Why Branding in Education Can’t Be an Afterthought: A Conversation with Joey Yorba

Episode Title: Beyond the Logo: Why Education Needs Bold Brands and Smart Strategy

Guest: Joey Yorba, Managing Director, Super Top Secret

Guest Website: wearetopsecret.com

Guest LinkedIn: Joey Yorba

Host: Jacob Hanson

About Joey Yorba:Joey Yorba is the Managing Director of Super Top Secret, a creative agency that’s helped some of the world’s most recognizable brands—from Nike to Xbox—cut through the noise with bold, emotionally resonant storytelling. With a deep background in creative direction and brand psychology, Joey now brings that global expertise to the education space, helping mission-driven organizations lead with authenticity and impact.

At STS, he leads multidisciplinary teams that develop everything from foundational strategy to full-scale campaigns—all with one goal: building brands that don’t just look good, but feel unforgettable.

Key Topics Covered:

• What a brand actually is—and why most education orgs get it wrong “A brand is what someone says about you when you're not in the room.”

• The high cost of reactive communications and under-invested branding “We still have people who think, ‘We’ll just do the logo now and figure the rest out later.’ That’s how you waste money.”

• The importance of emotional resonance and design systems “Every touchpoint matters. You can't say you care about equity and then have a clunky, inaccessible website.”

• Why brand strategy is foundational—not optional “This isn’t a nice-to-have anymore. If you’re not shaping the narrative, you’re being shaped by it.”

• Quick tests to assess your messaging clarity “Ask five people to explain what your company does. If you get five different answers, you’ve got a brand problem.”

Resources Mentioned:

• Super Top Secret

• STS LinkedIn