On Strategy Showcase: Recent Episodes
Fergus
In this episode from our Effie series, Planning for Effective Outcomes, we talk with award-winning agency creative leaders about how they approach their work, evaluate strategic directions and about work they love that they didn't work on. Our next episode in the series features Mark Ritson and Andrew Tindall. Thanks to the Effies and Tracksuit for supporting this special, six episode series.
It was yet another strike against independent journalism. $1.1 billion in funding pulled back by the Republican administration. We learn how NPR (National Public Radio) responded in classic NPR style. They stood up for the public's right to ask hard questions. I talk with NPR's CMO, Mishka Pitter-Armand and Mischief's EVP Strategy, Ed Gunn. Our next live show is Sept 10th at GSD&M in Austin.
A live, sell-out crowd celebrates the legacy of iconic creativity in Minneapolis. Campaigns like Harley Davidson, Porsche, Buddy Guy, EDS, BMW Films, Target, Citibank and more recent work including Subaru and Walmart. Fallon, Carmichael and Colle McVoy join me live at the roundtable. Thanks to The Effies, Tracksuit and System1 for making our live tour possible. See the iconic creative work on our website at www.onstrategyshowcase.com
Can human-created ads drive better business outcomes than AI ads? From this collaboration between Ipsos and Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, we hear why AI is currently struggling to drive business outcomes and how brands can navigate the delicate balance between creative efficiency and strategic effectiveness.
Download the free report bit.ly/aiadreport
We talk campaigns from Heinz Ketchup and The New York Times. Chris Gallery is Global CSO at Mother and Nick Hirst is Global Strategy Lead on Mars across OMC at adam&eve, London. Thanks to Tracksuit and System1 for supporting this series.
A favorite guest of the show, Martin is one of the most influential strategists in the industry. Formerly of W+K and AMV BBDO, his new book, Strategy is a Verb, reflects on lessons learned in the trenches. A must listen and must read for all of us. Check him out at www.martinweigel.org
Stars like Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift have super charged the fanbase, but Lara's goal is bigger - an entertainment company with a football product. We talk about her plans, why she joined from L'Oreal and Stella Artois, and how the NFL's strict no paid media rule is creating a culture of creative innovation. She's joined by BarkleyOKRP CSO, Chris Cardetti and CCO, Brad Jones.
I'm joined by Amelea Renshaw, Head of Strategy at Lucky Generals, NYC and Janni Widerholm, Head of Social and GCD at TBWA/Chiat/Day Los Angeles. As always, thanks to System1 and Tracksuit for making this On the Spot series possible.
In Ep#3 of our Effie series, strategists share lessons on how they approach a new strategic initiative. Johnny Corpuz, Head of Comms Strategy at BBDO, Asmirh Davis, Partner and President at Majority, and Gunny Scarfo, Co-Founder at Nonfiction join me. Thanks to Tracksuit (affordable brand tracking) for supporting this Effie series. www.gotracksuit.com
Walmart's Head of Emerging Experience, Justin Breton and GEEIQ's CEO Charles Hambro join me to talk about gaming, virtual worlds and Walmart's place in them. This is episode one in a three episode virtual worlds series. Tickets for our June 18th, 2026 Live from Minneapolis show are now on sale.
Inside the Effie Judge's room in NYC on May 7th. Twelve judges were there to decide which of the seven Gold Effie-winning cases from earlier judging rounds would be awarded the prestigious Grand Effie for 2026. This is what happened.
On this month's episode of On the Pulse, I'm joined by Ipsos' Chief Behavioral Scientist ion the U.S., Jesse Itzkowitz, and SVP, Head of Creative Excellence, Lisa Zielinski, to discuss the opportunity humor provides as a strategic tool. Thanks to Ipsos for supporting this monthly series.
It's planners talking brands they've never worked on. We're joined this month by Landi Day, CSO at BBDO, Chicago and Omar Quinones, CSO at LERMA/, Dallas. We're having some laughs and talking Subaru and Vaseline. You can also watch this episode and see the creative work on our YouTube channel or website. Link below. Thanks to Tracksuit and System1 for making this series possible.
www.onstrategyshowcase.com
In Ep#2 of our Effie series, Chief Strategy Officers share how they validate, build upon or challenge briefs from their clients. Will Grundy of adam&eveTBWA, E.T. Franklin of Publicis Media, Elizabeth Paul of Martin and Professor and best-selling Author, Marcus Collins join me. Thanks to Tracksuit (affordable brand tracking) for supporting this Effie series. www.gotracksuit.com
Our new monthly series with Ipsos kicks off with a discussion on the pulse of brands & sports sponsorships. It's big business with big cross platform opportunities. I'm joined by Aubree Curtis of Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and Lisa Zielinski and Jamie Stenziano of Ipsos. You can also watch this episode on our website or YouTube channel.
What happens when the team that brought you Airbnb's Belong Anywhere, Coke's Share a Coke and Prudential’s Day 1, come together on a mortgage brand? Rocket's new work is the result of not simply disrupting the mortgage category, but defining a new one. You can watch this episode on our YouTube Channel or our website at www.onstrategyshowcase.com.
It's planners talking brands they've never worked on. I'm joined this month by John Kenny, CSO at Eversana Intouch and Ashley Williams, SVP, Experience Design at Spark Foundry, NYC. We're talking two iconic American brands. You can also watch this episode and see the creative work on our YouTube channel or website. Link below. Thanks to Tracksuit and System1 for making this series possible.
www.onstrategyshowcase.com
Colin Kavanagh, CMO at Pernod Ricard, Adam Craw, Global Head of Prime Marketing at Amazon and George Felix, EVP CMO at Brinker International discuss how they get to defining their objectives, challenges, strategies and audience insights. And who writes the client brief. Thanks to the Effies and to Tracksuit for supporting this 6 part 2026 effectiveness series.
Global marketing leaders from Uber, Airbnb, Coinbase and WestCap Private Equity join me for a conversation about the culture of marketing in the valley - all four came from an agency background. It's an honest, fascinating conversation. Thanks to Tracksuit, Ipsos and The Effies for supporting our live tour. You can also watch this episode on our YouTube channel or website.
In a category dominated by generics (60%) and fixated on ever-faster pain relief, Nurofen escaped the category's tropes with a message that connected with women in a deeper, more meaningful way. I'm joined by McCann London's CEO, Mel Arrow and Strategy Partner, Jocelyn Major.
Trainline (a train ticket booking platform) is on a quest to own the journey, not just the ticket. W+K's CSO in Amsterdam, Nick Docherty and Trainline's VP Brand & Marketing, Jo McClintock, join me to share the thinking behind "The Way to Train."
It should never have ended, but after a ten year break it's returning in all its epic glory. We get the backstory from Matt Saltzstein, VP Brand Marketing at Heineken and Jim Curtis, CCO at LePub, NYC. Stay Thirsty My Friends.
It's planners talking brands they've never worked on. I'm joined this month by Emily Garvey, Head of Strategy at Zulu Alpha Kilo, NYC, and Caitlin Cody, EVP, Group Strategy Director at BBDO, Chicago. As always, balancing our opinions with facts are Tracksuit's Matthew Herbert and System1's Vanessa Chin.
The Effies and System1 have released The Creative Dividend. The book introduces tools to help marketers defend investment, improve work, and make advertising a more dependable driver of business growth. I talk with Effie CEO, Traci Alford, Effie CMO, Juliet Haygarth and System1 SVP, Andrew Tindall. Learn how to download the book for free.
Hugh Derrick is a long time partner at the Eat Big Fish consultancy in London. We talk about the principles outlined in Adam Morgan's original book and how time and shifts in social behavior have impacted its theories. A great conversation.
Boston has been a creative powerhouse for decades. While agencies like Mullen, The Barbarian Group, Modernista, and Hill Holiday have all left their mark, Arnold continues to this day, alongside smaller agencies like Colossus, to make a mark with national work (think Progressive Insurance) that makes most of us jealous. Boston also houses many in-house agencies at companies including The LEGO Group. Shark Ninja, Staples, Liberty Mutual, New Balance, Puma, etc. We talk about all this and more with many of the people at its center. Thanks to Tracksuit, Ipsos and the Effies for supporting our live tour.
After hitting a dead-end using traditional planning methods, the frustrated team discovered the true problem and pivoted to success. I'm joined by VCCP's CSO Max Keane and Planning Director Matt Hayes to talk through their Müller Rice award-winning Rice, Rice Baby campaign.
It's planners talking brands they've never worked on. I'm joined this month by Kate Rush Sheehy, CSO at GSD&M and Brendon Volpe, CSO at UM NYC. We're talking about the latest work from Burberry and Johnnie Walker. Thanks to Tracksuit and System1 for making this series possible.
The new executive team discovered that while the 125 year-old brand is recognized, it's not well known. And in a category dominated by me-too products, it was time to reset the Goodyear brand. Built on the platform "tires worth bragging about," the campaign uses Dr. Dre's "Still D.R.E." to share the story of the brand's past and its pop culture presence. I'm joined by Taylor Grimes of Goodyear and Lindsey McNabb of BBH, NY.
We're a nation of protein-seeking adults in search of alternatives to yogurt snacks and chicken bites. So why not a healthier, protein-packed beef stick snack? Tons to learn in this episode. "Stick to Real" is the brand's platform. Its executions contrast exaggerated reality with moments of real. I talk with Archer Meat's Andrew Thomas. Thanks to Tracksuit for supporting our show.
We talk about how the world's greatest e-comm site considers category entry points. Also about the story behind this year's holiday ads campaign, including Benedict Cumberbatch's 5-Star Ratings Theatre, and what the now full-funnel marketer is still trying to better understand. I'm joined by Chris Marchegiani, Head of Brand Planning Insights and Creative, and Garett Levy, Sr. Global Brand Planner.
Planning's greatest Holiday Ads Party returned live to the Merchandise Mart in Chicago. A packed house watched and debated some of the best holiday ads from the US and UK. On stage were Nimisha Jain, CSO at Highdive, Pedr Howard, Head of Creative Excellence at Ipsos, Samantha Cescau, CSO at Leo Burnett and Mark Gross, Co-Founder and Co-CCO at Highdive. Love to hear what your favorite Holiday spot was this year. Thanks to Ipsos, The Effies and Tracksuit for supporting our 2025 live tour. Happy Holidays everyone.
We talk with some of London's top strategic and creative talent about the year that was 2025. Martin Beverley of Ace of Hearts, Paula Bloodworth of Alien Baby, Mel Arrow of McCann, Chris Gallery of Mother and Alex Grieve of BBH join me. Next live tour stop is Boston in late January. Thanks to The Effies, Tracksuit and Ipsos for supporting our Live Tour.
The odds were stacked against Indeed in India. Late to market and up against behemoths whose combined market share crossed 90%, they had a fight on their hands. We hear the backstory of how they build a B2B beachhead as a way into the broader B2C market. Thanks to the Effies for making this international episode possible.
We're joined by Helene Dick, Head of Strategy at Special LA and Tom Kenny, CSO at Courage in Toronto. We discuss new work from The Ordinary and Mother's campaign for Claude AI. Thanks to Tracksuit and System1 for supporting this series.
Our interviews with UK winners as their amazingly effective work gets recognized on Effie night in London. Xbox, Uber, Smarty Mobile, Irish Tourism, Walkers, CALM, and the Grand Prix winning Nurofen from McCann London. What a night for McCann. They also won Agency of the Year and took home a total of seven awards. You can see all of the creative work from these interviews on our website at onstrategyshowcase.com.
We brought together planners and creatives to talk about epiphany moments - those times when you know you've just unlocked the idea. We talk about what they ultimately led to in the work. Joining me are Ryan Lehr, Co-CCO at Deutsch, John Deschner, Head of Brand at Maximum Effort, Jill Burgeson, CSO at TBWA/Chiat/Day/LA, Amanda Shapiro, EVP Strategy at Deutsch and Jason Karley, ECD at Artist's Equity. Thanks to Tracksuit, The Effies and Ipsos for supporting our live tour.
An encore airing of this multiple Gold Effie winner. Chris Beresford-Hill, Worldwide Chief Creative Officer at BBDO shares the real story behind the Michael Cera campaign, one he led while at Ogilvy. Frustrated by how it was being told, he shares the reality.
Unilever CMO, Tati Lindenberg and MullenLowe's Rachel Stets join me to share how Unilever's detergent brand in the UK, in an effort to reclaim its product performance strengths, partnered with Arsenal women's soccer for the "Every Stain Should Be Part of the Game" initiative. Thanks to Tracksuit (the affordable brand tracking solution) for supporting this episode.
Five NY strategy leaders reflect on our topic and share their points of view on where we are today and how strong the future looks for what we do. Joining us are Jeff McCrory of Mischief, Tass Tsitsopoulos of W+K, Anibal Casso of Ogilvy, Emily Portnoy and BBDO, and Tom Morton of Narratory Capital. Thanks to our live tour sponsors: The Effies, Tracksuit and Ipsos.
It's planners talking brands they've never worked on. This month, guest panelists Dan Ng, CSO at Johannes Leonardo, NYC and Steve Walls, CSO at Moon Rabbit join our regular panel of misfits. Thanks to System1 and Tracksuit for making this series possible.
I'm glad I recently met Joe Burns. He's my kind of strategist: blunt, honest and mostly right. From Mother to BBH to Quality Meats, Joe has been shaping his own unique style, one we should all get familiar with. You can also WATCH this episode on our website or YouTube channel. Be sure to Subscribe.
The foundational brand campaigns of Home Depot, Chick-fil-A, RAM Trucks, Hummer, Fiat, Motel 6, Corona, Chili's, Stanley, and Southwest Airlines were all born in Texas. We recorded live at TRG to talk about this great body of work and what makes them Texas originals. I was joined by Derek Dabrowski, SVP, Head of Cold Brands at Kuerig Dr. Pepper, Terrence Reynolds, CCO, at TRG, Kate Rush Sheehy, CSO at GSD&M and Christopher Owens, Head of Brand Strategy at TRG. You can watch this episode on our website or YouTube Channel. Thanks to Tracksuit, Ipsos and The Effies for supporting this year's live tour.
Remember Polaroid and its instant photo proposition? For some it’s a dusty icon of the past, but for others it might just be the latest innovative idea. Polaroid's internal creative and planning leads, Patricia Varella and Dovile Banyte join me to talk about "The camera for an analog life."
It's planners talking brands they've never worked on. This month, guest panelists Lachlan Badenoch, CSO at Carmichael Lynch and Kelsey Karson EVP, Head of Strategy at Tombras, join our regular panel of misfits. Thanks to System1 and Tracksuit for making this series possible.
Founded in 2016, Highdive has produced Super Bowl work for Lays, Jeep, State Farm, Rocket, MSC Cruises, BetMGM and more. Mark Gross, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Erin Wong, Group Strategy Director and Vanessa Chin of System1 join me.
Watch out, they're coming. After 10 legendary years at Adam&EveDDB, Martin and Rick have resurfaced as Ace of Hearts alongside Polly McMorrow from McCann. We have an honest conversation about why they left, what their ambition is and what might be possible with a different kind of company.
"Fit for all Times" is the brand's platform. CMO Andrew Katz joins me to talk about how a specialist brewer is trying to outperform the generalists, like Heineken, in the alcohol-free (AF) beer space. Thanks to Tracksuit (the affordable brand tracking solution) for making this episode possible.
If you're old enough to remember the 90s, you may be old enough for Neutrogena Retinol. The new work from BBDO disrupts the conventions of skincare with a fun angle that reminds us how old we really are. Thanks to Chris Riat of Neutrogena and Alex Booker and Leah Gritton Smolensky of BBDO, NY.
"For the Love of Pubs" is Heineken's B2B2C platform for ensuring the long term health of Irish bars. I'm joined by Mark Noble of Heineken and Ger Roe of Publicis, Dublin to talk through the amazing award-winning ideas they've brought to life together over the last few years. What can you do for your channel partners?
Planners talking about brands they've never worked on. This month we talk Travel (Icelandic Tourism & City of Oslo) and Telco (Telstra & the U.S. big three.) Our guest planners are Caleb Smith of W+K, NYC and Rachael Stets of MullenLowe, London. Thanks to System1 and Tracksuit for making this series possible.
The beverage brand's CMO, formerly of Red Bull, Beats and Apple, shares the story behind the rebrand and it’s ambitions to achieve mainstream volume in its distinctive yellow can. Thanks to Tracksuit (the affordable brand tracking solution) for supporting this episode.
Emily Portnoy, CSO at BBDO, NY, takes us inside this year's Effie judge's room to hear why Favor Delivery won Gold. We then hear from Favor's Chris Rogge and Preacher's Seher Sikandar for the story behind the winning campaign: "How Texas Orders In." You can see all the creative work on our website.
A must listen episode. Telstra's CMO, Brent Smart shares the transformation of this once staid, government-owned Australian telco into a unique and creatively brilliant brand... with the business results that prove it.
After a rebrand and close to $1 billion in 2024 revenue, Turo is about to move into the early majority market. We talk with Global Head of Brand Strategy, Matt Kerbel. Thanks to Tracksuit (the affordable brand tracking solution) for making this episode possible. More at gotracksuit.com.
Planners talk about brands they've never worked on. Joining our panel of misfits this month are Julian Morgan, Head of Strategy at Rethink and Rachel Pool, Head of Strategy at Ogilvy, NYC. We talk Uber Eats and Corona. Thanks to Tracksuit and System1 for supporting this series.
Georgie Jeffreys of Uber and Kelsey Hodgkin of Special Group, LA join me to share the story behind the amazing "Football is for Food" campaign, featuring Matthew McConaughey and so many others. A brilliant episode.
How an organic social moment changed how a wine brand went to market. Josh's CMO, Dan Kleinman is joined by Tombras' EVP, Head of Strategy, Kelsey Karson and VP, Group Creative Director, Morgan McLees to talk us through their 2025 Gold Effie-winning Josh O'Clock initiative. Thanks to The Effies and Tracksuit for making this episode possible.
As the Official Podcast Partner of the Effies, we recorded nine short interviews with agencies and clients on awards night, before they even knew which Effie they'd won. We talk with Verizon/Ogilvy, McDonald's/W+K, Molson Coors/DDB, Chili's/Mischief, Favor/Preacher, Dramamine/FCB, Leo Burnett/Blood Appetit, VW/Johannes Leonardo. Congrats to all for their wins.
When a show features planners talking about brands they've never worked on, you know it's gonna be fun, or at the very least weird. This month's On the Spot features two brands that appear to be headed in opposite directions: Tesla & Poppi. Guest panelists Ali Chastain, GSD at The Martin Agency and Matt Maynard, Head of Brand at Asana, join our regular panel of misfits. Thanks to System1 and Tracksuit for making this series possible.
Life360 is a family safety and location sharing app with 80 million active monthly users. Their latest work from ALTO, NY focuses on "Improving Everyday Family Life," with hilarious work that's winning in a space where Apple can't play as deeply.
In its ongoing quest to get its user friendly design tool into the hands of everyday presenters, Canva is pushing into enterprise applications. It's new campaign has fun with the idea of converting the last office hold-out. This episode is brought to you by Tracksuit, the affordable brand tracking solution for modern-day brands.
Recorded in front of a live audience at Colenso BBDO, we talk about New Zealand's culture of creativity; about what outside planners bring to the country and what it imparts upon them; about the cultural characteristics of New Zealanders; about the importance of winning, not just surviving, and about the dangers as the marketing sciences mainstream. Thanks to the Effies, Tracksuit and WARC for supporting our live tour. And to Colenso BBDO for hosting us.
Some of the smartest creative and strategic minds in Australia join me live from Sydney to share how they are playing it perfectly unsafe. Thanks to Tracksuit, The Effies and WARC for supporting our Live Tour series. And to Ogilvy for hosting us.
This month, Starbucks and JCPenney. Guest panelists Mary Bakarich, Group Strategy Director at Johannes Leonardo and Christopher Owens, Head of Strategy at TRG join our regular panel of misfits. Thanks to System1 and Tracksuit for making this new series possible.
From "Cold & Refreshing" to "Choose Chill," Mischief and Coors Light are evolving the brand's positioning, resulting in new, unexpected and wonderfully entertaining work. We're joined by Marcelo Pascoa, VP Marketing at Coors and Nimisha Jain, EVP, Strategy at Mischief. Thanks to Tracksuit (the affordable brand tracking solution) for supporting our show.
"Apologize the Rainbow" was not a reactive, crisis-communications campaign. It was a strategic decision to positively highlight the negative passion of fans and convert it into positive energy for the brand. Mars/Wrigley Chief Brand Officer, Rankin Carroll and DDB Chicago's CCO, Colin Selikow, share the backstory to this Best-of-the-Best Effie Global Grand Prix winner. See the creative work on our website at onstrategyshowcase.com.
Our third episode on how planners are applying their skills outside of agency life. Tom Morton (Prior R/GA), Lisa Prince (Prior W+K) and Britton Taylor (Prior W+K) share why they left and the lessons learned along the way.
This month Progressive and Chick fil-A. Our guest panelists Marika Wiggan, Head of Strategy at Preacher and Alan Snitow, Freelance Strategist in Chicago, join our regular panel of misfits. Thanks to System1 and Tracksuit for making this new series possible.
"The Multiplier Effect" answers if Binet & Field's principles play out when you use U.S. data. David Tiltman, Chief Content Officer at WARC walks us through the new report. Thanks to Tracksuit (the affordable brand tracking solution) for sponsoring this episode.
With the observation that kids go really charmingly deep into their obsessions...and then drop them overnight, this toy store's first mass brand campaign needed to cut through with a distinct voice as awareness and consideration numbers were falling. I'm joined by Catherine Willoughby of Adam&EveDDB, London for the back story and a brilliant example of fast-track planning.
Our second episode on how planners are applying their skills outside of agency life. Marcus Collins, Gareth Kay and Suzanne Powers share why they left and the lessons learned along the way. Thanks to Tracksuit (the affordable brand tracking solution) for supporting this series.
Vrbo and Duluth Trading Company. This month's guest panelist, Johnny Corpuz, Head of Comms Strategy at BBDO NY joins our regular panel of misfits. Thanks to System1 and Tracksuit for making this new series possible.
Doubling down on its main distinctive brand asset (Cornelius), Kellogg's and Leo Burnett, London have reimagined the brand and are using ethnography to unlock morning-time rituals that are fueling the next phase of creative work. Thanks to Tracksuit (the affordable brand tracking solution) for sponsoring this episode.
Recorded Feb. 20th in front of a live audience at Rethink in Toronto. We talk about the rise of indie agencies with Rethink's Sean McDonald, Zulu Alpha Kilo's Heather Segal, Courage's Tom Kenny and Broken Heart Love Affair's Jay Chaney. Thanks to Tracksuit, WARC and the Effie's for sponsoring our Live Tour. Next stops are Sydney and Auckland.
A Titanium Winner at Cannes, we're joined by Ricardo Perez of JCDecaux and Daniela Bombonato of David, Madrid to talk about their famous B2C2B Marina Prieto campaign. Thanks to LinkedIn for sponsoring our B2B series. Get a $100 LinkedIn Ads credit at linkedIn.com/onstrategy. Terms and conditions apply.
Duluth Trading Company plays where Carhartt or Wrangler can't - humor. With products like "Buck Naked" boxers, "Funk no" underwear and "Ball-room" Jeans, it uses its fantastically irreverent voice and illustrated ad style to speak to its core proposition - seriously great products without the seriousness. A must listen episode. Thanks to Tracksuit for supporting our show.
For Ep#3 in our B2B series, I'm joined by Michelle Lisowski, Senior Director for Global B2B and Partnership Marketing at Uber. We talk about taking Uber into B2B, the aspects of the brand that can extend and others that need to be augmented. This B2B Series brought to you by LinkedIn.
Greg Hahn, CCO of Mischief and Nicole Parlapiano, CMO of Tubi join me to talk about their latest work for the ad supported streaming service. The perfectly weird campaign suggests that if it's in you, it's in here.
What happens when three planners and an ad pre-tester get together to hear how their favorite spots rated? Needless to day, it's soul crushing and hilarious. Jaime McGill of DDB, Chicago, Andrew Tindall of System1 and Stephanie Ehui of TBWA/Chiat/Day, Los Angeles join me.
Taking a premium-priced, low awareness brand into a low consideration category with a very particular B2B target (procurement), needed a reframe that would connect all the dots in its favor. We hear from Procell's Steve Pilcher and VML UK's Neil Godber. Thanks to LinkedIn Ads for sponsoring this B2B series. Get $100 off your next LinedIn Ads campaign at linkedIn.com/onstrategy.
Stephanie Danzi, SVP, Head of Global Marketing at Tinder and Mischief's EVP Strategy, Ed Gunn join me to share the story behind Tinder's reframing of its misplaced reputation as simply an app for hook-ups. Thanks to Tracksuit (affordable brand tracking) and The Master of Advertising Effectiveness (MAE) Program for making this episode possible.
The first in our new B2B series, Informatica faced two daunting challenges: an outdated product perception and a formidable, progressive competitive set. We hear how they're using clarity and advocacy to build relationships with key decision makers who needed an outside voice. Thanks to LinkedIn Ads for supporting this new series.
What will be the role of Ai in the practice of strategy? From utopian to dystopian scenarios, the APG is working with planners, internationally, to game out what the possibilities might be and how we can get there. Thanks to Tracksuit (the affordable brand tracking solution) and the Master of Advertising Effectiveness (MAE) program for supporting our show.
The ask was to improve upon an existing Disney concept, but that's not where things ended. We hear about how these two legendary houses of storytelling got together to create "The Boy and the Octopus." Thanks to Adam&EveDDB Strategy Director, Catherine Willoughby for sharing the journey. And to Tracksuit and the Master of Advertising Effectiveness (MAE) program for sponsoring this episode.
We hear how the 2024 election exposed the challenge of reaching consumers, how linear TV has turned into simply Football With a Side of News. About how Netflix is the alpha dog for convergent TV. How TVOS wars are now a main event. And how sports moving to streaming will devastate linear. Thanks to Tracksuit (The Affordable Brand Tracking Solution) and The Master of Advertising Effectiveness Program (MAE.academy) for supporting this episode.
The Chicago ad community came together for this fun Holiday Ads Special. A sold out crowd watched Christmas ads, laughed, cried and applauded. We guessed how they rated with consumers and then heard the reality. Oops! Thanks to our panelists Joe Nio, CSO at HighDive, Samantha Cescau, Head of Strategy at Leo Burnett, Chad Broude, CCO of Highdive and Andrew Tindall, SVP Partnerships at System1. Thanks also to our live tour sponsors, WARC, Tracksuit and The Effies. And to Highdive for hosting. Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to everyone.
After years inside agencies, James Hurman of Previously Unavailable, Adrian Ho of Zeus Jones, and Brent Vartan of Bullish share why they left, what they were chasing and how they got there. The first in a series of episodes on how planners are applying their skills outside of the agency environment. Thanks to Tracksuit and the Master of Advertising Effectiveness (MAE) program for supporting this series.
We talk live with Zoe Fairbourn, Head of Branded Entertainment at Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine, Marc Gilbar, President of Brands & IP at Imagine Entertainment, Jack Verschleiser, Director of Business Strategy at Superconnector Studios, Aisea Laungaue, Global Partner, Executive Strategy Director at Anomaly, and Jen Costello, Global CSO at TBWA\Chiat\Day. Thank you to Tracksuit, The Effies and WARC for sponsoring our live tour series and TBWA\Chiat\Day for hosting us in Los Angeles.
In 2014, oven chip brand McCain was struggling. Cash-strapped shoppers were switching to cheaper brands and own label. Promotions were delivering short-term volume, but depressed revenue and margins. To reduce price elasticity, McCain committed to a sustained investment in brand advertising. But success took time and patience. Winner of the prestigious 2024 IPA Effectiveness Award Grand Prix for long-term growth, the nine year journey reduced price elasticity by 47%, raised base sales by 44% and delivered £26 million of net profit. We talk with Mark Hodge of McCain Foods and Roisin Mulroney of adam&eveDDB. Thanks to Tracksuit and the Master of Advertising Effectiveness Program (MAE) for sponsoring this effectiveness episode.
Recorded in front of a live audience at W+K, New York on Oct. 17th, 2024. We're joined by BBDO's Worldwide CCO, Chris Beresford-Hill, W+K NY's Co-CCO, Marques Gartrell, Founder and CEO of Fundamentalco, Jonny Bauer and W+K NY's CSO, Laura Rowan. Thanks to our brilliant Live Tour sponsors: Effie Worldwide, WARC and Tracksuit.
Cheetos had marketed to families for decades. But growth and household penetration declined over time. Their shift from “Families & Fun” to "Rejuveniles" allowed the brand to turn what was perceived by parents as a product negative (messy Cheetos-covered fingertips on kids) into a product feature embraced by teens and young adults. For this 2024 Effie-winning campaign, we're joined by Flavia Simoes of Cheetos and Jacob Sperla of Goodby Silverstein & Partners. Thanks to Effie Worldwide and the Master of Advertising Effectiveness (MAE) program for their commitment to effective work and to our show.
While using the term Rockstar to describe someone in the office isn't new, exploring how true rockstars feel about it is. A B2B Effie award-winner, hear why the client's goal was to do award-winning work. Thanks to the Effies for supporting our show. See the creative work on our website and connect with our guests.
Built on the observation that after child birth most moms are starving and many crave Burger King, BK launched Bundles of Joy. Controversial to some, liberating to others, the idea caught fire in the media. We talk with Burger King's UK CMO, Katie Evans and BBH London's Head of Strategy, Saskia Jones. Thanks to Jira and Tracksuit for supporting our show.
We hear how having planners as founders made London The Home of Planning. How advertising might have an issue, but brands don’t. About the opportunity that exists in the “unloved surface areas of brands.” And about the people who professionally inspired each of these three great talents. This episode was recorded in front of a live audience at Uncommon’s offices in London. Thanks to Tracksuit, WARC and Effie for sponsoring our live tour series.
A masterclass in demonstrating the creative effectiveness of a medium or message. A Titanium Winner at Cannes and sure to be multiple Effie winner this year. We're joined by Ricardo Perez of JCDecaux and Daniela Bombonato of David, Madrid. Thanks to both Jira and Tracksuit for sponsoring this episode.
Inspired by Carlsberg and KFC, Pot Noodle designed a response to a product fail that lifted both the brand and the relaunched product to unexpected levels. By embracing its failure and using honesty as entertainment in a social only campaign, the brand extension was saved. Thanks to the Effie's for sponsoring this series. More at effie-org.
An APG Gold winner in 2015, Richard Huntington, CSO at Saatchi, London shares the strategy that delivered six years of consistent growth. And the nervous CEO who tried to kill it. See the work on our website. Thanks to JIRA and The Master of Advertising Effectiveness for sponsoring this episode.
Chris Beresford-Hill, Worldwide Chief Creative Officer at BBDO shares the real story behind the Michael Cera campaign, one he lead while at Ogilvy. Frustrated by how it was being told, he shares the reality. Thanks to JIRA for sponsoring this episode and to Tracksuit for supporting our show.
While we're live in London this week, this show's a brilliant rerun. It's not typical to associate a beer brand with an active lifestyle, but that's exactly the opportunity Michelob Ultra’s planning team discovered. Thanks to Tracksuit (the affordable brand tracking solution for modern-day brands) for sponsoring this episode. Back live next week.
It shocked us back in 1997 and won an APG Gold. But the question is, given the everyday nature of corrosive and extreme political behavior, have we now become immune to it? You be the judge. Thank you to Jira and The Master of Advertising Effectiveness (MAE) for sponsoring this episode.
This socially rooted campaign won for influencer marketing. We're joined by Jenny Lindquist of Kellanova and Mathew Clay of Weber Shandwick. Thanks to the Effies for supporting this episode. You can see the work one our website at onstrategyshowcase.com.
The "Doordash-all-the-Ads" Super Bowl initiative won the Titanium Grand Prix at Cannes this year. It was an audacious idea that got eight million submissions and 11.9 billion earned impressions. Thanks to Jira and Tracksuit for supporting our show.
What are the implications of owning and admitting your category’s achilles heel? US Cellular's CMO, Eric Jagher and The Martin Agency's CBO, Elizabeth Paul share the story behind the latest work from the brand that encourages us to connect to what really matters. Thanks to Jira, the project management platform, for sponsoring this episode. More at jira.com.
Craig Mawdsley shares the story behind this APG Grand Prix award-winning campaign from 2007. The campaign drove £1.8 billion in revenue for the British grocery store chain in the first two years... £1.14 at a time. Thanks to Tracksuit (the affordable brand tracking solution) and the Master of Advertising Effectiveness Program for making this episode possible. More at gotracksuit.com and MAE.academy.
Milk's favorite cookie, losing share, finds new ways to bring shoppers across aisles. In this 2024 Gold Effie Award-winning initiative, Mondelez's Anne Martin and VML's Christina Ryan share the story behind OREO Codes, the idea that turns bar codes into cookie stacks... and savings. Thanks to the Effies for supporting our show and this new 2024 awards series.
Dixons overcame its significant weaknesses by hijacking its competitors strengths. A brilliant APG Gold award winner from 2011, its irreverent tone made it feel like the brand was on the side of the consumer, not just selling to them. Thanks to our friends at Jira (the project management platform) for sponsoring this episode. More at jira.com.
We're joined by Kim Baffi and Darren Brady-Harris to talk about the in-house Matthew McConaughey campaign designed to position Salesforce as the only trustworthy B2B Generative AI provider. Thanks to Tracksuit (the affordable brand tracking solution) for making this episode possible. More at gotracksuit.com
In his new book, The Road to Hell, Nick talks about the myth of "Purpose" being a market-driven phenomenon and the contagion he feels truly drove its growth. A fascinating conversation. Thanks to the Master of Advertising Effectiveness (MAE) program for supporting our show. Learn more at mae.academy.
Kit Kat debated whether to update its “Have a break” platform or to abandon it. This APG Grand Prix winning campaign from 2003 is about the peril of becoming so ubiquitous that you’re no longer noticed. About all the brand signals looking strong, while profitability was in decline. Fern Miller, the planner on the account at then JWT, shares the journey and the pivot. Thanks to Tracksuit (the affordable brand tracking solution for modern brands) for supporting our show. Learn more at gotracksuit.com.
Originally recorded in May 2020, this is a wonderfully refreshing and inspiring conversation about strategy and Wieden's approach to it. We hear about the importance of breaking institutional practices as a way to unearth opportunity hidden by "scar tissue." About the history of what defines Nike over time and the brand truth in everything it undertakes. And we talk about iconic Levis work. Thanks to The Master of Advertising Effectiveness Program (MAE) for making this episode possible. Lean more about this amazing online program at www.mae.academy.
The original strategist on The Economist, Laura Marks, shares the unlocks that shaped its decades-long campaign. A Gold Award winner from 1993, it's part of our Classics series with APG London, and is timeless in its lessons for marketers. Thanks to Tracksuit (the affordable brand tracking solution) for sponsoring this series.
Fold7's CSO, Yelena Gaufman shares the journey they've taken with audible resulting in this first global campaign. See all the creative work on our website. And thanks to the Master of Advertising Effectiveness Program (MAE.academy) for supporting our show. We love those guys.
George was the marketer behind Old Spice, KFC and Tinder. He's now at Chili's Grill & Bar working again with Mischief to reframe the 50 year old brand. We're joined by Mischief CSO, Jeff McCrory. Thanks to Tracksuit (the affordable brand tracking solution) for supporting our show. Learn more at gotracksuit.com.
Today it's voices of the research industry on why they feel pre-testing is useful. Some strong, supportive points are made and some glaring gaps are identified. I hope the conversation is helpful for those considering what's right for their campaigns. My advice? Ask granular questions and experience the process first-hand. Thanks to Jon and Pedr for participating. They're both genuinely interested in creative effectiveness.
The last episode in this series focuses on B2B. We talk with S&P Global's CFO, Grace Lee and CMO, Alice Cherry. In B2B, there’s a harsher reality for marketers. The conversations are more practical. There’s a tendency toward the short term, and a perceived difficulty in tracking KPIs and attribution evidence, which makes it FEEL more difficult to make the case for investment. Thanks to our series sponsor Analytic Partners, the global commercial analytics provider.
We kick-off our 2024 "Live from..." tour in Dublin. We discuss how a country with such incredible achievements in the arts is finding its confidence in marketing. Check out Irish agency work on this episode's page on our site. Grainne Wafer of Diageo, Karen Martin of BBH, Rory Hamilton of Boys & Girls, Michelle Spillane of Paddy Powers and Patrick Hickey formerly of Rothco, join me at The Guinness Storehouse in Dublin. Thanks to Analytic Partners, LinkedIn and Guinness for their support.
In Ep#3 of our 2024 Effectiveness Series, we talk with Jorge Ruiz, Global Head of Marketing Sciences at TikTok and Sorin Patilinet, Sr. Dir. Global Marketing Effectiveness at MARS. Thanks to GALE (the business agency) for sponsoring this series. Learn more at GALE.agency.
In its latest campaign from LOLA MullenLowe, AXE may have once again found its sweet spot with young men. We talk about it with Caroline Gregory, Global Brand Director at Unilever and Federico Duberti, Global Business Leader at IPG. Thanks to Tracksuit (the affordable brand tracking solution for modern brands) and the Master of Advertising Effectiveness (MAE) Program for supporting our show.
If your product that has a level of seasonality or occasion, then this is an episode for you. In the winter months, ice cream sales drop by up to 50% in the UK. But there are markets with harsh winters where sales don’t drop at all. So it’s not simply an issue of climate, but of behavior. We hear about what influences that behavior and the role of mental and physical availability. Thanks to Analytic Partners and to Tracksuit for supporting our show.
In Ep#2 of our 2024 Effectiveness Series, we talk with Les Binet and Sarah Carter about what's next in effectiveness and about the landscape of pre-testing. Thanks to GALE (the business agency) for sponsoring this series. Learn more at GALE.agency.
Hendrick’s has built many distinctive brand assets: among them its visual identity, which harkens back to the Victorian era. However the product was first created in 2000. Muiris O Riada, Global Brand Director joins us from Dublin.
For the Irish airline, it was not a deliberate attempt at being disrespectful to passengers. There was a strategic imperative behind it all and we hear about it today from Michael Corcoran, former Head of Social Strategy at the ultra low cost airline. Thanks to the Master of Advertising Effectiveness (MAE) program for sponsoring. Learn more at MAE.academy.
Sarah Moore, SVP Brand Marketing at MGM Resorts International and George Felix, CMO of Chili’s Grill & Bar, join me for a conversation about breathing new life into brands and about the opportunity of defining a consumer-facing role for your corporate brand. Thanks to Tracksuit (the affordable brand tracking solution for modern-day brands) for sponsoring this series. More at gotracksuit.com.
I'm joined by James Sowden, CSO at TBWA/Chiat/Day NY and Dan Reynolds, Global SVP at Hilton to chat about the latest campaign for their portfolio of properties. Thanks to the Master of Advertising Effectiveness (MAE) program for sponsoring this episode. Learn more at MAE.academy.
To kick off this year's effectiveness series, we talk with Adam Morgan of eatbigfish about his latest work with Peter Field on the cost to brands of producing dull advertising. We talk about what makes dull dull and how we can make it more effective, for less. Thanks to GALE (the business agency for companies that want to drive growth) for sponsoring this year's effectiveness series. Learn more at www.GALE.agency
Mark talks us through the formation of Thirsty for More, what it means and its strategic role in the global business. Thanks to the Master of Advertising Effectiveness program for sponsoring this episode. More at www.mae.academy.
We're joined by CFO Bob Lucian and CMO Christy Hoskins. This episode is a great example of what's possible when both speak each others language and genuinely believe in both the value of marketing and the necessity of responsible financial management. Thanks to Analytic Partners (The leader in commercial analytics) for sponsoring this series. More at www.analyticpartners.com/onstrategy
We hear from CMO, Sofia Colluci about the impact of Molson Coors’ recently completed review of its marketing effectiveness principles, from Sofia Hernandez, Global Head of Business Marketing about TikTok’s distinct creative needs as an entertainment platform, and from David Chriswick, SVP Brand at Orangetheory about the challenges of standing out in the in-person fitness studio space, post covid. This series sponsored by Tracksuit (the affordable brand tracking solution for modern-day brands.) More at www.gotracksuit.com
We're joined by Danielle Hawley, Head of Global Brand for Uber and Celia Garforth, Head of Strategy at the Special Group. We talk about the new work and the unlock that drove its original creation. Thanks to the Master of Advertising Effectiveness program (MAE) for sponsoring this episode. More at MAE.academy.
Jonnie Cahill, CMO and Timothy Bodart CFO, of Heineken USA join me to talk about why their relationship works, how they got there, and advice they have for others. This series is sponsored by Analytic Partners (the leader in commercial analytics.) Learn more at www.analyticpartners.com/onstrategy
In this last episode in the series, we focus on mature brands (grown-ups) and how they manage for growth and shifts in their competitive landscape. We're joined by Smirnoff Vodka's Global SVP, Stephanie Jacoby, Domino's Pizza's SVP, Chief Brand Officer, Kate Trumbull, and Land O'Lakes SVP and CMO, Heather Malenshek. Thanks to Tracksuit (the affordable brand tracking solution for modern brands) for sponsoring this series. More at gotracksuit.com.
"How did the world's greatest love story become known as a hate group?" That was the question the client posed. We've seen the Super Bowl spots. It's a strikingly honest $100m campaign designed to bring skeptics back to Jesus. It's had over 3 billion video views with 73% aided awareness in the U.S. I talk with the organization's CEO, Ken Calwell.
With $1.65 billion in revenue in 2023, YETI has built its business by allowing people to get out into the wild. But YETI’s wild is not the wild of extreme sports and caffeine-fueled energy. It’s a more quiet, reflective wild. An almost spiritual wild. And it's all done in-house. Thanks to the Master of Advertising Effectiveness (MAE) program for sponsoring this episode.
With a brand platform of "Breaking the Rules for Good," Dave's could have gone purpose-first with its founder's backstory of incarceration. But now that Dave is no longer part of the business, a shift is occurring. Thanks to Tracksuit (affordable brand tracking for modern-day brands) for sponsoring this episode.
Gina teaches ethnography to MBA students at Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management. We talk about the importance of adding understanding to knowledge in business and life. Thanks to the Master of Advertising Effectiveness (MAE) program for supporting our show.
Scale-Ups Liquid Death and Canva join us. One has been brand-first from the beginning, the other later using brand to expand into new audiences. While they come from different categories, they’ve a shared belief: an emphasis on earned and shared versus paid. And both create their campaigns internally. Thanks to Tracksuit (affordable brand tracking for modern-day brands) for sponsoring this series.
A fantastic conversation this week. So much is changing in terms of streaming consolidation, content, branding and pricing. I'm joined by Michael Beach, CEO of Cross Screen Media in Washington DC. to discuss what exists today and what lies ahead. Thank to the Master of Advertising Effectiveness (MAE) program for sponsoring this episode.
Start-Ups are the focus of this first episode. We discuss the degree to which marketing and brand are factors in creating growth at this early stage. And about the importance of partnerships and product/market fit. Guests are Kathryn Winokur of Hally Hair, Imme Ermgassen of Botivo drinks and Jessica Klimczak, formerly of Entain. Thanks to Tracksuit for sponsoring this three episode series. Info at gotracksuit.com.
Being synonymous with small resulted in newer, larger models being overlooked. We talk with Jonny Ewles of Media.Monks, London about the UK's APG award winning campaign for the MINI Clubman.
Steve and Ed are each unique and prolific voices in our industry. We talk about how our new realities are a stage not just for change, but for opportunity. Thanks to the Master of Advertising Effectiveness Program for sponsoring.
In this final episode, we talk about Connections Planning from the media agency perspective. We're joined by Jon Gittings, International Head of Strategy at Wavemaker, LA, Eliza Kaplan , Exec. Dir. Global Strategy at OMD, NY and David Broad, Fmr. Marketing Strategy Director at Spotify. Thanks to WARC for sponsoring this three episode series.
The streaming platform's CMO, Nicole Parlapiano and Mischief's EVP, Strategy, Ed Gunn share the story behind their famous "Find Your Rabbit Hole" campaign and where it's headed. Thanks to the Master of Advertising Effectiveness Program for sponsoring.
In Ep#2, we talk about how connections planning is earning its seat at the table. We're joined by department heads Stephanie Ehui of TBWA Chiat/Day, Los Angeles, Jonathan Daly of Johannes Leonardo, NY, Annex88's Brandon Solis. Thanks to WARC for sponsoring this three episode series.
For the third year, columnist and marketing professor, Mark Ritson shares his Top 10 Marketing Moments of the year. These are marketing moments, not simply advertising moments. We talk about each and why they mattered.
Brian Brydon, SVP, Head of Comms Strategy for Publicis, Enda Conway, Head of Connections Strategy for BBDO, NY and Ben Nilsen, Head of Media Strategy for Droga5 NY, join me for Ep#1 to talk about the importance of Connections Planning in the ever increasing canvas of marketing strategy. Thanks to WARC for sponsoring this three episode series.
Uber Eats are the 800 lb gorilla, but may be vulnerable. Rob Campbell of ColensoBBDO and Jean Mexted of Delivereasy talk about how they've defended against the intruder and just delivered their seven millionth order.
The real story behind "You're not you when you're hungry." MARS Wrigley's Chief Brand Officer, Rankin Carroll and BBDO's Global CSO on MARS and PepsiCo, James Miller share the backstory and its evolution across 15 years.
Is America truly lagging behind the rest of the world in its understanding and application of marketing effectiveness principles? We talk about what Mark wrote in his Marketing Week column that caused quite a stir. Thanks to the Master of Advertising Effectiveness (MAE) program for sponsoring our show.
A 2023 APG Gold award winner, the Replens brand shines a spotlight on the strategic importance of understanding human psychology in consumer research. We're joined by Kit Altin, Chief Strategy Officer at The Gate, London. Thanks to The Masters of Advertising Effectiveness Program for sponsoring this episode.
Our guests are from ADWEEK top agencies, Jeff McCrory, CSO, MischiefUSA, Lee Maicon, CSO, The Community and John Doyle, EVP Brand Strategy at Colle McVoy. We talk about whether strategy is adding value when so much is so unimpressive and about the need for the U.S. to establish universal effectiveness principles. Thanks to Tracksuit and WARC for sponsoring this series.
From “It Pays to Discover” to “Especially for Everyone,” Discover is banking on the democratization of specialness to attract a new set of customers. CSO, Jen Costello and Group Brand Strategy Director, Steph Berenson join me from TBWA/Chiat/Day Los Angeles.
Our guests are Dan Hill, Global CSO, Wieden+Kennedy, Melle Hock, U.S. CSO, Edelman and Kim Einan, Global CSO for Starcom. We talk about the importance of truth and the dangers of strategy becoming too “distinct” a department. Thanks to WARC and Tracksuit for sponsoring this three episode series.
David Gluckman has written a book about his years developing products and ideas for Diageo/IDV. Dozens of origin stories are in his book "That Shit Will Never Sell." He's a terrific story teller. He shares a few of them in this week's episode.
Our guests are Tom Morton, Global CSO, R/GA, Bonnie Wan, Partner, Head of Brand Strategy at Goodby, and John Gibson, Managing Director and Head of Strategy at The Martin Agency. We talk fast v.s deep planning, the shape of new strategy, living with constant change and shape shifting for the next generation. Thanks to WARC and Tracksuit for sponsoring this three episode series.
From Ketchup Fraud to Hog Dog Pact to Vintage Drip and so many more, Heinz and Rethink deliver brilliantly on creative effectiveness in the CPG space. Group Strategy Director, Julian Morgan and CCO, Mike Dubrick take us through their award-winning journey.
With its "Real Food" message and its stand against industrial farming, Chipotle has built a brand that has withstood setbacks weaker brands wouldn't have survived. Its now built a database designed to give it faster, direct access to its customers, something it didn't have back when it was making not so great news. We talk with Jason Scoggins of Chipotle and Jason McCann of GALE, NY.
Midol is encouraging people with periods to question the normalization of discomfort. We're joined by Kelly Fanning of Bayer and Andrea Shultz of MullenLowe, NY. Be sure to watch the creative work on our website.
This time it’s not about any one person’s famous order, but about McDonald’s itself as a famous order. The new "As Featured In" campaign rolls out across 100 markets. We talk with Global Managing Director, Brandon Pracht and Global Strategy Director, Tass Tsitsopoulos, both of W+K, NY.
In this episode, we talk about the two major buckets of metrics - exposure and impact - and how they're being potentially misused and misunderstood.
Canadian brand Kobo used book shaming and the popularity of "guilty pleasure" titles to carve out a unique space for its Kobo plus e-reader subscription service. We're joined by Lindsay Gray of Rakuten Kobo and Shari Walczak of The Garden, Toronto, Canada.
We hear the stories behind Emoji Ordering, Zero Click Ordering, Carryout Tips and their collaboration with Netflix on Stranger Things, Season 4. We're joined by long-time Domino's team, CCO, Matt Talbot and Strategy Lead, Alex Guerri of Work In Progress, Boulder, Colorado.
The instinct when trying to justify a price increase is to lean on rational factors: quality, value, distinct features. Tyyrells suggests the opposite. It demonstrates how a characterful brand backed by sufficient marketing spend can achieve the same goal, but profitably.
Ogilvy London's powerful "Have a Word" campaign, short listed for an APG Award this year, peels back the male psyche to map out a new territory in violence prevention. We're joined by Behavioral Strategist Tara Austin and Planning Director, Bianca Novaes.
Getting to useful, inspiring answers is their promise, but how they get there is up to them alone. We get beyond the superficial with Nonfiction's Lindsey Wehking and Gunny Scarfo.
After years of successful anti-smoking campaigns, vaping emerged at the next threat to young Americans. We're joined by RG Logan, SVP Brand Marketing at Truth and Ryan McDaid, Head of Strategy at Mojo Supermarket in Brooklyn.
In our final "Outside In Thinking" episode, Ian Murray and Andrew Tenzer of Burst Your Bubble suggest turning our outward facing tools inward to address our cultural and professional disconnects. This series sponsored by The Planning Department.
Recent Co-CSOs of AMV BBDO, Craig Mawdsley and Bridget Angear worked on some of the best campaigns, both strategically and creatively. We talk about why they left, about their ambitions for Craig+Bridget, and the freedom they’re experiencing working on both large and small brands.
There are many credible marketing effectiveness voices that often disagree with each other. Mary's latest report brings those opinions together and adds the Kantar perspective. This episode sponsored by the Master of Advertising Effectiveness Program. MAE.academy.
Ep#3 in our Outside-In Thinking series, Helen Edwards (columnist, author, prof) describes how fringe behaviors mainstream. We talk about what they are, how to discover them in your category and the audiences most likely to ignite them. This series is sponsored by The Planning Department.
PBR earned subculture status in hipster bars back in the 2010s, but that status began to limit growth with its "you can't sit with the cool kids attitude." This is the story behind the brand's response.
Ep#2 in our Outside-In Thinking series features Andrew Hovells. We talk about his decision to live outside the bubble of London in order to regain perspective. Thanks to The Planning Department for sponsoring this series.
The basics apparel brand shares how it is elevating its "comfort" equity from functional benefit to cultural relevance. We're joined by CSO, Elizabeth Paul and Associate CD, Rushil Nadkarni, both of The Martin Agency.
Ep#1 of our "Outside-In Thinking" series features Steven Lacey of The Outsiders, a cultural consultancy in London. He shares how our industry can break out of fishbowl thinking in order to deliver real value. This series sponsored by The Planning Department.
Most categories have them, the big, obvious taboos no one talks about, but everyone knows could be awesome. For Partners Life Insurance, it was death! And they did it in an amazingly unique way. Rory Gallery, CSO and Lisa Fedyszyn, ECD of Special Group in Auckland, talk us through the award winning Last Performance.
Ep#4 in our travel series features actors Rose Burn and Will Arnett in "Come Say G'day." It's a lesson in how to freshen brand codes without changing them. We're joined by CMO Susan Coghill and Executive Strategy Lead, Rob Dougan. Thanks to Kantar for sponsoring this series.
First it was Droga5's Global CSO, Jonny Bauer, quickly followed by five CSOs from major creative agencies. So what's going on inside the ivory tower of investment banking in Midtown Manhattan? We talk with Tom Callard, former CSO at BBH and now Brand Transformation Lead at Blackstone.
Martin Weigel, incoming CS0 at AMV BBDO, Paula Bloodworth, Head of International Strategy at Uncommon, and Rob Campbell, CS0 at Colenso BBDO called and wanted to chat. This is what happened.
Ep#3 in our Travel Series, United Airlines tries to align itself with the stated beliefs of younger travelers through an ESG campaign that showcases its intentions and people. Thanks to Kantar for sponsoring this series.
Ep# 2 in our “Best of Travel” series is Expedia's "Made to Travel" and its shift away from marketing destinations and deals to marketing the moments and feelings that great travel makes possible. Thanks to Kantar for sponsoring this series.
Ep#1 in our Travel Series. Leverage distinctive features in distinctive, humorous ways. Having to experience our world in virtual ways led to a craving for reality. And Iceland offers stunning, natural reality in spades, without silly headsets. We talk with SS+K, NY and Visit Iceland. Thanks to Kantar for supporting this series.
Byron is the author of How Brands Grow and Director of The Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Sciences. Some refer to him as the dark lord of effectiveness. He’s blunt and unapologetic. And I like that about him. He lives in a black and white world, so no apologies to those who live in the gray.
We wrap-up our Effective Outcomes series with a panel discussion. I'm joined by Elizabeth Paul, CSO at The Martin Agency, David Tiltman, SVP at WARC and author and strategist James Hurman. Thanks to WARC for sponsoring.
Marcus’ book demonstrates the risks of chasing product-based value propositions and losing sight of how much influence culture and identity have on our purchase decisions. Identity in terms of how we signal who we are or how we want others to think of us. From the clothes we wear to the cars we drive, to where we live, to what we eat. All are signals of implied membership, status, attitude or aspiration. And none are rational decisions.
With its goal of "Easing the Burden of Dishwashing," Finish detergent in Istanbul, Turkey moved from fifth to first place in part through its "Skip the Rinse" brand platform and its Glasses of Drought and Water Index initiatives. We talk about all three.
There was no product shots, no consumption occasion, no restaurant shown. No "ba da ba ba baa." And the industry went nuts. We hear the story behind the work and the ethnography research that fueled it, from Tom Sussman, Head of Strategy and Joe Beveridge, Planning Director, of Leo Burnett, London.
From moving beyond the morning occasion to a focus on quality, Folgers coffee wants to win over younger drinkers.
When the QSR brand asked for a focus on quality, Preacher's Head of Strategy Marika Wiggan and Founder Seth Gaffney found a way to reframe it... For What it's Worth.
It started with a dinner conversation. That led to Edelman's Tom Hehir, EVP, Head of Strategy, joining me to chat about trust as a strategic goal and why Edelman feels it should be the ultimate metric.
Mark returns to share his Top 10 Marketing Moments of the year and why they mattered. Happy holidays and New Year to everyone.
The most critical episode in the series, we talk about two key documents: strategy on a page and the creative brief. Examples can be downloaded on this episodes' page on our website. This series is brought to you by our friends at WARC.
Challenging the perception that domestic travel was boring, German Rail combined a brilliant idea with a personalized real-time social media fueled price comparison configurator to help German's Rediscover Germany.
Former Head of Sales Data Science & Analytics at Google, Harry talks us through ways to avoid common mistakes when designing and socializing metrics within our organizations. This series is brought to you by our friends at WARC.
Ep#2 focuses on performance vs. brand marketing and the blasphemous idea of both in a single execution. This series brought to you by WARC.
Ep#1 deals with setting direction and defining objectives. Mark Ritson shares tips on how to get from objectives to client brief and the mistakes too many are making. This series is brought to you by our friends at WARC.
The brand historically known for its Pursuit of Progress has reinvented the way it expresses itself for a new generation of drinkers. From personal status to collective optimism, this is the story behind the latest "Keep Walking" campaign.
James Hurman and I talk about each of the 6 upcoming episodes and what you can expect from each guest. The series is brought to you by our friends at WARC.
This week we pay homage to Dan Wieden of W+K. He was heroic because he made it possible for the creatives and strategists I’ve long admired to become the creatives and strategists I've long admired. He made them possible. He created the culture that allowed them to be. And he loved it. Here's a speech he gave at Design Indaba in 2016. It's well worth a listen. R.I.P.
How, after World War II, would you market to the American public, a strange looking, small, inexpensive foreign car associated with Hitler's Germany? Imagine that was your brief.
Liquid Death is an irreverent brand that contradicts almost every convention of marketing. It’s simply drinking water, but packaged differently and marketed uniquely with the tagline “Murder Your Thirst.”
In his latest book “Future Demand," James Hurman suggests we start using the language of business to build the case for investment in harvesting both existing and future demand.
The amazing planning story behind Fallon's win over Chiat Day for the Citi account: one that resulted in the best un-bank-like advertising ever. And it would never have happened if not for two guys on a speakerphone.
The first in our new series on classic campaigns. DDB used a comment from an AVIS employee to turn what many considered a weakness into a highly relatable strength.
Coming out of lockdown, the convenience store brand, faced with a dramatic reduction in store visits, used products and subcultures as distinctive brand assets to expand its share among those whose idea of “convenience” had changed.
The name change from Uncle Ben's Rice to Ben's Originals was a response to claims of racial stereotyping. The subsequent campaign is a masterclass in strategic thinking that grew household penetration 20%. Because doing what's right is also right for business.
Skinny, a 10 year old telco youth brand needed to explore a way into the general market to return to growth, but brand perception got in the way. ColensoBBDO and their client share the award winning strategy that flipped a negative, with "Skinny will do anything to keep prices low and customers happy."
After decades of “Choosy Moms Choose JiF,” how could a brand your mom served you as a kid now be the brand you choose for yourself? Publicis, New York shares the strategy story behind "That Jifing Good."
The New York Times was targeted as "fake news" by the previous administration. This was their award-winning response and what led to record breaking subscription levels.
With financial advisors resisting recommending the brand to clients, this is how an inventive idea reframed its value. A great B2B2C case.
How Sacha Baron Cohen's team and Leo Burnett made a National Rifle Association President undermine his own organization on a national stage in an effort to save lives.
Effectiveness data in B2C is robust, but not so in B2B. The Institute plans to change that. Jon Lombardo shares their latest work and some new concepts that can help your CFO support your case for effective investment.
In a campaign from Fred & Farid, Los Angeles, Ladder, an online life insurance company, is embracing brand marketing (not simply performance) with a totally unexpected campaign in an uptight category.
In 2019, the brand went through TBWA’s Chiat Day’s “Disruption” planning process, which attempted to realign enterprise-wide activities around a refreshed expression of the brand’s platform. This is the strategy story.
In his new book, Conflicted, Ian explains how we lose the benefits of diverse thinking because of our inability to disagree well. And how productive disagreement leads to better strategy.
In his new book, Look out, Orlando builds on the work of Jenni Romaniuk, Les Binet, Peter Field, Byron Sharp and others with his research on how we can better ensure we are producing work that works.
A must listen Masterclass that begs the question, does loyalty exist, or is it just a habit that can be broken? Facing two massive competitors, Yorkshire Tea went from 5th to 1st with a hilarious creative and strategic effort that reignited consumer interest in what was thought to be a deeply entrenched category.
The story of 13 years of growth following a crisis for the McDonald's brand. A recovery built on a rethink of operations, tone and messaging. One that put humility and relatability at the center of everything. A 2021 APG Award winner.
The stories behind 10 years of iconic John Lewis ads and the simple brand platform and inspirations that shaped them, with CCO Richard Brim and CSO Martin Beverley of adam&eveDDB, London
We talk about planning and cover a bunch of topics including why labels are used in strategy as proxies for genuine knowledge, how our industry’s fetish with “insight” has caused so many to lose sight of our deliverables. And whether we ever really know enough to really know.
A Gold WARC award for effectiveness winner, we hear how, after a series of hate crime attacks, McD’s used an update of their iconic Kiwiburger song to drive an important cultural conversation in New Zealand, resulting in the best sales period ever recorded.
The tagline is one of the most iconic in advertising history. It's embedded itself in popular culture in ways few campaigns have ever achieved. I talk with R&R Partners about how it came about, and why, in 2022, it's about to change.
This award winning case from TBWA Hong Kong shows how reallocating upper funnel media dollars across the customer journey helped Lexus successfully launch the UX in one of the toughest auto markets in the world.
How EOS and Mischief brilliantly capitalized on a TikTok moment with a genius response that went viral. CMO, Soyoung Kang and Mischief's ECD, Bianca Guimaraes share the back story of the brand and the moment.
By brilliantly crafting a perceived negative into a strength, Aldi went from a 2% share to a 7.9% share. Hear the Grand Prix award-winning strategy story from Jamie Peate and Laura McKinlay of McCann, Manchester.
Bumble's about women making the first move. In this latest work, the brand expands on their empowerment platform by encouraging women to fall in love with dating as a journey, not simply a means to an end.
If drinking beer is typically something you do for yourself, could drinking a low carb beer be something you do for someone you love? It's "I'm drinking it for you" with James Tucker, Planning Director at Colenso BBDO in Auckland, NZ.
In a category fixated on clean, Unilever laundry detergent Persil flipped category conventions by telling the world that dirt was not the enemy, but the result of giving a child the freedom to explore and grow. This commitment to child development became the heart of the brand. This is the story behind that platform and how it was evolved to reflect Unilever's new green purpose.
A fast food brand attempting to win a Michelin Star? Seems crazy, but it's the attempt alone that worked. This is the strategy story behind the award-winning campaign from KFC and Ogilvy Australia.
TBWA Chiat Day Los Angeles has formed an elite team of creatives and strategists to build out a B2B marketing practice. I talk with Managing Director John Hickman about the back story and the case for B2B.
A WARC Grand Prix winner. The Middle Eastern-based home furnishing retailer used Father's Day to celebrate the achievements of single mothers.
The story behind the heart-warming and award-winning campaign that reversed losses by expanding appeal, with Rachel Ellerm of Lion and Lucinda Sherborne of DDB, New Zealand.
Huge fan of Doug Holt. We talk about purpose, challenger and cultural brands through the lens of Jack Daniels, Chipotle, Blue Buffalo, Dove, Starbucks, etc.
The industry columnist, advisor and professor of marketing shares his Top 10 moments of this past year. And, as always, there are surprises for all.
La Dolce Velveeta presents the brand as an "unrestrained pleasure" by leveraging craveability and the attitudes of proud Velveeta lovers, claiming you don't have to be rich to live golden.
Adam&Eve DDB's CSO Martin Beverley and Craig Spence, Chief Brand Officer for the IPC share the story behind the creation of Wethe15, with its focus on what we have in common, not what makes us different. Lessons in here for every marketer.
Cadbury’s belief that generosity is in everyone rebuilt its business. Sophie Kerbegian, former Head of Planning at VCCP and Benazir Barlay-Batada, Marketing Director at Mondelez share the backstory of this Grand Prix award-winning campaign.
Pharma should treat patients like Nike treats athletes. So says John Kenny, Head of Strategic Planning at pharma agency, Intouch Group. He shares what he sees as opportunity for planners and strategists to reframe the category, worldwide.
This Gold EFFIE winning partnership with HULU drew attention to inequality by brilliantly twisting an age old adage " A woman's place is in the kitchen."
According to Ben, the essence of the Starbucks brand has always been seduction. Yet he worries it's moving away from its cultural capital codes. We talk about the brand and how its desire to connect post-lockdown led him and the team to the Funnel Cake Frappuccino.
The likelihood of getting eaten by your cat this Halloween is low, but it's not zero. Building on the success of last year's Halloween campaign, this year's "Tasty Human" takes the humor and insight to a new, hilarious level.
In pre-covid convenience-obsessed culture, cooking at home was struggling. This led to Lurpak's strategic pivot from celebrating "how" we cook to celebrating "why." A 2021 APG Creative Strategy Award winner.
This independent shop with clients including Google (Chromebook, Assistant, Pixel, Photos, Pay, etc) ESPN, NBC and others, is a studio-style creative company that's delivering at speed, something that generally scares other agencies.
Three Ireland is a telecommunications brand. This B2B campaign centered around Arranmore, an isolated island off the coast of Donegal. The parallel between island life and business life was that companies, not unlike communities, need to be connected in order to effectively grow.
The story behind successfully managing through multiple challenges (chicken shortage crisis, the intro of new fries, and covid.) It's a journey of success built on the shared belief in doing the opposite of what's expected.
The story behind the brand's expansion from a niche segment to the broader market with Mark Kirkham, VP & General Manager of Sports, Energy and Juice brands at PepsiCo and Tiina Salzberg, CSO at 180 Amsterdam.
As strategists, we're reluctant to embrace the obvious. As Loz puts it "we think our role is to create an unexpected leap." But when something is obvious, that doesn’t mean it’s useless. This brilliantly simple campaign for Taylors coffee bags will inspire you to consider the obvious in everything you do.
After acquiring Droga5 and other creative shops, Brian and his team are now ready to roll out their part consultancy, part tech firm and part agency offering. Not only is it formidable, but it may, in fact, be what we've always wanted modern marketing agencies to be.
The brand that once expressed its essence - attraction - in terms of one dimensional women drawn uncontrollably to the Axe guy, is reinventing itself. From “Spray Axe, get girl” to “Spray Axe, open possibilities,” it now reflects how the playground of attraction has broadened.
This award winning campaign is a terrific example of how what we produce as an industry can be more effective when it makes us check and discover our own biases without telling us we should. Adam&EveDDB's Creative Director Selma Ahmed and Planning Director David Mortimer talk us through the thinking that led to this Channel 4 Diversity in Advertising Award winner.
When only 10% of young people would even consider the Army, the challenge the brand faces in its quest to appeal to a far wider target is clear. We hear about DDB's first two campaigns... and the new brand campaign currently in development.
Tasked with achieving an additional £100 million in profit from its marketing spend, Andrew's team put brand theory into practice, at scale, and more than doubled that goal by developing Catalyst, a portfolio-wide marketing modeling system that brought analytics and creativity into the center of the business. This is the story of how it came together.
Paula has worked on the Nike brand on three continents. We first discuss what inspired Nothing Beats a Londoner and then how Nike approached planning in a year without sports.
We hear the stories behind the strategies and creative that fueled the success of Burger King and, more recently, the chicken sandwich wars that reenergized the Popeye's brand.
Paul worked for 15 years at the legendary planning agency BMP in London. In his new book "Why does the Pedlar Sing" he explores what he sees as the industry's creative short-comings and how we can turn things around.
Andy is Campaign Magazine’s 2020 U.K. strategist of the year. We talk Alexa, his new book “Go Luck Yourself” and why he feels luck is where opportunity meets a prepared mind.
The U.K. soda brand's search for purposeful humor that would reconnect it with youth culture after a long absence, and how focus groups fueled the insight. A 2020 IPA Effectiveness Award winner.
Planning is not a trade, it's a profession. It can't just be something you learn on the go. So says Julian Cole as he shares what the academy offers those who want to improve their skills.
Droga5 produced the latest brand campaign for its parent company, Accenture. CMO Amy Fuller talks us through the brand's journey and its first ever purpose/promise statement.
Heidi Hackemer, ECD Oatly shares what defines the Oatly brand and what led to the trolling of the Super Bowl with a spot they knew others would hate.
Another in our automotive series, Kathleen Kindle, Group Director Connections & Insights at Saatchi & Saatchi, Los Angeles. We talk Toyota and the challenges of being a house of brands.
Cindy shares the story of how Hyundai went from targeting used car buyers to becoming a mass market player. And we learn the single word that defines everything the brand does.
Colin shares the story behind how Headspace, a brand built on meditation, expanded its offering into mindfulness. And launched with a significant brand gesture.
Jennifer Healan, VP, U.S. Marketing, McDonald's, and Tass Tsitsopoulos, Planning Director, W+K, NYC tell the story of how Wieden won the McDonald's business, blew out the Super Bowl, and later broke McDonald's supply chain with Travis Scott.
Baileys was loved, but was not being consumed. This is the story of how the team expanded beyond cocktails into the high growth world of adult treats. A 2020 IPA Effectiveness Award winner, this is the "part cake, part booze, pure pleasure" journey. See the creative on our site.
Learn the three key strategic phases of this multi-year rebuild of the iconic Tesco supermarket brand in the U.K. This 2020 IPA Grand Prix Award winner for effectiveness includes the wonderful "Food Love Stories."
To celebrate its 50th Anniversary, Uncommon launched the new "Build a Life" brand platform for B&Q in the U.K. This is the story behind that work. And the connection between home and owner.
Another episode in our thought-leader series, this international strategist, speaker, and author shares his perspective on a number of recent industry topics.
Coca-Cola suspended its marketing efforts as the pandemic struck. It later returned with the optimistic and uplifting "Open like never before" campaign. This is the story behind the work.
From the 1960s’ “Think Small” to the 1990s’ “Drivers Wanted” to the current “Drive Bigger,” VW’s audience has always been those frustrated with the status quo.
The cultural opportunity that allowed OKCupid to return as "the antidote to superficiality."
We learn how planning, during pre-pandemic times, turned around the nursing recruitment efforts for Britain's National Health Service.
The Volvo brand has always been synonymous with safety. However, in the last few years, it has been transforming its notion of what safety means.
How this hispanic beer drinkers brand, that celebrated working-class values, expanded into the U.S. general market during a time of unprecedented divisiveness.
How Siemens, a company shifting from an industrial manufacturing culture to a professional services mindset, used employees as a force for recruiting new talent.
In part two, we hear about evolving from sombre, reflective storytelling to a warm, joyful approach. Plus, the launch of Guinness Clear (water.)
The single image that captured the attention of an entire country. A breathtaking, award-winning campaign that reframed male suicide in the U.K.
Author of the new 2020 book for planners "Getting Positive," (published after our interview) Stuart shares his advice as a recruiter who specializes in placing planners worldwide. I hope Stuart's advice is helpful to those struggling with what's next.
A masterclass in brand strategy. Learn the story behind the shift from "Good things come to those who wait" to "Made of More." This is episode 1 of 2.
As part of our series on auto brands, we talk to Christian Cocker about the Honda brand, the category and the agency's award-winning "Paper" campaign.
How this iconic brand is increasingly building an audience amongst those frustrated with bite-sized media.
The story behind Samsung's challenge of the iPhone with "The next big thing is already here" campaign.
Learn the geographic insight Tourism New Zealand used to create its “Good Morning World” campaign.
Learn how Smirnoff used its origin story to position the world’s most popular vodka as “The world’s most infamous spirit.”
The story behind the Marmite Gene Project campaign and the "You either love it or you hate it" slogan.
One of 2020's Cream Award winners, Niamh Paul tells us how Brixton Finishing School wants to disrupt the way agencies recruit.
Learn how Durex is challenging pandemic culture by asking if we really want to go back to normal.
The story behind the amazing "social athlete" campaign and how it reframed the lite beer category in the U.S.
Planners out of work may find Brand Federation to be a useful source for projects. It's a new group trying to match projects to talent. Hope they're helpful.
WARC ranks it as the second most creatively awarded campaign. Bridget shares the strategy story behind its success.
A movie trailer for a Crocodile Dundee reboot or a tourism campaign? Hear the story behind the creative strategy that framed "Australian Nature."
How does in-person, as apposed to virtual community influence motivation? That's the Orange Theory versus Peloton story.
In a world of streaming services, find out how a national broadcaster is sharpening its brand.
Ben Shaw, Head of Strategy at Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH) talks us through the successful evolution of the Audi brand and its definition of "Progressive Premium."
The strategy behind the irreverent and unique Burger King creative work and how it fuels their messaging.
The story behind the creative strategy for LUVs diapers. "By their second child, every parent is an expert" was the insight around which the entire campaign was built.
An interview with Adam & Eve's Planning Partner Tom Sussman about the strategy behind the Tiny Dancer campaign for John Lewis Department Stores.
An interview with Simon Wassef, Chief Strategy Officer of Chiat Day LA. Simon talks us through the strategy behind the successful Beats campaign.