What’s better than Return On Investment when it comes to content & community building?

Return On ‘Involvement’.

It’s the sweet spot where Advocacy lives, and the household-name brands know it.

Consider this your guide to getting stuck in – to growing personal, niche, and brand communities through the power of true, caring connection.

This week, welcome Author, TEDx Speaker, LinkedIn Top Voice & Creative Consultant, Jo Bird, to the podcast. Her years building iconic brand identities (ex-Lounge, ex-Gymshark) alongside her own make her expertly placed to advise you here, in conversation with Verity.

By now, it's a fact that the brands that win involve their audiences in their journey. The next frontier of engagement marketing will be co-creating with your community, to tell your brand story.

Turn this episode on and up to learn how to…

• Relinquish Control to Creators – Cautiously: Collaborating with creators of all sizes is key to spreading digital word-of-mouth and Advocacy. Jo warns against blindly handing over control, though. Brands need to be mindful of their intention and ensure creators align with their brand's ‘friendship group’, so to speak. Otherwise, you could quickly have the wrong person Advocating for you. The right creators can become invaluable Brand Advocates, but the relationship must be carefully curated.

• Not Just Follow Trends, But Set Them: Brands that excel don’t just follow trends – they’re creating them. Experimentation is key here, and taking inspiration from successful brands like Gymshark and Duolingo can help shape a unique strategy. In 2025, this will look like prioritizing co-creation, personal brands, TikTok Lives, and embracing content that fosters a conversational, involved community.

• Prioritize Advocating With Your Brand, Not For It: A brand must have a clear point of view, and share in it authentically with their community. Asking brand fans to Advocate for your brand, instead of with your brand, is a common mistake. Younger audiences expect brands to take a stance on issues, while allowing them to join in the movements made together. Advocacy is a long-term plan; the only one that ensures brand survival for the next 10-20 years, according to Jo herself.

Listen. Learn. Take your brand strategy (personal or commercial) to the next level.

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• On her Website
  

How do you actually stand out in fashion?

You stand for something. No, really stand for something.

That’s exactly what Beyond Yoga did. Almost 20 years later, the brand is still thriving.

Building firmly on the ethos that everyone can wear activewear – no matter their shape, size, or activity levels – has cemented them as a forward-thinking leader in this game.

Today, Paul is joined by Michelle Wahler (Co-Founder (& Former CEO) @ Beyond Yoga | ex-Levi Strauss & Co.) to share her co-founding story. Disrupting the activewear space from day 1, with industry-leading fabrics and a total embrace of size-inclusivity, Michelle knows exactly how to create a brand identity that resonates with women everywhere.

Gain real insight into how she balanced the demands of running a business while maintaining the passion and deep love for her work across two decades, alongside the one thing she’d do differently if she could go back. For fellow Founders, her advice is clear – don’t forget to protect your equity, and don’t sleep on the power of wholesale.

Whether you want to hear the hidden challenges of scaling globally, or you’re interested in how Beyond Yoga’s unique Space fabric came to be a brand signature, this conversation is packed with the knowledge of growing a brand that puts Advocacy first.

Tune in to hear Michelle’s take on…

• Breaking The Beauty Binary: This mission has been at the core of Beyond Yoga’s values, as the brand made a bold commitment to inclusivity and authenticity. With a strict ‘no photoshop’ rule, the brand took a strong stance on celebrating real bodies. This unapologetic approach not only resonated but also fueled word-of-mouth, as consumers struggled to find the same authenticity elsewhere.

• Creating Word-Of-Mouth Buzz: Michelle walks us through the tactical steps that helped the brand grow through word-of-mouth and Advocacy. From the moment the team realized Beyond Yoga had "made it", when Reese Witherspoon was pictured buying their leggings in the 2000s, to the importance of offering what consumers truly want – something no one else is doing.

• Being Generous To Be Kind First, Not To Benefit: There’s nothing that builds Advocacy quite like giving your product away for free. That’s exactly what Michelle did, time and time again – not just to creators, but directly to the Beyond Yoga community. Rewarding them for their loyalty, dedication, and taking a chance on a new name. In the same vein is employee Advocacy, with Michelle building out a generous company culture that truly cared for its people; shutting down during the holidays and offering flexible work options long before they were popular.

Here’s how you build for brands with a mission-driven approach.

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What do Duolingo’s ‘Duo’, ‘Percy Pig’ & AO’s marketing have in common?

Fun, personality & an easily translatable visual identity.

They’ve cracked the code on breaking through social media’s noise.

Industry-leading fashion brands, like Lounge Underwear, are now crossing categories to market like them. Here, you’ll learn how to too.

In today’s episode, Verity interviews Sonia Hussain (Brand & Communications Specialist | ex-Lounge, ex-Bravissimo) on building a great brand in 2024.

Together, they dig deep on the importance of establishing a strong identity, making meaningful connections with your customers, and the three key pillars to any Advocacy strategy – purpose, positioning, and personality.

Touching on direct strategies for building a brand people actively seek out to engage with, Sonia also shares advice for utilizing influencer marketing at every stage of this funnel.

Stand out by challenging the social status-quo.

Get started with Sonia’s take on…

• Retailtainment in Community-Building: Building meaningful connections is made easier by creating experiential marketing that resonates. Brands need to focus on ‘retailtainment’ — blending retail and entertainment to engage customers in-store. Hosting community-driven events, like Lounge Underwear's partnership with Girls Who Walk in Manchester, only serves to strengthen relationships and build a loyal customer base.

• Looking Outside Your Category: The social landscape is oversaturated. Now, to stand out, brands must innovate beyond the playbooks provided by the platforms to make their own mark. Observe and learn from successful strategies outside your category; like Sonia’s latest obsession with AO's engaging social content. Tailoring your approach to each platform is necessary – actioning content that fulfills Instagram’s need for polished inspiration, while prioritizing playful engagement on TikTok.

• Thinking Outside The Demographic Box: Actually understanding your audience, from their own input over any assumptions, is crucial for crafting compelling brand narratives. The ‘Barely There Bra’ campaign was a success for Lounge when they listened to direct feedback, tapping into Gen Z's preference for comfort over traditional underwear choices. This data-driven approach allowed them to craft a campaign that worked; selling out of bras that were marketed without even a photo.

Here’s how you build for brands with a mission-driven approach.

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Connect with Sonia:

• On LinkedIn
  

When it comes to kindness, one thing is clear. Everyone could use more of it.

Beekman 1802 is a brand built entirely for one purpose: making beauty kinder. And no, not in a jovial or solely ingredient-based sense.

Join Paul as he digs into this deep dive on kindness as a pillar of Brand Advocacy, in conversation with Brad Farrell (Chief Marketing Officer @ Beekman 1802 | ex-Kiehl’s, ex-L’Oréal).

Aiming to be the #1 prestige brand for sensitive skin globally, there are no compromises when it comes to building through word-of-mouth and practical kindness at Beekman.

From the brand’s origin story (hello, goat milk farmer who moved in with the Co-Founders) to the tactical ways both analytical and creative skills can create high-performance marketing teams, this is the science of Advocacy down to an art.

Get ready for Brad’s expert take on…

• Making Beauty Kinder: To your skin, your social media sphere, and yourself. Beekman is a brand utilizing ambassadors like any other in the beauty game, with one key twist; any Advocate of theirs is also rewarded for spreading digital kindness over solely product promotion. Dig into the impact of this choice, and the strategy it takes to deliver it at scale – while still scaling the success of your brand.

• Two-Way Conversations as The Crux of Community: When innovating from the wants of actual customers, a brand can rarely go wrong. Back-and-forths with those in your community are key. From social listening and customer service insights, to requests from ambassadors & Advocates, all feedback must be welcome. Learn how to identify the most actionable insights to surprise and delight your brand fans, turning their thoughts into meaningful action. It’s community building at its best; responsive, inclusive, and genuinely engaging.

• Infusing the Mission Into Every Aspect of Brand: Brad unpacks how to be a living, breathing example of your brand’s core values – making your brand mission a visible, tangible part of everything you do. From communicating product developments to a cohesive experience at any marketing touchpoint, learn how best to align every strategy and every decision with your brand’s north star.

Here’s how you build brands with a mission-driven approach.

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Connect with Brad:

On Beekman 1802’s website

On Brad’s LinkedIn

Every brand wants to build brand love. If you’re not actively working on it, you’re actively falling behind the competition.

Do you know the one thing it takes to get there?

Building a Brand Universe first.

By giving your community something to fall for, you build a world your customers, creators & Brand Advocates can find meaning and love in.

That’s why, this week, Verity’s welcoming Sekai Masunda (Senior Brand & Content Marketing Manager | ex-Jigsaw, ex-lululemon, ex-Pangaia) to the podcast.

From a marketing career affirmed when lululemon slid into her DMs, Sekai has fast become an industry go-to for all things content, brand & Advocacy. While she never intended to go into brand building, brand building found her; and the rest is history.

Now, she’s sharing her tried-and-tested tactics for turning your customers into Advocates via Brand Universes and tapping into taste communities (a term coined by our past guest, Ana Andjelic). From Sekia’s exact formula for good content to her take on why brands must stop taking themselves too seriously, there’s disruptive wisdom afoot.

Tune in to hear Sekai’s expert advice on…

• Making Money While Making Room for Brand: To drive impactful Brand Advocacy while helping the bottom line, bridging the gap between community feedback and C-Suite decisions is crucial. It’s not just listening to what your community says; it’s seamlessly translating those insights into strategic actions. Sekai knows how.

• Actually Knowing Your Advocates: REFY set a new standard, with community events that put their customers in the spotlight. Lululemon’s affinity for community led the charge and, while at Jigsaw, all VIP events hosted through Sekai were also customer-only. While influencers still play a role in brand strategy, your customers are now your most powerful Advocates. Each customer and every store has unique needs. It’s time to get on the ground, understand those differences, and deliver what your customers truly want — not what you assume they want.

• The Key to Disruptive 360° Campaigns: Dive into the data behind Jigsaw’s ‘New Age Denim’ campaign. This campaign was all about authenticity — featuring real bodies and real store managers, wearing their favorite denim as uniform. With a focus on understanding the customer journey, Sekai asked; when do people actually buy denim, and how can we address their fit concerns? From there, her team built category awareness step-by-step. Now, she’s sharing the playbook.

  
  

Listen. Learn. Build better brand love.

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When building Advocacy, customers fast become your brand’s new creators.

Does this spell the end of the powerhouse beauty influencer, once and for all?

Grown Alchemist doesn’t think so. The cult brand sees a place for megas, micros & nano-creators in every influencer & Advocacy strategy – when each is done right.

Here’s how you crack the content code to every. single. creator. approach.

Join Verity in welcoming Colby Wood (Global Social, Content & Community Manager @ Grown Alchemist | ex-Vieve, ex-L’Oréal) to this week’s episode of Building Brand Advocacy. Together, they unpack the playbook for global growth like Grown Alchemist’s.

From launching Lancôme’s first community to turning down a Parisian-headquartered role to partner with an influencer-founded brand, Colby’s career has been shaped by marketing to – and for – passionate people.

Now, she’s sharing expert advice for keeping up with these industry trends, operating on a lean team (even a team of one!), and intentionally activating influencers & creators along the entire marketing funnel.

Listen in to learn from Colby’s take on…

• Cultivating US Communities: Take it from a marketer who’s made it. Breaking a global brand like Grown Alchemist into the US market hasn’t been easy, but it’s happened. Colby’s learnt the lessons you need to hear about, so you can take her shortcuts to sustainable growth. Hear her top piece of advice for any brand looking to do the same, alongside every difference to prepare for when it comes to the inner workings of TikTok Shop across two countries.

• The Influencer vs Community Event Knock-Out: Does a brand have to choose one, or can there be space for both? The answer, according to Colby, is to let them share intentional spaces in your community engagement strategy. By having a good mix of both influencer-led and community-only events in your brand calendar, you can achieve the most important thing – true relevance of the events to the specific community attending. Apply her advice to see your events take off.

• Nailing the Content Split per Social Channel: You’ll learn exactly which platforms Grown Alchemist uses, where they see results, and why they’re there. Colby breaks down each platforms ideal content-fit, and the 5 types of community they should be engaging.

This is how you stand out & earn Brand Advocates in the beauty space.

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Connect with Colby:

• On LinkedIn

• On Instagram

• On Grown Alchemist’s Instagram

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  On Grown Alchemist’s TikTok

New Look has been a staple on the British high street for 50+ years.

Now, they’re fast adopting new frontiers. Ready, testing, and learning.

For this episode, Paul had the pleasure of interviewing long-time peer and industry pal, Raine Peake (Head of Marketing & Customer Growth @ New Look | ex-Director @ Jigsaw, Mint Velvet & Farfetch).

Together, they dive deep into the importance of – and tactics behind – investing in the right brand strategies to purpose-build passionate communities. Their expert takes on personalization through AI, engaging gamification, Out-Of-Home advertising, store refurbishments & influencer marketing are all included.

Tune in to hear Raine’s advice for…

• Creating Strategic Squads to Build Local Communities: Right now, New Look is running a highly successful experiment. The brand has overhauled one of their stores in Manchester, supported with numerous marketing activations – led by a dedicated in-house ‘Squad’. Taking up 25% of the assigned team members’ time, the benefits seen in awareness, growth, and conversion have far outweighed the cost. Now you can learn Raine’s formula for ‘Squad’ success, too.

• Turning Employees into your Biggest Advocates: Often overlooked, at the expense of your easiest brand win. Your employees are easily your best Advocates – a fact that’s especially true when it comes to fashion brands. They know everything about your product, are (ideally!) incredibly passionate about the brand, and (one better) often model the clothes themselves. Learn why the next frontier of building Brand Advocacy lies with them.

• Knowing the Place of AI, Personalization & Gamification: Big buzzwords here, for good reason. As Raine explores these domains for New Look, she openly shares her favorite insights so far. Her north star in these realms? Data, data, and data.

All the practical and tactical advice any Brand Builder needs from Raine is waiting.

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• On LinkedIn
  

Understanding your customer is one thing. Crafting content that actually resonates with them is another.

The cheat code to nailing this?

Building for brands you would actually buy from.

For this episode of Building Brand Advocacy, Verity is joined by Stefani O’Sullivan (Marketing Consultant and Head of Growth & Marketing @ Staud). It’s a conversation fashion marketers won’t want to tune out from, spanning all of today’s hottest industry topics.

Join the pair as they explore how fashion brands are fostering genuine connections, tactically cultivating communities of loyal superfans by seeking them out to create with – just like Glossier, Savage x Fenty, and more.

Their discussion dives deep into the impact of private sharing on socials, the success-stories of ‘storytelling-first’ brands, and what the future looks like for creative marketing.

Listen to hear Stef’s take on…

• The Role of Creators in Driving Brand Advocacy: Co-creation is the past, present, and future of content marketing. It’s why seeing the customer as your influencer is revolutionizing Brand Advocacy. The strategic value of nano and micro-influencers in building robust communities and driving that word-of-mouth marketing cannot be overlooked any longer.

  
  

• The Future of Brand Stunts & Reactive Marketing: One of the biggest powers any brand holds with their community lies here. Put on a remarkable show, impactfully join a timely conversation, and know the boxes you need to tick. Stef shows you them.

  
  

• Integrating Brand & Growth Teams: Right now, Stef sees a critical need for diverse perspectives in brand marketing. To her, brand and growth are not two sides of the same coin – they’re the solid material it’s made from. Integrate these halves into a whole and watch the brand community you’ve sought for come together.

  
  

Apply these tips. Soak up Stef’s knowledge. Elevate your brand’s Advocacy game.

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Connect with Stefani:

• On her Website

• On LinkedIn