The Catching Fire Podcast

Any successful venture starts with great ideas, but it takes great marketing to make them stand out. In the Catching Fire Podcast, we delve into outstanding products and ideas that have gone to market and what it took to get there. Listen to conversations with inspiring startup founders and marketing leaders. Rethink your team’s approach to marketing in an increasingly crowded digital landscape. Learn how to make your ideas “catch fire.”

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The Catching Fire Podcast

From HBO to Apple: Industry Creative Director on Why Performance Needs Brand

April 16, 2025 • Bryan Karas

What’s the difference between a $20 bottle of vodka and a $50 one?

Nothing—except the story you’ve been told.

In this episode, Bryan Karas sits down with award-winning creative director Christopher Donovan (Apple, Nike, HBO) for a conversation that throws out the marketing rulebook and replaces it with something more impactful: performance branding.

Inside:

Why brand is just another word for trust
How to break free from transactional messaging and spark emotional resonance
The branding misstep that could cost Tesla its audience
Why it’s not about “more data”—it’s about better storytelling
And why nobody falls in love with a calculator (unless you were a TI kid…)

Whether you’re building a DTC startup or leading a legacy brand, this episode will make you think differently about creative, growth, and the stories your audience actually wants to hear.

Connect with Chris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherdonovan001/

Connect with Bryan:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryankaras/

https://bryankaras.com/

Looking for quality digital marketing talent? Connect with Bryan's team at GrowTal. https://www.growtal.com/

Looking to solve your toughest marketing challenges? Connect with Bryan's team at Playbook Media. https://www.playbookmedia.com/