She’s built one of the most beloved food brands on the planet and she’s done it without spending big on ads. Shona Campbell, Chief Marketing Officer of Ottolenghi, shares how she’s turning global awareness into commercial success through partnerships, storytelling and an obsession with earned media.
Welcome to the Marketing Hustle - a podcast about the real work behind building bold brands. We go behind the scenes with founders and marketing leaders to hear honest, unfiltered stories of what actually drives growth and cuts through the noise to build something that lasts.
Today’s guest is Shona Campbell, Chief Growth and Marketing Officer at Ottolenghi - one of the world’s most iconic food brands. In this episode, Shona shares the fascinating reality of scaling a 23-year-old brand that’s known everywhere, but only truly sold in London. From the evolution of book marketing to launching grocery products and Substack, Shona reveals how Ottolenghi stays relevant, loved and profitable, all with almost no paid media.
She also opens up about balancing luxury brand thinking with startup agility, how to protect creative values at scale and why sometimes, saying “no” is the most strategic growth move you can make.
What does it take to build a creative culture that lasts? CMO Sandie Dilger shares how Proper turned culture into a commercial advantage - from lunch-table rituals to balloon-filled pitch decks.
Welcome to the Marketing Hustle - a podcast about the real work behind building bold brands. We go behind the scenes with founders and marketing leaders to hear honest, unfiltered stories of what actually drives growth and cuts through the noise to build something that lasts.
In this episode, Sandie lifts the lid on Proper Snacks’ iconic creative culture. From theatrical trade pitches to free vegetarian lunches that bring everyone together, every detail is designed to spark creativity and connection.
We explore what it really takes to scale culture without losing what makes it special and how creative leadership can be your biggest competitive advantage.
Oddbox has rescued over 60 million kilos of wonky fruit and veg, but their real story is one of brand, mission and heart. Former CMO Gaston Tourn reveals how Oddbox scaled purpose without losing soul and why doing good doesn’t mean growing slow.
Welcome to the Marketing Hustle - a podcast about the real work behind building bold brands. We go behind the scenes with founders and marketing leaders to hear honest, unfiltered stories of what actually drives growth and cuts through the noise to build something that lasts.
In this episode, Gaston Tourn, former CMO of Oddbox, takes us inside one of the UK’s most beloved mission-led brands. From scrappy startup to national household name, Oddbox didn’t just sell boxes of veg - they sold a movement against food waste.
Gaston opens up about the realities of growing a purpose-driven brand: how to scale a mission, stay authentic and make sustainability commercially powerful. He also shares lessons on leadership, creativity and what it really means to be a marketer who wants to make a difference.
Expect insights on:
How Oddbox built a brand that people root for (pun intended)
Turning mission into measurable impact
The emotional side of leadership in fast-growth teams
What purpose-led marketing looks like in the age of AI
It’s inspiring, practical and surprisingly honest - a must-listen for anyone building a brand that wants to do good and do well.
Butternut Box is on track to become Europe’s #2 pet food brand, but still feels like a “secret discovery brand.” Interim Brand & Creative Director Sarah Keegan reveals how she’s using her mat leave cover to reset the brand platform, overhaul design and prepare Butternut for its next decade.
Welcome to the Marketing Hustle - a podcast about the real work behind building bold brands. We go behind the scenes with founders and marketing leaders to hear honest, unfiltered stories of what actually drives growth and cuts through the noise to build something that lasts.
Today’s guest is Sarah Keegan, Interim Brand & Creative Director at Butternut Box - the DTC pet food brand that’s quietly become Europe’s leading fresh dog food provider and is on track to become the second largest pet food brand across the continent.
Sarah stepped into her maternity cover role with a reputation for thriving in transition moments and she hasn’t wasted a second. Instead of just “holding the fort,” she’s set about putting the foundations in place for Butternut’s next 10 years: a new visual identity, a brand platform, a creative agency pitch and a sharper positioning that matches the business’s true scale.
In this conversation, Sarah opens up about:
Why Butternut’s perception as a “small challenger” no longer matches reality
The difference between fighting against something (kibble) and standing for something bigger (the love of dogs)
How to break down silos between brand and performance with small, everyday rituals
Why events, referrals and ambassadors are still central to Butternut’s growth story
The commercial rigour and cultural rituals that make Butternut tick
We also dive into Sarah’s career across three very different challenger brands (OVO Energy, Vertical Aerospace, Butternut Box) and why the best marketing work happens when you’re brave enough to fight for the bold ideas.
This episode is packed with lessons on scaling challenger brands into decade-defining category leaders.
What happens when a former L’Oréal fragrance manager takes on men’s grooming? Rock Face CEO James Wilkinson shares how he’s reshaping the category with a retail-first strategy, refillable innovation and a bold mission to redefine modern masculinity.
Welcome to the Marketing Hustle - a podcast about the real work behind building bold brands. We go behind the scenes with founders and marketing leaders to hear honest, unfiltered stories of what actually drives growth and cuts through the noise to build something that lasts.
Today’s guest is James Wilkinson, CEO of Rock Face – the men’s grooming brand that’s taking on global giants and redefining what it means to build a category-first business.
James began his career at L’Oréal before moving into innovation consulting, where he honed a category-led mindset that now powers Rock Face’s retail strategy. Instead of chasing DTC trends, Rock Face has focused on winning in supermarkets with repeat rates, category insights and retailer-first storytelling as the levers of growth.
In this episode, James shares how Rock Face is building a fragrance-led product system (not just formulas), launching refillable deodorants to push sustainability forward and navigating the challenge of balancing awareness with sales as a challenger brand.
We also dive into:
Why starting in retail (not DTC) gave Rock Face the fastest path to scale
How to build a category-first playbook that retailers can’t ignore
The repeat rate metric that’s more powerful than penetration for startups
Rock Face’s mission to tackle modern masculinity and create better voices in the conversation
This one’s a masterclass in category-first thinking, retail growth and building purpose into everyday products.
An in-house agency at a bakery? Gail’s Head of Brand, Charlotte Gunn, reveals how she codified the brand, built a creative studio from scratch and turned bakeries into brand experiences.
Welcome to the Marketing Hustle - a podcast about the real work behind building bold brands. We go behind the scenes with founders and marketing leaders to hear honest, unfiltered stories of what actually drives growth and cuts through the noise to build something that lasts.
Today’s guest is Charlotte Gunn, Head of Brand at Gail’s Bakery - the fast-scaling chain that’s rewriting what a “bakery brand” means in the UK. Charlotte was tasked with two huge challenges: codify the brand so everyone in the business knows what “being on-brand” means and build an in-house creative team that could replace traditional agencies.
In this conversation, Charlotte opens up about what it takes to run a brand-led creative studio inside a food business, why brand lives in experiences (not guidelines) and how Gail’s has made brand everyone’s job – from bakery managers to ops teams.
We also dive into:
Why in-housing creative makes sense for scale-ups (not just Adidas or Lego)
How Gail’s trains 170 bakeries to deliver consistent brand experiences
The “brilliant basics & magic moments” framework powering community love
Why storytelling, not campaigns, is the real moat for growing food brands
How to protect brand soul while scaling 40+ new bakeries a year
This is a masterclass in brand-building that goes way beyond croissants.
60% of traffic. 1.6 billion views. A YouTube celebrity in-house. Carwow CMO Ben Carter reveals how they built a content machine so powerful, it became their moat and their moneymaker.
Welcome to the Marketing Hustle - a podcast about the real work behind building bold brands. We go behind the scenes with founders and marketing leaders to hear honest, unfiltered stories of what actually drives growth and cuts through the noise to build something that lasts.
Today’s guest is Ben Carter, CMO of Carwow - one of the most quietly disruptive brands in the UK. In this episode, Ben shares the inside story of how content became their unfair advantage: 60% of their traffic is free. Their YouTube channel boasts 10 million subscribers and 1.6 billion views. And their in-house presenter? Recognised by 25% of UK men.
But this conversation is about far more than content.
Ben opens up about losing his job unexpectedly and what it really takes to lead inside a Series E business during economic uncertainty.
We also dive into:
How CarWow raised $52M in Series E funding from Bessemer and others
Why first-party data and retail media are the real goldmine for modern marketers
The death of SEO as we know it and the coming AI-ification of search
Why most CMOs are either too brand or too performance and what it means to be bothThe future of jobs, AI, and marketing orgs in the next 5 years
This is an honest, high-intensity and highly strategic episode for anyone trying to scale a brand, build a resilient team, or keep up with the seismic shifts reshaping marketing today.
In this bold, brilliantly honest episode, Marketer and Founder of Sprowt Carly Osman Holmes turns the tables on Brand Hackers founder Lottie Unwin for a no-holds-barred chat on marketing’s biggest problems and possibilities. From the rise of tactical fluff to the cult of hot takes, Lottie opens up about what’s broken, what’s working and how we fix it. Together, they pull apart the myths around personal brand, purpose-led fluff and why most teams are running on fumes. Essential listening for anyone who actually wants to sell stuff (and still sleep at night).
Welcome to the Marketing Hustle – a podcast about the real work behind building bold brands. We go behind the scenes with founders and marketing leaders to hear honest, unfiltered stories of what actually drives growth and cuts through the noise to build something that lasts.
In this bonus episode, Carly Osman Holmes interviews Lottie Unwin in a refreshingly candid deep dive into the state of marketing today. They unpack the dangerous drift toward tactical thinking, the dilution of “challenger brand” into pure aesthetic and why many marketers have lost their strategic edge. Lottie shares her unfiltered views on building a commercial brand, navigating AI hype and why clarity, curiosity and ruthless prioritisation are key. From team burnout to the future of personal branding, this episode is a real-time reflection on what it takes to build smart, resilient brands in 2025.
Want 30% off Valerie? Type "CARLYOH" into the checkout at wearevalerie.com.
Follow Lottie: https://linktr.ee/themarketinghustle
Follow Carly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlyosman/
Listen on Apple & Spotify: https://linktr.ee/themarketinghustle
He drove Fever Tree's growth from 50 million to over 250 million, expanding from the UK to 93 global markets. Now Marketing Expert Vince Lawson unveils the strategic insights and challenges behind this remarkable journey to Biotiful CMO. From doubling sales annually to venturing into new businesses during the pandemic, Vince shares his candid experiences of taking calculated risks, handling failures, and the essence of crafting a resilient brand. Essential listening for anyone passionate about transforming brand potential into global success.
Welcome to the Marketing Hustle – a podcast about the real work behind building bold brands. We go behind the scenes with founders and marketing leaders to hear honest, unfiltered stories of what actually drives growth and cuts through the noise to build something that lasts.
In this episode, we turn the spotlight on Vince Lawson, the marketing expert who scaled Fever Tree from £50 million to £250 million, expanding into 93 global markets. Vince discusses his dynamic career transitions and his current role as CMO at Biotiful, where he's fostering innovation in the gut health space through groundbreaking dairy products.
He delves into the strategies behind building brand visibility and consumer awareness in a competitive market. Vince's insights on risk-taking, resilience, and leadership provide essential takeaways for anyone interested in brand expansion and the evolving trends within the wellness industry.
She built not one, but three businesses - and now she’s planning to step away. In this special episode, Brand Hackers founder Lottie Unwin gets grilled by Koru Kids CEO Rachel Carrell on the messy truth of scaling, letting go and leading with impact. From how to not be that annoying founder, to the AI shifts no one’s ready for – this is a raw, witty and essential listen for anyone building something that matters.
Welcome to the Marketing Hustle – a podcast about the real work behind building bold brands. We go behind the scenes with founders and marketing leaders to hear honest, unfiltered stories of what actually drives growth and cuts through the noise to build something that lasts.
In this episode, the mic flips and founder Lottie Unwin sits in the hot seat. Interviewed by Rachel Carrell – founder of childcare platform Koru Kids and self-confessed AI obsessive – this conversation dives deep into the challenges of leading a fast-growing business, being a marketing-led founder, and how not to drive your marketing team mad.
They cover everything from how to hire a maternity cover CMO (spoiler: think strategically, not symmetrically) to why most job descriptions are stuck in 2019. Lottie also opens up about planning for mat leave as a founder of three businesses, building a rocket-ship team at Brand Hackers and how LinkedIn changed everything for her.
Candid, sharp, and full of hard-won wisdom - this is essential listening for anyone juggling leadership, legacy and life transitions.
He scaled a mission-led brand from 50 million to 120 million users. Now he’s revealing the truth behind it all. Former Too Good To Go CMO Ivo van den Brand opens up about imposter syndrome, emotional leadership, and why most people misunderstand what a CMO actually does. Bold, honest and essential listening for anyone building a brand.
Welcome to the Marketing Hustle - a podcast about the real work behind building bold brands. We go behind the scenes with founders and marketing leaders to hear honest, unfiltered stories of what actually drives growth and cuts through the noise to build something that lasts. Today’s guest is someone you may not know by name, but you’ve almost certainly used the app he helped scale to over 120 million users across 19 countries: Too Good To Go.
Ivo van den Brand is the outgoing CMO of one of the most successful mission-driven brands in Europe and in this episode, he opens up about what it really took to lead a business at that scale - what worked, what didn’t and what he wishes more marketers understood.
But this conversation goes way beyond food waste or app growth.
It’s about the real job of being a CMO - why it’s more about leadership than marketing and how to stay grounded in a mission-led business without burning out. Ivo speaks candidly about imposter syndrome, pressure and navigating company-wide change while still showing up with empathy.
It’s honest, it’s sharp and it’s full of insights for anyone growing a career - or a brand - with purpose.
Follow Lottie: https://linktr.ee/themarketinghustle
Listen on Apple & Spotify: https://linktr.ee/themarketinghustle
"Marketing is the growth engine of every business…”
Welcome back to The Marketing Hustle, the podcast that brings you unfiltered stories from bold brand builders.
This week, your host Lottie chats with Anna Henwood, CEO of Stickybeak—a consumer insights tool changing the way brands test campaigns, packaging, and new launches.
Anna’s career has taken her from global tourism marketing at 100% Pure New Zealand to CMO of Les Mills International, and now to scaling her own B2B business. She shares her lessons on international marketing missteps (wait until you hear the Japan tattoo story), how curiosity beats credentials in modern marketing, and why the best marketers are a little bit obsessed.
Expect talk on turning marketing into a true growth engine, bridging the sales/marketing divide, and why “testing isn’t about being right—it’s about learning faster.”
If you enjoy this episode, please leave us a review - it helps more than you know.
Now let’s get into it...
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If you'd like to try Stickybeak for yourself you can get real consumer insights in 48 hours or less and make smarter marketing decisions. Book a free 30-minute strategy call and get free Stickybeak credits at stickybeak.co/marketinghustle
This week’s hot take: Most people don’t plan to become founders—and even fewer are ready for what it actually takes.
In this solo(ish) episode, we flip the mic and put Lottie in the hot seat. She’s joined by Brand Hackers’ own Social Media Executive, Dani, for a behind-the-scenes chat on everything from Shakespeare to startups.
Lottie shares how she accidentally fell into marketing, the culture shock of moving from P&G to startup life, and what it actually means to be a CEO when you never planned to be one. Expect stories involving fragrance hauls, rejection emails, retail hustle, and her slightly chaotic path to founding three businesses.
We talk about learning on the job (with zero formal training), how building community started with one dinner, and the painful but powerful moments that shaped her leadership style. Plus, the honest truth about what she’s still figuring out, and what’s next for Brand Hackers.
If you're early in your career, wrestling with imposter syndrome, or building something from scratch, this one’s for you.
Let us know what you think, and if you're feeling bold - maybe send this to a fellow founder who needs to hear they’re not alone.
Your Host
Lottie Unwin founded Up World, Brand Hackers, and Up Talent with a simple goal: helping startups grow. She's learned a thing or two about building brands that people genuinely care about, and now she puts that knowledge to work supporting ambitious startups who want to make their mark. She loves nothing more than seeing brands find their confidence and voice - and she's not afraid to share the real ups and downs of her own journey along the way.
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The Marketing Hustle Hot Takes is sponsored by Sticky Beak - Get real consumer insights in 48 hours or less and make smarter marketing decisions. Book a free 30-minute strategy call and get free Stickybeak credits at stickybeak.co/marketinghustle
This week’s hot take: Wild didn’t just get lucky.
Their £230M exit to Unilever was the result of laser-focused strategic thinking from day one.
In this episode, James and I unpack what made Wild stand out - from choosing the right high-margin category, to treating influencer marketing like a performance channel, and blending creativity with ruthless commercialism.
We explore the intentionality behind every decision, the smart playbook of building for an exit, and why performance and creativity aren’t opposites - they’re partners. Whether you're building a challenger brand or looking to level up your strategy, this one’s packed with takeaways.
Your Hosts
Lottie Unwin founded Up World, Brand Hackers, and Up Talent with a simple goal: helping startups grow. She's learned a thing or two about building brands that people genuinely care about, and now she puts that knowledge to work supporting ambitious startups who want to make their mark. She loves nothing more than seeing brands find their confidence and voice - and she's not afraid to share the real ups and downs of her own journey along the way.
James Hickson heads up Brand Hackers, where he helps make ambitious brands famous. After working with the likes of Innocent Drinks and BrewDog, he fell in love with the world of FMCG startups and never looked back. James is passionate about working with founders who want to shake things up and build brands people can't stop talking about.
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The Marketing Hustle Hot Takes is sponsored by Sticky Beak - Get real consumer insights in 48 hours or less and make smarter marketing decisions. Book a free 30-minute strategy call and get free Stickybeak credits at stickybeak.co/marketinghustle
Most marketing teams don’t talk enough about what’s actually working. So in this episode, we’re pulling back the curtain on one of our favourite campaigns - from idea to execution - and unpacking the real reasons it delivered.
James and I take you inside the strategy, creative, and chaos of a campaign we ran for a challenger brand that was big on personality, small on budget, and laser-focused on growth. We cover how we landed on the core idea, what made it stick with consumers, and why we almost didn’t run it. Spoiler: sometimes the “least polished” work performs the best.
We also get into:
How to sell bold ideas into a founder-led team
Why a bit of friction can lead to better creative
The underestimated power of "low-fi" production
The role of gut feel vs data when deciding what to launch
If you’re tired of vague marketing case studies and want a real, honest look at how great campaigns come to life (plus the messiness behind the scenes), this episode is for you.Your HostsLottie Unwin founded Up World, Brand Hackers, and Up Talent with a simple goal: helping startups grow. She's learned a thing or two about building brands that people genuinely care about, and now she puts that knowledge to work supporting ambitious startups who want to make their mark. She loves nothing more than seeing brands find their confidence and voice - and she's not afraid to share the real ups and downs of her own journey along the way.
James Hickson heads up Brand Hackers, where he helps make ambitious brands famous. After working with the likes of Innocent Drinks and BrewDog, he fell in love with the world of FMCG startups and never looked back. James is passionate about working with founders who want to shake things up and build brands people can't stop talking about.—
The Marketing Hustle Hot Takes is sponsored by Sticky Beak - Get real consumer insights in 48 hours or less and make smarter marketing decisions. Book a free 30-minute strategy call and get free Stickybeak credits at stickybeak.co/marketinghustle
This week’s hot take: Activism isn’t just a marketing gimmick - it can be the heartbeat of a brand.
Lottie and James unpack what makes Ben & Jerry’s the gold standard for activist branding, from fighting for legislative change to structuring their business around social impact. They dive into the difference between “purpose” and true activism, and how Ben & Jerry’s has kept their mission alive, even after selling to Unilever, through bravery, consistency and clarity.
They explore why bravery means being willing to alienate 50% of your audience, how consistency demands embedding activism into every level of the business, and why clarity can keep your mission focused when you’re tempted to take on every cause. Along the way, they share cautionary tales, inspiring case studies, and the tough commercial realities that activist brands face.
If you’ve ever wondered how to launch or sustain a brand that stands for something bold, this episode will make you rethink what’s possible (and what’s required).
Your Hosts
Lottie Unwin founded Up World, Brand Hackers, and Up Talent with a simple goal: helping startups grow. She's learned a thing or two about building brands that people genuinely care about, and now she puts that knowledge to work supporting ambitious startups who want to make their mark. She loves nothing more than seeing brands find their confidence and voice - and she's not afraid to share the real ups and downs of her own journey along the way.
James Hickson heads up Brand Hackers, where he helps make ambitious brands famous. After working with the likes of Innocent Drinks and BrewDog, he fell in love with the world of FMCG startups and never looked back. James is passionate about working with founders who want to shake things up and build brands people can't stop talking about.
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The Marketing Hustle Hot Takes is sponsored by Sticky Beak - Get real consumer insights in 48 hours or less and make smarter marketing decisions. Book a free 30-minute strategy call and get free Stickybeak credits at stickybeak.co/marketinghustle
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This week’s hot take: Most hiring processes are broken. Companies focus on the wrong things, overlook the right talent, and end up with marketing teams that don’t actually deliver.
James and I have seen it all - hiring wins, hiring disasters, and those moments when you realise you’ve brought in the wrong person for the job. So, we’re breaking it all down. From writing job descriptions that actually attract the right talent to spotting the key traits that make a marketer thrive in a fast-paced team, we’re sharing our hottest takes.
We talk about why curiosity and initiative matter more than years of experience, the surprising impact of a strong “learning diet,” and why personality can sometimes be just as important as skills in small teams. Plus, the one mistake that almost every startup makes when hiring for marketing (spoiler: they look for the wrong things).
If you’re hiring, thinking about hiring, or just want to know what makes a great marketing team tick, this one’s for you.
Your Hosts
Lottie Unwin founded Up World, Brand Hackers, and Up Talent with a simple goal: helping startups grow. She's learned a thing or two about building brands that people genuinely care about, and now she puts that knowledge to work supporting ambitious startups who want to make their mark. She loves nothing more than seeing brands find their confidence and voice - and she's not afraid to share the real ups and downs of her own journey along the way.
James Hickson heads up Brand Hackers, where he helps make ambitious brands famous. After working with the likes of Innocent Drinks and BrewDog, he fell in love with the world of FMCG startups and never looked back. James is passionate about working with founders who want to shake things up and build brands people can't stop talking about.
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The Marketing Hustle Hot Takes is sponsored by Sticky Beak - Get real consumer insights in 48 hours or less and make smarter marketing decisions. Book a free 30-minute strategy call and get free Stickybeak credits at stickybeak.co/marketinghustle
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#startupmarketing #hiringtips #howtohire #marketingstrategy #startup #job
This week’s hot take: Most brand-agency relationships fail—not because the agency isn’t good, but because the partnership is set up to struggle from the start.
James and I have had many moments lately where we’ve sat in meetings thinking, “This could have been avoided if…” So, we’re unpacking it all. From the weird power dynamics of brand-agency relationships to the absolute musts for making it work, we’re sharing our hottest takes.
We talk about the importance of transparency (yes, we do need the full picture), why treating your agency like a cost is a surefire way to get mediocre work, and when you shouldn’t hire an agency at all.
Plus, the one thing that agencies and brands both need to get better at - giving feedback (spoiler: it’s so much easier than you think).If you’re working with an agency now, thinking about hiring one, or just want to understand how to get the most out of the relationship, this episode is for you.
Let us know what you think, and if you’re feeling bold, maybe even send this episode to that client or agency… no context needed. 👀
Your Hosts
Lottie Unwin founded Up World, Brand Hackers, and Up Talent with a simple goal: helping startups grow. She's learned a thing or two about building brands that people genuinely care about, and now she puts that knowledge to work supporting ambitious startups who want to make their mark. She loves nothing more than seeing brands find their confidence and voice - and she's not afraid to share the real ups and downs of her own journey along the way.
James Hickson heads up Brand Hackers, where he helps make ambitious brands famous. After working with the likes of Innocent Drinks and BrewDog, he fell in love with the world of FMCG startups and never looked back. James is passionate about working with founders who want to shake things up and build brands people can't stop talking about.
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The Marketing Hustle Hot Takes is sponsored by Sticky Beak - Get real consumer insights in 48 hours or less and make smarter marketing decisions. Book a free 30-minute strategy call and get free Stickybeak credits at stickybeak.co/marketinghustle
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Welcome to the debut episode of "The Marketing Hustle Hot Takes," where we ditch the fluff and dive straight into the juicy, unfiltered conversations setting the marketing world ablaze.
Hosted by the dynamic duo, Lottie Unwin and James Hickson, we serve up bold insights and candid advice for startups and seasoned brands alike.
Whether you're side-stepping marketing missteps or juicing up your content strategy, we're here to light your path with a dash of wit and wisdom.
Lottie here! This week’s episode is one I’ve been itching to record because startup mistakes are everywhere - and we’ve seen them all.
When I asked what topics you wanted to hear, so many of you said: the biggest mistakes founders make and how to avoid them. So here we are.
Now, let me tell you, narrowing this list down was no easy task. Between James and myself, we’ve worked with countless brands, and we’ve seen startups crash and burn over the same avoidable pitfalls.
From wasting money on ads too soon to trying to do everything yourself - in this episode, we’re breaking it all down. So, if you’re thinking about launching a business, already knee-deep in startup life, or just curious about what not to do when growing a brand, this episode is for you.
Your Hosts
Lottie Unwin founded Up World, Brand Hackers, and Up Talent with a simple goal: helping startups grow. She's learned a thing or two about building brands that people genuinely care about, and now she puts that knowledge to work supporting ambitious startups who want to make their mark. She loves nothing more than seeing brands find their confidence and voice - and she's not afraid to share the real ups and downs of her own journey along the way.
James Hickson heads up Brand Hackers, where he helps make ambitious brands famous. After working with the likes of Innocent Drinks and BrewDog, he fell in love with the world of FMCG startups and never looked back. James is passionate about working with founders who want to shake things up and build brands people can't stop talking about.
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The Marketing Hustle Hot Takes is sponsored by Sticky Beak - Get real consumer insights in 48 hours or less and make smarter marketing decisions. Book a free 30-minute strategy call and get free Stickybeak credits at Stickybeak.co/marketinghustle
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#marketingtips #startupmistakes #startuplessons #founderlessons #foundertips #strategy #startup
“You have to follow what feels right…”
Welcome back to The Marketing Hustle, the podcast that brings you unfiltered stories from start-up Founders of bold brands.
This week, your host Lottie chats to the Founder of Pip & Nut, Pip Murray.
Pip & Nut is now a decade old, and has totally transformed the natural nut butter category, taking the title of the fastest growing nut butter brand in the UK.
Pip started the brand in her kitchen, after making nut butter to fuel her marathon training, and went on to trade at Maltby Street Market in Bermondsey. And with all good scale-up stories, Pip & Nut is now in seven thousand stores across the country!
They are also a proud certified B-corp and you’ll notice the logo across Waitrose, Sainsbury’s and Tesco’s to name just a few.
Tune in to hear Pip chat openly about the 10 year process of being a Founder, how to get sampling right and how sometimes you have to pull BACK on your branding.
Finally… if you enjoy the episode, please leave us a review, it helps more than you know. Now let’s get to it!
Chapters:
02:48 Navigating Brand Clarity and Identity
05:56 The Importance of Test and Learn in Branding
08:47 Challenges in Product Innovation and Market Fit
12:06 Expanding into New Product Categories
14:50 Marketing Strategies for Competitive Categories
18:09 Sampling and Consumer Engagement Strategies
20:56 The Shift from Grocery to Impulse Marketing
27:02 The Role of PR in Modern Marketing
30:07 Social Media Strategy and Content Creation
32:55 Keeping the Team Close to the Customer
39:09 Understanding Family Dynamics in Marketing
43:31 The Nuances of Consumer Decision-Making
49:07 Building a Cohesive Marketing Team
51:57 Navigating Brand Evolution and Consumer Needs
54:42 Decision-Making Frameworks in Marketing
01:01:09 Establishing Brand Clarity and Guidelines
Connect with Pip: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pippamurray/ Explore Pip & Nut: https://www.pipandnut.com/
Follow your host, Lottie Unwin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lottie-unwin-she-her-7b577742/ Discover Up World + Brand Hackers: https://up-world.co/