Brand Collective

What does it take to keep a brand human-powered in a world driven by social algorithms? Rebecca Dye Yonushonis, CMO of New Belgium Brewing, joins us to talk about researching Gen Z consumer trends, leading with curiosity, and building a bold, human brand in a world run by metrics. Key Takeaways:  Rebecca explains how staying relentlessly curious and deeply in tune with consumer behavior helps New...

Kim Chappell knows firsthand that infant feeding is a journey. Bobbie’s mission is to unapologetically support parents — whether breastfeeding, bottle-feeding, or both — by normalizing the feeding experience and raising the nutritional standards. Hear how Kim helped build a brand centered on the parent experience through a mission-aligned team, thoughtful partnerships, and customer belovedness, al...

Jared Grawrock of Goodr talks about the benefits of unabashed authenticity in marketing, life, and self. Together we explore how staying true to your nature in marketing lends more weight and more satisfaction to everything you accomplish.  Key Takeaways:  We chat about how enabling authenticity empowers people to voice ideas that might otherwise be silent. We learn how outlining a clear end goal...

Dave Stangle is a self-described dog person. And so is the audience of BARK, where he’s VP of Brand Activation. Instead of sticking to the usual marketing playbook, BARK dove into what dog lovers truly crave and delivered with flair — think BARK Air and buzz-worthy campaigns. Dave’s insight? The real marketing magic lies in truly knowing your audience. It’s all about blending genuine understanding...

From micro-creators to global celebrities, content creators now drive major business. Amazon Europe’s Head of Creator Marketing and Head of Influencer BD talk about their roles in helping creators monetize and grow, discussing how authenticity and credibility remain at the heart of their success. Learn how being true to your niche leads to stronger, more engaged communities. Key Takeaways:  Find o...

Sarah "Val" Valente of Berklee College of Music talks about the importance of spotlighting student creativity and nurturing artistic growth when marketing creative institutions. Tune in as we chat about tailoring marketing to students and alumni, creating local creative ecosystems, and being in the business of supporting big dreams. Key Takeaways:  We talk about marketing tailored to creat...

In this special episode of the podcast, hosts Beth Bradley and Nick Ross speak with attendees live at ENGAGE, our annual customer conference. Tune in to hear some rapid fire takes on the best brand campaigns, the worst marketing buzzwords, and more! Key Takeaways:   Mark Mader, Smartsheet CEO, shares his favorite brand campaign (hint: this brand does very little marketing). Smartsheet customers s...

Chief Brand and Creative Officer Tim Hoppin discusses the evolution of SAP’s creative culture and brand during a multiyear transformation. We break down the difference between “brand” and “branding,” what it’s like to rebrand a 50-year-old company to stay relevant and modern, and why authenticity and human-centered creativity are more important than ever. Key Takeaways:  We chat about the vulnerab...

Introducing your new robot assistant. Brooklyn-based AI evangelist Michael Francello explores the ethical use of AI in marketing and how responsibly embracing tech advancements can propel society forward. Tune in to learn about creator consent, the ethics of language and image model training, and how to use AI to do more than just put a cat on a skateboard. Key Takeaways:  We chat about the rights...

Prepare to challenge assumptions about “Big Pharma” and clinical trials. Celerion Executive Director Angie Badgett offers a fresh perspective on marketing clinical research studies to the public. Angie discusses translating scientific terms, infusing regulatory compliance with creativity, and humanizing the pharmaceutical industry. Tune in to learn why you shouldn’t believe everything you see on N...

If you watched a Buzzfeed video between 2015 and 2019, chances are you’ll recognize Chantel Houston. Whether producing viral videos for some of the biggest entertainment brands on the internet or creating mission-driven content in her latest role as Content Director at Farm Sanctuary, Chantel has learned that the best work comes from following your passions. Each pivot in her career journey has ex...

  In a fast-paced, creative career like copywriting, you have to be able to think on your feet — a skill Winston Noel, Associate Creative Director at Ogilvy, first learned as an improv comedian. Offstage, saying “yes, and” to ideas and opportunities has been the cornerstone of his career journey. In this episode, Winston shares how he went from managing the Twitter account for “Dancing with the St...

Marketing in a sensitive industry like home healthcare can be a challenge, but for Sara Cook, Marketing Director of Brand Management and Content at Homecare Homebase (HCHB), the key is caring about what matters. Whether sitting side-by-side with doctors and nurses in her early days as a traveling implementation consultant or wrangling creatives in her current role, Sara lets empathy lead the way....

Not all journeys start with a glamorous destination — some start on Craigslist. For Dan Rosenbaum, Vice President of Global Marketing at San Francisco Travel, answering a Craigslist ad kicked off thirteen years (and counting) of innovative destination marketing. In the rise from social media manager to VP, Dan learned to seek out opportunities to expand his skillset. In this episode, he shares how...

You’ve probably heard the saying that life begins at the end of your comfort zone — and if you ask QDOBA Sr. Manager of National Marketing, Tara Lynch, it’s definitely true. After nearly five years working for big name agencies in New York, Tara moved across the country and eventually started a product marketing job in the food and beverage industry — one that turned out to be much different than...

Bridging the gap between the artistic aspects of marketing such as design and the harder skills like data analysis often feels scary and unnatural for creatives. But according to theater and improv student turned Cineverse SVP of Marketing, Lauren McCarthy, it’s all about finding the story. In this episode of the podcast, she shares how tying all marketing activities back to storytelling and appro...

 We’ve all heard about the importance of learning to say “no,” but what about the power of starting from “yes”? For photographer and content creator Aayushi Rana, saying “yes” to receiving her first DSLR camera, moving from Bangalore to London (Ontario, not England) at just 18 years old, and following a strong connection to the DECIEM brand led to her landing her dream job at the Ordinary. In this...

Few professionals experience career highs and lows as drastic as creatives who put their heart and soul into their work. Fortunately, Bob Bejan, Microsoft’s Corporate VP of Global Events, Production Studios & Marketing Community, has had a lot of highs — from turning the Ninja Turtles into rock stars (his voice may sound familiar to you) to signing a 5-picture interactive movie deal with Sony...

In this extra special mini episode, we are over the moon to introduce you to our new co-host, Beth Bradley. Beth joins us while our regular co-host, MacKenzie Koss, is on parental leave with her new baby boy. Take a listen to learn a little bit about Beth, her background in the marketing and creative space, and her history with our long time host, Nick Ross. Welcome to the Brand Collective Podcast...

Being discovered by Whole Foods at a local Farmer’s Market. Appearing on Shark Tank 9 months pregnant. Launching a rebrand during a global pandemic. Going viral on TikTok overnight. While any of these events may seem like a wild ride to most, for Texas-based mom of three and Poppi Co-founder Allison Ellsworth, it’s just another day in the life — and she thrives in the chaos. In this episode of the...

Most marketers and creatives work their entire lives in hopes of “going viral,” but for Senior Art Director Dan Meth, the phenomenon has become strangely familiar. So what’s his secret? As he puts it in this episode of the pod, “It’s fun or nothing.” After his first post-college gig creating a mural for the notorious Woodstock ‘99 festival, Dan turned his love of cartoons into a web animation care...

Nobody likes to be told “no” — which is why content producer Josh Shelton prefers to tell creatives “yes, and…” For Josh, solving problems within certain limitations is creatively liberating and has led to some of his best work. In this episode of the podcast (our very first with a producer!), Josh shares his experiences working on big movie sets with Steven Spielberg to filming cheese rolling dow...

Even if you don’t believe in kismet, it’s tough to deny that Chelsea Pyne was destined to be creative from the moment her graphic designer dad put her baby picture on the cover of his company’s software packaging. After a close call as a music producer, Chelsea landed her dream job at renowned media and production company SoulPancake, after which she went on to become senior visual designer for Go...

We’re excited to share this week’s special live episode from Smartsheet ENGAGE 2023! For the first time ever, we sat down with two guests from two different brands: Denise Southerland, VP of Operational Excellence at Bobbitt, and Lorit Queller, Content Development Manager at iS Clinical.  In this episode, we dive into the slew of similarities between two seemingly different marketing positions. De...

Even the best marketers would be nervous about furthering the creative vision and campaign success of a brand as memorable and beloved as Farmers Insurance (admit it, the jingle is already stuck in your head). But for self-proclaimed neophile Sia Spaulding, reimagining the tried and true is what advertising is all about — and there’s nothing more exhilarating. In this episode of the podcast, Sia d...