In a world of shifting needs, blurred categories, and copycat competitors, brand relevance is never a given. It must be earned—and constantly sharpened. This is a practical guide you’ll learn how to: Make smarter choices about who you serve and what you stand for Unearth motivating insights that truly change behaviour Compete beyond your category, from your consumer’s point of view Build emotional distinctiveness that’s hard to copy Stay consistent and agile with the right br

How to Sharpen Your Brand in a Fast-Changing World In a world where disruption is the new normal, maintaining brand consistency is no longer enough. You also need to stay relevant. This article explores the modern brand imperative: how to evolve without losing what made your brand iconic. From identifying shifting consumer needs to staying ahead of agile competitors, it lays out four critical questions every brand should ask to remain distinctive, credible, and competitive.

Madfest 2025 brought together the world’s top marketing minds — and the message was clear: emotional connection, brand consistency, and deep consumer insight are the foundations of modern brand growth. Over three days, I heard from brand leaders at IKEA, Heineken, PG Tips, Crocs, and more. Their stories confirmed (and challenged) the Ten Principles for Sharper Brand Positioning I use in my work — and helped me refine my approach.

In my opinion, Europe is at the forefront of retail innovation. So, on my annual Retail Study tour, I immersed myself in the London,...

Travel is a personal passion and an industry in which I want to learn and work more.  So, I bundled myself off to the Mumbrella Travel...

I attended the Mumbrella Retail Summit in Sydney this year, where we heard from top retail and FMCG/CPG brands such as Uber, Coca-Cola,...

Last week I attended Mumbrella 360, which is Australia's largest marketing & media conference.   Conferences are time-consuming,...

Marketers often get bored long before consumers do.   We tend to switch our brand strategy way too quickly and long before we have...

For my final Mumbrella 360 takeaway, I am staying on the topic of the cost of living crisis and how brands can retain and promote value...

A hot topic at Australia's premier marketing conference Mumbrella 360 was the cost of living crisis and how brands can retain and promote...

I've been working on a few Challenger Brand strategy projects lately, so I thought I'd share the strategic approaches and case studies we...

I recently spent a few weeks on a Retail Study Tour in the UK and Central Europe. Here are the top trends I spotted. 1. Tech adoption...

It was a full and worthy agenda, but I've picked my top 3 sessions and those key a-ha moments from Marketing Week's Festival of Marketing...

How to get the boss to see the value in brand planning when they want results now I recently sent out a survey to my community of brand...

Are you grappling with the fact that you have more than one actual or potential target consumer segment? Groups of people who do or may...

When I am creating or evolving a brand positioning with a client, church bells generally ring when we crack the consumer target and...

Clashing two need states to unlock positioning opportunities Let's take off your marketing hat and step into your consumer shoes for a...

Taking time away from business-as-usual to complete a strategic brand plan is often seen as a luxury or a resource burden for many...

How brands can balance their strategic endurance with the need to remain relevant & agile in today's rapidly changing world.

How to protect your brand's strategic endurance while maintaining the sprint pace required in today’s digital world.