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Some brands have to fight to be noticed and others simply become essential. Maldon Salt belongs firmly in the second category - it's in your kitchen, it's in my kitchen, it's in every kitchen. They've never needed a dramatic rebrand, there are no endless product launches or frantic trend-chasing, just a small box of sea salt flakes that chefs, cooks and food lovers reach for again and again. Somehow, that consistency turned a cupboard staple into a cult brand. The Difference

Struggling to stay consistent with your marketing without feeling overwhelmed by it all? In this episode of The Story Coach, Karen explores one of the biggest challenges creatives and small business owners face: how to keep showing up consistently without turning marketing into another exhausting full-time job. From unrealistic expectations and perfectionism to trying to do too much at once, Karen shares practical ways to create a more sustainable rhythm that actually fits yo

A weekly edit of the stories shaping PR, marketing and modern storytelling For a long time, brands were taught to aim for mass appeal ... be broad, be universally relatable and avoid narrowing the audience. Ironically, the internet rewarded the complete opposite. The brands building the deepest connection right now aren’t trying to speak to everyone. They’re becoming more specific and far more intentional about who they’re for and how they communicate that. This week’s edit l

Most travel companies sell convenience ... flights, rooms, locations, prices ... but Airbnb understood that there was something bigger than all that. People don’t just want somewhere to stay, they want to feel like they belong there, and that shift from accommodation to belonging changed everything. The Beginning Airbnb famously began with air mattresses on a living room floor ... a practical solution to a problem, namely hotels were full during a design conference in San Fra

Ever written something for your business and thought … “why does this sound nothing like me?” In this episode of The Story Coach, Karen explores one of the most common struggles creatives and small business owners face when it comes to marketing, finding a voice that feels natural, clear and genuinely reflective of who they are. From overthinking and comparison to trying too hard to sound “professional”, Karen shares why so many people lose their voice in the process of creat

A weekly edit of the stories shaping PR, marketing and modern storytelling This week’s examples all have something in common, they understand that good communication doesn’t happen in isolation. It lives in culture, behaviour and in the small details people notice, and remember ... from football shirts to public transport to a supermarket sandwich, these are three recent examples of brands understanding not just what they’re saying, but where and how they’re saying it. 1. Whe

At first glance, YETI sells coolboxes ... very expensive coolboxes, and cups, and bags, and outdoor gear built to survive almost anything. But spend a little time with the brand and you realise something pretty quickly ... YETI isn’t really selling products, it’s selling a way of life. The Difference Most outdoor brands focus heavily on performance ... technical features, materials, durability etc and YETI does some of that too, but what really sets them apart is who they cho

Feeling overwhelmed by marketing advice and the pressure to show up on every platform? In this episode of The Story Coach, Karen explores one of the biggest misconceptions in modern marketing ... the idea that you need to be everywhere, all the time, in order to grow. The reality? You don’t need more platforms, you need more clarity around where your audience is, where your strengths lie, and what you can realistically sustain. In this episode, Karen shares ... • why trying t

A weekly edit of the stories shaping PR, marketing and modern storytelling Some communication works because it’s clever, some works because it’s loud and some works because it just feels … right. This week’s examples come from beauty, finance and food, all showing how brands are leaning into participation, familiarity and everyday relevance. 1. Participation as storytelling Example: Glossier’s community-led product drops Glossier’s recent product activity continues to blur th

Feeling like your marketing is a bit all over the place but not sure where to start? In this episode of The Story Coach, we shares three simple, practical things you can do this week to bring a little more clarity, consistency and confidence to how you show up. No overwhelm or complicated strategy, just small, actionable steps that will help you move forward. In this episode, we talk about: • why marketing often feels harder than it needs to • the power of getting clear on on

A weekly edit of the stories shaping PR, marketing and modern storytelling There’s a difference between telling a story and having one to tell and the brands that stand out right now aren’t just producing content, they’re drawing from something real ... a point of view, a place, a person, a purpose. This week’s examples come from hospitality, sport and retail, three very different sectors, all showing how storytelling works best when it’s rooted in something tangible. 1. Plac

Most platforms are built for scale ... more users and content and consumption ... and somewhere along the way, the people creating the work can become secondary to the system itself. Bandcamp took a different approach - it built a platform that works for the artist, not the other way around. The Difference At its simplest, Bandcamp is a place to buy music, but the experience feels very different. You don’t just stream a track, you support the person who made it and see their

We're delighted to share with you our very first episode of The Story Coach, and we thought we'd kick everything off with a look at a very common topic we see so often here at Everything & Nothing, "Why Most Creatives and Small Business Owners Struggle to tell their Story". You can find The Story Coach wherever you get your podcasts or here via this link ... The Story Coach A new epsiode of The Story Coach will be shared each and every Wednesday - part encouragement, part pra

A weekly edit of the stories shaping PR, marketing and modern storytelling There’s a particular kind of communication that doesn’t try too hard, it doesn’t chase the moment.It doesn’t over-explain, it just … fits. This week’s examples come from aviation, hospitality and tech, three very different sectors, all showing how brands are leaning into experience, clarity and tone in ways that feel considered rather than constructed. 1. Experience as brand, not add-on Example: Ryana

Most modern sporting events are built for exposure, and maximum coverage. The Masters took a different path with fewer sponsors, tighter control and stricter rules and somehow, that made it one of the most recognisable sporting events in the world. The Difference The Masters doesn’t feel like other tournaments, i t feels protected. The language they use is specific, their visuals are consistent and the experience is carefully controlled. Even the crowd isn’t called a crowd,

There is no shortage of marketing in the arts. Campaigns are launched with care and intention, posters are thoughtfully designed, social feeds are filled with activity, and press releases are sent out into the world. From the outside, it often looks as though everything that should be happening is happening, and yet, sometimes the narrative just doesn’t land. The work itself is often exceptional, the talent is undeniable and the intention behind the work is absolutely genuine

A weekly edit of the stories shaping PR, marketing and modern storytelling Some of the best communication this week didn’t feel like communication at all ... no big campaign lines or over-explaining or scramble for attention, just brands and organisations understanding exactly who they are, and acting accordingly. 1. When restraint becomes the message Example: The Masters and its quietly iconic communication The Masters once again reminded the industry that you don’t need to

A weekly edit of the stories shaping PR, marketing and modern storytelling Some weeks feel like a reminder that good communication isn’t necessarily about doing something new, it’s about doing something true . This week’s examples come from sport, retail and media and each one shows a brand leaning into emotion, usefulness and timing in a way that feels considered rather than constructed. 1. Emotion as shared experience, not performance Example: Nike’s athlete storytelling a

A weekly edit of the stories shaping PR, marketing and modern storytelling There’s a particular kind of communication that feels well judged and right for the moment it’s in. This week’s edit looks at three examples where brands have done exactly that by leaning into constraint, consistency and contrast. 1. When less really does more Example: Apple’s continued use of minimal product storytelling With the recent rollout of its latest product updates, Apple has once again leane

Some, ok most, brands try to get your attention while others assume they already have it and Aesop belongs firmly in the second camp. No loud campaigns, or constant product drops, there's never any urgency ... just amber bottles, quiet stores and very carefully chosen words. A brand that feels … considered. The Origin Aesop was founded in Melbourne in 1987 and from the beginning, it took a different approach. Where most skincare brands leaned into beauty, aspiration and perfe