On Brand With Friends

Three Turnarounds. Sticky Jingles. And J.A.M.

“In my career, I’ve worked on three brands that I’ve taken from double-digit decline to double-digit growth in less than a year— Altoids, Slim Jim, and David Sunflower Seeds. In all three cases, it was not magic by any stretch of the imagination. It was about getting back to basics.” Jeni [https://www.glassbrkr.com] and Ellen met at Wrigley over fifteen years ago. While there, Jeni launched an entirely new mega brand, 5 Gum, and revived a forgotten brand, Altoids. She went on to breathe new life into other brands at ConAgra, Kimberly-Clark, and Daisy with, some might say, “surgical precision.” She calls her methods “getting back to basics” (ya know, the 4Ps) but throughout our conversation, Jeni revealed several more “Ps” in her brand revival toolkit. Take note. Highlights: * [0:45] Jeni’s career arc in her own words. * [1:45] Finding her J.A.M. with Leslie Perlow [https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/profile.aspx?facId=24278&view=featured-work]. * [3:50] The three turnarounds and “getting back to basics.” * [7:00] Beyond the 4Ps, what does it take? (Hint: People, Playback, Problems and Pecadillos). * [8:50] A real-life case for sonic branding [https://open.substack.com/pub/weareonbrand/p/sonic-branding-its-not-rocket-science?r=ci214&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web]. * [10:20] How to initiate a turnaround. * [11:35] Advice for new brands just starting out. * [15:10] Closing remarks and the importance of watching and listening to consumers in the wild. Got a few minutes to catch up? We’ve unlocked these popular stories from our archives for a limited time! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit weareonbrand.substack.com [https://weareonbrand.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

D1 Basketball. Corporate Ladders. See Ya, Meyers-Briggs.

From the halls of Harvard to leading on the basketball court, our friend and former colleague Laura Barnard has always championed others, ensuring every voice and idea is heard. After a decade of climbing the corporate ladder, she experienced the limits of leadership stereotypes firsthand. Eventually breaking through to the executive table, Laura found that true inclusivity was still missing. Determined to create change, she built BREAKTHRU BRANDS [https://breakthrubrands.com], a leadership consultancy empowering equity-minded leaders to cultivate inclusive, diverse workplaces. We talk with Laura about her experience, mission, and success. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit weareonbrand.substack.com [https://weareonbrand.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Intrapreneurship. Embracing AI. Trends on the LA Flea Scene.

Mia and Ellen talk with Sarah Ehlinger [https://bebrandspankingyou.com/about] of Brand Spanking You for their very first podcast episode. Together, they cover key lessons from working with big brands and small, the merits of AI in the creative process, and trendy finds at LA flea markets! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit weareonbrand.substack.com [https://weareonbrand.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]