MOCK, the podcast: Recent Episodes
MOCK, the agency
Hosted by MOCK, the agency Co-Creative Directors Donald Mock and Rob Broadfoot, MOCK, the podcast is a casual discussion around the craft of creative marketing as it relates to business challenges. MOCK, the agency is a full-service advertising and graphic design agency based in Atlanta, GA.
In this episode of the podcast, Don and Rob go behind the scenes on the fast-paced journey of launching a new client project, unraveling how a simple cold call transforms into a full-scale business venture. They dig into the adrenaline and complexities of rapid branding, reflect on the creative hurdles, and reveal the decision-making process when real deadlines push the limits of efficiency. Sharing a glimpse into the world of sports and entertainment branding, they detail the return of a major tennis event to Atlanta—exploring how quick pivots, teamwork, and creative risk-taking lead to impactful results. From straight talk about operational challenges to the excitement of building something new under pressure, the episode offers candid insights on making bold ideas happen in business while inviting listeners to follow the project as it evolves week by week.
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In this episode of MOCK the Podcast, Don and Rob explore the evolving dynamics of client-agency relationships in advertising. They discuss the importance of trusting agency expertise, contextual thinking in design decisions, and the challenges of creating custom solutions for each client. Through candid conversation, they share tips on fostering creativity, collaboration, and effective communication to navigate the fast-paced, digital-driven world of advertising today. Listeners get insights on how both clients and agencies can work better together to achieve unique, impactful results.
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In this episode of MOCK the Podcast, Don and Rob get candid about creativity in the age of AI—exploring how emerging technologies are transforming our work, reshaping industries, and presenting ethical dilemmas that make us question the future. From anxieties over machines surpassing human intelligence to the shifting landscape of content creation and advertising, they unpack what teaching empathy to AI means for society, and why keeping our critical thinking skills sharp matters more than ever.
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In this episode of MOCK the Podcast, Don and Rob get personal about brand loyalty—what makes us stick with certain brands for decades, and what finally makes us switch. From changing sneaker brands after 25 years to lifelong favorites in guitars and cars, they unpack how our early experiences and emotional connections shape the brands we trust and love.
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Don and Rob share their favorite Super Bowl commercials of the year.
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Don and Tim discuss their early career challenges, the importance of brand loyalty and the future of marketing.
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Don and Rob talk about their experience working in Atlanta's advertising agencies and how they have evolved over time.
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Don and Rob discuss their favorite choices on a desert island quiz game.
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Don and Rob discuss the main reasons why marketing directors seek their services.
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Don and Rob reminisce about brands that have resurfaced, such as Scout, and discuss the nostalgia factor in brand revivals.
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Don and Rob discuss the value of following a structured process when working on projects like logos, websites, and advertising.
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Don and Cuyler share insights on working as designers and the differences between art and design.
Don and Rob discuss the importance of finding relatable truths in advertising, as seen in Airbnb's ads.
Don and Rob discuss the rapid evolution of AI and the need for creatives to adapt to this new technology.
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Don and Rob discuss the importance of practical experience and on-the-job training over formal education in the art industry.
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Don and Rob discuss their recent vacations trips and the differences in commercialism between states over the years.
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Don and Rob discuss why competition is important in the marketing and advertising industry.
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Don and Rob reflect on the overwhelming nature of spam and the effectiveness of cold calls in marketing.
Don and Rob reminisce about classic novelty products and how great advertising can make a 'bad' product seem great, and vice versa.
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Don and Rob discuss types of projects they would not work on, despite their usual focus on new fun projects.
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Don and Rob discuss the importance of being aware of your surroundings and how using real-world items can foster creativity.
Don and Rob share their experiences presenting marketing projects to brand new clients on the 'first date'.
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Don and Rob discuss the relevance of the upcoming Olympics from a marketing and advertising perspective.
Don and Rob share tried and tested marketing strategies for starting and growing new businesses.
Don and Rob discuss the story behind things that have exploded into pop culture, such as the Stanley Cups.
Don and Rob discuss their fun experience working with local brewery Scofflaw in Atlanta.
Rob and Don discuss their favorite Atlanta companies such as Coca Cola, MailChimp, Delta and more.
Don and Rob share their predictions and insights on the future of brands, advertising, and technology for 2024.
Don and Rob discuss their experience with Black Friday advertising and its impact on holiday shopping.
Don and Rob debate about whether graphic design is art, and discuss the blurry lines between art and advertising.
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Don and Rob discuss influencer marketing as a successful tool for driving awareness, traffic and sales to a business.
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Don and Rob discuss the evolution of social media ads, and share their personal preferences of advertising on social media and streaming platforms.
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Don and Rob share funny stories of their experience working on the full scale rebranding of Walmart's dog food, Ol' Roy, 10 years ago.
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Don and Rob discuss Barnes & Noble's new approach to corporate branding and design consistency.
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Don and Rachele share their experiences with outdated design portfolios and give advice on how to successfully build one.
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Don talks about his recent family vacation to San Francisco, and how everything has changed.
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Don and Rob discuss their favorite fast food restaurant's marketing strategies over the years.
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Rob and Don discuss Taylor Swift's influence on Heinz's brand, and how celebrities have marketing power in the digital age.
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Don and Rob discuss the blurring lines between B2B and B2C in today's marketing
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Don and Rob discuss the redesign of Johnson & Johnson's logo, homogenization of brands and the importance of character in marketing.
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Don and Rob discuss how developing good habits contributed to their success in business, and fostering creativity.
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Don and Rob discuss the challenges of leveraging holidays and seasonal events in marketing.
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Don and Rob discuss their favorite board games, Barbie's recent movie success and how it has led to a surge in toy-related movies.
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Don and Michael discuss the evolution of the web and it's impact on businesses in the future.
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Don and Rob discuss the impact of Lionel Messi joining Major League Soccer (MLS) from a brand, marketing and advertising perspective.
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Rob and Don discuss their favorite Atlanta sports teams from a branding and marketing perspective.
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Don and Rob discuss the wide variety of brands and companies that call Atlanta home.
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Don and Michael discuss the evolution and importance of SEO and Google's influence in the digital world.
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Don and Zoe discuss their personal experiences with IKEA and what they like about it.
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Don and Rob's thoughts on Twitter's recent rebranding from a brand architecture perspective.
Don and Cuyler discuss the changes in food styling over the years and Don reminisces about his first gigs as a food photographer.
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Don and his wife Rachele talk about their experiences with electric cars and how the electric car market is changing.
J Gonzo joins Don to talk about what they enjoy the most about working in advertising.
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Cuyler and Mike share how they started working at MOCK, what the culture is like, and favorite projects they've worked on.
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Don and Zoe discuss her experiences coming to the office and how her parents' openness about their jobs has influenced her as a person.
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Don and Zoe talk about Zoe's summer internship, the various aspects of interning, and things to think about when trying to get an internship.
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Don and Rob talk about their childhood jobs - from donut shops and delis to summer camp and print shops. Get to know them a little better as young people learning about hard work.
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Don and comic book creator J. Gonzo discuss the graphic design of comic books- from designing to printing to advertising.
Check out @jgonzoart on Instagram.
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Don and friend, comic book creator and graphic designer J. Gonzo, discuss the art of creating and designing logos that are flexible for the different environments in which they will be used.
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Cuyler joins Rob in discussing world news that connects golf, human rights, and lots and lots of money.
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Big discussion on big news- Lionel Messi turns down playing for Saudi Arabia and joined the MLS. Rob and Don discuss the deal and its impact financially, socially, and in the world of soccer.
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Don and Rob share their opinion and observations on the Emmy-winning show Ted Lasso - the seasons, the characters, and where it fits into the world.
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Zoe and Don discuss brands that have and have not stood the test of time.
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Don and Cuyler discuss what they find interesting, creative, and amazing in the opening sequences and credit sequences of older and newer movies and TV Shows.
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Don and Rob talk about how new customers are acquired and the challenges involved in finding new customers.
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Don and Zoe Mock share a mutual love of sports and discuss recent schedule release video styles, as well as Zoe's dramatic first hockey game experience.
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Rob and Don discuss how various companies have aligned with celebrities and how this alignment has effected people's perceptions.
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Rob and Don get excited about favorite candy bars with stories and candy bar advertising tidbits sprinkled in.
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Rob and Cuyler discuss a mutual appreciation for music, especially guitars. They recount some interesting experiences with guitars, and which guitars they've enjoyed the most.
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Don and Rob discuss the importance of having a personal brand, managing your online reputation, and some famous examples out there in the world.
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Two graphic designers share what design issues irritate them the most.
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Don and Rob discuss their process for creating names and helping clients choose the perfect one for their company.
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Don and Rob discuss brand authenticity in companies like McDonalds, Ben and Jerry's, and Zappos.
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Don and Rob don't just do marketing and design. Here they share anecdotes of their fishing adventures, from Georgia to Oregon to Costa Rica.
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Don Mock and his daughter Zoe discuss what she has learned her first two years at Georgia Tech's College of Design, and what she anticipates in year three.
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Don and Rachele discuss their teaching experience and how they got into teaching in the first place.
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Rob and Don discuss how they've handled being asked to promote products they thought were less than successful or not something they believed in.
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Rob and Don share stories and examples of difficult work relationships, why they're difficult, and what they learned from these experiences. Link to episode transcript.
Rob and Don discuss unusual places for gaining inspiration, and how border collies and robots play into the mix.
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Don and Mike discuss Star Wars first impressions and design as it related to the stories, characters, and universe in these classic movies.
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Don and Rachele reminisce about design-by-hand and discuss technology's influence on how design plays out.
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In this episode Don and Cuyler discuss various MLB teams' design, logos, and uniforms.
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In this episode Don and Rob muse about business anniversaries, turning 50, and metal bands.
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Startups come to MOCK, the agency looking for a little bit of everything. In this episode, Don and Rob talk about their experience starting their own product company and being a client of themselves.
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In this episode Don and Rob talk about album artwork, production, and the creative marketing of music.
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Do you remember the Jolly Green Giant? How about Noid from Domino's Pizza? In this episode Don and Rob reflect about their favorite advertising mascots.
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What are the most significant advances in the creative industry? In this episode Don and Rob share their perspectives about tools, technology and changes in the creative industry.
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What is interdisciplinary design? In this episode Don and his daughter Zoe discuss the different aspects of design and when they apply in business.
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Is it important for children to be creative? In this episode Don and Rob talk about their first creative endeavors growing up, and how they pass on creativity to their children.
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What's it like to pitch as a creative agency? In this episode Don and Rob discuss agency pitching, RFPs, and the importance of client relationships.
Fun fact: Pitcher Pascual Perez got lost trying to find the Atlanta Braves ballpark Aug. 19, 1982.
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In this episode Rob talks with Matthew Mattingly of Hone, a production first company for brands and agencies.
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How are creatives using new tools like AI? In this episode Don and Mike talk about Artificial intelligence, artists and copyright infringement.
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Do parents influence their children to be creative, or is creativity something you're just born with? In this episode Don talks with his oldest daughter Zoe about her journey as a creative person with creative parents.
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The digital revolution is here, so does that mean print is dead? In this episode Don and Rob discuss the world of print and its relevance today.
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In this episode, Don talks with Keri Hart, brand manager for Wayne Sanderson Farms. They discuss Keri's experience as a brand manager, from what a typical day looks like to managing internal and external agencies and getting buy-in from stakeholders.
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In this episode Don and his wife Rachele talk about podcasts.
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Don and his wife Rachele discuss influential graphic designers.
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In this episode, Mike discusses the history, pros, and cons of Comic Sans.
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In this episode Don and Rob explore the topic of how marketers and creatives can adapt their style and focus to meet client needs.
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In this episode Don talks with Peyton Warley of VIVEX Biologics, a long time client of MOCK, the agency.
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What do you do when you get assigned a new creative project? How do you begin the work? In this episode Rob and Cuyler discuss the process of starting a creative project.
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In this episode Rob talks with Matt Blackburn, creative director and co-owner of Order, about film production, working with agencies, and aligning stakeholders towards a shared vision.
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Why would a business want to market to children in schools?
In this episode, Don talks with Matt Rogers, Director of Leadership Staffing for Atlanta Public Schools. They discuss marketing to children in and outside of the education system, and how it affects culture years later.
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Don and Cuyler chat about their favorite graphic design and advertising shows, movies, and documentaries.
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Don and Cuyler talk about what they don't like in their design and advertising careers.
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Don and Rachele discuss their experiences with the famous designer Stefan Sagmeister.
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In this episode Don and Rob talk about why they enjoy their creative marketing careers so much.
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How do we get to greater work faster? Rob and Don have been asking this question for years and share insight into why they've built MOCK, the agency to be efficient.
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In this episode Don and Rob dive deeper into what it means for brands to stand out in a crowded marketplace and win the hearts of customers.
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What makes a great Super Bowl ad? Companies have tried different strategies over the years, some successful, some not. In this episode Don and Rob discuss what works and what doesn't.
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Massimo Vignelli is one of the most famous designers of all time. In this episode Don and his wife Rachele talk about their personal experience with Massimo.
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Everybody's creative, not just designers and artists. In this episode Don and Rob discuss Rick Rubin's book, The Creative Act: A Way Of Being.
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Covid impacted all industries differently. In this episode Don and Rob reflect on their experience as a full-service marketing and creative agency before, during and after Covid.
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Mistakes are going to happen. In this episode Don and Rob talk about marketing mistakes, the reasons why they happen, and what moving forward looks like.
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Tattoos are the ultimate branding. In this episode Don and Rob explore tattoos as they relate to culture, companies, design and branding.
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Rob and Don talk about their dream clients and their favorite clients of the past.
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How is creating in school different than in an agency? In this episode Don and Rob talk about challenges and distinguishing qualities creatives can have getting started in an agency.
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What does it mean for a brand to stand out? In this episode Don and Rob discuss how companies strategize and plan to break through the clutter.
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Typography is mission critical to design. In this episode Don and Cuyler discuss typography as it relates to brands, trends, and creative decision-making.
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Don and Cuyler discuss taking existing design and making it better.
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Don and Rob analyze the Adidas brand. Including Adidas' history, sponsorships, design, markets, and reputation.
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Don and Rob discuss their favorite music and how it interrelates with their creative work.
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What's your favorite color? In this episode Rob and Don discuss color theory as it applies to business.
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Don and Rob discuss their favorite types of projects across all of their design, advertising and digital experience.
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Every agency is different, and they all seem to talk about culture. In this episode Rob and Don talk about how they've shaped the culture of MOCK, the agency.
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What makes a design timeless? Rob and Don explore graphic design, logo design, brand transformations, and design trends.
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Just starting. That seems to be the hardest part of the creative process. In this episode Don and Rob walk you through their process for creating.
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Don and Rob discuss everything from freestyle BMX to sketchy gun activity.
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Sometimes we're learning and we don't even realize it. That's what happened to Don and Rob as they journeyed through big agency land.
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