
The Looking Glass
“The truth stands quietly in the looking glass, waiting for those who are brave enough to look it in the eye.”
Episodes
28 episodes
We Need A Lot More Truth In A World With A Lot Less Trust
This episode underscores the critical importance of truth in contemporary society, positing it as the bedrock of trust across various domains. It highlights how the proliferation of misinformation through social media, biased reporting, and pol...
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11:17

Why A Hard Truth About Your Brand Can Be A Blessing In Disguise
This episode explains that a brand's truth is the alignment between its intended identity and how it is actually perceived by consumers, and that discovering discrepancies can be beneficial. It suggests that embracing this truth fosters authent...
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8:42

The Risks & Rewards For Brands When It Comes That Thing Called Truth
This episode explores the dual nature of honesty in branding, highlighting both its significant advantages and inherent risks. It suggests that while authenticity fosters strong customer loyalty, elevates a brand's reputation, and helps it stan...
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7:22

The Truth Behind The Curtains Is Now More Important Than Ever
This episode explains that brand transparency is crucial for contemporary businesses, as consumers increasingly seek honesty and openness. It unpacks how transparency builds trust, which forms the basis of strong customer relationships, and enh...
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8:42

When The Truth Takes A Backseat & Brands Betray Their Market’s Trust
This episode discusses the critical importance of truth and transparency in branding, highlighting the severe repercussions when companies prioritize profits over ethical conduct. It illustrates this with prominent examples like Volkswagen's em...
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8:53

Can Brands Really Tell The Truth, The Whole Truth & Nothing But The Truth?
This episode examines the complex relationship between brand honesty and consumer trust, highlighting that while transparency is increasingly valued, absolute honesty presents a double-edged sword for companies. It discusses how consumers deman...
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9:31

True Cause: How To Make Your Brand A Genuine Force For Good
This episode explores the multifaceted journey of discovering a brand's true purpose, emphasizing its role beyond mere market positioning. It highlights the importance of foundational values as a bedrock, asserting that these must resonate with...
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7:31

The Process Of Finding, Telling And Managing A Brand’s True Story
This episode explains that brand storytelling is a crucial strategy for market differentiation and connection. It outlines a three-part process, beginning with finding a brand's authentic truth by understanding its origins, mission, and values,...
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10:09

The Opportunities Available To Brands That Create With No Fear Of The Truth
This episode argues that truthfulness in advertising offers significant creative benefits for brands. It makes the case that consumers, being more informed, quickly identify dishonesty, making authenticity a key differentiator in crowded market...
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10:09

The True Power Of The Brand Building Must Be Measured In Terms Of Growth
This episode emphasizes that brand building is not merely an objective in itself but rather a strategic instrument for achieving significant commercial growth. It clarifies that a robust brand serves to differentiate a company, attract and reta...
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10:56

Creating A Compelling Lifestyle Brand That’s True To You & True To Them
This episode outlines the multifaceted process of crafting an authentic lifestyle brand, emphasizing that it's a blend of strategic planning and genuine connection. It details crucial steps such as defining core values, thoroughly understanding...
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10:00

The Rare Power & Untapped Potential Of True Story Brand Building
This episode focuses on the idea that honesty is a strategic advantage for brands in today's discerning market. It argues that truthfulness fosters deeper consumer connections through authentic storytelling, leading to increased trust and brand...
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7:19

How Real Can Brands Keep It Before They Go Too True?
This episode examines the increasing trend of brands embracing "authenticity" in their marketing strategies, highlighting both its perceived benefits and significant risks. It illustrates two main pitfalls: first, the negative repercussions whe...
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7:14

The Best Brands Are Built On Stories & The Best Stories Are Based On Truth
This episode argues that successful brands are fundamentally built upon genuine narratives. It highlights how authenticity in storytelling fosters deep emotional connections and trust with consumers, crucial for enduring success. It illustrates...
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12:29

In A World Short On Trust The Truth Is The Most Valuable Thing We Have
This episode explores the paradoxical nature of truth in brand development, highlighting its dual capacity to be both a challenge and a powerful asset. It explains how honesty, though often uncomfortable, can expose issues and cause short-term ...
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9:32

Every Lie Incurs A Debt To The Truth & Eventually That Debt Must Be Paid
This episode makes the case that a brand's integrity is a fundamental promise to its consumers, and any form of deception creates a "debt to the truth" that will eventually lead to severe repercussions. This unavoidable payment for dishonesty m...
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8:02

Douglas Holt On Finding Your Brand's True Place In Culture
This episode dives into Douglas Holt's theory of cultural branding, which posits that successful brands transcend mere product marketing to become cultural icons. This is achieved by actively engaging with and influencing societal norms and pre...
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7:53

Make Your Brand Strategy Two Things: Make It True And Make It New
This episode argues that successful brands must effectively blend the truth with the new. "Truth" represents authenticity, values, and reliability, forming the foundation of consumer trust and loyalty. However, it emphasizes that truth alone ca...
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9:45

The Dangers Of Risking A Lie & The Rewards For Brands That Fear No Truth
This episode explores the critical role of transparency for contemporary brands. It argues that brands risk severe consequences, including loss of consumer trust, legal repercussions, and reputational damage, by failing to be truthful, citing e...
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10:11

George Orwell & The Still Revolutionary Act Of Brands Telling The Truth
This episode explores the critical role of truth, trust, and transparency in contemporary branding and marketing, drawing inspiration from George Orwell's insights on deceit. It emphasizes that in an era of widespread consumer skepticism and in...
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5:34

Embrace Indifference And The Truth That What We Do Is Often Tuned Out
This episode argues that most consumers are indifferent to brand messaging due to an over-saturation of information. Instead of fighting this reality, the source suggests brands should embrace this indifference as a catalyst for creating high-q...
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7:56

The Power Of True Stories To Build Brands That Move Us
This episode explores the power of brand storytelling as a fundamental tool for businesses. It highlights how narratives foster emotional connections with consumers, moving beyond simple transactions to build loyalty and trust. It emphasizes th...
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7:39

The Truth Is Now Stranger (And More Compelling) Than Most Advertising
This episode explores how real-life experiences have become inherently more captivating than traditional advertising. It argues that while advertising once relied on hyperbole and dramatic portrayals, the rise of smartphones and social media ha...
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7:49

The Truth Of Low Level Processing & Work That Still Makes A Mark
This episode explores Robert Heath's concept of low-level processing in advertising, which posits that consumers often interact with ads subconsciously and passively. This theory contrasts with high-level processing, emphasizing that ads can st...
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7:29

Does Your Brand Ring Just As True For Your Employees?
This episode emphasizes that effective brand building extends beyond consumer perception, highlighting the critical importance of an internal brand that resonates with employees. It explains that employees are vital brand ambassadors, as their ...
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9:26
