On Strategy Showcase

Walmart's Virtual Worlds Gaming Strategy 31.05.2026 36min

Walmart's Head of Emerging Experience, Justin Breton and GEEIQ's CEO Charles Hambro join me to talk about gaming, virtual worlds and Walmart's place in them. This is episode one in a three episode virtual worlds series. Tickets for our June 18th, 2026 Live from Minneapolis show are now on sale.

Why Uber Eats won tonight's 2026 U.S. Grand Effie 27.05.2026 21min

Inside the Effie Judge's room in NYC on May 7th. Twelve judges were there to decide which of the seven Gold Effie-winning cases from earlier judging rounds would be awarded the prestigious Grand Effie for 2026. This is what happened.

The Power of Humor in Marketing 25.05.2026 43min

On this month's episode of On the Pulse, I'm joined by Ipsos' Chief Behavioral Scientist ion the U.S., Jesse Itzkowitz, and SVP, Head of Creative Excellence, Lisa Zielinski, to discuss the opportunity humor provides as a strategic tool. Thanks to Ipsos for supporting this monthly series.

On the Spot: Subaru and Vaseline 10.05.2026 50min

It's planners talking brands they've never worked on. We're joined this month by Landi Day, CSO at BBDO, Chicago and Omar Quinones, CSO at LERMA/, Dallas. We're having some laughs and talking Subaru and Vaseline. You can also watch this episode and see the creative work on our YouTube channel or website. Link below. Thanks to Tracksuit and System1 for making this series possible. www.onstrategyshowcase.com

Planning for Effective Outcomes #2: How to build upon or challenge client briefs 03.05.2026 1val 13min

In Ep#2 of our Effie series, Chief Strategy Officers share how they validate, build upon or challenge briefs from their clients. Will Grundy of adam&eveTBWA, E.T. Franklin of Publicis Media, Elizabeth Paul of Martin and Professor and best-selling Author, Marcus Collins join me. Thanks to Tracksuit (affordable brand tracking) for supporting this Effie series. www.gotracksuit.com

On the Pulse - how to win with sports sponsorships 26.04.2026 40min

Our new monthly series with Ipsos kicks off with a discussion on the pulse of brands & sports sponsorships. It's big business with big cross platform opportunities. I'm joined by Aubree Curtis of Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and Lisa Zielinski and Jamie Stenziano of Ipsos. You can also watch this episode on our website or YouTube channel.

What happens when the Airbnb team takes on a mortgage brand? 20.04.2026 42min

What happens when the team that brought you Airbnb's Belong Anywhere, Coke's Share a Coke and Prudential’s Day 1, come together on a mortgage brand? Rocket's new work is the result of not simply disrupting the mortgage category, but defining a new one. You can watch this episode on our YouTube Channel or our website at www.onstrategyshowcase.com.

On the Spot: Levis and Jeep 12.04.2026 45min

It's planners talking brands they've never worked on. I'm joined this month by John Kenny, CSO at Eversana Intouch and Ashley Williams, SVP, Experience Design at Spark Foundry, NYC. We're talking two iconic American brands. You can also watch this episode and see the creative work on our YouTube channel or website. Link below. Thanks to Tracksuit and System1 for making this series possible. www.onstrategyshowcase.com

Planning for Effective Outcomes 2026 #1: CMOs on writing the client brief 05.04.2026 43min

Colin Kavanagh, CMO at Pernod Ricard, Adam Craw, Global Head of Prime Marketing at Amazon and George Felix, EVP CMO at Brinker International discuss how they get to defining their objectives, challenges, strategies and audience insights. And who writes the client brief. Thanks to the Effies and to Tracksuit for supporting this 6 part 2026 effectiveness series.

Life in the Valley live from Uber in San Francisco 29.03.2026 49min

Global marketing leaders from Uber, Airbnb, Coinbase and WestCap Private Equity join me for a conversation about the culture of marketing in the valley - all four came from an agency background. It's an honest, fascinating conversation. Thanks to Tracksuit, Ipsos and The Effies for supporting our live tour. You can also watch this episode on our YouTube channel or website.

How this Grand Effie winner fought generics and held its price premium 22.03.2026 46min

In a category dominated by generics (60%) and fixated on ever-faster pain relief, Nurofen escaped the category's tropes with a message that connected with women in a deeper, more meaningful way. I'm joined by McCann London's CEO, Mel Arrow and Strategy Partner, Jocelyn Major.

W+K and Trainline on turning your greatest weakness into opportunity 15.03.2026 42min

Trainline (a train ticket booking platform) is on a quest to own the journey, not just the ticket. W+K's CSO in Amsterdam, Nick Docherty and Trainline's VP Brand & Marketing, Jo McClintock, join me to share the thinking behind "The Way to Train."

Dos Equis' Most Interesting Man In the World is back. We talk about why 08.03.2026 40min

It should never have ended, but after a ten year break it's returning in all its epic glory. We get the backstory from Matt Saltzstein, VP Brand Marketing at Heineken and Jim Curtis, CCO at LePub, NYC. Stay Thirsty My Friends.

On the Spot: Rocket Mortgage and other post Super Bowl rants 01.03.2026 50min

It's planners talking brands they've never worked on. I'm joined this month by Emily Garvey, Head of Strategy at Zulu Alpha Kilo, NYC, and Caitlin Cody, EVP, Group Strategy Director at BBDO, Chicago. As always, balancing our opinions with facts are Tracksuit's Matthew Herbert and System1's Vanessa Chin.

The new book that makes the business case for creative effectiveness 22.02.2026 40min

The Effies and System1 have released The Creative Dividend. The book introduces tools to help marketers defend investment, improve work, and make advertising a more dependable driver of business growth. I talk with Effie CEO, Traci Alford, Effie CMO, Juliet Haygarth and System1 SVP, Andrew Tindall. Learn how to download the book for free.

Revisiting Challenger Brand Theory with Hugh Derrick of Eat Big Fish 15.02.2026 40min

Hugh Derrick is a long time partner at the Eat Big Fish consultancy in London. We talk about the principles outlined in Adam Morgan's original book and how time and shifts in social behavior have impacted its theories. A great conversation.

Live from Arnold in Boston: Brains, Grit and Brand Building 09.02.2026 1val 5min

Boston has been a creative powerhouse for decades. While agencies like Mullen, The Barbarian Group, Modernista, and Hill Holiday have all left their mark, Arnold continues to this day, alongside smaller agencies like Colossus, to make a mark with national work (think Progressive Insurance) that makes most of us jealous. Boston also houses many in-house agencies at companies including The LEGO Group. Shark Ninja, Staples, Liberty Mutual, New Balance, Puma, etc. We talk about all this and more ...

Müller Rice's award-winning pivot from attempting persuasion to avoiding rejection 01.02.2026 44min

After hitting a dead-end using traditional planning methods, the frustrated team discovered the true problem and pivoted to success. I'm joined by VCCP's CSO Max Keane and Planning Director Matt Hayes to talk through their Müller Rice award-winning Rice, Rice Baby campaign.

On the Spot: Burberry & Johnnie Walker 25.01.2026 50min

It's planners talking brands they've never worked on. I'm joined this month by Kate Rush Sheehy, CSO at GSD&M and Brendon Volpe, CSO at UM NYC. We're talking about the latest work from Burberry and Johnnie Walker. Thanks to Tracksuit and System1 for making this series possible.

How Dr. Dre is putting swagger back in the Goodyear brand 12.01.2026 36min

The new executive team discovered that while the 125 year-old brand is recognized, it's not well known. And in a category dominated by me-too products, it was time to reset the Goodyear brand. Built on the platform "tires worth bragging about," the campaign uses Dr. Dre's "Still D.R.E." to share the story of the brand's past and its pop culture presence. I'm joined by Taylor Grimes of Goodyear and Lindsey McNabb of BBH, NY.