Ahead of the Game

Search is changing faster than most marketers realize.  In this episode,  Will Francis  speaks with  Crystal Carter , Head of AI Search and SEO Communications at Wix Studio, a role focused on helping brands understand how AI-powered search is reshaping online visibility and discovery. They discuss the rise of AI search, the growing role of AI agents, and what these changes mean for brands trying t...

What does “responsible AI” look like in practice? In one of our most engaging episodes of the year, host  Will Francis  speaks with   Gordon Ryan , Senior Managing Consultant and Design Process Lead at Sopra Steria, about the growing impact of AI on work, business, and society, and the hidden trade-offs behind its adoption.  From the future of design and marketing to productivity and identity, Gor...

Ever wondered what really makes social content go viral? In this episode of the DMI podcast, host Will Francis speaks with Stuart Larkin about viral social campaigns, creativity on social media, and why “going viral” is rarely the right starting point for a brand strategy. Drawing on his background in comedy writing and his work at UNILAD creating reactive, social-first content, Stuart explains ho...

Wondering how AI is changing the hiring process? In this episode of the DMI podcast, host  ⁠Will Francis ⁠ speaks with  Katie Fortunato , Co-Founder and EVP of Innovation and Platform Strategy at Hire Innovations, about how AI is transforming recruitment, reshaping the job market, and creating new opportunities and challenges for employers and job seekers alike.  Katie shares insights from the fro...

Ever wondered how fast fashion brands tackle sustainability? In this episode of the DMI podcast, host  ⁠Will Francis ⁠ speaks with ⁠ Sarah Whittaker⁠ , Head of Sustainability Communications at Primark, about how one of the world’s largest fashion retailers is navigating the challenge of becoming more sustainable while maintaining affordability at scale.  From addressing common misconceptions aroun...

In this special episode of the DMI Podcast for International Women’s Day, host  Taz Kelleher  speaks with  Areej AbuAli , founder of  Women in Tech SEO , and  Maeve Kneafsey , entrepreneur, host of the  Transform Gov podcast , and long-time leader in digital and public sector innovation.    They share practical lessons from building communities, scaling businesses, securing funding, and leading wi...

Not getting the results you used to from your paid search? In this episode of the DMI podcast, host  Will Francis  speaks with PPC specialist Cathal Melinn about the current state and future of pay-per-click advertising. With rising costs, AI-driven automation, and new campaign types like Demand Gen reshaping advertising, Cathal shares what’s actually delivering results right now, and what markete...

Worried about your organisation’s security, or not worried enough?  In this episode of the DMI podcast, host  Will Francis  speaks with ⁠⁠ Rebecca Robinson ⁠⁠, cybersecurity expert and founder of ⁠⁠ Cybec Consulting ⁠⁠. Rebecca breaks down why cybersecurity isn’t just an IT issue, but a business, brand, and marketing issue too.   From phishing and social engineering to ransomware and reputation ri...

A new year is here, and 2026 brings a new wave of marketing predictions.  In our most anticipated episode of the year, the 2026 Trends edition of Ahead of the Game, DMI podcast host  Will Francis  explores the biggest changes, challenges, and opportunities facing marketers in the year ahead.  As expected, AI dominates the conversation, but not in isolation. Across ecommerce, social media, youth ma...

How do you build a media plan for a region where social usage is among the highest in the world? In this episode of the DMI podcast, host ⁠ Will Francis⁠ speaks with ⁠Ibrahim Jabri ⁠, Client Solutions at Meta and host of the Below the Fold podcast , about what makes media planning across MENA so distinct right now. Ibrahim breaks down how the region has vastly increased its digital budget allocati...

Finding it difficult to navigate the changing landscape of data protection? In this episode of the DMI podcast, host  Will Francis  speaks with  Steven Roberts , Group Head of Marketing at Griffith College, Chartered Director, certified Data Protection Officer, and long-time marketing leader. Steven demystifies GDPR, AI governance, and the rapidly evolving regulatory environment that marketers mus...

Ever wondered what it’s like to be a luxury hotel marketer? In this episode of the DMI Podcast, host ⁠⁠ Will Francis⁠⁠ speaks with Mary Beth O’Connor , an experienced hospitality marketing professional whose career has taken her from international sales to Director of Sales & Marketing at the legendary Pierre Hotel in New York City. Mary Beth shares insider perspectives on how hotels and resor...

How often do innovators ask themselves if someone really needs their products? In this episode of the DMI podcast, host Will Francis speaks with Laurier Mandin , founder of Graphos Product and author of I Need That. With over 30 years helping innovators bring ideas to life, Laurier reveals how brands can turn customer wants into needs by focusing on empathy, validation, and true problem-solving. ...

What’s the key to turning research into lasting brand growth? In this episode of the DMI podcast, host ⁠ Will Francis ⁠ speaks with ⁠ Heather O’Shea ⁠, Chief Research Officer at Alter Agents. With a career spanning Snapchat, Twitter, and Kantar, Heather shares her expertise on consumer insights, research methods, and how brands can better understand their audiences. She explores how qualitative an...

Looking for a new role and disheartened by the job market? In this episode of the DMI podcast, host ⁠⁠ Will Francis ⁠⁠ chats with ⁠Terry Payne⁠⁠ of Aspire Recruitment and Executive Edge about the findings from Aspire’s recent report on digital marketing salaries across 5 different territories. They get stuck into how the job market has shifted at every level, from the decline in entry-level roles...

In this episode of the DMI podcast, host Will Francis speaks with Faisal Laljee , entrepreneur and growth strategist, about the intersection of entrepreneurship and marketing. Faisal shares his insights on risk-taking, growth hacking, customer acquisition, and building brands that last. From the importance of testing ideas early to the realities of startup funding, he explains how marketers and en...

In this episode of the DMI podcast, host ⁠⁠Will Francis ⁠⁠ speaks with ⁠⁠ Maurice Wheeler ⁠⁠, CEO of We Are Family , a specialist agency focused on research, strategy, and creative work for brands that market to children, teens, and families. Maurice shares how his agency helps household-name brands like Nickelodeon, Hasbro, and Moonbug understand rapidly shifting youth trends – from meme culture...

In this episode of the DMI podcast, host ⁠⁠ Will Francis ⁠⁠ chats with ⁠⁠Dikshant Dave ⁠⁠, CEO of Zigment, about the fast-evolving world of agentic AI — autonomous AI agents that execute multi-step marketing and sales tasks. Dikshant shares how agentic AI goes beyond basic automation to adapt, personalize, and optimize customer engagement in real time. He explains how this shift is affecting marke...

In this episode of the DMI podcast, host ⁠⁠ Will Francis⁠⁠ speaks with ⁠ Jim Lecinski ⁠⁠, marketing professor at Northwestern University, Kellogg and co-author of The AI Marketing Canvas . Together, they explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping marketing — from reducing cycle times and boosting productivity to transforming how marketers plan, execute, and measure campaigns. Jim demystifies...

In the second part of our influencer marketing series, we shift focus from the marketer to the creator. Host ⁠ ⁠⁠Will Francis⁠⁠ ⁠ chats with ⁠Ben Kaluza⁠ , a former Twitch ad ops professional turned full-time content creator. Ben shares his candid journey into content creation—from gaming streams and OBS tutorials to building a trusted multi-platform presence across TikTok, YouTube, and LinkedIn....

On the DMI podcast, we're devoting the next 2 episodes to going deep into influencer marketing. First from the marketer's viewpoint and then from the creator's. In this first episode host ⁠ Will Francis ⁠ chats with ⁠ Sarah Adam ⁠, Head of Partnerships and Influencer Marketing at ⁠ Wix ⁠. Sarah shares a behind-the-scenes look at how Wix has navigated the branding challenge of launching...

In this episode of the DMI podcast, host ⁠ Will Francis⁠ speaks with ⁠ Mark Kilens ⁠, CEO and co-founder of ⁠ Tack⁠ , a community and consultancy focused on helping companies go to market. Mark shares a fresh perspective on how go-to-market strategies must evolve by putting people, not companies, at the heart of everything. From building trust to leveraging networks over traditional channels, Mark...

In this episode of the DMI podcast, host ⁠ Will Francis ⁠ speaks with ⁠Laura Costello⁠, Head of Sustainability and Planet Services at youth agency ⁠ Thinkhouse⁠ , as well as Ireland lead at ⁠ Purpose Disruptors ⁠. Starting with having Ben & Jerry's as her first client, Laura shares her deep understanding of how marketers can embrace sustainability, avoid greenwashing, and build authentic c...

In this episode of the DMI podcast, host Will Francis⁠⁠ speaks with Elizabeth Greene, co-founder of Junglr , a specialist agency for Amazon advertising. As someone who works in a niche world of Amazon ads, Elizabeth breaks down how they actually function within the wider Amazon ecosystem, and provides insightful tactics on how to use them effectively for business growth on the platform. Elizabeth&...

In this episode of the DMI podcast, host ⁠Will Francis⁠ sits down with Kineta Kelsall, founder of School of Social and LinkedIn trainer, to dive into the art of building genuine communities in social media. Kineta challenges the traditional notion of brand-centric marketing, emphasizing that true community is about creating spaces where like-minded people can connect authentically. She shares insi...