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Necessity is the mother of invention – and the creation of Wing Zone is very much a reflection of this adage. When Matt Friedman, a buffalo wing-loving kid from New York State, decided to trade in the blustery winters for the warm surroundings of the University of Florida, he quickly realized that his favorite food was nowhere to be found in the town of Gainesville. Matt and his soon-to-be business partner Adam Scott turned their fraternity house kitchen into their restaurant headquarters and started delivering wings across campus. Now, nearly 25 years later, Wing Zone is a thriving franchise business with over 100 restaurants in the United States and 20 international locations, all built on the foundation of unique flavors and a family-like culture. Remaining true to their roots, Wing Zone is slated to open a 4,500 square-foot restaurant on the University of Florida campus in early 2016.  Here, Matt shares his insights on building a business from the ground up, entrepreneurial passion, and the process of defining a brand that had been 15 years in the making.

Among his many accolades – award-winning chef, innovative restaurateur, cookbook author, and reality television alum – Kevin Gillepsie’s real claim to fame is an unwavering commitment to being true to himself. In a landscape where authenticity has shifted from a meaningful description of a brand to an often overused buzzword, Kevin has managed to infuse an indisputable genuineness into each and every one of his ventures.   After receiving critical acclaim as the chef of the upscale Woodfire Grill, Kevin’s first solo restaurant endeavor, Gunshow, was launched in an effort to provide an innovative dining experience without exclusivity or pretention. Revival, his newest pursuit, takes this concept even further – serving family-stile Southern Sunday supper like Kevin used to eat at his grandmother’s house. In this episode of On Branding, Kevin reflects on how his working class Georgia upbringing inspires him, balancing artistry and business acumen, and how a quiet introvert became a “Top Chef” fan favorite. 

There are few things people love more than their dogs. And BarkBox, a subscription-based business that enables dog owners to surprise their precious pooches with a monthly selection of toys and treats, has tapped into this love in a big way. The brainchild of Henrik Werdelin and two fellow dog lovers – Matt Meeker and Carly Strife – BarkBox grew from a casual “side business” to a fully-fledged enterprise with Bark & Co, complete with a media property, adoption service, and e-commerce site. Bark & Co even designs its own products under Henrik's direction. He leads design, content and future product development for the company. Originally from Denmark, Henrik has taken his entrepreneurial prowess across the globe – spending time in London, Paris, and currently New York. His extensive experience includes serving as Entrepreneur in Residence at Index Ventures, a leading venture capital firm, where he worked with start-ups that turned into household names like Rent the Runway and DropBox. He was formerly the Vice President of Product Development and Strategy for MTV Networks International, and he was named one of Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People. Henrik is currently the managing partner at Prehype, where he and a group of international entrepreneurs work with companies like Verizon and Intel to help them innovate like start-ups. In this episode of On Branding, Henrik shares his take on creating a human-like brand, the importance of narrative – for company culture and fostering connections with customers – and taking a bold stance on humor.

A brand is only as powerful as its story, and Meg Flynn, the social media content producer for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, has plenty of inspirational material to work with.  The pediatric healthcare system has built a bustling online community that captures the buoyant spirit of those it serves. They’ve earned national attention for both creative social media campaigns – like the April Fool’s therapy dog takeover – and for the Dedicated to All Better blog, which tackles heart-wrenching topics such as child abuse and raises awareness about critical health issues in a timely manner. As the largest healthcare provider for children in Georgia and one of the largest pediatric clinical care providers in the country, Children’s hosts more than 850,000 patient visits annually at three hospitals and 25 neighborhood locations. 

There’s nothing more powerful than the truth. This is the principle Chuck Kent, director of brand content for Chicago-based B2B branding firm Avenue and contributing editor for Branding Magazine’s Branding Roundtable, has built his career on.  At the heart of effective marketing and branding is the ability to tell stories – and what better way to arrive at a company’s “simple brand truth,” as Chuck calls it, than through honest and meaningful discussion? In an era where content is king, interviews are one of the most easily utilized tools marketers have to allow great brand stories to tell themselves. A copywriter turned creative director at BBDO, now a content strategist and industry journalist, Chuck understands this better than almost anyone. Whether he’s crafting compelling content for his clients, which include household names such as Motorola and Wrigley, or facilitating dynamic and informative conversations for the Branding Roundtable, Chuck relies on the tried-and-true technique of asking questions to solicit meaty, meaningful insights.

How do you make a career transition that transcends every preconceived notion you ever had for your professional trajectory when you also are surrounded by a host of skeptics? For Jolie Weber, Chief Financial Officer at Wise Foods, it was about believing in her personal brand. In Brand Fever’s latest online episode of On Branding, Wise Foods’ former Chief Marketing Officer shares the story about how she made the transition from leading the company’s marketing department for eight years to becoming its CFO in 2011.

While flawless skin and Photoshopped figures reach popularity in the editorial branding industry, Atlanta-based So Worth Loving is on a mission: to disrupt images of perfection by celebrating scars, flaws, and authentic beauty.   On today’s episode, you’ll meet Eryn Erickson, Founder of So Worth Loving. An apparel brand whose roots begin in her basement, So Worth Loving has since expanded to a global audience, linked by powerful stories of self-love and acceptance.   Serving up reminders that her #SWLfamily is lovable without alteration, Eryn and her team post to Instagram, Tumblr, Facebook and Twitter up to seven times a day, sharing personal stories of struggle with a profound depth of honesty. The reason? To remind her community that, while negative thoughts may bubble up throughout the day, they can be pushed aside to accentuate – and celebrate – the positive.   Visit the So Worth Loving shop, or talk to Eryn on Twitter at @SoWorthLoving.   No matter my history, past mistakes, relationship status, or career choice — I am worthy of love.

This episode of On Branding is brought to you by Circles Conference, a creative conference for the creative community. Learn from world-changing thinkers and innovators, to inspire, create, and repeat. Attend this September 18th and 19th in Grapevine, Texas, to mingle with speakers like Jessica Hische, Kathleen Shannon, the Heads of State, and more. To grab your tickets before their gone, visit circlesconference.com. Kathleen Shannon is known for being kind of a powerhouse. A designer, creative director, and strategist wrapped up into one moving, shaking, phenom among the design community, Kathleen brings a sense of pizzaz and energy to every single brand project she touches. Spiritual. Whimsical. Buzzing with life. She is the co-founder of Braid Creative, working alongside her sister Tara Street – the two are a yin-and-yang between complimentary right-brain, left-brain skill sets. Offering creative visions and, yes, a shoulder to lean on during what can often be an intense branding process, Kathleen helps solo-prenuers, bloggers, photographers, designers, artists and other 'makers' refine and embolden their message so that they can make money with focus – and purpose. Besides taking on clients, Kathleen has also become highly popular in the online design community for the Braid E-Courses she develops with her sister, where they share bits-n-pieces of the Braid Method – a tuned in approach that helps anyone (clients and non-clients alike) give thoughtful meditation for why their brand exists...and for who. And, if she weren't busy enough, Kathleen is the proud new mother of baby Fox, born this spring. We caught up with Kathleen this week to discuss how new motherhood enhances the intensity of the creative process, authenticity that magnetizes new - and shifting - audiences, and making time to connect with her legions of creative, ambitious fans all over the world.

As far as German engineering goes, it's - well - the gold standard. Have you heard the phrase? Volkswagen's ads are famous for this: "That's the power of German engineering". From the scripts of car commercials, appliances, watches, and other consumer products, it is the unspoken moniker for all things thoughtful and richly designed in both form and function.   But, what about razors? Rigorously engineered by craftsmen and production workers to deliver an exceptional shave, when you're using a blade - on your face, or your legs - quality matters.   Today, we're digging deep into the world of Harry's, co-founded by Jeff Raider. If the name sounds familiar, you may know him as the co-founder of Warby Parker, where he's implemented design thinking and hands-on business leadership to deliver branded experiences that inject delight and B-Corp do-goodness. Still on-board with Warby Parker, Jeff runs Harry's, overseeing scale, social impact, and brand personality to ensure the finest of experiences to men globally.   What is it like to run a household name brand catering to a critical, unique need, especially among millennial men, completely online? How has Harry's $100 million acquisition of Feintechnik - its German razor blade factory - put it front and center beyond competing throwaway brands like Dollar Shave and in-store retail brands like Gillette? And, how must an exceptional user experience of the brand translate from the web...to one's face?

Cap Watkins, Design Lead at Etsy, didn't set out to be a manager. He never imagined himself taking 12 talented designers under his wing, managing expectations, workflows, processes, and design collaboration. But, as it turns out – Cap is actually loving it.   Cap, who once studied creative writing, pivoted into the intersection of startups and design early on in his career. The scrappiness, he says, has made him better at what he does. He's planted roots at Formspring, a global social network for Q&A conversation, as well as Zoosk, an online dating service that uses big data and algorithmic patterns to identify potential suitors. Cap also spent time at Amazon, before making the switch to Etsy, where he dug his heels into usability and organizational operations.   Today, we're talking with Cap about Etsy, 2014’s prestigious Cooper-Hewitt Smithsonian National Design Award recipient, about showing the "messy" underbelly of your design work, celebrating failure within culture, and why design leaders need to do more than poke holes – they need to learn how to ask better questions.   Talk to Cap on Twitter as @Cap, and Tweet us with your favorite takeaway from the show at @BrandFever and #OnBranding.

Jocelyn Ring's world is filled with whiteboards, markers, and ideas – for brands, for companies, and for people. Jocelyn is a "visual facilitator" and strategy consultant at her own company, The Ring Effect, working with brands and their stakeholders across virtually every level of the organization to better communicate processes, vision, and long term goals. She draws, she doodles, and she brainstorms conversations in realtime, giving everyone at the table a chance to see themselves in a new light.   Jocelyn's work history is represented as a fascinating "bio sketch" you can find on her site. She's one of those gifted creative minds that can produce incredible left brain and right brain work. For instance, she studied economics AND art history — naturally — at Hamilton College before working at Deutche Bank on things like mergers and acquisitions and debt and equity for the likes of Honeywell, Tyco and ITT Industries. Later, Jocelyn made the leap into marketing by earning her MBA from NYU's Stern School of Business, later founding Brain Tattoo Publishing, an online enterprise for creatively charged entrepreneurs, professionals, and marketers, until diving headfirst into The Ring Effect, where she continues to help everyone from the CEO to the office manager "visualize" their brand's unique place in the market.   Jocelyn also guides these brands through vision workshops — where they see growth happening — as well as meeting planning , sitting in on meetings to whiteboard and "draw" everything on paper it happens as an unbiased facilitator. The result? A remarkably refreshing understanding of what's being discussed, NOT another PowerPoint filled with boring banter that engages no one.   Today, you'll meet Jocelyn and learn more about her art-meets-business approach to branding. What can visual facilitation do for yours?

In last week's Part I episode with Neale Martin, branding and marketing consultant and CEO of Sublime Marketing, and author of "Habit: The 95% of Behavior Marketers Ignore", we uncovered the basic foundations of HOW habits are formed and WHY they matter to marketers. Today, we're jumping into the functions of habit – trust, lies, the business of behavioral marketing patterns – and how YOU can take action to implement proven research into your brand strategy. If you're listening, Tweet us with your reaction to this show at @BrandFever, using the hashtag #OnBranding.

Dr. Neale Martin is the kind of marketer that tries to understand why you buy the same brand of toothpaste, peanut butter, and batteries year after year, without so much as blinking at the other competitors on the shelf. He studies why consumers shop at the same stores, buy the same products, and get into the same type of "comfortable" relationships with brands, that we often slip into with other humans. Neale is a habit marketer and consultant who has worked with emerging technology companies, B2B corporations, and consumer facing brands since the early 90’s. A Ph.D. graduate from Georgia Tech who left the academic world of papers and publishing, Neale got his wings in the emerging telecom business. His top clients include such established brands as Sprint, Samsung, Cisco, and Texas Instruments. Neale is the author of Habit: The 95% of Behavior Marketers Ignore, and an accomplished speaker, making the rounds at TED events and book publishing workshops. Today marks Part I of our in-depth conversation with Dr. Martin. Learn how customers form purchasing habits, what the one “golden window” of opportunity is that you can seize to change those habits, and what risk, reward, and loyalty look like in the minds of buyers. We’ll also tell you more about how you can customize your own sales funnel, by segmenting buyer habits and implementing marketing strategies based on behavior, attitude, and intent. Tune in, subscribe on iTunes, and be sure to share this episode. As always, you can let us know what you think on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBranding, or Facebook.

Julie Cottineau, Founder and CEO of BrandTwist and Brand School Master Class, is all about twisting, moving, and shaking — your brand, that is. Fitting, since the former VP of Brand at Virgin has much to celebrate these days. Her background is so rich with experience, studying communications at the prestigious University of Pennsylvania, later taking up arms at ad agency Grey Worldwide, before going on to lead innovation at Interbrand. Before founding BrandTwist and the Brand School Master Class, Julie was working shoulder-to-shoulder with Richard Branson at Virgin, learning hands-on how to scale new products and delight consumers in the airline, hotel, and retail industries along the way. Today, she advises and consults emerging brands on their brand strategy, positioning, and unique opportunities in the marketplace. Julie has worked with hundreds of entrepreneurs, founders and CEO's to bring products and services to market, through group-led sessions that encourage clients to reframe their thinking. What is it about big, beloved brands like Apple, IKEA or Starbucks that can be “twisted” to apply to their own, she asks? Listen in! Tune in, subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, or Vimeo, and be sure to share this episode. As always, you can let us know what you think on Twitter or Facebook. 

Guy Duncan is a man of many Chuck Taylors. Several dozen, actually. Which is fitting, since the Coca-Cola Global Creative Director is always stepping foot on a new continent, managing Coca-Cola, Diet Coca-Cola, and Coca-Cola Zero – the trilogy of Coca-Cola brands – and overseeing all major international marketing, advertising, and content initiatives, including worldwide events such as the Olympics and World Cup. Coca-Cola, consistently ranked as the world's top global brand, has championed marketing based on its "Open Happiness" and "Share a Coke" campaigns, as well as its "2020 Vision" for innovation, design, digital engagement, and branded communications. Its most popular YouTube commercials typically feature a vending machine and spontaneous stunts, like dance-offs and singing competitions. In some cases, the machines have been placed in areas where political and social upheaval prevent Coca-Cola consumers from face-to-face interactions, therefore attempting to bring peace. On this episode of On Branding, Guy tells us how Starsky & Hutch introduced him to the facets of brand storytelling, why placing the consumer as a hero in Coca-Cola's offbeat advertising makes an impact beyond geography or language, and what the challenges are to being the world’s most highly ranked creative director.

Sure, you could measure success by how many plays or comments you've gotten on your new brand video. You could ask people to visit your website, or spread your work of art around on social media, hoping it all goes "viral". Or, you could get a drilldown of data on that video, like heat maps that show where - exactly - your video hooked viewers, when audiences started to drop off, or turn your video into a lead collection tool through clickable calls to action and email collection. The choice is yours. But Wistia seems to be making it clear. Today, we're giving you everything you need to know about how to harness the power of video, straight from Wistia's CEO, Chris Savage. How to measure engagement minute-by-minute, what the best call-to-action strategy should be, and Chris' top tips on how, when, and where to create new video content on the regular. Tune in, subscribe on iTunes, and be sure to share this episode. As always, you can let us know what you think on Twitter or Facebook!

Monday Night Brewing is Atlanta's true hometown brewery. Back in 2006, Jonathan Baker and the company's co-founders Jeff Heck, Joel Iverson, and Adam Bishop, would come home from their day jobs each Monday night, loosen their ties, and get nerdy about home brew techniques, hops, and malty flavors. Out of both goodwill and friendship, Monday Night shared the first hundred batches with close friends, inviting a steady stream of eager taste testers to their garage to sample what would become their three beer offerings today: Eye Patch Ale, Drafty Kilt Scotch Ale, and Fu Manbrew. Fast forward to 2012, and the original crew had quit their day jobs in order to open up shop full-time in Northwest Atlanta, not far from the likes of the South's most beloved eateries like Bacchanalia, The Optimist, and Abattoir. You can find out more about dropping in for a tasting session and tour here. Today, Monday Night is proud to be a strictly Southeastern beer brand, crafted for weeknight consumption and paired to perfection with a vareity of food and feasts. Oh, and the ties? They're now the brand's beloved logo, seen on each and every label that comes off the line. Tune in, subscribe on iTunes, and be sure to share this episode. As always, you can let us know what you think on Twitter or Facebook!

As far as agencies go, iStrategyLabs is a force to reckon with. It's disruption set ablaze, next generation branding for next generation brands seeking out strategy that stretches the status quo. Just taking a look into their portfolio is like looking into a kaleidoscope of digital inventions on the edge – its GE Social Fridge, Redd's Apple Launcher, emergency PiePal pizza button, and Ford data visualization at DC Week are just a few top projects that've been known to turn heads. Agency. Studio. Workshop. Mad scientist's lab. The company has worked with the world's behemoth retail, tech, hotel, automotive, beverage and broadcasting corporations, from GE to Disney, Audi to Walmart, Geico to Red Bull. Peter Corbett is ISL's fearless leader, a man who's a DC-area celebrity, and whose many hats – from programming to production – have earned him standout brand projects in just six years. Today, Peter talks to On Branding about why brands are seeking out experiential brand partners, how agency leaders can hire the best "hacker" talent, the difference between practitioners and orchestrators, and why density is best served hot with a side of curiosity, community and intellect.

Whether or not you work for brands or buy from them, it's a universal truth – every brand in the world has its own look and feel that makes it appealing. Food brands have their own unique taste that keeps people addicted. Music is becoming a powerful new way to trigger emotional resonance to a brand, as we discussed in our first (ever) episode with Songza co-founder, Eric Davich. But scent. Ah, yes. Scent. The forgotten sense. Chances are, you've walked into a Westin, Bloomingdale's, Hard Rock Cafe, or Hugo Boss — among other casinos, restaurants, and hotels — and have noticed your heart rate booming. Suddenly, everything seems more friendly, more possible, more attainable. Not just the store, either. You feel more posh, more friendly, sexier, savvier, smarter, swifter. You check-in, buy the pants, stay for dessert, or decide – oh, what the heck, I'll just play one more round of blackjack. That, right there, is the art and science of scent branding. And in fact, 84% of people in a scented store are more likely to buy products than those without branded scents, according to a recent BBC feature on Secrets of the Sale. Today, we're sitting down with Ed Burke, Director of Communications at ScentAir. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, but operating in 109 countries and among 70,000 scent installations around the globe, ScentAir reigns supreme as the industry leader in scent branding design and psychology. Ed sat down with On Branding to explain a little bit about the "black magic" behind the process, and how brands are realizing that ScentAir helps them meet strategic business objectives, thanks to the olfactory nerve. Who knew? To Ed, and the brands he serves, scent branding smells like – well, success. Tune in, subscribe on iTunes, and be sure to share this episode. As always, you can let us know what you think on Twitter or Facebook!