Podcasts about system1

What happens when a CMO brings the discipline of P&G, private equity and fintech together?Vineet Mehra, CMO of Chime, joins Jon to explain how the challenger bank has disrupted one of the most established industries in the world - and why modern marketing leaders need to become more fluent in the language of commercial value.Vineet shares what marketers can learn from private equity, how to position investment with a CFO, and the financial metrics he watches most closely. He also unpacks the constant balancing act between long-term brand building and short-term performance: not treating them as opposing forces, but connecting both to sustainable growth. They also discuss where AI is genuinely creating return, how marketers can avoid becoming commoditised, and the skills CMOs will need as AI reshapes the profession.Timestamps00:00 - Start01:21 - Vineet's background at P&G04:51 - What marketers can learn from working in Private Equity07:50 - What is Chime Bank?09:02 - The strategies that Chime used to disrupt the banking industry13:46 - Advice on how to position marketing to the CFO17:00 - What financial metrics is Vineet most focused on?19:40 - How Vineet combines long term and short term marketing23:59 - Are we in a golden age for marketing?26:59 - How Vineet is getting the biggest return on his AI investment31:13 - How to stop AI commoditising marketers36:09 - What skills will a CMO need in an AI-first future38:58 - How to see AI as an opportunity not a threat40:13 - Why Vineet is on the Effie's board42:15 - Why Vineet spends time building his personal brand on LinkedIn46:00 - What's the bst advice Vineet has ever received? ---Thank you to our sponsors System1 and HubSpotDownload System1's creator effectiveness report here:https://system1group.com/the-creator-effectiveness-playbookFind about more about HubSpot's AEO product here:https://www.hubspot.com/products/aeo

AI is rapidly changing how people search, shop and discover new brands. So what does that mean for marketers?Sophie Neary has spent the past few years inside Google, giving her a front-row seat to some of the biggest shifts in consumer behaviour and advertising. In this episode, she joins Jon to explore what she's learned, the assumptions marketers still get wrong about Google, and the surprising ways consumers are already using AI.They discuss how brands can show up in AI-powered search, the evolving relationship between advertisers and creators, how to make the most of the crucial golden quarter, and what AI commerce could mean for the future of shopping.Plus, as AI becomes capable of doing more of the work, Sophie and Jon ask a bigger question: which uniquely human skills will become even more valuable to marketers?This episode is an advertisement feature brought to you by Google.Timestamps00:00 - Start01:12 - What has Sophie learned in the past few years at Google?03:07 - CMO lessons from being inside Google05:11 - What assumption marketers have about Google would Sophie challenge08:07 - A surprising consumer pattern with AI11:17 - How brands can show up in AI searches18:56 - How advertisers can collaborate with creators?22:09 - How Sophie uses her Google Fitbit Air24:18 - How to optimise the golden quarter28:08 - How important will AI commerce be in the future?30:36 - get them to check this section34:01 - The most uncensored question for Sophie Neary37:44 - Where will human skills count in the age of AI?45:26 - The best advice Sophie has ever been given ---Thank you to our sponsors System1 and HubSpotDownload System1's creator effectiveness report here:https://system1group.com/the-creator-effectiveness-playbookFind about more about HubSpot's AEO product here:https://www.hubspot.com/products/aeo

Is there a scarcity of difference? Is it scarce because sameness works? And what's the case for sameness? I'm joined by Chicago Chief Creative Officers and Chief Strategy Officers in front of an invitation-only group at BBDO, Chicago. Josh Gross and Landi Day from BBDO, Mark Gross from Highdive, Preeti Nadgar from Starcom and Brian Siedband from Quality Meats. Thanks to Tracksuit, The Effies and System1 for supporting our 2026 live tour. Next stop is GSD&M in Austin, Thursday, Sept 10th.

Dr Margaret Heffernan is one of the world's leading thinkers on uncertainty, leadership and creativity. A bestselling author, entrepreneur and former CEO, her latest book, Embracing Uncertainty, challenges one of the biggest assumptions in business that the future can, and should, be predicted.In this episode, Margaret explains why forecasting often fails, where great ideas really come from, and why spending more time with uncertainty can actually make us better leaders and marketers. We discuss the dangers of relying too heavily on data, the surprising habits of highly creative people, and why walking might be one of the best things you can do for your thinking.Timestamps00:00 - Trailer01:09 - Why pick uncertainty as a topic05:31 - Why some companies shouldn't forecast09:04 - Why smart people are wasting time on forecasting14:41 - The problem with having too much data19:07 - Predictability only happens at scale24:41 - Where do ideas come from?27:19 - Why the Chief Economist of the Bank of England goes on walks30:29 - Are we becoming too left brain dominant?32:32 - The problem with AI36:10 - Is AI killing our ability to think?41:17 - How to make good ideas happen44:11 - The power of surprise46:15 - The improvisers paradox49:31 - The correlation between the artists mind and the entrepreneur's mind51:57 - What human skills do we need to survive?58:43 - The best advice Margaret has ever been given ---Thank you to our sponsors System1 and HubSpotDownload System1's creator effectiveness report here:https://system1group.com/the-creator-effectiveness-playbookFind about more about HubSpot's AEO product here:https://www.hubspot.com/products/aeo

The biggest creative risk? Not being creative enough. System1's Andrew Tindall joins WARC's Ann Marie Kerwin to discuss the multiplier effect of creativity, how brands can be more creative, and why it's essential to marketing that truly moves the dial for brands. Read The Multiplier Playbook research from WARC here: https://www.warc.com/en/the-multiplier-playbook-2026 Watch WARC's podcast on The Creative Dividend, a major new effectiveness study from System1 and Effie Worldwide, based on more than 1,200 Effie cases: https://studio.youtube.com/video/wH_tJ8xBfHA/ Guests: Andrew Tindall, Chief Advertising Officer, System1 Ann Marie Kerwin, Americas Editor, WARC Chapters: [00:00] Intro: The multiplier effect of creativity [01:52] Why future demand matters in brand building [02:18] How advertising drives brand growth [03:30] Why interesting, engaging creative beats narrow targeting [06:33] Creativity's impact on short-term sales vs long-term brand effects [07:02] Emotional, distinctive, entertaining ads drive immediate response [10:46] The real 'cost of dull' in advertising [15:03] The Creativity Stack: distinctiveness, emotion, showmanship, and consistency [18:30] Why distinctiveness is table stakes for profitable brand growth [20:17] Showmanship in advertising: stopping the scroll [22:30] Consistency in creativity: how campaigns wear in, not wear out [27:01] Build, nudge, connect: a modern framework to replace the traditional funnel [29:43] Distinctive brand assets [33:46] Creative quality and media planning [42:00] Why marketers should let effective ads run much longer [45:10] Getting back to 'the big idea' [47:30] Tightening the creative brief [49:30] Why modern marketing feels overwhelming For 40 years, WARC has been providing the marketing industry with rigorous, unbiased evidence and expert effectiveness guidance. The WARC Podcast publishes a new episode every Tuesday and Thursday. Subscribe to The WARC Podcast here: https://www.warc.com/en/warc-podcasts Sign up to daily WARC News for free: https://www.warc.com/en/latest Book a demo: https://www.warc.com/en/subscribe

Ali Payne, CMO of Heineken, joins us to discuss how one of the world's most iconic beer brands became Creative Brand of the Year at Cannes Lions - and what it takes to keep a 150-year-old brand feeling fresh.From being the "Official Beer of Soccer" as a non-sponsor of the FIFA World Cup to reviving the legendary "Most Interesting Man in the World" campaign, Ali shares how Heineken balances long-term brand building with cultural relevance. We explore what it takes to get an entire organisation behind bold creative ideas, the role of sport in Heineken's marketing strategy, and how brands like Birra Moretti continue to grow through innovation.Timestamps00:00 - Trailer00:56 - World Cup fever for the USA and Heineken02:51 - Jumping on cultural moments04:25 - Becoming the official beer of soccer (unofficially)06:50 - How non sponsors got more coverage than sponsors for the World Cup10:18 - How to manage a 150 year old brand12:31 - Winning Cannes creative brand of the year14:46 - Getting the wider business on board with creative work17:06 - Ali's favourite Cannes Lions winner18:38 - Bringing back Dos Equis most interesting man22:58 - The success of Birra Moretti24:49 - Heineken's sports sponsorship strategy28:32 - How are Heineken bringing new people into the category29:56 - The ingredients for a successful innovation33:12 - Heineken's partnership with Heinz37:08 - How great CMOs keep creativity alive40:11 - What makes a great CMO?41:58 - What's the best advice you've ever recieved? ---Thank you to our sponsors System1 and HubSpotDownload System1's creator effectiveness report here:https://system1group.com/the-creator-effectiveness-playbookFind about more about HubSpot's AEO product here:https://www.hubspot.com/products/aeo

This month's planners pitch campaigns from Spec Savers and Columbia Sportswear. Anibal Casso is CSO, North America for Ogilvy and Alix Toothman is Global Executive Strategy Director at W+K, NYC. See the creative work here. Thanks to Tracksuit and System1 for supporting this series.

Najoh Tita-Reid, former Chief Growth Officer at Mars Petcare, joins us to discuss why she made the unusual decision to step away from one of the biggest roles in marketing to embark on a self-described "learning safari", immersing herself in the world of AI and exploring what it means for the future of business.In this conversation, Najoh shares why she believes too many organisations are using AI purely to drive efficiency, when its greatest opportunity lies in unlocking growth. We explore how AI is changing creativity, leadership and the role of the CMO, why marketers risk becoming tacticians instead of strategic business leaders, and what today's CEOs really expect from marketing.Timestamps00:00 - Start00:57 - Why Najoh left Mars02:18 - Why F1 is the perfect metaphor for AI in 202605:18 - Using AI for growth vs efficiency08:01 - The impact AI is having on creativity09:17 - Why AI is the colonisation of inefficiency16:21 - Are we at risk of becoming tacticians and not strategy leaders?18:52 - Does the CEO understand your role?22:40 - Can AI actually delivery higher efficiency?25:00 - What's the secret to delivering growth28:24 - What having a different job title gives you permission to do33:11 - They key leadership skills for a great CMO34:02 - Why great CMOs are accountable for making change36:06 - Lessons from Najoh's biggest failure40:01 - The difference between culture in the UK and USA44:09 - What Najoh has learnt on her learning safari49:47 - The best advice Najoh has ever been given ---Thank you to our sponsors System1 and HubSpotDownload System1's creator effectiveness report here:https://system1group.com/the-creator-effectiveness-playbookFind about more about HubSpot's AEO product here:https://www.hubspot.com/products/aeo

Startpage, een zoekmachine van Nederlandse bodem, is onderdeel van het lijstje standaard zoekmachines van webbrowser Firefox geworden voor Nederlandse, Duitse, Franse, Oostenrijkse en Zwiterse gebruikers. Volgens Firefox was dat de wens van veel gebruikers uit die landen. Niels Kooloos vertelt erover in deze Tech Update. In tegenstelling tot veel andere zoekmachines, maakt Startpage geen gebruik van AI-samenvattingen en zijn er geen gepersonaliseerde advertenties zichtbaar. Geld wordt verdiend met advertenties in de vorm van gesponsorde resultaten die te maken hebben met de zoekopdracht van een gebruiker. 'Adverteerders weten dat en uiteraard levert het minder op dan wanneer we alles weten van een gebruiker', zegt Alex van Eesteren, die Startpage vertegenwoordigd in Nederland. 'Dat maakt niks uit want daar kunnen we prima van leven.' Ook stelt de zoekmachine praktisch gezien geen gegevens van gebruikers te verzamelen. De zoekmachine laat resultaten van Google en Bing zien en zorgt ervoor dat gebruikers die anoniem kunnen bekijken. Daardoor kunnen adverteerders bijvoorbeeld geen profielen over gebruikers opbouwen of daaraan verdienen. Startpage is een Nederlands bedrjif en opereert vanuit Nederland, maar het kent wel een Amerikaanse eigenaar: internetadvertentiebedrijf System1. Hoewel er de laatste tijd veel te doen is om Europese techbedrijven in Amerikaanse handen vanwege privacyzorgen, hoeven Startpage-gebruikers zich volgens Van Eesteren niet druk te maken. 'Het is heel simpel: Startpage is een Nederlandse BV, dus we opereren onder Nederlands recht.' En zelfs als er informatie over gebruikers naar de Verenigde Staten gestuurd zou worden, zou dat volgens Van Eesteren weinig voorstellen. 'We slaan niks op. Geen IP-adressen, geen zoektermen, geen trackingcookies, dus er is niks. Er valt niks te halen.' Nederlandse zoekmachine Startpage wordt standaardoptie voor miljoenen Firefox-gebruikers in Europa Over de maker:Niels Kooloos is dagelijks op BNR Nieuwsradio te horen over het laatste technieuws in de Tech Update. Hij interesseert zich vooral in cybercriminaliteit, privacy, social media en (computer)hardware. Hier en daar kan je Niels ook in All in the Game horen, waar hij graag vertelt over zijn favoriete games.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Advertising is getting pricier, yet the results many marketers care about most are shrinking. Brand effects like awareness, trust and differentiation are dropping across award-winning case studies, even as budgets climb, and that should worry anyone responsible for growth. David talks with Andrew Tindall from System1 about what sits underneath that decline and how to fix it without hiding behind vanity metrics.Andrew unpacks why emotional response is not a “nice to have”, but one of the most dependable predictors of effectiveness we have, especially when paired with clear brand recognition. From there we dig into the Creative Dividend, a model that blends global Effie Awards effectiveness data with System1's large-scale creative testing to show something many teams miss: creativity and media only make sense together. A strong ad with no reach is wasted. Heavy reach behind a weak ad is inefficient.You will also hear a practical planning idea you can take back to your next budget meeting: Excess Share of Creativity (ESOC). Alongside Excess Share of Voice, it reframes the job as building genuine creative advantage and then backing it with the right weight of quality reach. We cover the four outputs that make creativity accessible in plain language, the real cost of dull campaigns, and why chasing lower CPM can push teams into low-attention media that drags ROI down.If you want clearer creative reviews, smarter media planning and stronger marketing effectiveness, subscribe, listen and share this with a colleague.Subscribe to the WFA #BetterMarketing podcast on your preferred platform: https://bit.ly/41ZwqkF.

We venture into the heartland to hear about the amazing work being done in Kansas City - Burger King, Frontier Airlines, Wendy's, Hills Pet Foods, Coco-Cola, and the Kanas City Chiefs. I'm joined by KC Chiefs CMO, Lara Krug, Jeremy Cline of Ryan Reynold's agency, Maximum Effort, Brad Jones, CCO at Barkley OKRP, Chris Cardetti, CSO at BarkleyOKRP and Howard Laubscher, CSO at VML. Thanks to Tracksuit, System1 and the Effies for supporting our live tour.

Brent Smart is one of the most respected marketers in the world. After spending more than 20 years in advertising, he made the rare move from agency life to become CMO of NRMA Insurance. Brent's most recent role as CMO of Telstra, Australia's largest telecommunications company, he helped transform the brand through bold, distinctive and highly effective marketing.In this episode, Brent shares the principles behind his approach to creativity, from selling big ideas inside large organisations and drawing on academic marketing frameworks to building a culture where great work can thrive. We discuss the campaigns that defined his career, including Telstra's viral "Better on a Better Network" campaign, why humour and surprise remain powerful competitive advantages, and the unique agency model that helped Telstra consistently produce standout work.Timestamps00:00 - Start01:03 - Why Brent left Telstra02:31 - Why Brent moved in house after 20 years agency side05:41 - How to sell a creative idea into a big organisation11:01 - The academic frameworks to create great marketing12:16 - Why you should look at your brands heritage14:02 - The most successful campaign Brent did for NRMA17:33 - How Brent won a Grand Effie21:13 - How Brent transformed Telstra's brand marketing26:08 - The Telstra Walk - the viral campaign32:39 - Using humour to cut through35:00 - The power of surprise and consistency37:41 - The unique agency model that helped Telstra create cuthrough work40:02 - Why craft is so important in 202642:44 - How to build a creative culture47:11 - How to be a great CMO ---Thank you to our sponsors System1 and HubSpotDownload System1's creator effectiveness report here:https://system1group.com/the-creator-effectiveness-playbookFind about more about HubSpot's AEO product here:https://www.hubspot.com/products/aeo

Ignaz Semmelweis proved handwashing saved lives, but doctors ignored his messy data for decades. Thousands died waiting for perfect proof.This week, Elena and Rob sit down with System1 Chief Growth Officer Andrew Tindall to talk about what makes marketing research worth trusting. Andrew breaks down why distinctiveness alone won't grow your brand, and why emotion is the real profit driver. The conversation also covers his research on creators, consistency, and why audio remains one of the most underrated channels in the industry. It's a must-listen for any marketer trying to separate real evidence from marketing hype. Topics covered: [03:00] What "useful evidence" means for marketers[10:00] Andrew's favorite research-backed finding on emotion [13:00] Surprising results from the Creator Effectiveness Playbook [17:00] Why distinctive and emotional ads drive more profit [20:00] The case for "compound creativity" and consistency [25:00] Why audio and radio remain overlooked and undervalued [32:00] Andrew's most contrarian marketing opinion To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: 2026 The Drum Article: https://www.thedrum.com/opinion/andrew-tindall-marketing-doesn-t-need-perfect-evidence-it-needs-useful-evidenceAndrew Tindall's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-tindall/ Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We're breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use. In this episode, Elena and Rob unpack System1's new report, "The Cure for Dull," revealing why 48% of ad viewers still feel absolutely nothing and the five creative ingredients marketers can use to fix it. Topics covered:   [01:00] "The Cure for Dull" [02:00] Ads that stuck: Nike and Budweiser [04:00] Has advertising gotten more or less dull over time? [05:00] 48% of viewers feel nothing [07:00] Five pillars for treating dull [09:00] The megaphone analogy for media budgets To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: System1. (2026). The cure for dull. System1 Group, in collaboration with Adam Morgan (eatbigfish), Peter Field, Karen Nelson-Field, Orlando Wood, and Jon Evans. https://system1group.com/the-cure-for-dull Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Bec Darley, CMO of Vodafone Australia, joins us to discuss what it really takes to grow a challenger brand in one of the world's toughest telecoms markets.From competing against an entrenched duopoly to building distinctive campaigns with Ali Wong, Bec shares how Vodafone has embraced its challenger mindset rather than trying to imitate the market leaders. We explore why marketers need to understand far more than advertising, from unit economics and legal to customer experience and organisational change, and why the best marketing leaders are, ultimately, business leaders.Timestamps00:00 - Start00:54 - Who is Bec Darley?03:31 - Taking on roles beyond marketing to make you a better marketer05:38 - Why the history of duopolies in Australia makes being a challenger tough08:53 - How does Vodafone take on the giants as a challenger12:55 - Leaning into your disadvantage16:01 - Vodafone's commercials with Ali Wong18:37 - The importance of legal for marketing21:08 - When taking risks backfires - getting banned24:19 - Focusing on mental availability26:40 - Are we losing the ability to be creative while hunting efficiency29:28 - Understanding the unit economics of the business34:28 - How to manage a portfolio of brands36:18 - Why you need to be customer first38:51 - The best marketers move beyond marketing40:24 - How to make change in a company43:46 - Embracing discomfort and failing fast46:23 - Bec's advice to all young marketers ---Thank you to our sponsors System1 and HubSpotDownload System1's creator effectiveness report here:https://system1group.com/the-creator-effectiveness-playbookFind about more about HubSpot's AEO product here:https://www.hubspot.com/products/aeo

Do you need an expert analysis of your ad account and creative strategy? Talk to us at https://www.tiereleven.com/apply Are your ad campaigns competing against your own business? I'm breaking down why one insurance platform was paying $150 per lead while competitors were paying just $30. The problem wasn't the ads. It was how the ads were structured.We'll analyze an AI-powered insurance SaaS platform with hundreds of agents running fragmented campaigns across Meta, Google, and other channels. I'll walk you through the strategic changes we're implementing, like building a creative strategy around specific customer avatars.I'll also show you why centralized media buying, stronger creative hooks, and smarter lead distribution can transform a scattered advertising system into a scalable growth engine. If you're managing lead generation, paid media, or a multi-location sales organization, this is your blueprint for building campaigns that actually scale. In this episode- Why identical products can have wildly different cost per lead - How agency black boxes increase cost per lead - Why fragmented ad spend triggers Meta auction competition - The minimum ad budget Meta actually needs to learn - How niche avatar targeting can double or triple performance - The Rolex franchise model for consolidating ad accounts - State-level targeting versus city-level Meta Ads - Using round-robin lead distribution to stop agent cannibalization - Why programmatic and CTV are the next layer after MetaMentioned in the Episode: High-End Pet Brand Case Study: https://perpetualtraffic.com/podcast/episode-801-from-2-5m-to-4m-a-month-ad-spend-barely-changed-heres-why/Tier 11's Data Suite: https://www.tiereleven.com/what-we-do/data-suitePartner With Tier 11 Marketing Experts: https://www.tiereleven.com/apply Listen to This Episode on Your Favorite Podcast Channel:Follow and listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/perpetual-traffic/id1022441491 Follow and listen on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/59lhtIWHw1XXsRmT5HBAuK Subscribe and watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@perpetual_traffic?sub_confirmation=1We Appreciate Your Support!Visit our website: https://perpetualtraffic.com/ Connect with Ralph Burns: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ralphburns Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ralphhburns/ Hire Tier11 - https://www.tiereleven.com/apply-now Mentioned in this episode:https://perpetualtraffic.com/advertise-with-us/https://perpetualtraffic.com/advertise-with-us/https://perpetualtraffic.com/advertise-with-us/https://perpetualtraffic.com/advertise-with-us/

Brands are spending more on creators than ever, but attention doesn't always equal brand growth. Beth Marchant, Strategy Director at System1, joins Brave Bison's Chief Marketing Officer Hannah Baker to dig into The Creator Effectiveness Playbook: the new evidence-based research that gets into how to close that gap. Expect a conversation about what the data actually says, and what it means for how marketers should be thinking about creator advertising going forward. Got a question or a suggestion for the SocialMinds podcast? Get in touch at socialminds@socialchain.com. 

American Evangelical Christianity is in crisis. The story of how it got here is an important part of this series but there are several reasons so many evangelical Christians are discontent and looking for something else, something with historical roots, with a sense of tradition, with a sense of of transcendence, with reverent worship, and with a deeper view of the sacraments. It is the conviction of the Heidelberg Reformation Association that the answer to the longing for more lies not in Rome or in the Eastern Orthodox traditions but, as it were, in Geneva. In this series we will explore the history, theology, piety and practice of Roman Catholicism and the Eastern Orthodox traditions, and we will compare and contrast those two traditions with historic Reformed theology, piety, and practice. This episode of the Heidelcast is sponsored by the Heidelberg Reformation Association. You love the Heidelcast and the Heidelblog. You share it with friends, with members of your church, and others but have you stopped to think what would happen if it all disappeared? The truth is that we depend on your support. If you don't make the coffer clink, the HRA will simply sink. Won't you help us keep it going? The HRA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. All your gifts are tax deductible. Use the donate link on this page or mail a check to Heidelberg Reformation Association, 1637 E Valley Parkway #391, Escondido CA 92027. All the Episodes of the Heidelcast Subscribe to the Heidelcast! Browse the Heidelshop! On X @Heidelcast On Insta & Facebook @Heidelcast Subscribe in Apple Podcast Subscribe directly via RSS Call The Heidelphone via Voice Memo On Your Phone The Heidelcast is available wherever podcasts are found including Spotify. Call or text the Heidelphone anytime at (760) 618-1563. Leave a message or email us a voice memo from your phone and we may use it in a future podcast. Record it and email it to heidelcast@heidelblog.net. If you benefit from the Heidelcast please leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts so that others can find it. Please do not forget to make the coffer clink (see the donate button below). SHOW NOTES How To Subscribe To Heidelmedia The Heidelblog Resource Page Heidelmedia Resources The Ecumenical Creeds The Reformed Confessions The Heidelberg Catechism The Heidelberg Catechism: A Historical, Theological, and Pastoral Commentary (Lexham Academic) Recovering the Reformed Confession (P&R Publishing, 2008) Why I Am A Christian What Must A Christian Believe? Heidelblog Contributors Support Heidelmedia: use the donate button or send a check to: Heidelberg Reformation Association 1637 E. Valley Parkway #391 Escondido CA 92027 USA The HRA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization

Watch on YoutubeIn this week's live smallcap show, I discussed my latest thoughts on 23 stock ideas. Unfortunately though my partner in crime Paul Scott couldn't join, albeit service will resume as normal next week (ie 12noon Fri 7th Aug)00:00 Pinewood Tech04:50 System1 & Brave Bison09:55 Vanquis14:45 Likewise16:55 Optima Health18:50 AB Dynamics22:40 Lords Group Trading26:55 Gear4Music30:00 Supreme33:15 PCI-Pal35:00 Mondi36:20 Wilmington39:30 Alfa Financial45:30 Tracsis51:50 Porvair54:15 Greggs56:15 Sage58:20 MONY60:35 GB Group64:00 Nichols66:05 AOTI69:10 Tristel75:15 Journeo#PINE #SYS1 #VANQ #LIKE #OPT #ABDP #LORD #G4M #SUP #PCIP #MNDI #WIL #ALFA #PRV #GRG #TRCS #SGE #MONY #GBG #NICL #AOTI#TSTL #JNEO

Jonathan Kerr, CMO of Auto & General, joins us to explore how one of Australia's most successful challenger brands has built sustained growth by combining strong marketing fundamentals with relentless execution.From creating a role for himself at Auto & General to helping Budget Direct become one of the country's fastest-growing insurance brands, Jonathan shares why product should always come before growth, how marketers can take greater ownership of the 4 Ps, and what insurance consistently gets right about creativity. We also discuss the power of distinctive brand characters, audio branding, in-house creative teams and a media strategy designed to maximise long-term effectiveness.Useful linksThis episode is brought to you by System1. Download their creator effectiveness report here: https://system1group.com/the-creator-effectiveness-playbookFind about more about HubSpot's AEO product here:https://www.hubspot.com/products/aeoTimestamps00:00:00 - Start00:01:41 - How Jonathan found out about Auto and General00:03:31 - How Jonathan created a new role for himself00:06:58 - How to balance low price with great product00:10:36 - Market share growth for Budget Direct00:12:06 - Focusing on product over growth00:13:59 - How to control more of the P's00:16:51 - Why does insurance produce such creative work?00:20:52 - The power of compounding work in insurance00:24:21 - Developing brand characters, and when to kill them off00:30:08 - The power of audio and jingles00:34:16 - What's too silly to be said can be sung00:36:13 - Why they do so much work in house00:40:34 - Budget Direct's unique approach to media buying00:42:43 - How Jonathan uses AI00:48:04 - The key challenger brand principles Jonathan has followed00:50:59 - What makes a successful CMO?00:52:55 - Do we need to re-educate ourselves on marketing theory?01:00:27 - The best advice you've ever recieved

What actually mattered at Cannes?More importantly...What should marketers do differently because of it?In this special collaboration between The Sleeping Barber, That's What I Call Marketing, and System1, we unpack the biggest lessons from Cannes Lions and turn them into practical advice for the second half of the year.Topics include:Mark Ritson & Byron Sharp's rare appearance togetherWhy creativity still beats optimizationAI's real role in advertisingThe rise of creatorsWhy memory—not impressions—is becoming the metric that mattersWhy audio may be marketing's biggest opportunityThe Q4 creative playbookIf you're planning campaigns for the second half of the year, this conversation is your roadmap.Chapters:00:00 - Welcome & Why This Conversation Matters01:20 - What Really Happened Between Byron Sharp & Mark Ritson05:35 - Where They Still Disagree06:15 - Why Consistency Is Marketing's Biggest Weakness09:20 - What Marketers Often Misunderstand11:45 - AI After Cannes: Hype vs Reality17:15 - Are We Already Bored of AI?18:35 - Brand Characters, Consistency & Memory23:40 - Why Audio Could Be Marketing's Next Big Opportunity31:30 - Why Radio Still Works37:20 - Creators: What Most Brands Get Wrong43:30 - Memory Is Becoming Marketing's Most Important Metric51:50 - The Q4 Playbook54:00 - Feels vs Deals59:00 - Why Great Christmas Ads Return Every Year1:00:30 - Final Advice for Marketers

What should marketers take from Cannes Lions once the presentations are over and the real work of planning for Q4 begins?In this special crossover episode of That's What I Call Marketing and The Sleeping Barber Podcast, System1's Andrew Tindall and Vanessa Chin join Conor Byrne, Marc Binkley and V to explore what the latest marketing thinking means in practice for brands, agencies and creative teams.The conversation begins with Mark Ritson and Byron Sharp's Cannes debate, looking at where they agree, where important differences remain and why marketers need to go beyond familiar headlines on penetration, distinctiveness, consistency and brand purpose. Andrew and Vanessa discuss whether distinctiveness alone can drive growth, why differentiation still matters and how the search for “new news” can lead brands to abandon creative assets before they have built recognition.The episode also examines how AI is changing advertising. Rather than removing people from the process, AI is becoming part of production, helping brands adapt and localise ideas more efficiently. The group considers Coca-Cola's AI Christmas advertising, PepsiCo adapting Lay's creative for Walkers in the UK, and why human judgement still matters. There are practical lessons on creator marketing, brand characters, fluent devices and staying consistent. Andrew explains why creators should be treated as creative partners who understand their platforms, not as interchangeable media assets.The discussion then turns to audio and radio advertising. System1 research suggests campaigns using audio can produce stronger business effects, support profit and penetration, and reduce price sensitivity. The group explores sonic branding, jingles and why radio should not be treated only as a short-term performance channel.Attention matters, but it is not the end goal. Andrew explains why marketers need to move from impressions, to attention, and ultimately to the brand memories advertising creates.The episode closes with a practical Q4 playbook for Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Christmas. “Salesmanship” may deliver immediate conversion, but emotional “showmanship” builds memories, demand and pricing power. The lesson: focus on the feels, not only the deals.CHAPTERS03:24 Ritson and Sharp at Cannes04:45 Distinctiveness versus differentiation06:00 Is brand purpose outdated?08:00 Why marketers struggle with consistency11:05 Turning theory into growth13:09 AI, creativity and human judgement16:10 How PepsiCo uses AI in advertising19:05 Why AI was quieter at Cannes19:55 AI avatars and brand characters22:01 Why marketers need to stay the course22:54 When did a campaign become a media flight?24:45 Turning Cannes insights into a Q4 plan25:22 The “Double Double” audio research28:04 Why audio matters30:13 What makes an effective radio ad?32:29 Why radio is more than a performance channel34:00 Storytelling and creating an audio world36:50 Should creators work across every channel?38:00 What System1's creator research found40:54 Is Q4 the right time for a fluent device?42:06 Moving from attention to brand memory46:36 Can brands be built through Meta and TikTok?48:49 Why brands need to appear early50:02 The Q4 marketing playbook50:43 Make people feel something51:52 Black Friday: deals versus feels52:23 Salesmanship, showmanship and short-term optimisation54:48 What marketers can learn from Amazon56:26 Feels, not deals57:01 Why brands should re-air effective Christmas ads58:00 Consumers do not get bored of good advertisingThis episode was created in partnership with System1. Find out more at system1group.com.Subscribe to That's What I Call Marketing for more conversations on brand growth, marketing effectiveness and creative strategy.That's What I Call Marketing is where marketers come for real conversations about brand, B2B, creativity, effectiveness and the future of the profession.Hosted by Conor Byrne, the show features conversations with CMOs, marketing leaders, agency leaders, authors, thinkers and practitioners about what good marketing looks like in practice.Listen, follow and find more episodes at: https://www.thatswhaticallmarketing.comConnect with Conor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/conorbyrneirl/If you enjoy the show, please follow, subscribe and leave a review. It helps more marketers find the conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A live, sell-out crowd celebrates the legacy of iconic creativity in Minneapolis. Campaigns like Harley Davidson, Porsche, Buddy Guy, EDS, BMW Films, Target, Citibank and more recent work including Subaru and Walmart. Fallon, Carmichael and Colle McVoy join me live at the roundtable. Thanks to The Effies, Tracksuit and System1 for making our live tour possible. See the iconic creative work on our website at www.onstrategyshowcase.com

Pedro Pina, VP of YouTube for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, joins us to explore how YouTube helped create the creator economy and why so many brands are still failing to take full advantage of it.From the rise of full-time creators to the changing role of YouTube in the media landscape, Pedro explains what makes the platform unique, the metrics that actually matter, and why great content continues to outperform everything else. We also discuss the balance between long-form and Shorts, the "YouTube Confidence Gap" among CMOs, and how brands can build authentic partnerships with creators that drive real business results.If you're wondering where marketing is heading next, this is a masterclass from one of the people shaping it.Get the YouTube Confidence Gap Report from Little Dot Studios:https://info.littledotstudios.com/little-dot-studios-the-youtube-confidence-gap-reportThis episode is brought to you by System1. Download their creator effectiveness report here: https://system1group.com/the-creator-effectiveness-playbookTimestamps00:00 - Intro01:35 - Why YouTube made a creator space in Cannes03:06 - How Cannes has changed over the past 20 years06:12 - How many people are paid to be YouTubers09:39 - The secret of YouTube11:08 - Who are the biggest creators on YouTube12:36 - What are the most important metrics on YouTube14:42 - Why content will always be king on YouTube15:57 - What makes a succesful YouTuber19:48 - Is YouTube a broadcaster, streaming platform or social network?22:36 - How important is short form for creators in 202627:24 - The YouTube Confidence Gap28:56 - What CMOs think about YouTube29:54 - How to get more confidence in your YouTube strategy32:53 - The biggest barriers for companies being successful on YouTube35:00 - How can brands work successfully with creators39:31 - How can brands be authentic when they work with creators42:46 - What Pedro wishes CMOs understood better about YouTube44:14 - The best advice Pedro has ever recieved

Watch on YouTubeIn this week's live smallcap show, UK equity analyst & markets commentator Paul Scott & I discussed our latest thoughts on 24 stock ideas.00:00 Rotork04:45 Gooch & Housego08:10 System1 and Brave Bison13:55 Ramsdens16:15 AdvancedADVT25:55 M&C Saatchi27:30 Cake Box31:50 Alumasc36:35 Eagle Eye41:40 Big Technologies44:30 Beeks Financial47:20 Lendinvest50:00 Foxtons52:10 Headlam/Likewise54:25 Alfa Financial58:55 Cerillion61:30 BRCK / Brickability63:40 Vistry68:00 Dr Martens69:40 Capital Ltd72:50 Sysgroup75:35 MS International#ROR #GHH #SYS1 #BBSN #RFX #ADVT #SAA #CBOX #ALU #EYE #BIG #BKS #LINV #FOXT #HEAD #LIKE #ALFA #CER #BRCK #VTY #DOCS #SYS #CAPD #MSI

What if almost everything we've been taught about advertising is built on a sales model from 1904?In this Sharp Cut, we unpack six of marketing's most persistent myths—from "digital has no waste" to "last-click attribution tells us what works"—before rebuilding a simpler, evidence-based explanation of how advertising actually works.Rather than relying on theory, we challenge these ideas using our own careers, practical examples, and decades of marketing science from Byron Sharp, Les Binet, James Hurman, Orlando Wood and others.In this episodeWhy digital isn't actually waste-freeWhy targeting isn't enoughWhy advertising isn't salesWhy creative matters more than many marketers believeWhy personalization has been oversoldWhy ROAS isn't telling the full storyWhy advertising is better understood as planting and harvestingIf you've ever struggled to explain marketing to your CFO—or even to yourself—this episode is for you.Chapters:00:00 Welcome to Sharp Cut00:15 Why Most Companies Misunderstand Advertising02:13 Myth #1: Digital Has No Waste06:36 Myth #2: Target High-Intent Audiences09:36 Myth #3: Advertising Is Sales Done Over Media11:03 Myth #4: Creative Is Just Decoration12:34 Myth #5: Personalization Is The Future14:29 Myth #6: Last-Click Attribution Tells Us What Works17:10 How Advertising Actually Works18:04 Why We're Still Using a Sales Model from 190419:55 Advertising Is a Weak Force20:47 The Two Jobs of Advertising21:39 Plant vs. Harvest: A Better Mental Model22:04 The McCain Case Study23:59 Why Most Companies Still Think Like Salespeople25:12 Becoming Experts in Our Own Trade26:20 Les Binet's One-Slide Explanation27:29 Final Thoughts: Start PlantingSupporting Links:Binkley, M., & Douros, V. (Hosts). (n.d.). What marketers still get wrong with Prof. Byron Sharp (No. 215) [Audio podcast episode]. The Sleeping Barber Podcast.Hurman, J. (2026). Future demand. https://futuredemand.comIwamoto, A. (2024). The origin of AIDA: Who invented and formulated the AIDA model? Japan Marketing History Review, 3(2), 150-166. https://doi.org/10.51102/jmhr.3.2_53Mulroney, R. (2024). McCain: When the chips are down, margins matter. How a focus on long-term emotional brand-building reduced price elasticity and increased profits for McCain [IPA Effectiveness Awards case study]. WARC. https://www.warc.com/content/article/mccain-when-the-chips-are-down-margins-matter-how-a-focus-on-long-term-emotional-brand-building-reduced-price-elasticity-and-increased-profits-for-mccain/156769WARC. (2026). The multiplier playbook: The CMO's guide to integrating brand and performance. WARC.Foundational sources (optional, for show notes)Binet, L., & Field, P. (2013). The long and the short of it: Balancing short and long-term marketing strategies. Institute of Practitioners in Advertising.Sharp, B. (2010). How brands grow: What marketers don't know. Oxford University Press.To confirm before air: Hurman subtitle and publisher; the exact platform and date of Binet's How Advertising Really Works video (candidate: the Cannes Lions Advertising 101 course); the publication date of SBP episode 215; and a direct URL for the WARC Multiplier Playbook (produced with Analytic Partners, BERA.ai, Prophet, System1 and the ANA).

Lara Balazs, CMO of Adobe, joins us to discuss what it takes to lead one of the world's most influential creative brands through a period of enormous change.From Adobe's presence at Cannes to the rapid rise of AI, Lara shares her vision for the company and why she believes technology should be used in service of creativity, rather than simply to drive efficiency. We explore why creativity matters more than ever in the age of AI, the skills Adobe looks for in marketers, and the traits that separate the most successful CMOs.Lara also shares the practical leadership principles she uses to run her team, from creating a company plan on a page and harnessing the power of repetition to prioritising progress over perfection and using the “two-way door” approach to make faster decisions.This episode is brought to you by System1. Download their creator effectiveness report here: https://system1group.com/the-creator-effectiveness-playbookTimestamps00:00 - Start01:23 - The most surprising thing about Lara03:11 - How Adobe have stood out at Cannes05:50 - What makes an influential CMO?06:59 - How to manage a business through change09:54 - Lara's vision for Adobe13:33 - Finding inspiration from a brand's history15:13 - Where AI has been used in service of creativity18:03 - AI to enhance creativity vs increasing efficiency20:42 - Why creativity still matters in the AI age23:41 - What skillsets does Adobe hire for in marketing?25:22 - The traits of the most successful CMOs28:55 - The company plan on a page30:49 - The power of repitition32:05 - Progress over perfection at Adobe33:14 - The two way door approach37:19 - The best advice Lara has ever recieved

We talk campaigns from Heinz Ketchup and The New York Times. Chris Gallery is Global CSO at Mother and Nick Hirst is Global Strategy Lead on Mars across OMC at adam&eve, London. Thanks to Tracksuit and System1 for supporting this series.

For years, Mark Ritson and Byron Sharp have been two of the most influential and most opinionated voices in marketing. They've challenged each other's ideas, debated strategy, and helped shape how an entire generation of marketers thinks.Now, for the first time in more than a decade, at Cannes Lions, they sit down together to answer a simple question: what do they actually agree on?From How Brands Grow and the 95:5 rule to distinctiveness, the 4 Ps, mass marketing, luxury brands, purpose and AI, this conversation explores the fundamental marketing principles they both believe every marketer should understand.There are still plenty of disagreements (and more than a few jokes at each other's expense), but this is a rare opportunity to hear two of the industry's biggest thinkers build a shared foundation for modern marketing.This episode is brought to you by System1. Download their creator effectiveness report here: https://system1group.com/the-creator-effectiveness-playbookTimestamps00:00:00 - Start00:00:40 - Teaser00:02:08 - Mark Ritson on Champagne00:03:42 - When did Mark and Byron meet00:05:36 - Why Byron and Mark are coming together after a decade00:07:25 - When Jon met Byron00:08:57 - Is AI more brand centric than humans?00:11:08 - Mark and Byron's criticism on their Cannes talk00:12:49 - The problem with academia00:13:45 - What do marketers still not understand about How Brands Grow00:18:06 - You are not the customer00:20:56 - Distinctiveness vs relative differentiation00:28:45 - Why we need to control all 4 Ps00:33:10 - The 95:5 rule00:39:20 - Why Byron doesn't like the term “Long Term”00:42:41 - The role of mass marketing00:46:40 - How to do mass marketing as a challenger brand00:53:45 - How long does it take to build a proper brand00:56:10 - What does Byron think of P&G00:58:47 - The power of distinctive brand assets01:03:42 - Why brand anniversaries are pointless01:04:40 - How luxury brands grow01:09:16 - The role of purpose01:16:58 - The dark lord of penetration01:18:17 - What pet name does Byron have for Mark01:23:17 - Closing remarks

After five days, dozens of interviews, countless presentations, and conversations with some of marketing's brightest minds, one thing became clear:The future of marketing isn't about more technology. It's about better thinking.Throughout Cannes Lions 2026, we spoke with leaders from System1, WARC, Ehrenberg-Bass, Amazon Ads, Pinterest, and many of the industry's leading creative and effectiveness thinkers.In this final Cannes Cut, we reflect on the biggest themes that emerged throughout the week, including:Why simplicity continues to outperform complexityHow AI is settling into its rightful role as a tool—not a strategyThe growing danger of the efficiency trapWhy creativity remains one of the strongest commercial advantages a brand can buildThe return of long-term thinking, brand building, and strategic disciplineWe also sit down with David Tiltman (WARC) to discuss the Multiplier Effect Playbook, organisational barriers to effectiveness, why strategy is becoming more important than ever, and how marketers can bridge the gap between knowing what works and actually doing it.To close out the series, we head back onto the Croisette for one final edition of The Buzz Cut, featuring conversations with:Aaron Starkman (Rethink)Brendan Christie (Strategy Magazine)Ruxandra Papuc (AIN'T)Presented by System1.If you've enjoyed following our Cannes journey, thank you for joining us throughout the week.Chapters:00:00 - Introduction02:15 - Reflecting on an Incredible Week06:30 - Simplicity Wins11:05 - AI Finds Its Place16:10 - The Efficiency Trap21:45 - Why Brand Experience Matters26:10 - Is This the Best Time to Be a Marketer?30:30 - Interview: David Tiltman52:30 - Final Buzz Cut58:15 - Wrapping Up Cannes

Day 4 on the Croisette, and the Cannes Festival of Creativity is in full swing. The Cannes Cut series is proudly presented by System1.Vanessa Chin, VP Marketing at System1, opens with a live field dispatch: which campaigns are actually scoring at Cannes, what the new Creator Effectiveness Playbook says about briefing for emotional impact, and why Dunkin' took gold while Kit Kat posted one of the highest out-of-home scores System1 has ever recorded.She also tackles the question the industry keeps circling - is AI the creative revolution everyone promised, or just a better production tool?Then the feature interview.Orlando Wood, Chief Creative Officer at System1, argues that dull advertising is structural, not incidental.Media fragmentation, measurement frameworks calibrated for the wrong school of advertising, and rules-based creative thinking all work against artistry before a single brief is written. Drawing on advertising history from Toulouse-Lautrec to Bernbach, and neuroscience from Ian McGilchrist, Orlando maps the war between showmanship and salesmanship - and explains why applying one school's measurement philosophy to the other destroys the work.The episode closes with the Buzz Cut: the sights and sounds from the attendees. Ty Heath from LinkedIn shared her perspective on life inside the B2B Lions jury room, WARC APAC's Rica Facundo on the three ceilings of social, Hannah Riberdhal from Brand Marketing Sweden on what this year's Cannes sounds like compared to four years ago, and two Young Lions competitors fresh off a 24-hour brief.Timestamps0:00 Opening - Vanessa Chin (System1) on Cannes testing, AI, and the Creator Effectiveness Playbook12:23 Feature interview - Orlando Wood on why dull advertising is structural, not a talent problem23:06 Fluent devices, coherence vs consistency, and the living brand33:08 The history of showmanship and salesmanship - and why creators may be bringing artistry back37:11 Measuring creative: why salesmanship measurement destroys showmanship work40:10 Post Pod debrief41:18 Buzz Cut - Ty Heath (LinkedIn B2B Institute), Rica Facundo (WARC APAC), Hannah (Brand Marketing Sweden), Young LionsReferencesSystem1 https://system1group.com/Advertising Principles Explained (course with Sir John Hegarty) https://advertisingprinciplesexplained.com/System1 Creative Dividend Report https://system1group.com/the-creative-dividendSystem1 Creator Effectiveness Playbook https://system1group.com/the-creator-effectiveness-playbookLemon: How the Advertising Brain Turned Sour - Orlando Wood (book) https://system1group.com/lemonThanks for keeping us in your ears, stay sharp everyone.

Day three at Cannes Lions revealed something unexpected.Coming into the festival, many predicted AI would dominate every conversation.Instead, another topic has quietly taken centre stage:Creators.Not creator hype. Not influencer marketing. Creator effectiveness.Presented by System1, today's Cannes Cut explores one of the biggest conversations happening across the Croisette. Marc and Vassilis reflect on another packed day at Cannes, including the System1 Stars of the Show event featuring Andrew Tindall, Orlando Wood, Mark Ritson, Les Binet, Adam Morgan and many of the industry's leading thinkers.The featured interview is with Andrew Tindall, Chief Growth Officer at System1, who joins us to discuss the new Creator Effectiveness Playbook, developed in partnership with WPP and TikTok.One insight stood above the rest:Most creator campaigns aren't driving meaningful brand growth. A small "brilliant minority" are responsible for the majority of the impact.The conversation has evolved beyond follower counts and engagement rates. Instead, marketers are asking better questions:Does this creator genuinely fit the brand?How do creators build memory, not just engagement?Why does emotion still outperform optimisation?What role do distinctive brand assets play in creator content?And how do we stop treating creator marketing like a casino?We also bring back another edition of The Buzz Cut, hearing directly from marketers around the world, including Lauren Anderson (Amazon Ads), David Tiltman (WARC), Reno from Nikkei, and Vinnie from Leo São Paulo, sharing what's capturing their attention halfway through Cannes.In this episode:Highlights from System1's Stars of the ShowAndrew Tindall on the Creator Effectiveness PlaybookWhy only a small minority of creator campaigns drive real growthWhy brand fit matters more than follower countPinterest's positioning around quality engagementWhy AI feels more like infrastructure than the headline storyThe latest perspectives from marketers across the CroisetteThe rosé can wait. Our questions can't.Chapters00:00 Introduction03:04 Insights from System1's Baoli Event05:54 The Role of Creators in Sports09:01 Pinterest's Marketing Strategy and Insights11:50 The Current State of Creative Effectiveness14:55 The Importance of Emotion in Advertising18:11 The Evolving Role of Content Creators21:03 Key Findings from the Creator Effectiveness Playbook25:21 The Role of Emotion in Branding29:08 Effective Briefing for Creators30:34 Understanding Distinctive Brand Assets32:17 Leveraging Social Devices in Marketing35:08 Insights from Amazon's Brand Activation38:35 The Evolution of Cannes Lions Festival43:11 Creative Impact and Effectiveness47:13 The Value of Attending Cannes Lions

This episode has been presented by System1.Everyone talks about the full funnel. Amazon has actually built it. Day 2 of the Sleeping Barber's Cannes Cut takes Marc and V from the Amazon port activation, a full marina-length brand experience housing a cafe, a speakeasy, 30 meeting rooms, and a stage headlined by Shaquille O'Neal and Oprah, to a sit-down interview with Lauren Anderson, US Head of the Brand Innovation Lab.Lauren explains what the 'canvas' framing actually means for advertisers: not a menu of placements to check, but a working-backwards discipline from brand objectives through to seamless customer handoffs. The Hellman's 'Mayo for a Melody' campaign, extending the Andy Sandberg Super Bowl spot into a Fire TV karaoke experience with QR-enabled purchase, is the clearest case study of how awareness converts to action without the usual clunky hand-off between platform teams.The conversation also covers creator partnerships (co-collaborators, not billboards), the messy middle of measurement (experiential value is real but long-horizon), and why the Brand Innovation Lab's ethos is restraint: not throwing every part of the canvas at a brief, but identifying what's most fit for purpose.Buzz Cut guests from the catamaran round out the episode: Esther Benzi (CMA President), Zach Grossman (Director of Sales, TikTok Canada), Neil Mohan of ClickHealth, and Jeanette from Hashtag Paid, all weighing in on creativity, measurement, and what it actually feels like when AI takes the backseat at Cannes.Chapters00:00 - Cannes 2025, another look05:13 - Amazon's Brand Activation at Cannes10:03 - bInsights from the Boat: Networking and Learning11:43 - Lauren Anderson and The Role of the Brand Innovation Lab19:59 - Campaigns that Connect: Hellman's and More31:36 - Esther Benzie32:52 - Zack Grossman34:26 - Neil Mohan37:17 - Jeanette Rees

Cannes Lions 2026 Day 2: Google's Paul Limbey on AI Transformation, LinkedIn Creators & Heineken's Bronze LionOn day two at Cannes Lions 2026 (Tuesday, 23 June), host Conor Byrne recaps a busy schedule at Brand Tech Beach, including an interview with Natasha Wallace to be released later in the summer with The Digital Voice. He doorstops Google's Paul Limbey, who warns against the “double shift” of giving top performers both day jobs and transformation work, highlights the rise of forward-deployed roles backed by major programs from Google Cloud, Anthropic and OpenAI, and explains his upcoming leadership fable The Frog in a Sock (out early July) about organizational constraints like workflows, approvals and pilot obsession; he also argues for product-minded scaling, better performance metrics for transformation, and repeated communication. At the System1 party, Conor discusses talks from Andrew Tindall, Mark Ritson and Jon Evans, chats with creator Henry about high-effort LinkedIn video, and interviews Jon Evans on going full-time with Uncensored CMO. Fiona shares Heineken Ireland's Bronze Lion wins for The Pub That Refused To Die, while Digital Voice street interviews cover AI, retail media, and creators seeking long-term brand partnerships.00:00 Day Two Kickoff01:02 Paul Limbey from google01:28 Ending The Double Shift05:00 Frog In A Sock05:50 Scaling Beyond Pilots06:45 Performance And People08:07 Repeat To Lead Change09:31 System1 Party Recap10:35 Henry Hayes On LinkedIn Comedy14:45 Jon Evans Goes Solo20:54 Heinekens Bronze Lion with Fiona Curtin23:19 Croisette Street Interviews Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode has been presented by System1.What happens when Byron Sharp, Mark Ritson, System1, creators, AI, and Cannes Lions all collide on Day One?In the first edition of our Cannes Cut series, presented by System1, Marc and V unpack the biggest themes emerging from Cannes Lions 2026, including why creativity is increasingly being judged through the lens of effectiveness, why marketers may be spreading budgets too thin, and why some of the industry's biggest thinkers are converging on a surprisingly small set of principles.Along the way, the guys sit down with Vanessa Chin (SVP Marketing, System1) to discuss creativity, creators, celebrities, emotional advertising, AI-generated campaigns, and why happiness and humour continue to outperform serious purpose-driven work.They also hit the Croisette to capture perspectives from attendees, founders, creators, publishers, and marketers about the trends shaping Cannes this year.In this episode:Why effectiveness has become the dominant conversation at CannesDavid Tiltman's "Fewer, Bigger, Better" frameworkThe five things Byron Sharp and Mark Ritson agree onMental availability and why awareness isn't enoughDistinctive brand assets and why logos alone don't cut itWhy sophisticated mass marketing still mattersThe case against purpose-led marketingHow creators are becoming marketing "super touchpoints"Why funny advertising continues to outperform serious advertisingThe role AI is actually playing in modern creative developmentSights and sounds from the CroisettePlus: exclusive insights from Vanessa Chin and conversations with marketers attending Cannes from around the world.The Rosé can wait. The questions can't.In this episode:Why effectiveness has become the dominant conversation at CannesDavid Tiltman and WARC's "Fewer, Bigger, Better" frameworkThe five things Byron Sharp and Mark Ritson agree onMental availability and why awareness isn't enoughDistinctive brand assets and why logos alone don't cut itWhy sophisticated mass marketing still mattersThe case against purpose-led marketingHow creators are becoming marketing "super touchpoints"Why funny advertising continues to outperform serious advertisingThe role AI is actually playing in modern creative developmentSights and sounds from the CroisetteThe Rosé can wait. The questions can't.Chapters00:00 - Welcome to Cannes: The Excitement Begins02:53 - Insights from Industry Leaders06:06 - The Importance of Mental Availability08:52 - Distinctive Brand Assets and Their Impact12:09 - The Shift from Purpose to Emotion in Advertising14:59 - The Role of Celebrities in Marketing17:58 - The Power of Humour in Campaigns20:52 - The Future of Creators in Advertising23:48 - Final Thoughts and Key Takeaways27:25 - Conor Byrne, Exploring AI's Human Element30:03 - Alex, Insights from AI Central Media32:49 - Rachel Higgins, Connecting and Gaining Inspiration35:38 - Mariam Bebiashvili, Marketing Strategies and AI Integration

For years, Cannes Lions has been the home of creativity. This year, it feels like effectiveness is taking center stage.In this special Cannes preview edition of The Barber's Brief, Marc and Vassilis discuss what they're most excited to explore at Cannes Lions 2026.From the surprising reunion of Mark Ritson and Byron Sharp, to the growing influence of effectiveness research, creator marketing, AI, and measurement, this conversation explores the biggest questions facing modern marketers.The duo also shares details about their partnership with System1 and previews the conversations they'll be recording throughout the week with Orlando Wood, Andrew Tindall, Vanessa Chin, and many others.Plus, they break down one of last year's most creative Cannes winners: Hyundai's Night Fishing.In this episode:Why the Ritson & Sharp reunion mattersCan creativity still drive disproportionate growth?What happens to creativity in an AI-driven world?Are marketers measuring the wrong things?The difference between Cannes' Palais and the FringeWhat System1 is teaching marketers about effectivenessHyundai's Cannes-winning film experiment, Night FishingOh and our theme this year? The rosé can wait. The questions can't.Enjoy the episode.Chapters00:00 - The Excitement of Cannes Lions 202302:57 - The Power of Effectiveness in Marketing05:55 - Creativity vs. AI in Advertising09:10 - The Importance of Measurement in Marketing11:59 - Exploring the Cannes Fringe Festival15:07 - Ad of the week: Hyundai's Night Fishing Campaign20:07 - Looking Ahead: Customer JourneysAd of the weekTitle: Night Fishing Hyundai - 2025 Cannes Lions Grand Prix Winner Entertainment Link: https://www.innocean.com/ww-en/work/recent/944

I'm joined by Amelea Renshaw, Head of Strategy at Lucky Generals, NYC and Janni Widerholm, Head of Social and GCD at TBWA/Chiat/Day Los Angeles. As always, thanks to System1 and Tracksuit for making this On the Spot series possible.

Visuals: https://getbehindthebillboard.com/episode-110-btb-x-woo-conference In this special episode of Behind the Billboard, we're coming to you from the World Out of Home Organization's 2026 Congress in London - or, as the room has it, WOO! Recorded from a makeshift studio inside the Hilton on Park Lane, this episode captures the energy, ideas and occasional chaos of a global out-of-home industry gathering in full swing. Across a series of fast-paced conversations, Dan and Hugh welcome some of the most interesting voices in outdoor advertising, creativity, innovation and effectiveness. First up is Tim Bleakley, Chairman of the Ocean Group and board member of the World Out of Home Organization, who sets the scene for the Congress and makes a passionate case for creativity as the medium's greatest strength. They're then joined by multi-award-winning creative leader Katy Hopkins, who talks about the power of simplicity, spectacle and real-world experiences, from Birds Eye fish fingers to iconic special builds. James Murphy and Matthew Straker-Taylor from New Commercial Arts discuss outdoor's unique creative constraints, its ability to build brands with stature, and why the medium still has the power to become part of culture. Innovation director Dino Burbidge brings the tech perspective, exploring what happens when data, location and creative ideas come together - and why the best technology in out-of-home should feel like magic, not machinery. Mel Blood of Ocean Labs and Orlando Wood of System1 dig into emotional response, deep-screen technology, brand building and how digital out-of-home can create shared meaning in the real world. Finally, Neil Morris of Super Optimal joins the show to talk about creative effectiveness, the importance of design, and why bad outdoor ads waste real money - especially for smaller advertisers discovering the medium for the first time. Along the way, the guests share the billboards at the end of their streets, their favourite outdoor ads of all time, and their hopes for where the industry goes next. It's a lively, opinionated and inspiring snapshot of an industry thinking hard about creativity, technology, culture and the enduring power of being out there in the world.

Greg Hahn returns to the podcast to discuss the philosophy that has made Mischief one of the most talked-about agencies in the world.From Tubi's famous Super Bowl interruption campaign to turning around legacy brands like JCPenney, Greg explains why the biggest risk brands face today isn't failure, it's being ignored. We discuss how to create safe spaces for dangerous ideas, why AI risks making marketers more cautious, and the hidden cost of playing it safe.Greg also shares the traits of great CMOs, the future of agencies and pitching, the campaigns he's most proud of, and the advice he'd give to the next generation of creatives.Thanks for System1 for supporting the podcast: https://system1group.comTimestamps00:00 - Start01:43 - Who are Mischief and what do they stand for?04:26 - What would Greg Hahn's walk on track be?05:05 - How to make a safe space for dangerous ideas07:46 - Is AI making us play it safe?10:37 - What is the real cost of playing it safe?14:31 - The Mischief strategy behind Tubi16:20 - Tubi's famous Super Bowl interruption campaign17:20 - The reward prediction error theory22:16 - Turning around a large legacy business like JCPenney25:55 - The traits of a successful CMO28:06 - The JCPenney movie trailer30:16 - Goldfish Chilean Sea Bass campaign35:51 - Why Greg likes George Felix as a CMO37:09 - The work that Greg is most proud of38:03 - What does the future of pitching look like?40:50 - How much of Mischief's work comes from pitching42:13 - The future of social media43:17 - What other agency work is Greg envious of?45:03 - What would Greg do if he wasn't afraid?48:01 - What does the future creative agency look like?49:14 - What does the future CMO role look like?51:12 - What does Greg want to achieve next?53:29 - Greg's advice for young creatives54:25 - What's the best advice Greg Hahn has ever been given?56:59 - What content does Greg consume? - Post chat

George Felix, CMO of Chili's, joins us to tell the story behind one of the most impressive brand turnarounds of recent years. From iconic menu items like chips and salsa and the famous margarita to viral social media moments and creative partnerships, George explains how Chili's became culturally relevant again and reignited growth.Before Chili's, George played a key role in the legendary Old Spice turnaround, and in this episode he shares the lessons he's learned from transforming legacy brands. We discuss the power of nostalgia, making the most of your agency relationships, influencing product and pricing decisions, and why the customer experience often drives more value than advertising alone.Timestamps00:00:00 - Start00:02:07 - The famous Chili's chips and salsa00:03:39 - The famous Chili's margharita00:06:32 - Why Chili's has signature items00:08:01 - How Chili's became one of the biggest brand turnarounds in history00:10:51 - The importance of working with people you trust00:12:26 - George's role in the Old Spice turnaround00:18:10 - How to build the case for increased brand investment00:21:16 - The power of nostalgia for a legacy brand00:25:57 - How George pitched an idea to his creative agency and they bought it00:29:03 - The System1 data for the Chili's ad00:30:45 - Fostering a great client / agency relationship00:38:19 - How experience drives better ROI than marketing00:42:43 - The viral cheese pull trend00:45:45 - How can a brand create cultural relevance?00:48:45 - Chili's brand collaboration with Tecovas Boots00:51:19 - How George has influence over the Product “P” in marketing00:54:51 - How to leverage the Pricing “P”00:57:43 - The concept of “barbell pricing”01:00:27 - What is the most important attribute for a successful CMO?

Two of our most popular guests return for a conversation on what's gone wrong in modern marketing and how to fix it. Rory Sutherland and Tom Goodwin tackle everything from digital overload and bad choice architecture to the disappearance of taglines, long-term thinking, and genuine creativity.Expect behavioural science, contrarian thinking, and plenty of ideas that will make you rethink how marketing really works.Timestamps00:00:00 - Start00:01:31 - Digital overload - are consumers given too much choice?00:05:51 - The power of “Easter Egg Thinking”00:07:54 - Have hotels destroyed choice architecture?00:10:56 - More choice reduction failures00:14:46 - Do consumers need more choice?00:17:45 - How ad agencies can discover real insights00:19:21 - An idea to revolutionise Cannes00:20:49 - Why Rory and Tom think differently00:24:05 - What are the biggest marketing myths today00:30:41 - Fat tailed distribution - the Dulux Dog00:32:18 - Why we need to bring back the tagline00:35:17 - Are marketers too young?00:37:15 - The long term work only pays off after you're fired00:42:34 - How to we make companies look more long term?00:48:03 - Why people love Ryanair but hate BA00:49:09 - The role of surprise in advertising00:50:43 - Is marketing actually rather easy?01:00:49 - Is the advertising agency model broken?Thank you to our sponsor, System1: https://system1group.com/

Are you tired of the "feast or famine" cycle in your painting business? In this episode of the Pro Painters Playbook, the APPC team breaks down System #1: Lead Generation.Generating high-quality leads shouldn't be a guessing game. It requires a repeatable, scalable system that keeps your estimators busy and your schedule full year-round. We dive into the specific strategies that differentiate "hobbyists" from professional painting contractors who command high margins.In this video, you'll learn:The Lead Gen Blueprint: Why lead generation is the first of the Seven Core Systems.Quality vs. Quantity: How to attract the "right" customers who value quality over the lowest price.Marketing Channels that Scale: The difference between reactive and proactive lead generation.Closing the Loop: How this system feeds directly into your sales and estimating processes.Ready to grow? Download our "5 Keys for Growing Your Painting Business" here: https://www.paintersacademy.com/Join the Academy for Professional Painting Contractors and start building a business that works for you. www.paintersacademy.com#PaintingBusiness #LeadGeneration #PaintingContractor #ProPaintersPlaybook #BusinessSystems #MarketingForPainters #PaintersAcademy

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

Zena Arnold, CMO of Sephora, joins us to break down how one of the world's most influential beauty retailers continues to set the standard for brand, community, and culture.From standout branding to record-breaking product launches, Zena shares what's behind Sephora's success and how the business stays relentlessly close to its customers in a fast-moving category. We explore the rise of celebrity brands, the power of loyalty, and how Sephora works with creators through initiatives like the Sephora Squad.Thank you to our sponsor, System1: https://system1group.com/Timestamps00:00 - Start01:13 - Zena's incredible marketing career06:02 - Lessons that turned Zena into the marketer she is today07:41 - What has made Sephora so successful?10:01 - Why Sephora's branding stands out11:30 - What's trending in the beauty category in 2026?13:22 - How does Sephora stay close to the customer?14:45 - The biggest brand launch in Sephora history15:25 - How to pitch a beauty brand to Sephora18:00 - How important are celebrity brands?19:03 - Helping brands launch in Sephora21:00 - The power of Sephora's loyalty programme25:09 - How Sephora attract new customers27:02 - How Sephora uses creators effectively with the Sephora Squad29:45 - How to measure the effectiveness of creators31:12 - The exceptional advertising of Sephora32:49 - How Sephora uses tech in their marketing38:09 - Dealing with the speed of retail39:00 - Creating conditions where you can fail and learn

Nir Eyal returns to the podcast to discuss his latest book, Beyond Belief, and the powerful role belief plays in shaping our behaviour, relationships, and decisions.From the difference between fact, faith, and belief to the surprising ways our perceptions influence what we see, Nir explains how beliefs can be consciously changed and why doing so can transform everything from personal performance to company culture.We also explore the role of belief in branding, including how companies like Liquid Death use anticipation to disrupt entire categories, and why the most successful brands don't just sell products they shape what people believe.Thank you to System1 for sponsoring Uncensored CMO.https://system1group.com/Timestamps00:00 - Start01:44 - Why Nir wrote a book about belief?05:57 - How powerful can belief be?10:15 - Believing is seeing12:44 - The three powers of belief14:42 - The difference between fact, faith and belief16:05 - How belief can affect relationships17:10 - How to change your beliefs25:52 - How powerful can beliefs be?28:37 - The cautious power of placebo32:59 - Why Liquid Death used the power of anticipation to disrupt water35:59 - Why brand is so powerful37:40 - How our beliefs literally shape what we see39:42 - Why smart people are more unsuccessful41:59 - How beliefs can improve company culture42:57 - When should you quit?47:08 - Why labelling yourself can be self-limiting50:52 - How to build good beliefs

DescriptionYour media dashboard looks confident. Clicks up. Conversions tracked. Reach reported. But according to three years of evidence built on 1,265 global campaigns, that dashboard may be the single biggest obstacle standing between you and real business growth.Andrew Tindall is Chief Growth Officer at System1 and the author of The Creative Dividend, a landmark publication built on the Effie Awards global case library representing $139 billion in market share. His finding is blunt: the more short-term digital metrics you chase, the less profit and market share you report. Not because measurement is the problem, but because marketers have been measuring the wrong things and the platforms selling those metrics have every incentive to keep it that way.In this conversation, Marc and V dig into the data behind that claim: what Excess Share of Creativity (ESOC) actually measures and why it predicts profit growth exponentially, why all four dimensions of effective advertising: emotion, distinctiveness, showmanship, and consistency, are declining simultaneously, and why creator content outperformed TV as a builder of long-term brand demand in the research.If you've ever sat in a room where the digital dashboard was treated as gospel and felt something was off — this episode is the evidence you were looking for.Timestamps00:00: Introduction — The Wanamaker problem and why digital metrics created a vicious cycle11:35: Defending the research — methodology, the awards-database critique, and what the FE case library actually proves20:10: ESOC: Excess Share of Creativity — the new metric that pairs creative quality with media spend29:10: What marketers are actually measuring vs. what drives profit and market share35:50: The four creative qualities — emotion, distinctiveness, showmanship, consistency — and why all four are declining43:15: The non-negotiables — how to prioritise when budget is tight49:35: Super Touch Points and creators — why creator content beat TV for building future demand54:58: Closing — the one thing every marketer should take from The Creative DividendReferencesPrimary Source — Episode FocusTindall, A. (2026). The creative dividend: Advertising that pays back. System1 & Effie Worldwide. https://system1group.com/the-creative-dividendIPA Effectiveness ResearchBinet, L., & Field, P. (2013). The long and the short of it: Balancing short and long-term marketing strategies. Institute of Practitioners in Advertising.Field, P. (2019). The crisis in creative effectiveness. Institute of Practitioners in Advertising. https://ipa.co.uk/knowledge/publications-reports/the-crisis-in-creative-effectivenessField, P. (2016). Selling creativity short. Institute of Practitioners in Advertising.System1 ResearchWood, O. (2019). Lemon: How the advertising brain turned sour. Institute of Practitioners in Advertising.Agency EconomicsFarmer, M. (2019). Madison Avenue manslaughter: An inside view of fee-cutting clients, profit-hungry owners and declining ad agencies (3rd ed.). Lioncrest Publishing.Referenced in Discussion (Contextual)Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, fast and slow. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

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

In this episode, the "Godfather of Effectiveness" Peter Field joins the show to discuss why the pursuit of efficiency is making marketing less effective. He breaks down the "Triple Jeopardy" facing modern marketers: over-investing in the bottom of the funnel, producing dull rational creative, and purchasing low-attention media. Field provides an evidence-based case for why the industry must move away from CPM and toward "cost per attentive second" to drive real profitability.Key TakeawaysThe Triple Jeopardy: Effectiveness is being squeezed by three factors: a lack of brand investment, a decline in creative "magic," and the rise of low-attention media platforms.The 60% Waste: Choosing media based on low CPMs often results in zero attention, effectively wasting the majority of the investment.The One-Second Brand Fail: You cannot build brand memory or mental availability in one second.The Recession Playbook: Economic uncertainty is the best time to "go long" as media costs for brand building decrease, providing a massive competitive advantage for the recovery.The CFO Dialogue: Use evidence and case studies to prove that brand health is the primary driver of conversion efficiency.Guest BioPeter Field is a world-renowned marketing consultant and researcher. He is the co-author of several seminal works on marketing effectiveness, including The Long and Short of It and The Five Principles of Growth in B2B Marketing.Peter Field on LinkedInTimestamps00:04 – The Rant: Stop buying on CPM.04:11 – Defining the Triple Jeopardy of Media.08:44 – Why "going short" in a recession is the riskiest move.15:30 – The "Science-ification" of creative and why it's failing.22:07 – Why CPM is a "bad drug."31:15 – The difference between "Active" and "Passive" attention.42:10 – How to talk to your CFO about brand investment.51:21 – Closing thoughts: Fixing the number one problem in media.Reference LinksBinet, L., & Field, P. (2013). The Long and the Short of It: Balancing Short and Long-Term Marketing Strategies. Institute of Practitioners in Advertising.Field, P. (2024). The Cost of Dull: How boring advertising is costing brands billions. eatbigfish & System1.Field, P., & Binet, L. (2021). The 5 Principles of Growth in B2B Marketing. LinkedIn B2B Institute.Field, P., & Nelson-Field, K. (2022). The Triple Jeopardy of Attention. Amplified Intelligence.Trading Economics. (2026). Canada Consumer Confidence Index. Retrieved from https://tradingeconomics.com/canada/consumer-confidence

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

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