Description

John's out this week, but Nate is joined by Michelle Slade, SVP of Brand and Communications at ABC Fitness, for a candid conversation about what brand actually is and where people get it wrong.

Michelle brings a rare perspective: she started as a business analyst writing requirements before crossing over into marketing, and has built brand strategy for companies like Expedia, GameStop, and Sally Beauty. The result is someone who can talk brand philosophy and ship.

In this episode, they cover:

• Why brand is a system, not a logo (and what happens when organizations don't have that system defined)
• The "brand police" problem and why policing without infrastructure is a losing game
• How brand elasticity explains why Apple can force U2 onto your phone and still charge you $200 for more RAM
• Where brand has the most cross-functional friction (hint: it's not where you'd expect)
• Using AI as a brand standards checker, and getting called out by your own prompt
• Why thought leadership without tension is just noise

Plus: tipping culture and the importance of a POV.

New Episodes every Tuesday. Visit productischange.com for more.

Videos and clips available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GettintoMarketPod