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Why Brand Governance Is Harder (and More Important) in Agency Models
Brand Strategy
Brand governance is challenging in any organization, but in agent-driven companies – think insurance, financial services, or real estate – things can get extra complicated. Here's how to navigate the chaos.
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Why Naming is Hard—and Worth It
Brand Expression
Why naming is a complex exercise—and the variables that turn a name into a valuable brand asset
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10 Telltale Signs That You Have a Brand Architecture Problem
Brand Strategy
Here are some red flags that may signal your brand architecture needs attention.
What Comedy Writing Taught Me About Brand
Musings & Advice
Bryn Snyder picked up comedy writing during the pandemic and has pursued it as a side quest ever since—here's what it's taught her about brand.
The Future-Proofing Fallacy
Brand Strategy
Why you can’t (and shouldn’t) try to “future-proof” your brand
News: Science Museum of Virginia Selects Joe Smith as Partner to Lead Brand Evolution
Industry News
Brand consultancy’s “hometown” passion and research-driven storytelling set it apart
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News: Joe Smith Brand Consultancy Celebrates Client Successes at Transform Awards North America
Industry News
Joe Smith earns three gold awards for "Brand Evolution" and "Best Visual Identity" work with Belden and Feast
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How Brands Turn Pain Points into Opportunity
Brand Experience
From flop to fix to fab! Learn how brands can turn frustration into opportunity.
What Fatherhood Taught Me About Brand
Musings & Advice
At Joe Smith, we pull inspiration from all parts of life—even fatherhood!
What Drag Taught Me About Brand
Musings & Advice
Perry Lowder shares what we can all learn from drag queens' fearlessness in building a brand that inspires.
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Return to Office: Why Your Employer Brand Should Lead the Way
Employer Brand
If your return-to-office strategy feels more like a power play than a purposeful plan, it might be time to revisit your employer brand.
What Theater Taught Me About Brand
Musings & Advice
At Joe Smith, we love to find inspiration from all corners of our lives. Brand strategist and former theater kid, Catherine Goodson, connects the dots between her passions.
What Living Abroad Taught Me About Brand
Musings & Advice
Emily Valentine connects the dots between bran and the exhilarating (and, at times, uncomfortable) experience of living abroad.
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Perks, Purpose, & Pay: Finding Balance in Your Employer Brand
Employer Brand
You want to attract the right talent—but knowing what levers to pull to get them in the door is tricky. Here's how to create a balanced employer brand.
How to uncover the true values of your employer brand
Employer Brand
You launched the campaigns, hung the posters, and held the town hall. So why didn't it work? Because your organization's true values may lie in the shadows...
What the heck is an employer brand?
Employer Brand
In a world where talent have choices (and boy, do they have choices), a strong employer brand isn’t just nice to have–it’s your secret weapon for building a team that doesn’t just show up, but shows up ready to move mountains.
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The Art of Connection: Brand Insights from a Poet Laureate
Musings & Advice
Unpacking how Richmond’s first Poet Laureate, Roscoe Burnems, uses the principles of Artful Problem Solving to elevate poetry and inspire community connection, and how these insights can transform your brand strategy.
Renaming your brand: who cares and why it matters
Brand Strategy
Undergoing a corporate rename can feel laden with risks. But there is one simple, guiding question that can make this crossroads easier to navigate.
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Artful Problem Solving Through the Eyes of an Educator
Musings & Advice
Brand lessons we learned from design thinking teacher, Rhiannon Boyd
What Are They Thinking? Understanding the Minds of Consumers
Market Trends
Insights from neuromarketing that will change the way you think about research
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The 5 P’s of Effective Brand Management
Brand Strategy
How to reinforce your brand strategy without creating a culture of brand police
Where Method Meets Magic: Brand Lessons from Hip Hop Dancers
Musings & Advice
Artful Problem Solving with Richmond Urban Dance
Brand Legacy: How to Honor the Past in the Present
Brand Strategy
Should you shed your past or cling to it? It's an age-old dilemma for "storied brands", and we have answers.
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3 Obstacles Every B2B Brand Marketer Needs to Overcome
Brand Expression
You have dreams of brand growth, and you know long-term brand campaigns are your ticket. Here's how to overcome the headwinds that stand in your way.
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Can you swear your way to a better workplace culture?
Employer Brand
Ushering in a new era of “oh $#*!” in the workplace to enhance team dynamics and employee experience.
The (Brand) Doctor Will See You Now
Musings & Advice
Is your brand suffering from mysterious misalignments and chronic apathy? It may be time to get a proper diagnosis.
Brand Strategy During M&As: Vital Yet Often Overlooked
Brand Strategy
What happens to your brand when you decide to sell your company? Or acquire a business with its own brand? Lauren Tannenbaum went on The Transaction Abstract podcast to talk about the three biggest considerations companies should keep in mind when they are in an M&A (be it as the acquiree or acquirer).
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The Ups, Downs, and Leaps of Building a Brand
Embarking on a brand project can be an emotional journey. We're here to guide you through it.
The X Factor: Experiences That Advance Your Brand
Brand Experience
How a smart experience strategy can distinguish your brand and leave a lasting impression.
Forging our new brand identity
Brand Strategy
At long last, we answer your most burning question: who is Joe Smith?!
What does the data really say about working from home?
Employer Brand
The WFH debate as understood in 2023
What desire lines teach us about brand governance
Brand Expression
Desire lines show us the importance of observation and responding to the needs of your users—or in the world of brand, your customers and employees.
Brand Forensics Episode 2: The Mistake
Brand Strategy
Digging in deeper we look at where the execution of the Max launch diverged from the likely business strategy behind it (i.e., where it all went wrong).
Brand Forensics Episode 1: The Max Launch
Brand Strategy
Even as the dust begins to settle, MAX has remained a topic of keen interest and heated debate among the Joe Smith Team. Was it a good idea? Why did they do it? And then ultimately: where did it go wrong?
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How to build a brand employees want to stick with
Brand Experience
Creating a culture where employees can connect with your brand's identity leads to loyalty and talent retention...but how do you do it?
Joe Smith’s Brands to Watch 2023
News & Trends
The market trends that have caught our eye and the brands that are poised to make the most of them in 2023.
Have you friended your favorite brands?
Musings & Advice
Why making new friends and trying new products can feel the same.
Fitness brands build success by removing barriers
Brand Experience
Want to improve your customer experience? Start by clearing the hurdles.
Picking the right resolution to design your customer experience
Brand Experience
Is your focus on your customer journey too general or too detailed? Here's how to get it right.
Banking for humans: Don’t lose the person in the numbers
Brand Experience
Great banks require humans helping humans.
5 In 5: Customer experiences worth keeping
News & Trends
There were a few bright spots from the Pandemic days.
Focus your post-pandemic evolution with familiar strategy tools
Brand Strategy
In critical times, strategic planning is a critical priority.
3 ways to better brainstorming
Brand Strategy
So you can stop awkwardly waiting for someone to speak up...
4 questions to better brand storytelling
Brand Strategy
4 questions to ask yourself when enhancing your brand storytelling.
What this year's top films can teach us about brand strategy (Part 2)
Brand Strategy
We take a look at this year's top films and what they can teach us about brand strategy.
Brands becoming themselves: LEGO
Brand Expression
How to bypass trends and create a visual identity built to last.
Brands create expectations. Experiences reinforce them. (Part 2)
Brand Experience
How brand experiences can reinforce the expectations that brands have created.
Brands create expectations. Experiences reinforce them. (Part 1)
Brand Experience
What expectations are you giving customers—and are you living up to them?
What needs to end for the sake of creativity?
Musings & Advice
Creativity is just as much about stopping as it is about starting.
Employee experience: A design challenge
Brand Experience
The average person will spend 90,000 at work. How can we design an experience that makes those hours better?
The cherry and the sundae: A recipe for customer experience
Brand Experience
Sometimes the cherry on top is more than just a compliment. Take a look at how customer experience can solidify brand objectives.
Loop: The future of packaging?
News & Trends
How this zero-waste platform could change the way we consume household goods.
What this year's top films can teach us about brand strategy (Part 1)
Brand Strategy
We take a look at this years top films and what they can teach about brand strategy.
Out of chaos and into the moment
Musings & Advice
Chaos can become our norm if we don't take time to create and be in the moments.
Our work
Get our handbook
In today's turbulent talent market, there is no silver bullet. But there is a secret weapon: your employer brand.
Get our handbook
In today's turbulent talent market, there is no silver bullet. But there is a secret weapon: your employer brand.
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