Episode Title: Beyond the Logo: Why Education Needs Bold Brands and Smart Strategy
Guest: Joey Yorba, Managing Director, Super Top Secret
Guest Website: wearetopsecret.com
Guest LinkedIn: Joey Yorba
Host: Jacob Hanson
About Joey Yorba:Joey Yorba is the Managing Director of Super Top Secret, a creative agency that’s helped some of the world’s most recognizable brands—from Nike to Xbox—cut through the noise with bold, emotionally resonant storytelling. With a deep background in creative direction and brand psychology, Joey now brings that global expertise to the education space, helping mission-driven organizations lead with authenticity and impact.
At STS, he leads multidisciplinary teams that develop everything from foundational strategy to full-scale campaigns—all with one goal: building brands that don’t just look good, but feel unforgettable.
Key Topics Covered:
What a brand actually is—and why most education orgs get it wrong “A brand is what someone says about you when you're not in the room.”
The high cost of reactive communications and under-invested branding “We still have people who think, ‘We’ll just do the logo now and figure the rest out later.’ That’s how you waste money.”
The importance of emotional resonance and design systems “Every touchpoint matters. You can't say you care about equity and then have a clunky, inaccessible website.”
Why brand strategy is foundational—not optional “This isn’t a nice-to-have anymore. If you’re not shaping the narrative, you’re being shaped by it.”
Quick tests to assess your messaging clarity “Ask five people to explain what your company does. If you get five different answers, you’ve got a brand problem.”
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