The B-side with James Barrow

Welcome back to  The B-Side with James Barrow . It’s been a minute, but I’m pumped to be back and diving into a new season of no-nonsense discussions on all things creativity, in all its forms. I’m excited about what’s coming for  The B-Side . Alongside my conversations with brilliant guests, I’ll be expanding the  Bites of Wisdom  section—sharing my own thoughts on creativity,...

Ever wonder how personal experiences fuel creativity? On episode 46 of The B-side with James Barrow podcast, I catch up with Jonathan Seidler, an author, creative director, and music critic who brings a fresh perspective on culture and mental health. He’s written for  The Guardian ,  Sydney Morning Herald , and  The Australian , and has a column for  Esquire  that dives in...

Ever wondered how advertising can drive real social change? On this episode 45 of the B-Side, I catch up with Simone Waugh, the Managing Director at Publicis Worldwide Australia. Simone is an industry powerhouse, all about using advertising to make a positive impact through the power of creativity. She's worked across a range of sectors including tourism, healthcare, education, and sports. She eve...

On episode 44 of the B-Side podcast, I catch up with Toby Aldred, the newly appointed Managing Director of Saatchi & Saatchi Australia and Chief Client Officer The Neighbourhood. With close to two decades worth of experience at two of the world's leading ad agencies, Saatchi & Saatchi and M&C Saatchi, in London and Sydney, Toby's insights on the business of creativity are remarkable. A...

Ever wondered what it takes to lead a cutting-edge post-production studio? On episode 43 of the B-Side, and the first for 2024, I speak to Will Alexander, the Co-Founder and Executive Producer of Heckler , one of APAC's leading design, VFX, and post-production houses. Heckler was founded in 2010, with studios in the iconic Paramount Building in Surry Hills, Sydney, and the vibrant TALOK AYER STREE...

How does prompt engineering, sports coaching, and driving ROI intersect with media communications? On episode 42 of The B-side with James Barrow podcast I chat with Jason Tonelli, CEO of Zenith Australia. Jason brings over two decades of profound expertise in media, technology, and advertising to our conversation. His career path weaves through pivotal roles, from driving digital marketing revolut...

How can we strike the right balance between business smarts and creative freedom to drive brand success? In this episode of the b-side, I sit down with Simon Brock , a digitally-native creative and agency leader who's reshaping the advertising world by serving as both the ECD (Executive Creative Director) and Managing Director at Digitas ANZ, effectively bridging the gap between traditional roles....

How can creative strategy, curiosity, and courage drive brand success in today's marketing landscape? In Episode 40 of the B-Side, I speak with Catherine King , Chief Strategy Officer at Leo Burnett Australia . With over two decades of industry experience, Catherine's journey is remarkable. From her Western Sydney roots, influenced by a Taiwanese mother and a Scottish father, to her diverse career...

In the weeks ahead, I invite you to revisit some past episodes. Taking this time to reflect allows us to gauge their relevance in today's world. One of these episodes, from Episode 18 of The B-side, features a captivating conversation with Tyson Yunkaporta—an academic, art critic, researcher, and author from the Apalech Clan in far north Queensland. Tyson delves into indigenous wisdom and knowledg...

How can we craft connected customer experiences in an increasingly fragmented media landscape? In episode 38 of the B-side, I had the privilege of speaking with Patrick Rowe, CEO of Saatchi and Saatchi Australia. Patrick is a creative agency leader with a proven track record of building high-performance agencies that deliver impactful, award-winning work. With over 20 years as a senior member of t...

How can we use creativity to drive sustainability action on a global scale? On the latest episode of The B-Side with James Barrow - the first for 2023, I had the pleasure of chatting with Mike Spirkovski, the former chief creative officer of Saatchi & Saatchi Australia. He is now the co-founder of Rethink Everything, a creative company that solves complex business problems by integrating creat...

Get ready for a knock-out episode of the B-side! On episode 36, we're sitting down with Australian boxing legend Nader Hamdan. Once ranked No.2 in the world behind Oscar De La Hoya in 2003, Nader has fought some of the biggest names in the sport, including Anthony Mundine, Arthur Abraham, Sam Soliman, and John Wayne Parr. But Nader's not just a one-trick pony, he's also thrown his gloves into the...

Get ready to jam out to some big ideas on episode 35 of the B-side! We're hanging out with Rob Campbell, Chief Strategy Officer of Colenso BBDO NZ, Aotearoa. Rob is a creative badass - an ex-rockstar turned ad guru who knows that pushing boundaries and tapping into the power of culture, creativity, and chaos is essential for creating effective and impactful advertising campaigns. He's worked with...

Can robots really be creative? In episode 34 of the B-side, I speak to Richard Savery, a developer of artificial intelligence and robotics, who is trying to find answers to this question and many more through music and creativity. He is a Research Fellow at Macquarie University, developing new robotic musicians, like Shimon, a freestyle rapping, singing, jazz improvising, and marimba playing robot...

Why aren’t there more creative voices in politics and what will it take to shake up the status quo? Episode 33 of the B-side is an Australian federal election edition featuring Jane Caro. An Award winning Australian columnist, author, novelist, broadcaster, documentary maker, feminist, social commentator, and advertising luminary who’s running for a seat in the senate representing the Reason party...

How can we be better listeners, and what's the difference between active and deep listening? On episode 32 of The B-side, I speak to Oscar Trimboli, a global expert on listening, author, host of the Apple award-winning podcast Deep Listening and a sought-after keynote speaker. He is a marketing and technology industry veteran, having worked for Microsoft, PeopleSoft, Polycom, and Vodafone. He...

Can graffiti writing and hip-hop be used as a force for good? On Episode 31 of the B-side, I speak to Matthew Peet, aka Mistery, one of Australia's most long-standing, influential, and prolific graffiti writers and a pioneer of hip-hop culture down under. Matt has been spraying walls, striking B-boy stances, spitting knowledge, and spreading the good word since the 80s. His work can be seen t...

What does innovation in the retail space look like? And how can we develop more impactful customer experiences? Hello and welcome to episode 30 of the B-side and our first episode for 2022. I'm kicking off the year with an awesome chat with Matt Newell, CEO and founder of The General store. Matt's journey started out with a degree in music and dreams of making it on the big stage. But wi...

Some scientists believe water is conducive to creativity. I test this theory on Episode 29 of the B-side by jumping onto a boat and heading out into unscripted waters with award-winning Australian Photographer Ali Nasseri and Chief Marketing Officer Sophie Paulin. Ali is a qualified lawyer who ditched the courtroom for a camera to become a commercial photographer working with some of the world&apo...

What does it take to lead the merger of two agency brands into one culturally aligned and growing business force that has quickly become one of Australia's leading media agencies? On Episode 28 of the B-side, I speak to Imogen Hewitt, CEO of Spark Foundry Australia, one of the world's leading media agencies and part of the Publicis network. Imogen has spent the last 20 years learning and...

How do you create a brand that could outlast you? On episode 27 of the B-side, I speak to Joe Carter, Co-Founder of The Ironclad Pan Company - the only cast iron cookware made in Aotearoa, New Zealand, with a Three Generation Guarantee. Before dedicating 100% of his efforts to Ironclad, Joe worked in a variety of roles at some of the worlds most creative publishers and ad agencies like Contagious...

“We have two ears, two eyes, and one mouth, and we should use them in that ratio” is a quote attributed to Greek philosopher Epictetus. On episode 26 of the B-side I speak to a man who epitomises that saying, in Simon Lister, an internationally recognised photographer and highly awarded audio engineer based in Sydney, Australia. Simon is the co-founder and executive creative director of Squeak E....

What are the challenges faced by creative leaders in this volatile post-covid 19 world? And what really goes on in the C-suite of an ad agency?  In Episode 25 of the B-side, I speak to Mike Spirkovski – affectionately known as 'Spirko' – Chief Creative Officer of Saatchi & Saatchi Australia. He sits on the Saatchi & Saatchi Worldwide Creative Board and the Worldwide Toyota Creati...

How can you become a more persuasive writer and public speaker, and what are the most powerful ways to convince others to champion your cause? In Episode 24 of the B-side, I speak to Mr Nyunngai Warren Mundine AO. An Australian Aboriginal leader, businessman, political strategist, media commentator, author, and advocate for empowering Aboriginal Australians in building businesses and sustainable e...

Has the advertising industry been so busy trying to save the world, that it has lost sight of its commercial purpose? I’m kicking the year off with what many believe is one of the major problems plaguing the advertising industry, a creative effectiveness crisis. And I had the great pleasure of discussing the issue with one of my favourite advertising thought leaders, Mr Steve Harrison. Steve Harri...