What does the producer of Wedding Crashers, Serendipity, and Van Wilder know about building brands? Turns out—a lot. This week on On Brand, Andrew Panay shares how Hollywood storytelling principles shape not just hit movies but also unforgettable brand stories for companies like T-Mobile, Microsoft, and Anheuser-Busch.

What You'll Learn

Episode Chapters

(00:00) Intro

(00:30) From Hollywood to branding

(02:00) The disconnect between filmmakers and brands

(03:30) What Wedding Crashers teaches us about 30-second storytelling

(05:00) Capturing attention in seconds, not minutes

(08:00) Creativity, evolution, and staying uncomfortable

(10:40) Originality vs imitation in marketing

(20:30) Balancing elegant risk with commercial success

(25:00) The brand that made Andrew smile

(27:30) Where to learn more about Panay Films

Andrew Panay is the founder and CEO of Panay Films and a veteran Hollywood producer whose movies—including Wedding Crashers, Serendipity, and Van Wilder—have grossed more than $800 million worldwide. Beyond film and television, Panay brings his storytelling craft to branded content and advertising for companies such as T-Mobile, Microsoft, and Anheuser-Busch. His signature approach blends cinematic storytelling with strategic brand thinking, creating work that moves audiences—and the business forward.

What Brand Has Made Andrew Smile Recently? Andrew pointed to Nike for a recent campaign during the World Series. The spot used a clever mashup of sound, attitude, and nostalgia—culminating with Ken Griffey Jr.’s signature backward cap and mischievous grin. For Andrew, it was the perfect example of creative “juj”—that mix of confidence, playfulness, and truth that makes great storytelling irresistible.

Links and Resources

On Brand is a part of the Marketing Podcast Network.

Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it take to build one of the world’s top-rated social media management platforms—without a single dollar of outside funding? This week on On Brand, Emeric Ernoult, founder and CEO of Agorapulse, shares how he bootstrapped the company to over $20 million in revenue, pioneered ROI-tracking tools for social, and carved out a powerful niche in a crowded market. We talk scaling smart, making social media actually measurable, and where attribution is headed next.

What You'll Learn

Episode Chapters

(00:00) Intro

(00:45) Bootstrapping Agorapulse the Hard Way

(03:40) The Realities of Going Without Funding

(07:20) Reinventing Through Growth and Churn

(08:50) From Social Media to Interest Media

(10:20) Why Attribution Is Broken

(17:50) Three Ways to Track ROI That Actually Work

(23:20) How Brands Can Win at Interest Media

(29:00) The Brand That Made Emeric Smile

About Emeric Ernoult

Emeric Ernoult is the founder and CEO of Agorapulse, one of the world’s top-rated social media management platforms. Bootstrapped from the ground up, Agorapulse has grown to more than $20 million in annual revenue—without taking a single dollar of outside funding. A pioneer in ROI-tracking for social media, Emeric has built his career around helping brands not just manage their social presence, but measure its real business impact. He’s a frequent speaker and writer on marketing measurement, leadership, and scaling companies the sustainable way.

What Brand Has Made Emeric Smile Recently?

Emeric shared that Alex Hormozi—the entrepreneur and content creator—made him smile recently. After attending Hormozi’s workshop in Las Vegas, Emeric was struck by his unfiltered mix of humor and humility. Hormozi’s perspective—that we’re all small in the grand scheme of things, so we might as well do good and enjoy the work—resonated deeply, especially after Emeric’s trip to the Grand Canyon and Zion National Park reminded him of life’s scale and simplicity.

Resources & Links

Listen & Support

On Brand is a part of the Marketing Podcast Network.

Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do the most visible leaders stay trusted and relevant in a noisy world? Danielle Sabrina has spent her career helping them do exactly that. As founder of Society22 PR, one of Inc. 5000’s fastest-growing firms, Danielle has guided CEOs, athletes, and celebrities in building credibility that scales. Named Female Entrepreneur of the Year and one of CIO’s Top 20 Female Entrepreneurs to Follow, she joins me to unpack how smart brands turn trust into momentum.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

Episode Chapters

(00:00) Intro

(00:44) Credibility as the New Currency

(03:25) Why Founder Stories Matter

(05:03) PR Beyond Press Releases

(07:57) Balancing Authenticity and Strategy

(09:36) Finding the Right Story to Tell

(17:16) Turning Vulnerability into Strength

(21:25) Scaling with Integrity

(27:06) Brand That Made Danielle Smile

About Danielle Sabrina

Danielle Sabrina is an award-winning publicist and the founder of Society22 PR, one of Inc. 5000’s fastest-growing companies and ranked among the Top 10 National PR Firms. With more than 25 years of experience, she’s helped CEOs, athletes, and celebrities build credibility that drives growth. Named Female Entrepreneur of the Year and one of CIO’s Top 20 Female Entrepreneurs to Follow, Danielle’s insights on trust, storytelling, and media strategy have made her a leading voice in how brands earn attention and stay relevant.

What Brand Has Made Danielle Smile Recently?

Danielle shared that Skims has been making her smile lately — especially their creative brand collaborations with partners like The North Face. She admires how the brand’s constant stream of collabs keeps them culturally relevant and seemingly everywhere, even if she’d love to see them slow down just enough for us all to appreciate each one.

Resources & Links

Listen & Support the Show

On Brand is a part of the Marketing Podcast Network.

Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do brands really live in our minds? According to Ulli Applebaum, it’s all about associations — the complex web of meanings and emotions that define how people see your brand. This week on On Brand, the international strategy veteran and author of The Science of Brand Associations shares how we can use science, not guesswork, to build brands that stick.

What You'll Learn

Episode Chapters

(00:00) Intro

(01:20) Why no one has written about brand associations—until now

(03:40) The brain science behind how brands live in memory

(06:20) Brand associations as your brand’s operating system

(08:00) How associations drive purchase and brand preference

(10:20) Managing negative brand associations

(14:50) What small brands can do to stand out

(23:50) The brand that’s made Ulli smile recently

Ulli Appelbaum is an internationally recognized brand strategist, consultant, and author with more than 25 years of experience shaping business-building strategies for some of the world’s top brands. Before launching his consultancy First The Trousers Then The Shoes, he held senior strategy roles at agencies including BBDO Germany, Leo Burnett Chicago, Fallon Worldwide, and SapientNitro. Ulli’s work has earned seven Effies and an ARF Ogilvy Award for Excellence in Research. His latest book, The Science of Brand Associations: Win Minds, Win Markets, is a first-of-its-kind guide to understanding and building the mental networks that make brands thrive.

What Brand Has Made Ulli Smile Recently? Ulli chose KitKat — a brand he’s admired for decades for its clever, humorous advertising and the enduring “Have a Break” positioning. He recalls a classic British TV spot where a photographer takes a break with a KitKat just as the panda he’s waiting to capture starts ice-skating behind him. It’s a moment that’s stuck in his mind for 25 years — proof, he says, of how powerful brand associations can be.

Resources & Links

Support the Show

On Brand is a part of the Marketing Podcast Network.

Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Geoff Cook’s career took off the night he met MoMA’s CMO—and helped create the iconic MoMA QNS brand. Since then, he’s shaped brands from MILK and NeueHouse to Times Talks, JFK Terminal 4, and the Prince Estate. Partner at Base, mentor at TechStars, and global culture expert, Geoff shares how bold branding can leave a lasting cultural impact.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

- How a single encounter can launch a career and define a creative trajectory

- Why human connection is at the heart of every successful brand experience

- The concept of “world-building” in branding and how it fosters community

- How to balance AI as a tool without losing creative originality

- Key considerations for branding early-stage companies and preserving cash

Episode Chapters

(00:00) Intro

(00:33) Geoff Cook’s career breakthrough at MoMA

(02:10) Early lessons from DKNY and international branding

(04:07) Culture-driven branding from Milk to global institutions

(07:40) Translating cultural expertise to JFK Terminal 4

(10:09) World-building brands to foster human connection

(12:19) AI in creative work: opportunities and guardrails

(20:12) Mentoring early-stage companies and branding pitfalls

(26:27) Brands that make Geoff smile

About Geoff Cook

Geoff Cook's career catapulted on the night he met MoMA’s CMO at a Base party in Manhattan, where he discussed developing the institution’s new branding for its temporary museum in Queens. The project, MoMA QNS, was the first in a string of iconic brands he has helped to create, including MILK, NeueHouse, JFK Terminal 4, Iconiq, The New York Times' Times Talks & Food Festival, the Prince Estate, and countless others. Geoff approaches branding with a sharp understanding of business strategy and a finger on the pulse of global culture (he speaks four languages and savors local flavor everywhere he travels). As a partner at Base, Geoff asks companies big questions and helps answer them with unexpected, visionary solutions. The result is very often a profound cultural impact. Geoff also puts his branding acumen to use as a mentor at renowned tech accelerator, TechStars, and serves as a board member at Sentral.

What Brand Has Made Geoff Smile Recently?

Geoff is impressed by On, a Swiss-based athletic brand. He admires how On builds a cohesive, coherent world through product design, store experiences, and creative campaigns that surprise and delight. The combination of Swiss precision and playful, culturally relevant marketing makes On a standout in his eyes.

Resources & Links

Listen & Support the Show

On Brand is a part of the Marketing Podcast Network.

Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this special bonus episode of On Brand: Taylor’s Version, now that The Life of a Showgirl is out in the world, we’re asking: what does this new era tell us about Taylor Swift? To explore, I’m joined by Joanna Weiss, editor of Harvard Magazine, journalist, and co-author of Taylor Swift: Album by Album, a deep dive into every era. Together, we’ll unpack how Showgirl fits into Taylor’s evolution and what this chapter reveals about her storytelling, strategy, and brand.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

Episode Chapters

About Joanna Weiss

Joanna Weiss is the editor of Harvard Magazine, a contributing writer for Politico Magazine, and a former columnist for The Boston Globe. Her work has appeared in The Atlantic, Slate, The Economist, and many other outlets. After chronicling her own Eras Tour experience for Boston’s NPR affiliate WBUR, Joanna dove deeper into the Swiftiverse as co-author of Taylor Swift: Album by Album (Quarto Books), which explores each of Taylor’s eras in detail. In addition to her journalism career, Joanna fronts a rock band she formed with five fellow moms — a story captured in her Boston Magazine feature “For Those Moms About to Rock,” now optioned for film by 20th Century Studios.

What Taylor Era Has Made Joanna Smile Recently?

When asked which Taylor song or era makes her smile, Joanna picked “Love Story.” Despite everything that has come since, she still returns to that song for its sheer emotional clarity — a bedroom-written, 20-minute burst of teenage storytelling that still captures the universal thrill of hope, love, and happily-ever-after energy that defines so much of Taylor’s work.

Resources & Links

Listen and Support

On Brand is a part of the Marketing Podcast Network.

Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What makes a brand unforgettable instead of overlooked? Tom Miner knows. As Head of Global Social Media at Crocs, he helped drive one of today’s biggest brand turnarounds. Now author of Social First Brands, Tom shares how embracing productive tension, making personality your secret weapon, and riding trends that matter can turn comments into real community.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

Episode Chapters

(00:00) Intro

(00:35) Welcome to Tom Miner

(01:22) Crocs as a brand turnaround case study

(04:41) Embracing polarity and productive tension

(09:08) What it means to be a social first brand

(13:21) Fearlessness and comfort levels in social strategy

(15:32) Unhinged marketing and authentic brand personality

(18:18) Comments versus true community

(22:43) Liquid Death as a social first example

(25:10) The brand that made Tom smile

(27:10) Where to learn more

About Tom Miner

Tom Miner is a social media strategist and the author of Social First Brands. As the former Head of Global Social Media at Crocs, Tom helped lead one of the most remarkable brand turnarounds in recent years, taking the shoe from internet punchline to cultural icon. Based in Denver, Tom now consults with organizations worldwide—from household consumer names to international B2B enterprises—helping brands move beyond chasing trends to creating genuine, lasting connections with their audiences.

What Brand Has Made Tom Smile Recently?

Recently, Tom found himself impressed by PopSockets. Long known for their stick-on phone grips, the brand has reinvented itself with MagSafe-compatible products and a renewed sense of fun on social media. A standout moment was a TikTok reaction video where the founder surprised a customer who lost her phone in the ocean. The mix of humor, generosity, and leadership buy-in reminded Tom why surprise-and-delight marketing still matters.

Resources & Links

Listen & Support the Show

On Brand is a part of the Marketing Podcast Network.

Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of On Brand: Taylor’s Version, we’re joined by Ann Handley — Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Chief Content Officer of MarketingProfs, and one of IBM’s ‘7 people shaping modern marketing.’ Ann brings not just her marketer’s eye but also her mom’s heart to the Swiftiverse. We’ll explore how Taylor’s storytelling fuels parasocial relationships, why The Eras Tour transformed casual fans into rabid ones, and what smart marketers can learn from the savviest hitmaker of our time.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

Episode Chapters

About Ann Handley

Ann Handley is a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, digital marketing pioneer, and Chief Content Officer at MarketingProfs. Named by IBM as one of seven people shaping modern marketing, Ann is a trusted voice on content, storytelling, and building authentic connections with audiences. She is the author of Everybody Writes, now in its second edition, and a frequent keynote speaker at marketing and business events worldwide. Through her popular newsletter, Total Annarchy, and her leadership at MarketingProfs’ B2B Forum, she continues to inspire marketers to approach their work with clarity, creativity, and heart.

What Taylor Era Has Made Ann Smile Recently?

Ann lights up when she talks about Taylor Swift’s most recent projects—The Tortured Poets Department and Midnights. She especially loves “Fortnight,” with its Post Malone collaboration and typewriter aesthetics (a nod to her own collection of typewriters), and “Mastermind” from Midnights, which she admires for its playful storytelling. For Ann, these albums are on constant repeat, blending artistry, narrative, and joy in ways that fuel both her fandom and her creative spirit.

Links & Resources

Listen & Support the Show

On Brand is a part of the Marketing Podcast Network.

Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Few business thinkers have shaped customer experience and marketing as profoundly as Jay Baer. A 7th-generation entrepreneur, best-selling author, and creator of six multi-million-dollar companies, he’s helped more than 700 brands, from Nike to the United Nations, grow and connect with customers in ways that matter. Now, he’s challenging everything marketers think they know about “owned” digital land, AI, and the future of content strategy.

What You'll Learn

Episode Chapters

(00:00) Intro

(00:47) Welcoming Jay Baer back to On Brand

(02:26) A dramatic reading of “Never build your house on rented land”

(05:17) The declining importance of websites in an AI world

(06:00) From search optimization to answer optimization

(08:38) Atomizing awareness and saying yes to more opportunities

(14:13) What AI can’t do—and why bold ideas matter more than ever

(17:36) Customer experience, hyper-personalization, and efficiency gains

(22:19) What to do with the capacity AI creates

(23:29) Personal branding, tequila, and why authenticity wins

(27:19) The AI dating app that made Jay smile

(29:57) Where to find Jay online

About Jay Baer

Jay Baer is a business growth and customer experience strategist, author, and advisor who has helped more than 700 brands, including Nike, Oracle, IBM, and the United Nations. A seventh-generation entrepreneur, he has built six multimillion-dollar companies and written seven best-selling business books, earning recognition as a Professional Speakers Hall of Fame inductee and a Global Guru in marketing and customer experience. Beyond the stage and boardroom, Baer is also the world’s second most-popular tequila educator, blending sharp business insight with an engaging style that makes him one of the most sought-after voices in modern marketing.

What Brand Has Made Jay Smile Recently

Jay pointed to Valor, an AI-driven dating app that runs simulated dates between AI versions of potential matches before introducing people in real life. While he’s not on the app himself—he just celebrated his 33rd wedding anniversary—Jay says the concept makes him smile because it cleverly uses AI to cut through the awkwardness and false starts of early dating.

Resources & Links

Listen and Support the Show

On Brand is a part of the Marketing Podcast Network.

Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of On Brand Taylor's Version, we're joined by Stephanie Burt, poet, critic, and professor of English at Harvard University. Stephanie made headlines when she created and taught one of the very first college courses on Taylor Swift at Harvard, Taylor Swift and her world. We discuss what it means to study Taylor seriously at Harvard, why her storytelling resonates so widely, and what we can all learn from her profound cultural impact.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

Episode Chapters

(00:00) Intro

(01:12) Taylor Swift as an English Teacher: Literary Language and Fan Connection

(05:30) Building Fan Communities and Shared Experiences

(10:22) Storytelling Techniques: Point of View, Character, and Rewriting Songs

(18:10) Revisiting and Evolving Previous Stories: Love Story and Forever & Always

(25:12) Adult Love, Partnership, and Feminist Storytelling

(32:01) Niche Fan Communities, Mainstream Appeal, and Marketing Savvy

(38:22) Collaboration and Craft: Working with Musicians and Audiences

(40:01) Guest’s Favorite Taylor Song: 22 and Closing Thoughts

About Stephanie Burt

Stephanie Burt is the Donald P. and Katherine B. Loker Professor of English at Harvard University. She specializes in 20th- and 21st-century poetry, science fiction, and the intersections of literature with other arts. Her work has appeared in The New York Times Book Review, The London Review of Books, Slate, and The Times Literary Supplement. Burt is the author of several acclaimed books of poetry and literary criticism, and her upcoming book, Taylor’s Version: The Poetic and Musical Genius of Taylor Swift, explores the artistry and cultural impact of Taylor Swift. At Harvard, she teaches courses including “Taylor Swift and Her World,” which has drawn widespread attention for its innovative exploration of music, poetry, and popular culture. She currently serves as co-editor of poetry for The Nation and is a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship.

Resources & Links

Check out Stephanie's new book Taylor's Version: https://www.amazon.com/Taylors-Version-Poetic-Musical-Genius/dp/154160623X/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0

Listen & Support the Show

Watch or listen on Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/on-brand-podcast-about-branding/id1113563080?mt=2

Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/2Hq9fjctcpm3YKlJFuXmRk

YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/onbrandpodcast

Amazon/Audible → https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7f4fb055-1584-4037-a637-305c9b82ac3c/on-brand-with-nick-westergaard?refMarker=dm_wcp_af_r&ref=dmm_acq_mrn_d_ds_rh_z_-c_c_539036640611_g_127821134784

Google Play → https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/I6xnjeogoyostq7pyu3xh3kqi4a

Stitcher → https://www.stitcher.com/show/on-brand-with-nick-westergaard

TuneIn → https://tunein.com/radio/On-Brand-p967623/

iHeart → https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-on-brand-with-nick-westerg-90019102/

Rate and review on Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/on-brand-podcast-about-branding/id1113563080?mt=2

Rate and review on Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/2Hq9fjctcpm3YKlJFuXmRk

Share this episode — email a friend or colleague → mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20this%20podcast%20episode&body=I%20thought%20you%20might%20like%20this%20podcast

Sign up for my free Story Strategies newsletter → https://www.nickwestergaard.com/email/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices