Dilmah Tea is the pioneer you might not have heard about when it comes to fairer trade practices, implementing sustainable operating processes, educating consumers and to being founded on the belief that purveying a superior product needs to go hand-in-hand with helping to create a better socio-economical and natural environment. Listen to our inte…

S'well brand founder Sarah Kauss explains how she transformed water bottles into becoming meaningful and must-have fashion accessories and her vision for the brand's future. In this interview, you will hear many of the principles of Ueber-Branding and how they are being applied. Continue reading →JP Kuehlwein

In the land of bags, 'Freitag' stands for 'messenger', 'made in Switzerland from recycled truck tarp', 'designed by the bros', and ... "slightly fucked up," as 'Lead Link' tells us . And he is not only talking about the bags, but also about the brand and company culture, as you will hear in our interview with Oliver Brunschwiler. Continue reading →…

Alison Cayne, founder of havens Kitchen, shares how she navigates through this crisis, setting her organization, business and brand up to not only survive but thrive, where possible. And she does so in her own humble, ethical but efficient and entrepreneurial way. Continue reading →JP Kuehlwein

Alison Cayne, Founder of Haven's Kitchen, a cooking school and packaged food purveyor in New York tells us how her brand is made for 'hustlers' like her. This story is about a purpose-led and disciplined approach to brand- and business building, sans the 'unicorn' glazing. Continue reading →JP Kuehlwein

Felix Ahlers, CEO of European frozen foods company FRoSTA tells us how he evolved and elevated the mission of the industrial food processor to: "Preparing meals the way grandma would" - using only natural ingredients and no synthetic additives. He shares lessons learned along the way that traditional manufacturers struggling to adjust to peoples' d…

Traditional firms feel the heat from the exploding businesses of platforms and look to become one themselves. Platform businesses are all about participation and should be about positive relationships - desirable ingredients for strong brand equity. However, many platform brands are not used because we like or respect them. How can traditional bran…

TerraCycle founder and CEO Tom Szaky tells us about how he is pushing "Eliminating the Idea of Waste" and his brand to the top of mind of consumers and packaged goods manufacturers alike. Without spending a dollar on advertising but by expending lots of energy and creativity against a vision he wants us to share. Continue reading →…

Airbnb's former Global Head of Community - Douglas Atkin - tells us about how he helped the platform find a purpose and the central role it- and engineering social Trust have played in making Airbnb an Ueber-Brand. Among many other insights. Enjoy! Continue reading →JP Kuehlwein

Ben & Jerry's Global Social Social Mission Officer Dave Rapaport tells us what it takes to be an authentic, purpose-led but profitable brand. Hints: Do not mix purpose and promotion - in a marketing kind of way - and stand up to be counted... when it really counts. Continue reading →JP Kuehlwein

UEBER-BRANDING SOCIAL ENTERPRISES? - Absolutely! If people are not aware of social enterprises and their causes, then their possible impact remains limited. Using the 'Ueber-Branding' approach makes particular sense, since social enterprise comes with a desirable element in their DNA which other companies often lack: A higher purpose. Hear more on …

Peter Rahal, co-founder of RXBAR tells us how the nutrition bar made its swift ascent from idea to a brand so appealing that Kellogg had to buy it for $600 million four years later. Continue reading →JP Kuehlwein

An interview with Prestige brand creator extraordinaire Ramdane Touhami. He is the mind and myth-maker behind brands like Cire Trudon and L'Officine Universelle Buly. You will also find plenty of background materials in this podcast note. Continue reading →JP Kuehlwein

Can the Ueber-Brand principles be applied to B2B brands to elevate them in the minds of professional buyers and make them 'priceless' - or at least less dependent on pricing? The short answer is "Absolutely, Yes!" But, we know, people are hungry for examples, so we talked with Christopher Harrold, Creative Director at Mohawk how this fine paper mak…

Can Ueber-Branding be applied to any industry and brand... and people? How do Ueber-Brands elevate themselves above the rest? How do they attract people? - Not only as buyers but as employees? ... These are just some of the questions Patrick Brigger asked me in this interview. Continue reading →JP Kuehlwein

‘Brandless’ is the only ‘brand’ you can buy at the eponymous e-grocer that carries the same name. As co-founder Tina Sharkey explains, young ‘Brandless’ is not about the absence of identity or meaning and being a brand in that sense. … Continue reading →JP Kuehlwein

Victor and his wife Sarah are in love with making jeans the old, slow way in their Raleigh Denim Workshop. They sewed them themselves and proudly signed every pair when they started out in 2007. But in the meantime, they … Continue reading →JP Kuehlwein

Uwe Ellinghaus is CMO of Cadillac and on a mission to revive this icon of American luxury. But rather than starting with automobiles, his vision of Cadillac is one of “an experience that young people associate with modern luxury, … of a brand that … Continue reading →JP Kuehlwein

Yes, Burt really existed. The wild-bearded man on the brand’s logo was a documentary photographer turned beekeeper after moving from Manhattan to Maine. He left behind the trappings of a rather privileged upbringing to live in a converted turkey coop in the backwoods (where he … Continue reading →JP Kuehlwein

David Batstone is not one to be easily typecast. As you learn more about David you might get a bit perplexed not only by the uncounted, very public projects in which he plays a leading role or the multitude of positions he holds but … Continue reading →JP Kuehlwein

Patagonia is the quintessential Ueber-Brand. This brand is fascinating and we have written extensively about what we think drives and sustains its success in our latest book as well as on this blog. But it is quite another thing to hear it … Continue reading →JP Kuehlwein

Audemars Piguet is up there, even in the already elevated world of ‘haute horlogerie’ and the Swiss Alps. Le Brassus in the high valley of Joux is the birthplace and still the place of hand-crafting AP watches as Tim Sayler, … Continue reading →JP Kuehlwein

If you are familiar with the ‘Hero’s Journey’ as described by Joseph Campbell, then the trials and tribulations Johan Buelow went through to concoct and share the perfect batch of liquorice – and create a thriving company on the way – will sound mighty familiar. It … Continue reading →JP Kuehlwein

What do if you like cocktail parties or ‘having a drink with the mates’ but not the alcohol that usually goes with them? Ben Branson often felt silly, sometimes socially stigmatized with his glass of (sugary) water, juice or ‘mocktail’ in hand – who … Continue reading →JP Kuehlwein

One of the founders commented ‘You don’t know shxx from Shinola!‘ during a meeting – This is how an American saying lead to the rebirth of the formerly popular shoe polish it is referring to … at least according to Bridget Russo, CMO Shinola who shared … Continue reading →JP Kuehlwein

“If toilet paper can make you happy… Why not? Life is hard enough! …” – In this podcast episode we muse with Paulo Pereira Da Silva, CEO of the Renova about how he has transformed this long-standing Portuguese tissue maker … Continue reading →JP Kuehlwein

In this episode we talk to Matteo Fantacchiotti, Global Vice President, Diageo Luxury Division in Singapore. Diageo calls their high-end liquors the ‘Reserve Brands.’ These brands have grown well above category average and well past the previous segment leader in the … Continue reading →JP Kuehlwein

In this episode we talk to William Espey, Brand Voice Lead at Chipotle Mexican Grill, the booming ‘casual food’ restaurant chain sought out by most for offering hearty burritos at a relatively low price*, admired by many for being an advocate for … Continue reading →JP Kuehlwein

In this episode we talk to Maria Sebregondi, co-creator and VP of Brand Equity & Communication at Moleskine, the storied, little black notebook brand. Since its creation in 1997, Moleskine has become a favorite tool among urban knowledge workers and everyone who still feels … Continue reading →JP Kuehlwein

For this episode of the Ueberbrands Podcast we went all the way to the end of the L-train line on the New York subway system; to Canarsie in southeast Brooklyn to visit one of the last seltzer filling factories in the US. … Continue reading →JP Kuehlwein

We are discussing Brunello Cucinelli, the ‘Cashmere King’ and his eponymous brand with David LaRocca author, film maker and scholar of philosophy. David, like us, has been fascinated by Brunello, who says he is guided by the great historic thinkers … Continue reading →JP Kuehlwein

In this inaugural episode we talk to Benoit Ams, founder, owner, designer …. Renaissance Man extraordinaire at Smith & Norbu, a brand that offers tailor-made, subtly branded eye-wear for sophisticated clients. The Smith & Norbu optical frames are made from yak horn, which Benoit … Continue reading →JP Kuehlwein