Building Brand Advocacy

• Stop “Constantly Pedaling Content” & Start Putting “Word-Of-Mouth Over Everything” ft. Leah Uka

  Disruption isn’t a claim. It’s a commitment.This week, Verity sits down with Leah Uka (Chief Brand Officer @ Jewells) who shares how to build a brand that actually does things differently. From Combat Medic to Founder to global Brand Leader, Leah’s path defies the expected – and so does her approach to brand-building.Jewells is set to reframe the jewelry space by making every product personal, every store unforgettable, and every customer a potential Advocate. Leah’s insights are razor-sharp; cutting through the noise around content, community, and scale to deliver real lessons for fashion, beauty & retail marketers.Dive in. Unpack how to:Find Your First 10 Advocates & Grow from There: Leah explains why early believers are the backbone of any successful brand, and how to identify and nurture them from day one.Create Products That Do More Than Look Good: Jewells’ Memory Stacks are designed to layer meaning and memory – not just metal. A product strategy built on emotion, beyond aesthetics.Build an Omnichannel Experience That’s Worth Talking About: From scent to sound, Jewells’ in-store experience extends online – seamlessly. It’s about making every customer touchpoint memorable and Advocacy-ready.Scale at Speed, Without Cutting Corners: The myth of "selling out in five minutes"? Leah calls it bad planning. She’s lifting the lid on "community events” that don’t translate to revenue, too. This is how to build systems that support real, sustainable growth.If you’re tired of copycat tactics and looking for original thinking, this conversation’s for you.Listen in. Rethink what disruption should look like, when it’s done right.Chapters00:00 The Real Power of Brand Advocacy02:10 Retail Disruption: What’s Changing Fast08:07 A Career Path Like No Other12:03 How to Build Trust in Emerging Categories18:15 Engaging Advocates Who Drive Growth20:05 Crafting a Consistent Global Brand21:43 Delivering a True Omni-Channel Experience23:39 How to Scale & Scale Fast24:23 Making Customer Experience Seamless25:51 Why Team Engagement Is Non-Negotiable29:26 When Employee Advocacy Pays Off30:32 The Must-Know Steps for Global Scaling32:53 The Brands Breaking New Ground34:11 Authenticity vs. Content Overload: Striking the Balance40:40 What’s Fueling Excitement for New LaunchesRate & review Building Brand Advocacy:Apple PodcastsSpotifyConnect with Leah:On Instagram On LinkedIn

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• Why The Old Brand-Influencer Playbook Is Dying (& What You Can Do About It) ft. Gigi Robinson

  Affiliate links? No thanks.Pop-ups over panels? Think again.A content creator using AI to replace herself? Now we’re listening.Season 2 of Building Brand Advocacy is officially in-swing. This week, Verity’s in New York with Gigi Robinson – a Creator Expert, Social Specialist, Founder, Chronic Illness Advocate, and trusted partner to brands like Liquid IV, obé Fitness, and Stanford University (yes, really).If you want a real-time pulse check on how creators are thinking (and how your brand should be collaborating) you won’t find a realer guide than Gigi.The partnerships that worked in 2017? They don’t land in 2025. The best creators now expect co-creation, cross-platform collaboration, and a seat at the strategy table.It’s time to ditch the playbook, and build something better.Turn this episode on & up to learn how to…Bin the Conversion-at-All-Costs Model: Gigi breaks down why affiliate deals often miss the mark, and how misaligned incentives turn creators into unpaid salespeople. Instead: hybrid models, consent-first structures, and a focus on value over volume.Build with Creators, Not Just Through Them: The smartest brands are already collaborating before content hits the feed. When creators understand the “why,” they deliver work that moves people – not just products.Rethink the Role of Real-Life: Pop-ups get attention. Panels and curated dinners create Advocates. Learn why deeper, more intentional offline moments are the real unlock for connection.Use AI the Way Creators Actually Are: From replacing assistants to scaling content across five platforms from one idea, creators are using AI now. Marketers who embrace this shift can brief better, expect more, and move faster.Understand the Creator Lifecycle: Micro, macro, mega – it’s not a straight line anymore. Learn what marketers are missing when creators ‘grow out’ of their lane, and how to evolve with them instead of cycling them out.This isn’t about more than content. It’s about connection.This conversation will challenge you, while giving you the steps to start again, smarter.Listen. Rethink. Build better partnerships.Chapters00:00 – Finding What Authenticity Really Looks Like07:05 – The Creator Economy Has Only Just Begun13:04 – Why Affiliate Models Are Missing the Mark18:56 – How Brand-Creator Relationships Are Evolving25:10 – AI, Live Shopping & the Future of Content32:06 – What Brands Still Get Wrong About AdvocacyRate & review Building Brand Advocacy:Apple PodcastsSpotifyConnect with Gigi:On LinkedInOn InstagramOn TikTok

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• 100 Episodes: The Unforgettable Bits, Lessons & Laughs From Building Brand Advocacy With You

  What’s rarer than viral growth, and more powerful than performance marketing?Sustained Advocacy.It’s what the brands on this show have built, and what this 100th episode is here to celebrate.To mark the special milestone, Paul & Verity are looking back on the unforgettable moments, tactics, and truths from 100 conversations with the sharpest minds in brand building – the CMOs, Founders, and community-first Marketers behind some of the world’s fastest-growing names.This is more than a recap. It’s a look ahead to where marketing is heading next.Hit play to learn how to…Build With, Not For: Advocacy-first brands don’t sell at their audience – they co-create with them. From skincare brands embracing mixed-brand content to companies inviting creators into the strategy room, the path forward is participatory.Scale Without Losing Soul: From The Inkey List’s £100M+ brand honesty to Beekman 1802’s gamified kindness, the most loved brands lead with how they do things, not just what they sell. Culture isn't the garnish. It's the growth engine.Trade Vanity For Substance: Forget follower counts. Nanos & micros are winning: because they educate, convert, and care more. Real fans > rented reach. Brands like REFY, Never Fully Dressed, and Symprove are proving that depth leads to scale, when building trust.Make Your Tactics Transparent: Today’s marketers are done with vague playbooks. The best ones don’t just share philosophy – they share the numbers. Budgets, CAC, conversion rates, channel tests. It’s what the industry needs; a space for open, actionable learning.Whether you’ve listened to one episode or all 100, this one marks a turning point. Because the brands that will thrive in the next 10 years aren’t chasing trends. They’re building for Advocacy.Press play. Learn from the best. Build what lasts.Chapters00:00 Kicking Off With A Vocal Warm-Up01:10 What Brand Advocacy Really Means02:26 Celebrating 100 Episodes of the Podcast04:23 What 100 Episodes Taught Us08:32 Why Tactical Marketing Matters11:11 What Surprised Us 15:27 What’s Next & Why Feedback Fuels It16:31 Episodes Worth RepeatingRate & review Building Brand Advocacy:Apple PodcastsSpotifyConnect with Paul & Verity:On Paul’s LinkedInOn Verity’s LinkedIn

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• Why Perfect Brands Fail & Honest Ones Build Advocacy (Like Ethique) ft. Erica Cocilova

  Why do polished brands stall, while real ones build Advocacy?Because today’s consumers don’t want perfection. They want proof. This week, Erica Cocilova (Chief Executive Officer @ Ethique Beauty) joins Verity in New York to unpack why substance, imperfection, and product obsession are the future of brand building. From rebrands & B Corp audits to salon takeovers that win over skeptics, Erica’s approach proves brand trust isn’t bought – it’s built. Solid product, transparent leadership, and customer service that actually puts you in contact with the CEO? They’re the building blocks to scaling with integrity. Rethink what brand love looks like, as you learn…How To Build Advocacy Through Service, Beyond Storytelling: Every customer DM, email, and piece of outreach gets a reply; and it’s personal. Real care builds real loyalty. It’s about accountability, not automation, when you build Advocacy this way.Ways To Turn IRL Conversations Into Scalable Content: From salon takeovers to consumer-led debates on hair washing habits, Erica shares how small, real-world moments are fuelling content that converts – and creating better educated, enthusiastic Advocates in the process.How To Audit Your Brand’s True Impact: Erica’s first move at Ethique was to strip back 20+ sustainability claims and anchor the brand to one: eliminating plastic. Learn how to run an impact audit that narrows focus, sharpens storytelling, and guides strategy.Advice For Taking Bold, Human Decisions In Public: Erica and her team didn’t hide behind the rebrand, they fronted it. Blogs, open Slack huddles; even customer support tickets answered by the CFO. Transparency isn’t a ‘for the sake of it’ tactic for Ethique, but is part of the team’s culture.Why Bridging Purpose & Product Should Be Seamless: Ethique’s haircare bars aren’t sustainable in spite of their format – they’re better because of it. Function & mission shouldn’t compete. They should compound.This is what it sounds like when a brand listens, adapts, and leads without losing its soul.Chapters00:00 Turning Skeptics into Believers03:30 Branding at the Crossroads of Sustainability & Efficacy08:40 What It Takes to Become a B Corp12:34 Staying Real with Brand Purpose14:36 Building a Community That Advocates18:42 Starting Real Conversations with Consumers20:41 Why Inclusive Events Build Stronger Communities23:39 Authentic Engagement Starts with Listening24:36 How Brand Advocates Are Made25:56 Why First Impressions Still Matter27:12 Shifting the Consumer Mindset28:34 What Legacy Brands Got Right29:45 Direct-to-Consumer: What the Data Shows32:52 Moving Past Fear to Innovate36:14 Building Culture Through Transparency37:26 Rebranding to Be Understood39:36 Helping Consumers Choose Simply41:53 Why Scalp Care Deserves the Spotlight42:22 Getting the Brand Message Right43:47 Advocacy Is Built on ConnectionRate & review Building Brand Advocacy:Apple PodcastsSpotifyConnect with Erica:Via her team @ EthiqueVia Ethique’s Instagram

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  47:40
• Advocacy 101: How Founders Turn Creators, Customers & Employees Into Brand Champions

  The strongest brands aren’t built through ads. They’re built through people.Welcome to a special Advocacy 101 episode, where five expert insights are remixed into one helpful guide. The time, it’s Founders’ takes on turning creators, customers, and those in your brand network into your most powerful brand champions.Featuring lessons from Lucy Aylen (Founder @ Never Fully Dressed), Marielle Wyse (Founder & Director @ WYSE London), Haeni Kim (Founder & Creative Director @ KITRI), Lucy Toone (Founder @ TOMM Jewellery), and Francesca Kelly (Co-Founder @ Soru Jewellery), this episode breaks down how modern brands win by putting real people at the center of their marketing.Tune in to learn why you should…Make Customers Your Best Influencers: Before influencer marketing was an industry engine, Never Fully Dressed built a brand powered by everyday customers. Lucy shares why micro-influencers and engaged buyers drive more sustainable growth than big-name creators.Understand That Not Every Founder Should Be the Face: WYSE London’s Marielle explains why pushing a founder into the spotlight doesn’t always work – and how brands can find the right voices to represent them.Turn Negative Feedback Into Opportunities For Advocacy – KITRI’s Haeni reveals how handling complaints well can transform unhappy customers into loyal Advocates. Direct customer feedback always fuels better product development.Go For ‘An Army of Ants Over a Queen Bee’: TOMM Jewellery’s Lucy shares why working with an engaged network of smaller Advocates often outperforms investing in one big creator.Collaborate with Creators Who Truly Align: Francesca shares why the best partnerships start with a simple question: Does this person genuinely inspire us? Every one of Soru Jewellery’s collaborations hit this mark, or they don’t happen. Listen in. Take notes. Build real Advocacy.Chapters 00:00 – The Power of Word of Mouth Marketing 02:09 – Building Brand Advocacy Through Community Engagement 04:53 – The Role of Founders in Brand Representation 07:29 – Turning Customer Feedback into Brand Advocacy 09:49 – Collaborating with Influencers: Quality Over QuantityRate & review Building Brand Advocacy:Apple PodcastsSpotifyConnect with Lucy, Marielle, Haeni, Lucy & Francesca:On Lucy Aylen’s LinkedInOn Marielle’s LinkedInOn Haeni’s LinkedIn On Lucy Toone’s LinkedInOn Francesca’s LinkedInCatch their full episodes: Lucy Aylen on Creating Word-Of-Mouth MagicMarielle on Turning Feedback To Fan-Led AdvocacyHaeni’s Formula For Fashion CommunityLucy Toone on Unexpected Growth StrategiesFrancesca on Not Losing Brand DNA

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  15:29

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