Cover Brand: Rational Rationales
Aug 5-24: Head over topanelpicker.sxsw.com/votefor my talk:
The True Cost of Being a Boring Brand.
In this Shop Talk episode of Cover Brand, host Ethan Decker sits down with Priscilla McKinney, founder of Little Bird Marketing and expert in B2B marketing for the market research industry. Together, they unpack the interplay between branding, behavioral science, and the realities of business decision-making, revealing surprising truths about how even the most logical B2B buyers make decisions. This episode is packed with actionable insights to transform how you market your brand—whether you’re a seasoned pro or just getting started.
Do luxury brands play by different rules?
[This week is a longer post, done in partnership with Tracksuit, the brand tracking company. Read it here or read it over on the Tracksuit Blog.]
Luxury brands: what are they anyway? Do they behave like shampoo and noodles, or are they categorically different? Do they follow the laws of every other brand, or do they float in space like bricks don’t? Are they defying gravity, or can we pull them down? What’s the deal with luxury brands?
Cover Brand: Brand Succession
In this episode of Cover Brand, host Ethan Decker sits down with Lindsay Sutula, founder and CEO of Top Fox Marketing, to tackle a challenge many professional service leaders face: how to grow your business beyond your personal brand. Discover strategies for creating a brand succession plan so your company thrives whether or not you’re in the room—and learn why even the most charismatic founders eventually need to step back.
How does brand differentiation affect your business?
For decades, the orthodoxy in marketing has been that to compete, brands need to differentiate: offer different things, or in different ways, or for different people.
Recently, the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute has asserted — quite strongly — that brands are generally interchangeable, and that differentiation doesn’t really matter.
We won’t settle the debate here. But we CAN shed some light on it.
Cover Brand: Cost of Dull
Host Ethan Decker welcomes Boulder-based marketing pro Eric Forsyth for a deep-dive on creative agency leadership, unlocking effective client relationships, and the true cost of dull advertising. From viral cover songs in bathrooms to orchestrating Oreo x Star Wars campaigns, Eric shares brand insights and practical wisdom for marketers, agency leaders, and anyone tired of “safe” (read: boring) work.
Do streaming services follow the 80/20 rule?
Like, do 20% of watchers account for 80% of all viewing minutes?
It’s Ye Olde Pareto Principle. In 1906, Vilfredo Pareto (the ultimate Italian Renaissance Man) noted that 80% of the land (and wealth) in Italy was owned by only 20% of the population.
(This is different from the Pleasure Principle, which Janet Jackson discovered in 1986 on her 5X-platinum album Control.)
Cover Brand: Explore and Exploit
In this engaging episode of Cover Brand, Ethan Decker sits down with Amelia, founder of The Z Tasty Life, to explore the real-world challenges of building a personal brand when you’re a multitalented creator. Together, they dive into how to focus your brand’s message, unleash the power of storytelling, and why embracing both your logical and creative skills leads to authentic business growth.
What’s better, celebs or mascots?
Like, if you have to choose what kind of character you want to invest in and be the face of your brand, which should you choose?
DistinctiveBAT crunched some numbers on hundreds of, uh, brand representatives: George Clooney for Nespresso, the M&Ms, Ben Affleck for Dunkin’, Kevin the Carrot for Aldi, etc.
Cover Brand: Swag and Strategy
On this episode of Cover Brand, host Ethan Decker is joined by Jack and Justin, owners of The Caisson Company, as they dig into the unique branding and marketing challenges faced by small, B2B construction businesses. They tackle how to get in front of the right decision-makers at large contracting firms, build brand awareness in a niche market, and make modest marketing budgets work for long-term growth.
How do you know if your brand is “on brand”?
This week, we have a new twist. This is the beginning of an article I wrote in partnership with Tracksuit, the brand tracking company.
It’s a long article. Well, quite a bit longer than my usual posts.
Cover Brand: Demystifying Brand Value
Host Ethan Decker sits down with branding expert Rocky Longworth to demystify the true impact of branding, especially for small and mid-sized businesses. They discuss why brands are so much more than just a logo or a campaign—and how understanding the real value of brand can transform your business’s bottom line.
Cover Brand: Use the Weak Force
Ethan Decker welcomes qualitative research pro Carol Kauder to discuss the real mechanics behind influencing customer behavior through branding, marketing, and advertising. Discover why simply “nudging” a loyal customer to buy more is harder than you think—and what actually works. From Glee-inspired cover songs to unforgettable ad campaigns, this episode dives deep into what drives shoppers and how brands can (and can’t) change consumer habits.
How “considered” are considered purchases, really?
Like, do people really do more research and deliberation for expensive things?
The TL;DR is, kinda, but not much. Not really.
Take cars, f’rinstance. They’re one of the most expensive things we ever buy. And even a used car adds up with maintenance & repair costs.
And yet the facts are crazy:
Cover Brand: Reputation Over Brand
Host Ethan Decker welcomes Jeff Leitner for a lively conversation about the fine line between brand and reputation, how solopreneurs can market themselves authentically, and why personal branding doesn’t have to feel cheesy. From iconic cover songs to the quirks that make individuals memorable, this episode explores what it really means to stand out—without flattening your identity.
Are you sending enough emails to customers?
Like, is your cadence of communication with your customers too low, or too high?
Mobile app company Localytics did a lovely little bit of research on this exact topic. They surveyed 1,000 folks in North America about what they DON’T like in how brands communicate with them.
The #1 answer? TOO MUCH. Too frequent. Too many emails. Too many texts. And that was from 4 out of 10 people, over twice the frequency of any other response.
Cover Brand: Brand Archetypes
In this episode of Cover Brand, host Ethan Decker sits down with entrepreneur Nikki Nagy, founder of Las Olas Luxury Living. Together, they tackle the challenges of building a disruptive brand in the crowded pool furniture space, explore brand archetypes, and dive into the practical realities of standing out with the right brand voice.
Do luxury Brands have different buyers?
On the one hand, many of us think that brands OBviously sell to different buyers. Different ages, or different attitudes, or different political leanings. I mean, that's how targeting and differentiation work, right?
On the other hand, some of us think that brands share customers, and basically have the same buyers. That differentiation is kind of a myth. That Duplication of Purchase (and other brand science) obliviates brand differences.
Cover Brand: Inside Out Branding
Host Ethan Decker sits down with leadership expert Perry Maughmer to explore what branding really means for small and midsize business leaders. Together, they uncover why brand is much more than logos or advertising—and how internal clarity and intentionality can become your company’s most powerful growth engine.
Do “purpose-driven brands” really perform better?
Like, does having a higher purpose, or social purpose, improve your brand’s financial performance?
This is an idea that was brought to its zenith in Jim Stengel’s 2011 book “Grow: How Ideals Power Growth and Profit at the World's Greatest Companies.” And it has held immense sway in the world of marketing ever since.
Cover Brand: Mere Familiarity
Host Ethan Decker welcomes entrepreneur Lili Siegelson to discuss her journey launching Gelt+Glow—a brand bringing innovative Hanukkah wrapping paper and gifting options to the marketplace. Together, they explore the challenges of growing a highly seasonal brand, smart marketing strategies for new businesses, and why smart timing—and distribution—can make or break your seasonal success.