Advertise on podcast: A Change of Brand

We wrap up our "Inside the Studio" mini-series and pull back the curtain on Matchstic, a US-based brand consultancy with 20+ years of experience. We sit down with Creative Director Brit Blankenship and Messaging Director Cameron Lebrechet to explore what makes an ideal client, the mantras they find themselves repeating throughout the branding process, and how AI is—or isn’t—shaping their work.  To see more of their work, visit achangeofbrand.com or follow us on Instagram @achangeofbrand. Created by Matchstic (matchstic.com / @matchstic), hosted by Blake Howard (@blakehoward), edited and scored by ATAM Audio

In this bonus episode, Blake sits down with Sunny Bonnell, co-founder of Motto, a brand transformation agency helping visionary leaders in the tech and innovation space. Sunny shares Motto’s 20-year evolution from a small Southern startup to a 50-person agency known for aligning leadership, culture, and brand strategy from the inside out. They also discuss recent rebranding controversies, such as Cracker Barrel and Jaguar, and how internal misalignment often precedes public backlash. A.I. also enters the chat as Sunny shares how Motto is experimenting with AI tools and why technology will never replace human judgment, taste, and storytelling. To see more of their work, visit achangeofbrand.com or follow us on Instagram @achangeofbrand. Created by Matchstic (matchstic.com / @matchstic), hosted by Blake Howard (@blakehoward), edited and scored by ATAM Audio, produced by Brianna Belcher, and artwork by Sara Pepper. Link to Future London Academy: bit.ly/FutureMBA

Is it possible to build a successful agency by giving away your process? In this bonus episode, we go inside the Philadelphia-based studio Smith & Diction with co-founders Chara and Mike Smith. Known for breaking agency norms, they’ve built a reputation by sharing their process and work-in-progress design files publicly. Is sharing their secret sauce… actually their secret sauce? Learn more as we dive inside the studio. To see more of their work, visit achangeofbrand.com or follow us on Instagram @achangeofbrand. Created by Matchstic (matchstic.com / @matchstic), hosted by Blake Howard (@blakehoward), co-hosted by Tracy Clark, edited and scored by ATAM Audio, produced by Brianna Belcher, and artwork by Sara Pepper. Link to Future London Academy: bit.ly/FutureMBA

Amazon is the world’s largest online retailer, home to a vast catalogue of categories and sub-brands. But as the company expanded, its brand architecture became increasingly fragmented. To bring clarity and cohesion, Amazon turned to Koto. Executive Creative Director Arthur Foliard shares how he and his team rebranded 50 sub-brands across 15 global markets—touching everything from visual identity systems to the Amazon logo itself. To see the change of brand for yourself, visit achangeofbrand.com or follow us on Instagram @achangeofbrand. Created by Matchstic (matchstic.com / @matchstic), hosted by Blake Howard (@blakehoward), co-hosted by Tracy Clark, edited and scored by ATAM Audio, produced by Brianna Belcher, and artwork by Stephanie Kim and Michael Martino.

Walmart is one of the largest retailers in the world. With 4700 stores, thousands of fleet vehicles, and countless assets online, there’s no chance a rebrand could be an overnight flip of the switch. It would have to be an evolution. Tosh Hall, Chief Creative Officer at JKR, and David Hartman, VP of Creative for Walmart, speak to how they approached a brand refresh for a company of this scale. To see the change of brand for yourself, visit achangeofbrand.com or follow us on Instagram @achangeofbrand. Created by Matchstic (matchstic.com / @matchstic), hosted by Blake Howard (@blakehoward), co-hosted by Tracy Clark, edited and scored by ATAM Audio, brief-in by Dee Boyle, produced by Brianna Belcher, and artwork by Stephanie Kim and Michael Martino.

How many projects require three brands to be developed within a year? For Utah’s newest professional sports team, they needed visuals for the announcement of getting a hockey team, the temporary Utah Hockey Club, and finally the Utah Mammoth. Ben Barnes, Senior Brand Director at the Utah Jazz and Utah Mammoth, shares how he and his team navigated this mammoth of a branding project. To see the change of brand for yourself, visit achangeofbrand.com or follow us on Instagram @achangeofbrand. Created by Matchstic (matchstic.com / @matchstic), hosted by Blake Howard (@blakehoward), co-hosted by Tracy Clark, edited and scored by ATAM Audio, produced by Brianna Belcher, and artwork by Stephanie Kim and Michael Martino.

One of the most sensational rebrands of 2024 was Jaguar, the British luxury car brand that seemed to leave their legacy on the side of the road. While the uproar of negative reactions felt unanimous, a few brave souls dared to call it genius. In this episode we hear from brand positioning expert and author Laura Ries as well as technology journalist Dr. James Morris to get their opinion on the Jaguar rebrand. To see the change of brand for yourself, visit achangeofbrand.com or follow us on Instagram @aachangeofbrand. Created by Matchstic (matchstic.com / @matchstic), hosted by Blake Howard (@blakehoward), co-hosted by Tracy Clark, edited and scored by ATAM Audio, produced by Brianna Belcher, and artwork by Stephanie Kim and Michael Martino.

Manischewitz is a beloved staple in any Jewish pantry. However, both the brand and the Kosher food market were on the decline. Can a rebrand not only lift them both back up, but rekindle joy and connection too? Lisa Smith, former Executive Creative Director at JKR, speaks to how she and her team did more than create snazzy new packaging, and instead offered a seat at the table. To see the change of brand for yourself, visit achangeofbrand.com or follow us on Instagram @achangeofbrand. Created by Matchstic (matchstic.com / @matchstic), hosted by Blake Howard (@blakehoward), co-hosted by Tracy Clark, edited and scored by ATAM Audio, brief-in by Dee Boyle, produced by Brianna Belcher, and artwork by Stephanie Kim and Michael Martino. “Sergio's Magic Dustbin" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 

AI has been making waves across industries–and for much longer than we think. It’s weird, messy, and maybe magic. As innovation accelerates, can the branding world truly embrace AI without losing the human touch? Teemu Suviala, Global Chief Creative Officer at Landor, takes a deep dive into AI's growing role in branding, from creative chaos to multi-sensory storytelling. Will this flip your script? Or is it all a non-human hallucination?  Visit achangeofbrand.com or follow us on Instagram @achangeofbrand. Created by Matchstic (matchstic.com / @matchstic), hosted by Blake Howard (@blakehoward), co-hosted by Tracy Clark, edited and scored by ATAM Audio, produced by Brianna Belcher, and artwork by Stephanie Kim and Michael Martino.

Changes don’t have to be drastic to be delightful. Sometimes all it takes is a little rearranging and refining, like furniture design legend Herman Miller, which unveiled their first rebrand in almost 25 years. Take a seat as Garrett Corcoran, Design Director at Order, shares how he and his team embraced this legacy and refined what was already deemed a symbol of American design excellence. To see the change of brand for yourself, visit achangeofbrand.com or follow us on Instagram @achangeofbrand. Created by Matchstic (matchstic.com / @matchstic), hosted by Blake Howard (@blakehoward), co-hosted by Tracy Clark, edited and scored by ATAM Audio, produced by Brianna Belcher, and artwork by Stephanie Kim and Michael Martino.

With a muddled awareness, misperceptions, and slowing donation growth, the Humane Society of the United States knew that after 70+ years it was time for a change–and that started with the name. But renaming takes courage. Bethany Lesko, Partner at Lippincott, shares how she and her team approached preserving existing equity while gaining new ground, ultimately to develop a unified brand identity synonymous with positive, enduring change. To see the change of brand for yourself, visit achangeofbrand.com or follow us on Instagram @achangeofbrand. Created by Matchstic (matchstic.com / @matchstic), hosted by Tracy Clark, co-hosted by Blake Howard (@blakehoward), edited and scored by ATAM Audio, produced by Brianna Belcher, and artwork by Stephanie Kim and Michael Martino.

As New York City FC approached their 10th season, the club set its sights on cementing its place among the city’s most iconic teams. But in a city of strong opinions, it wouldn’t be easy. Soccer supporters are famously passionate and loyal, while New Yorkers take spirited to another level. Milo Kowalski, Senior Creative Director at NYCFC, and Justin Au, Creative Director at Gretel, share the play-by-play of how they scored a branding win with one of the toughest crowds around. To see the change of brand for yourself, visit achangeofbrand.com or follow us on Instagram @achangeofbrand. Created by Matchstic (matchstic.com / @matchstic), hosted by Blake Howard (@blakehoward), co-hosted by Tracy Clark, edited and scored by ATAM Audio, produced by Brianna Belcher, and artwork by Stephanie Kim and Michael Martino.

Rebranding any global brand is a challenge, but especially in fintech where trust is non-negotiable. How do you approach rebranding a financial giant like PayPal? Andrea Trabucco-Campos, Partner at Pentagram, reveals how trust wasn’t just a goal for the brand’s audiences, but was a guiding principle within the design process itself. To see the change of brand for yourself, visit achangeofbrand.com or follow us on Instagram @achangeofbrand. Created by Matchstic (matchstic.com / @matchstic), hosted by Blake Howard (@blakehoward), co-hosted by Tracy Clark, edited and scored by ATAM Audio, brief-in by Dee Boyle, produced by Brianna Belcher, and artwork by Stephanie Kim and Michael Martino.

We’re stepping into the overlooked and underappreciated world of verbals to reflect on the best (and worst) brand writing of 2024. From one-off campaigns to full verbal identities, which brands made this year’s naughty and nice lists? To weigh in on the good, the bad, and the missed opportunities is Carissa Justice, Founder of The Subtext, an online destination by and for writers, amplifying unique voices and fresh perspectives. To see more of the brands discussed today, visit achangeofbrand.com or follow us on Instagram @changeofbrand. Check out thesubtext.online (here) for exciting and inspiring copywriting in branding and beyond. Created by Matchstic (matchstic.com / @matchstic), hosted by Blake Howard (@blakehoward), edited and scored by ATAM Audio, fact-checked and coordinated by Jill Jeffries, produced by Brianna Belcher, and artwork by Stephanie Kim.

When Pepsi’s overly philosophical rebrand launched in 2009, it was a real head scratcher for average consumers and design aficionados alike. While their 125th anniversary provided an opportunity for change, how do you even begin to rebrand such a global company like Pepsi? In this masterclass on playing the long game, Mauro Porcini, Chief Design Officer at Pepsico, tells the story of how he and his team across 17 Pepsi design centers executed a rebrand 10+ years in the making. To see the change of brand for yourself, visit achangeofbrand.com or follow us on Instagram @achangeofbrand. Created by Matchstic (matchstic.com / @matchstic), hosted by Blake Howard (@blakehoward), co-hosted by Tracy Clark, edited and scored by ATAM Audio, brief-in by Dee Boyle, fact-checked and coordinated by Jill Jeffries, produced by Brianna Belcher, and artwork by Stephanie Kim.