Building Brand Advocacy

Paul Archer and Verity Hurd
  • 5.0 (2)
  • MARKETING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

The Building Brand Advocacy podcast is your go-to for tactical conversations with marketing minds from fashion, beauty, wellness, and beyond. Hosted by Paul Archer and Verity Hurd, this podcast brings together industry leaders and experts to share how they cultivate communities, empower advocates, and drive results at scale. Whether you’re a founder, CMO, or marketer at a scaling brand, this is your space to stay ahead in modern brand building. From creating authentic connections to mobilizing passionate fans for Social Commerce, learn the principles of building Advocacy.

  1. 3D AGO

    The Exact Strategic Framework To Build A Community-Led Brand (ft Sophie Miller)

    Most brands think they have a community, but they’re actively building an audience, not community engagement. In this week's episode, we dive into community building strategy with Sophie Miller, Founder of Pretty Little Marketer. Sophie reveals why relying on followers alone is a dangerous game for modern brands. “If you don't build your community, someone else will define it for you”. We break down exactly how to transition from "broadcasting" to "building" and why community-led growth is the most defensible asset your brand can own in this era of digital marketing. In this episode, you’ll learn: The exact 3-step system to build a loyal brand community. Audience vs. Community: The critical difference that most marketing teams miss. Why silence is a liability and how to take ownership of your brand narrative. How to turn passive followers into active brand advocates. Whether you are a Social Media Manager or a Brand Director, this episode covers the marketing strategy you need to future-proof your brand. CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction to Sophie Miller 02:25 The Birth of Pretty Little Marketer 04:50 From Despare to Community Building 06:35 Strategic Growth and Community Engagement 13:22 Community Monetisation and Membership Launch 20:28 The Power of Community in Business 21:04 Navigating LinkedIn and Social Media 22:51 Building a Community-First Strategy 24:01 3 Pillars of PLM's Community 28:30 Measuring Community Success 33:30 Common Mistakes in Community Building 37:26 Final Thoughts and Community Advice for Brands 🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss an episode. CONNECT WITH SOPHIE LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiealicemiller/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sophiemillerrrr/ Pretty Little Marketer: https://www.linkedin.com/company/prettylittlemarketer/ FOLLOW US Verity: www.linkedin.com/in/verityhurd/ Subscribe: www.youtube.com/@buildingbrandadvocacy Instagram: www.instagram.com/building_brand_advocacyTikTok: www.tiktok.com/@building.brand.advocacy

    40 min

  2. FEB 4

    Maximising Global Sporting Partnerships: What Rexona | Sure Knows That Most Brands Don’t

    In this episode of Building Brand Advocacy, we sit down with Emily Heath, Global Brand Director of Rexona | Sure, to unpack how one of the world’s biggest, everyday deodorant brands is building true brand awareness and community through sports partnerships. Emily shares her extensive experience working with Unilever over 17 years and provides insights into managing a global brand. Discover how sport partnerships, particularly in football, have played a crucial role in enhancing brand engagement and creating emotional connections with fans. Emily also touches on the tactical side of sports marketing, leveraging AI in brand marketing, and maintaining brand advocacy outside of major campaigns. Tune in for an in-depth conversation filled with valuable strategies and tips for marketers at any level. In this episode, we cover: How Rexona | Sure uses sport to drive authentic brand awareness What “good” looks like in global sporting partnerships, and how to maximise them The rise of female sports and how to advocate for it as a global brand The role of ambassadors and athletes for a global brand How to engage and activate community at global scale, while still feeling local and human Where AI fits into the future of brand building and how Rexona | Sure are already tapping into it CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction 01:39 The Evolution of Sports Marketing at Rexona 04:22 Expanding into Female Sports Partnerships 07:47 Maximizing the Value of Global Sports Partnerships 10:48 How To Gain Value from Brand Ambassadors 17:45 Sports Marketing Strategies for Smaller Brands 20:51 Exploring Brand Advocacy Beyond Major Campaigns 22:07 Leveraging Cultural Moments for Brand Relevance 25:01 The Impact of AI on Brand Marketing 28:56 Quick Fire Round: Personal Insights and Fun Facts 🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss an episode. CONNECT WITH EMILY LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-heath-84a20b14/ FOLLOW US Verity: www.linkedin.com/in/verityhurd/ Subscribe: www.youtube.com/@buildingbrandadvocacy Instagram: www.instagram.com/building_brand_advocacy TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@building.brand.advocacy

    37 min

  3. JAN 28

    How SoulCycle Turned Riders Into a Cult Community (Director of Social Reveals)

    In this episode, we break down how SoulCycle built a community-powered content engine that keeps fans sharing, and showing up. Our guest this week is McKinley Hart, Director of Social Media at SoulCycle who shares more around the brand’s social and community storytelling, how they turn riders, instructors, and studio culture into a constant flow of authentic content and brand advocacy. We dig into the strategies, systems, and mindset that any brand, marketer, or creator can steal, even if you don’t have SoulCycle’s scale or resources. In this episode, we cover: How SoulCycle turned its community into a content engine (without making people feel “used”) The creative strategies used at SoulCycle to maxmise brand advocacy on social Turning instructors and front-line teams into on-the-ground storytellers Building internal infrastructures that benefit the content loop The difference between “posting about your brand” and “building your brand” How to measure the impact of community-driven content beyond likes and views Practical advice for brands that don’t currently have a passionate fanbase CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction to SoulCycle's Community 00:24 The Social Impact of SoulCycle 03:14 The Nomad Baddies: A Community Story 05:55 Creating Fans and Advocates 10:11 SoulCycle's Unique Social Media Strategy 12:05 The Future of Social Engagement 14:58 Balancing Real Life and Digital Presence 19:36 The Role of Employees in Brand Growth 22:40 Engagement and Commercial Results 25:34 Breaking Down Barriers to Participation 30:34 SoulCycle’s Community and Brand Advocacy 🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss a launch. CONNECT WITH MCKINLEY LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mckinleyhart/ SoulCycle Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulcycle/ SoulCycle TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soulcycle?lang=en-GB FOLLOW US Verity: www.linkedin.com/in/verityhurd/ Subscribe: www.youtube.com/@buildingbrandadvocacy Instagram: www.instagram.com/building_brand_advocacyTikTok: www.tiktok.com/@building.brand.advocacy

    36 min

  4. JAN 21

    The Hidden Reason Your Brand Is Failing on Social Media (ft Sean Cook)

    Most brands are still using a 20th‑century playbook for a social‑first world and it’s damaging their marketing. In this episode, we’re joined by Sean Cook, ex Global Senior Social Media Manager at Deliveroo, to unpack why the current “brand architecture” model is completely outdated for how social actually works today. Sean shares what he learned leading an in‑house social team at scale, where the system is failing brands, and what a modern brand architect needs to look like in 2026 and beyond. We dig into how social fits inside the wider business, why brand books don’t translate to TikTok, Instagram or LinkedIn, and the structural changes leaders need to make if they want social to be more than just a content factory. In this episode, we cover: Current state of the digital marketing infrastructure Introduction of brand and content architects The role of CMO’s to enable best performance  Duty of care towards social media teams The balance between strategy & experiementaiton  Why culture is key to fostering success on social media  If you’re internal infrastructure is exhausting, overwhelming and no longer working. This episode is for you. CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction 01:07 The Role and Challenges of Social Media Teams 03:40 Building Effective Social Media Strategies 05:23 The Importance of Knowing Your Audience 13:30 Wellbeing and Duty of Care in Social Media 18:41 The Evolution of Social Media Teams 24:36 The Need for a Brand and Content Architect 31:12 The Role of Culture in Social Media 35:28 Empowering Social Media Teams 37:27 The Future of Social Media Strategy 🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss a launch. CONNECT WITH SEAN LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-cook-333b52a3/ FOLLOW US Verity: www.linkedin.com/in/verityhurd/ Subscribe: www.youtube.com/@buildingbrandadvocacy Instagram: www.instagram.com/building_brand_advocacy TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@building.brand.advocacy

    38 min
  5. The TikTok Strategy That Built A Cult Following ft Daisy Kelly (Glow For It Founder)

    JAN 14

    The TikTok Strategy That Built A Cult Following ft Daisy Kelly (Glow For It Founder)

    Daisy Kelly made 6 figures in just 12 hours on TikTok shop without spending a penny on ads. In this episode, Daisy Kelly, the founder of Glow For It reveals why the era of traditional influencer marketing is dead and how to build a cult following that buys every product you launch. If you're trying to build a brand on TikTok in 2026, the old playbook doesn't work. We sit down with Daisy to discuss the huge shift toward "Founder-Led" marketing and why your customers are your best advocates. We break down the exact strategy Glow For It used to turn followers into super fans and why you need to stop hiding behind your logo if you want to scale your DTC business. In this episode, we cover: The Power of TikTok for Business Inside a Six-Figure Live Effective DTC marketing strategies Founder led marketing  Building real community in 2026 If you’re looking to level up your TikTok strategy this year, this episode is for you! CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction and TikTok's Impact 00:55 Building a Brand from Scratch 01:46 Black Friday Preparations 04:11 The Power of TikTok for Business 08:28 Inside a Six-Figure Live 13:50 Marketing Strategies and Team Dynamics 18:01 Reflections and Lessons Learned 19:07 Navigating Business Advice and Trusting Your Gut 20:19 The Role of the Founder in Brand Building 22:03 The Impact of Live Presenters on Sales 25:31 Adapting to Potential Changes in Social Media Platforms 28:37 Engaging with Customers Through Community Events 37:33 Future Plans and Inspirations 🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss a launch. CONNECT WITH GLOW FOR IT  Glow For It TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@glowforitshop?lang=en-GB Glow For It Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glowforitshop/ FOLLOW US Verity: www.linkedin.com/in/verityhurd/ Subscribe: www.youtube.com/@buildingbrandadvocacy Instagram: www.instagram.com/building_brand_advocacy TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@building.brand.advocacy

    39 min
  6. Influencer Marketing is Dead: Here is What Replaced It

    JAN 7

    Influencer Marketing is Dead: Here is What Replaced It

    Is Influencer Marketing officially dead in 2026? The era of paying for posts and chasing reach is breaking down. Influence hasn’t disappeared, but it has shifted, out of platforms and into people. In this episode, we unpack why the traditional digital marketing playbook is no longer fit for purpose, and how leading brands are reorganising around Brand Advocacy activating customers, creators, and communities as a measurable growth engine, not a one-off tactic. We discuss the huge shift from "buying attention" to "earning trust" and reveal the exact team roles you need to hire (and fire) to succeed in this new landscape. If you are a CMO or marketing leader still relying on 2024 tactics, you might be wasting your budget. In this episode, we cover: The "Death" of traditional influencer marketing The current state of brand advocacy in 2026 Why your digital marketing team structure is failing you How to pivot from paid reach to community led growth Actionable steps to turn customers into your best marketers Listen to the full conversation to future-proof your brand strategy. CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction to Brand Advocacy in 2026 00:46 Reflecting on 2025: The Rise of Advocacy 02:35 The Decline of Influencer Marketing 05:01 The Future of Marketing Teams 07:27 The Importance of Community Building 09:58 The Shift in Social Commerce 13:09 Unlearning Old Marketing Strategies 17:10 Effective Brand Advocacy Approaches 20:35 The Difference Between Paid Influencers and Earned Advocates 21:09 Top of Funnel vs. Bottom of Funnel Advocacy 22:04 The Importance of Culture and Commercial Creators 23:10 Brands Underutilizing Their Advocates 23:45 Understanding and Activating Advocates 26:22 Channel Strategies and Creator Engagement 29:12 The Role of CMOs in Advocacy 36:19 Building a System for Compounding Growth 🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss a launch. CONNECT WITH PAUL & VERITY Paul: www.linkedin.com/in/paulkarcher/ Verity: www.linkedin.com/in/verityhurd/ FOLLOW US Subscribe: www.youtube.com/@buildingbrandadvocacy Instagram: www.instagram.com/building_brand_advocacy TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@building.brand.advocacy

    39 min
  7. We’re Not In Social Anymore, We’re In A ‘Streaming Ecosystem’ in 2026 ft. Lindsey Gamble

    12/10/2025

    We’re Not In Social Anymore, We’re In A ‘Streaming Ecosystem’ in 2026 ft. Lindsey Gamble

    Forget “posting to social.”  According to Lindsey, we’re operating in a full-scale content ecosystem – one that’s streaming-first, storefront-powered, AI-disrupted, and driven by creators who’ve outgrown the feed. Recorded live at the Brand Advocacy Summit: New York, this keynote from Lindsey Gamble (LinkedIn Top Voice & creator economy expert) is a rapid-fire download on what’s actually next in marketing. From the collapse of old playbooks to the rise of creator storefronts, Substack strategy, and content that earns its way into DMs, this is Lindsey’s devotion-driving newsletter brought to life on stage. Tap in to understand: 📉 Why Traditional Ad Spend Is Shrinking & What That Means for Brands. 📈 How Platforms Are Handing Creators (& Marketers) the Keys. 🧠 Why Personalisation, Niche Content & Human Insight Are the Future of Performance. 🖥️ Why YouTube Is Eating Netflix – and What It Means for Your Content Strategy. 📬 Why Substack Is the Underrated Channel for Influence & Conversion. This isn’t theory. It’s strategy, backed by real shifts in attention, tech, and creator behaviour. Turn this one up for the download on what’s really reshaping marketing in 2026. Chapters 00:00 – Welcome to the Creator Economy IRL 01:00 – Why Creator Platforms Just Overtook Traditional Media 04:05 – Social-First Brands Are Now Creator-First by Default 05:00 – Everyone’s a Creator: Storefronts, Employees & CEOs 08:20 – YouTube Is Eating Netflix: What It Means for Marketers 11:55 – Substack & LinkedIn: The Next Channels for Influence 14:00 – From TikTok to TV, It’s The New Era of Creator Content 16:00 – AI, Algorithms & Why Personalization Wins Performance 18:20 – The Future Is Human: Why Connection Beats Content Rate & review Building Brand Advocacy: Apple Podcasts Spotify Connect with Lindsey: On LinkedIn Subscribe to his Newsletter

    21 min
  8. Why Amika & Beekman’s Million-Dollar Advantage Is Advocacy

    12/03/2025

    Why Amika & Beekman’s Million-Dollar Advantage Is Advocacy

    What do you get when a kindness-led skincare founder & a community-first haircare CMO sit down together? An honest & instructive conversation on Brand Advocacy. Live from the Brand Advocacy Summit: New York, Verity is joined by Dr. Brent Ridge (Co-Founder @ Beekman 1802) & Nilofer Vahora (Chief Marketing Officer @ Amika) to unpack how two very different beauty brands built lasting customer love – by making stylists, neighbours, and Advocates the centre of their businesses. This isn’t about follower counts or funnel hacks. It’s a behind-the-scenes look at the values, trade-offs, and systems that turn brand belief into million-dollar growth. If you’ve ever struggled to scale connection without losing credibility, this conversation will help. What You’ll Learn: 🏆 Why Being ‘The Favourite’ Brand Beats Being The Biggest 🎡 How Amika Built a Stylist-Led Flywheel That Drives Brand Love & Revenue 🏘️ The Power of ‘Neighbor Services’ (Not Customer Service) 🫶🏻 Why Community Systems Beat Viral Campaigns Every Time ⚙️ What Happens When You Make Kindness Your Operating System Two brands. Zero holdbacks. All Advocacy. Chapters 00:00 – Welcome to the Live Panel: What Advocacy Actually Looks Like 02:27 – The Origin Stories: Kindness, Friendship & Founding from the Margins 07:05 – When Community Becomes the Growth Plan 09:07 – Building Brand Language: “Hi Neighbor” & “I Love Amika” 11:02 – Operationalising Kindness & Loyalty 16:45 – Systems That Scale Love: Amika’s Flywheel & Beekman’s KQ Program 23:42 – From Stylists to Screens: Connecting IRL Community to Digital Growth 28:10 – Trusting the Community with the Brand (Even When It’s Hard) 32:55 – Learning in Public: Handling Missteps & Turning Them Into Advocacy 38:30 – Final Takeaways: Real Community, Real Trade-Offs, Real Growth Rate & review Building Brand Advocacy: Apple Podcasts Spotify Connect with Brent & Nilofer: On Brent’s LinkedIn On Nilofer's LinkedIn

    34 min
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About

The Building Brand Advocacy podcast is your go-to for tactical conversations with marketing minds from fashion, beauty, wellness, and beyond. Hosted by Paul Archer and Verity Hurd, this podcast brings together industry leaders and experts to share how they cultivate communities, empower advocates, and drive results at scale. Whether you’re a founder, CMO, or marketer at a scaling brand, this is your space to stay ahead in modern brand building. From creating authentic connections to mobilizing passionate fans for Social Commerce, learn the principles of building Advocacy.

Information

  • Creator
    Paul Archer and Verity Hurd
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    127
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Paul Archer and Verity Hurd
  • Show Website
    Building Brand Advocacy

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