JUST Branding cover art
Podcast · 33 episodes

JUST Branding

by JUST Branding - by Jacob Cass & Matt Davies · English

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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S08.EP15 — Customer Experience Psychology: How to Build a Memorable Brand with Si ElliottBehavioral science applied to customer experience and brand building—how to design memorable, emotionally resonant experiences by shifting from “what we deliver” to “what customers perceive.”17 Sep 2026 · 1 h 12 min · 25 chapters
S07.EP14 - Brands, Bots, Buyers: How AI Is Changing Brand Choice with Asha ParmarHow AI changes brand choice and brand equity by mediating consumer decision journeys through LLMs, UGC-driven “machine equity,” and emerging agents; includes implications for transparency,…31 Aug 2026 · 51 min · 19 chapters
S07.E13 - Why Story Still Wins in Brand Building with Park HowellWhy story still wins in brand building—because stories create meaning in the brain, make numbers understandable, and help audiences decide and act.13 Aug 2026 · 1 h 4 min · 22 chapters
S07.EP12 - Creative Leadership & The Future of Branding with Ekaterina SolomeinaCreative leadership and the future of branding—how designers move from making work to influencing business outcomes, especially as AI reshapes the industry.30 Jul 2026 · 1 h 6 min · 22 chapters
S07.EP11 - Pricing Creative Work with Jonathan StarkWhy hourly billing fails for designers/strategists/consultants, and how to price creative work with value-based pricing tied to buyer outcomes, authority, and positioning.9 Jul 2026 · 56 min · 23 chapters
S07.EP10 - The Science of Brand Associations with Ulli AppelbaumThe episode explains “brand associations” as “brand memories” in consumers’ minds, and how to build them using evidence-backed principles from memory science and marketing research.25 Jun 2026 · 1 h 1 min · 20 chapters
S07.EP09 - From Execution to Expertise with David C. BakerExecution vs expertise for creative firms—why sloppy/generalist positioning persists, how to move upstream, and how AI changes the value equation (use AI to free time for strategy, not to keep…8 Jun 2026 · 44 min · 23 chapters
S07.EP08 - Why Most Agencies Sound The Same + How to Really Differentiate with Emily PennyAgency differentiation in a saturated market—why many design agencies sound the same, and how to stand out using positioning, verbal identity, and focus (not “noisy” marketing).25 May 2026 · 42 min · 21 chapters
S07.EP07 - Founder Branding with Amelia SordellFounder-led brand building/personal branding as a commercial lever; how to build trust, distribute content, and train teams to do it without forcing everyone to post.9 May 2026 · 55 min · 19 chapters
S07.EP06 - UX & UI — The Brand Experience Gap w/ Alexander LofthouseHow UX (digital user experience) and UI (visual interface) must align with brand strategy across the customer journey; UX failures can “break” the brand.21 Apr 2026 · 45 min · 24 chapters
S07.EP05 - Why Most Designers Won’t Last (and What AI Can’t Replace) with James MartinReputation over hype; how designers build durable brands through integrity, competence, narrative, and community; why craft/taste can’t be faked; and what AI/DIY tools can and can’t replace.31 Mar 2026 · 1 h 8 min · 21 chapters
S07.EP04 - Designers Don’t Build Brands with Kevin FinnIn this episode of the JUST Branding Podcast, hosts Jacob Cass and Matt Davies speak with Kevin Finn, founder of TheSumOf and author of *Brand Principles.* The discussion centers on the provocative…12 Mar 2026 · 58 min · 23 chapters
S07.EP03 - B2B Branding: The Unsexy Truth with Martin ZarianThe JUST Branding Podcast, hosted by Jacob Cass and Matt Davies, focuses on providing insights and strategies for designers and entrepreneurs in brand building.25 Feb 2026 · 56 min · 31 chapters
S07.EP02 - PR Isn’t Promotion. It’s How Brand Strategy Becomes Real with Nikkia AdolpheIn this episode, co-hosts Jacob Cass and Matt Davies welcome Nikkia Adolphe, Chief Innovation Officer at BrandSavor, to explore the essential role of Public Relations (PR) in translating brand…5 Feb 2026 · 40 min · 19 chapters
S07.EP01 - Beyond Personal Branding: Debbie Millman on Character, Symbols, and Brand DNAS07.EP1 - Beyond Personal Branding: Debbie Millman on Character, Symbols, and Brand DNA15 Jan 2026 · 54 min · 22 chapters
S06.EP21 - Best of 2025 (Season 6)This episode of the JUST Branding Podcast is a highlight reel from Season 6, featuring key discussions with influential branding experts such as Mark Ritson, Rory Sutherland, Marty Neumeier, and…29 Dec 2025 · 1 h · 29 chapters
S06.EP20 - From Kickstarter to Cult Brand w/ Brandon Kim, BrevitēIn this episode of the JUST Branding podcast, hosts Jacob Cass and Matt Davies interview Brandon Kim, co-founder of Brevitē, a camera bag brand that has transitioned from a Kickstarter project to a…19 Dec 2025 · 57 min
S06.EP19 - Make Your Brand Famous with Dan Cushing and Diego BorgoMake Your Brand Famous with Dan Cushing and Diego Borgo20 Nov 2025 · 54 min
S06.EP18 - Transforming Amazon: Behind the Brand Overhaul with Koto (James Greenfield)In this episode, Jacob and Matt discuss one of the most significant brand transformations in recent history, focusing on Amazon's overhaul in partnership with Koto.4 Nov 2025 · 36 min
S06.EP17 - The Strategic Enemy: Why Great Brands Need a Villain with Laura RiesIn this episode of the JUST Branding podcast, hosts Jacob Cass and Matt Davies welcome global branding expert Laura Ries to discuss her new book, *Strategic Enemy: How to Build a Brand Position by…21 Oct 2025 · 44 min
S06.E16 - De-Positioning: A Bold New Playbook for Brand Strategy with Todd IrwinIn this episode of the JUST Branding podcast, hosts Jacob Cass and Matt Davies interview Todd Irwin, Chief Strategy Officer at Fazer and author of the book *De-Positioning*.2 Oct 2025 · 42 min
S06.EP15 - What Smart Brands Do Differently with David AakerIn this episode of the JUST Branding Podcast, hosts Jacob Cass and Matt Davies welcome branding expert David Aaker, often referred to as the father of modern branding.1 Sep 2025 · 55 min
S06.EP14 - Why Brands Shouldn’t Rely on Google (+ How to Actually Get Visibility) with Mordy ObersteinIn this episode, the hosts Jacob Cass and Matt Davies engage with Mordy Oberstein, a prominent voice in the SEO industry.29 Aug 2025 · 46 min
S06.EP13 - Branding in an Age of Autocracy: Marty Neumeier on Trust, Truth & PowerS06.EP13 - Branding in an Age of Autocracy: Marty Neumeier on Trust, Truth & Power30 Jul 2025 · 1 h 5 min