Conversations with the Creators - St. John's University: Recent Episodes
Neil Feinstein
Innovators who are conceiving the coolest, hottest, most provocative ideas in marketing, media, PR and tech. Hosted by Professor Neil Feinstein, Associate Professor of Advertising Communication, St. John's University. Sponsored by the M.S. in Integrated Advertising Communications
Meet Lynn Power, former agency executive and now CEO & Co-Founder of MASAMI Haircare, who has helped reshape how agencies grow and how brands evolve. She breaks down how advertising has become more insight-driven, why the brand-agency relationship needs a reset, and how creative thinking and strong decision-making help brands thrive.
Meet John Carstens, Chief Creative Officer at Team DDB who believes ideas are limitless when we broaden our perspective. John shares how research, exposure, and diverse voices shape stronger storytelling — and why you don’t need to be the consumer to create something meaningful. From building systems that scale creativity to unlocking unexpected insights, he shows how curiosity can turn imagination into real impact.
Meet Leona Lindner, President and CEO of NEA Member Benefits. Leona shares how understanding people first shaped her approach to brand evolution and leadership. From helping educators manage student debt to navigating tough partnerships, she shows how curiosity and empathy can drive real impact.
Meet Jackie Hernández, Founder and CEO of New Majority Ready and multicultural marketing expert. Jackie shows how brands can authentically engage today’s diverse audiences and shares her innovative approach to shaping the future of advertising.
Meet Corey Martin, Managing Director at Lippe Taylor and Influencer Marketing expert. Corey tells us what will happen if TikTok is banned. He also takes you into the creative war rooms as he and his team conceived programs for Dove and CeraVe.
In the final episode of the Purely Puris series, hear why Martin fired clients, what his secret is to great advertising, and where the opportunity lies for the future of the industry.
In episode three of our new 4-series podcast with advertising great, Martin Puris, listen to the story behind the famous Club Med, UPS, and Waterford Crystal accounts.
The second episode in our new 4-series podcast with advertising great, Martin Puris. Get to know the story behind the Ammirati & Puris agency and how they created arguably advertising’s most famous tagline...
The first episode in our new 4-series podcast with advertising great, Martin Puris. Get to know the man behind what is arguably advertising’s most famous tagline....
Meet Scott Peters, Founder/CEO of Assemble. Scott is an entrepreneur who comes up with breakthrough ideas every day. He believes production should be front, and center, not a secondary part of the advertising ecosystem. Plus, if you’re looking to break into the industry, Scott has some excellent advice.
Meet Bonnie Rothman, Storyteller, Founder and President, Company B. Hear Bonnie discuss the evolution of storytelling and how brands are using it in their strategies and engagement with consumers.
Meet Oleg Korenfeld, Chief Technology Officer, CMI Media Group & Compas. Explore the world of artificial intelligence, data, and machine learning through the lens of a technology expert who has witnessed the transformation of digital technology. Also, hear how Oleg believes that there is no need to fear AI and that human intelligence is still needed for creativity.
Meet Maryssa Miller, Chief Product Officer, Mint House. Hear Maryssa discuss how the pandemic transformed the travel industry and how technology is radically altering how we travel in 2023.
Meet Cam Pegg, Vice President, Strategy at Critical Mass. From Tesla to BMW, here Cam explore the world of electric vehicles and how they are impacting humanity. Plus, are they as eco-friendly as they say they are?
Meet Sharon Napier, Executive Chair & Founder at Partners + Napier and Chair of the 4A’s. Hear Sharon discuss her journey from a small town to founding her own agency, how creativity has the power to change the world, and what the disruption of AI means for our industry. Sharon also discusses the 4A’s and why her position gives her a unique perspective to talk about what is happening in the advertising world.
We took Conversations with the Creators on the road to the annual Popular Culture Association conference, which was held in San Antonio, TX. While there we met four fascinating educators who had some interesting takes on what’s happening in media, advertising, and gender studies. Meet Elizabeth, Lily, Javay, and Sarah.
Meet Aliza Freud, Founder & CEO SheSpeaks; Host, SheSpeaks: How She Does It & Powerhouse Women; Forbes Contributor. Hear Aliza discuss the early days of influencer marketing before it became a billion dollar industry, what it takes to be a content creator and how failure does not define you, it’s part of the journey.
Meet Helayne Spivak, Director/Mentor, Creative Director, and Life Coach. Hear Helayne discuss how she shattered the advertising glass ceiling to become an award-winning woman in advertising, working on brands like Sears, Burger King, UPS, Club Med, Kraft, Kodak, Barneys New York, and a U. S. President. Her secret: be a smart ass with a quick wit.
Meet Laurel Rossi, Chief Marketing Officer, Infillion and Co-founder, Creative Spirit. Laurel talks to Professor Audrey Siegel-Mevorah about the power of DEI, specifically disability and how it is the key to opening doors, inspiring culture and changing workplaces.
You've heard of Artificial Intelligence, now meet Creative Intelligence (CI), a new era in marketing. Hear Craig Elimeliah, Chief Experience Design Officer at VMLY&R break down how CI is changing Customer Experience (CX).
Meet Brent Turner, EVP, Strategy and Solutions at Opus Agency. Hear Brent discuss movement marketing, stakeholder economics and how we are increasingly looking to brands to define who we are in the world.
Meet Andre G. Gray, Chief Creative Officer, Annex88, Author, ADWEEK Creative 100 and CANNES LIONS 22 Juror. Hear how Andre looks at brands in human terms and how this anthropomorphic process impacts how brands show up in the world. Also, his advice for the next generation of industry professionals!
Meet Heidi Schoeneck and Phil White, Co-founders of Grounded World. Hear how the marriage of purpose and profit is important when it comes to creating change for brands and how the next generation of communication professionals have the power to make an impact not only on the industry but on the world.
Meet Elisabeth Fondren, PhD, Assistant Professor of Journalism, St. John's University. Hear Elisabeth break down the intention behind Fake News as a form of propaganda, how misinformation is used as a way to disarm us, and why it’s important to be critical at all times.
Meet The Insight Whisperer, Thom Kennon, Founder / Chief Radicalist, Free Radicals and author of The Big Leap. Hear how Thom mines for insights to uncover the value of human behavior, the importance of ethical marketing and tips on how to make a meaningful impact in the industry.
Meet Susanna Pollack, President at Games for Change. Hear how Suzanna found a way for games to create a creative, unique, and forward way of teaching STEM skills, corporate social responsibility, and the importance of storytelling to young people.
Meet Nick Musica, Founder and CEO of Optics In LLC. Hear how Nick uses his SEO and content marketing knowledge to wrap content in devious detail and bring online brands to the top.
Meet Howie Konopko, Executive Vice President of Account Services at Publicis. Hear from a previous employee how WeWork, the globally disruptive brand that redefined what office space could be, became "WeCrashed."
Meet Barry Frey, President, and CEO of DPAA. Hear Barry discuss digital out-of-home advertising and how the fastest growing media has expanded beyond the billboards on the side of the road.
Meet Jordan Greene, Co-Founder and Chief Media Officer for Alpha Precision Media. Hear Jordan break down how Amazon has woven itself into every aspect of a consumer’s life to learn who that customer is and what ads they need to see.
Meet Valerie Graves, Public Speaker, Author, and Creative Consultant. Hear how Valerie put the best face on the truth and took on the challenge of being a black woman in a white man’s advertising world in order to become the first black female CCO of a major agency.
Meet Lincoln Bjorkman, Chief Creative Officer at Rauxa. Hear Lincoln talk about his superpower—using data to inspire creativity so he can deliver advertising that consumers want.
Meet Marisa Thalberg, Executive Vice President, Chief Brand and Marketing Officer at Lowe’s Companies, Inc. Hear how Marisa paired fresh thinking with institutional knowledge to discover the importance of humility, resilience, and empathy. The end goal: get consumers to evolve beyond their traditional ways of thinking.
Meet Shelly Palmer, digital transformation expert, leader, and pioneer. Hear about Shelly’s experience with unveiling breakthrough technologies and how innovators turn their passion projects into the next big idea.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shellypalmer/
Meet Hiro Landazuri,founder of Body Smart Yoga and social media creator. Hear how Hiro tripled his Instagram followers over the pandemic using a new approach to Instagram videos, consumer psychology, and his authentic voice.
https://www.actionhiro.com/
https://www.instagram.com/actionhiro/
Meet Taryn and Clare from ATTN:, a content creation and storytelling agency. Hear how Taryn Crouthers, COO, and Clare Stein, Executive Creative Director, are helping brands create a dominant presence on TikTok and how their in-office TikTok studio has opened new opportunities for original content.
https://www.attn.com/
https://www.tiktok.com/@attn
Meet Walt Geer, Executive Creative Director, Experience Design for VMLY&R. Hear the story of his accidental journey to creativity. Walt also discusses the make-or-break power of awards, and the built-in biases of some jury members.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/3rdgeer/
Meet Scott Donaton, Chief Marketing Officer at Hulu and St. John’s CCPS graduate. Hear Scott discuss his journey to Tinseltown, the importance of brand storytelling, and why Hulu is at a pivotal moment right now.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-donaton-a66ba4/