• Brand Strategy

    Building a powerful Brand with monetary value begins with carefully choosing the right words to describe what you want your Brand to stand for.

    Learn more »

    Brand Strategy
  • Account Planning

    Communications strategy development driven by core target audience insights and values to create the most appealing and motivating messages.

    Learn more »

    Account Planning
  • Qualitative Research

    Consumer research (and customer research for B2B projects) to explore the needs, motivations, attitudes and values of your target audience, and to evaluate and develop ideas and hypotheses.

    Learn more »

    Qualitative Research
  • Elevator Pitch

    When you only have 30 seconds to capture a prospect’s attention and imagination, or when everyone in the company talks differently about what your brand stands for, then it’s time to get serious with a compelling Elevator Pitch speech.

    Learn more »

    Elevator Pitch
  • Synectics

    Brainstorming and creative problem-solving should always be fun but it isn’t child’s play. Synectics is a detailed, structured approach that efficiently leverages the entire brainpower in the group.

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    Synectics
  • Future Brand Essence™ Program

    Brand Strategy Development concentrated into weeks not 
months.

    A three-stage program to kick off the Brand Building 
process.

    Learn more »

    FBE™ Program

We are a single-source, hands-on resource for all your core brand development,
communications strategy and research needs – locally and globally.

Brand Mechanics - the art and science of building brandsThe book that will shake up the branding industry.

Brand Mechanics – The art and science of building brands is written by Michael Llewellyn-Williams, PhD, Principal and founder of BrandMechanics® in San Francisco. Published 2013 by Chromium Books.

Click here for more information about the book.
Click here to purchase a copy on Amazon.com

We believe a Brand is a set of memories and expectations, like a file card in a mental Rolodex, accessed at a moment’s notice.

It’s a lot more than just a label or a logo.

Building a powerful Brand with monetary value begins with carefully choosing the right words to describe what you want your Brand to stand for.

Our services include Internal and External Brand Audits, Future Brand Essence/Vision/Mission workshops, Brand Positioning development and brand implementation, both internal and external, including Branding Strategies and Brand Tracking.

More about Brand Strategy

Communications strategy development driven by core target audience insights and values to create the most appealing and motivating messages.

More about Account Planning

Consumer research (and customer research for B2B projects) to explore the needs, motivations, attitudes and values of your target audience, and to evaluate and develop ideas and hypotheses.

More about Qualitative Research

When you only have 30 seconds to capture a prospect’s attention and imagination, or when everyone in the company talks differently about what your brand stands for, then it’s time to get serious with a compelling Elevator Pitch speech.

More about Elevator Pitch

Brainstorming and creative problem-solving should always be fun but it isn’t child’s play. Synectics is a detailed, structured approach that efficiently leverages the entire brainpower in the group.

More about Synectics

We bring substantial B2C and B2B strategy leadership.

We have worked with clients and agencies on three continents across many categories including auto, technology, financial, QSR, CPG, leisure, beverages, durables, education, footwear, professional, media and public services.

Testimonials

  • “The well-constructed process… the mind-expanding exercises to open the mental pores… adding value beyond just excellent facilitation.”

    Jeff Pendleton, Director Internet Services
    Hewlett-Packard

  • “At Mandalay Bay we continue to benefit from Michael’s original strategic thinking, brand development and research skills that led us to our marketing campaign. His outstanding work covered not just our customer-facing efforts (B2C) but also the conventions side of our business (B2B).”

    Randy Boynton, VP Marketing
    Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino

  • “… successful in distilling many thoughts and opinions down into a single customer promise that we believe is distinctive, ownable, and most of all, actionable.”

    Heather Gray, VP Marketing
    Visa

  • “I have worked with countless branding professionals all over the country and have never had the pleasure of working with anyone as sharp and buttoned-down as Michael. In just one day, he got a group of 16 boisterous clients on the same page regarding what they wanted their brand to stand for. It was amazing to watch him control, motivate and empower the group with his consensus-building techniques and extensive brand-building experience. Michael is fast: In that one day he achieved what others take weeks or even months to get client agreement on.”

    Alexandra Watkins, Chief Innovation Officer
    Eat My Words

  • “Extraordinary progress in just a few hours – an excellent process!”

    Keith Rodger, Managing Director
    DTP, Ltd. U.K.

  • “Kudos to you!”

    Accenture

  • “Michael’s powerful strategic vision and penetrating research skills are simply awesome. Our project was to find a compelling message that would appeal to systems integrators, marketing VP’s, and senior IT folks in the U.S., Europe and Asia. Michael set up the research, executed it, wrote the strategy and helped sell it to the client. I can honestly recommend Michael confidently as I haven’t come across anyone who matches his work in B2B planning strategy – or B2C for that matter.”

    Mark Durein, Account Director
    Winkler Advertising

  • “It’s an empowering feeling!”

    Sutton Trout, Creative Director
    Eidos Interactive

  • “It was most helpful moving us towards consensus – with academics, that’s like herding cats.”

    Father Joseph Daoust, President
    Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley

  • “The customer research and recommendations Michael made helped us make the decision to build a beautiful online platform to showcase all the great wineries that make wine from Stagecoach Vineyards. Michael’s methodologies, experience, and creativity were highly appreciated in figuring out how to take branding, messaging, and presentation to the next level.”

    Marcus Krupp, VP Marketing
    Stagecoach Vineyards

  • “The elevator pitch for Red Bricks Media that resulted from working with you is spectacular and continues to lead our business growth.”

    Julian Aldridge, Chief Strategy Officer
    Red Bricks Media

  • “Michael was integral to winning new business and developing strategically sound, creatively-driven campaigns for clients like Mandalay Bay and SoyJoy. He is an insightful thinker with a broad range of experience that enables him to smartly address a variety of marketing challenges.”

    David Berne, Director of Strategic Planning
    Rubin Postaer Associates

  • “In a highly competitive wine market, Michael helped us understand how to differentiate our boutique offerings by nailing the essence of the wines: ‘Rugged elegance.’ Michael brought clarity and professionalism and got the most out of the team in a very dynamic but structured 2-day session. We highly recommend Michael because he is as dedicated as he is talented.”

    Marcus Krupp, VP Marketing
    Krupp Brothers Winery

  • “I have depended on Michael for many of my creative, high profile and demanding clients to develop powerful brand solutions in high-pressure, fast-turnaround situations. Both as a strategist and, more importantly for me, as a writer, Michael’s talent and concentrated wisdom are simply awesome.”

    Jo Kumery, National Director of Merchandising and Standards
    Guckenheimer

  • “I have retained Michael to conduct two brand workshops for two different companies. Both times Michael was able to organize a diverse and opinionated group of executives, take them through a very well thought out process and leave the meeting with consensus on Brand identity and language; a task quite frankly I did not think possible in the time allocated.”

    Ian Gillis, President
    Urban Community Partners

  • “It highlights the importance and theory of a properly defined brand – you have a great tool and process.”

    First Franklin Financial

  • “Michael brought exceptional strategic planning and research skills to RPA and was pivotal in helping us win the Mandalay Bay and Pentax accounts. Plus, his brand workshops are extraordinary in achieving game-changing insights and enthusiastic consensus on strategy in just a few hours.”

    Tom Kirk, EVP, Management Account Director
    Rubin Postaer Associates

  • “It really made us think at a bigger level and at a deeper level about who we are, what we’re about, and who we’re going to be in the future.”

    Cephren

Recent Blog Posts

Debating Jon Steel’s video – part 7

An on-going blog to create debate and perhaps raise some awkward questions on the seven subjects discussed in Jon Steel’s video. Topic 7. “Is digital just another set of media for connecting with your audience?” About 50 years ago, ad guru Marshall McLuhan famously declared, “The medium is the message”. Frankly, I think that’s bull […]

Debating Jon Steel’s video – part 6

An on-going blog to create debate and perhaps raise some awkward questions on the seven subjects discussed in Jon Steel’s video. Topic 6. “Planners should schedule fictitious meetings to escape and find inspiration” Not a bad idea, particularly in open-plan office environments where the general hubbub and cross-cube banter can be distracting, but is it […]