Brand strategy is one of those terms that gets used constantly and explained rarely. This episode changes that.
Raquel Furman has been running a series for her email subscribers called What the FAQ, breaking down marketing and branding concepts that seem important but often feel vague or overwhelming. Now she's bringing it to the podcast, and she's starting with brand strategy because it comes before everything else: before your logo, before your website, before your marketing plan.
If you've ever felt like your content isn't connecting, your marketing feels inconsistent, or you freeze up whenever you have to make a brand decision, this episode will help you understand why that's happening and what to do about it.
In this episode:
Why brand strategy is the foundation, not the finish line
Raquel makes the case for why all the tactics, tools, and design decisions in the world can't compensate for a brand strategy that's unclear or missing.
The three pillars of brand strategy
Who you are, who you serve, and what you want to be known for. Raquel breaks each one down into approachable, actionable territory.
When brand strategy goes wrong: the Tropicana story
In 2009, Tropicana spent $35 million on a rebrand that made its product unrecognizable on store shelves. Sales dropped 20% in two months. Raquel uses it to show exactly what happens when you skip the strategy and go straight to the aesthetic.
What a great brand strategy looks like: Patagonia
A brand built entirely around a mission, with customer understanding that goes well beyond demographics. Every product, every policy, every campaign reinforces the same commitment.
A practical exercise to get started
Three questions you can work through right now to assess where your brand strategy stands and where the gaps might be.
Connect with Raquel:
