Imagine yourself behind the wheel of a fast car, you feel like the world is yours.. but, that feeling starts to change as you grow up and the practical side of you starts to kick in.. The price of gas, the environment and safety. In this episode we speak with Jim Shorkey, Former CEO of the Jim Shorkey Auto Group in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, about the auto brand. What is the auto brand and how does it make people feel? What is that gives us such an impression and feeling when it comes to this little thing we ride around in?

How audacious of you! Wow, you had the audacity to do that? The term 'audacious' often has a negative connotation to it - until you become an entrepreneur. Suddenly, the word 'audacious' becomes impressive. In business you sometimes have to go out on a limb and build from the ground up. In this episode we speak with Mohamad Fakih, Founder and President of Paramount Fine Foods.

Influence and branding - it's no secret that influencers are a huge part of brand culture. But what happens when the influencer becomes the brand? What is enough to give you influence and real credibility? Is it being really good at what you do or is it likeability? In this episode we speak with Sarah Mariano, Creator of Performance Stretch Therapy. Sarah has used social media, Instagram & Pinterest in particular, to build her business and influence in the stretch therapy community.

For the love of money! We live, love, betray and fight for money. But money and wealth itself has changed - it's no longer just about the physical coin in your pocket. Money has evolved to cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Blockchain. The story of money has changed but our love for it remains the same. In this episode we speak with Ricardo McRae, a licensed financial broker that specializes in helping families grow and save money.

The Brand of Religion - yes, it's a global brand! Belief and values are a huge part of branding - as they are with religion. But what is the brand of religion exactly? And how do we help people keep the faith? The Naked Brand welcomes Rev. Jeff Rock of Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto. MCC Toronto is a vibrant, welcoming and progressive church rooted in Christian tradition.

'Recovery' is a word we've heard over and over again throughout the pandemic - and in many contexts. What does recovery look like for our economy? What does it mean from a branding standpoint? And how do we sell it to businesses and society as a whole? In this episode we speak with Andrew Hodd, business owner & President of Vantage Venues, about Branding Recovery.

There's been a lot of discussion and discourse around masculinity - but what does masculinity actually look like? What is the 'brand of masculinity'? And how has our definition of masculinity evolved over time? And does our definition need to be refined? In this episode we speak with Dan Faill, speaker and consultant, about The Brand of Masculinity.

Are we as humans capable of reinvention? Or are we hardwired to be who we are? Is reinvention a fancy new hair cut or a reboot of our fundamentals? In this episode we speak with Amanda Acker, Host of 'The Let Good Things In Show', who knows first-hand what personal reinvention looks like.

There's no doubt that mental health is more important than ever. But is the right perception of mental health getting out there? Do we need to have a bigger conversation about how it's portrayed in the media and in what we watch and read? And what does mental health have to do with branding? In this episode we speak with Sara Makin, Founder of online counselling platform Makin Wellness, about The Brand of Mental Health.

What is the 'brand of movement' and how does it bring us together? Can movement inspire a movement? And how can movement be used to elevate one's voice? In this episode we speak with choreographer, dancer and public speaker Esie Mensah about The Brand of Movement.

Will the real brand please stand up? How does one navigate the tricky balance of personal and corporate branding? Can the two brands co-exist? Or are they standalones? In this episode we speak with Khari Gaynor, growth and branding strategist and Vice President of Aha Insurance, about how personal and corporate brands can both help and hurt each other.

What does it mean to be truly vulnerable? Is it a superpower or weakness? And how can brands benefit from letting down their guards and embrace vulnerability? In this episode we speak with professional singer and trauma-informed coach Janey Brown about The Brand of Vulnerability.

And we're back! Excited to kick off season 2 of The Naked Brand with the Brand of Geek. What is the brand of geek - and does it come with an all access pass? Or is it an exclusive club with a secret handshake? The Naked Brand welcomes Andy Burns, founder and publisher of the pop culture website Biff Bam Pop! Andy is also the author of books on Twin Peaks and Stephen King's The Stand.

It’s our season finale and what better way to bring all 17 episodes together than talking about family. So excited to host the founders of Family is About Love, Frank Nelson and BJ Barone. They join The Naked Brand to share how their family was thrust into the spotlight almost overnight because of one picture! We delve into The Family Brand and so much more, questioning the true definition of family. Is family just blood or is family the people around you that make you feel loved? How do Brands approach family? Are brands telling the right stories about families? Are brands listening? How inclusive are they actually being? We discuss how blood isn’t always thicker than water; the power of representation and visibility in branding and the responsibility of brands. Spoiler alert: “Family is about love but on the flip side, love isn’t always about family” Thank you all for tuning into Season 1 of The Naked Brand, look out for Season 2 coming in Fall 2021.

For years brands have been trying to increase their focus on sustainability. How are they doing? What should they be thinking about and what are some opportunities for brands of all sizes to embed sustainability not just in their business practices but into the way they build their brand? The Naked Brand welcomes Megan Takeda-Tully, the founder and CEO of Suppli – a company that allows consumers to enjoy takeout from their favourite restaurants in reusable containers, skipping the guilt associated with single-use container waste. Prior to founding Suppli, Megan oversaw an impact investment portfolio of more than $100 million, working with entrepreneurs all over the world to tackle social challenges through innovative business models.

There’s not as much legacy and loyalty in the media anymore with the rise of social media, celebrity & pop culture. With a 24-hour news cycle and media personalities jumping from station to station, you're always looking for the next big thing. Today on The Naked Brand we are excited to welcome Dave Woodard, an award-winning journalist who has spent over 20 years in the broadcasting industry, to look into Who Owns Brands from a media perspective. Brands are usually owned by someone that you don’t usually see. We tackle who really owns the brands? Who makes the decisions? What role does the public play in shaping that brand? And what happens when brands behave badly? Dave Woodard is an award-winning journalist who has spent over 20 years in the broadcasting industry. Senior reporter at Global News Radio in Toronto - Dave has covered some of the biggest stories over the last 2 decades and won a Regional RTDNA award as part of team coverage of the Long-Term Care sector during the first wave of the Pandemic. At home, Dave is married with two children and runs trails like his life depends on it.

Play has proven to be a powerful force in developing young minds and hearts. So why not with brands too? Can brands learn from play based learning techniques used by educators to help drive innovation, further diversity and inclusion and promote the general wellbeing of team members and customers? Should brands play more? Danielle Saint-Onge is an elementary educator with extensive experience in early learning and special education who teaches for the Upper Grand District School Board. One of the cornerstones in Danielle’s teaching practice is to enhance a child’s experience in school through empowering parents and caregivers with the knowledge they need to navigate the school system and engage teachers in positive partnerships that promote student achievement and wellbeing. On top of being a full time teacher, Danielle is also a published author of children's fiction and non-fiction books. She believes strongly in the power of play and literacy to bring social change and is active in her school community to support positive play and learning at school and home for families.

My late father would say “Everybody’s selling something!” And he’s right, we are always selling something. If that’s true then what are we buying? Today we host Brent Closs, who is probably one of the only people who loves Brand theory as much as I do :-) Brent Closs is a marketing communications and branding professional whose career and marketing perspective is built upon an education in the Fine Arts. Successful marketing, like successful art, influences the audience in the way you intend. We take another deeper look into The Drill vs. The Hole Theory and also nerd out on multiple brands, their presence and their evolution, between two branders! Brent started in the Marketing field as a graphic designer, expanding his capabilities and experience working for several Canadian Insurance Companies. In these roles Brent led several large-scale rebranding projects and dozens of product and service launch initiatives. Now with CAA Club Group Brand works across most of the organization’s brands, helping one of Canada’s most trusted brands remain relevant and engaged with the Members they serve while building and growing with new audiences. Brent loves to: Guide companies through transformational change, especially building and reinventing brands Make complex topics simple to understand Build high performing teams that drive marketing success by keeping the customer at the center of all decision making Drive content marketing and consumer education programs

On The Naked Brand we are always talking about Brands in some shape or form. As the pandemic thunders on the subject of brands are starting to become more mainstream. Why Brands are important? Why People are Brands? How Brands help bring people together through creating culture. And a topic that I’m planning to have multiple episodes on... Why Branding is important now more than ever! In this episode we focus on Why brands are more important than ever... when it comes to Building Cities. We can’t discuss city building without tackling Gentrification and Nimbyism. To delve deep into this topic the Naked brand welcomes Lanrick Bennett Jr., the Managing Director of 8 80 Cities. Lanrick held previous positions as the Hub Manager at Artscape Wychwood Barns, Regional Advisor in the Ontario Provincial Government and Education Officer at the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. As an advocate for social programs, Lanrick was one half of #JacksLibraryTour, where he and his 5-year-old son visited all 100 Toronto Public Libraries using public transit. He is a year-round urban cyclist who champions protected cycling infrastructure in multiple forms. Taking a page out of his improv training with the Second City, he celebrates the concept of “Yes, And,” which will enable him to keep moving the concepts of 8 80 Cities forward.

Privilege is a much-discussed and very nuanced term, especially these days. But what does it mean for the way brands truly understand and address the issues of privilege within their organizations? For brands who are trying to ensure their own story as one that embraces diversity, equity and inclusion, what's the playbook they need to follow to ensure they stay true to it? We explore the unpacking of privilege as: What have you been given? What did you begin with? At whose expense? Jael Richardson is the author of The Stone Thrower: A Daughter’s Lesson, a Father’s Life, a memoir based on her relationship with her father, CFL quarterback Chuck Ealey. The Stone Thrower was adapted into a children’s book in 2016 and was shortlisted for a Canadian picture book award. Richardson is a book columnist and guest host on CBC’s q. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Guelph and lives in Brampton, Ontario where she founded and serves as the Executive Director for the Festival of Literary Diversity (FOLD). Her debut novel, Gutter Child is a dystopian story of courage and resilience released in January 2021 with HarperCollins Canada.