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From for-profit to for-purpose: the importance of impact branding
Brand communication is how a brand conveys messages – encouraging your audience to feel a certain way and motivating them to take a specific action.
The courage to let ‘purpose’ be your purpose
We all understand the textbook definition of courage, right? Of daring to be different, embracing the unknown, and being brave when the scary stuff happens. But courage in the context of purpose-driven business is a more specific beast.
B Corp Certification – creating an impactful and sustainable future for all
B Lab is a global non-profit that has developed a set of standards and governance enabling businesses to validate their commitment to meet high goals
Sustainability matters: how to connect with Australian consumers through ESG and net zero initiatives
Brand communication is how a brand conveys messages – encouraging your audience to feel a certain way and motivating them to take a specific action.
Free Masterclass: Create your strategic roadmap to help your brand ignite change
View our FREE 60-minute masterclass where we show you how to simply, strategically and efficiently get started on your impact journey.
The language of success: how communication elevates your brand
Brand communication is how a brand conveys messages – encouraging your audience to feel a certain way and motivating them to take a specific action.
Building brand equity: increasing your value for long-term success
Firstly, we get that the term ‘brand equity’ can sound a little daunting. But brand equity is really just about your perceived value.
Inspiration for shaping a more sustainable future at Mumbrella360
There’s nothing like a work trip to a super inspiring event in another city (and a few cocktails) for a sparkling mid-year refresh.
Redefining purpose through brands to empower the change makers of tomorrow
Taylor & Grace was established in 2006 and, to be frank, we’ve spent the better part of almost 20 years working our backsides off.
How to choreograph your social strategy for success (and stop standing on the sidelines)
if you want to seriously engage your audience, build brand awareness and drive customer action, you’ve got to turn up to the party knowing the social media moves.
Website design vs. UX design: they’re the same, right?
You’re a rare kind of consumer if, when you’re browsing for a new car to buy, you only focus on the practical design elements. Think about it. Suppose Your potential new set of wheels could get you from A to
The role of AI in a world full of storytellers
With ChatGPT and AI making news on the daily now, the T&G content gals decided to get in a (Zoom) room with ChatGPT and have it out with that damn bot once and for all. There were laughs (us), there
Do you really need a content strategy to elevate your brand? (And no, we’re not going to tell you ‘content is king’)
Before we leap into what a content strategy is, it would be remiss of us not to say that ‘content strategy’ sounds like a LOT of work, right? There’s planning, research, execution, optimisation…the list goes on. So, can’t you just
What is a brand launch? Here’s how to make sure yours generates serious buzz
You’ve probably spent days, weeks or even months perfecting your products and services so that you can show them to the world. So, how do you get your dream audience to drop their jaws, click, buy and remember your brand
How to build a brand identity that people REALLY connect with
There’s a reason millions of us choose to spend time and money supporting gaggles of sporty folk as they chase balls around fields. It’s the same reason people wrap themselves in feather boas and camp outside stadiums in all weather
Internal vs external research: which is more important when creating a strong brand?
When building a brand, which is more important, internal or external research? If you only had time for either internal or external, which should you pick? If your answer is ‘neither’, well, we’re not angry with you – just disappointed
Why SEO is so important when creating your brand strategy
Many businesses view search engine optimisation, aka SEO, as an optional extra. First you design your brand, then you build your website, then you figure out how to reel in traffic, right? ‘Fraid not. Unlike 100s & 1000s ice cream
The importance of buyer personas and customer centricity when creating your brand strategy
We call it The Trap of the Brand Echo Chamber. No, it’s not another captivatingly magical Harry Potter movie. It’s when a brand gets stuck in an endless feedback loop – when they’re so focused on their goals, mission and
T&G’s top five branding trends (for good) in 2023
Trends are an interesting thing, right? They either pass us by completely or we lean so far into them that people think we’ve joined a cult. More than fleeting fads, meaningful trends keep us in touch with the Zeitgeist and
Why your brand design needs strategy to thrive
You know someone’s a primary school teacher when you spot their fruit-shaped dangly earrings, a small handprint on their overalls and colourful Gorman socks poking out of their Blundstones, right?
5 tips to get better results when working with a creative agency
How do you know when it’s time to break up with your partner of five years? Well, chances are, something just isn’t working anymore.
How to know if you need a rebrand
How do you know when it’s time to break up with your partner of five years? Well, chances are, something just isn’t working anymore.
Want to stand out? These branding tips for startups will help you find your mojo
From deciding what coworking space your business will thrive in, to choosing what songs to add to your new ‘We’re The Coolest Startup Ever’ playlist, things can get pretty hectic pretty fast as a startup founder.
5 surprising differences between a brand agency and marketing agency
Think of the last place you ordered fast food or bought groceries. Chances are, your edible purchase was from a company with a brand identity.
The 3 most important things you need to know about brand strategy
Think of the last place you ordered fast food or bought groceries. Chances are, your edible purchase was from a company with a brand identity.
Digital Natives are coming for you!
Digital natives will no longer be merely a marketing channel, but the very fabric of society.
The power of data: How Semrush is fighting fake news
What comes to mind when you think of Semrush? SEO? digital marketing? Whatever you’re thinking, it’s so much more.
Why You Should Build A Brand That Repels People
We speak to fellow brand aficionados Emily Soccorsy and Justin Foster, co-founders of US brand agency Root + River.
The future of branding and marketing according to ANZ’s Resident Marketing Futurist
With an ever-increasing and exciting rate of change ahead of us, Kate gives us a teaser of both what marketing and marketers will look like in the future.
Focus Lab’s Bill Kenney on reshaping business through brand
In a rare case of brander speaking to brander, Darren and Bill explore the changing world of strategy-led brand through and post-COVID.
I Shot The Sheriff: Deputy’s Stellar Brand Refresh
It started with a problem in need of a solution Few Australian tech start-ups have had the success that staff scheduling app, Deputy, has enjoyed. Like many successful companies, its origin story revolves around a problem without a good solution,
Second to none: Deputy’s critical brand refresh that unlocked the US market with inclusive and accessible design
Lisi Schappi, Director of Design at Deputy, joins the podcast today to tell us the unique story of Deputy’s refresh as they enter the US Market.
BlackBerry’s brand journey from ground-breaking smartphones to ground-breaking intelligent security, everywhere.
What springs to mind when you hear the brand name ‘BlackBerry’? If it was a mobile phone, you’re not alone.
BlackBerry’s Double Pivot: Brand Transformation Worthy of an Olympic Gymnast
From bars to cars If you worked for an organisation in the first decade of this century and went out with your mates after work for happy hour, you no doubt recall the scene of everyone typing away on their
Brand Despotism: a post-mortem of the Trump regime – Part 4
How to avoid brand despots How to avoid brand despots Trump was the most famous, the most egregious, the most dangerous brand despot in American history. And we’ve seen there are plenty of brand despots around the world. But most
Brand Despotism: a post-mortem of the Trump regime – Part 3
Identity and values Identity and values A key element of any brand is its visual identity, such as its packaging design and logo. These often stand in for the product itself. We only need to see the shape of a
Brand Despotism: a post-mortem of the Trump regime – Part 2
It’s not about politics (the despot is the message) It’s not about politics (the despot is the message) Donald Trump rose to occupy America’s highest political office on the strength of not being a politician. This was one of the
Brand Despotism: a post-mortem of the Trump regime
Introduction: the brand despots among us This 4-part series will explore what I call the ‘abuse of brand power’ and how it led to the decline and near fall of the United States. We will talk about the methods despotic
Gen Zs are leaving traditional marketers on read
Translation: Gen Z speak for ignoring traditional marketers The real digital natives You’ve all doubtless heard of Boomers, Gen X, and Millennials, but you may not be as familiar with Gen Z. I wasn’t. Gen Z is the generation born
How Gen Z are rewriting the brand playbook. Will your brand cut it in a Gen Z world?
Gen Z is the largest generation, making up 30% of our current global population. As the future buyers and decision-makers, they hold immense power over brands.
Will the next generation lose their virginity in autonomous cars? The real threat to automotive brands! – Part 1
Brands fulfill more than needs I recently talked with Mario Herger, author of the book The Last Driver’s License Holder Has Already Been Born, which claims future generations will not need, or even want to own cars. Mario is an
How disruptive technologies are upending the world’s biggest automotive brands.
The global automotive industry is currently being disrupted on a level not seen since the introduction of the internal combustion engine replaced the horse and cart. Connected, Autonomous, Shared and Electrified cars are changing the face of the automotive industry
The therapeutic effect of COVID-19 on the Australian visitor economy
New initiatives support local business I’m an eternal optimist and also like to be provocative. These two characteristics combine in my belief that good things for the business sector can come out of the present crisis for the business sector.
How COVID has changed the arts industry for the better. Insights from a leading cellist and educator.
COVID has changed the arts industry forever. Live music performances delivered online haven’t really taken off – until recently. The acceptance of digital delivery of almost everything has upended entrenched audience behaviours and artist’s business models. In this episode, we
The brand journey out of COVID #4 – insights from a fast-growth fintech start up
Like all things, launching a start-up is all about timing. COVID has made it hard for many salaried employees to make ends meet. We speak to Tom Jamieson, Co-Founder of Zay Zoon Australia, a fintech start up, and learn about the
The brand journey out of COVID #3 – insights from a global food consultancy
The food, hospitality and hotels industry has indeed been one of the hardest hit with COVID-19 restrictions. Hear from this esteemed global food advisor, Francis Loughran from Future Food, how this market has been affected and possibly even changed – both
The brand journey out of COVID #2 – insights from a leading financial services advisory business
he superannuation and SMSF industry has been greatly impacted by regulatory changes brought about by COVID-19. Hear from SMSF industry expert and CEO of Australia’s leading advisory business to accountants, Aaron Dunn, as he describes how his industry was impacted
The brand journey out of COVID #1 – insights from a leading technology recruiter
Planning the road out of COVID is challenging for all brands at the moment. Knowing when we will come out the ‘other side’ is certainly a million dollar question as is what the new normal will look like. Hear from
If data is gold, is now the new gold rush for brands looking to transform?
Many brands are currently neck-deep in strategy review and reset discussions. Our guest, leading global data guru, Benjamin Balk, talks about how data can be used to answer some of the important business strategy questions currently being posed and how
Solo soapbox: ‘We’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto’
COVID has been an ideal ‘break in the traffic’ to reflect on your brand and to refine for a post-COVID world. In this ‘solo soapbox’, Darren Taylor talks about his own agency, Taylor & Grace’s rebrand journey during COVID and
Tap into the emotionality of your brand to turbocharge its performance
Tapping into the emotionality of your brand can turbocharge its performance. Hear from this inspiring NFP leader, Mandy Mandie from Koala Kids to find out how.
How to prevent your brand from being ignored during COVID-19
The Xfactor Collective brand specialist Darren Taylor answers the question that every organisation is now wondering – how to stay relevant and connected in with the communities they serve.
Now that the world has stopped, it’s time to be organic online
The world has stopped. It’s a rare moment, albeit a perfect one to re-focus on your core values as a human but also your organic online presence. Chatting to Ian Hopkinson, Founder of Mad Scientist Digital, a bit of a mad
Business Porn: How a Signature System could be just what your brand needs in the age of COVID-19
Shorthand Most service-based businesses really find it hard to nail their value proposition and to express it in a way that’s really compelling. How many presos have you sat through where you’re shown slide after slide and you just want
Are you communicating effectively internally? How brand can be a helpful anchor for internal communications during COVID-19 and beyond.
If you don’t have an internal communications plan – even a simple one – it is now time to create one. Communicating on brand – regularly and relevantly – to your internal teams is not just good practice but critical
Critical during COVID-19 and beyond: Making brand tangible through meaningful online metrics
Everything is measurable I’m a data nerd. And one of the beautiful things about digital is that everything is measurable. And that certainly extends to things like marketing and channel performance. But what metrics can digital marketers use to measure
Survival of the fittest. Why developing a signature system will propel your business in a downturn.
If you are a service business, what makes you any different or more valuable than the equivalent business down the road? How many service businesses have pitched to you, leaving you yawning after the first 10 minutes? Developing a signature
Building your personal brand in the time of Corona
The who of personal branding Lots of us dream of starting our own business, or side business. It may be to pursue a more creative career, to be more independent, to spend more time with our kids, or to pursue
Make brand tangible through meaningful online metrics
For many non-marketers, brand is seen as intangible and an expense. Marketers often have to fight for budget to implement activities other than purely demand generation tactics. Speaking with digital marketing consultant, Tammy Begley from Destined, we uncover some meaningful brand
The wisdom of building your personal brand in a downturn
We’re in unprecedented times. With the economy and our lives in lockdown and with many people losing their jobs, there’s never been a better time to hone and build your personal brand. Talking with personal branding guru, Andrew Ford, this podcast
Garbage in equals garbage out: why clear branding online is critical
Watch your inputs! The phrase ‘Garbage in, garbage out’ was coined by an IBM programmer in the 1960s to emphasise that outputs were only as good as the inputs. Companies couldn’t simply dump data into their computers; they needed the
Garbage in equals garbage out. Why a strong brand is critical to building a powerful online experience
In conversation with Adam Griffith, Managing Director of leading digital agency, Luminary, this podcast explores the importance of having a strong brand strategy to ensuring a successful digital project in process and outcome.
The unique importance of brand to startups
Brand is often misunderstood by startup founders, particularly by those who don’t have a branding and marketing background. They often think of branding as something not core to their business plan, something to be done later, after they are successful.
The unique importance of brand to startups and how it can used as a lever of success
Chatting with startup strategist and investor, CEO of SIP Management Consultants, Ernest Stabek, this podcast uncovers the importance of brand focus and investment for startups at different points of their journey, and some practical tips for those involved in this important
Building and protecting your brand in a natural disaster
It’s obvious that natural disasters demand comprehensive cooperation. Federal, state and local governments, not-for-profit and commercial businesses, and individuals must all do their part to minimise loss of life, loss of property, and damage to the environment. Yet how often
Building and protecting brand reputation – why stakeholder engagement is your new best friend
Chatting with disaster response expert Renae Hanvin, CEO of Corporate2Community, this podcast discusses the importance of stakeholder engagement, it’s relationship to brand and some practical tips to prepare for disasters.
Rebranding Branding – Discover Your Brand Mojo
This inaugural podcast hosted by Darren Taylor talks about why brand strategy is critical for all organisations to be successful today, as well as why he’s stepped up on the soap box and become a brand evangelist.
Lessons from Celeste Barber – how to avoid your brand being drowned out in the cluttered fundraising environment
Brand specialist Darren Taylor helps us glean the key take-outs from the Celeste Barber campaign, in our new fortnightly column with The Xfactor Collective.
How do we get our boards and executive team to better understand and value brand?
The Xfactor Collective specialist member Darren Taylor answers a common question about how organisations can better achieve their organisational goals with a stronger internal commitment to brand, and provides practical steps to bring brand to the strategic fore.
The brand-building benefits of recessions
Death, taxes, and recessions Three-quarters of economists polled by the Wall Street Journal think there will be a recession in the U.S. by the end of 2021. Bloomberg Economics thinks there’s a 27% chance of a recession in the next
Tourism Australia’s latest campaign masterpiece
In my book Rebranding Branding, I discuss Tourism Australia’s scandalous 2006 campaign, ‘Where the bloody hell are you?’ In that campaign, Tourism Australia badly misjudged the sensibilities of foreigners to what we consider playful language. Coming from a culture that
Brand fitness is an investment, not an expense
Not a one-time event. Is your brand always on? Or was it just a one-time event? Do you have a dedicated brand budget? Or is it a subset of marketing? Does anyone speak up for branding, or it is the
Measuring is managing your brand
Blank stares When I ask clients how they measure the effectiveness of their brand, most look at me blankly. Those who do answer, say: ‘By sales, naturally.’ Of course that’s one metric for measuring brand ROI. If your brand is
Behind the scenes of a major rename and brand revamp
Brand refreshes are common. But renaming an organisation is a rare, delightful game changer in our sector. Julia Keady from The Xfactor Collective takes us behind the scenes of a recent brand transformation project that is giving a Victorian organisation
Do you look through your customers’ eyes?
The advantage of very small business Very small businesses are great at customer engagement. They have to be because that’s the only way they can compete. They don’t have vast resources to buy stock at scale or hire lots of
Your brand is kinetic energy for growth
The roller coaster of new markets Many organisations fail because they focus on what they want to be and forget who they are. They assume markets perceive them in the golden light they see reflected in the mirror, when in
The pivotal role brand plays in attracting and keeping good people
Bad bosses Studies show that the number one reason people quit their job isn’t because of money but because of management. Specifically, their direct supervisor, whether that person is a manager, CEO, or owner. For simplicity’s sake we’ll call them
The ‘turn-on’ of brand emotion
Does your brand harness the power of emotion? Few businesses understand the power of emotion in branding. Emotions are the main reason consumers prefer brand-named products over generics and a key reason they prefer one brand over another. Emotions drive
If your brand ‘tyres’ aren’t aligned, you’ll soon find yourself in a ditch
Big, hairy, and audacious Most organisations do not have a brand strategy. As a result they are not using their brand as a lever to engage and drive preference. Some organisations discover this lack only when they are trying to
Brand, or be branded: branding vs marketing
The Xfactor Collective brand specialist Darren Taylor answers the question that every organisation is now wondering – how to stay relevant and connected in with the communities they serve.
Brand values can be worth their weight in gold. Are yours?
Do you know your values? Quick! Name your company’s values. A lot of organisations don’t even have values. They were created without leadership ever taking the time to articulate what they stood for. Some companies have their values etched in
Is a poor value proposition holding your business back?
A lot of organisations don’t know what their value proposition is. And sometimes when they do, it is inconsistently expressed by people in communications, or it’s not a true reflection of their fundamental value to customers. When this goes wrong
The importance of brand to your CEO and Senior Leadership Team
Owning up to your brand I’ve run my own brand agency for over a decade, and in that time I’d say fewer than ten per cent of CEOs took ownership of their brand. CEOs tend to come from business, law,
The Fyre Festival Fiasco: how brands go up in flames
Putting your brand at risk Every time you sign an agreement to promote something or partner with someone, ask yourself if you are prepared to fall if they fall, to fail if they fail, to suffer public disgrace if they
Is Wrappr the future of outdoor advertising?
Wrappr is an Australian startup that brings the sharing economy to advertising by pairing brands with their brand advocates. I recently spoke with Wrappr cofounder Liam Shaw about brand advocacy and the future of advertising as I’m always curious about
If your brand doesn’t stand for something… you’re just noise
Dove, from Unilever, is one of my favourite consumer brands because their personal care products stand for something. Dove speaks to the fact that most of us don’t like how we look. Unilever’s PR agency, Edelman, surveyed more than 3,000
Hey marketers! …whatever you do, get emotional
It will only get more emotional As digital marketing and marketing technology are receiving more and more of the CMO’s budget, brands have to find new ways to attract and keep customers. It’s not enough to use old media models
Trust me, I’m a bank
Building Trust vs. Buying Trust Quick, think of three people you trust. Not family members or friends, but people in your organisation, or partners or vendors. Now, what are the reasons you trust those people? Most likely it’s not because
What are your brand resolutions for 2019?
Start 2019 with resolve! While most businesses do some form of strategic planning, many fail to include branding in the mix. So I like to use the beginning of the year to ask my clients to come up with a
An insight into the branding of the Roy Hill Mine
Are commodities brands? We normally think of branding as encompassing consumer-based products and services. But what about businesses that sell to other businesses, or to governments? Should these businesses hire brand managers or brand agencies? If your product is coal
Ain’t it rich? Luxury is now for the masses
Luxury and scarcity Luxury is alive and well, but it has evolved as brands have evolved, and expanded to a new, larger market: the rest of us. Historically luxury, which was defined by rarity, was for the upper crust. Aristocrats
What simple things can organisations do to strengthen their brand?
Jump into this #askXFACTOR LIVE full session with Brand Strategist and Author Darren Taylor as he gives you some tips to take away today that will enhance your brand immediately!
Brand trust is everything: what we’ve learnt from the aftermath of the Royal Commission
Our Banking Nightmare People often equate a brand with its logo and colours, or with its products and services. But even more important than those things is trust. People don’t equate branding with trust building because it often goes on
The intangibles of your brand and why logos come last
Brand stereotypes The biggest stereotype in branding is to equate brand with a logo. The thinking goes as follows: You create a business plan, secure funding and name your company. You have a business but not a brand. So you
“Where do I start with branding?” You’ve already started, pay attention
Whether you like it or not, you have a brand Guess what? You’ve already started with branding. Even if you haven’t had a single brand strategy meeting or hired an agency, even if you don’t have a logo or Facebook
Brand cut through! The buzz word that means everything in an overcrowded market
CONSISTENCY, CONSISTENCY, CONSISTENCY Not all brands get consistency right. But those that do, really get it right. They put it front and centre of their business strategy and never look away. McDonalds doesn’t have the best food by a longshot.
So you’ve got yourself a brand… But how do you know if it’s working for you?
Brand awareness The first step toward determining whether your brand is working for you is to discover the degree of brand awareness amongst your customers. Just because someone patronises your business doesn’t mean they understand your brand. Have you ever
Brand Champions Assemble! Why your brand strategist and accountant should sit side by side at the round table of business
Teaching an old dog new tricks Brand equity is an intangible asset that can be worth billions of dollars to a global corporation. But even for SMEs, brand equity should be an important part of your balance sheet. The first
Finding your remarkable: the 3 W’s of brand
Whether you’re creating a new brand or trying to discover what makes your existing brand special, you need to start by asking the right questions. Journalists follow the old formula of the 5 W’s: Who? What? Where? When? Why? For
Life’s too short for beige! Colouring your brand to stand out from the pack
Are you different? Do you stand out from the pack? Are you sure? If your products or services were de-identified and compared to your competitors, would your customers know the difference? Differentiating your brand is one of the hardest goals
“We can’t afford a brand strategist”… “No, what you can’t afford is for your competition to hire me.”
How much revenue do you think you need to generate before you can afford to develop a strategy for your brand? $1,000,000? $500,000? $100,000? Historically brand strategy was for the big retail corporations: cars, breakfast cereals, soft drinks, cigarettes. The
Will your brand be famous for credit card surcharges?
If making purchasing difficult for your customers is intrinsic to your brand, then it may make sense to impose a surcharge on credit card purchases. If it isn’t, don’t do it! I’ve seen first hand too many businesses lose sales
The Most Important Question To Determine If Your Business Brand Is Effective In 20 Seconds… And What To Do About It If You Suck.
Quick, you have only 20 seconds… What’s one question you can ask to confirm your brand is working for you? Tick…tick…tick… Time’s up! What did you come up with? Ready for my answer, or rather my question? “In 25 words or less
My love affair with branding
Branding is the mouth, not the lipstick Brand is not cosmetic. Brand is fundamental to practically every business in the world today, and if you ignore it I can assure you your competitors won’t. Branding is the heart, not the
Why Brand Strategy is not just “BS”
“A brand is the expression of an entity, person, product or service, as designed by its creator and perceived by the world.” – Taylor and Schreiber • Rebranding Branding In 2017 I published a book with Mark Schreiber called
The AMP saga and the failure of brand strategy
Do you have money invested with AMP? If so, you must have trusted them implicitly. How do you feel about them now? Like all Australians, I have taken a personal interest in the scandal surrounding AMP. Some of my family