Strategize This is where brand strategy meets creative execution. Hosted by Adam Matossian — CX strategist, Forrester-certified experience designer, and founder of HUMMs Design Agency — and Alicia Jones — certified brand strategist and founder of Design Wise — the show features candid conversations and expert interviews on branding, marketing, storytelling, content strategy, and customer experience. From building brand ecosystems to turning strangers into superfans, each episode delivers actionable insights for creatives, entrepreneurs, and marketing professionals.
By Adam Matossian and Alicia Jones
Synchronous or asynchronous? Manja Horner compares online learning models — from live cohorts and role-play simulations to self-paced automated programs — and warns why scalable courses often suffer from low completion without the right design.
Marc Gutman explains why 90% of brands fail on social media by only talking about themselves. Drawing on Patagonia, Nike, and the Edelman Trust Barometer, he reveals how brands can use storytelling to enlist customers into a shared community and worldview — not just build an audience.
Video strategist Mo Ismail reveals his framework for telling engaging stories in 15-30 second videos on Instagram and TikTok. His approach starts with one question: what is the punchline? Mo explains why identifying the single most potent learning outcome — then getting creative with how to convey it — beats trying to cram everything into a short clip.
Social justice designer William Hardaway challenges brands to stop manufacturing diversity with stock photos and start letting communities tell their own stories. He shares how Nike let Kaepernick speak unfiltered and why revenue-sharing with artists beats profiting from their culture.
Brand strategist Marc Gutman breaks down the anatomy of a great story, from the classic three-act structure to why your audience must be able to locate themselves within your narrative. Trained under legendary screenwriting coach Robert McKee, Marc reveals why something simply has to happen for a story to resonate.
