The Surprising Truth About Building a Brand You Love with Andreas Tzortzis

Today on the podcast, I am joined by Andreas Tzortzis, a former journalist who has written for the likes of Newsweek, Monocle, and The New York Times. For the last 15 years, he's worked in brand strategy and storytelling at places like Red Bull and Apple, and for clients through his consultancy, Hella. He recently co-authored the book, Not a Playbook: The Art of Building a Brand, with Damien Bradfield, the co-founder of WeTransfer.

In this episode, we chat all about how brands can grow without sacrificing their integrity, prioritising creativity and trust to build brands that will stand the test of time. I really hope you enjoy the episode and come let me know what you think. You can find me on Instagram at @‌lizmmosley or @‌buildingyourbrandpodcast.

 

Key Takeaways

• A Brand is its People: A brand's culture is a reflection of the people who work there. WeTransfer’s success came from hiring people from non-traditional backgrounds and fostering a culture that encouraged experimentation and didn't have layers of approval.
• The Power of Instinct: Especially in the early stages of building a brand, instinct is invaluable. Relying on instinct over-analysing data can lead to more authentic and compelling brand decisions.
• Build with Intentionality: Brands that endure are built with a purpose beyond just profitability. WeTransfer's intention was to inject a moment of joy into a utilitarian task and to champion the creative community they served.
• Embrace Unpredictability: While consistency is important, the brands that truly cut through the noise are those that are unpredictable. This is achieved by having a clear, ambitious vision from the start which gives you the license to experiment and do the unexpected.
• Trust is Everything: Building trust is a cornerstone of a successful brand. This extends from creating a trustworthy product to empowering collaborators, like artists and creatives, by giving them freedom and respect.

 

Episode Highlights

• 06:53: Andreas shares the story behind his book, Not a Playbook, and the unlikely origins of WeTransfer, a tech company founded by designers.
• 13:58: A brand is simply the people who work there. Andreas explains how WeTransfer's culture of hiring individuals from non-traditional marketing backgrounds was fundamental to its success.
• 19:58: The significance of intentionality in branding. Andreas discusses how WeTransfer was built with an intention that went beyond profit, aiming to serve and celebrate the creative community.
• 27:05: How can brands be more creative? By articulating a vision that is bigger and more ambitious than the specific product or service they currently offer, using Apple as a prime example.
• 41:51: Andreas reveals the five key themes from the book that frame the WeTransfer story, reflecting the best qualities of an artist: intention, trust, faith, instinct, and serendipity.

 

About the Guest

Andreas Tzorkis is a journalist, brand strategist, and co-author of Not a Playbook.

• Book Website: notaplaybook.com

 

Mentioned in the episode

• Book: Not a Playbook
• Companies: WeTransfer, Red Bull, Apple, Creative Boom, HubSpot
• Film: The Long Goodbye by Riz Ahmed
• Newsletter: The Hustle

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I would love to hear what you think of this episode, so please do let me know on Instagram where I'm @‌lizmmosley or @‌buildingyourbrandpodcast and I hope you enjoy the episode!

This episode was written and recorded by me and produced by Lucy Lucraft (lucylucraft.co.uk)

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