The Huddle | Issuu 5 by Boldthink

BOLD THE WOMAN WHO MAKES BRANDS

Guess who’s back, back again...

As the seasons change, so do opportunities to ignite fresh ideas and bold strategies for your brand.

The Founder’s Huddle is where inspiration meets action. Each issue is crafted to help you uncover new marketing insights, spark creativity, and keep your brand thriving as we approach the end of the year. Whether it’s gearing up for seasonal campaigns or preparing for the year ahead, we’re here to help turn possibilities into progress.

What can you look forward to in this issue?

• Tips on improving engagement with your audience

• Results from a client who rebranded to increase differentiation

• Our take on AI content and the impact it will have on marketing

• A campaign spotlight on the incredible career of teaching

Let this season of change inspire you to reimagine what’s possible. Whether you’re REfining your strategy or exploring fresh ideas, Boldthink is here to help you make the most of what’s ahead.

Until next year!

Warmly,

Theresa Goodwin, Founder & CEO

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Ask the Experts

Top 5 Brand and Marketing Trends of

Case Study: Enhancing Market Visibility and Growth for a Leading Industrial Solutions Provider

Ask the Experts Project Spotlight

The In’s and Out’s of ChatGPT and How to Use it Effectively

Our Senior Brand Designer, Erin, was asked...

“I

want my brand to make a stronger impact in 2025. What are a few ways I can make it stand out visually?”

Find your inspiration

If you’re looking to make changes, finding inspiration can be a great first step! What brands are you interested in? Are there styles and features that call out to you? Look at different platforms such as Behance, Pinterest, or even the internet to start building your new brand in your mind!

Define who you are

Nothing makes for a stronger visual brand than knowing who you are and what you want to portray! If your tone or message has shifted while your visuals remain the same, it could be time to look at a larger logo or brand refresh in 2025.

Define Your Competition

If you are looking to stand out from the crowd, you need to see who you’re trying to stand out from! Defining similarities between your competitors can lead to ideas on how your company can stand out. Boldthink specializes in brand audits to go through this very process and see where you land in the crowd!

Play on current trends

If your brand is working well but could use some freshening up, try adding a few modern elements that could make it stand out! Try a bolder font, a new color, or a brand element that can bring a fresh feeling to your brand.

ASK THE EXPERTS

As we wave goodbye to 2024, it’s time to reflect on some branding and marketing trends that are losing their shine. In a constantly evolving industry, some strategies don’t make the cut year after year. Whether it’s due to changing consumer expectations or a shift toward authenticity, here are five trends that are ready for retirement as we head into 2025.

1. Influencer Overload: Time to Rethink the Hype

Remember when every other social media post felt like an ad from an influencer? The “#sponsored” tag was everywhere, and honestly, it started to feel a bit hollow. In 2024, audiences finally hit their saturation point with influencer marketing. Consumers want authenticity, not endless product placements, and the mega-influencer approach doesn’t resonate as it once did.

They are drawn to authentic, relatable voices and prefer “micro” or “nano” influencers with smaller but highly engaged followings. People are more likely to trust a product recommendation from a smaller creator they feel genuinely connected to rather than a celebrity with a high following, endorsing a new product every week.

While influencers will still be important in 2025, the approach will be different: quality over quantity, with more meaningful partnerships that resonate with audiences on a deeper level.

2. Generic Corporate Speak: Audiences Want Real Talk

For years, brands thought that “polished” and “professional” meant using jargon-heavy language and vague corporate buzzwords. But in 2024, audiences had enough of reading things like “innovative solutions” and “strategic synergies.” Consumers are looking for authenticity, and part of that means brands talking to them like real people.

The push for authenticity has never been stronger, and in 2025, audiences want to hear a brand’s real voice, not just some script. They’re tired of stiff, robotic language and crave transparency and relatability. Brands that win will be the ones who drop the jargon and embrace a conversational tone. Whether on social media, through email, or in customer service, people

5 Brand and Marketing Trends We’re Leaving Behind in 2024

want to interact with brands that sound human.

So, here’s to leaving behind the corporate clichés and ushering in more direct, friendly, and honest communication. Say goodbye to “innovative solutions” and hello to honest, relatable conversations.

3. Excessive Content Volume: Cutting Back on Quantity Over Quality

There was a time when the mantra was “post more, post often!” Brands were churning out social media posts, blogs, videos, and emails at a dizzying pace. But 2024 taught us that more isn’t necessarily better. People’s feeds and inboxes have been flooded, leading to content fatigue and audiences tuning out.

In 2025, brands are moving away from the “more is more” mentality and instead focusing on creating fewer, higher-quality pieces of content that genuinely engage their audiences. Quality is now king, and it’s no longer about posting every day but about providing value when you do post. That means fewer filler posts and more meaningful, thoughtful content that tells a story solves a problem or makes people feel something.

Brands that succeed in 2025 will be the ones who dial down the volume and make every piece of content count. It’s all about keeping audiences engaged rather than overwhelming them.

4. Hard Sell Tactics: Easing Up on the Pressure

Another trend on its way out is the hard sell—those in-your-face, “act now or miss out!” tactics. Consumers are savvy and know when they’re being pushed too hard. In 2024, brands started to realize that overly aggressive sales techniques can drive potential customers away rather than draw them in.

Instead of pushing products with countdown clocks and overly urgent language, brands are leaning toward a more consultative approach. This softer strategy focuses on educating the consumer, highlighting the product’s benefits, and letting them make an informed decision. People don’t want to feel pressured into a purchase; they want to feel

empowered and confident in their choices.

In 2025, brands will focus more on building trust, offering value, and creating a customer journey that feels natural rather than forced. The result? A more loyal customer base that feels respected, not rushed.

5. Ignoring Sustainability: Transparency Is the New Green

For years, sustainability was more of an “extra” for brands rather than a core practice. However, consumers are increasingly eco-conscious and want to know that the brands they support are making genuine efforts to be sustainable. Brands that merely slapped a “green” label on their products without real substance behind it—known as “greenwashing”—faced major backlash in 2024.

As we move into 2025, sustainability is no longer optional. Consumers expect transparency, and they’re paying attention to the details. Brands are being called to report on their environmental impact, use eco-friendly materials, and commit to long-term sustainability goals. Saying you’re “committed to the planet” isn’t enough anymore; brands now need to back it up with data, specific actions, and genuine transparency. It’s not about perfection; it’s about being honest and taking steps in the right direction.

Wrapping It Up: New Year, New Direction

Looking back, 2024 taught the marketing world some valuable lessons about authenticity, quality, and transparency. Consumers are more informed and selective than ever and demand meaningful connections with the brands they support.

Goodbye to the old, and hello to the bold in 2025!

Lian Ottinger | Growth Manager

ENHANCING MARKET VISIBILITY AND GROWTH FOR A LEADING INDUSTRIAL SOLUTIONS PROVIDER

Industry: Acoustic, Thermal, and Vibration Control Solutions

Challenge: Expanding Market Presence and Clarifying Brand Positioning

Solution: Comprehensive Brand Audit, Rebranding, Strategic Recommendations

Background

Our client, a prominent player in the engineered solutions industry, specializes in acoustic, thermal, and vibration control products for various industries. Despite a rich history and being part of a globally recognized corporation, they faced challenges in market visibility and needed a refreshed approach to better communicate their value proposition.

BOLDTHINK CASE STUDY

Key Challenges

Low Market Visibility: While the company had a longstanding reputation, it was perceived as too technical and lacking in emotional connection with potential customers.

Outdated Branding and Website Confusion: The website was dense, difficult to navigate, and productcentric, which confused visitors trying to understand the full scope of the company’s capabilities.

Lack of Differentiation: Competitors in the niche markets displayed stronger messaging that emphasized customer needs and innovative solutions, which left the company trailing in brand perception.

Objectives

The client sought to increase market visibility, refresh their brand, and enhance customer engagement without solely relying on their parent company’s name. The goal was to clearly communicate the company’s engineering expertise while establishing long-term customer relationships.

Approach

We conducted a thorough brand audit that involved a competitive analysis of key players within their industry, such as Technicon Acoustics and Rogers Corporation. Through this audit, we identified gaps in the client’s brand messaging, digital presence, and customer experience.

Based on our findings, we developed a strategic set of recommendations focused on:

Rebranding and Visual Overhaul:

We led the rebranding efforts, creating a refreshed brand identity that resonated with the company’s technical strengths while being more approachable to potential customers. This included:

• A new visual identity with updated logos, color palettes, and overall aesthetics that better aligned with the company’s mission of providing innovative, high-quality engineering solutions.

• The new brand look focused on projecting both the technical expertise and the collaborative, customer-centric nature of the company. It was

designed to set the client apart from competitors who focused solely on product details.

Website and Digital Strategy Recommendations:

We crafted and implemented a messaging overhaul that:

• Introduced a new, approachable brand voice that focused on long-term relationships, emphasizing the company’s role as a trusted partner in solving customer challenges.

• Used storytelling techniques to humanize the brand and connect it to the emotional and operational needs of customers.

• Aligned messaging across digital platforms, ensuring consistency and building stronger brand recognition.

Results

Enhanced Brand Awareness: Following the strategic recommendations, the client reported noticeable improvements in market visibility and engagement from key stakeholders and prospects.

Stronger Customer Engagement: The client experienced more meaningful interactions with both existing and potential customers by implementing our recommendations, leading to deeper discussions on custom-engineered solutions.

Positive Feedback on Rebranding Efforts: Customer feedback highlighted an improved perception of the company as a trusted and innovative leader in their field.

Conclusion

Our comprehensive brand audit, rebranding, and strategic recommendations positioned the client for long-term success in their industry. The new look and messaging helped align their technical expertise with customer needs, creating a stronger, more relatable brand identity. These efforts have laid a solid foundation for sustainable growth and stronger market positioning.

ASK THE EXPERTS

Our Brand Manager, Cari, was asked...

“What marketing trends do you think will steal the spotlight in 2025?”

I imagine the biggest trend that we’ll see in 2025 is an even greater emphasis on brand voice as AI continues to make content creation more achievable.

As brands navigate the increasing amount of AI-generated content, they’ll be looking to focus on establishing a unique, authentic voice that will stand out and make meaningful connections with their audiences. I think we’ll see brands go even further with personalization and storytelling to break through the noise.

Some returning trends that I envision continuing to grow include interactive content (video and digital content with clear engagement tactics), and ethical branding (focus on values and social responsibility as key talking points).

Let’s Teach, Indiana!

Teachers are the true backbone of our society, providing the support and guidance that shapes our future. That’s why we’ve partnered with the University of Indianapolis (UIndy) and local high schools to create a campaign dedicated to highlighting the incredible career of teaching.

Together, we’re busting common myths and sharing the real story behind one of the most rewarding professions out there!

Here are a few of our newest deliverables for this moving marketing campaign!

Digital, Technology

The In’s and Out’s of ChatGPT and How to Use it Effectively!

“In today’s fast-paced digital world, businesses are constantly looking for ways to innovate and stay ahead of the curve.”

PAUSE. RED FLAG.

Have you seen this phrase or something similar on a company’s blog or social media post?

If not, let us give you a tip: This is 100% ChatGPT generated! Now that ChatGPT has been around for a while, people can tell when content is AI-generated vs. written by a real person.

I’ll admit, when ChatGPT first came out, I was definitely naive to the robot-sounding content. I would ask ChatGPT to write a caption and do a direct copy-and-paste without editing, so I would sound something like the caption above. I realized no one talks like that, and it sounds like jargon that no one will resonate with!

However, ChatGPT is a great foundation, especially if you suffer from writer’s block. Let’s discuss how you can still use ChatGPT while maintaining your brand’s tone and voice.

What Is ChatGPT?

ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, is an AI language model that uses machine learning to understand and generate human-like text. It can answer questions, provide recommendations, draft content, analyze data, and much more. It’s important to note that ChatGPT doesn’t “think” like a human. It processes prompts and extensive amounts of data to respond in the most natural and conversational way a computer knows how.

How Does ChatGPT Work?

At its core, ChatGPT uses a large neural network to generate text based on input prompts. It’s been trained on an immense variety of internet text (without being aware of specific documents), which allows it to understand context, grammar, and nuances in language. When you give ChatGPT a prompt, it analyzes the input and predicts the following logical sequence of words based on its training.

One of ChatGPT’s features is its ability to “remember” the flow of a conversation, making interactions feel

more natural and engaging. While it produces a generous amount of content, it almost always needs refinement—it’s a powerful tool when used effectively.

Now,

let’s explore four

ways your company can use ChatGPT

effectively.

1. Customer Support and Chatbots

One of the most common uses of ChatGPT is in customer service. With its ability to mimic human-like conversations, ChatGPT can be used as a chatbot on your company’s website to handle routine customer inquiries. Whether it’s answering FAQs, helping customers navigate your site, or providing support for basic troubleshooting, ChatGPT can significantly reduce the workload on your customer service team.

Using ChatGPT as a chatbot, customers can get instant answers to their questions 24/7, enhancing their overall experience and keeping them engaged. Plus, it frees up your support team to focus on more complex issues, improving efficiency across the board.

• Tip: To make this work even better, personalize the chatbot’s responses to match your brand’s voice. That way, it feels like an extension of your company rather than just a generic AI tool.

2. Content Creation and Copywriting

Generating content consistently can be a challenge for any business. ChatGPT is a great solution for brainstorming ideas, drafting blog posts, creating social media content, or even writing product descriptions. While it’s not a replacement for human creativity, ChatGPT can be a useful tool to get the ball rolling or provide a first draft.

For instance, if you’re struggling to come up with fresh blog topics, you can ask ChatGPT to suggest ideas related to your industry. Need an Instagram caption? ChatGPT can provide a few options.

• Tip: Use specific prompts and descriptions when you ask ChatGPT to write a caption so it sounds more like your company. For example, “Write a four-sentence social media caption about our upcoming marketing event with a fun tone for business professionals.”

3. Internal Communications and Team Collaboration

Keeping internal communication clear and efficient is essential for any business. ChatGPT can help with this by drafting internal emails, summarizing meeting notes, or even generating reports. It can also assist brainstorming sessions by providing new perspectives or fleshing out ideas your team is working on.

• Tip: Add all your meeting notes into ChatGPT and ask it to summarize all the text. Then, you’ll have more concise and organized notes to send to your team.

4. Market Research and Analysis

ChatGPT can also assist with basic market research by gathering information and summarizing industry trends, competitor insights, or customer feedback. While it won’t replace a dedicated market research team, it’s a great tool for initial fact-finding and collecting data quickly.

For example, ChatGPT can summarize key points from industry reports, pull together relevant statistics, or even analyze customer reviews to identify common pain points. This can give your team a head start on research projects and help them focus on deeper analysis.

• Tip: Combine ChatGPT’s findings with human expertise for a well-rounded view of your market landscape.

ChatGPT is a powerful tool that, when used effectively, can improve and ease different aspects of your business—from customer support to content creation and beyond. Just remember, personalization is key! Before sending out generated content, always tweak it to ensure it feels personal and aligns with your brand’s voice.

Lian Ottinger | Growth Manager

ChatGPT

going to take your job?

Quick answer: No.

ChatGPT is an amazing and helpful tool, it’s not going to take over the world of branding and marketing. While it’s great for building a foundation, it lacks the human touch that audiences crave (epecially now more than ever). After all people buy and connect with people—not robots!

1. DEFINE THE PURPOSE

Identify why the brand exists.

2. CREATE A PERSONA

A persona transforms the brand into a person with characteristics, values, and a voice.

3. SHARE THE BRAND’S STORY

Any good superhero has an origin story. What’s yours?

4. ENGAGE WITH CUSTOMERS

Using your brand’s voice, respond to customer inquiries and comments.

5. SHOW YOUR VALUES

People buy when values align.

6. USE REAL PEOPLE

Share pictures of employees being funny, emotional, or quirky.

7. BE CONVERSATIONAL

The brand should talk like a person.

Humanizing your brand voice and personalizing ChatGPTgenerated content to align with your business’s tone helps build trust and authenticity, giving your organization more credibility. This makes your business feel genuine and relateable.

EPISODE #111 DEFAULT

In this episode of the Default Profitable podcast, host Matt Nettleton speaks with our CEO, Theresa Goodwin, about the significance of a sales strategy, how to say no to potential clients, and the value of building a strong network.