Brandwidth® Big Ideas on Small Business Marketing Dean Millson & Sam McEwin

In this episode of the Brandwidth podcast, Sam McEwin and Dean Millson discuss the topic of AI (Artificial Intelligence) and its potential impact on branding and marketing. They approach the topic with curiosity and explore how AI can be used as a creative partner and a new creative medium. They emphasise the importance of asking the right questions and using AI to generate ideas and insights. They also discuss the potential risks and ethical considerations associated with AI.







Key Takeaways:









* AI can be used as a creative partner and a new creative medium in branding and marketing.







* Asking the right questions is crucial when using AI to generate ideas and insights.







* AI can help with idea generation, creative strategy, and content creation.







* AI can provide structure and guidance in following established models and frameworks.







* AI can enhance brainstorming sessions and improve the efficiency of the creative process.









Quotes:









* “Asking better questions leads to better outcomes.” – Julian Cole







* “Brainstorming is not efficient, but interrogating ideas is.” – Dean Millson







* “Creativity and the human brain are still essential in the AI era.” – Sam McEwin

















TimestampSummary0:00:32Introduction to the podcast and topic of AI0:01:55Discussion on the overwhelming amount of AI content0:03:23Approaching AI with curiosity and as a creative medium0:06:52Using AI for content generation and idea generation0:09:43Julian Cole’s approach to using AI for creative strategy0:11:20AI as a tool for brainstorming and generating ideas0:12:47Wrapping up the discussion on AI and its potential uses0:12:47Discussion about the quality of AI-generated content0:13:11Examples of how AI-generated prompts can be useful0:15:07Using AI-generated prompts for brainstorming and copywriting0:16:18The advantage of completeness in brainstorming with AI0:19:19The potential for AI-generated prompts to create paradoxes0:19:44The importance of using good prompts for better AI output0:21:39Comparing AI-generated music to AI-generated content0:22:07The role of the individual in interpreting and polishing AI-generated content0:23:06The potential for AI assistants in various industries0:24:21The usefulness of AI as a personal coach and for providing structure0:24:21Using established models to explain and improve understanding0:25:33AI as a tool to help remember and apply knowledge0:26:26Training your own AI models for personal use0:27:18Ethical concerns about sharing sensitive information with AI0:28:13Ownership and privacy of data used by AI0:30:09Will AI replace jobs?0:31:12How agencies should use AI creatively0:33:14AI replacing low-value services0:34:39Impact on cheap design services like 99designs0:35:34AI as a new cheap option for those who don’t value quality0:36:03Increasing output and value of agencies like ours0:36:43The importance of having an expert behind AI tools0:37:23The challenge of going beyond surface-level results0:38:57The role of designers in the age of AI0:39:26The need for human expertise in decision-making0:40:08The possibility of AI replacing Google search0:40:23Encouraging audience engagement and feedback0:41:01Promoting the podcast and asking for reviews0:41:23Closing remarks and farewells

Sam McEwin and Dean Millson discuss the importance of branding for small businesses. They explain that branding is not just for big companies, but can also be beneficial for small brands. They outline a methodology that they use to help small businesses grow and succeed. They emphasize the importance of balancing activities that drive initial consideration and brand awareness with activities that enable the brand to be found during active evaluation. They also discuss the challenges that small businesses face in branding and marketing, and provide practical strategies for success.







Key Takeaways:









* Small brands should focus on active evaluation rather than initial consideration.







* Paid search and performance marketing are effective strategies for small businesses.







* SEO is a long-term play that can be more cost-effective than paid search.







* Small businesses should invest in brand awareness once they have proven their market fit.







* Balancing short-term results with long-term brand building is crucial for small businesses.









Quotes:









* “A well-balanced media program is one that has activities that drive initial consideration and brand awareness, as well as activities that enable the brand to be found during active evaluation.” – Sam McEwin







* “Paid search is the most common channel for small businesses to start with, as it delivers immediate results.” – Dean Millson







* “Small businesses should invest in brand awareness once they have proven their market fit and have the revenue to support it.” – Sam McEwin

























TimestampSummary0:00:30Introduction to the podcast episode0:01:13Discussion about changing offices and upgrading space0:02:41Introduction to the topic of when and how small brands should brand0:05:00Explanation of initial consideration and active evaluation in consumer decision making0:07:08Importance of brand awareness and being included in initial consideration0:08:20Percentage of final purchases made from initial consideration set0:10:13Importance of balancing brand focus and being found during active evaluation0:11:59Application of the methodology to small businesses0:12:44Discussion about typical small businesses and startup models[0:12:33]Small businesses in Australia need to make revenue quickly.[0:13:33]Startups need to prove product market fit.[0:14:01]Business model and pricing must be proven sustainable.[0:15:00]Brands drive preference, products drive action.[0:15:32]Offering different pricing options to engage customers.[0:17:29]Marketing activities for startups must work instantly.[0:19:18]GoPro Hero Ten Black has overheating issues.[0:23:07]Tips and tricks to prevent GoPro overheating.[0:24:31]Using tripod mode and adjusting resolution to prevent overheating.0:25:32Shooting video in different frame rates and resolutions0:26:21Managing the rear display brightness to reduce heat0:26:54Using horizon leveling for level shots0:27:16Removing internal battery when using external power0:27:49Tips for using GoPro effectively0:29:14Recording and syncing video footage0:29:35Considerations for small business promotion0:31:59Importance of active evaluation in digital marketing0:33:03Paid search vs organic search cost comparison0:35:43Strategy of starting with paid search and transitioning to SEO0:38:46Channels available for small businesses to grow brand awareness.0:39:28Importance of building a foundation for brand even with limited budgets.0:41:02Long-term play of brand building and its value.0:41:31Targeting the 95% of audience not currently in the market.

Sam McEwin and Dean Millson are the hosts of the Brandwidth podcast. They are experienced marketers and brand strategists who share their insights and expertise on branding and marketing topics.​







**Summary:**​Sam and Dean discuss the different stages of brands and the priorities at each stage. They start with new brands, emphasizing the importance of focusing on product or customer experience and getting noticed. They suggest using a mix of channels to increase visibility and provide reasons for consideration. They also highlight the value of trials, reviews, and testimonials to build trust. ​For semi-established brands, Sam and Dean recommend increasing physical availability and reinforcing key messages. They caution against getting bored and making rash decisions. They also suggest exploring new category entry points and finding quick wins in low-hanging fruit.​For established brands, the focus is on staying present and mentally available. They stress the importance of repetition with creativity and not jumping at shadows. They also discuss the potential for brand extensions, using RACV’s expansion into solar as an example.​







**Key Takeaways:**​







1. New brands should focus on product or customer experience and getting noticed.







2. Semi-established brands should increase physical availability and reinforce key messages.







3. Established brands should stay present and mentally available, using repetition with creativity.







4. Brand extensions can be successful if there is a transfer of trust from the existing brand.​







**Quotes:**​- “New brands need to provide reasons for consideration and opportunities to trial.” – Dean Millson- “Repetition with creativity is key for established brands.” – Sam McEwin- “Brand extensions can be successful if there is a transfer of trust.” – Dean Millson







About The Guest(s):







Sam McEwin and Dean Millson are the hosts of the Brandwidth podcast. They are experienced marketers and brand strategists who share their insights and expertise on branding and marketing topics.







Summary:







Sam and Dean discuss the different stages of brands and the priorities at each stage. They start with new brands, emphasizing the importance of focusing on product or customer experience and getting noticed. They suggest using a mix of channels to increase visibility and provide reasons for consideration. They also highlight the value of trials, reviews, and testimonials to build trust.







For semi-established brands, Sam and Dean recommend increasing physical availability and reinforcing key messages. They caution against getting bored and making rash decisions. They also suggest exploring new category entry points and finding quick wins in low-hanging fruit.







For established brands, the focus is on staying present and mentally available. They stress the importance of repetition with creativity and not jumping at shadows. They also discuss the potential for brand extensions, using RACV’s expansion into solar as an example.







Key Takeaways:









* New brands should focus on product or customer experience and getting noticed.







* Semi-established brands should increase physical availability and reinforce key messages.







* Established brands should stay present and mentally available, using repetition with creativity.







* Brand extensions can be successful if there is a transfer of trust from the existing brand.









Quotes:

Sam McEwin and Dean Millson are the hosts of the Brandwidth podcast. They are marketing and branding experts who bring their knowledge and insights to the show.







Summary: Sam and Dean discuss the power of visual assets in marketing and branding. They reference a chart from Ipsos that ranks different visual assets based on their effectiveness in grabbing attention. They highlight the importance of using visual assets beyond just a brand name in ads. They also discuss the effectiveness of jingles, characters, and celebrities in advertising. They emphasize the need for distinctive visual assets that can be easily recognized and associated with a brand.







Key Takeaways:









* Visual assets, such as logos and slogans, make ads more effective than just talking about a brand.







* Characters are highly effective visual assets that can be owned by a brand and evolve with the brand’s creative style.







* Sonic brand cues, such as jingles, are underutilized but have a significant impact on brand recognition and recall.







* Celebrities can be effective visual assets, but they can switch brands and do not provide the same level of ownership as characters.









Quotes:









* “Visual assets beyond just a brand name in an ad make it more effective.”







* “Characters are highly effective visual assets that can be owned by a brand and evolve with the brand’s creative style.”







* “Sonic brand cues, like jingles, are underutilized but have a significant impact on brand recognition and recall.”







* “Celebrities can be effective visual assets, but they can switch brands and do not provide the same level of ownership as characters.”

















TimestampSummary0:28Introduction to the podcast episode2:05Discussion on the tendency to focus on doom and gloom3:49Explanation of the podcast format4:36Introduction to the chart on visual assets6:20Effectiveness of logos and slogans in ads7:10Example of an ad without branding8:51Discussion on attention and QR codes9:29Mention of McDonald’s unbranded campaign10:31Introduction to distinctive visual assets10:39McDonald’s jingle and distinctive assets in ads10:31McDonald’s made a distinctive asset with their Big Mac jingle.10:49Market leaders like McDonald’s don’t need a logo if their distinctive assets are strong enough.11:12Heinz’s tomato sauce ad looked like a Heinz ad even though it wasn’t.12:15Sonic brand cues are underutilized but highly effective.13:21Characters and celebrities are powerful assets but not cool.16:13People don’t deeply engage with brands or want a brand relationship.18:51Characters are more effective than celebrities.19:17Characters can be owned, celebrities can switch brands.19:46Kanye West switched sneaker brands from Nike to Adidas.21:01Colonel Sanders is a character who represents KFC, not McDonald’s.21:01Discussion about Colonel Sanders and the KFC brand21:57Talking about creating brand assets and characters23:01Conversation about the effectiveness of influencer marketing24:38Sam’s experience with influencer marketing and a billboard26:26Influencer marketing as a way to prime consumer interest28:35Using celebrities and characters as brand assets29:37Branded characters offer flexibility and storytelling opportunities30:48Discussion about the malleability of brand characters31:08The effectiveness of uncool branding elements31:50Wrap up and mention of potential podcast character31:48Discussion about needing a character for the podcast32:00Mention of Salesforce and their use of characters32:26Mention of the successful execution o...

Sam McEwIn and Dean Millson discuss the importance of attention in advertising and the findings of Professor Karen Nelson Field’s research on attention. They explore the impact of attention on memory and brand recall, as well as the different channels that attract attention, such as television, catch-up TV, and mobile phones. The conversation highlights the potential of optimising ads and media plans to maximize attention and the need for a unified metric to measure attention across different channels. The discussion also touches on the effectiveness of digital TV ads and the value of print advertising.







[TRANSCRIPT]







0:00:27 – (Sam McEwin): Yes. Welcome back to another episode of The Brandwidth Audio Podcast. My name’s Sam McEwin. Joining me dressed in exactly the same shirt as he wore in the last episode, is Dean Millson.







0:00:36 – (Dean Millson): It’s so bizarre. Exactly the same thing that was going through my head as you introduced me then. Thank you, Sam.







0:00:46 – (Sam McEwin): Have you not slept in the last three weeks that we.







0:00:51 – (Dean Millson): Funny.







0:00:52 – (Sam McEwin): Yeah. We may have mentioned welcome, everybody, to the episode we may have mentioned at the end of the last episode that we are making some early attempts at recording video to accompany these podcasts, which may or may not end up on YouTube. We’re certainly at some point going to have video on YouTube. I think whether my attempts to set up some sort of rudimentary recording system have worked or not, I’m not sure about. But it has definitely exposed the fact that we tend to record these episodes back to back a couple of times.







0:01:20 – (Dean Millson): Have to have a change of clothes, like hold a wardrobe.







0:01:25 – (Sam McEwin): There’s a lot to think. See, little things that you don’t think about when you’re recording a podcast.







0:01:29 – (Dean Millson): We’re adding complexity here.







0:01:30 – (Sam McEwin): We’re going to need a wardrobe department.







0:01:32 – (Dean Millson): Yeah, we are.







0:01:34 – (Sam McEwin): That could be fun. Wow.







0:01:37 – (Dean Millson): There’s a whole new distinctive assets. I can just think of turning up in some sort of fancy dress. A bit of what’s come to mind, like Civil War. I don’t know why I’m gone there. Like, if I dressed up as a Civil War generally, I don’t know why.







0:01:55 – (Sam McEwin): I just pictured you looking like the Colonel Sanders. I don’t know if that was I think I’m in the General Lee with the little okay.







0:02:04 – (Dean Millson): All right.







0:02:07 – (Sam McEwin): It’s sort of related. I’ve heard of facial hair as branding. What was his name? From you, but wouldn’t know him, but from Moz SEO. Moz Rand. He used to do some sensational he used to do some video content called Whiteboard Fridays, where he tackled some really watching those, actually. Yeah, it was really good. And there was sort of early days of content marketing, and he’d get a whiteboard and he’d sort of plan out what he was going to talk about on the whiteboard pre the show. And then he’d sort of talk through it usually quite complex technical SEO things. But he had a lot of charisma, and he did them really well. And as it evolved, he started sort of doing some interesting things with his facial hair.

Summary: Dean and Sam discuss the decline of jingles in advertising and the reasons behind it. Reflecting on their favourite jingles from the past and the effectiveness of these catchy tunes in creating brand recall, they uncover why jingles have become less popular in recent years and why they may potentially be making a comeback. The hosts also discuss the importance of effective advertising and the role of jingles in conveying key messages to consumers.







Key Takeaways:









* Jingles are highly effective in creating brand recall and conveying key messages to consumers.







* Marketers have moved away from jingles in recent years, considering them uncool and outdated.







* The decline of jingles may be due to a lack of talent and interest in creating them, as well as a shift towards co-opting pop music in advertising.







* Jingles are particularly effective for new brands or brands in saturated markets, as they help create brand awareness and differentiation.







* Simple and memorable jingles that convey a clear message are the most effective.









Quotes:









* “Jingles are highly effective in creating brand recall and conveying key messages to consumers.”







* “The decline of jingles may be due to a lack of talent and interest in creating them, as well as a shift towards co-opting pop music in advertising.”

















TimestampSummary[0:00:00]Introduction and discussion of recent news and activities[0:03:56]Conversation about the leadership of brands during the pandemic[0:05:24]Discussion about the oldest ads remembered[0:08:31]Topic introduction: the disappearance of jingles in ads[0:09:24]Questioning why jingles are no longer used[0:10:17]Explanation of why jingles are effective[0:10:59]Reflection on the decline of jingles in advertising[0:11:27]Examples of nostalgic ads and their production values[0:11:27]Discussion on the decline of jingles and their effectiveness.[0:13:12]Speculation on the reasons for the decline of jingles.[0:15:23]Prediction that jingles will make a comeback.[0:17:30]Mention of the Grout Guys jingle and its execution.[0:18:34]Reference to the history of jingles and their shift to using pop music.[0:19:38]Mention of the relationship between the music industry and advertising.[0:20:59]Discussion on the effectiveness of jingles with classical music.[0:22:08]Importance of making a boring message fun in a jingle.[0:23:05]Mention of jingles for Ream hot water systems.[0:23:10]The effectiveness of jingles and catchy ads.[0:24:29]The dying skill of writing a good brief.[0:25:44]Examples of successful jingles in advertising.[0:31:48]The possibility of brands being “too cool” for jingles.[0:32:43]The role of data and focus groups in ad decision-making.[0:33:26]Jingles as a way to make an impact for new brands.[0:34:18]Small and local brands being more open to jingles.[0:34:30]Examples of memorable jingles for local brands.[0:34:39]The power of jingles for brand recognition and recall.[0:34:46]Discussing the Eric Planinsek jingle[0:35:49]Importance of jingles and their effectiveness[0:37:28]The effectiveness of jingles in brand recall[0:38:13]Robert Swanson’s formula for a successful jingle[0:39:10]Housekeeping: leaving reviews and video format on YouTube[0:40:31]Challenge of editing jingles into the podcast[0:41:05]Announcement of YouTube channel and video updates[0:41:34]Invitation to share favorite jingles[0:41:43]Closing remarksENDEnd of the transcript







[TRANSCRIPT]







0:00:00 – (Dean Millson): Brandwidth







0:00:26 – (Sam McEwin): Yes. Welcome back to another episode of the Brandwith Podcas...