From Global Brands to Groundbreaking Communities: Julia Vanderput’s Visionary Path.
Welcome to our special feature interview with Julia Vanderput, a towering figure whose innovative work has shaped some of the world’s most iconic brands, including Pepsi, Harley-Davidson, Armani, American Express, Intel, Hotels.com, and State Farm, to name a few. Julia’s remarkable contributions to the field of brand strategy have not only redefined marketing excellence but have also been celebrated with prestigious accolades such as Effies, Reggies, Webbies, Ex Awards, and Clios. Her thought leadership in the realm of effective branding has been extensively featured in renowned publications like AdAge, Sweathead, and We Are Next, making her a sought-after voice in the industry.
Beyond her illustrious career in brand development, Julia is a passionate advocate for the arts and social justice. Her journey began with an early recognition for her poetic talent, leading to significant contributions to literary publications and the creation of impactful community initiatives like the Songbird Sessions. Julia’s dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion, alongside her work as a birth doula, reflects her deep commitment to nurturing and supporting her community.
Today, Julia lends her expertise to Live Nation, crafting partnership brand strategies that enhance the global leader’s presence in the live entertainment sector. But it’s not just the professional milestones that define Julia’s journey. Her latest venture, Bidinner, is a groundbreaking initiative designed to offer a space of belonging and acceptance for the bisexual community, underscoring her commitment to creating meaningful, inclusive experiences.
Join us as we dive deep into the world of Julia Vanderput, exploring the insights and experiences that have shaped her into the influential figure she is today, and uncovering the motivations behind her continuous push for innovation, inclusivity, and change.
Follow Julia on IG @juliavanderput & LinkedIn @juliavanderput
Hi Julia, please tell us a little about yourself.
Hi, so happy to be sharing my story today. I’m tasked with helping brands mean something to consumers and I do that with Live Nation’s partners in the world of music. I was raised in Rio de Janeiro but currently split my time between Venice Beach and Baja – where the desert meets the beach, which is my favorite place to be. I also co-founded Bidinner, a supper club for bisexuals. Sometimes I write and sometimes it’s good enough to be published.
Could you share with us the journey that led you to become a branding expert, especially working with major brands like Pepsi, Harley-Davidson, and Armani?
I was a journalism and philosophy major, which meant I learned a whole lot about studying the human condition and finding the common thread in a story that we can all understand. That works the same for a brand – all a brand is a collective understanding of what a brand means to you, to me, to that stranger on the street. My career is built on understanding the truth at the heart of what a brand, category or product means to people – beyond the transactional, what’s really happening when I engage with this brand? And what do I need to know to see it in a way that speaks to me? I do a whole lot of digging into research and then speaking to a creative team about what it all means.
Looking back, which project are you most proud of, and why?
I’ve been privileged to work on so many projects I’m proud of. Early in my career, before we had the micro-communities we have now, I was at an ad agency and we were given a small budget for a an Asian running show. Runners don’t switch shoes. They stick to the one model year after year. To make it even more challenging, these particular shoes don’t immediately feel good – breaking them in is part of the technology. We decided to spend the few dollars we had on sending runners these new models and then giving them an invite only digital community to join and talk about all things running, even beyond reviewing the shoes. It became like a Reddit for running – and it was so successful that it won me my first Effie. It was a wonderful example of working with the challenges of a brand versus against.
In your experience, what are the key elements that constitute a successful brand identity and brand experience?
Being culturally resonant. Cultural resonance is a measure of how much a consumer can relate to your brand. And building it takes a bit of conflict – why is your brand here? What is it bringing to the table? And brands that have it are future-proofed – high cultural resonance means long term brand affinity and loyalty. When you meet someone and they share your passions and inspirations, you’ll become friends. The same happens for brands and people. Music is an ideal platform for brands to build cultural resonance because people don’t have their consumer blinders on there – they’re there to pay attention, to make memories. And unlike sports or gaming, everyone can relate to music.
How do you approach the challenge of revitalizing a well-established brand without losing its core identity?
We work with the core identity and tell the true story in a different way. Levi’s is a great example of this. It’s an iconic American brand at a global level and it continues to tell that story, regardless of how American identity and politics have shifted since it was created. It continues to be relevant because it focuses on “how” to tell the story of an American icon, not “what” to tell about the brand. What does it mean to be iconically American today? It’s telling a story of diversity and DIY and making things your own. That’s still a story about an American icon told in a modern way.
Can you walk us through your creative process when starting a new branding project? How do you balance innovation with consistency?
I’m a strong believer that the output is as good as the input, so I have systems in place for always-on research. Branding work is not something you can do reactively. I’m looking at culture and looking for trends and looking for why people are doing what they’re doing before a project that needs that information hits my desk. I guess we can call that ‘consistent innovation’. My team often talks about ideas first then back into what right-fit brand could really leverage the idea. Branding comes from consumers, not CEOs. Branding fails when it appeases C-suite people because that’s only focused on shifting the perceptions of that c-suite, not the target. Keep an open ear to the consumer and they’ll tell you what will work for them.
The branding industry has undergone significant changes with the rise of digital marketing. How have these changes influenced your approach to developing brand strategies?
Digital has really allowed us to fail faster and at a lower cost. Something doesn’t work? Isn’t resonating? Track it, learn about it and let’s get rid of it, change it, make it better.
With the increasing importance of social media in branding, how do you ensure that a brand’s message remains coherent across different platforms?
Social media is treated like a channel, much like a TV spot or a billboard, so the question is more: how do we make a brand consistent across channels?
When we create a brand strategy, we also use a single sentence, called a strategy statement. There’s entire books written on how to come up with an effective brand strategy statement but generally they’re actionable and say something about the brand. Sometimes people call this a brand positioning or purpose. For example, “Old Spice is the authentic essence of the male being”. That’s true for Old Spice in 1937 and 2024, which means it’s a strong brand strategy. And you can do something super creative with that statement – what does male essence mean today? That would all go in a creative brief. And then we would take that brief and extrapolate it for every channel, social media included. If we’re doing a TV spot, going back to the Old Spice example, we’d ask -How would an overtly male brand show up on TV? A half-naked Isaiah Mustafa shows up and confidently experiences extraordinary situations that help navigate men through the new world of grooming is how. And that’s how brand strategy created one of the most successful campaigns of our time.
Currently, you focus on developing partnership brand strategies for Live Nation. Could you explain what these strategies entail and why they are important?
When I was at ad agencies, we were effectively fabricating culture for brands to create cultural resonance. But at Live Nation, we are music culture. From boutique festivals and small venues to global festivals and artist tours, there’s so much accessible to our brand partners when they become part of our ecosystem. I’m tasked with creating strategies for our brand partners that give them a real, genuine role within music. The best part of working for Live Nation is that we’re all music people. We attend festivals and shows on our time off, many of us even make our own music. Which is to say – we respect the culture, the community and the art form. We want brands to connect with music fans in ways that honor that environment.
How do you measure the success of a partnership brand strategy? Are there any specific metrics or indicators you look for?
I love this question because part of my goals this year is getting really good at measuring the most accurate metrics for our brand partners’ goals. For every brand goal, there’s a different metric of success to look at. If a brand is looking to grow awareness, for example, success is going to be more people knowing the brand and what it sells. If a brand wants to build excitement around a launch, we might look at social media impressions and shares of content used to launch it. But what if a brand needs something a bit more nuanced, like becoming a heritage or lifestyle brand? I’d argue metrics in that instance need to look more like the brand is an IP – is there merch with the brand logo selling for a lot on eBay for example? Cheetos has done a fantastic job at this for example. It’s a snack and yet it drops Cheetos clothing that sells out fast. That shows me the brand means more to people than the actual product.
Your work has garnered prestigious awards. Which award do you value the most, and what did it signify for you personally and professionally?
Effies are a bit more interesting to me and maybe that’s because it’s the first industry award I received or because they’re strategy-specific. Broadly, though, I don’t know if industry awards really mean much. My work is for consumers, not industry people. And ultimately that’s what awards are – industry people congratulating industry people. It’s not a good success metric if the people awarding you aren’t the target audience.
For businesses looking to build or enhance their brand, what is the one piece of advice you would give them?
Listen to people. But actively listen – stop relying on surveys and go meet people. If you’re selling breakfast foods to moms, go hang with them on a school day morning. If you’re selling flour to donut shops, you better be there with them at 3am prepping donut dough. Looking at self-reported answers is very different from experiencing it first hand. It’s more like – why on earth did this donut shop owner choose to run a business that means staying up all night?
Where do you see the future of branding heading in the next 5-10 years, especially considering technological advancements like AI and machine learning?
I think brand transparency is going to be immensely important, eve more so than now and because of AI. AI and machine learning can help brands monitor and analyze consumer sentiment and feedback, allowing them to address concerns proactively and build trust with their audience.
Throughout your career, who has been your greatest inspiration, and why?
The punk music scene. Its unapologetic rejection of mainstream conventions and its unwavering commitment to authenticity and self-expression really resonates.Its stripped-down instrumentation, DIY ethos, and confrontational lyrics are endless inspo. Its legacy endures as a potent reminder of the power of music to incite change, inspire individuality, and ignite social movements.
How do you stay current and inspired in a field that is constantly evolving?
Following the muse. If something speaks to me, I go explore it. My grandfather always asked me if I was having fun. Everyone else in my family was interested in my grades. This question always makes me think of priorities – if you’re not enjoying it, what are you doing it for? I’m all for hard work, but hard work doesn’t need to be suffering.
What book should every entrepreneur read?
Rules for Radicals by Saul Alinsky. Read its introduction because its when Alinsky outlines why people should always question the status quo. “Men don’t like to step abruptly out of the security of familiar experience; they need a bridge to cross from their own experiences to a new way.” We need disruptors to pave the way for the less disruptive.
What advice would you give to your younger self, and why?
Listen to your gut. I sometimes forget I have a finely tuned system in place that keeps me on the right path and will let me know when something’s off.
How would your best friend describe you?
I hear adventurous a lot from my closest friends, not just in activities, but in thinking and doing. I feel strongly that we should all be carving out our own places in the world and leaving our mark and that takes trying new things.
If you were a book, what would be the title of the book and why?
“Why Are We Like This: An Investigation Into People Being People” – Just a long list of questions about why people do what they do.
What’s next for Julia Vanderput in 2024?
I’m the process now of a pretty big risk. I am taking my role as ‘batting for the consumer’ to a whole new level this year by transforming the live experiences that come my way into being truly impactful. A big part of that will be having fruitful conversations with brand partners on critical ways to building a better world. It’s challenging to get a for profit organization to start thinking of consumers as people, but I’m committed to not pull my punches for fear of losing clients. We are in the business of music afterall, and it has a history in deeply rooted in movements of social change. My aim is to inspire people who engage with our work to question, reflect, and ultimately, drive change.
What is your favorite healthy food?
A warm, thick, syrupy oatmeal with so many fruit toppings.
And your favorite cheat food?
This is going to sound super LA cliché of me, but breakfast burritos. I can eat those any time, any where, whether I’m hungry or not. Put some fries in it, some very hot, hot sauce. Yum.
How would you explain your fashion style?
Play clothes. It’s a lot of Carthart pants and Hanes boy undershirts paired with new age jewelry. I need to be able to move from music business to painting to skateboarding throughout my day.
What is your own definition of happiness?
Simple things done with pleasure.
If you could meet someone living or dead, who would it be and why?
Joan Didion. She figured something out about life I’m still trying to bring to mine.
What would be your dream holiday, and who would you go with?
Camping in La Gomera, on the Canary Islands. It’s’ hard to get to and it’s all nature. I married my adventure partner, someone who is very much a yes-person who enjoys living in sand and dust as much as I do, so that’s who I’d bring.
Best advice ever given?
“Don’t listen to advice.” People can only speak to their own experiences, and that might limit you.
Do you support any charities?
I’m really into Palapa Society. They raise funds for the education of local children in Baja California. My entire education was entirely scholarship-based and so I owe a lot to accessible education.
Where do you see yourself and your career in 5 years?
I really want to keep driving the importance of cultural resonance to brands. The more we behave consumer-first, the more brands will create products that help people.
What is your favorite song to belt out in the car or for karaoke?
Alana Morissette. Iconic belting.
What do you think of social media?
I’m for more regulation of it but I also think some people have cracked the code on making a really additive experience.
Where can we follow you?
I’m @juliavanderput everywhere. Join us for dinner at @bi_dinner.
Book: All My Puny Sorrows by Miriam Toews.
Quote: Gentileza gera gentileza, or “Kindness begets kindness,” by Brazilian muralist and preacher Jose Datrino.
Movie: Past Life – a real love letter.
Tv Series: Freaks and Geeks.
Favorite Food: Cacio e Pepe from Marvin in Los Angeles. There’s a reason their bartender signed my marriage license.
Travel Destination: Todos Santos, Baja. We just finished our first home there.
Sports Team: Brazilian national soccer team.