ANA Marketing Futures Podcast: Recent Episodes
Association of National Advertisers
The ANA Marketing Futures Podcast Series is a crossroads for marketers, entrepreneurs, innovators, and academia to discuss and debate the future of marketing, and business in general. Hosted by Michael Berberich, Senior Director of Marketing Futures, the Podcast Series looks to demystify emerging trends, share different perspectives on critical economic issues, and help marketers and business owners focus on what matters most: growing their brands.
Marketing Futures Podcast host Mike Berberich is back with another edition of the special series from the 2024 Brand Masters Conference in Carlsbad, California. In the marketing game, it’s all about relationships, particularly the one between consumer and company. And, whether you’re a brand or awkward high schooler, there’s no worse place to find yourself than in the friend zone. Our guest today is here to help you out. In fact, he literally wrote the book on it! Marketing expert and author of Moving Your Brand Out of the Friend Zone, Dough Zarkin joined the pod to lay out the different relationship zones that exist between customers and brands, and how to utilize “human thinking” to take your relationships to the next level.
Marketing Futures Podcast host Mike Berberich returns to Carlsbad, California for the next edition of the 2024 ANA Brand Masters Conference miniseries. Today’s guest is on a mission to help curb tobacco use in children and young adults, and in 2024, that means one thing: Stop the vape. Elizabeth Kenny is the CMO of the TRUTH Initiative, and on today’s episode, we discuss the insights and discoveries behind the nonprofit’s latest campaign, aimed at the elusive Gen Z generation. Find out how TRUTH connected with an audience that shuns traditional marketing and has historically low faith in institutions by meeting them where they’re at.
For those looking to quit...
TRUTH's free and anonymous text message program – This is Quitting – is helping more than 700,000 young people on their journey to quit. Any young person looking for help can text DITCHVAPE to 88709.
They also have free resources for adult quitters and parents of young tobacco users through EX Program. Those resources can be found directly at: BecomeAnEX.org.
Young people can get involved with the truth campaign efforts by visiting thetruth.com.
Learn more about the organization at TruthInitiative.org.
ANA’s Marketing Futures Podcast returns with another episode recorded on the ground at the 2024 ANA Brand Masters Conference in Carlsbad, California. Host Mike Berberich’s guest is none other than the host of this year’s Brand Masters Conference, CPG Marketing Expert Fernando Herrera. Berberich and Herrera discussed the evolution of omnichannel marketing over the years, and the challenge marketers face syncing the digital and physical worlds. They also shared their thoughts on AI’s role in the marketing function and talked about how to leverage the new hybrid/remote workforce to your advantage.
For the second year in a row, Marketing Futures Podcast host traveled to ANA’s Brand Masters Conference, this year emanating from Carlsbad, California, to interview some of the brightest minds in our industry. We’re kicking off this very special series with a very special guest: Newell Brand’s Melanie Huet, the president of brand management and innovation. Melanie joined the pod to discuss how her dynamic background makes her a favorite among the C-suite, and how marketers that have relied on creativity and media savvy in the past can level up. Finally, we chatted about how AI is shaping the CMO role in the modern marketing landscape.
With all of the new developments in marketing technology over the past decade, I’m pleased to announce that creativity is making a roaring comeback to claim center stage in the marketing function. At least that’s the mission of my two guests today. Co-CEOs of Havas New York, Sarah Collinson and Dan Lucey are looking to make creative excellence the north star of everything the agency does. On the ground at the 2023 ANA Masters of Marketing Conference, they talked with host Mike Berberich about Havas’ “village model,” approach to client solutions, what the new dynamic duo has planned in the short- and long-term, and, of course, how AI factors into it all.
The Marketing Futures Podcast played host to the dynamic duo of Jamie Medeiros, Chief Brand Officer at Planet Fitness and Katy Hornaday, Chief Creative Officer at Barkley. Jamie and Katy joined the pod to talk about the advantages of being a “purpose native” brand like Planet Fitness, as well as the ingredients behind a supercharged brand/agency relationship. They also discussed overcoming the enormous disruption caused by the pandemic in 2020.
Over the years, we here at the pod have talked a lot about how marketers need to brush up on their technical literacy as more and more of the marketing function becomes digitized. But what about the other way around? Are there ways engineers could benefit from thinking like a marketer? The answer, according to our guest this week, is a resounding yes. Chris Stauffer founded his own agency in 2000 after playing a key role in helping some major brands take their first leap into the digital world for years. Chris and I discussed the art of balancing an engineer mindset with a branding one and what your brand needs to consider before you even think of integrating AI into your organization.
Today, we’re bringing you a very special episode, recorded on the ground at the 2023 ANA Masters of Marketing Conference in Orlando, Florida. My guest? Alan Schulman, Co-founder and Chief Experience Officer at UpperRight. At Masters, Alan laid out the impacts and future of generative AI to the marketers in attendance, and today, he’s going to unpack that presentation with us. As we stand at the crossroads of creativity and technology, Alan and host Mike Berberich discussed the plumbing and the poetry behind truly great creative advertising.
The Marketing Futures Podcast airs Tuesdays at 3PM EST. For more information about the ANA Podcast Network, visit www.ana.net/podcasts.
Today’s topic couldn’t be more perfect for our show. We’re talking about leveraging AI technology to help marketers take advantage of an advertising channel that’s been slept on far too long – podcasts. We’ve got not one, not two, but three ANA Members with us for the episode – SiriusXM Media, Barometer, and ArtsAI. These three organizations joined forces to create a tool that can analyze the content of a podcast episode at such a nuanced level, it can contextualize language use and even pick up on things like sarcasm in a speaker’s voice. What does that mean for marketers? Brand safety and suitability data on an episode level for the first time ever. We’ll take you behind the scenes of the tool’s creation, show you how brands are already taking advantage of this new technology, and give you a glimpse of what comes next.
The first pod of the new year is a special one, as host Mike Berberich teams with the ANA Educational Foundation and A+E to discuss the future of marketing talent. Today’s guest is Niki Mandell, Vice President, Ad Sales Partnerships at A+E. In addition to being an integrated marketing magician, Niki is a participant in A+E’s mentorship program, both as a mentor and mentee. She shared her thoughts from both perspectives, and weighed in on some of the most vital skills the marketers of tomorrow should be learning today.
As the ANA’s resident trends and technology guy, it might surprise you to know that, in my opinion, marketing has never been about tech. It’s about the people, you guys! And my guest today agrees. Tim Ringel is a serial entrepreneur who is looking to transform the agency holding company model by putting people at the center. The co-founder of Meet the People and I discussed how companies can leverage technology to create a more humane workplace, and how focusing on the human aspect above even financials when making decisions pays off in the long term.
We here at Marketing Futures are dedicated to keeping you, dear listener, abreast of all the latest trends and disruptions affecting our industry. With that in mind, podcast host Mike Berberich welcomed Aaron Burghard, Creative Strategy Director at Storyhorse to unpack the agency’s Rundown Report, which looks at the pressures that are changing marketing and the world at large. This year’s edition of the report covered the rising appeal of escapism in uncertain times, the dismantling of a binary gender system, and, unsurprisingly, AI’s effect on the marketing industry.
On this episode of the Marketing Futures Podcast, we’re discussing the power of audio as a marketing channel with Paul Suchman, the CMO of Audacy, official sponsor of the ANA Podcast Network. Paul and host Mike Berberich unpacked why, despite audio’s popularity among consumers, advertisers are still hesitant to fully embrace the channel. We also dove into the magic behind good sound design, the role AI is playing in curating a personal audio experience, and what the space may look like in the next five years.
AI has been on the lips of about every marketer in the industry this year, and one question in particular has persisted: is this stuff going to take my job? Well, we’ve invited Wunderman Thompson’s Jason Carmel to give his perspective on the subject. A presenter at this year’s SxSW, Jason provided the Austin crowd “A Practical Guide to Whether Your AI is Sentient” including a sentient-ometer website. I won’t spoil the episode, but let’s just say it’s not quite time to be packing up your desks. Jason and host Mike Berberich discussed the advantages and challenges AI brings to the industry today, and yes, whether or not AI is coming for your JO.
You know what they say: all good things must come to an end, and, after several months of insightful conversations with some of the most influential marketers in the industry, today is the last episode of our Masters of Brand Masters series, recorded on site at the 2023 ANA Brand Masters Conference in Bonita Springs, Florida. Our guests today are a dynamic duo who were tasked with bringing an iconic brand mascot into modern times. We’re talking Ernie, the original Keebler Elf, with Alicia Mosely of Keebler and her partner, Jason Katz of Advantage Unified Commerce. Alicia and Jason discussed how they managed such a valuable piece of IP, including allowing fans to “play” with the concept while still maintaining governance over their mascot. Finally, we discussed how brands can think strategically about living at the intersection of culture and commerce.
Despite its ability to drive high levels of consumer engagement and purchase intent, sonic branding is significantly unleveraged by marketers. In fact, most marketers aren't even sure what sonic branding even is. To help rectify that, Marketing Futures podcast host Mike Berberich is here to explain the concept behind sonic branding, why it is such a powerful tool for brand marketers, and share three tips for how you can start leveraging the tactic.
After a tumultuous few months as the new hot trend, NFTs have seemingly slipped out of the public consciousness as quickly as they appeared. However, as dead in the water as they may seem, NFTs — and the technology that they're built on — still offer brands an enticing opportunity to deepen customer relationships and drive brand loyalty.
We’re back with another edition of the Masters of Brand Masters Podcast, recorded on-site at the 2023 ANA Brand Masters Conference in Bonita Springs, Florida. Today’s guest wasn’t quite sure if he had achieved Brand Master status but allow me to disagree. Brady Noon is the CMO of Take 5 Oil Change and Car Wash, a disruptor in what’s long been a relatively sleepy category. Brady joined the company in the middle of an explosive growth period, but noticed they didn’t really have a brand to speak of. Through a combination of bold, humorous advertising and baking their mission into the KPIs they used to measure success, Take 5 developed a personality all its own.
We’re back with another edition of the Masters of Brand Masters series, recorded on site at the 2023 ANA Brand Masters Conference in Bonita Springs, Florida. Today, we bring you part two of my conversation with Kevin Miller, CMO of the Fresh Market and 2021 CMO Innovator of the Year. Kevin took us through Fresh Market’s foray into livestreaming, and shared how shoppable video transformed the way the brand goes to market.
The Marketing Futures Podcast airs Tuesdays at 3PM EST. For more information about the ANA Podcast Network, visit ana.net/podcast
We’re back with another edition of the Masters of Brand Masters series, recorded on site at the 2023 ANA Brand Masters Conference in Bonita Springs, Florida. We here at the Futures pod love a good transformation, and you’d be hard pressed to find one better than our guest today. Kevin Miller, CMO of the Fresh Market and one of the stars of the Brand Masters Conference, joined us to talk about brand’s journey from worst place to work in America to America’s favorite grocery store. One part one of this two-part episode, we talk about the steps Fresh Market took to completely transform the brand, including creating “The Ultimate Loyalty Experience.”
The Marketing Futures Podcast airs Tuesdays at 3PM EST. For more information about the ANA Podcast Network, visit ana.net/podcast
We’re back with another riveting edition of the Masters of Brand Masters series, recorded on site at the 2023 ANA Brand Masters Conference in Bonita Springs, Florida. My guest today is Jill Cress, chief marketing and experience officer at H&R Block. Jill explained how the brand is overcoming what she calls a “crisis of relevancy” through its “Fair Shot” campaign, which seeks to help college athletes navigate the name, image, and likeness opportunities that have recently been presented to them. By connecting its purpose to its marketing, H&R Block became relevant to a new generation of customers, whether they were athletes or not.
The Marketing Futures Podcast airs Tuesdays at 3PM EST. To learn more about the ANA Podcast Network, visit ana.net/podcasts
We’re back for part two of my conversation with SportzBiz CEO and Founder, Steve Feuerstein. Today, we round out our conversation on the state and future of sponsorship marketing by discussing how marketers can detach themselves from the emotional payoff that comes from sponsorship activations, and why ROI might not be the right KPI when measuring sponsorship success.
While the marketing universe is constantly evolving, some corners historically evolved slower than others. Sponsorship has often been one of those corners, and it’s not hard to see why. So much of what makes sponsorships effective – the emotional thrill of a great game of sports, the charismatic draw of a star athlete – is ephemeral, and therefore, hard to measure and optimize. Well, have no fear, because today’s guest is here to help. Steve Feuerstein, CEO and Founder of SportzBiz, taking the world of sponsorship marketing beyond gut feeling and into the world of cold, hard data, and beyond!
Today we’re bringing you another episode of our Masters of Brand Masters series, recorded on site at the 2023 ANA Brand Masters Conference in Bonita Springs, Florida. Our guest is none other than Victoria Lozano, executive vice president of marketing at Crayola. Victoria and I discussed Crayola’s purpose-first approach to branding, and the role it looks to play in the lives of children, adults, and educators today. A long-tenured marketer for the brand, Victoria shared how Crayola has evolved over the years, including entering the space of immersive experiences.
We’re back with another edition of the Masters of Brand Masters series, recorded on site at the ANA Brand Masters Conference in Bonita Springs, Florida. In this series, we talk to some of the brightest and most influential marketers in the industry about the state and future of brand. My guest today oversees and absolutely massive organization, and one of the best-defined brands on the planet. Todd Kaplan, CMO of Pepsi, joined the podcast to discuss his “culture-first” approach to brand building, and why the Pepsi brand is able to innovate so consistently. He also shared what he thinks is the next big disruptor for our industry.
We’re back with another edition of the Masters of Brand Masters miniseries, recorded on-site at the 2023 ANA Brand Masters Conference in Bonita Springs, Florida. Today is part two of my discussion with Ramon Soto, CMO of Northwell Health, and Scott Goodson, Chief Executive Officer, and Founder of StrawberryFrog, where we break down the keys to cultivating and maintaining an effective brand/agency relationship. We also discuss the advantages and challenges of marketing as a nonprofit organization.
The Marketing Futures Podcast airs Tuesdays at 3PM EST. For more information about the ANA Podcast Network, visit www.ana.net/podcasts
We’re bringing you another episode of the Masters of Brand Masters series, recorded on site at the 2023 ANA Brand Masters Conference in Bonita Springs, Florida. Today, we’re talking to a brand/agency partnership that took a bold stand against gun violence in America, particularly against children. In this two-part series, Ramon Soto, CMO of Northwell Health, and Scott Goodson, Chief Executive Officer, and Founder of StrawberryFrog, shared the story of their “Raise Health” movement, which focused on one thing: normalizing asking friends and family if their gun is secured before letting your child visit that individual.
The Marketing Futures Podcast airs Tuesdays at 3PM EST.
Marketers and advertisers love to talk about the potential artificial intelligence has to reshape the industry. And while AI's potential is, in fact, huge, there is a key component missing from what we currently refer to as artificial intelligence. Marketing Futures host Mike Berberich explains what that missing component is and why its absence means AI doesn't even exist… yet.
The Marketing Futures Podcast airs Tuesdays at 3PM EST. For more information about the ANA Podcast Network, visit www.ana.net/podcasts
We’re back with another episode in our Masters of Brand Masters series, recorded on site at the 2023 ANA Brand Masters Conference in Bonita Springs, Florida. Today’s subject may be a sensitive one for some of our listeners. I’m talking, of course, about the cancellation of the beloved Choco Taco in 2022. Sparked by a cadre of distressed ice cream truck drivers, in a matter of days, parent company Klondike had a full-fledged corporate crisis on its hands. Thankfully, due to quick thinking and help from agency partner Edelman, they were able to turn tragedy into triumph, with an activation that showcased the Klondike brand and allowed them to take back the narrative.
The Marketing Futures Podcast airs Tuesdays at 3PM EST.
We’re back with part two of our epic clash of titans, CMO vs. GPT, featuring GfK’s Gonzalo Garcia Villanueva and Huble’s Margaret Ady. On part one we discussed how Ruby was briefed before squaring off with Gonzalo, and learned about the various AI systems that came together to make this debate a reality. But get ready, because today we hear from Ruby herself. Gonzalo, Margaret, and I played snippets of the showdown and gave our thoughts on Ruby’s ability to hang with a real, live CMO. Also, we ask the age-old question: is a pigeon smarter than artificial intelligence?
The Marketing Futures Podcast airs Tuesdays at 3PM EST.
Is an AI system as sophisticated as ChatGPT able to run marketing for a billion-dollar brand? That’s what my guests today tried to figure out. Gonzalo Garcia Villanueva, CMO of GfK, and Margaret Ady, Vice President of Strategic Marketing and CX Services at Huble, partnered to pit CMO against AI, as Gonzalo went one-on-one with “Ruby,” a fully synthesized person using ChatGPT for a brain. The two debated various hot topics in the industry, and by the end, a winner was declared. Today, we’re going behind the scenes of this iconic clash of titans to learn about the inspiration behind the idea, the various forms of AI that were used to make Ruby a reality, and how to get GPT thinking like a CMO.
The Marketing Futures Podcast airs Tuesdays at 3PM EST.
Today begins a special series: The Masters of Brand Masters, a collection of interviews with speakers from ANA’s 2023 Brand Masters Conference. Kicking things off, we have Ivonne Kinser, Head of Marketing at Avocados from Mexico. Ivonne gave us the backstory of the brand that was never supposed to be a brand, and shared what it is about Avocados From Mexico’s culture that allows for such consistently innovative work.
The Marketing Futures Podcast airs Tuesdays at 3PM. For more information on the ANA Podcast Network, visit www.ana.net/podcasts
Today we bring you part two of my conversation with Craig Stein, Senior Consultant at R3, and the Chat GPT platform itself, around generative AI in marketing. On part one, we discussed the affect AI is having and will have on media, data, and more. Today, we’re discussing the real threats AI poses to the industry and larger world, and what we believe AI will never be capable of. But first, we discuss a very murky topic: am I even allowed to have Chat GPT on my show?
The Marketing Futures Podcast airs Tuesdays at 3PM EST. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.
Today we’re talking about what everyone is talking about in the marketing world: generative AI, and more specifically, Chat GPT. I sat down with Craig Stein, Senior Consultant at R3, to talk all things AI. However, Craig is not my only guest today. We’re bringing Chat GPT into the conversation to see what AI thinks its role in marketing should be. This is part one of a two-part series.
We talk a lot about MarTech on the pod, but it’s usually about using it, not building it. Well, today we’re coming to you from the other side of the fence, as my guest today is Joe Hyrkin, CEO of Issuu, a digital publishing platform that’s looking to empower brands of all sizes to get their content to the right people in the right format on the right channel. Joe and I discussed the importance of workflow considerations when crafting MarTech, and why, in Joe’s eyes, a lot of providers are falling short. We’ll also discuss what the emergence of the metaverse means for creators.
Today on the pod, we’re headed into some…interesting territory, as we talk to Carly Caldas, VP of Brand Marketing & Media at eos, about “Bless Your F***ing Cooch,” a wildly successful campaign that included the release of brand-new products, all inspired by one single tik tok. Carly shared how the small but mighty eos team was able to turn around a new product in a matter of days, and how important it was for eos to have already been on Tik Tok before this now iconic moment.
When it comes to gaming, marketers need to stop playing around. That’s because video games offer a huge opportunity for brands, both in the size of the gaming audience and in its willingness to engage with advertising. In this podcast POV, Marketing Futures host Mike Berberich outlines just how massive the gaming audience is, some ways these individuals actually embrace advertising, and three ways marketers can level up their in-game advertising.
Thought leadership has long been a key element of B2B marketing. However, as economic uncertainty looms large and brands begin to tighten their purse strings, thought leadership could be the difference from your organization being seen as a “need to have” vs. a “nice to have.” Joe Kingsbury, US Managing Director at Edelman Business Marketing, joined the podcast to discuss a new report, created in partnership with LinkedIn, on the state and future of thought leadership in B2B Marketing.
“The future is not something we’re going to arrive at.”
That’s a key tenet of our guest today, futurist and founder of the Future Quo, Tameka Vasquez. Tameka joined the Marketing Futures Podcast to explain the meaning behind the quote above, share what many marketers get wrong about transformation, and tell us exactly how she handles cynics and nonbelievers. Let’s start the show.
Innovation is a lot harder than just gathering a bunch of creative people in the room and letting them brainstorm until a genius idea comes out. So why is that still the way that many brands approach innovation? In his latest Podcast POV, Marketing Futures host Mike Berberich provide strategic tips for how businesses can innovate in a more focused, structured way — ultimately leading to more success.
Warner Bros Discover has begun its journey into the metaverse, accompanied by partner The Infinite Reality. Today on the podcast, François Ribeiro, Head of Discovery Sports Events, and Elliott Jobe, Chief Innovation Officer & Co-Founder, The Infinite Reality spoke about this exclusive partnership. We learned about Warner Bros Discovery’s short- and long-term objectives in the metaverse, brand new tools recently released by The Infinite Reality, and whether or not the industry has a ‘metaverse hangover.’
Today, legendary futurist Faith Popcorn joins the pod to take us to the year 2035, where your meta-life is in full swing, enabled by brain-chip interfaces, micro dose cocktails, and an effectively endless, limitless virtual world. Faith shares what the journey to this reality might look like, and what brands need to be thinking about now to be ready.
Though it was all the rage in 2022, the truth is the metaverse doesn’t even exist yet. That’s because there are several technical hurdles that still need to be cleared before users will be able to engage with a fully realized metaverse. On the first-ever Marketing Futures podcast POV, host Mike Berberich covers what some of those technical hurdles are and provides advice for marketers still trying to wrap their head around the concept of the metaverse.
It's a very special episode of the Marketing Futures Podcast, as host Mike Berberich is joined by the host of the ANA Champions of Growth Podcast, Matthew Schwartz. Matthew and Mike run down an eventful year in marketing, from brand purpose, to DEI, to the metaverse. Join us as we salute the year that was, and gear up for 2023.
Ever since adopting its now iconic “Priceless” campaign, Mastercard has been at the forefront of innovation. But what is the engine driving such a massive company to constantly push boundaries and move from one opportunity to the next with the agility of a start up? Our guest today has the answer. Cindy Chastain is SVP of Customer Experience & Design at Mastercard Foundry, the heart of innovation within the brand. Cindy laid out the responsibilities of the Foundry, explained its connection to the brand’s corporate culture, and shared a glimpse of what Mastercard Foundry sees on the horizon.
One of the biggest blind spots in the entire marketing universe is the opportunity presented by gaming, which, in 2021, was a $180 billion industry. Why are marketers so sheepish to enter the gaming space? Our guest, Jonathan Stringfield, VP of Global Business Research & Marketing at Activision Blizzard, is here to explain. Jonathan and I discussed his recent book, Get in the Game, which lays out the cultural and economic importance of gaming. Listen on to hear about the biggest opportunity you’re likely missing out on.
We here at Marketing Futures are all about making predictions. But there is a difference between making an educated guess about what’s to come and using all the data at your disposal to make an honest-to-goodness forecast on the future. Jason Rockman and Curtis Cochran of DEFINITION 6 are here to take us through the forecasting process, share some unexpected ways brands can use forecasting, and explain how brands can take the first steps to developing a clearer vision of what’s to come.
Chris Kneeland, Chief Evangelist and Revenue Officer of the Cult Collective, joined the Marketing Futures Podcast to talk about cults…sort of. A select number of brands have positioned themselves in such a way where their consumers aren’t just patrons, they aren’t just fans, they’re fanatics, similar to members of a cult. Our guest today has cracked the code behind brands like this. Chris Kneeland is the Chief Evangelist and Revenue Officer of Cult Collective, an organization that helps brands “convert” their customers into lifelong fanatics. Chris lays out some of the characteristics shared by cult-like brands, explains why some brands are hesitant to enter the space, and provides pointers to marketers looking to attract true believers.
Technology is great…until it isn’t. While it makes our lives easier and work faster, it can cause major frustration when it doesn’t work as designed, especially when consumers are interacting with brands. Our guest today is Nicole Levings, Managing Director of Audience Collective. Nicole shared findings of a new report on the brand-consumer-tech relationship, and why organizing around a human-centric digital experience is vital to succeed in the modern marketplace. She provided tips for legacy brands and upstarts alike to imbue their customer journey with a human touch.
Marketers are always looking for the next big thing: the newest platform, the latest technology, and the most up-to-date metrics and measurement. But according to today’s guest, we have everything we need right now to guide us into a prosperous future, it’s just a matter of how we use the tools we have. Mathias Elsasser is a physicist, author, and partner at PwC. His book, Intelligent Data-Driven Marketing, breaks down the entire marketing function into its foundational building blocks, and shows how marketers can put them back together to form repeatable, predictable marketing “machines.”
For more than a decade, marketers have struggled to tame the beast that is the Marketing Tech Stack. Drowning in a sea of DMPs, CRMs, CDPs, and DSPs, many brands chose to go with an “all-in-one” platform, hoping to make their lives easier. However, what many of those organizations are discovering is that being tied to one monolithic tech platform can limit the campaigns and experiences marketers are able to create, with the tech dictating the marketing, not vice versa. Our guest today has an alternative approach. Eric Feige, Managing Director at VShift, spoke to us about building a “composable enterprise” by decoupling the marketing tech stack and leveraging the exploding marketplace of APIs to create a leaner, more agile marketing machine.
This week on the ANA Marketing Futures Podcast, we’re learning about a fascinating development in the world of synthetic voices, which is revolutionizing what’s possible in audio marketing. Sean King, SVP of Commercial Services at Veritone, takes us behind the scenes to show us how a synthetic voice is made, what security measures are in place for influencer safety, and ultimately, how this technology will be used in the metaverse.
Mari Joller is founder and CEO of Snackable, a platform that analyzes audio and visual content and identifies and extracts the most salient information into bite-sized content. Mari and I discussed her vision for Snackable, the secret sauce behind her entrepreneurial successes, and the potential for AI to impact not only business, but our everyday lives.
Whether you market for a hot new brand targeting Gen Z consumers or a 150-year-old toothpaste company, you need to ask yourself: “what value can I deliver to consumers in a virtual world?” Catherine Henry and Lewis Smithingham of Media.Monks take us on a deep dive into the world of virtualization. They discuss how the rise of the metaverse will affect the future of work, product development, and, of course, marketing. As consumers continue to demand more control and less interruption in their day to day lives, brands need to figure out where they fit in a fully virtualized tomorrow.
The future has always been uncertain, but it feels like that uncertainty has increased dramatically over the last few years. The growing dichotomy of an evolving, tech-enabled future and a volatile market further stressed by failing institutions has left many marketers unsure of how to proceed. Shiva Mirhosseini, member of the Board of Directors for AAA and the chairwoman of the ANA Marketing Futures Committee, discussed this schism, and the mindset marketers need to adapt to answer the challenge at hand. She also described the beginnings of a new marketing playbook, one that could stand the test of time.
Artificial intelligence word generation is one of the newest developments that are shaking up how many marketers approach their business. Don’t believe me? Consider the fact that I didn’t write that last sentence; an algorithm did. Katrin Ribant, CEO of Multifaktorial and angel investor to the AI platform Anyword, shared how that particular platform was “trained” and gave us a behind-the-scenes look at how it works. We also discussed what new advancements could come on the back of AI voice generation, and the threat of inherent bias in AI systems.
In recent years the tenure of the average CMO has been shrinking, as the most nebulously defined role in the C-Suite battles for relevancy, and a seat at the proverbial, long-discussed table. Today’s guest is on a mission to reverse the trend and help CMOs claim their rightful place within their organization. Katie Klumper is the founder and CEO of Black Glass consulting, a firm dedicated to empowering CMOs, both as growth drivers, and individuals. Katie and I talked about the most common challenges CMOs face, why they and other members of the C-suite don’t always see eye to eye, and shared the new skill set every marketing leader needs to master.
The practice of innovation is mythologized in many organizations. Many consider it ephemeral, something artsy-type folks do in big conference rooms amid a storm of post-it notes. In reality, innovation is a process like any other, grounded in concrete, repeatable steps that just about anyone can learn, and ultimately perfect. So, if that’s the case, why are so many marketers struggling to drive meaningful innovation within their organizations? Our guest today has a pretty good idea. Tony Ulwick, CEO, and founder of Strategyn, has developed a process he calls “Outcome-driven Innovation,” which starts with customer needs, and ends with solutions that move the needle for brands. Tony and I unpacked why innovation efforts so often go astray and discuss the steps marketers can take to truly master the practice.
For months, the metaverse has been the talk of the marketing world; an impressive feat from something that technically doesn’t exist yet. Jason Velliquette, Head of Digital for R3, joined the podcast to explain what a true metaverse will look like, and how brands can start to prepare for that virtualized future. He also described the mindset marketers should take when exploring new trends and technologies and shared some of his favorite metaverse activations to date.
When the Weather Channel was acquired by IBM to become the Weather Company, many in the industry thought it was a curious move at the time. However, when overlaying massive amounts of weather data on top of the tech giant’s already considerable repository, an entirely new dimension of insights emerged. Sheri Bachstein, CEO of the Weather Company and General Manager of IBM Watson, discussed what it was like to be behind the scenes during the acquisition and transformation of the Weather Company, explained the concept of “Selfless Innovation,” and shared stories from her time as a storm chaser.
The term “digital native” gets thrown around a lot, but our guest today truly personifies the term. George Popstefanov, founder and CEO of digital agency PMG, learned coding—in a foreign language, no less—when he was just a kid, and was part of his university’s second-ever class of e-business majors. George discussed the advantages digitally native companies have when entering non-digital spaces, shared PMG’s “three horizons of innovation,” explained his take on the Great Resignation, and more.
No industry has experienced cataclysmic change as a result of COVID-19 quite as much as the healthcare industry. Remote doctors’ visits went from niche offering to table stakes literally overnight, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. However, our guest today is leading a change in healthcare that began long before the pandemic. Brian Deffaa, CMO of LifeBridge Health, has been on a mission to bring innovation to the healthcare industry for years. He discussed the reasons for disruption that go beyond the pandemic, offered tips marketers could learn from the healthcare industry, and shared the incredible story behind his passion to bring high-quality healthcare to everyone.
Our guest today works for an organization with disruption in its DNA. Colin Mitchell is the Chief Innovation Officer at Vice Media Group and Co-President of Virtue. Colin shared his unique perspective of running a creative agency inside of a media company and discussed some of the typical innovation hurdles he helps marketers clear every day. We also talked about the Vice Verse, Vice Media Group’s brand new foray into the Metaverse, and why the rise of the metaverse will eventually make the social media revolution feel like a mere ripple.
The United States Postal Service is older than the US itself, but that doesn’t stop the agency from continually evolving how it serves customers and advertisers alike. In recent years, technology has changed what’s possible in direct mail marketing, giving marketers options beyond coupons and promotions. Chris Karpenko, Executive Director of Brand Marketing at the United States Postal Service, discussed the changes to direct mail marketing over the years, shared some new innovations being rolled out by the company, and gave us an idea of what the Postal Service could look like in 5 to 10 years.
For more information, visit:
www.uspsmailjourney.com
www.uspsdelivers.com
Over the past 10 years, data has become a superpower for marketers. But, as a certain web slinger’s uncle once said, “with great power comes great responsibility,” and let’s be honest – brands haven’t always been the most responsible with the oceans of data at their disposal. Ceding control to tech giants like Apple and Google has left our industry in limbo, as third-party cookies are set to disappear, completely upending the current ecosystem. Our guest today says it’s time for marketers to take back control of their destiny. Arun Kumar is the CTO of IPG and the CEO of Kinesso, a data-driven marketing platform. Arun shared his opinion on how our industry became so dependent on a handful of tech companies, and what marketing leaders can do about it.
The marketing world is often siloed into two groups: the business side and the creative side. But today’s guest is proof that when those two sides combine, there’s the potential for magic—or at least really great marketing. Thas Naseemuddeen is the CEO of Omelet, an independent creative agency that specializes in bridging the gap between creative freedom and business strategy to deliver results for their clients. Thas discussed the personal and organizational challenges to combining creativity and business savvy, and shared the “secret sauce” behind the agency’s success.
Marketing research is a vital tool in any marketer’s kit, and today’s guest has created a research firm unlike any other. Duane Varan, founder of MediaScience, has invested every penny of profit back into the business, creating a company that rivals, and often surpasses, the amount of research being done by top universities around the world. In total, the team at MediaScience has authored more than 100 academic publications, a staggering amount for a non-academic institution. Duane explained the role neuroscience plays in his research, discussed the company’s latest venture, HARK Connect, and shared some fascinating facts about one of his favorite subjects: Chicago crime boss Al Capone.
Third-party cookies may be sticking around for a while longer, but the writing is on the wall for digital marketers—their world is about to change. However, while tech giants like Facebook and Google determine what the future of digital advertising will look like, marketers don’t have to wait on the sidelines. Stephanie Bohn, Global Chief Brand Officer at VidMob, joined the podcast to discuss the company’s latest report – “The Essential Guide to Signal Loss for Digital Marketers.” This report acts as both an explainer for what’s happening in the world of digital consumer tracking, and an introduction to a new kind of first-party data: Creative Data.
Moving onto a new social platform can be a harrowing experience for any brand. A lack of understanding of the platform, inauthentic messaging, or plain tone deafness can spell disaster for a business looking to reach their consumers in these spaces. So, when Nerf took the plunge and joined Tik Tok, they knew they had a challenge ahead of them. Teaming with Tik Tok advertising maestros, Movers+Shakers, Nerf set out to find someone native to the platform to lead the way for them; in other words, their very own Chief Tik Tok officer.
Joseph Jaffe, host of Joseph Jaffe is Not Famous, returns for part II of our very special episode of the Marketing Futures podcast. In it, Joe discusses how he’s leveraging cryptocurrency to deepen engagement with his digital community, and what marketers could learn from this burgeoning technology space. Finally, he explains why diversity, equity, and inclusion is the path to the future for businesses and people alike.
Joseph Jaffe is an author, CEO, futurist, disruptor, and now, a late-night talk show host. During the pandemic, he launched “Corona TV” to give himself—and the marketing world—something to do. Now, over 150 episodes later, the newly rebranded “Joseph Jaffe is Not Famous” is a show about hope, positivity, optimism, and, if there’s time for it, marketing. This jack of all trades discussed the creator economy, streaming, cryptocurrency, diversity, and more in a special two-part series of the Futures Podcast.
Joseph Jaffe is an author, CEO, futurist, disruptor, and now, a late-night talk show host. During the pandemic, he launched “Corona TV” to give himself—and the marketing world—something to do. Now, over 150 episodes later, the newly rebranded “Joseph Jaffe is Not Famous” is a show about hope, positivity, optimism, and, if there’s time for it, marketing. This jack of all trades discussed the creator economy, streaming, cryptocurrency, diversity, and more in a special two-part series of the Futures Podcast.
Personalization in marketing is nothing new; since the dawn of the internet, brands have been able to customize messaging to specific groups or even individuals. However, we haven’t always used this engagement superpower for good. Many brands have been guilty of getting a little too personal and creeping out their customers in the process. But today’s guest says there’s a bright future for personalization as a cornerstone to modern marketing. Mike Barclay of MoEngage joined the pod to discuss the highs and lows of personalization, and what brands born before the dawn of the internet can do to get in on the personalization game.
Personalization in marketing is nothing new; since the dawn of the internet, brands have been able to customize messaging to specific groups or even individuals. However, we haven’t always used this engagement superpower for good. Many brands have been guilty of getting a little too personal and creeping out their customers in the process. But today’s guest says there’s a bright future for personalization as a cornerstone to modern marketing. Mike Barclay of MoEngage joined the pod to discuss the highs and lows of personalization, and what brands born before the dawn of the internet can do to get in on the personalization game.
In 2020, upwards of 845,000 weddings were canceled due to COVID-19. However, many brave couples decided their love couldn't wait, even if their friends and families couldn't be there with them to celebrate. Jared the Galleria of Jewelry stepped up to help these of couples make their dreams come true with a seamless and personalized virtual wedding platform, complete with customizable invitations, streaming, and celebrity advice and officiants. Alan Gravely, VP of Marketing and eCommerce for Signet Jewelers, took us behind the scenes and explained how the platform and campaign came together within a matter of days.
In 2020, upwards of 845,000 weddings were canceled due to COVID-19. However, many brave couples decided their love couldn't wait, even if their friends and families couldn't be there with them to celebrate. Jared the Galleria of Jewelry stepped up to help these of couples make their dreams come true with a seamless and personalized virtual wedding platform, complete with customizable invitations, streaming, and celebrity advice and officiants. Alan Gravely, VP of Marketing and eCommerce for Signet Jewelers, took us behind the scenes and explained how the platform and campaign came together within a matter of days.
It’s safe to say that 2020 was a surreal year for everyone, but for Dave Mering, founder of the Mering Agency, a Shipyard company, that doesn’t begin to describe it. His agency works almost exclusively with brands in the travel and tourism industry, and as the world began to shut down due to COVID 19, 100 percent of his clients pulled all advertising, as consumers were asked to stay home. Dave and his agency faced massive challenges, but with agile operation and innovative thinking, they were able to create compelling work that kept tourist destinations top of mind without actually encouraging them to travel.
It’s safe to say that 2020 was a surreal year for everyone, but for Dave Mering, founder of the Mering Agency, a Shipyard company, that doesn’t begin to describe it. His agency works almost exclusively with brands in the travel and tourism industry, and as the world began to shut down due to COVID 19, 100 percent of his clients pulled all advertising, as consumers were asked to stay home. Dave and his agency faced massive challenges, but with agile operation and innovative thinking, they were able to create compelling work that kept tourist destinations top of mind without actually encouraging them to travel.
Today’s guest is Erich Joachimsthaler, CEO and author of The Interaction Field (among others). Since his time at university, Erich has spent his career chasing the intangible value of a brand, far beyond sentimentality and logo recognition. In his latest book, Erich lays out the true intangible value brands can leverage — new digital business models that go beyond delivering great products and services. He shared why brands must enter into a new “Customer Contract” with consumers, one in which they work to solve problems faced by society, not the market.
Today’s guest is Erich Joachimsthaler, CEO and author of The Interaction Field (among others). Since his time at university, Erich has spent his career chasing the intangible value of a brand, far beyond sentimentality and logo recognition. In his latest book, Erich lays out the true intangible value brands can leverage — new digital business models that go beyond delivering great products and services. He shared why brands must enter into a new “Customer Contract” with consumers, one in which they work to solve problems faced by society, not the market.
Our industry has a diversity problem. The lack of equity and inclusion on marketing teams – particularly leadership – is why today’s guest stopped waiting for a seat at a table and built her own. Selle Evans is the founder and CEO of Masterly Business Solutions, a marketing agency focused on leveraging personalization to grow brands. Selle and Mike discussed the power of personalization, common mistakes companies make in their early stages, and the romantic power of Mix CDs.
Our industry has a diversity problem. The lack of equity and inclusion on marketing teams – particularly leadership – is why today’s guest stopped waiting for a seat at a table and built her own. Selle Evans is the founder and CEO of Masterly Business Solutions, a marketing agency focused on leveraging personalization to grow brands. Selle and Mike discussed the power of personalization, common mistakes companies make in their early stages, and the romantic power of Mix CDs.
“Transformation” is a word that comes up quite a bit in the marketing world, and with good reason. Consumers, technology, and society at large are evolving at such a rapid pace, making minor adjustments and updates to your brand is no longer sufficient. Our guest for this episode, CFA Institute CMO Michael Collins, is no stranger to the “dirty work” of transformation. Michael shared how he reinvented the marketing function at CFA Institute and streamlined a team of 120 marketers working in dozens of regions across the globe.
“Transformation” is a word that comes up quite a bit in the marketing world, and with good reason. Consumers, technology, and society at large are evolving at such a rapid pace, making minor adjustments and updates to your brand is no longer sufficient. Our guest for this episode, CFA Institute CMO Michael Collins, is no stranger to the “dirty work” of transformation. Michael shared how he reinvented the marketing function at CFA Institute and streamlined a team of 120 marketers working in dozens of regions across the globe.
IPG Media Lab works with some of the world’s largest brands to drive innovation in media, marketing, and business models. As the dedicated innovation initiative of the UM family of agencies, they’ve worked with companies of all sizes, across numerous verticals. Chad Stoller and Adam Simon of IPG Media Lab discussed the types of conversations they have with marketers around innovation, gave us a behind-the-scenes look at how IPG Media stays innovative, and asked whether one can truly measure innovation success.
IPG Media Lab works with some of the world’s largest brands to drive innovation in media, marketing, and business models. As the dedicated innovation initiative of the UM family of agencies, they’ve worked with companies of all sizes, across numerous verticals. Chad Stoller and Adam Simon of IPG Media Lab discussed the types of conversations they have with marketers around innovation, gave us a behind-the-scenes look at how IPG Media stays innovative, and asked whether one can truly measure innovation success.
In 2020, as the world was on lockdown, consumers reignited an old relationship – with their TV, that is. Today, we’re joined by Bob Ivins and Jo Kinsella of TVSquared to discuss the rebirth of television, and what it means to advertisers. Bob and Jo explained why Direct-to-Consumer brands are turning to TV in droves and gave their opinions on when we might finally see fully-addressable TV ads.
In 2020, as the world was on lockdown, consumers reignited an old relationship – with their TV, that is. Today, we’re joined by Bob Ivins and Jo Kinsella of TVSquared to discuss the rebirth of television, and what it means to advertisers. Bob and Jo explained why Direct-to-Consumer brands are turning to TV in droves and gave their opinions on when we might finally see fully-addressable TV ads.
What if I told you that every computer system on the planet had roots that stretched all the way back to 350 BC? Aristotle, a Greek philosopher who laid the foundation for much of modern Western thought, developed the concept of binary logic – that everything is either A or not-A, or to put it in more familiar terms, 1s and 0s. And while this system has served us well through the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the development of AI and Machine Learning has exposed a dangerous flaw in binary logic – collecting data in this black and white, yes or no fashion has perpetuated bias in AI systems.
Our guest today is Twain Liu, an inventor, engineer, and the former UBS board observer for more than 20 major tech investments. Twain discussed why binary logic is insufficient when trying to replicate the human thought process in machines and explained how da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man and R2D2 from Star Wars, both played a pivotal role in her journey to developing a more human AI.
What if I told you that every computer system on the planet had roots that stretched all the way back to 350 BC? Aristotle, a Greek philosopher who laid the foundation for much of modern Western thought, developed the concept of binary logic – that everything is either A or not-A, or to put it in more familiar terms, 1s and 0s. And while this system has served us well through the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the development of AI and Machine Learning has exposed a dangerous flaw in binary logic – collecting data in this black and white, yes or no fashion has perpetuated bias in AI systems.
Our guest today is Twain Liu, an inventor, engineer, and the former UBS board observer for more than 20 major tech investments. Twain discussed why binary logic is insufficient when trying to replicate the human thought process in machines and explained how da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man and R2D2 from Star Wars, both played a pivotal role in her journey to developing a more human AI.
Marketers are constantly struggling to take the oceans of data at their disposal and figure out what to do with it. Adding to the challenge are data privacy laws like GDPR and CCPA, which threaten to turn brands’ first-party data from an asset to a liability. To provide our listeners with some clarity on the subject, we spoke with Affinity Answers, a marketing data science company that focuses on identifying and activating the right data for brands.
Sree, Josh, and Jack of Affinity Answers discussed the difference Deterministic vs. probabilistic, offered tips for working with data scientists, and stressed why marketers should pivot their data focus from “knowing” to “understanding.”
Marketers are constantly struggling to take the oceans of data at their disposal and figure out what to do with it. Adding to the challenge are data privacy laws like GDPR and CCPA, which threaten to turn brands’ first-party data from an asset to a liability. To provide our listeners with some clarity on the subject, we spoke with Affinity Answers, a marketing data science company that focuses on identifying and activating the right data for brands.
Sree, Josh, and Jack of Affinity Answers discussed the difference Deterministic vs. probabilistic, offered tips for working with data scientists, and stressed why marketers should pivot their data focus from “knowing” to “understanding.”
Artificial Intelligence touches just about every facet of our modern lives, and its effect on marketing cannot be overstated. So, when you want to learn about what’s now, new, and next in AI, who do you turn to other than the folks that are building it? Today we’re joined by Antonio Maiorino and Alberto Mario Pirovano of Helixa, to talk about the evolving world of marketing automation, from next-gen chatbots to natural language processing. The two shared a peek behind the curtain on new developments in the company and discussed what other innovations could come from cracking the code of processing natural language.
Artificial Intelligence touches just about every facet of our modern lives, and its effect on marketing cannot be overstated. So, when you want to learn about what’s now, new, and next in AI, who do you turn to other than the folks that are building it? Today we’re joined by Antonio Maiorino and Alberto Mario Pirovano of Helixa, to talk about the evolving world of marketing automation, from next-gen chatbots to natural language processing. The two shared a peek behind the curtain on new developments in the company and discussed what other innovations could come from cracking the code of processing natural language.
From its inception, the Marketing Futures Podcast has always championed diversity and inclusion, recognizing their vital role in innovation, and creating a better tomorrow in general. Today, we have the pleasure of speaking with someone who’s helping brands live their ideals. Our guest for this episode is Terrence Clark, President and CEO at The New York & New Jersey Minority Supplier Development Council. Terrence certifies businesses owned by ethnic minorities, works to put them in the position to take advantage of market opportunities, and connects those companies with a network of major corporate members looking to diversify their supply chain. Learn how the NYNJMSDC accelerates the development of ethnic minority-owned companies, and how brands can play a role in diversifying the industry.
From its inception, the Marketing Futures Podcast has always championed diversity and inclusion, recognizing their vital role in innovation, and creating a better tomorrow in general. Today, we have the pleasure of speaking with someone who’s helping brands live their ideals. Our guest for this episode is Terrence Clark, President and CEO at The New York & New Jersey Minority Supplier Development Council. Terrence certifies businesses owned by ethnic minorities, works to put them in the position to take advantage of market opportunities, and connects those companies with a network of major corporate members looking to diversify their supply chain. Learn how the NYNJMSDC accelerates the development of ethnic minority-owned companies, and how brands can play a role in diversifying the industry.
Spark, a New Zealand-based telecom company in the midst of a rebrand, created a truly inspiring app that sits at the nexus of purpose and next-gen technology. Kupu uses AI-powered machine learning to understand objects in photos and translate them into te reo, the language of the indigenous Māori people, in real time. Our guest, Dan Wright of Colenso BBDO, shared the inspiration behind the Kupu app, explained the tech behind it, and discussed the importance of this app, not just for the Māori people, but for all New Zealanders.
“Kupu by Spark” is an ANA ECHO Award-winner in four categories: Technology and Communications, Best Use of Mobile, Best Campaign for CSR/Social Good, and Best Use of Emerging Technologies. The ANA Awards program celebrates great marketing and innovative thinking from the industry’s leading brands. For more information on the ECHO Awards, go to echoawards.org. For more information on the ANA Awards program in general, go to ana.net/awards.
Spark, a New Zealand-based telecom company in the midst of a rebrand, created a truly inspiring app that sits at the nexus of purpose and next-gen technology. Kupu uses AI-powered machine learning to understand objects in photos and translate them into te reo, the language of the indigenous Māori people, in real time. Our guest, Dan Wright of Colenso BBDO, shared the inspiration behind the Kupu app, explained the tech behind it, and discussed the importance of this app, not just for the Māori people, but for all New Zealanders.
“Kupu by Spark” is an ANA ECHO Award-winner in four categories: Technology and Communications, Best Use of Mobile, Best Campaign for CSR/Social Good, and Best Use of Emerging Technologies. The ANA Awards program celebrates great marketing and innovative thinking from the industry’s leading brands. For more information on the ECHO Awards, go to echoawards.org. For more information on the ANA Awards program in general, go to ana.net/awards.
People who are deaf or hard of hearing lack the innate ability to know what's going on around them because much of that situational awareness is driven by the ability to hear. Corrine Feight and Kristen Bell of Area 23 set out to find a way to help this community through technology and began a fateful journey that culminated in the creation of “See Sound.” See Sound by Wavio uses AI-powered machine learning to listen for common household sounds, such as glass breaking or a baby crying. Once detected, the technology sends a tailored smartphone notification to the user. Corrine and Kristen discussed the inspiration for the project, explained how AI was “trained” to recognize and differentiate sounds, and described the meeting that took See Sound from idea to reality.
See Sound is the ANA Multicultural Excellence Award Grand Prize Winner in the People with Disabilities category. The ANA Awards program celebrates great marketing and innovative thinking from the industry’s leading brands. For more information, go to ana.net/awards.
Estrella Jalisco, an beer under the Anheuser-Busch family of brands, noticed that the autocomplete function when typing "Mexicans are" in the Facebook search bar revealed very negative results that did not reflect the truth about Mexican culture. The brand embarked on a mission to change the negative stereotypes through “Share for Good,” a next-generation content marketing campaign, partnering with Mexican artists, filmmakers, designers, and creators to unleash a tidal wave of positive, inspiring content about Mexican people and culture.
This is the inaugural episode in partnership with the ANA Awards program, which celebrates great marketing and innovative thinking from the industry’s leading brands. For more information on ANA Awards, visit ana.net/awards.
Estrella Jalisco, an beer under the Anheuser-Busch family of brands, noticed that the autocomplete function when typing "Mexicans are" in the Facebook search bar revealed very negative results that did not reflect the truth about Mexican culture. The brand embarked on a mission to change the negative stereotypes through “Share for Good,” a next-generation content marketing campaign, partnering with Mexican artists, filmmakers, designers, and creators to unleash a tidal wave of positive, inspiring content about Mexican people and culture.
This is the inaugural episode in partnership with the ANA Awards program, which celebrates great marketing and innovative thinking from the industry’s leading brands. For more information on ANA Awards, visit ana.net/awards.
For the majority of the U.S. workforce, the past three months have been a complete paradigm shift in what’s considered “business as usual.” Millions of us are, for the first time in our careers, working entirely remotely, and brands across the country are scrambling to establish a “new normal.” But what if your entire workforce was remote to begin with? Marketing Futures spoke with Russ Perry, the founder of Design Pickle, a member of Inc.’s 500 fastest growing companies in 2019, about what it’s like to manage a staff of more than 400, of which only a small handful live and work in the company’s headquarter city of Scottsdale, Arizona. Russ discussed what the first few weeks of the COVID-19 crisis were like for Design Pickle, and shared advice for leaders looking to maintain creativity and camaraderie from afar.
For the majority of the U.S. workforce, the past three months have been a complete paradigm shift in what’s considered “business as usual.” Millions of us are, for the first time in our careers, working entirely remotely, and brands across the country are scrambling to establish a “new normal.” But what if your entire workforce was remote to begin with?
Marketing Futures spoke with Russ Perry, the founder of Design Pickle, a member of Inc.’s 500 fastest growing companies in 2019, about what it’s like to manage a staff of more than 400, of which only a small handful live and work in the company’s headquarter city of Scottsdale, Arizona. Russ discussed what the first few weeks of the COVID-19 crisis were like for Design Pickle, and shared advice for leaders looking to maintain creativity and camaraderie from afar.
In an age where consumer attention spans are at an all-time low, something curious is happening: under the right circumstances, consumers are spending hours - even days - immersed in lush fictional worlds such as Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, and The Avengers. However, world building isn't just for blockbuster entertainment franchises. When executed well, brands can create immersive worlds of their own, significantly driving brand loyalty in the process. We spoke with Tara Deveaux and Shawn Shahani of Wild Card about a new study on world building and consumer behavior. They shared what marketers could learn from Hollywood producers, and gave tips on creating a world of engagement around your brand.
In an age where consumer attention spans are at an all-time low, something curious is happening: under the right circumstances, consumers are spending hours - even days - immersed in lush fictional worlds such as Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, and The Avengers. However, world building isn't just for blockbuster entertainment franchises. When executed well, brands can create immersive worlds of their own, significantly driving brand loyalty in the process. We spoke with Tara Deveaux and Shawn Shahani of Wild Card about a new study on world building and consumer behavior. They shared what marketers could learn from Hollywood producers, and gave tips on creating a world of engagement around your brand.
“Innovation occurs when what’s needed meets what’s possible.”
Ted McConnell, SVP of Business Development at Lucid, is no stranger to innovation. Throughout his illustrious career, Ted found himself time and again pushing the envelope on behalf of global brands, including shepherding the creation and implementation of Hawkeye, P&G’s in-house programmatic buying operation, 10 years ago.
Ted shared his thoughts on what brands need to do to enable innovation to thrive within their organizations, discussed the challenges of balancing consumer data privacy and effective advertising, and explained how playing with music synthesizers helped him understand data and technology.
“Innovation occurs when what’s needed meets what’s possible.”
Ted McConnell, SVP of Business Development at Lucid, is no stranger to innovation. Throughout his illustrious career, Ted found himself time and again pushing the envelope on behalf of global brands, including shepherding the creation and implementation of Hawkeye, P&G’s in-house programmatic buying operation, 10 years ago.
Ted shared his thoughts on what brands need to do to enable innovation to thrive within their organizations, discussed the challenges of balancing consumer data privacy and effective advertising, and explained how playing with music synthesizers helped him understand data and technology.
Influencer marketing is one of the hottest trends in the industry right now. Brands are teaming up with celebrities, artists, athletes, and more to reach consumers in a way that feels genuine and native to the social platforms they spend all their time on. But all too often, brands jump into these relationships without the proper vetting, which can lead to disaster.
At the 2019 ANA influencer conference, we spoke with Richard Plansky and Benedict Hamilton of Kroll, a corporate investigation company, about brand safety in influencer marketing. Richard and Ben discussed the right way for brands to approach influencer vetting, shared some influencer horror stories, and shed light on one of the biggest misconceptions brands have about “micro-influencers.”
Influencer marketing is one of the hottest trends in the industry right now. Brands are teaming up with celebrities, artists, athletes, and more to reach consumers in a way that feels genuine and native to the social platforms they spend all their time on. But all too often, brands jump into these relationships without the proper vetting, which can lead to disaster.
At the 2019 ANA influencer conference, we spoke with Richard Plansky and Benedict Hamilton of Kroll, a corporate investigation company, about brand safety in influencer marketing. Richard and Ben discussed the right way for brands to approach influencer vetting, shared some influencer horror stories, and shed light on one of the biggest misconceptions brands have about “micro-influencers.”
It’s 2020, and still one of the most popular topics among marketers is digital transformation. According to a study by Deloitte, 87% of companies think digital will disrupt their industry, but only 44% feel they’re prepared for such a disruption. That’s why today, we’re talking with Chris Aarons, one of the co-authors of the Digital Helix: Transforming Your Organization's DNA to Thrive in the Digital Age. Chris shared why tech alone isn’t going to cut it, and talked about the importance of intellectual curiosity, and constantly looking for new learnings and strategies.
It’s 2020, and still one of the most popular topics among marketers is digital transformation. According to a study by Deloitte, 87% of companies think digital will disrupt their industry, but only 44% feel they’re prepared for such a disruption. That’s why today, we’re talking with Chris Aarons, one of the co-authors of the Digital Helix: Transforming Your Organization's DNA to Thrive in the Digital Age. Chris shared why tech alone isn’t going to cut it, and talked about the importance of intellectual curiosity, and constantly looking for new learnings and strategies.
It’s a new year, full of possibilities, which makes it the perfect time to welcome Dr. Joseph Riggio to the Marketing Futures Podcast. Dr. Riggio is an expert in cognitive and neuroscience, and an executive trainer and consultant for 30 years. He breaks down “carrot” vs. “stick” motivation, and why “FOMO” (fear of missing out) might be every marketer’s favorite buzzword but is a terrible way to base your long-term strategy. Instead, Dr. Riggio recommends “Possibility-Based Marketing,” which leverages joyful emotions and consumer aspirations to influence purchase decisions. Finally, he shares why the “Hero’s Journey” – the narrative structure of myths dating back centuries—is the key to driving meaningful, lasting brand loyalty.
It’s a new year, full of possibilities, which makes it the perfect time to welcome Dr. Joseph Riggio to the Marketing Futures Podcast. Dr. Riggio is an expert in cognitive and neuroscience, and an executive trainer and consultant for 30 years. He breaks down “carrot” vs. “stick” motivation, and why “FOMO” (fear of missing out) might be every marketer’s favorite buzzword but is a terrible way to base your long-term strategy. Instead, Dr. Riggio recommends “Possibility-Based Marketing,” which leverages joyful emotions and consumer aspirations to influence purchase decisions. Finally, he shares why the “Hero’s Journey” – the narrative structure of myths dating back centuries—is the key to driving meaningful, lasting brand loyalty.
It’s one thing to be agile and innovative when your business is a 10-person startup, “growth hacking” its way to success. It’s another thing entirely when your business has more than 17,000 employees, and a family of more than 20 brands, many of which are household names. David Lee and Ryan Reis of MillerCoors gave the Marketing Futures Podcast a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to make bold ideas work in a multi-billion-dollar company, and discussed why some ideas that seem like “no-brainers” from the outside look at lot different from within.
The fourth installment in the Future of Brand Activation miniseries features the first Chief Innovation Officer to grace the Marketing Futures Podcast: Lisa Hurwitz, CMO and CIO of Grassroots Cannabis. Lisa welcomed us inside the Grassroots “Herbmobile” to share what it’s like growing a brand for the long-term in the midst of the “gold rush” market of legal cannabis. She discussed the challenges of reeducating consumers about cannabis after decades of stigmatization, and what a typical day looks like for the head of marketing and innovation in an emerging market.
We all get by with a little help from our friends. Today, we're talking with Joel Walker, Group Creative Director at BlueChip Marketing, as our miniseries on the Future of Brand Activation rolls on. Joel and his team have worked with brands ranging from challengers fighting for market share, to category leaders looking to evolve with the times, helping to infuse their marketing with the innovation necessary to drive growth.
Learn what Joel looks for when hiring new team members, and which trend he thinks is about to flip the industry on its head.
For decades, Barbie has been one of the most iconic toy brands on the planet. However, recently the doll that played an integral role in the childhood of millions began to struggle to keep pace with the changes in society, and relevance (and sales) suffered as a result.
Enter: Lisa McKnight, a 20-year veteran at Mattel, who stepped up to bring the Barbie brand into a new era, creating new revenue streams in the process. Lisa shared her journey that led her to become the Global Head of the Barbie brand, and discussed the key insights that led to the transformation of an icon.
The Marketing Futures Podcast is proud to present a special miniseries on The Future of Brand Activation, recorded on-site at the 2019 Brand Activation Marketing Conference in Orlando, FL. The miniseries showcases brands that are driving growth using key elements of Brand Activation, including influencer marketing, commerce marketing, content marketing, and more.
In 2014, Alvaro Luque was hand-picked to become the first president and CEO of Avocados from Mexico, a not-for-profit organization charged with coordinating the marketing activities for all major Mexican avocado farmers. Just six months later, the brand introduced itself to the world on the largest possible stage for advertising: the Super Bowl. In each of the five years since, Avocados from Mexico has taken either the No. 1 or No. 2 spot on Merkle’s “Digital Bowl Report,” which evaluates Super Bowl advertisers’ digital marketing efforts. Luque shared his philosophy behind the brand’s bold debut strategy, and discussed the omnichannel activations that amplified the brand’s Super Bowl efforts beyond the TV screen.
Innovation takes many forms -- using cutting-edge technology to engage customers, forging unconventional partnerships to bring your brand into new spaces, and taking a bold stand on something you believe in, to name a few. We were lucky enough to speak with the head of marketing for Bacardi, a brand doing all of the above and more.
Ned Duggan, Global SVP of Marketing at Bacardi, talked company culture, the importance of music to Bacardi's brand, and why the company is vowing to eliminate the use of 1 billion single-use plastic straws by 2020.
In the quest to keep up with technological advancements, brands are beginning to enter the world of venture capitalism to "get in on the ground floor" of the next game-changing innovation. But what type of partnerships make sense for brands, whose objectives aren't quick profit, but learnings and competitive advantages? And how does a brand even enter this space?
We spoke with Jessica Peltz of MDC Ventures, who shared her journey into the world of Corporate VC, and discussed some tech developments marketers should keep an eye on.
The Hershey Company, celebrating its 125-year anniversary in 2019, was founded by Milton S. Hershey, a serial entrepreneur on a mission to “democratize chocolate,” which at the time was considered a luxury good. Over the years, what began as a simple candy bar has become a globally recognized family of brands, an amusement park, a school, and an entire town. But even a brand as established and beloved as Hershey isn’t impervious to disruption. We spoke with Charlie Chappell, Head of Integrated Media and Comms Planning at The Hershey Company, about the company’s philosophy on innovation, what it took to “digitally transform” its legacy media strategy, and some of the hits—and misses—that the brand experienced along the way.
Artificial Intelligence is already a significant part of most marketers’ toolkits. Whether it’s email automation, product recommendation, programmatic media buying, or data analytics, AI touches a majority of the marketing function. But did you know that the commercial application of AI is still 10 years behind what the technology is actually capable of? We spoke with Michael Trapani, Director of Marketing at IBM Watson Marketing, about the “now, new, and next” of AI, including the future of personalization, the importance of data security, and what the next decade of AI developments has in store for marketers.
A recent study that looked at the 3,000 largest publicly traded companies in the U.S. found that businesses that hire and retain a diverse workforce across the ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation spectrum were better at developing innovative products and services. We spoke with Netta Jenkins, VP of Global Inclusion at The Mosaic Group and Ask Applications, about the importance of not only hiring, but training and empowering underrepresented employees. Netta shared how brands could take active steps to create an inclusive environment for their employees, and laid out the business benefits that come from a broad and dynamic marketplace of ideas.
Programmatic technology is still largely a mystery to many marketers. Considered the Holy Grail by some, and Pandora’s Box by others, one thing is clear: it has completely transformed the way advertisers reach consumers through digital media.
The ANA Marketing Futures Podcast set out to shed some light on the subject with our very special guest Matt Sweeney, CEO of Xaxis, the largest programmatic platform on the planet. Sweeney pulled back the curtain to reveal how Xaxis approaches issues like brand safety, visibility, and bot fraud. He also discussed how everyone in the digital supply chain—from agencies, to brands, to platforms like Xaxis—can be better partners in shaping the Future of Programmatic.
Individuals born in 2010 and beyond belong to “Generation Alpha.” This group will grow up with an unprecedented amount of exposure to technology, in a world of virtual assistants, mixed realities, and AI-enhanced human capabilities. ANA’s own Mike Berberich spoke with Laura Macdonald, Head of Consumer, North America at Hotwire Global, about their new report on this group of future consumers. Laura discussed the challenges and opportunities marketers will face when attempting to engage and build relationships with this new generation, and shared case studies of brands who were already making inroads with both children and their millennial parents. It's never too early to prepare for the future—are you ready for Generation Alpha?