In Conversation: Humanizing Technology via B2B Mascots with Monte Atherton, creator of Clippy

Totango’s CMO Karen Budell joins Focus Lab’s Bill Kenney to unpack how bold branding choices and a tight internal team led to a rebrand that didn’t just look good — it worked.From aligning internal cultures to creating a booth activation that got people talking, Karen shares tactical insights and strategic takeaways that any B2B leader navigating brand change can apply.In this episode, you’ll hear:The role a small, empowered team plays in driving rebrand successHow honest feedback (and base jumping) sparked a bold creative pivot mid-projectBehind the scenes insights from Totango’s booth activation — and why it workedWhy upholding the brief is one of the CMO’s most critical rolesAnd so much more!🔗 Learn more about Focus Lab’s branding approach here.Episode Resources:👉 View the new Totango brand in action👉 Totango <> Focus Lab case study👉 Check out the communities Karen is a part of:PavilionWomen in RevenueCMO Coffee Talk---Focus Lab is an established B2B brand agency that believes, without question, that the most successful companies are the ones who invest in branding. Focus Lab creates transformative B2B brands that resonate with their customers and stand out as industry leaders. Through a proven process and a shared commitment to create unforgettable experiences, we develop true partnerships that help B2B brands become their boldest, most original selves.---FOLLOW US: ► Podcast: https://anchor.fm/focuslab► Instagram: @focuslabllc ► LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/focus-lab-llc► Dribbble: https://dribbble.com/focuslab ► Web: https://focuslab.agencyLooking for a brand agency? We would love to hear from you. Email us: [email protected]

Brand isn't just a creative exercise — it’s a product that drives ROI.Back for his third appearance on the Focus on Brand podcast, Sergio Claudio (ex-Adobe, Marketo, Zuora) joins us to challenge how organizations perceive and measure creativity. Is it just a cost center—or a powerful growth engine?In this episode, Sergio unpacks how creative work can (and should) drive business outcomes. From C-suite blockers to strategic alignment, we cover how to elevate creative teams from "make it pretty" to make it perform.What we cover:🔹 Why creativity is still misunderstood in many orgs🔹 Common executive roadblocks—and how to address them🔹 How to align creative efforts with real business goals🔹 Tactical ways to integrate brand moments into the customer journeyWhether you're a brand leader, CMO, or creative looking to make a bigger impact, this episode is packed with clarity, inspiration, and action.---Episode Resources:Marketo <> Focus Lab Case StudyThe Marketo Debrief with Sergio Claudio & Sarah Kennedy EllisZuora <> Focus Lab Case StudyThe Zuora Debrief with Sergio Claudio---Focus Lab is an established B2B brand agency that believes, without question, that the most successful companies are the ones who invest in branding. Focus Lab creates transformative B2B brands that resonate with their customers and stand out as industry leaders. Through a proven process and a shared commitment to create unforgettable experiences, we develop true partnerships that help B2B brands become their boldest, most original selves.---FOLLOW US: ► Instagram► LinkedIn► Dribbble ► WebsiteLooking for a brand agency? We would love to hear from you. Email us: [email protected]

Join Bill Kenney as he sits down with Jason Alvarez Coen, CEO and co-founder of Popl, and Bryce Alston, VP of Marketing, to relive Popl's transformation in this insightful episode: ✅ Discover how Popl transitioned from a viral TikTok hardware product to an enterprise B2B SaaS company ✅ Learn about the triggers and catalysts that prompted the rebrand ✅ Understand the challenges and opportunities faced during the process ✅ Gain insights into their strategic rollout plan for a successful market entry ✅ Hear about the importance of aligning brand identity with company evolution If you're considering a rebrand for your rapidly growing startup, this episode is packed with valuable takeaways on planning, execution, and achieving alignment. Don't miss it!---Episode Resources:Learn more about PoplFocus Lab + Popl Case StudyPopl's Variety Article"House in Tulum" by LaLuz Photo Credit---Focus Lab is an established B2B brand agency that believes, without question, that the most successful companies are the ones who invest in branding. Focus Lab creates transformative B2B brands that resonate with their customers and stand out as industry leaders. Through a proven process and a shared commitment to create unforgettable experiences, we develop true partnerships that help B2B brands become their boldest, most original selves.---FOLLOW US: ► Podcast: https://anchor.fm/focuslab► Instagram: @focuslabllc ► LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/focus-lab-llc► Dribbble: https://dribbble.com/focuslab► Web: https://focuslab.agencyLooking for a brand agency? We would love to hear from you. Email us: [email protected]

Calling all creative agency founders (or aspiring founders) 🚨 In our latest podcast episode, we sat down with the partners of Casa Davka, a consulting firm for creative agencies.Focus Lab CEO, Bill Kenney, had the pleasure of diving into the highs, lows, and everything in between with Emily Cohen and Hunter Vargas on their experiences and observations working with agency owners across the country and beyond. They hit on fantastic insights such as:The top three things agencies struggle withEmily's book, Brutally Honest, and the need for clear communicationThe importance of agencies demonstrating the value of design and branding to clientsRecent trends and shifts in the creative agency model (and market)Advice to anyone considering starting their own agencyAnd so much more!A huge thank you to Emily and Hunter for taking the time to join us on the podcast to share their points of view on the industry as well as advice to creative agencies everywhere.Episode Resources:Learn more about Casa DavkaGet Your Copy of "Brutally Honest"Information on Circles ConferenceFollow us on LinkedIn!Emily CohenHunter VargasBill Kenney-------Focus Lab is an established B2B brand agency that believes, without question, that the most successful companies are the ones who invest in branding. Focus Lab creates transformative B2B brands that resonate with their customers and stand out as industry leaders. Through a proven process and a shared commitment to create unforgettable experiences, we develop true partnerships that help B2B brands become their boldest, most original selves.Stay up to date on all things Focus Lab:Follow us on InstagramSubscribe to our newsletterFollow us on LinkedInSubscribe to our YouTube channelLooking for a branding agency?We'd love to connect.

Calling all design and brand mascot nerds that were around in the 90s! We sat down with one of the original creators of Clippy (and the suite of Microsoft Office Assistants) and we got really deep in the lore of the tech mascot universe. Focus Lab CEO and Monte Atherton, founder of Astonishing Work design studio, hit on so many fantastic topics such as: 👉 How Clippy (and friends) came to be Office Assistants 👉 Using mascots to humanize technology in the 90s & today 👉 Clippy walked so AI could run 👉 Monte's advice for developing a B2B mascot 👉 And so much more! Be sure to like + subscribe for more content like this — and let us know which Microsoft Assistant you used in the comments. ----- Episode Resources: The Media Equation by Byron Reeves and Clifford Nass Monte Atherton’s Design Studio, Astonishing Work Focus Lab is an established B2B brand agency that believes, without question, that the most successful companies are the ones who invest in branding. Focus Lab creates transformative B2B brands that resonate with their customers and stand out as industry leaders. Through a proven process and a shared commitment to create unforgettable experiences, we develop true partnerships that help B2B brands become their boldest, most original selves. ----- FOLLOW US: ►Podcast: https://anchor.fm/focuslab ►Instagram: @focuslabllc ►LinkedIn:   / focus-lab-llc   ►Dribbble: https://dribbble.com/focuslab ►Web: https://focuslab.agency Looking for a brand agency? We would love to hear from you. Email us: [email protected]

In our latest episode of The Debrief, we're sitting down with MessageGears VP of Marketing, Will Devlin. After 10 years with the same logo, the MessageGears team's rebrand mantra was "anywhere but here" — and their rebrand project benefited greatly from that mindset. Will and Bill touch on so many important topics such as: The inflection point for the MessageGears rebrand The challenge of the unknown when entering a brand project The benefits of setting expectations when committing to something new The importance of a strong strategy in a rebrand And so much more! You won't want to miss this episode. Will and his team were a highlight of our year and being able to debrief with him was the cherry on top! P.S. Don't forget to like + subscribe. --- Episode Resources: MessageGears / Focus Lab Case Study Sydney Sloan/Salesloft Debrief Episode More info on Conquer Your Rebrand --- Focus Lab is an established B2B brand agency that believes, without question, that the most successful companies are the ones who invest in branding. Focus Lab creates transformative B2B brands that resonate with their customers and stand out as industry leaders. Through a proven process and a shared commitment to create unforgettable experiences, we develop true partnerships that help B2B brands become their boldest, most original selves. --- FOLLOW US: ►Podcast: https://anchor.fm/focuslab ►Instagram: @focuslabllc ►LinkedIn: / focus-lab-llc ►Dribbble: https://dribbble.com/focuslab ►Web: https://focuslab.agency Looking for a brand agency? We would love to hear from you. Email us: [email protected]

In our latest episode of The Debrief, we're sitting down with Cadmium's marketing director, Jessie Reyes—and she brings as much data as she does passion to this conversation. Jessie and Bill touch on so many important topics such as: 👉 The lead-driven reasoning behind Cadmiums rebrand 👉 The benefits of working with an "A" Team agency 👉 The importance of leadership championing a rebrand 👉 How brand architecture played a role in the rebrand ROI 👉 And so much more! For all of our marketing subscribers, this is a can't miss episode. Jessie shoots it straight and gives invaluable advice for anyone entering into their own rebrand project. --- Focus Lab is an established B2B brand agency that believes, without question, that the most successful companies are the ones who invest in branding. Focus Lab creates transformative B2B brands that resonate with their customers and stand out as industry leaders. Through a proven process and a shared commitment to create unforgettable experiences, we develop true partnerships that help B2B brands become their boldest, most original selves. --- FOLLOW US: ►Podcast: https://anchor.fm/focuslab ►Instagram: @focuslabllc ►LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/focus-lab-llc ►Dribbble: https://dribbble.com/focuslab ►Web: https://focuslab.agency Looking for a brand agency? We would love to hear from you. Email us: [email protected]

In this episode of The Debrief, we're sitting down with Irwin's VP of Marketing, Melissa Homère, and digging into their team's experience working alongside Focus Lab to level up their existing brand. Irwin had an innovative product and a respected brand, but recognized that they were in need of a refresh to get organized, strategic, and elevated. In our conversation, we touch on everything from: 👉 Verbalizing the importance of a rebrand to the larger team 👉 The importance of strategy in their rebrand effort 👉 Quantifying the ROI of the rebrand after just a few months And so much more! Additional Resources: Focus Lab <> Irwin Case Study Irwin Article: Boldly Forward, Introducing Our New Brand Focus Lab is an established B2B brand agency that believes, without question, that the most successful companies are the ones who invest in branding. Focus Lab creates transformative B2B brands that resonate with their customers and stand out as industry leaders. Through a proven process and a shared commitment to create unforgettable experiences, we develop true partnerships that help B2B brands become their boldest, most original selves. --- FOLLOW US: ►Podcast: https://anchor.fm/focuslab ►Instagram: @focuslabllc ►LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/focus-lab-llc ►Dribbble: https://dribbble.com/focuslab ►Web: https://focuslab.agency Looking for a brand agency? We would love to hear from you. Email us: [email protected]

In this episode of The Debrief, we are sitting down with our pal Philip Lakin, former CEO and co-founder of NoCodeOps. What do we mean by former, you ask? Well, a few weeks back our friends at NoCodeOps were acquired by "their favorite player in the space" — Zapier. Focus Lab CEO, Bill Kenney, sits down with Phil to relive their rebrand experience with us from two years ago and discuss how the brand has helped get them to where they are today. They touch on topics such as: 👉 The strategy behind making tough brand architecture decisions 👉 The success behind a community-based approach as a SaaS company 👉 How the brand investment helped with the Zapier acquisition And so much more! --- NoCodeOps / Zapier Acquisition Press Release: https://www.nocodeops.com/zapier NoCodeOps Case Study: https://focuslab.agency/work/nocodeops

Join us in our latest episode of In Conversation as we chat with John Rougeux — founder of Flag & Frontier, a company that specializes in narrative design and execution. In this episode, John and host Bill Kenney break down various category design strategies, discuss how to find c-suite alignment without taking away autonomy from the larger team, dig into what the right mindset is to have when approaching a big brand change, and so much more. Whether you're a business owner, marketer, or creative we think you'll find some valuable insights from John! --- Learn more about Flag & Frontier: 👉 https://www.flagandfrontier.com/ Subscribe to John's newsletter, The Narrative Field Guide: 👉 https://www.narrativefieldguide.com/subscribe