HmtnyCntrd: Creativity Without Fear

In the newest episode of Brands Unbridled, hosts Aaron Burghard and Harrison Stammell sit down with Sandor Weisz, commissioner of The Mystery League, a Chicago-based company of creative puzzle-makers that stage live and remote interactive experiences and games. We discuss the parallels between the art of making an elegant puzzle and brand building and why starting with a desired emotional response is paramount. Listen to how Sandor’s passion-turned-career challenges puzzle participants and encourages collaboration, one clue at a time. 

Interested in trying a berry that temporarily changes the way you taste? Looking to be Immersed in Chance The Rapper’s iconic ACID RAP album? The latest episode of Brands Unbridled features a chat with Ryan Kunkel from WNDR Global, an interactive art and technology brand consisting of WNDR Museums, WNDR Studios, and WNDRx. Learn more about how WNDR’s innovative approach differentiates them from traditional museums, the impact of COVID-19 on their in person activations, and get some tips and tricks from Ryan on building a successful national brand.

We’re excited to bring you our latest episode of Brands Unbridled featuring Brian Szejka, Publisher and EVP Global Partnerships at Rolling Stone. Discover how Rolling Stone has evolved in its 50+ year history from a print publication to a multi-dimensional media brand.

Brands Unbridled is back with an incredible guest: Sarah Spliethoff, the powerhouse behind Sunniemade — an independently-owned plastic-free personal care brand. Hear the inspiring story of how Sarah is turning her passion for protecting the planet into sustainable everyday essentials for all.

In our latest episode, we chat with Jonah Fialkow and Kaitlyn Hurley, the co-founders of Bracketology, the premier centralized fantasy gaming platform for reality television. Listen in as they share what it takes to turn a passion project into a nationwide brand and how they plan to continue growing their community in the upcoming years. 

New year, new episode! This time, our creative strategy director Aaron Burghard was joined in studio by HmntyCntrd's founder, Vivianne Castillo, for a conversation about what it takes to build incredible brand momentum through the pursuit of creativity without fear, by choosing courage in lieu of comfort, and ultimately investing in yourself.

Have you ever been in a position where you had to choose between the corner Starbucks and your local black, queer and veteran-owned coffee shop? Actually, let’s rephrase the question: do you know where the local black, queer, veteran-owned coffee shop is in your neighborhood? This episode of Brands Unbridled examines matters just like this with IB Majekodunmi, founder of Refine Collective—a community that makes it easy to identify and support minority and women-owned businesses + freelancers. In this conversation, IB shares how recognizing a gap between the growing purchasing power of people of color, women and members of the LGBTQ+ community led to a digital network that provides consumers the opportunity to easily locate and buy from the underrepresented, in addition to cultivating a network for business owners.

It’s a new year, and we’ve got a fresh new episode of Brands Unbridled to kick it off! We spent some time with Zeke Bronfman, co-founder and CEO of XED Beverages (a Storyhorse client!), who gives us a peek under the hood of what it took to build not one, but two delicious and successful beverage brands (with more on the way!). Pop the top on this fresh episode and give it a listen!

In episode 9 of Brands Unbridled, we talk about the sustainability initiatives taking flight at Delta Air Lines. Tune in to hear from Amelia DeLuca, Managing Director of Sustainability and Emmakate Young, Director of Brand Strategy & Marketing at Delta. They share how they became the first carbon neutral airline in the world (amid a global pandemic, btw) and shed light on their new ad spot that confronts the paradox of travel.

In episode 8 of Brands Unbridled, we were excited to connect with Matt Matros, the entrepreneurial mastermind behind brands like Protein Bar + Kitchen and Limitless Sparkling Water. His latest venture, Shopflix Studios, is a shoppable platform that breathes new life into the model used by consumer networks of yesteryear. Give it a listen to learn everything from Matt’s advice for budding entrepreneurs to why he believes a brand’s visual identity is often the most critical component of its success (spoiler alert: we agree!).