Brand Strategy & Positioning

Why Being the Cheapest Isn’t a Strategy

There’s a wonderfully simple strategy available to any company struggling to differentiate itself: just be cheaper. Your competitor charges $100? Charge $90. They drop…

Your Competitors Shouldn’t Dictate Your Strategy

Every company watches its competitors. You should know who they are, what they’re saying, where they’re showing up, and how they’re positioning themselves. Pretending…

What Problem Does Your Brand Actually Solve?

Ask a company what it does, and you’ll usually get an answer pretty quickly. We manufacture this. We provide that service. We specialize in these solutions. If there’s a…

What Happens to Sales When Your Brand Stops Keeping Up

Every business owner has had that meeting. Sales are softer than expected. Leads aren’t converting the way they used to. Competitors seem to be winning projects that…

Your Brand Has Blind Spots. Here’s How to Find Them.

Have you ever rearranged a room in your house and suddenly thought, “Why didn’t I do this years ago?” Nothing new was added. Nothing dramatic happened. You simply looked…

What To Do When Your Identity No Longer Matches Your Performance

Most companies spend years trying to grow. They invest in better people, better processes, better technology, and stronger capabilities. Growth is the plan, and most…

The Difference Between a Transaction and an Experience

There are certain businesses we all remember. Not necessarily because they had the lowest price or the fastest turnaround. In fact, if you’re like most people, you…

Strategy Before Tactics – Building Marketing That Actually Works W/ Danielle Dobbs

With Danielle Dobbs

In this episode of the He Said, She Said: Razor Branding™ Podcast, Jaci and Michael sit down with Danielle Dobbs, First Vice President of Marketing and brand positioning…

Not Every Viral Moment Is Good for Your Brand (And Most Aren’t Built to Last)

Every brand has had that moment. You see another company post something clever, timely, maybe even a little unexpected, and suddenly it’s everywhere. The comments pile…

Operationalizing Brand Positioning: A Cross-Functional Training Playbook

Mid-year is when a lot of B2B leaders step back, look at the numbers, and ask why the brand and customer experience still feel a little off. The strategy deck from last…

What Rebranding Actually Is (And What It Has Nothing to Do With)

There’s a moment that tends to catch companies off guard. Everything on the business side is moving forward. Revenue is growing. The work is getting more sophisticated.…

Legal Marketing and the Art of Standing Out W/ William McLaughlin

With William McLaughlin

In this episode of the He Said, She Said: Razor Branding™ Podcast, Jaci and Michael sit down with William McLaughlin, Director of Marketing at McNees Wallace & Nurick…

When Should a B2B Company Rebrand? Signs It’s Time and How to Navigate It

Rebranding is one of the most misunderstood decisions a leadership team can make. Some companies avoid it for years, convinced it’s cosmetic, unnecessary, or risky.…

Branding Beyond the Balance Sheet w/ Sunny Ricks

With Sunny Ricks

Marketing professional services is hard.Marketing accounting might be one of the hardest versions of that challenge. On this episode of the He Said, She Said: Razor…

Rebuilding Trust: Why Consistency Is Your Brand’s Greatest Asset in Uncertain Times

By Jaci Russo, CEO & Co-Founder, brandRUSSO Your prospects, partners, and team members are dealing with a lot right now. Economic shifts. Political tension. Hiring…

Branding Beyond Borders w/ Fernando Andreazi

With Fernando Andreazi

In this episode of the He Said, She Said: Razor Branding™ Podcast, Jaci and Michael Russo welcome global brand leader Fernando Andreazi for a dynamic conversation about…

Bringing Brands to Life with Daale Carter

With Daale Carter

In this episode of the He Said, She Said: Razor Branding Podcast, Jaci and Michael Russo sit down with Daale Carter, Managing Director of energy BBDO and a standout…

Perception is Reality: What Detroit Can Teach Us About Branding

By Michael Russo, Chief Creative Officer & Co-Founder, brandRUSSO I’m writing this blog from Detroit. It’s my second time visiting Detroit in as many years, arriving…

Why Your Brand Strategy Belongs in the Boardroom

By Jaci Russo, CEO & Co-Founder, brandRUSSO In many organizations, brand strategy is treated like a nice-to-have.It’s something that gets revisited during a website…

B2B Brand Audit: End-of-Year Strategies to Strengthen Your Brand for 2025

As the year draws to a close, it’s natural for businesses to reflect on their successes, challenges, and opportunities for growth. For B2B companies, the end of the year…

Branding Cheat Sheet for Business: Tips for Building a Strong Brand

By Jaci Russo, CEO and Co-founder of brandRUSSO Building a brand that stands out and resonates with your target audience isn’t just about a catchy logo or a clever…

The Impact of Customer Experience on Brand Reputation

In today’s competitive market, a brand is no longer just defined by its products or services but by the experiences it delivers to its customers. At brandRUSSO, we’ve…

Consumer Insights and Branding with Brett Townsend

With Brett Townsend

In this episode of the “He Said, She Said” Razor Branding Podcast, Michael and Jaci Russo are joined by Brett Townsend, Senior Vice President of Strategy at Questor…

Rebranding 101: Your Key to Standing Out in Today’s Market

In today’s competitive marketplace, successful businesses must find ways to speak clearly and compellingly to stand out. That’s where rebranding comes into play—not just…

7 Ways to Build Brand Loyalty in Competitive Industries

By Jaci Russo, CEO, brandRUSSO Building brand loyalty with clients is more critical than ever in today’s fiercely competitive business landscape. To accomplish this, we…

The Psychology of Branding with Dr. Tricia Groff

With Dr. Tricia Groff

In this episode of the Razor Branding Podcast, hosts Jaci and Michael Russo welcome Dr. Tricia Groff, a licensed psychologist specializing in executive coaching and…

Introducing: “Rebranding Made Simple” eBook

In the ever-evolving world of business, staying relevant is not just an option—it’s a necessity. At brandRUSSO, we understand that rebranding can be a daunting task.…

The Value of Strategic Branding

In today’s business world, your brand serves as the initial handshake, the prelude before any conversation even takes place. But what exactly is strategic branding, and…

Power of Branding: Lessons Learned from the Oscars

Estimated Read Time: 3 minutes When it comes to recognizable brands, there is perhaps none more famous than the Oscars. What began in 1929 with a small ceremony of just…

Your Brand Identity: Raw and Real

Estimated Read Time: 3 minutes 33 seconds In moments of self-doubt or reflection, we often find ourselves pondering the age-old question, “Who am I?” This existential…

A 5-minute Feast of Branding Lessons Inspired from The Bear

Let’s navigate through the branding maze with some help from the hit TV show, The Bear. Can we get a “Yes, Chef!” “Yes, Chef!” – Consistency is Key: Just like a chef…

[Bonus Podcast] Building Brands For Musicians and Personalities with Rick Caballo

With Rick Caballo

On this bonus episode of He Said, She Said: Razor Branding™ Podcast, we are joined by Rick Caballo, a designer, artist, creative director, and co-founder of the…

Brand Identity: The Heart & Soul of Your Company

So, you’ve got a business – great! But, let’s talk about the soul of your business, what we fondly refer to in the marketing and branding world as your brand identity.…

Your Branding Odyssey: Lessons from the Hero’s Journey in 2023

As we bid adieu to the year and the peaks and troughs that defined your organization’s branding odyssey in 2023, it’s an opportune time to reflect on the triumphs and…

Tips from Barbie: How Strategic Collaborations Can Improve Your Brand

Effective branding goes beyond mere visuals and slogans; it’s about changing the conversation and inspiring consumer behavior. At brandRUSSO, we champion this philosophy…

Is It Time For A Rebrand?

In the fiercely competitive world of business, staying successful means keeping up with an ever-changing digital landscape, riding the waves of industry trends, and…

How Privacy and Security Can Affect Your Brand with Jodi Daniels

With Jodi Daniels

On this week’s episode of He Said, She Said: Razor Branding™ Podcast, we are joined by Jodi Daniels, a privacy/security specialist and author, to discuss how to protect…

Entrepreneurial Branding with Travis Rosbach

With Travis Rosbach

Joining us on the He Said, She Said Razor Branding™ Podcast today to discuss Entrepreneurial Branding is Travis Rosbach. Capt. Rosbach has spent the last three decades…

Brand Builders Part 29: Is it time for a rebrand?

I often hear people say, “Hey, we think it’s time for a rebrand”. They call us and at the agency, they want us to rebrand them. What they really want is not a rebrand;…

Choosing the Right Agency with Jonathan Sachs

With Jonathan Sachs

Choosing the right agency is one of the first, and often most important steps in building a strong brand. Joining us to discuss his insight and experience is Jonathan…

Just Right: Find the Perfect Client with the Goldilocks Principle

Achieving perfection is Sisyphean struggle until you redefine perfection. There’s no way around it: the perfect branding experience begins with the perfect client.…

Brand Builders Part 9: Do You Call In The SWOT Team?

Understanding SWOT Analysis A big part of a strategic brand plan is a SWOT analysis. Yes, I know it sounds just like marketing class. And you’re thinking, “I finished…

Brand Builders Part 2: What is a Brand?

Understanding Brand Building Strategy So, what is a brand? I mean, if I’m going to do this whole series on how you can build your brand, we need to start with defining…

Marketing Mixtape Builds Pasta Brand

I’m always on the lookout for smart marketing ideas. So, when I read about Barilla pasta’s playlist timer, it caught my attention. (Full disclosure: I’m not the cook at…

Why, Why, Why – Branding is all About Your Why

This week’s Blurb, Book, & Blog is brought to you by the word “Why?”. Why do you do what you do? Why should someone choose you over the competition? Why should we care…

7 Ways to Build Your Brand: #3 Points of Differentiation

Each week we are working our way through the 7 ways you can build your brand, and this week is #3: Points of Differentiation. You can click here for the Overview, click…

7 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR BRAND IN 2020: 1st – Target Audience

Target Audience Your products and services are not for everyone. If you approach your marketing strategy with the intention of reaching ‘everyone’, then you will…

20 Deadly Branding Mistakes to Avoid in 2020

New Year. New Decade. New Branding Opportunities. Be sure to avoid these branding mistakes to have your best year yet. Assume everyone is your audience. Be sure to…

Expect an ROI When You Invest in Your Brand

I had the great pleasure of being in the Superdome for the Saints game yesterday for their game against San Francisco for the top of the NFC . (Awesome game, unfortunate…

3 Steps to Build Your Big Bold Brand

I will be presenting during the Innovate South conference this week. The topic: Big Bold Brands: Build it, Don’t Blow it. If you haven’t already registered, there are a…

Auburn’s Logo Evolution Results in Brand Backlash

Take a look at the Auburn University logos above. Look again. Look again. Yes, see those subtle differences? The arms of the U are a little wider. The white space…

University asks Louisiana high school to stop using logo

How using a trademarked logo as your own can cost you Recently, news broke that Rutgers University asked Ruston High School to stop using their trademarked logo.…

Branding of Political Candidates, their Identities and their Tribes

And how political candidates can ensure their identities don’t get in the way of success Whether we are talking about a local election for a school board seat or an…

The Responsibility of an Agency to Tell the Truth

How Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos Built an 8 Billion Dollar Lie Elizabeth Holmes was at one point referred to as the next Steve Jobs. But in the end she would be left…