value. These are just some of the topics we touch on with Tobias Dahlberg in EP15 of the JUST Branding Podcast.
S01.E14 – Psychology-Driven Brand Strategy with Kaye Putnam
In this episode, we sit down with the wonderful Kaye Putnam, a psychology-driven brand strategist from South Carolina. We geek out about all things brand thinking. We get into the meaning of ‘psychology-driven branding’, about knowing your brand and living your brand. Kaye shares her ‘4C Brand Strategy Framework’ which helps to bake psychological principles into brands.
S01.B1 – Design Education, Change & The Business of Design
In this bonus episode, we have Douglas Davis join us to discuss the current state of design education and what it takes to remain relevant as we evolve as creatives in these disruptive and turbulent times. We explore his book, Creative Strategy & The Business of Design as well as the future of design. There has never been a more timely episode.
S01.E13 – Chris Do’s Biggest Mistakes, Failures & Regrets
Chris Do is an Emmy award-winning designer, director, CEO and Chief Strategist of Blind and the founder of The Futur. In this episode, Chris reveals his biggest mistakes, failures & regrets, plus how you too can overcome these adversities. We then dive into how to get paid more as a creative, how to move into brand strategy & sell it, Chris’s strategic branding process, the powers & pitfalls of the labels we put on ourselves and the quest for success.
S01.E12 – Behavioural Marketing & The Strategic Branding Process
Rudy Fernandez walks through the strategic branding process of his creative marketing agency, Creative Outhouse, giving case studies & insights on how to better work with clients through problem solving, plus how you can use strategic thinking to help brands properly connect with their customers, through research and testing. Rudy also reveals his proudest projects in the realm of Behavioral Change, proving that “information is not motivation” when it comes to making users change their behaviour, and how you can can actually make others create change.
S01.E11 – Working with Leaders
Sunny Bonnell and Ashleigh Hansberger of Motto, a strategic branding agency in NYC, reveal what it takes to work with “rare breeds” – the leaders, rebels & entrepreneurs who do things differently. You’ll find out how to build more purposeful brands by better connecting with your clients, plus exactly how you can use your “vices” as superpowers, backed up by personal stories of failure and courage.
S01.E10 – Marty Neumeier on Mastering Brand Strategy
Join Marty Neumeier & Andy Starr on the JUST Branding Podcast as we uncover the ideas, techniques, and principles that you need to become a brand master, starting at Marty’s famous definition of brand, the process of uncovering this definition, as well as Marty’s classic books Brand Gap, Zag & Brand Flip. We explore the future of branding in the C Suite, and what that means for designers & businesses, plus how we can use Metaskills and agile strategy to create better brands.
S01.E09 – Audio Branding with Drop Music Branding
Ever heard of sonic branding? Audio branding is the strategic use of music and sound to help reinforce brand recognition and enhance the consumer experience. We go deep in this session, exploring the ins and outs of successful audio branding, using popular examples, as well as the process Drop Music Branding used to audio brand this very podcast. Tune in to discover why “good audio branding is invisible” and how you can stand out with audio branding.
S01.E08 – Brand Strategy Workshops with Melinda Livsey
Melinda Livsey, a brand strategist & online educator, shares her journey of going from a designer to brand strategist, sharing her definitions of brand & brand strategy, how she “sells” strategy, her onboarding process, life without design, how to conduct a brand strategy workshop, step-by-step, including deliverables. Go from being an “order taker” to brand expert.
S01.E07 – Brand Personality, Personas & Archetypes with Stephen Houraghan
Stephen Houraghan, brand strategist & educator, joins Jacob Cass & Matt Davies to discuss customer personas and brand archetypes and how these tools can be used to help better understand your audience and define your brand’s personality.
S01.E06 – Brand Positioning & Naming with Rob Meyerson
Positioning and naming expert, Rob Meyerson, joins Jacob Cass & Matt Davies in exploring positioning statements & the best naming practices from the lens of the company, client and consumer, sharing actionable tips and real world examples that will help you build a better brand.
S01.E05 – Brand Purpose, Mission, Vision & Core Values with Stef Hamerlinck
Stef Hamerlinck, a strategy consultant, joins Jacob Cass & Matt Davies to discuss brand purpose, brand authenticity and some unique perspectives on the benefits and misuses of growing a brand from the inside out, touching on brand mission, vision and core values.
S01.E04 – How to Sell Brand Strategy
Jacob Cass & Matt Davies discuss how to sell strategy, giving different perspectives on how to approach sales & the brand-building process. We dive into pricing methodologies, relationship building, metaphors and value ladders.
S01.E03 – Brand Strategy Tools
Jacob Cass & Matt Davies discuss the best tools for brand strategy, including top courses, books & methodologies. We also dive into positioning brand archetypes, brand experience & brand personality and how these tools can help build better brands.
S01.E02 – Benefits of Brand Strategy for Designers & Businesses
Jacob Cass & Matt Davies discuss the benefits of brand strategy for both designers and businesses using examples from their careers, including San Francisco and smaller local businesses.
S01.E01 – Design to Brand Strategy
Jacob Cass & Matt Davies discuss brand strategy, defining what it is and how to bridge the gap between design & brand strategy, as well as revealing their back stories and what to expect in the first season of the JUST Branding Podcast.