Brand Strategy Unwankified

Brand Strategy Unwankified

By Bec Hughes | Brand Strategy MentorBusinessArtsMarketingDesign
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Brand Strategy Unwankified episodes

  • 116. This Small Upgrade Will Transform Your Positioning Strategy

    If I could only give a client one thing to create the most strategic clarity, it would be positioning.

    It's the one thing that gets to the heart of (arguably) the most important branding question... why should our audience want us?

    In this episode, I break down:

    • What positioning is and why it's so essential

    • The single upgrade that makes positioning easier to build and understand

    • Why this change removes the 3 main barriers to defining a winning positioning

       

      Connect with me

      Learn Brand Strategy - The Brand Method program 

      Find me on Instagram

      12 min
    • 115. The 3 Hard Skills You Need in Brand Strategy

      Designers always want to know... “what am I missing in my brand strategy process?”

      Usually it's the same things... the 'hard' skills.

      They already have the soft skills.

      Asking curious questions, reading between the lines, empathy, and being OK with not having all the answers.

      The gap is the technical skills.

      Too many designers rely on exhausting questionnaires, over the top avatars and shiny distractions.

      In this episode, I break down the three hard skills that make brand strategy clear, usable and genuinely effective.

      Bec

       

      Connect with me

      The Brand Method program 

      Free Positioning Strategy Training

      Find me on Instagram

      19 min
    • 114. Can You Offer a Lite Version of Strategy?

      Is it possible to offer a 'lite' version of brand strategy without cutting corners or lowering your standards?

      You can’t just leave bits out of brand strategy and expect the same outcome... but in this episode I share the 3 levers you can adjust without dumbing things down.

      • Depth – how deeply you explore

      • Deliverables – how you package and present the outputs

      • Delegation – who does the work: you, your client, or both

        You’ll also learn when a tiered approach to brand strategy works best, and the ground rules for creating a 'lite' offer.

         

        Want to connect with me?

        The Brand Method program 

        Free Brand Strategy Confidence Training

        Find me on Instagram

        Eps 83 - My 5 Pillar Brand Strategy Research Framework

        19 min
      • 113. Becoming a Brand Strategist with Jacob Cass

        In this episode, I had the pleasure of talking shop with Jacob Cass. 

        We cover a lot of ground, including:

        • Jacob’s own journey from brand designer to brand strategist

        • The role of a brand strategist
        • How brand builders can become a strategic partner to their clients
        • The biggest challenges facing designers and brand builders
        • What’s happening at the Brand Builders Summit on 16-19 Sept >>> Get your FREE Summit ticket here

         

        About Jacob Cass:

        Jacob Cass is a brand designer, strategist, educator, and business coach, as well as the founder of JUST Creative - a renowned branding and design consultancy that also serves as an industry-leading blog and vibrant community. He is also the brains behind the Brand Builders Summit.

        Connect with Jacob on Instagram

         

        Connect with Bec Hughes:

        Check out The Brand Method

        Find me on Instagram

        59 min
      • 112. Why I Skip Brand Archetypes

        Brand archetypes are everywhere—but are they really helping your strategy?

        In this episode of Brand Strategy Unwankified, I share why I don’t use brand archetypes and what I do instead.

        I cover:

        • Why archetypes seem appealing but lead to sameness

        • How they amplify industry clichés

        • Why the illusion they create of strategy is only skin deep

        • What I focus on in my brand strategy process instead

          That's right. I want you to ditch The Explorer, The Magician and The Sage, and think differently. 



          Want to connect with me?

          The Brand Method program 

          Free Brand Strategy Confidence Training

          Find me on Instagram

          Book a Strategy Springboard Sesh

          22 min
        • 111. How Women Succeed in the Design Industry with Anna Dower

          In this podcast, I welcome one of the founders of The Designer Boss Summit, Anna Dower.

          We go deep into the female experience in the design industry.

          From money blocks, time and head space, confidence to lead, self-belief, role models to aspire to and platforms to get our voices heard, we explore what women need to succeed.

          What I loved about this episode is the honest exploration of the female experience and the many rebirths we go through in our lives. 

          And what I love about Anna is how she balances being gently and authentically unfiltered. 

           

          >>> YOUR FREE TICKET to the Designer Boss Summit on 27-29 August 2025

           

          About Anna Dower:

          Anna is a graphic designer, entrepreneur, and sought-after creative mentor with 25 years of industry experience. She’s passionate about enlightening, empowering, and elevating the businesses of graphic designers who are eager to make their mark

          Connect with Anna on Instagram

           

          Connect with Bec Hughes:

          Check out The Brand Method

          Find me on Instagram

          49 min
        • 110. Brand Strategy Can't Predict the Future

          We’ve been told that design should be quicker and more decisive. That strategy should make things certain and predictable, and guarantee success.

          I want to challenge those ideas.

          Because what if strategy isn't about logic and certainty at all? What if those things destroy creativity?

          Instead, what if brand strategy is about invention, and re-imagination.

          About finding the 'unbland' spaces and helping businesses take a calculated risk in an otherwise uncertain world.

           

          Want to connect with me?

          Subscribe to The Brand Brief

          Free Brand Strategy Confidence Training

          Find me on Instagram

          Book a Strategy Springboard Sesh

          13 min
        • 109. 5 Simple Ways I've Uplevelled My Brand Strategy

          If you’re already offering brand strategy and wondering how to sharpen your process, this episode’s for you.

          I’m sharing 5 practical shifts I’ve made that have unlevelled my client experience and outcomes.

          • Why I ditched the questionnaire

          • A smarter way to share research
          • The power of presenting in person
          • How to stay curious longer 
          • Why ruthless simplification is your biggest value-add

          Small, intentional changes that can elevate your strategy work in a big way.

           

          Want to connect with me?

          Free Brand Strategy Confidence Training

          Find me on Instagram

          Book a Strategy Springboard Sesh

          16 min
        • 108. Crafting a One Page Brand Strategy

          Ever handed over a 30-page brand strategy doc no one read? Let’s fix that.

          In this episode I'll share an approach your clients will love you for:

          • The 7 elements every one-pager brand strategy should include

          • Why simple brand strategy is smarter (and more powerful)
          • How to position, prove, and differentiate a brand on one page

          If you want your brand strategy to be understood and used, positioning your work as high value, this episode is your blueprint.

           

          Want to connect with me?

          Check out The Brand Method

          Find me on Instagram

          Book a Strategy Springboard Sesh

          14 min
        • 107. Pricing to Make More Money with Your Pricing Queen

          Jaz, aka Your Pricing Queen, sharing all her wisdom on pricing your creative work.

          In the value packed episode we cover:

          • Mistakes creatives make with pricing

          • Charging your worth vs charging your value

          • Creating solutions based on 'problem pathways'

          • Getting the right product and pricing mix

          As so much more!

           

          About Jaz, Your Pricing Queen:

          Jaz is the driving force behind Your Pricing Queen. She's helped hundreds of freelancers, creatives, and designers find pricing confidence so they can know their worth, charge their value and run highly successful creative businesses

          Connect with Jaz on Instagram

          Explore the Creative Business Kitchen Website

           

          Want to connect with Bec?

          Check out The Brand Method

          Find me on Instagram

           

          36 min

        About Brand Strategy Unwankified

        From the publisher's feed

        The Brand Strategy Unwankified podcast, hosted by Bec Hughes, is the no BS space for brand designers and creators who want to learn brand strategy and sell it as a service.