Brand Shorthand

Brand Shorthand

By Mark Vandegrift and Lorraine KesslerBusinessMarketing
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Brand Shorthand episodes

  • Super Bowl Ads Review - Part 1

    Join Mark and new guest, Scott Edwards, as they discuss the 2025 Super Bowl spots. Following USA Today’s Ad Meter, discover where this positioning duo agrees with the viewers on the effective ads, versus those that will likely go down as duds just like the Chiefs! Starting with Budweiser’s “First Delivery” ad, Mark and Scott provide details on why the ads were winners or losers. 

    Spend 30ish with Mark and Scott as they talk all things marketing, advertising, and of course … positioning!

    37 min
  • Season #3 Kickoff

    Mark and Lorraine kick off season #3 with a review of all the major brand news that happened since they left off season #2. Jaguar, Volvo, Coke, and Walmart hit the news with moves of new ads, refreshed logos, and revisiting old brand positions. Learn what the positioning duo liked and disliked about these recent big brand activities.

    Spend 30ish with Mark and Lorraine as they discuss all things marketing, advertising, and of course ... positioning!

    35 min
  • Brand Shorthand Season #2 Wrap-Up

    Mark and Lorraine draw their second season of the Brand Shorthand Podcast to a close. Join them as they reminisce on this last season’s biggest hits, from SuperBowl ads to myriad guests, and how companies can best avoid those pesky boycotts.

    Spend 30ish with Mark and Lorraine as they talk all things marketing, advertising, and of course … positioning!

    31 min
  • Sensory Branding - Marketing Beyond Sight

    Between sight, smell, taste, touch, and hearing, why do so many brands only appeal to the visual? Join Mark and Lorraine as they walk through a few jingles and audio logos. Then they discuss the topic of branding through smell, touch, and audio. From MasterCard’s “haptic logo” to smelling money through your phone, learn the different ways you can develop a brand that touches multiple senses!

    Spend 30ish with Mark and Lorraine as they talk all things marketing, advertising, and of course … positioning!

    33 min
  • Calvin Holston - Smeeple - Part 2

    Join Mark and Lorraine as they conclude their interview with Calvin Holston, the founder and CEO of Smeeple, an app designed to connect people to curated experts across a variety of specialties. In the second half of this interview, Calvin discusses Smeeple’s position among his competitors, as well as the effects his entrepreneurship has had on his faith and his family.

    Spend 25ish with Mark, Lorraine, and Calvin as they talk all things marketing, advertising, entrepreneurship, and of course … positioning!

    27 min
  • Calvin Holston - Smeeple - Part 1

    Bringing the experts right to you! Join Mark and Lorraine as they interview Calvin Holston, the founder and CEO of Smeeple, an app designed to connect people to real authentic experts across a variety of subjects, from sports to HVAC to homesteaders. Learn how Calvin came from nuclear engineer to entrepreneur, the origins and meaning behind the name “Smeeple,” and how it works to curate and cultivate the best of the best.

    Spend 30ish with Mark, Lorraine, and Calvin as they talk all things marketing, advertising, entrepreneurship, and of course … positioning!

    36 min
  • Brand vs Bland: Homogenizing the Market

    Whether it’s lateral CEO hiring from Chipotle, commoditizing the coffee experience at Starbucks, or boiling down branding to fit in with the crowd, it seems that a lot of big business brands are starting to feel the same. Join Mark and Lorraine as they navigate the seas of sameness flooding through modern advertising and discuss how differentiation and positioning can help you stand out in a cluttered market.

    Spend 30ish minutes with Mark and Lorraine as they talk all things marketing, advertising, and of course … positioning!

    31 min
  • Line Extensions and Brand Implosions

    With the fall of the Tupperware titan, it can be hard to see where innovation ends and getting lazy with your position begins. Thankfully, Mark and Lorraine are here to weed through the mess of brand extensions — the good and the bad. Listen along as they discuss the rise of Lume deodorant and their battle with Dove, beverage companies expanding into the alcohol market, and how La-Z-Boy got its lazy back.

    Spend 35ish minutes with Mark and Lorraine as they talk all things marketing, advertising, and of course … positioning!

    36 min
  • Crisis Management (feat. Merce Brown)

    Disney, Apple, and Boar’s Head — something is rotten in the state of Denmark! And it’s not just the liverwurst. Join Mark and Lorraine as they tackle the tough topics of lawsuits, poisonings, and deaths with the help of special guest and PR and Content Manager, Merce Brown. Discover why Crisis Communications starts well before the crisis and should be a required asset in your C-suite.

    Spend 35ish minutes with Mark, Lorraine, and Merce as they talk all things marketing, advertising, crisis communications, and of course … positioning!

    37 min
  • Liquid Death: Strange Promotions and Advertising that Works

    Have you ever wished that drinking water was… cooler? Well, the answer to your prayers is here, alongside some of the most extreme marketing promotions and campaigns to date. Join Mark and Lorraine as they cover jet giveaways, death-defying stunts, and borderline strange endorsements as they ask the question: will Liquid Death continue to make a killing, or will it die trying?

    Spend 30ish minutes with Mark and Lorraine as they talk all things marketing, advertising, and of course … positioning!

    32 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…