In this week's discussion, Emily chats with Kelly Bennett, brand strategist and advisor at With Kelly Bennett and host of the Emerging Brands Podcast. Kelly Bennett is a New York City based brand strategist and advisor launching CPG food & beverage brands. They work with early-stage founders to differentiate brands and products in the marketplace, speak directly to their target audience, drive consumer demand (even before launching), and create buzz for consumers, media & retailers. Kelly also hosts ‘Emerging Brand Podcast’ interviewing founders building the coolest emerging brands. We chatted through ways to position your brand for success in terms of packaging and branding as well as how to prioritize storytelling and the purpose when marketing your brand. Listen in for a conversation filled with insights for emerging CPG brands and beyond!

TUNE IN FOR TOPICS LIKE:

2:48 Kelly’s brand advisory work

4:31 Growing up and finding a path into marketing

10:34 5 ways to position your brand for success

14:40 Finding product market fit

16:15 Mistakes to avoid in social media

18:41 Prioritizing the story over virality in content creation

20:49 Rebranding and positioning Frankly Good Coffee

23:53 Creating packaging that aligns with your ideal consumer

27:13 Learnings from hosting Emerging Brands Podcast

32:09 Bread and Butter Program - a new way to navigate the trademark process

Listen to this week’s Local Marketing School conversation!

Other episodes you'll enjoy if you enjoyed Kelly's episode:

#2: Local PR for CPG Brands & Beyond | Delaney Vetter, PR Strategist and Copywriter

#15: Beyond the Fridge Bean Dip: Sustaining Viral Momentum in CPG Marketing | Jessyca Dewey, The Y Collective

Don't hesitate to reach out! We'd love to hear from you on Instagram and find out which episodes you're enjoying the most. Your feedback is so important to us! Please take a moment to rate the show and leave a review - it supports our ongoing Local Marketing School journey and helps us develop more content that addresses what you’re hoping to learn more about!

Find Kelly Bennett: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn

Find Emerging Brands Podcast: Website | Instagram

Connect with Host Emily: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Ready to work with local influencers? Download our free guide!

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This podcast is produced by Hummingbirds. Learn more about Hummingbirds at hummingbirds.com.

In this week's discussion, Emily chats with Brandon Puszkiewicz, a program manager for the Indiana Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and Scott Soltys-Curry, creator of the Indianapolis Coffee Guide. We discuss their collaborative project involving coffee sleeves designed to raise awareness about mental health and suicide prevention. The initiative combines the local coffee scene with a meaningful cause, demonstrating how authentic partnerships can create significant impact. Brandon and Scott share insights on the power of community, the importance of being connected to your collaboration, and how small ideas can lead to large-scale positive change. Plus we dig into how the Indianapolis Colts came on board. Tune in to hear more on the intersection of local marketing, community engagement, and social responsibility!

TUNE IN FOR TOPICS LIKE:

2:45 Brandon and Scott’s career backgrounds

3:57 Inspiration behind the coffee shop collaboration

7:01 Building buy-in for the project from the community

9:43 Amplifying the collaboration through social media and community support

15:06 How an organic moment added a NFL partner to the mix

18:37 Breaking down what it looked like to work with the Indianapolis Colts

21:18 Inspiring other organizations and nonprofits

25:32 Creating collaborations that are aligned with purpose and meaning

29:22 Advice for anyone considering a bold collaboration

32:22 Where to find AFSP and Indianapolis Coffee Guide

Listen to this week’s Local Marketing School conversation!

Other episodes you'll enjoy if you enjoyed Brandon and Scott’s episode:

#10: Engaging Customers with a Purpose-Driven Mission | Katie Kardell, Century Farms Distillery

#13: Brewing Change and Scaling Impact | Rod Johnson, BLK & Bold

Don't hesitate to reach out! We'd love to hear from you on Instagram and find out which episodes you're enjoying the most. Your feedback is so important to us! Please take a moment to rate the show and leave a review - it supports our ongoing Local Marketing School journey and helps us develop more content that addresses what you’re hoping to learn more about!

Find Brandon Puszkiewicz: Instagram | LinkedIn

Find & Scott Soltys-Curry: Instagram | LinkedIn

Find AFSP Indiana: Website | Instagram | Facebook

Find Indianapolis Coffee Guide: Instagram | Website

Connect with Host Emily: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Follow Local Marketing School on Social: Instagram | TikTok

Follow Hummingbirds on Social: ⁠Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook

Ready to work with local influencers? Download our free guide!

Curious what type of influencer you should be working with? Take our quiz!

This podcast is produced by Hummingbirds. Learn more about Hummingbirds at hummingbirds.com.