Brand-building at Allbirds began with a clear purpose: “to reverse climate change through better business.”

In this week’s episode, we welcome Julie Channing, former CMO and Global VP of Marketing at Allbirds, to explore the fundamental principles behind Allbirds’ exceptional branding success since its launch in 2016. Julie recounts her early days at Allbirds, from joining as the first full-time employee to helping the brand craft a compelling narrative and marking its territory in a competitive landscape dominated by giants like Nike and Adidas. The conversation covers crucial steps in building a brand, including establishing a clear purpose, engaging PR and social media strategies, and staying true to the brand’s core values.

A brand builder at heart with a digital backbone, Julie Channing has spent nearly 25 years building and nurturing beloved world-class brands and marketing teams. She spent the first half of her career on the agency side, predominantly working at AKQA where she led client relationships with Gap Inc., McDonald’s and Palm Pilot. Her brand-side experience spans legacy businesses to early stage start-ups across a breadth of industries, including Levi’s, Google Nest and Allbirds – where she was the first hire and responsible for building the brand and marketing organization from the ground up. Today, Julie has her own marketing consultancy and advisory practice, working with consumer-led, purpose-motivated brands looking to scale their business and elevate their team.

Timestamps:

• 0:03 Julie Channing's Journey from AKQA to Marketing Leadership
• 3:54 Building Allbirds from Scratch: A Leap of Faith
• 12:56 Allbirds' Mission to Reverse Climate Change Through Better Business
• 17:47 Crafting a Powerful Brand Story for Allbirds
• 22:30 Making Better Things in a Better Way
• 26:26 Early Wins and Strategic Breakthroughs for Allbirds’ Brand
• 30:40 Embracing Authenticity and Experimentation in Social Media Marketing
• 36:51 Consumer Feedback Drives Allbirds' Gender-Neutral Color Strategy
• 38:51 The Importance of Authenticity and Purpose in Brand Communication
• 43:05 Building Brand Loyalty Through Local Community Engagement
• 51:29 City Collaborations and a Major Partnership with Shake Shack
• 53:24 Creative Collaboration Between Shoe and Burger Brands
• 55:19 Building Brands with Purpose and Navigating Social Media Evolution
• 59:41 Building World-Class Brands Through Purpose, Edutainment, and Common Enemies

Episode References:

• Julie Channing | LinkedIn
• Rei Inamoto | Instagram
• Rei Inamoto | X
• I&CO | Corporate Site

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