Most brand projects fail not because of bad creative work, but because of poor internal groundwork. In this episode, we sit down with Robert McKechnie, MD of Starrett Europe and a veteran of successful brand transformations at organisations including Core (Scottish Power) and Norbord.

Robert shares his powerful "torch and bridge" analogy that reframes how clients and agencies should work together. While agencies shine the torch to illuminate what's possible, it's the client's responsibility to build the bridge: doing the internal work, securing buy-in, and creating the cultural foundation that turns brand strategy into business results.

We explore why brand exercises fail when they're just "poster campaigns," the critical importance of bringing customers into the room during strategy development, and why you should never find yourself in a boardroom discussing fonts. Robert also tackles the eternal tension between marketing and sales, and shares hard-won advice for mid-level marketeers struggling to make an impact.

This is a conversation about the unglamorous but essential work that separates brand projects that deliver real commercial results from those that simply look pretty.

About Good, Brand Consultants
Good Brand Consultants helps B2B organisations turn brand strategy into commercial reality. Based in Scotland and working globally, we partner with clients to tackle everything from foundational brand positioning to practical implementation frameworks. If you're wrestling with brand challenges or want to explore how strategic brand work can deliver real business results, we'd love to hear from you. To learn more about us, visit goodbrandconsultants.com.

Something's coming over the hill! In this episode of The Good Brand Podcast, Stewart sits down with Chris and Julie to tackle a thorny question: what happens when “cheap imports” aren’t cheap or inferior anymore, just good enough, well-priced, and increasingly well-branded? Using BYD and others as jumping-off points, we dig into how the playbook has shifted (price → quality → brand) and what that means for Western B2B manufacturers and tech firms.

We talk trust as a real moat (warranties, service, local presence), why heritage helps but won’t save you, and the unsexy truth that brand-building is a continuous practice, not a one-and-done campaign. No silver bullets, just what it takes to be match-fit before market share slips “slowly, then quickly.”

Take a look at the original article.

About Good
Good is a brand consultancy, working with ambitious B2B businesses to overcome the problems that hold them back. We believe brand strategy is business strategy, helping companies sharpen their positioning, win customer loyalty, and unlock new opportunities for growth. Got a problem that’s keeping you up at night? We’d love to have a chat to see how we could help. Find out more at goodbrandconsultants.com.

In this episode of The Good Brand Podcast, we sit down with Catherine Connolly, Executive Chair of Prime Light Group, to explore how brand shapes boardroom decisions and business strategy. From her early career in B2B marketing to leading global and mid-sized companies, Catherine shares candid insights on using data to earn credibility at board level, why consistency beats trends, and how brand becomes the anchor for growth. It’s a practical, no-nonsense look at why brand truly belongs on the leadership agenda.