Emily Heyward (Red Antler) on Building Brands That Stick, How AI Will Impact Creative Agencies and Lessons from Casper’s Success
Social Currency with Sammi Cohen
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Show Notes
What do Casper and Allbirds have in common, besides redefining modern D2C brands? They all worked with branding agency Red Antler before they became household names.
Today Sammi sits down with Emily Heyward, co-founder of Red Antler, the powerhouse creative agency behind some of the most iconic startups of the last decade. Emily shares how Red Antler went from a scrappy agency to the go-to partner for founders launching the next big thing.
They dig into the real work of branding; how to create emotional connection, why a logo is never enough, and the mistakes even seasoned founders make when they treat branding as an afterthought. Emily also opens up about the founding of Red Antler’s VC arm, how her team vets investments, and why she thinks branding will always be human—even in the age of AI.
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Here’s what Sammi and Emily cover today:
00:00 Emily Heyward’s Social Currency
01:45 The Origin of Red Antler
09:35 From Scrappy Startups to Culture-Making Brands
14:23 How to Land—and Keep—Dream Clients
18:40 When Branding Gets Messy (and How to Fix It)
24:10 Strategic Bets and the Ones That Paid Off
30:40 Building for Startups vs. Working with Giants
37:20 Breaking Down Red Antler’s Pricing Strategy
41:30 Why Red Antler Launched a VC Fund
49:23 What It Really Means to Build an Iconic Brand
54:40 Will AI Replace Branding Agencies?
1:00:36 Favorite Projects and Most Fun Collabs
1:05:22 Why Creative Breaks Are Critical
1:07:54 Crumbl, Duolingo, and What’s Trending Now
1:11:30 How to Choose the Right Branding Partner
1:20:35 How to Show Social Currency Some Love
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