Great Ideas, Limited Skills

Vision Alone Won’t Build A Brand

Some business owners have a strong sense of what their brand should be, what it should convey, how it should appear, and the impression it should make on their customers. But when it comes time to execute, progress often slows. Tasks that should take 10 minutes take hours, as internal teams attempt to master skills well outside of their wheelhouse, relying on trial and error to replicate what seasoned marketing professionals and designers have spent years refining. The result is lost momentum and a brand that looks like a draft instead of a polished product, underselling the value it truly offers. To explore a better way forward, we spoke with Jody Euler, the director of redhotblue, a creative agency that has spent more than two decades helping businesses bring their ideas to life with the quality they envisioned.

1. What are the risks of taking a ‘learn as you go’ marketing approach?

The problem with learning on the fly is that business owners don’t realise they are steering off course until it’s too late. I doubt most people would place trust in a professional service with a learner driver at the wheel, so why business owners think DIY marketing and creative execution is a good idea is anyone’s guess. Great strategy paired with creative execution requires more than good intentions – it needs expertise, experience, and exceptional skill.

2. What are the tell-tale signs that a brand is off-track with its marketing?

You don’t need to be a seasoned marketer to spot when a brand is off. Today’s consumers are incredibly perceptive; even if they can’t articulate it, they instinctively know when something doesn’t feel right. Inconsistency in your messaging, shortcuts in execution, or a lack of attention to detail don’t go unnoticed, and they speak volumes, for all the wrong reasons. When a business cuts corners, it’s the customer’s trust that pays the price.

3. Do you think AI is a good alternative to working with a creative agency?

AI absolutely has its place, like any technology, it can enhance how we do business. But at the end of the day, it’s just a tool. Real success comes from understanding your audience, knowing what makes them tick, and crafting messages that cut through the noise, not generic automation.

4. Can clients really tell the difference between work that uses a Canva template or professional tools?
   Scroll through your social media feed, and you’ll see it: content clones. In business, everyone’s chasing the biggest slice of the pie, trying to be top of mind and the brand of choice. So why would you place your brand in a template that looks identical to everyone else? Or worse still, your competitor. If you want to stand out, give people a reason to remember you, not scroll past you.
5. For those hesitant to outsource due to cost, what would you say?

It might seem like you're saving money by handling advertising and creative work in-house, but unless you have a qualified expert dedicated to that role, you're gambling with your results. For instance, I’m not going to get our Creative Director to start managing finances, or our Web Designer to perform a grease and oil change on the company vehicle. The same principle applies to your marketing. What feels like a saving today could end up costing you far more in the long run. Cutting corners on marketing isn’t saving, it’s sabotaging.

6. When a client insists on keeping some marketing in-house, which responsibilities do you recommend they delegate to a marketing agency?

Every business serious about marketing should outsource the development of a comprehensive strategy. This strategy should encompass key messaging, the brand promise, the business proposition, a deep understanding of the target audience, and how to effectively engage them, along with the creation of unique, compelling creative to support the campaign rollout. These critical elements require experienced professionals, not guesswork or decisions based on team opinions or committee

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