In Clear Focus

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Marc Robertz-Schwartz, author of " The RED APPLES Way ," explains why core values are a business's most durable competitive advantage. Drawing from 16 years of agency ownership, Marc reveals why companies get mission and vision backward. Discover the RED APPLES framework, learn how to build an employee-first culture that survives economic crashes and AI disruption, and find out why...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Alia J. Daniels, COO of Revry and President of PrismRiot , discusses the power of privacy-first advertising. She explains why reaching LGBTQ+ and multicultural consumers is a business imperative, not a charitable exercise. Discover the massive addressability gap in programmatic media, why Revry walked away from The Trade Desk to protect audience data, and how a privacy-by-design ex...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Adam Ortman, founder of Kinetic319 , explains why traditional media attribution is struggling in a fragmented world. He introduces the Marketing Efficiency Ratio (MER) as a powerful solution. Learn how comparing total business revenue against marketing spend provides a clearer view of overall health. Discover how to build "analytical surround sound" and use MER to confidently justi...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Our guest this week is Kamila Miller, author of " Data-Driven Marketing Strategy ." Kamila explains the critical difference between being "data-heavy" and truly data-driven, revealing how collecting data just to justify past decisions creates what she calls "sophisticated nonsense." Learn how to craft actionable personas, spot AI red flags, and use data-driven marketing to lower th...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Our guest this week is Jonathan Kazarian, the Founder and CEO of Accelevents. He explains why saturated digital channels make face-to-face connections more valuable than ever, arguing that a modern event strategy must be a long-term brand-building investment, not just a demand-generation tactic. Discover how to co-host field events, optimize registration experiences, and integrate...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: For the first episode of our 23rd season, creative executive and brand strategist Femi Corazon reveals how storytelling drives behavior change. She explains why facts fail to change minds because people act on identity, not just information. Discover the three elements of effective narratives and how to build true cultural resonance by turning insights into action. Plus, learn how...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Nik Hall of REViVE Marketing Partners explains why the era of keyword-stuffing on Amazon is over. He reveals how Amazon's AI shopping assistant, Rufus, is shifting product discovery from search volume to intent-driven conversation. Learn how to adapt your listings, why product quality and authentic reviews matter more than ever, and how to protect your brand's pricing integrity. Di...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Innovation expert Paul Sloane returns to discuss his new book, " The Art of Unexpected Solutions ." He explains why our obsession with certainty stifles creativity and how embracing serendipity sparks breakthroughs. Learn how to use lateral thinking to challenge assumptions, leverage "topical mischief" for PR wins, and identify outlier customers. Discover practical ways to break ou...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: John Gumas, President of Commit Agency, and originator of Challenger Brand Marketing ® explains how under-resourced companies can out-strategize industry giants. He reveals why guessing is the most dangerous mistake challenger brands make. Learn how the Discovery process can triangulate customers, stakeholders, and competitors to uncover the real reasons people buy. Hear a travel i...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Marketing strategist and consultant Rich M. Smith explains why many CEOs secretly distrust marketing and how to fix it. He reveals how applying behavioral science can decode consumer decisions and overcome executive cognitive biases like confirmation bias. Learn why startups face a traction problem, how to translate marketing metrics into "CEO-speak," and how a systematic approach...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Henry J. DeVries, author of " Persuade with a Story " explains why traditional business storytelling is broken. He reveals why your brand should act as the mentor, not the hero, while your client battles their "nemesis" problem. Discover the eight meta-story archetypes hardwired into the human brain to attract high-paying clients. Plus, learn how to build authority, close more deal...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Jackson Wightman, "Minister of Propaganda" at Proper Propaganda, explores the evolving landscape of tech PR. As AI and Large Language Models like ChatGPT replace traditional search, Jackson explains why performance marketing alone falls short. Discover how to optimize for Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), the rising importance of niche forums over tier-one media, and why brand...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Fab Giovanetti, author of this month's Bigeye Book Club selection, " The Customer-Driven Marketing Handbook ", explains why chasing quick wins hurts brands. She explores how customer-driven marketing shifts the focus from persuasion to relationship building. Discover the three pillars of trust, how to avoid the "privacy personalization paradox," and the power of shared rituals. Plu...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Gilad Bechar, founder and CEO of Moburst , explains why treating mobile as an afterthought costs brands growth. He discusses the shift to a mobile-first strategy, detailing how App Store Optimization outpaces traditional mobile marketing tactics. Gilad also explains why organic users retain at higher rates, how startups serve as testing labs for enterprise brands, and the ways AI i...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: This week's guest, international brand strategist Stef Hamerlinck, explores the resurgence of brand mascots. Supported by data revealing characters outperform logos, Stef shares his framework for assessing a mascot's effectiveness, based on distinctiveness, entertainment, and playability. He also explains how generative AI is democratizing character creation and why mascots need a...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: This week's guest, Pete Sena of The Resonance Studio , joins host Adrian Tennant to discuss the shift from demographics to what Pete calls "vibe marketing." Pete breaks down his V.I.B.E. framework: Velocity, Identity, Boundaryless, Emotion, and explains how AI acts as a creative sparring partner rather than a replacement. Listen and learn how to become a "Centaur marketer," drastic...

IN CLEAR FOCUS:  Professor Sarah Montano discusses her new book, " Retail Marketing: Contemporary Approaches to Retailing in the Digital and Experience Economy ." Sarah explains why brands must master "phygital" experiences and third place community building to survive. She explores the impact of the cost-of-living crisis, ethical consumption challenges, and success stories like Jellycat. Learn ho...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: George Swetlitz, co-founder of  RightResponse AI , reveals why more people read consumer reviews than visit websites. He discusses utilizing AI-powered reputation management to transform unstructured data into strategic intelligence that outperforms simple star ratings. Learn how personalized automation can triple review conversions, optimize multi-location operations, why "fake pe...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Strategic advertising executive Chantal Sagnes discusses the future of advertising and marketing agency leadership and her career spanning top agencies like GSD&M. She shares insights on transitioning from independent shops to global holding companies, the nuances of running high-stakes pitches, and her current role as a fractional Managing Director. Chantal also explores the "pitc...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Brand strategist John Elbing of Standpoint explains why people don't care about your story, they care about how you fit into theirs. John introduces his "Storybuilding" methodology, a canvas-based approach that helps companies find their foundational story before crafting marketing messages. He breaks down the three stages of encountering a brand—Recognition, Perception, and Projec...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: In our first episode of 2026, B2B marketer Devin Bramhall discusses why traditional content playbooks are failing. The former CEO of Animalz, Devin argues for a "human-centered" reset, moving away from keyword-stuffing and toward community-driven growth. Sharing insights from her new book, " B2B Content Marketing Strategy ," Devin details how to align message, messenger, and channe...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Guest Robyn Jackson Malone, CEO of RJ Communications , joins us to discuss the increasingly important role of trust in health communications. Robyn argues that brands have a responsibility to fill the widening information gap authentically. She critiques "window dressing" diversity efforts, advocates for genuine equity, and highlights the critical role of patient advocacy. We also...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Jean-Pierre Lacroix, co-founder of Shikatani Lacroix Design, and the author of " ThinkBlink Manifesto ," reveals why consumers decide emotionally and validate rationally. He explains the "BLINK Factor" and why incremental marketing fails. Jean-Pierre also outlines his seven-tenet framework for moving from features to feelings and building sustainable emotional brand advantages. Lea...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: In a zero-click world, reputation can shift instantly. Our guest, Kathleen Lucente, CEO of Red Fan Communications , reveals how to turn PR into a measurable revenue driver. She details the "crisis trinity" of speed, transparency, and messaging, and how to avoid the "announcement trap" during M&A. We discuss why brands need an authority reality check to survive in the AI era, and ho...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Our guest this week is strategy consultant Kyle Austin Young, who discusses his new book, " Success is a Numbers Game ." Kyle explains Probability Hacking: a framework to systematically de-risk goals. We also explore Kyle's 'Success Diagram,' discuss why "Bic For Her" pens failed, and hear how to use keyword research to validate market needs. Learn how to identify potential bad out...