Nancie McDonnell Ruder | CEO, Noetic Consulting | You're Brought In to Fix the Brand - Now What?

CMO Confidential

Nancie discusses her "brand fix" classifications of refine, purposefully manage, and transform, how to get started with data even when money and time are tight, some "Taylor Swift" approaches to brand work, and the difference between mission and brand. Key topics include: how to get the organization in harmony; why "The Big Reveal" is usually the wrong way to go; and her belief that both Sephora and Apple are losing brand steam. Tune in to hear case studies on Georgetown, The Mayo Clinic, and Samsung and a humorous story about a heart attack.

You were brought in to fix the brand… but what exactly does that mean? In this week’s episode of CMO Confidential, host and 5x CMO Mike Linton sits down with brand strategist Nancie McDonnell Ruder, founder of Noetic Consulting, to unpack the real-world challenges behind “fixing” a brand.

From navigating crises at major healthcare institutions to helping Georgetown University build brand alignment across decentralized marketing teams, Nancie shares her proven frameworks and hard-won insights on strengthening brands from the inside out.

They discuss:

• The difference between a brand crisis, a refinement, and a transformation

• What to do when your brand is suffering—but the real problem lies elsewhere

• Why internal alignment and education are non-negotiable for brand success

• The 5 best practices for brand revitalization (with names like Taylor Swift songs!)

• Brand fails to avoid—including the “Big Reveal” trap and skipping customer data

• And yes… the show ends with a heart attack, mouth-to-mouth CPR, and a forehead kiss (you’ll just have to listen)

00:00 – Intro: Welcome & episode setup

01:02 – What does it really mean to “fix the brand”?

03:45 – The Georgetown University brand refinement case

06:25 – Standing up a brand for the first time (Mayo Clinic example)

08:55 – Brand crisis vs. product/perception issue: How to tell the difference

11:40 – Diagnosing the real problem: What does the data say?

14:05 – Samsung’s brand affinity challenge and how they solved it

16:20 – The 5 best practices for brand revitalization (Taylor Swift edition)

19:45 – Worst practices: The “big reveal,” internal misalignment, and ignoring skeptics

23:05 – The importance of activating the brand internally

25:30 – Brands to watch: Sephora, Apple, and Domino’s

28:20 – Funniest brand moment: A heart attack, CPR, and unexpected teamwork

31:15 – Final takeaway + Mike’s sauceless pizza story

33:30 – Outro: Upcoming episodes and where to subscribe

If you’re a CMO, CEO, board member, or founder facing brand issues—or aiming to avoid them—this episode is your toolkit.

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CMO Confidential, Mike Linton, Nancie McDonnell Ruder, brand strategy, fix the brand, brand transformation, brand refinement, marketing strategy, CMO insights, internal alignment, brand health, Noetic Consulting, Georgetown University marketing, Mayo Clinic brand, Samsung brand case, leadership mistakes, brand campaign, CMO podcast, top marketing podcast, marketing leadership, executive marketing, board-level strategy, brand storytelling, marketing turnaround, nonprofit marketing, higher ed marketing, Apple brand erosion, Domino’s case study, Taylor Swift brand songs, marketing best practices

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