In a world where CMOs are expected to do more with less—drive revenue, prove impact, and keep up with accelerating change—The Brand Builder’s Playbook is your guide to what actually works.
This isn’t just another podcast about branding theory. Jim, Ryan, Lindsey and Cait dig into how today’s top marketers are building resilient, revenue-driving brands—and how they’re rewriting the playbook in an era of AI, shifting consumer expectations, and constant disruption.
This 8-part series features unfiltered conversations with senior marketing leaders behind some of the world’s most iconic brands. Each episode breaks down real-world brand challenges—from pricing power to media mix—and explores how executives have tackled them, both from experience and with data-driven insights from BERA. You’ll get the behind-the-scenes look at how brand decisions get made in the boardroom and executed in the market.
If you’re tired of vague advice and want to know how great brands are actually built in 2025 and beyond—this is your playbook.
With co-host appearances from Lindsey Wehking with Nonfiction Research and Cait Lamberton with the Wharton School
Episode Details
Part 1: Why is it important to build a brand?
Guest: Chris Burggraeve – Founder at Vicomte LLC
What is a brand and why is it important to build a brand playbook? In this episode we’ll skim the surface on why brand building is important to long-term business success.
Part 2: Beyond Awareness: The Business Impact of Brand Love
Guest: Sofia Colucci – CMO at Molson Coors
Emotional connection drives business success. We break down how Sofia turns customer love into purchases, loyalty, and long-term revenue.
Part 3: Turning Brand Perception into Pricing Power
Guest: Sandeep Seth – Chief Growth Officer at Tapestry
Why do people willingly pay more for some brands? This episode unpacks how Sandeep’s brand strategies have supported premium pricing and sustainable revenue growth.
Part 4: The Science of Brand ROI: Measuring What Matters
Guest: Raja Rajamannar – Chief Marketing & Communications Officer at Mastercard
Enough with the vanity metrics–what actually proves brand ROI? CMOs are constantly challenged to prove brand spending’s impact on revenue. In this episode, we explore real-world strategies CMOs use to connect brand investment to business outcomes, win over CFOs and CEOs, and translate brand equity into stock performance and investor confidence.
Part 5: Brand vs Performance Marketing: Why the Long Game Wins
Guest: Andrea Brimmer – Chief Marketing and Public Relations Officer at Ally
Every CMO faces the same question–how do you balance long-term brand equity with short-term performance marketing? Andrea shares how they structure budgets and marketing efforts to drive both immediate ROI and sustained brand growth.
Playbook Coming Soon!
Part 6: The Partnership Payoff: Picking the Right Collaborations
Guest: Kristen D’Arcy – CMO at True Religion
Not all partnerships deliver equal value–some enhance brand equity, while others dilute it. Kristen discusses the framework for evaluating brand collaborations, identifying the right strategic partners, and measuring the true impact of partnership marketing. Kristen discusses how to evaluate, build, and measure successful collaborations.
Playbook Coming Soon!
Part 7: Smart Spend: Mastering Marketing Mix for Maximum Impact
Guest: Damon Berger – Head of Consumer Digital Engagement at Gap
Not all metrics are created equal. Understanding which brand equity, positioning, and activation metrics should be included in your marketing mix modeling can make or break your strategy. Damon shares how marketing leaders can prioritize high-ROI audiences, suppress rejectors, and reduce wasted spend while strengthening brand love. Damon shares how advanced media mix modeling ensures every marketing dollar delivers measurable business results.
Playbook Coming Soon!
Part 8: Brand-Led Leadership: Building Culture, Driving Change
Guests: David Aaker – Vice Chairman at Prophet and Author & Marcus Collins – Professor of Marketing and Author
In the series finale, David Aaker and Marcus Collins unpack how brand goes beyond marketing–it’s a leadership strategy. We explore how brand shapes culture, drives alignment, and creates long-term value, especially in a world of AI disruption and constant change. From storytelling to strategic vision, this episode shows how CMOs can lead through brand.
Playbook Coming Soon!
