Making the Brand | Marketing with a Pop Culture Twist

AJ McLean is my favorite Backstreet Boy, but now, he's my favorite businessman.

In this episode, I break down branding takeaways from the launch of his new live, Ava Dean Beauty. I share four characteristics of his company launch that explain why it's a success.

Shop Ava Dean Beauty here. 

One of the most powerful things a person or brand can do is activate their customers or fans to do their marketing for them.

In this episode, I interview business owner / Harry Styles fangirl, Kelsey Anderson. She shares how Harry Styles (formerly of boy brand, One Direction) activated his fans to promote his album and make him a solo superstar.

We break down these marketing efforts with takeaways that any business owner or brand can apply when marketing their own company. 

Follow Kelsey on Twitter here! 

Also, check out the fangirl thesis she mentions in the episode. 

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme song is beloved by many, but its lyrics contain an important message for marketers.

In this episode, we break down storytelling techniques inspired by Will and how his life got flipped-turned-upside-down.

For decades now, culture has bonded over video games. There's was like gathering your friends together at a sleepover and staying up all night trying to beat a level in a game of Nintendo. 

Today, the gaming community is still strong, but it's playing out in bigger ways thanks to the live-streaming platform, Twitch. 

In this episode, I interview gaming and streaming expert, Joechuck aka the Fighting Wordsmith. He shares how to build a community both on and off Twitch, and some predictions about this platform that EVERYONE needs to watch. 

Follow Joechuck's Twitch streams here

If you grew up in the late ’90s and early 2000s, long before Spotify, TikTok, and YouTube, Carson Daly was your gateway to new music.

On September 14, 1998, a little show called Total Request Live premiered on MTV. It was a driving force that helped launch the career of a few blonde bombshell likes Britney and Christina, boy bands like BSB and *NSYNC, and rappers like Eminem and Ludacris.

But TRL really wasn’t about the music. It was about the fans.

In this episode, we do a deep dive on how you can better engage with your audience and involve them in your brand on a deeper level. 

Gross, yet oddly satisfying... why are some people so obsessed with Dr. Pimple Popper?

On this episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing Andrew Stallings, founder of Athelo Group and unapologetic Dr. Pimple Popper fan. He shared some thought-provoking lessons behind the show and how Dr. Sandra Lee built her massive brand. 

Even if Dr. Pimple Popper makes your stomach turn, you'll still appreciate the marketing and branding takeaways Andrew shares on this episode! 

You can catch up with Andrew on Twitter at @astallings88.

Who says you have to read the dictionary to expand your vocabulary?

A 2015 study indicated that Mariah Carey has the "smartest lyrics" of any musician.

In this episode, I recap some of the million dollar words Mariah has brilliantly written into her songs. I hope they inspire you to use them in your own writing! 

MTV was once known as "music television," but not anymore. Yet, on one night of the year, they host a music awards show. 

In this episode, I explain why no one seems to care about the MTV VMAs anymore, and why staying true to your brand purpose is so important. 

The mark of any interesting piece of content is that it serves a purpose. Whether it be to entertain, inspire, connect, or educate, you want to publish content that feeds your audience.

Do you remember on Pop-Up Video on VH1? The show shares fun facts during music videos. The facts were far from academic, but they still educated the viewer. They provided context and insights that made the music video more enjoyable.

From your email campaigns, to social content and YouTube videos, incorporating facts is a surefire way to enhance your content. Listen to learn why!

In this episode, I chat with photographer and brand builder, Julia Chesky, about her favorite things: fashion, marketing, and the movie Clueless!

We celebrate the 25th anniversary of Clueless by breaking down some of the movies main themes and relating them back to personal branding. 

It turns out, your personal brand doesn't need reinvention -- your authentic self is enough!

Follow Julia:

www.juliachesky.com