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JUST Branding

JUST Branding - by Jacob Cass & Matt Davies

The JUST Branding Podcast, hosted by Jacob Cass & Matt Davies, is the only podcast dedicated to helping designers & entrepreneurs grow brands.

Each episode goes deep into the details of the brand building process, with professional insights, actionable tips and resources to help you build better brands.

The focus is on helping designers & entrepreneurs bridge the gap between strategy and design. Branding professionals from around the world join Jacob & Matt in discussing the benefits of brand strategy, top tools, how to sell strategy, brand purpose, brand positioning, neuroscience, brand personality, messaging, storytelling, brand naming, tag lines, logo design, brand identity design and brand experience.

ABOUT JACOB CASS

Jacob Cass is a Sydney-based designer & strategist who runs JUST Creative, an award-winning branding & design firm that doubles as an industry leading blog. Jacob helps brands grow & get results by crafting distinctive logos & brand identities that are backed by a solid brand strategy.

He recently rebranded San Francisco and Puerto Rico, and also branded New York's Digital District. Other clients have included the likes of Disney, Nintendo and Jerry Seinfeld. Jacob has spoken at TEDx, been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur and has been awarded LinkedIn’s “Best of” for branding.

For him, design is a lifelong journey of continuously honing his craft, as well as educating other fellow designers & business owners to build on theirs, which has allowed him to build a large and loyal following, including his website which has been been viewed over 50 million times. Jacob is an avid traveler and has traveled to 87 countries.

ABOUT MATT DAVIES

Matt is a brand strategy specialist working with leaders to align around their brand and get it ready to connect deeply with those inside and outside of their organisations. His work enables you to grow your business faster and easier. Matt solves a variety of brand challenges, from strategy and positioning to naming and identity right through to company culture and product innovation.

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S7 · E17
October 26 · 1 hr 18 min
S07.EP17 - 10 Design Industry Beliefs That Might Be Complete Bullshit with Massimo Zefferino (The Angry Designer)
What if some of the most common advice in the design industry is complete bullshit? "Good design speaks for itself." "More concepts mean more value." "Every designer needs to become a strategist." "AI will replace graphic designers." We've all heard these claims. But how many actually hold up in the real world? In this episode of JUST Branding, Jacob Cass & Matt Davies are joined by Massimo Zefferino from The Angry Designer, the outspoken podcast host known for challenging industry norms and calling out the nonsense holding creatives back. Drawing on Massimo's 25+ years of experience building a seven-figure design agency, and insights from the Brand Builders Summit, we put 10 popular design industry beliefs on trial. Together, we challenge the assumptions shaping how designers think, work, charge, present, position themselves and build their careers. We explore: Why good design doesn't always speak for itself Whether designers are paid for deliverables or decisions Why fitting into your category might make your brand invisible Whether presenting more design concepts actually delivers more value Why brand building doesn't end when the files are delivered The problem with telling every designer to become a strategist Whether followers, visibility and personal branding are necessary for business success Why collecting knowledge and frameworks isn't the same as developing expertise What AI is really changing about the value of graphic design Why having a strong point of view might be your greatest competitive advantage For each belief, Massimo must decide whether it's true, whether it depends, or whether it's complete bullshit. Expect strong opinions, practical lessons, uncomfortable questions and a few sacred cows getting slaughtered. Whether you're a designer, brand strategist or creative business owner, this conversation will challenge what you've been taught and help you rethink where your real value lies. Listen now and decide for yourself: Which design industry belief is the biggest load of bullshit?
S7 · E16
October 3 · 57 min
S07.EP16 - Does Purpose Really Sell? The TOMS Story with Justin Herber
Does purpose really sell? TOMS helped prove that a business could connect commercial growth with positive impact. Its One for One model transformed a simple shoe purchase into a story millions of people wanted to join. Former TOMS brand leader Justin Herber joins us to examine the argument from inside one of the world’s best known purpose led brands. We explore how TOMS became a cultural movement, why its story resonated, what the company got right and wrong, and whether purpose can genuinely produce commercial growth.
S7 · E15
September 17 · 1 hr 12 min
S07.EP15 — Customer Experience Psychology: How to Build a Memorable Brand with Si Elliott
What makes a customer experience memorable? Learn more at https://justcreative.com/podcast In this episode, Jacob Cass speaks with customer experience expert and author Si Elliott about the psychology behind how people experience, perceive and remember brands. Drawing from his book, Customer Experience Thinking, Si explains how behavioural science can help brands create stronger customer relationships. They explore the role of expectations, emotion, identity, effort, personalisation and control, along with the small details that can shape an entire experience. They also unpack some of the behavioural biases every brand strategist should understand, including loss aversion, framing, anchoring, social proof, the paradox of choice and the peak-end rule. You’ll discover: • Why a customer’s memory of an experience may matter more than the experience itself • How first impressions influence everything that follows • Why offering more choice can make an experience worse • The difference between being personal and being personalised • How emotion and identity shape brand preference • Where AI can improve customer experience and where humans should lead If you want to create brand experiences that feel more human, valuable and memorable, this conversation will change how you think about every customer interaction.
S7 · E14
August 31 · 51 min
S07.EP14 - Brands, Bots, Buyers: How AI Is Changing Brand Choice with Asha Parmar
AI is no longer simply helping consumers make decisions. It is becoming an active participant in what they discover, trust and buy. Learn more at https://justcreative.com/podcast In this episode of JUST Branding, Jacob Cass and Matt Davies speak with Asha Parmar, founder of Élan Intelligence, about the changing relationship between brands, buyers and AI. Asha explains how AI is compressing the traditional customer journey, influencing brand discovery and creating a new kind of AI enabled consumer. The conversation explores “machine equity”, the role of reviews and third party conversations, and why brands must now communicate clearly with both people and machines. They also tackle a bigger question: if consumers increasingly outsource their research, decisions and even personal reflection to AI, how will that affect identity, values and brand loyalty? You’ll learn: • How AI is changing consumer behaviour and purchase decisions • Why the traditional marketing funnel is being compressed • What machine equity means for brand builders • How brands can become more visible to AI systems • Why transparency and genuine customer experience matter more than ever • How to research AI behaviour within your category The next buyer choosing your brand might not be human. Is your brand ready? -- This episode is sponsored by Superside, the world's leading AI-first creative partner for enterprises. Superside works as an extension of in-house creative teams on ad and social creative, video and presentation design. AI-first, not AI-only. More at https://superside.com.
S7 · E13
August 13 · 1 hr 4 min
S07.E13 - Why Story Still Wins in Brand Building with Park Howell
Why do stories move people in ways that facts, features and clever messaging rarely can? Learn more at justcreative.com/podcast In this episode, Jacob Cass and Matt Davies speak with Park Howell, Emmy Award winning brand strategist, founder of The Business of Story and one of the world’s leading voices on business storytelling. Park explains why story remains one of the most powerful tools in brand building, what separates a memorable narrative from an interesting one and how brands can shift from simply telling stories to becoming truly story driven. The conversation explores Park’s StoryCycle framework, the commercial value of storytelling and why moving from pitching to proving can create a genuine competitive advantage. They also examine storytelling in the age of AI, including where technology can amplify the creative process, where humans must continue to lead and what new opportunities AI creates for brand strategists. If you want to build a brand people understand, remember and choose to become part of, this episode is for you.
S7 · E12
July 30 · 1 hr 6 min
S07.EP12 - Creative Leadership & The Future of Branding with Ekaterina Solomeina
In this episode, Jacob Cass & Matt Davies sit down with Ekaterina Solomeina, creative director, TEDx speaker, co-founder of Future London Academy, and host of Creative Capes, to explore how branding, design, and creative leadership are evolving. As AI accelerates execution and businesses face more complex cultural, technological, and commercial challenges, the value of creativity is shifting. It is no longer enough for designers and brand leaders to simply make things look good. The real opportunity is to connect creativity to business value, strategic decisions, customer trust, innovation, culture, and growth. If you want to become a more strategic, commercially valuable, and future ready creative leader, this conversation is packed with insight.
S7 · E11
July 9 · 55 min
S07.EP11 - Pricing Creative Work with Jonathan Stark
In this episode, Jacob Cass & Matt Davies sits down with Jonathan Stark, pricing expert, author of Hourly Billing Is Nuts, host of Ditching Hourly, and co-host of The Business of Authority, to unpack why trading time for money is such a poor fit for expert work. Together, Jacob, Matt and Jonathan explore the difference between fixed fees and true value pricing, how to run better sales conversations, why pricing is deeply connected to positioning, and how authority changes the way clients buy. They also discuss the psychology of charging more, why creatives often underprice their own judgment, and the practical first steps for ditching hourly without blowing up your business overnight. If you are tired of selling hours, defending rates, or being compared against cheaper alternatives, this episode will help you rethink what you are really selling and how to build a business around expertise, not availability.
S7 · E10
June 25 · 1 hr 1 min
S07.EP10 - The Science of Brand Associations with Ulli Appelbaum
In this episode of JUST Branding, we’re joined by Ulli Appelbaum, globally respected brand strategist, founder of First The Trousers, and author of The Science of Brand Associations. Ulli has spent years helping organisations understand how brands grow by shaping the associations people hold in memory. In this conversation, we unpack one of the most important and often misunderstood areas of branding: how associations are formed, strengthened, measured, and used to drive real business growth. We explore why some brands own clear memory structures while others remain vague, how emotion and storytelling help build associations, and what marketers often get wrong about consistency, distinctiveness, and meaning. If you want to build a brand that is easier to notice, easier to remember, and easier to choose, this episode will give you a practical look at the science behind brand growth.
S7 · E9
June 8 · 43 min
S07.EP09 - From Execution to Expertise with David C. Baker
In this episode, Jacob Cass and Matt Davies sit down with David C. Baker, author of The Business of Expertise and one of the leading voices on positioning, specialization, and advisory businesses. Learn more at https://justcreative.com/podcast Together, they explore what actually becomes valuable in a world where production is abundant. We discuss: • The difference between execution and expertise • Why many creative firms still struggle to position themselves clearly • What clients are really paying for at the highest level • Why judgment, trust, and perspective matter more than ever • How AI is reshaping pricing, specialization, and creative work • What makes a firm truly irreplaceable This conversation is for designers, strategists, consultants, and creative entrepreneurs who want to move beyond being seen as a pair of hands and become trusted experts.
S7 · E8
May 25 · 41 min
S07.EP08 - Why Most Agencies Sound The Same + How to Really Differentiate with Emily Penny
In this episode, we sit down with brand strategist and verbal identity specialist Emily Penny to unpack the growing challenge of differentiation in an increasingly saturated market. Learn more at https://justcreative.com/podcast Emily is the creator of the Fully Saturated report and founder of a micro studio focused on positioning and voice. Together, we explore why so many agencies struggle to stand out, what strong positioning actually looks like today, and how agencies can build relevance in an AI-enabled world. We discuss: • Why agency positioning often falls flat • The real meaning of “fully saturated” • How verbal identity creates distinction • The role of personality and point of view • What agencies can offer that AI can’t • How micro studios and modern agencies can stay valuable Whether you’re a strategist, designer, consultant, or agency founder, this conversation will challenge how you think about differentiation, positioning, and the future of creative businesses. Grab the report @ https://fully-saturated.com/ Use code: LASTCHANCE for 75% off Now only £95. Ends: 30th June 2026
S7 · E7
May 9 · 54 min
S07.EP07 - Founder Branding with Amelia Sordell
Jacob Cass and Matt Davies speak with Amelia Sordell, founder and CEO of Klowt and one of the leading voices in founder-led marketing. Learn more at justcreative.com/podcast As audiences become more sceptical of faceless companies, founders and leaders are becoming one of the most powerful trust signals a brand can have. The company brand still matters, but increasingly, people want to hear from the people behind the business. Amelia shares why founder branding has become a serious commercial lever, how it differs from company branding, and what CEOs often misunderstand about visibility, thought leadership, and influence. We explore how founders can show up without overshadowing the business, how to align personal voice with company positioning, and why posting more does not automatically mean building authority. You’ll also learn where to start if you are building from zero, what content habits actually move the needle, and how to think about ROI from founder branding. A practical conversation for founders, marketers, strategists, designers, and brand builders who want to understand how personal visibility can drive trust, growth, and brand momentum.
S7 · E6
April 21 · 44 min
S07.EP06 - UX & UI — The Brand Experience Gap w/ Alexander Lofthouse
In this episode, Jacob and Matt sit down with Alexander Lofthouse — Senior Designer at Nzime and a specialist in UX and digital experience. Lex and Jacob go back nearly a decade, and after watching her deliver a standout talk at NDC London, it was time to get her on the show. They get into where brand strategy ends and UX begins (and whether that line even makes sense), what happens when brand and product teams are pulling in different directions, and why beautiful brands so often feel terrible to actually use.
S7 · E5
March 31 · 1 hr 7 min
S07.EP05 - Why Most Designers Won’t Last (and What AI Can’t Replace) with James Martin
Why do some designers build lasting careers while others fade out? In this episode of JUST Branding, we sit down with James Martin, founder of Made by James, to unpack what really sustains creative success over time and what quietly destroys it. Learn more at https://justcreative.com/podcast While many designers are chasing visibility, speed, and short-term attention, James makes the case for something deeper: reputation, craft, taste, and care. We explore why reputation is more valuable than hype, why craft still matters in a world of AI and instant design tools, and why taste remains one of the most overlooked advantages in creative work. James also shares why motivation is unreliable, why care is a far stronger driver of long-term creative growth, and how designers can think more clearly about their role in an industry being reshaped by automation and DIY branding tools. This conversation is not just about design. It is about longevity. What makes people trust your work. What makes your work worth paying for. And what separates designers who build real careers from those who get lost chasing noise. We also get into the hidden cost of DIY branding, when founders should do it themselves versus bring in a professional, and what becomes more valuable for creatives as AI lowers the barrier to entry. If you are a designer, strategist, or founder trying to build something with depth, credibility, and staying power, this one is for you. In this episode, we discuss: • Why many designers confuse visibility with credibility • What actually builds a strong creative reputation • Whether craft is being lost in the age of speed and automation • Why taste is still a serious competitive advantage • The difference between motivation and care • The hidden cost of DIY branding • What AI makes easier, and what it can never replace A sharp, honest conversation about what still matters in creative work, and why the designers who last are rarely the ones chasing the fastest win.
S7 · E4
March 13 · 57 min
S07.EP04 - Designers Don’t Build Brands with Kevin Finn
In this episode of JUST Branding, Jacob Cass and Matt Davies sit down with Kevin Finn, founder of TheSumOf and author of Brand Principles, to unpack a provocative idea that challenges a core assumption in the branding industry. Kevin argues that designers and agencies don’t build brands. Businesses do. Brands are not logos, identities, or positioning statements. They are the result of consistent delivery, earned trust, and meaning that accumulates over time in the minds of customers. In this conversation, we explore the difference between brand and branding, why many companies claim the title of brand far too early, and what role designers should actually play in the process.
S7 · E3
February 25 · 56 min
S07.EP03 - B2B Branding: The Unsexy Truth with Martin Zarian
B2B rebrands do not fail because of the logo. They fail because the organisation was never aligned, the board never believed in it, and the rollout was treated like a campaign instead of infrastructure. In this episode with Martin Zarian of Factory39, we unpack the uncomfortable realities of branding inside complex organisations. If you work with complex B2B organisations or aspire to operate at board level, this conversation will sharpen how you think about brand as a financial asset, not a marketing layer. No fluff. No shiny case studies. Just the operational truth of what it really takes to make B2B branding work.
S7 · E2
February 5 · 40 min
S07.EP02 - PR Isn’t Promotion. It’s How Brand Strategy Becomes Real with Nikkia Adolphe
We’re joined by Nikkia Adolphe, Chief Innovation Officer at BrandSavor, to unpack the role PR plays in turning brand strategy into something people actually see, trust, and believe. With over 15 years leading communications and PR strategy for global brands like Amazon, Meta, and Ryder, Nikkia has worked at the sharp end of branding. Where positioning meets public perception. Where reputation is built or quietly eroded. And where strategy either earns attention or disappears.
S7 · E1
January 15 · 54 min
S07.EP01 - Beyond Personal Branding: Debbie Millman on Character, Symbols, and Brand DNA
We sit down with Debbie Millman, one of the most influential voices in design and brand thinking, to talk about what endures when trends fade and platforms shift. Learn more at https://justcreative.com/podcast Debbie is the host of Design Matters, the longest running podcast on design, launched in 2005. She is the co founder and chair of the Masters in Branding program at School of Visual Arts, and spent two decades at Sterling Brands leading work for global icons like Burger King and Tropicana. She is also the author of multiple books, including Why Design Matters and Brand Thinking. We go beyond surface level branding to unpack why personal branding can quietly trap creatives, how to define real brand DNA without freezing your identity, and how meaning is built honestly rather than manufactured theatrically. We also explore why big redesigns so often fail, how to separate non negotiable DNA from executional style, and the fastest way to create meaning without faking it. Along the way, Debbie shares what hundreds of interviews have taught her about creative careers, patience, and long term reputation. This conversation is for designers, strategists, founders, and creators who want their work to compound with integrity rather than perform for attention. And yes, we also touch on symbols, objects, and why the most powerful brands behave more like living systems than campaigns.
S6 · E21
Dec 29, 2025 · 59 min
S06.EP21 - Best of 2025 (Season 6)
We’re closing out 2025 with a highlight reel from Season 6 of JUST Branding. This year we sat down with some serious heavy hitters, including Mark Ritson, Rory Sutherland, Marty Neumeier (round two), David Aaker (round two), Laura Ries, plus guests like Simon Dixon (DixonBaxi), Michael Bungay Stanier, Jay Clouse, and more. In this best of episode, Jacob and Matt pull the sharpest clips, biggest lessons, and most repeated themes that matter if you’re building a brand that lasts. What you’ll hear in this episode Branding basics that still win: meaning, relevance, relationships Positioning that actually works (and why “positioning” isn’t the goal) Strategic enemies and the power of contrast Leadership and alignment (yes, including the uncomfortable honesty) Culture as brand, not a side project Customer truth and the discipline of saying “not everyone” Problem framing and why the first answer is rarely the best Brand fame vs hype and playing the long game Execution realities, including SEO getting tougher in an AI driven world Community vs audience, and what participation really costs Featured clips in this highlight episode Branding earns its keep through meaning, relevance, relationships (Ep. 6.11, Simon Dixon) Positioning is not the end, it’s the start (Ep. 6.05, Mark Ritson) One page brand strategy thinking (Ep. 6.05, Mark Ritson) Strategic enemy creates value through contrast (Ep. 6.17, Laura Ries) Leadership endorsement is non negotiable (Ep. 6.01, Steve Noss) Brand alignment requires honesty (Ep. 6.03, Brandon Coleman Jr.) Culture is the brand, internally first (Ep. 6.15, David Aaker) Brands need a real relationship with culture (Ep. 6.08, Cyril Louis) Go wide on problem solving, don’t accept the first frame (Ep. 6.09, Rory Sutherland) Stay curious longer when coaching (Ep. 6.10, Michael Bungay Stanier) Not everyone is a customer (Ep. 6.11, Simon Dixon) Talk to your customers, find your core group (Ep. 6.02, Brandon Kim) Play drives innovation (Ep. 6.06, Melissa Dinwiddie) Hype vs fame, and why the long game wins (Ep. 6.19, Dan Cushing and Diego Borgo) Complexity happens for a reason, learn the client’s world (Ep. 6.18, James Greenfield) Influence matters (Ep. 6.02, Lida Citroën) Be careful entering politics and bandwagons (Ep. 6.04, Jeroen Reuven) SEO is harder with AI, so brand matters more (Ep. 6.14, Mordy Oberstein) ABM works when sales and marketing actually align (Ep. 6.07, Jennifer Mancusi) Audience is not community (Ep. 6.12, Jay Clouse) Season 7 kicks off late January 2026. Until then, hit follow, share this episode with a brand builder mate, and if you’ve got 30 seconds, a 5 star review on Apple Podcasts helps the show reach more people.
S6 · E20
Dec 19, 2025 · 56 min
S06.EP20 - From Kickstarter to Cult Brand w/ Brandon Kim, Brevitē
From Kickstarter to thriving brand, Brevitē is a case study in how a challenger wins without a war chest. Learn more at https://justcreative.com/podcast In this episode of JUST Branding, we sit down with Brandon Kim, co-founder of Brevitē, to unpack how a scrappy Kickstarter project became a beloved camera bag brand for photographers, creators, and everyday explorers. We get into the real strategy behind their early momentum, including how they positioned in a crowded category, what they got right about their audience, and how they balanced instinct, research, and creative direction to build a brand people want to be part of. Brandon also shares what bootstrapping taught them about pace, priorities, and protecting the “soul” of the brand while scaling operations. If you’re building a DTC brand, growing a challenger business, or trying to create genuine community instead of empty reach, this one’s packed with practical lessons you can steal. In this episode, you’ll learn: How Brevitē found whitespace in a saturated market What made their Kickstarter campaign resonate early How they approached positioning, identity, and brand voice The tradeoffs of bootstrapping versus outside investment How they built community and creator advocacy without chasing vanity metrics What’s next as Brevitē evolves from product to lifestyle
S6 · E19
Nov 20, 2025 · 54 min
S06.EP19 - Make Your Brand Famous with Dan Cushing and Diego Borgo
In this episode, Jacob and Matt sit down with Thumbcorp’s co-founders Dan Cushing and Diego Borgo to unpack what brand fame really looks like in the worlds of blockchain, Web3 and frontier technology. Dan brings decades of creative and planning experience from Levi’s to Stella Artois to Vogue. Diego has helped global giants like adidas, Prada and Salesforce translate complex tech into stories the mainstream actually cares about. Together, they’re building Thumbcorp: an agency that sits at the intersection of visionary technology and the real world.

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