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How do you lead a total brand transformation without losing what makes your firm… your firm?

In this episode, Jeffrey Taub, FSMPS, CPSM, and SVP of Corporate Marketing at AKRF, shares the inside story of rebranding a legacy company. From internal alignment to messaging strategy, Jeff walks us through the belief systems and processes that enabled a values-driven rebrand.

In this Episode

• Leading a full rebrand of AKRF to unify messaging and identity. (01:00)
• Using internal research and discovery to drive authenticity. (05:30)
• Building buy-in through senior leadership and a focused brand committee. (10:15)
• Launching a brand that employees rallied around — and still champion. (13:30)
• Centering the brand on “originality” and what that means day to day. (17:00)
• Applying originality to client work and internal innovation (e.g. AI adoption). (21:00)
• Aligning the rebrand with AKRF’s long-term strategic planning. (26:00)
• Advice for firms: prioritize alignment over consensus in branding work. (30:00)
• The role of physical space (like AKRF’s “Pin Drop” room) in expressing brand. (33:30)
• Final takeaway (39:00)

Guest

Jeffrey Taub is a seasoned marketing strategist with deep expertise in AEC branding. He is known for leading brand transformation initiatives that unite legacy values with modern positioning.

Resources

 AKRF

Character Limit: How Elon Musk Destroyed Twitter [book]

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Follow the Hosts: Jerry Gennaria & Carl Winstead

Learn More about TOKY & Cline

Get In Touch: [email protected]

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What’s the difference between a logo and a brand? In this episode, The Intangible Brand co-host Jerry Gennaria, President of TOKY, unpacks nearly 30 years of helping firms uncover and articulate their true brand identity.

In this Episode

• Jerry’s path from aspiring artist and self-taught designer to brand strategist. (01:00)
• How brand evolved from visual identity to holistic experience. (05:00)
• Why “brand is people” across industries and firm types. (09:00)
• The experience gap: why branding is often misjudged internally. (12:00)
• What brands like Disney teach us about expectation and friction. (15:00)
• Why defining your “why” is harder (and more personal) than it seems. (19:30)
• The value of outside perspective when uncovering brand truth. (22:00)
• Why this podcast exists as both platform and learning tool. (25:00)
• What Jerry believes most firms still miss: true differentiation. (28:30)
• Aligning values, behaviors, and experience to build lasting brand. (31:00)

Guest

Jerry Gennaria is President of TOKY, a brand consultancy for professional service firms. His work focuses on aligning internal culture with external brand perception to create trust and clarity.

Resources
TOKY

Connect With Us

Follow the Hosts: Jerry Gennaria & Carl Winstead

Learn More about TOKY & Cline

Get In Touch: [email protected]

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Welcome to the premiere episode of The Intangible Brand—a podcast exploring how internal culture and employee experience shape the brands people trust, remember, and return to.

We’re starting with co-host Carl Winstead, Partner and Chief Experience Officer at Cline Design Associates. With a background in architecture and a passion for experience design, Carl has dedicated his career to shaping not just spaces, but how people experience professional service firms from the inside out.

In this Episode

• Launching the podcast and introducing Carl Winstead, CXO at Cline. (00:00)
• Carl’s early inspiration: how architecture created emotional impact. (02:00)
• Career shift from running a firm to leading experience strategy. (05:30)
• Creating the CXO role in a traditionally design-focused industry. (09:00)
• Why experience is central to both client and employee success. (12:15)
• Rethinking “corporate” culture in creative workplaces. (15:20)
• The brand is the experience, not just the portfolio. (19:00)
• Happy teams create happy clients, and vice versa. (22:30)
• The podcast as a tool for community and shared learning. (24:00)
• Carl’s core belief: grow people to grow impact. (27:00)

Guest

Carl Winstead is Partner and Chief Experience Officer at Cline Design Associates. His work bridges physical space, leadership, and brand—helping firms design experiences that align with values and drive long-term growth.

Resources
 Cline

Connect With Us

Follow the Hosts: Jerry Gennaria & Carl Winstead

Learn More about TOKY & Cline

Get In Touch: [email protected]