Hi Branded friends! This is Sara Lohse popping back into your headphones to let y'all know that my brand new podcast dropped today!

It's called My First Stage: How I Landed My First Speaking Gig (and What Happened Next).

My First Stage shares the behind-the-scenes stories of how today’s professional speakers got their start, what it took to land that first gig, and how it shaped their business.

From big breaks to total flukes, each episode is a candid conversation about the power of speaking, the lessons learned along the way, and the impact one opportunity can make.

You'll hear:

1. Real stories from real speakers about the hustle, heart, and happy accidents that led to their first booked gig
2. Behind-the-scenes moments: awkward intros, standing ovations, tech fails, and everything in between
3. Lessons learned that helped shape the way they pitch, present, and position themselves today
4. Business impact: how a single stage turned into media coverage, new clients, product launches, or an entirely new path
5. Tips and advice for landing your first (or next) speaking opportunity, straight from those who’ve been there

If you're interested in starting or growing your speaking career, getting on bigger and better stages, or using public speaking to grow your brand or business, this is the show for you.

Visit www.myfirststagepodcast.com to find the show, subscribe, or apply to be a guest!

Welcome back to Branded: your comprehensive guide to creative branding.

This week, we dove into a topic we’ve never fully tackled before: full funnel marketing—and how out-of-home advertising, specifically digital billboards, can play a bigger role in your brand-building than you might have imagined. To dig into this, we sat down with RJ Schultz, COO of Blip, an ad tech company making it radically easier and more affordable for brands big and small to run digital billboard ads.

RJ’s background is both fascinating and relevant—before venturing into the advertising world, he worked at Amazon, the Defense Intelligence Agency, and the Pentagon, and he holds an MBA from Duke. His unique perspective blends psychology, tech, and marketing strategy, which made for an enlightening conversation about driving demand, creating trust, and converting customers efficiently.

In this episode, we break down what full funnel marketing really means, clarify common misconceptions about “top” or “bottom” of the funnel, and explore when and how billboards (yes—even if you aren’t McDonald’s or Chick-fil-A) can boost brand awareness and overall campaign effectiveness. We even learned just how affordable modern billboard ads can be, and heard some truly creative, even petty, case studies in out-of-home advertising.

Here’s what we covered:

• What actually is full funnel marketing? RJ explains each stage—awareness, trust, conversion—and how smart marketers match ad mediums to the right customer journey point.
• Myths about billboards: Are they only for the biggest brands? Why is “Eat More Chicken” an awareness success, even without a QR code?
• The surprising psychology that makes the billboard + social combo so effective (think survival instincts and subconscious brand recall).
• How small and mid-sized businesses can affordably get their brand “in the sky,” and why this still works even if you’re just starting out.
• Real-life stories, like personalizing billboards for conference attendees and cheeky brand rivalries making the most of strategic placements.

5 Key Takeaways:

1. Full Funnel Means Full Journey: Effective marketing isn’t just shouting for attention—it’s systematically moving your audience from awareness (top), to trust (middle), to conversion (bottom) using different tactics and mediums at each stage.
2. Billboards Build Familiarity (When Used Smartly): Don’t expect a billboard to directly drive immediate clicks or visits. Instead, digital billboards excel at planting your brand in customers’ minds—so your later calls to action (online or in-person) pack a stronger punch.
3. The Power of Multi-Channel Marketing: RJ walked us through a McDonald’s case study: pairing Facebook ads and billboards in the same markets increased sales by over 700%, compared to Facebook-only markets. The magic happens when customers see your brand in multiple places, creating subconscious recognition and trust.
4. Digital Billboards Are Affordable and Accessible: Forget what you think you know—thanks to tech platforms like Blip, placing your ad on a digital billboard can cost as little as $0.08 per impression. Even small businesses can run highly local, highly visible campaigns for a few thousand dollars a month, or even less for targeted, short bursts.
5. Creativity—and Even Pettiness—Wins: Whether it’s Buccee’s witty highway countdowns, a rapper promoting tickets, or a company targeting a competitor who just canceled their subscription, the most memorable billboard campaigns use humor, surprise, and clever tactics that spark conversations (and selfies).

If you want to experiment with digital billboards for your own brand, RJ and Blip are making it easier than ever—with no long-term contracts or massive minimums, and even some special offers for Branded listeners.

Thanks for tuning in—and be sure to hit subscribe to keep getting fresh...

Welcome back to Branded: your comprehensive guide to creative branding.

Today, we dive into the world of brand hijacking, a phenomenon where brands encounter unexpected public perceptions or shifts that either propel them forward or challenge their core values. We'll share a real-time story involving Larry's own experience with this topic and explore other well-known brands that have faced similar situations.

Larry opens up about a personal situation where his iconic red hat was mistaken for a political symbol, leading to misjudgments about his values. As we investigate further, we find a pattern of brands being subjected to similar hijackings—some emerging stronger and others faltering.

Key takeaways:

1. Understanding Brand Hijacking: We define brand hijacking and how it can happen to anyone. Larry's story about his red hat shows how swift assumptions can affect business interactions and personal reputations if not handled properly.
2. The Power of Public Perception: Sara emphasizes that public perception is the hardest part of a brand to manage, yet it is crucial. It's important to recognize and navigate how people think and feel about a brand, as well as who a brand associates with.
3. Embracing or Challenging Hijacking: Not all brand hijacking is negative. We touch on brands like Volkswagen, which have had their brand perceptions positively transformed over time, showing that some forms of hijacking can align with or even enhance a brand's values.
4. Case Studies of Brand Responses: We analyze how major brands like Nike, Bud Light, and Target have handled hijacking scenarios. Their responses, whether involving leaning into controversies or mishandling audience expectations, offer lessons on the importance of commitment to brand messaging and audience understanding.
5. Staying True to Brand Values: Analyzing these instances, we conclude that clarity and commitment to a brand's core values often yield better outcomes than neutrality or inconsistency. Effective response hinges on knowing your audience and standing by your brand’s message and principles.

Join us as we navigate these complex waters and prepare to address brand hijacking with confidence and clarity. Remember, your brand's strength lies in understanding these dynamics and responding with informed strategies.