Brand Story

The future of content isn't just about new technology—it's about new conversations. William Mellis and Eric Markgraf share the vision behind Jupiter Festival and why they set out to create a new kind of gathering for the industry to learn, collaborate, and shape what's next. This is Brand Story, a podcast celebrating the stories of real people who are making an impact on brands, business, and the...

Great marketing isn't about saying more—it's about understanding more. In this episode, Diane DiCarlo shares why customer insight is a competitive advantage, how curiosity leads to better strategy, and what organizations can learn when they take the time to listen. This is Brand Story, a podcast celebrating the stories of real people who are making an impact on brands, business, and the world arou...

The best ideas don’t just capture attention — they create consequences. In this episode, Leeann Leahy shares why emotionally resonant work matters more than ever, how curiosity fuels creativity, and why agency culture should be built around people, not perks. This is Brand Story, a podcast celebrating the stories of real people who are making an impact on brands, business, and the world around the...

Building a business isn’t just about what you sell — it’s about what you believe. In this episode, Jim Campbell shares why purpose-driven work matters, how organic agriculture is reshaping the way people think about food, and what it looks like to build a company that puts people, animals, and the land first. This is Brand Story, a podcast celebrating the stories of real people who are making an i...

Great content doesn’t come from chasing perfection — it comes from creating something people can actually feel. In this episode, Darren Rayner shares how brands can build content systems that connect, why authenticity matters more than ever, and what it takes to stand out in a world flooded with content. This is Brand Story, a podcast celebrating the stories of real people who are making an impact...

Careers don’t always follow the path we expect. In this episode, Peter Santana reflects on leaving a stable executive role to pursue work driven by purpose, service, and growth. His story is a reminder that meaningful leadership often begins when we stop chasing the finished product and start embracing the process. This is Brand Story, a podcast celebrating the stories of real people who are makin...

Leadership isn’t about having it all figured out — it’s about staying relevant, embracing the mess, and protecting culture as you grow. In this episode, Carrie Willetts shares hard-earned lessons on leading at scale, integrating with empathy, and why confidence and community matter more than ever in healthcare. This is Brand Story, a podcast celebrating the stories of real people who are making an...

What happens when marketing becomes more automated, data-driven, and efficient — but less human? In episode 102 of Brand Story, we sit down with Rick Milenthal, Chairman, Founder, and CEO of The Shipyard, to explore why emotion still matters more than technology, how fear can hold brands back, and why understanding people is the key to building brands that last. This is Brand Story, a podcast cele...

In this highlight episode, we revisit some of our favorite moments from Season Five of Brand Story. The conversation reflects on what it takes to build brands people believe in, how marketers should think beyond surface-level metrics in a zero-click landscape, and what it means to lead creative work with intention. This is Brand Story, a podcast celebrating the stories of real people who are makin...

100 episodes in, one thing is clear: creativity is still human at its core. For our 100th episode, editor and educator Scott Witthaus returns to reflect on the creative industry, the importance of stepping away, the rise of AI, and why our humanity is still our greatest differentiator. This episode touches on finding clarity and inspiration outside of work, the danger of an “always-on” creative cu...

Data is everywhere. But making sense of it? That’s where the real work begins. In episode 99 of Brand Story, Laura Grover, Senior Vice President and Head of Client Solutions at EDO, Inc., shares why traditional metrics like reach and clicks don’t always tell the full story. She also discusses how AI is reshaping search and measurement, what marketers can learn from sports audiences, and why curios...

When creativity hits a wall, what keeps you moving? For creative director and educator Brian Thibodeau, it’s curiosity, empathy, and a relentless drive to connect. In episode 98 of Brand Story, he and host Steve Gilman explore how art, teaching, and storytelling fuel a creative life and how empathy helps drive good design. This is Brand Story, a podcast celebrating the stories of real people who a...

Here’s the truth about brand. It isn’t one-dimensional. The strongest brands create experiences across every sense, building memories that last long after a purchase. In episode 97 of Brand Story, Simon Hill, President, FutureBrand North America, shares how the best brands stand out in markets where products often look the same. We explore the frameworks FutureBrand uses to align leaders and globa...

Bad bosses are everywhere. We’ve all worked with them, and if we’re honest, we’ve all had moments where we’ve been them. In episode 96 of Brand Story, Mita Mallick, Wall Street Journal & USA Today Best Selling Author, returns to the podcast to talk about her new book, The Devil Emails at Midnight. We explore why toxic behaviors are so persistent in the workplace, how leaders can recognize when...

How do you stand out in a crowded market where products all look the same? By building a brand that’s authentic, consistent, and audience-first. In episode 95 of Brand Story, we speak with Phyllis Rothschild, CMO of Pete & Gerry's Organics, to explore how she helped turn a commodity into a mission-driven brand that people trust and stay loyal to. From redefining what loyalty really means to ba...

Toby Myles, Strategic Copywriter, knows the power of a good story, and she’s built her business on helping others tell theirs. In episode 94 of Brand Story, she talks about why storytelling is the most human (and effective) marketing tool we have and how to spot stories hiding in plain sight. From her Spoonful of Comfort email marketing story to her Core 8 Story Hub framework, Toby offers insight...

In episode 93 of Brand Story, we sit down with John McNeil, Founder & CEO of John McNeil Studio, for a candid conversation about what it really means to build a brand. From his early days in traditional agencies to pioneering the studio model, John shares how his team helps brands move beyond deliverables to a system where everything from strategy to media to brand experience works together. T...

In episode 92 of Brand Story, we welcome back Rand Fishkin, Cofounder & CEO of SparkToro, to talk about brand vs. algorithm, the value of real audience research, and the dangers of chasing attention without purpose. He shares the story behind SparkToro, why so many marketers don’t actually know their audience, and how optimizing for vanity metrics can lead you astray. This is Brand Story, a po...

In today’s digital landscape, marketers are being asked to do more with less—less clarity, less control, and often, less trust in what’s actually working. To explore this shift, we sat down with Rand Fishkin, Cofounder & CEO of SparkToro, to unpack what’s changing, what’s still true, and what marketers need to relearn to build brands that actually resonate. From zero-click search to the surpri...

What if happiness is the most powerful brand strategy no one’s paying attention to? Mark Lester, Co-Founder and CSO at Squint, joins us to talk about how brands can drive massive impact, not by leaning harder into industry claims or trend forecasts, but by reconnecting with something far more fundamental: joy. From reimagining Ollipop as a “happiness drink” to rebuilding brand trust one hike at a...

Creative leadership, brand strategy, and the future of the industry—Troy Hitch, Global Chief Creative Officer at RAPP, shares how he approaches it all. From empowering teams to rethinking the role of brand in an AI-driven world, episode 89 explores what it means to lead well and build work that resonates. This is Brand Story, a podcast celebrating the stories of real people who are making an impac...

Gina Grillo, President and CEO of The ADVERTISING Club of New York, joins us on episode 88 of Brand Story to talk about building community in advertising, staying relevant through change, and why it’s time to rethink who gets a seat at the table. From championing diversity to shaking up the ANDY Awards, Gina shares what it takes to lead with intention—and why bravery still matters in creative work...

What does it look like to lead with both intuition and intention? As Partner and Global Head of Design at Known, Aya Baeshean brings a fresh, fearless perspective to the world of branding. In episode 87 of Brand Story, Aya shares how her early experiences as a multicultural, multilingual child shaped her creative voice and ultimately her approach to leadership. She opens up about the power of imme...

Industrial design impacts our daily lives more than we realize. But what separates good design from great design? In episode 86 of Brand Story, we hear from Robert Brunner, Founder/Partner at Ammunition, about the philosophy behind creating industry-defining products. From game-changing innovations like Beats by Dre and Square to the balance of risk, creativity, and business strategy, we dive into...

In episode 85 of Brand Story, host Steve Gillman welcomes back Terry Szuplat, former speechwriter for President Obama and author of the award-winning book "Say It Well: Find Your Voice, Speak Your Mind, and Inspire Any Audience." Terry shares insights on the power of storytelling in leadership and communication, emphasizing how compelling narratives can drive connection and inspire action. He disc...