BRAND:NEW

Donovan Fourie

BRAND:NEW is the straight-talking podcast for business owners who want a stronger brand without the marketing jargon.

Hosted by Donovan, a Creative Head and Brand Champion with over 30 years of global experience, each 5–10 minute episode breaks down the principles of professional brand design—from logos and websites to color, typography, messaging, and everything your business says before you say a word.

No fluff. No design-school jargon. Just practical advice, real-world examples, and the occasional war story to help you make smarter branding decisions before you spend a single dollar on design.

New episodes twice a week.

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25 episodes
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English

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S1 · E25
Yesterday · 7 min
Eps. 25: Why Is Chasing Trends Terminal?
Send us Fan Mail Donovan makes the case that chasing design trends isn't just risky — it's a betrayal of your actual brand voice. Featuring two real, well-documented, and very expensive, disasters (from Tropicana's packaging flop to Gap's six-day logo reversal) and the line worth remembering: trends are a rental, timeless design is something you own. If you're interested in a comprehensive audit of your Logo, your Brand - reach out to us today with your details to this address: brandnew@jeffpayne.net. One listener will receive a Brand Audit that we will discuss on-air. Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode. BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’. Questions or episode ideas? brandnew@jeffpayne.net
- Transcript
S1 · E24
Friday · 4 min
Eps. 24: How Often Should I Update My Website?
Send us Fan Mail Your website has no hamster cage problem — unlike your old brochures. Donovan covers why your site should be treated as a living document, the real math behind mobile-first design (including two clients with wildly opposite traffic splits), and the real test for whether video belongs on your homepage at all. If you're interested in a comprehensive audit of your Logo, your Brand - reach out to us today with your details to this address: brandnew@jeffpayne.net. One listener will receive a Brand Audit that we will discuss on-air. Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode. BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’. Questions or episode ideas? brandnew@jeffpayne.net
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S1 · E23
Wednesday · 5 min
Eps. 23: What is a Call To Action (CTA)?
Send us Fan Mail The call to action, the landing page, and the blog you’re neglecting. Donovan breaks down why your CTA should be repeated relentlessly, why a landing page is a "psychological trapdoor," and the test for whether your business should even bother with a blog. If you're interested in a comprehensive audit of your Logo, your Brand - reach out to us today with your details to this address: brandnew@jeffpayne.net. One listener will receive a Brand Audit that we will discuss on-air. Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode. BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’. Questions or episode ideas? brandnew@jeffpayne.net
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S1 · E22
September 14 · 5 min
Eps. 22: What is UX And UI?
Send us Fan Mail What is UX, UI, and why the web industry loves making simple things sound like a NASA briefing. Donovan breaks down the difference, explains why cognitive overload is silently costing you customers, and settles what a "conversion" actually means for your website — plus the philosophy worth remembering: luxury lives in the blank spaces. If you're interested in a comprehensive audit of your Logo, your Brand - reach out to us today with your details to this address: brandnew@jeffpayne.net. One listener will receive a Brand Audit that we will discuss on-air. Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode. BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’. Questions or episode ideas? brandnew@jeffpayne.net
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S1 · E21
September 11 · 4 min
Eps. 21: What Makes A Good Website?
Send us Fan Mail Three quick diagnostics for your own website: what actually makes one good, the quiet warning signs that yours is failing (starting with whether you hesitate to give out your own URL), and why asking your developer to design it is like asking your architect to wire the electricity. If you're interested in a comprehensive audit of your Logo, your Brand - reach out to us today with your details to this address: brandnew@jeffpayne.net. One listener will receive a Brand Audit that we will discuss on-air. Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode. BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’. Questions or episode ideas? brandnew@jeffpayne.net
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S1 · E20
September 9 · 6 min
Eps. 20: Do I Need A Professionally Designed Website?
Send us Fan Mail The Website Design episode opens with the timeless wisdom of the great David Ogilvy - and makes the case that most websites are still getting it backwards sixty years later. Do you need a professional site, can Wix or Squarespace actually cut it, and does "pretty" mean anything if your customer can't tell what you do in five seconds? If you're interested in a comprehensive audit of your Logo, your Brand - reach out to us today with your details to this address: brandnew@jeffpayne.net. One listener will receive a Brand Audit that we will discuss on-air. Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode. BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’. Questions or episode ideas? brandnew@jeffpayne.net
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S1 · E19
September 7 · 8 min
Eps. 19: Do I Really Need Professional Photography?
Send us Fan Mail You can't put lipstick on a pig — but in design, you absolutely can, and Donovan explains exactly why that's still not good enough. The full Photography chapter: why professional photographs make all the difference - plus - the real story behind the "Million Dollar Headshot," and why no amount of Photoshop can save a bad photo. If you're interested in a comprehensive audit of your Logo, your Brand - reach out to us today with your details to this address: brandnew@jeffpayne.net. One listener will receive a Brand Audit that we will discuss on-air. Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode. BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’. Questions or episode ideas? brandnew@jeffpayne.net
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S1 · E18
September 4 · 6 min
Eps. 18: Can I Use The Same Font Everywhere?
Send us Fan Mail Closing out Typography: why using one font family everywhere beats switching things up, the real difference between legibility and readability, and a war story about a legacy font that turned a simple PDF job into a genuine nightmare. Includes the best piece of advice Donovan's father ever gave him. If you're interested in a comprehensive audit of your Logo, your Brand - reach out to us today with your details to this address: brandnew@jeffpayne.net. One listener will receive a Brand Audit that we will discuss on-air. Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode. BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’. Questions or episode ideas? brandnew@jeffpayne.net
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S1 · E17
September 2 · 5 min
Eps. 17: Do Fonts Really Make A Difference?
Send us Fan Mail Typography episode opens with a hard truth: choosing a font is not a five-minute decision. Donovan breaks down why your logo font is sacrosanct, why more than three fonts turns your brand into a ransom note, and settles the Comic Sans debate once and for all. If you're interested in a comprehensive audit of your Logo, your Brand - reach out to us today with your details to this address: brandnew@jeffpayne.net. One listener will receive a Brand Audit that we will discuss on-air. Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode. BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’. Questions or episode ideas? brandnew@jeffpayne.net
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S1 · E16
August 31 · 5 min
Eps. 16: How Many Colors Should My Brand Have?
Send us Fan Mail Closing out the Color chapter: how many colors does a brand actually need, and what happens when it goes wrong? Donovan shares two real stories — the "Spouse Trap" that nearly cost a retail giant fifty-six years of brand equity over dinner, and the client who wanted his logo bigger after learning why his color choice physically hurt to look at. If you're interested in a comprehensive audit of your Logo, your Brand - reach out to us today with your details to this address: brandnew@jeffpayne.net. One listener will receive a Brand Audit that we will discuss on-air. Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode. BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’. Questions or episode ideas? brandnew@jeffpayne.net
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S1 · E15
August 28 · 6 min
Eps. 15: How Do I Choose The Right Colors?
Send us Fan Mail In this episode we discuss the emotional and technical process that goes into choosing your Brand Colors. We also discuss what happens when you share a base color with a competitor. If you're interested in a comprehensive audit of your Logo, your Brand, your Colors - reach out to us today with your details to this address: brandnew@jeffpayne.net. One listener will receive a Brand Audit that we will discuss on-air. Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode. BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’. Questions or episode ideas? brandnew@jeffpayne.net
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S1 · E14
August 26 · 4 min
Eps. 14: What happens if my brand is used incorrectly?
Send us Fan Mail What actually happens when someone gets your brand wrong — a stretched logo, the wrong Pantone, a font nobody approved? Donovan closes out the Brand Manual chapter with why bringing on a new designer without a manual is the single riskiest moment in a brand's life. If you're interested in a comprehensive audit of your Logo, your Brand - reach out to us today with your details to this address: brandnew@jeffpayne.net. One listener will receive a Brand Audit that we will discuss on-air. Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode. BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’. Questions or episode ideas? brandnew@jeffpayne.net
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S1 · E13
August 24 · 6 min
Eps. 13: What goes into a ‘Beginner’ Brand Manual?
Send us Fan Mail What actually belongs in a beginner Brand Manual — and what can wait? Donovan lays out the essentials, answers the questions clients ask most (do you need to print it? do you need a dedicated Brand Manager?), and settles the argument once and for all: no, your web developer does not know better without one. If you're interested in a comprehensive audit of your Logo, your Brand - reach out to us today with your details to this address: brandnew@jeffpayne.net. One listener will receive a Brand Audit that we will discuss on-air. Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode. BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’. Questions or episode ideas? brandnew@jeffpayne.net
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S1 · E12
August 21 · 6 min
Eps. 12: What Is A Brand Manual?
Send us Fan Mail What is a Brand Manual, really — and why do so many business owners skip it, only to regret it later? Donovan calls it your brand's Atlas, breaks down the real difference between a Brand Manual and a basic style guide, and makes the case for why even the smallest business can't afford to go without one. If you're interested in a comprehensive audit of your Logo, your Brand - reach out to us today with your details to this address: brandnew@jeffpayne.net. One listener will receive a Brand Audit that we will discuss on-air. Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode. BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’. Questions or episode ideas? brandnew@jeffpayne.net
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S1 · E11
August 19 · 7 min
Eps. 11: Which Type Of Logo Is Right For Me?
Send us Fan Mail Which type of logo fits your business, and do you need a designer who specializes in your industry? Donovan also breaks down why he only presents one logo concept — not twenty — and how too many choices ends up creating Frankenstein’s monster. Plus, the real reason a fifty-dollar logo hands you a useless file instead of a usable brand. If you're interested in a comprehensive audit of your Logo, your Brand - reach out to us today with your details to this address: donovan@jeffpayne.net. One listener will receive a Brand Audit that we will discuss on-air. Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode. BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’. Questions or episode ideas? brandnew@jeffpayne.net
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S1 · E10
August 18 · 6 min
Eps. 10: What Makes A Good Logo?
Send us Fan Mail Ten episodes in! — What actually makes a logo good? Donovan breaks down the four traits every great logo needs (using Metallica and the Rolling Stones as unlikely brand case studies), then tackles the bonus question every dentist ever has asked him: does your logo need to literally show what you do? Featuring a molar. Wearing a top hat. If you're interested in a comprehensive audit of your Logo, your Brand - reach out to us today with your details to this address: donovan@jeffpayne.net. One listener will receive a Brand Audit that we will discuss on-air. Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode. BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’. Questions or episode ideas? brandnew@jeffpayne.net
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S1 · E9
August 17 · 4 min
Eps. 09: What Does A Professional Logo Design Cost?
Send us Fan Mail What does a professionally designed logo actually cost — and why? Donovan makes the case that you're not paying for an afternoon's work, you're paying for the decades it took to know exactly which shape to draw. A real look at what goes into the craft, and why a logo built by the right designer is a wealth-generating asset, not an expense. Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode. BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’. Questions or episode ideas? brandnew@jeffpayne.net
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S1 · E8
August 14 · 6 min
Eps. 08: Do I Really Need a Professionally Designed Logo?
Send us Fan Mail The last piece of brand strategy before we get specific: what are the actual building blocks of a brand? Then Donovan dives into logo design proper — do you really need a professionally designed logo, and what's the real, hidden cost of using a cheap or temporary one to start? Includes the story of the "interim" logo that outlived its expiration date by two years. Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode. BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’. Questions or episode ideas? brandnew@jeffpayne.net
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S1 · E7
August 12 · 7 min
Eps. 07: What Does It Cost To Build A Brand Properly?
Send us Fan Mail Brand strategy and the true cost of branding, explained honestly: what does it actually cost to build a brand properly — and what does it cost when you get it wrong? Donovan breaks down real cases (Fendi, Bud Light, Jaguar) on cost and risk, then tackles whether brand value actually pays off when you sell your business. Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode. BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’. Questions or episode ideas? brandnew@jeffpayne.net
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S1 · E6
August 10 · 5 min
Eps. 06: What is a Brand Audit - and Do I Need One?
Send us Fan Mail What actually happens in a Brand Audit — and is it just a fancy word for "pay me to tell you what you already know"? Donovan breaks down exactly what gets examined, why skipping this step is one of the most expensive mistakes in rebranding, and when you genuinely need one. Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode. BRAND:NEW is hosted by Donovan, Creative Head & Brand Champion, and author of the upcoming book ‘The Business Owner's Guide to Branding’. Questions or episode ideas? brandnew@jeffpayne.net
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