Emily Lane, Bret Schnitker
July 1, 2025
Emily Lane 00:00
You don't always have to be thinking of the latest, greatest tagline for your business. It's about, how do you really connect with your audience.
Emily Lane 00:26
Welcome to Clothing Coulture, a fashion industry podcast at the intersection of technology and innovation. I'm Emily Lane
Bret Schnitker 00:34
and I'm Bret Schnitker. We speak with experts and disruptors who are moving the industry forward and discuss solutions to real industry challenges.
Emily Lane 00:42
Clothing Coulture is produced by Stars Design Group, a global design and production house with more than 30 years of experience.
Emily Lane 00:51
Welcome back to another episode of Clothing Coulture. Today we are back at the bar. Cheers, Bret. Cheers, back at the bar. I guess we should be doing that after theepisode.
Bret Schnitker 01:02
Oh, okay, wait,
Emily Lane 01:06
no, we're at the bar because we like to keep the bar talks a little bit more fun and easy breezy, because we're addressing questions that come in from you, our awesome audience.
Bret Schnitker 01:17
And every time we answer a question, we got to do a shot.
Emily Lane 01:20
It's gonna be a long night,
Bret Schnitker 01:21
50 questions. So good luck.
Emily Lane 01:24
Well actually, this is a refresh of a conversation that started five seasons ago. We had a conversation about branding and marketing kind of core fundamentals of that. Today, we're really going to be focusing in on what's evolved since then, because, believe it or not, it has been five years since we've had this conversation. Way back then there has and there have been some shifts. And so for those people who are like looking to evolve their brand or want to make sure that the marketing that they're putting out is relevant in today's culture, this was going to be a great episode for you, as well as those who are starting to ideate around building a new brand. What's resonating today? And so let's talk about it. Bret.
Bret Schnitker 02:08
What are the new trends that have happened since way back when, like branding was new and fresh five years ago?
Emily Lane 02:15
Well, we're gonna, I'm gonna break this down into three different categories, because there's been shifts that are, are driven for different reasons. So we'll, we'll start with esthetics, and then move into technology, that some of the technologies that's come into play, that's shifted how a brand resonates with consumers, and then, of course, social, driven trends, those are have are really starting to play a much bigger role than they were five years ago or so.
Bret Schnitker 02:45
So esthetics have always played a big role. But how has it changed?
Emily Lane 02:49
Esthetics lately, have gotten much more monochromatic and much more minimum minimalistic in design. So where previously you would see contrast colors or complementary colors coming into play. We're seeing that really lean down, and people are leaning into, Oh, my five shades of red are my five shades of green are my five shades of purple, and really leaning in on that.
Bret Schnitker 03:14
It's because color is expensive. They're reducing their budget in a tight economy.
Emily Lane 03:18
I think it's about keeping it simple.
Bret Schnitker 03:20
So going back to black and white
Emily Lane 03:22
I'm not seeing that now I'm that's not to say that that's not going to connect with certain certain brands. But right now, people are leaning into the simplicity of saying, hey, this kind of color palette really represents me. This is the emotion that I am going for. This is how I want to connect with with my audience in, you know, you think about that, think like Target. You always see that red, and you know that that is target, you know? And so we can be looking at seeing layers of those colors in order to connect somebody visually to a brand.
Bret Schnitker 03:58
So tech is always evolving at light speed, even with AI right now.
Emily Lane 04:03
It is. But we're not done talking esthetics. Bret.
Bret Schnitker 04:07
I'm impatient.
Emily Lane 04:10
Okay, hold tight, you do, because we just talked about colors. You know, we're also looking at things like crisp and clean with regards to design layouts and fonts and so forth. So really, really focusing in on the the design elements that are intentionally being presented to represent the message. So it's really about focusing in on that, keeping things a little bit more minimal and clean. That being said, we're seeing some kind of fun sassiness pop into so there's, there's some, some brands that are really leaning in on on joy to connect with their audience. Think
Bret Schnitker 04:55
Sassy joy is there such a thing.
Emily Lane 04:57
Think about it. There's a wonderful brand that. That we, we've, we're familiar with called Shinesty, their whole motto is mild to wild, you know, and everything that they use to message around really embodies that so and then, you know, you see that in in other brands, like, who gives a crap? You know, they're doing wonderful packaging with very fun colors that really grab the attention, I mean, on something like toilet paper. How can we make it fun and exciting? And so that's just another way that people are trying to connect with their audience and build that emotional connection. You see that come through in animated moments too, like you'll see in
Bret Schnitker 05:43
animated toilet paper. That's crazy.
Emily Lane 05:46
That one really works for you, doesn't it? No, like you see things on websites where certain graphic elements will be in motion, it might be a little animated character at your signature line on your email response like there's just all these little things that keep things moving to again, it's all about emotional connection.
Bret Schnitker 06:07
and word animation too. There you're seeing some of that happening Absolutely,
Emily Lane 06:11
absolutely. My favorite thing though, to talk about is Sonic branding, and this is, of course, aligning your brand with a sound. And think about, like the old age of of jingles being the thing you know, you know, you know exactly what brand that is. Or, you know, like a good neighbor, State Farm is there, you know, like all these jingles, that's kind of,
Bret Schnitker 06:37
that was Sonic branding.
Emily Lane 06:38
That's Sonic branding. But now it's going a little, you know, a little further too. There's things like
Bret Schnitker 06:43
beer companies with just a belch or, yeah, oh, well, I guess that's better than well, think when you plug in certain cultures, a belch is a big sign.
Emily Lane 06:52
Sure it's a compliment, compliment to the chef. Yeah, you think you plug in your iPhone, it makes that certain sound, that perfect pitch, a everybody knows that that is, that's the sound of your iPhone, so immediately, every time you hear that sound, guess what you think of that brand. It's really smart. But we're seeing again, back to that having fun with branding. We're seeing companies do a lot of that ASMR kind of content, so capturing really hyper focused sound to create a listening experience, which I think is very entertaining,
Emily Lane 07:29
It;s very interesting for sure. Okay,
Emily Lane 07:33
so I know you're dying to ask the next question.
Bret Schnitker 07:35
I'm just dying to get a drink, so why don't I cue you up and tee you up on tech? You know? We talked about it just before, you know, tech moving at light speed.
Emily Lane 07:46
It is, and, you know, AI let's, it's, it's definitely playing a huge role in what we're seeing. And in our podcast, we've had some fantastic conversations with AI leaders that have have brought some of that personalization in and
Bret Schnitker 08:03
in the future, we're just gonna have interview with AI, having people on anymore. It's just Chat GPT, what do you think?
Emily Lane 08:10
Who's to say, We're not AI, whoa, it could be. Well, AI has really come in to foster a very tailored experience. It's so you know, you go to that website, you're you're actually getting your own unique experience based on your own behaviors. You're getting recommendations on items that you might like based on, again, your shopping behaviors, and even things like customized messaging or coming forward. You know, we're really seeing it really is about tailoring that shopping experience. And you know, AI is weighing in in other places too, beyond the whole user experience, it's also helping businesses on the other side be smarter about what they're investing in, from an inventory standpoint, it's helping them with predictive trend analysis. So that way, it's like, you know, you don't have to guess what kind of patterns are going to come into play, what kind of colors are going to come into play in the next couple of seasons, a year and a half down the road. AI is really here to help. So it's there. It's a good and a bad, right? People are scared about AI taking the humanity out of our industry, but it can also help make smarter buying decisions and actually improve the customer experience.
Bret Schnitker 09:33
So what about the last category? Socially driven, socially driven, social commerce, social community.
Bret Schnitker 09:41
note to the producer.
Emily Lane 09:41
smooth the forehead lines, please. The truth of it is, is that 51% of consumers believe that marketing content is missing authenticity. 90% of the consumers say I really want more of it. So there's a big demand for, you know, imperfect marketing and being true. And
Bret Schnitker 09:41
that's the reason I look so crappy on here, because I'm trying to be imperfect marketing very authentic.
Emily Lane 09:41
You're right on trend, yes. And finally, that last piece is almost again, a harken backto the impact of COVID and how that has shifted marketing and branding. You know, people want community and so more like never before, it's about being able to connect with the brand, have the one on one experience, and there are a lot of different ways of doing that. You know, it is through we've talked about pop ups. We've talked about, you know, creating things like wonderful magazines that are curated, that are more than just telling your story, that you're curating other stories that align with your brand and showcase talent. And you know, you're producing content that people honestly, really, truly want, sharing customer stories, having workshops, sharing information, all of these things helped build stronger community behind your brand. And people expect it. People want it, and it's a really successful model for your business. You don't always have to be thinking of the latest, greatest tagline for your business. It's about, how do you really connect with your audience?
Emily Lane 09:41
I think that's a really good segue. So as we're talking about the impact of AI and people being threatened by computers taking over our world, you know, people, at the same time are really desiring that personal human touch. And you know. Some of that is what we saw in the esthetic side of it, you know, like really trying to create that emotional connection, that human touch has become ever more important. And honestly, I believe this really began five years ago. Think COVID, you know, everybody was locked away. They everyone was missing that opportunity to connect with people. So I see the human touch as being a big part of the marketing story right now. It's, you know, it's promoting products that are handmade, and it's telling the story of how that product came together. It's showing that the people and the hands behind it. It's showing how did this come into existence. You know, it's also being very authentic and truthful about your message. It's, you know, if it could be in a humorous tone or in a very serious, concerned tone, whatever is authentic to your brand, it really comes down to being human. You know, the other thing that is becoming more important to consumers is the sustainability angle. Angle echo conscious. You know these we've had conversations in the past about the challenges with have promoting sustainability in the limitations of our industry, there's been some wonderful evolution in the last couple of years, and there are options that are out there. So people want to connect with brands they know that are doing better, better by the planet, better by their people, better by their business. So people planet profit, and so having strong messaging that aligns with that does pay off. You know, 57% of consumers are willing to change their purchasing habits based on the impact of products in the environment. So it is moving a lot of people, and can move the needle in a big way. Also, speaking of moving the needle, brand activism is a is another trend. People want to see that the brand is, Can is stands up for something more than, hey, we we create really beautiful clothes like they want to know that they are behind this cause or that cause, and understand why, and they want to be a part of that community, so making sure to select that brand that really feels like a meaningful partnership is, is is wise and being authentic about it. You know, you don't want to be you don't want to be insincere about what you're doing. And then finally, that insincere side of things that made me think of imperfect marketing. That's another trend that we're seeing, not that insecure, right? Sincerely imperfect. Imperfect marketing is, again, it just ties down to authenticity. You know, it's seeing the roughness around the edges. It's that behind the scenes content that isn't overly edited and perfect. It isn't the smoothing of the wrinkles that we wish was happening on our screens of this podcast. You know,
Bret Schnitker 14:49
And the worst tagline, the better, I guess. Well,
Emily Lane 14:52
The most imperfect, the better, for sure
Bret Schnitker 14:56
How has the definition of branding changed over these years?
Emily Lane 15:01
Well, I think actually what I was just talking about really speaks to some of that. You know, think about the days of the Mad Men, you know, they're up there having their cocktail at a bar, and they're, you know, thinking about what's gonna be the thing that's gonna move and connect people. What's that catchy phrase? And, you know, it used to come down to that, and they would tell people what they want, and people would buy it because of that amazing slogan and that amazing graphic. But that's not what it is today. It's really about, you know, creating community, sharing stories, interacting with your audience, and emotionally truly connecting, not in a forced way. So that's it's quite a difference. We used to be told what to think, and now people are more actively thinking, yay.
Bret Schnitker 15:57
Well hopefully, you know, this has always been a real big tightrope, and especially today there, you know, I think we as a nation in the world, maybe we're pulled in so many different directions. There's a lot of distance being created. You know, where you know, unity was a big conversation before. So, you know, cultural relevancy within your people group, your tribe or whatever. How does a brand stay culturally relevant with all this kind of chaos going on?
Emily Lane 16:25
Boy, it can be tricky, because you can get yourself in trouble, but you also want to be there for your community. So, you know, I think having, being listening actively to your audience, and being, you know, showing the fact that you care, ask the questions, open up the report, engage with people in a more of a real time conversation, or on social platforms, share that you're thinking about these things to get feedback that helps make sure that you're in touch and And they know that you're listening. You know, aligning yourself with the social values that you know, as we talked about before, that are that one align with your brand, but also speak to your customer? Is it a is this about sustainability? Is it about feeding poor children? Is it about, you know, helping, helping immigrants. Is it about education, whatever your cause or causes are, making sure that you're standing behind them and supporting them truly and wholly, and then, you know, it's just, it's kind of like what you talk about with technology and apparel. It's evolution, not revolution. Don't change your brand overnight, you know, just be constantly keeping your pulse on things and listening and staying engaged,
Bret Schnitker 17:50
you know, you you talked about Mad Men in those days, yeah, whenever advertising occurred back then, it was a per company, it was a pretty serious investment, right? And you only had a certain kind of form of medium that would would sell the brand. How has social media democratized branding?
Emily Lane 18:10
Oh I mean one, you're right. It before, the model used to be you had to have a bunch of money. You'd spend the money, you'd hopefully get that great idea, and you'd connect with your audience. It was this top down broadcast model right now, it's more two way. It's a conversation, it's shared, it's participatory, it's, you know, small brands can build a big audience without huge budgets by, you know, connecting with the right audience through micro influencers, macro influencers having, you know, some sort of meme that takes off, you know, engaging people for shared content and reviews. And there's just so many ways that you can engage your audience now, and everybody's on this kind of shared platform, and it just it builds trust, it builds community, it shows authenticity. It's all those things that people consumers now have a bigger voice in a brand than they've ever had. They can buy them sharing their voice. It actually can buoy a brand success, and it can go the other way too, you know. So, you know, you listen to your customers.
Bret Schnitker 19:27
Yeah, that makes sense. I think, you know, you talked a little bit about, you know, this whole, I guess, uneasy tension that one would have with being a brand steward, trying to keep a consistent message with your brand. How do you balance this whole thing and stay consistent while adapting to trends? Because things are changing around you, yet brand building is all about the repetitive message right in your community?
Emily Lane 19:56
Yeah, that part of that whole evolution, not revolution. Story is, you know, one you stay consistent to your core values, who you are as a brand, what is your mission? You know this is something that that we practice every year for our own business, to make sure that we are keeping top of mind what we stand for, what's important to us, what our goals are, who our audience is. How do we connect with our audience? What are the problems we solve for our audience? Making sure as a brand that you are actively thinking about these things and whatever you're producing stays in touch with that. This is if you go way too far off, that's when things start to feel disconnected and you get you start confusing people. So any evolution that you do should be weighed against your core foundation of who you are, and every year, some of that's gonna shift.
Bret Schnitker 20:53
Okay, what do successful emerging brands do differently than, let's say, the big legacy ones?
Emily Lane 21:01
Well a lot of them are starting more organically. So you know, they're starting in a community first environment. And we just captured a bar talk here, talking about mom and pop shops. And you know, the value there is, you're building community connections. You're you're providing opportunity for brands to come and see your product, get your hands on product, start developing a relationship with them. So having a community first mindset, one in representation for your product, but also being there for your community. The other thing is showing transparency behind your process. You're a new brand. This is a new idea. You've decided to take the plunge and, you know, build something new for people. Tell your story. Why are you doing this? What's going to be unique about your about what you're offering? Take people along for the ride. It's it's one. It's telling your story is a very powerful way to build connection. We've talked about leveraging micro influencers and user generated content, so that's definitely something that we're seeing a lot of emerging brands take advantage of. And you know, it's really about being aware, being aware of what's resonating with your audience. It's reacting. You got to be doing that AB split split testing when you're doing any kind of, any kind of marketing, you know, so that you can kind of get a gage on what days and times work for you, what kind of messages are working for you better. Some of those older practices that were done early on in the digital marketing time still apply. You know, you don't just throw a bunch of stuff out there and hope, hope that people come you. You've got to really watch and be engaged and be aware and make decisions based on on what you're seeing. But ultimately, it's about being authentic and being there for your community.
Bret Schnitker 22:57
Makes sense. You know, it's strange we live. I don't know what percentage, but it's got to be a big percentage of our lives behind our phones, on our screens, etc. You know, we don't so many of us good for the ones that don't good for the ones that can put it down and walk away, but so many of us live on our phones all the time. We experience everything through so what's the future of branding look like with this whole digital first world?
Emily Lane 23:24
Yeah, well, I mean, we certainly, you're certainly right. AI is going to continue to play a better role, and the smarter that AI gets, I would think your marketing is going to get smarter as well.
Emily Lane 23:33
So keep talking. I'm playing Candy Crush.
Emily Lane 23:38
that being said, more personalization will need to come into play, because I think people are going to get really savvy, like, once they realize that AI is the one that's talking to them, they're going to want to make sure that-
Bret Schnitker 23:50
Will they know,
Emily Lane 23:51
I, you know, I, I don't know.
Bret Schnitker 23:54
It's pretty sophisticated.
Emily Lane 23:55
It is sophisticated, but with that, hopefully comes more personalization, and at least an experience that people feel they're being heard and connected with. And so that's the other part of it. It's, it's about, you know, really having experience driven branding and marketing, you know, being more immersive with your customer. That whole decentralized thing that we've talked about really, you know, really allowing a two way conversation with your customer. I anticipate that to continue playing a big role. And then, you know, transparency and ethical practices. I think people care right now, in a time where conflict feels like it's on the rise. People want comfort. They want community. They and they want to know that what they're getting behind matters.
Bret Schnitker 24:51
Yeah, it's interesting. We were on the call with a potential new client out of California this week, and she was shocked that she was speaking to human beings. She was like, every other company I'm going to I have automated questions. They automate walk me through steps that I never could talk to human being. Oh, my God, I'm talking to, humans.
Emily Lane 25:09
yes. How can we help you? Yes, let us help you build our brand.yeah, it is. You're right, and you know. So I think keeping it, keeping it real, keeping that human touch is, is key.
Bret Schnitker 25:25
Wonderful. Thanks, Emily,
Emily Lane 25:27
yeah, hey, this was fun. Now we can cheers, ready? Cheers, all right.
Bret Schnitker 25:31
Cheers, these aren't real. These are AI generated.
Emily Lane 25:34
Thank you for joining us today. It's your turn to do the cheers. Do not forget to subscribe to stay apprised of upcoming episodes.
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