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Brand Shorthand episodes
- Brand Shorthand Season #4 Wrap-Up
That concludes another great season of the Brand Shorthand Podcast! For this final episode of season four, Mark and Lorraine sign off by reviewing some of the trending marketing topics and big brand moves from 2026. From important positioning principles to memorable brand campaigns, tune in to see what the positioning duo has to share.
Join Mark and Lorraine for 30-ish as they discuss all things marketing, advertising, and of course … positioning
31 min - The Journey of Heart Brands feat. Connor and Aleena Orban - Part 2
In this second of a two-part series, Connor and Aleena Orban, the owners of The Heart Brands Group, share how their brands came alive. From the initial difficult discussion that Mark had with Connor, to how the holding company of The Heart Brands Group formed, the trio shares all the amazing twists and turns that can transpire with brand development. Tune in as we learn about the genesis of each brand and Connor and Aleena’s everlasting passion for serving their community.
Join Mark, Connor, and Aleena as they discuss all things marketing, advertising, and of course … positioning.
45 min - The Journey of Heart Brands feat. Connor and Aleena Orban - Part 1
This week on the Brand Shorthand podcast, Mark Vandegrift is joined by two new guests, and the owners of Heart Brands, Connor and Aleena Orban. In part one of this two-part series, Connor and Aleena will be sharing the story of what came to be Heart Brands, the parent company of multiple businesses and nonprofits including ReliaRide Medical Transportation, A Blessed Path, Delta V Management, LN2GO, Just Like You & Me, NETthropic, NEMTech, and Media by Heart. Tune in to hear their inspiring story and their passion for serving others in the community.
Join Mark, Connor, and Aleena as they discuss all things marketing, advertising, and of course … positioning.
35 min - Why Positioning is Everything Until It Isn't - Part 2
We’re back for part 2 of this lively discussion on the rise and fall of the Wendy’s franchise. Sometimes positioning takes a back seat, as hard as that is to say. In this part, we look at some majorly bad CEO moves, Wall Street greed, and other P/L mishaps. Join the positioning experts as they review one of the greatest brand maneuvers and how it has all fallen apart. If you missed part 1, listen to that episode before tuning into part 2, where we discuss the decline of the Wendy’s brand.
Join Mark and Lorraine for 30-ish as they discuss all things marketing, advertising, and of course … positioning.
26 min - Why positioning is everything until it isn't - Part 1
As diehard positionists, Mark and Lorraine will argue until they are blue in the face that positioning still matters, especially in this day and age. However, sometimes positioning takes a back seat to bad CEO moves, Wall Street greed, and other P/L mishaps. Join the positioning gurus as they review one of the greatest brand maneuvers and how it has all fallen apart. In this part 1, we will discuss the rise of Wendy’s, with the fall of Wendy’s saved for part 2.
Join Mark and Lorraine for 30-ish as they discuss all things marketing, advertising, and of course … positioning.
30 min - The Big Idea in Marketing
What makes an idea big? Nike’s Just Do It, the Aflac duck, Dos Equis with the most interesting man in the world. When done right, the combination of a brand’s position, the emotional trigger, and the delivery work together to make up the big idea. Tune in to this week’s episode of the Brand Shorthand podcast to learn what makes a big idea successful, the process for determining your brand’s big idea, and common mistakes to avoid.
Join Mark and Lorraine for 30-ish as they discuss all things marketing, advertising, and of course … positioning.
24 min - Marketing in an Oversaturated Wine Market
California’s wine industry is in trouble as values drop and the market becomes crowded! Tune in to this week’s episode of the Brand Shorthand podcast as Mark and Lorraine dive into a recent article from the New York Post detailing the suffering wine industry. Learn the challenges these sellers face, how they should adapt, and whether the wine industry can bounce back.
Join Mark and Lorraine for 30-ish as they discuss all things marketing, advertising, and of course … positioning.
24 min - Marketing Strategies for AEO, SEO, and GEO
This week on the Brand Shorthand podcast, Mark is joined by the agency’s media and digital marketing managers, Alyssa Laubacher and Lauren Leroux, to discuss marketing strategies for AEO, SEO, and GEO. Tune in to learn more about what these terms mean, how search has evolved, how to incorporate AEO, SEO, and GEO strategies to improve search visibility, and common mistakes to avoid when implementing these strategies.
Join Mark, Alyssa, and Lauren for 30-ish as they discuss all things marketing, advertising, and of course … positioning.
30 min - The Symbiosis of SEO and Content feat. Jim Cyphert
This week on the Brand Shorthand podcast, Mark Vandegrift is joined by the agency’s director of public relations, Jim Cyphert. Tune in to learn the importance of balancing your creative content with SEO and AI search.
Join Mark and Jim for 30-ish as they discuss all things marketing, advertising, and of course … positioning.
36 min - FIFA World Cup 2026 Advertising
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is underway! Join Mark and Lorraine on this week’s episode of the Brand Shorthand podcast as they discuss some of the advertising for this worldwide sporting event. From LEGO and Lay’s to Adidas and Valvoline, tune in as the positioning duo breaks down these ads and determines whether they scored a goal or received a red card.
Join Mark and Lorraine for 30-ish as they discuss all things marketing, advertising, and of course … positioning.
30 min
About Brand Shorthand
From the publisher's feed
Mark Vandegrift and Lorraine Kessler discuss advertising, public relations, sales, positioning, branding, and more in this podcast designed for those who want to do a deep dive into the world of…
marketing. Mark and Lorraine discuss the psychology of what makes great brands. They break down the details of the good moves and some really bad moves by brands big and small. It's like a play-by-play of what went right, or what went wrong.
If you're in the world of marketing, learn tips and tricks that will help you develop a new brand, from finding and focusing on a position, dramatizing that position in the marketplace, and distributing through the wide, wide world of media. With a combined 80 years of marketing experience, both Mark and Lorraine provide insights on campaigns they've led or seen others lead.
All gloves are off when it comes to their take on great strategic marketing moves and those that might have seemed like a good idea at the time, but later flopped. No matter what part of marketing interests you, there'll be something for everyone as we cover positioning strategy, branding, creative dramatization, media selection, sales techniques, analytics, and less discussed parts of the spectrum such as distribution and growth strategies. You can be a strategist, a copywriter, an art director, a web developer, a digital marketing specialist, a sales person, an SEO specialist, and pretty much anything else in the advertising world and you'll find something on the Brand Shorthand podcast that interests you.
If you're in the world of marketing, learn tips and tricks that will help you develop a new brand, from finding and focusing on a position, dramatizing that position in the marketplace, and distributing through the wide, wide world of media. With a combined 80 years of marketing experience, both Mark and Lorraine provide insights on campaigns they've led or seen others lead.
All gloves are off when it comes to their take on great strategic marketing moves and those that might have seemed like a good idea at the time, but later flopped. No matter what part of marketing interests you, there'll be something for everyone as we cover positioning strategy, branding, creative dramatization, media selection, sales techniques, analytics, and less discussed parts of the spectrum such as distribution and growth strategies. You can be a strategist, a copywriter, an art director, a web developer, a digital marketing specialist, a sales person, an SEO specialist, and pretty much anything else in the advertising world and you'll find something on the Brand Shorthand podcast that interests you.