Second Wind by AKA

This episode of Second Wind breaks from our usual interviews to reflect on 2025 and the people who actually built reputation in the advertising industry. We introduce a set of intentionally made-up awards to recognize the agencies and marketers who stood out this year. The slow burns. The breakout hits. The teams that thrived in chaos. The ones who made invisible work visible. Along the way, we ta...

Xanthe Wells is VP of Global Creative at Pinterest, where she leads the House of Creative, recently named In-House Agency of the Year at the Gerety Awards. Before Pinterest, she led global creative for Google’s Pixel and Nest brands, earning a Cannes Grand Prix, a D&AD Black Pencil, and multiple Agency of the Year honors. Earlier in her career, she worked on Finding Nemo , The Incredibles , an...

Cindy Gallop built BBH US from a room with a phone. She became one of the most influential voices in advertising and then walked away with no job to go to. It was the best decision she ever made.   In this episode, Cindy talks about why a job is not the safe option and why placing your future in the hands of a corporation is more dangerous than betting on yourself. She explains the daily drip of m...

Billy Bohan Chinique, VP of Marketing and Digital Innovation at Virgin Voyages, joins us to talk about the future of travel, fashion, AI, and brand storytelling. He shares how he went from call-center sales to designing digital experiences, how he ended up styling Sir Richard Branson , and why showing up as your real self became an accelerant for his career. We get into Jen. AI , the Jennifer Lope...

John Schoolcraft helped turn Oatly from a quiet Swedish oat drink into one of the most talked-about brands on the planet. No marketing department. No traditional briefs. No safety nets. Just creativity, rebellion, and a CEO who let the work lead. In this conversation, John breaks down how he: • Killed the CMO role and replaced it with makers • Turned lawsuits into creative fuel • Used packaging as...

Nick Law explains the split that defines modern creativity. Inventive thinking and expressive thinking. How they collide, how they fail, and how the best teams make them work together. We cover his path from Australia to Pentagram to RGA to Accenture Song, the collapse of the old agency model, how platform culture reshapes craft, and what AI means for the next generation. A grounded conversation a...

Emmy-winning creative leader Danielle Hawley , Global Head of Creative and Brand at Uber , joins hosts Gully Flowers and Kerrie Finch to talk about leadership, trust, and creative evolution. From redefining Uber’s global voice to mentoring women in a male-dominated industry, Danielle shares how earning respect starts with generosity, not ego. She reflects on lessons from Microsoft’s Iron Man prost...

What if every great idea started with a song? Before writing a word or pitching a concept, Emmy-winning creative Jaime Robinson (Co-Founder and CCO of JOAN) finds a song that makes her feel exactly what she wants others to feel. In this episode, Jaime joins Gully Flowers and Kerrie Finch to talk about: Building JOAN into one of the most admired independent agencies in the world How emotion (not st...

He’s the mind behind Taste the Rainbow. The man who convinced Mars, Unilever, and half of Madison Avenue to take creative risks — and made the weirdest, funniest, most unforgettable ads in history. In this episode of Second Wind, Gully Flowers and Jake Neske sit down with Gerry Graf - founder of Barton F. Graf and SLAP Global, and the creative force behind Skittles Pinata , Starburst Little Lad ,...

Chapin Clark has seen the creative industry evolve from Flash microsites to AI-driven campaigns - and somehow, he’s kept the soul of it intact. In this conversation, the legendary voice behind R/GA’s Twitter talks about surviving 25 years inside one of the world’s most influential agencies, mentoring creatives like Paulie Dery, and finding the balance between craft and chaos in the digital age. It...

Jean Batthany led creative at two of the world’s biggest brands. In this episode, she talks about the tension between structure and imagination, and what it takes to keep creativity alive inside corporate systems. From navigating layers of approval to protecting the spark that makes ideas matter, Jean shares how she built cultures of trust, risk-taking, and empathy inside the world’s most complex...

Sadira Furlow’s career is a study in reinvention, from Pepsi’s viral Super Bowl moments ( Puppy Monkey Baby , anyone?) to leading global brand and communications at Tony’s Chocolonely. In this conversation, she joins Gully Flowers and Kerrie Finch to talk about trading scale for soul, humor as activism, and what it takes to make ethical storytelling irresistible. She opens up about: Her journey fr...

Fabio Ruffet leads some of the world’s most loved brands — including Twix, Snickers, and Mars’ global gum portfolio — but his creative journey started with a bold move: spending all he had on the fanciest envelopes in Argentina to land his first job. In this Second Wind conversation with Gully Flowers and Jake Neske, Fabio reflects on his path from agencies like Ogilvy and Havas to leading brand e...

In this episode of Second Wind , Wes ter Haar the Co-Founder of MediaMonks, reflects on how digital marketing has evolved, the role of AI in reshaping the industry, and why cultural values and leadership matter more than ever. From scaling MediaMonks from a local shop to a global powerhouse, to navigating today’s AI-driven transformation, Wes shares lessons on: Adapting to the shifting digital lan...

Greg Hahn - Chief Creative Officer and co-founder of Mischief - joins Second Wind to unpack the art of creating work that’s as fun as it is fearless. From his early days in psychology and journalism to leading one of the most awarded agencies in the world, Greg shares how Mischief built a culture where risk-taking thrives. In this episode, Greg reflects on: The journey from psychology to advertisi...

In this conversation, Gully Flowers interviews Diana, with Jake Neske perched off camera. Diana is a creative leader with extensive experience in both agency and brand environments. They discuss her journey from a designer to a creative director, the importance of creative briefs, and the evolving media landscape, particularly the impact of platforms like TikTok. Diana emphasizes the need for coll...

In this episode, Gully Flowers sits down with James Kuczynski, Global Senior Creative Director at Duolingo, to unpack how one of the world’s most recognizable brands keeps creativity playful—and performance high. From the viral “Dead Duo” campaign to the way Duolingo uses social media as a storytelling engine, James shares how fun fuels innovation, why risk is part of the job, and where he thinks...

Summary In this conversation, Gully Flowers talks to Joey Camire, CEO of Sylvain, who shares insights on creativity, conflict, and the importance of social responsibility in business. They discuss his journey from neuroscience to founding a strategy and design firm, the impact of high-profile projects, and the significance of B Corp certification. Joey emphasizes the need for diversity and inclusi...

In this episode, Gully Flowers and Jake Neske interview GMUNK AKA Bradley Munkowitz, a pioneering designer and artist known for his work in motion design, projection mapping, and augmented reality. GMUNK shares insights into his career journey, personal life, and the impact of AI on creativity. He discusses the importance of personal projects, the challenges of full spectrum photography, and his d...

Jake Neske and Gully Flowers, co-founders of Also Known As sat down with David Lee, Chief Creative Officer at Squarespace, live at SXSW in Austin to discuss the intersection of creativity, technology, and business. David shares insights from his career journey, emphasizing the importance of creativity in driving business success and the need for creatively trained individuals in leadership roles....

We had the pleasure of sitting down at SXSW with Paulie Dery, Chief Marketing Officer at AG1. Paulie shared his insights on brand building, the importance of knowing your audience, and the relationship between creativity and performance marketing. He discusses his journey from R/GA to Uber to Yeti and now AG1, the significance of community engagement. Dery emphasizes the need for brands to stay tr...

Peter Giorgi has led marketing for some of the world’s most recognized brands, from Bacardi to Celebrity Cruises, and now as SVP of Marketing at Rocket. LIVE from SXSW, he joins Second Wind to share what it really takes to lead with bravery and creativity in a world obsessed with data. In this conversation, Peter reflects on: Reinventing Bacardi while staying true to its heritage How Celebrity Cru...