Stephen Strigle
Principal
Stephen is a senior brand strategist and writer with a talent for cutting through the clutter to hone in on a brand’s most differentiated attributes. Stephen leads the research function at Sustena, identifying the key insights that shape a company’s brand strategy. Working with national brands, Stephen helps companies find the right path and voice to stand apart in their market.
Favorite Brands
Why?
I love their product, but also appreciate how such a classic brand consistently refreshes itself. Their advertising campaigns have had so many memorable iterations over the years (from ‘I’d like to buy the world a Coke’ to ‘Mean Joe Greene’ to the contemporary ‘Share a Coke’) but the brand elements, the message, and the emotion stay the same: capturing this contagious feeling of nostalgic joy.
Why?
Clearly I have a sweet tooth, but I appreciate Ben & Jerry’s for maintaining their off-beat, small town Vermont culture even as they’ve grown to be an international brand. Even after selling to Unilever, they’ve held on to their goofy ice cream names, high-quality products, culture of treating their employees well, and being a socially responsible and philanthropic business.