How does a tech company turn a simple sound into one of the world's most recognizable audio marks - second only to a baby crying? Former Intel Global Brand Director Merlin Kister reveals the strategic thinking behind Intel's most iconic brand elements during his nearly two-decade tenure.

From simplifying product naming with the Core i3/i5/i7 system to creating Intel Gamer Days - an experiential event that expanded globally - Kister shares practical insights on aligning brand decisions with business objectives. He unpacks how Intel maintained its brand leadership even as competitors emerged, through initiatives like the Intel Inside program and strategic partnerships with PC manufacturers.

Key topics covered:

• How Intel simplified its product architecture to help consumers make better purchasing decisions
• The business strategy behind the famous Intel sonic brand and Intel Inside program
• Creating meaningful brand experiences through partnerships with the Olympics, NFL and gaming community
• Building trust with technical audiences while maintaining broad consumer appeal
• Balancing short-term sales goals with long-term brand equity

Kister provides a masterclass in connecting brand initiatives to revenue and profitability while never losing sight of the end user experience.

Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! https://www.monigle.com/

What if you could completely reinvent higher education from the ground up? While most universities still follow a centuries-old model of lectures and tests, Minerva Project has created a radical new approach to learning that's challenging the status quo of higher education.

Ayo Seligman, VP of Strategy and Design at Minerva Project, shares how this innovative organization built both a university and a technology platform that's transforming how students learn. From removing tenure track positions to creating a global rotation across seven cities, Minerva threw out the traditional playbook to focus on skills-based learning and practical application.

Learn how Minerva positioned itself as a luxury education brand while disrupting entrenched Ivy League institutions, why their approach to learning through "deliberate spaced practice" could revolutionize corporate training, and how they designed their brand identity to reflect perfect imperfection. For brand leaders interested in driving transformation and innovation, Minerva's story offers valuable insights on building a challenger brand in a traditional industry.

Key topics:

• How Minerva rebuilt education using first principles thinking
• Creating a global learning experience across seven world cities
• Positioning an education startup against 200-year-old institutions
• Using learning science to transform how organizations train and develop talent
• Building a brand that appeals to unconventional thinkers
• The intersection of technology, education, and brand strategy

Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! https://www.monigle.com/

How do you build brand credibility in an engineering-driven company where logos on napkins seem more important than strategic narrative?

After 15 years at NetApp, Emily Miller has mastered the delicate balance between education and execution in the B2B tech space. From transitioning from agency consultant to in-house brand leader, Emily shares practical approaches to portfolio narrative development, securing executive buy-in, and surviving multiple CMO changes while maintaining brand consistency.

Learn why starting with product stories before tackling corporate narrative creates stronger foundations, and discover how Emily's "think big, start small, move fast" philosophy transformed NetApp's approach to brand building.

Whether you're struggling with the "brand police" reputation or trying to convince engineers of the value of emotional storytelling, Emily's high school analogies and football metaphors offer practical frameworks for brand professionals at any level.

Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! https://www.monigle.com/