Good Company with Michael Kassan

McCann Worldgroup Global Creative Chairman Rob Reilly knows a thing or two about brand ideas that both stand the test of time and reinvent themselves for the cultural zeitgeist. His company did, after all, put the “Fearless Girl” in front of the New York Stock Exchange and help Mastercard evolve its “Priceless” campaign with a feature for transgender and nonbinary people to use their chosen name o...

Applebee’s President John Cywinski likens the early days of the pandemic to the terror of an aborted mission: “We literally woke up in the middle of March having to Apollo 13 the whole thing.” In this episode, we talk to the casual dining executive – whose company enjoyed a significant bounce back in Q3 despite being in one of the hardest hit categories – about the long road back to business after...

Legendary investor Alan Patricof and wellness entrepreneur Abby Miller Levy have teamed up on a new venture, Primetime Partners, that’s focused on investments in products, services, technologies and experiences for a wildly underserved cohort: older adults. In this episode, we sit down with the duo to discuss why they’re betting big on a generation that controls 60% of our country’s net worth. Plu...

Recently dubbed “a calm voice in the political storm” by  Town&Country,  longtime political journalist Jessica Yellin is on a mission to banish disinformation with her Instagram-based news feed, #NewsNotNoise. In this episode, the former CNN Chief White House Correspondent discusses how she’s built and is catering to an audience that craves a different kind of news delivery – one that diverges...

This week on C-Inside: Holding Company Titans, we sit down with IPG Chairman and CEO Michael Roth. He fills us in on the holding company’s longstanding history of taking bold steps on diversity and inclusion efforts and his advice for making an impact that focuses on action over talk. Plus, we hear his prognosis for consolidation in the ad industry, why he’s betting on the company’s deal to acquir...

This week on C-Inside: Holding Company Titans, we talk to WPP CEO Mark Read, who’s hitting his two-year milestone at the helm of the world’s largest advertising holding company. Mark fills us in on how he’s evolved the organization to fit what modern marketers want, from creativity to technology to simplicity; and why companies need to demonstrate purpose first through action before they can talk...

As Chief Non-Alcohol Beverage Officer, Lucas Herscovici leads a fast-growing category within Anheuser-Busch InBev, the largest brewer in the world. In this interview, Lucas discusses what’s behind the uptick in health and wellness-focused drinks, AB InBev’s plans for cannabis, and how it’s building a sustainable business. Plus, he shares how beverage consumption has changed during the pandemic and...

Prolific author and lauded  New Yorker  columnist Ken Auletta is known for his incredible ability to dig deeply into the stories of major public figures and media moguls. In this episode, we sit down with him to understand the magic behind his craft and share stories from some of his most fascinating interviews. We also get his prognosis on the ad and media businesses after writing  Frenemies  and...

In this episode, we sit down with Janet Fitzgerald, master instructor at SoulCycle beloved by Hollywood, and her confidante and fellow former instructor Eliza Cohen. They fill us in on turning their podcast,  Witch & Famous , into a docuseries that takes them on a journey across the country meeting with healers, psychics and spiritual teachers. Plus, hear their thoughts on the future of fitnes...

Todd Smith, the legendary hip hop artist, producer, actor, author and entrepreneur more commonly known as “LL Cool J,” is on a mission to pay homage to classic hip hop while bringing it into the future. In this interview, he talks to us about how he’s doing so through his Rock the Bells venture, a platform for fans to read, shop, listen, and find exclusive audio curated specifically around the gen...

As CEO Nancy Dubuc tells it, digital media company Vice Media   “has never been one to reflect culture, but one to make culture.” We sit down with her to discuss why the Vice brand is in such an influential position in the current moment, thanks to its core demographic – young people – and why honest, in-the-field journalism is more critical than ever. Plus, hear her take on issues like creating a...

Senator Nikema Williams of the Georgia State Senate is embarking on the ride of her career, launching a Congressional campaign to replace the late John Lewis. We sit down with her shortly after her announcement – the same day of the 55th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act – to hear her plans to champion mail-in voting and end voter suppression, as well as her goals to uplift the marginalized in...

This week in our new series, C-Inside: Holding Company Titans, we sit down with Mark Penn, President & Managing Partner of The Stagwell Group and Chairman & CEO of MDC Partners. Mark, whose experience and innovation in polling spans back decades, talks about the latest Harris Poll findings and how brands are faring in the COVID moment; as well as what’s behind the rise in image of American...

Welcome to a new series, C-Inside, where we take you inside the C-suite spanning the marketing and media landscape one segment at a time. Volume one focuses on reimagining the modern agency holding company in the 2020s. The top few holding companies collectively move a massive percentage of the flow of ad dollars through the $530 billion global ad market; and new entrants, fast-moving tech and cha...

In this special bonus episode, hear an important conversation on what the marketing, media and entertainment industries must do to put in place the long-term strategies required for systemic change. We’ll sit down with two tireless and passionate advocates for racial advancement, equality and justice: Steve Stoute, the founder and CEO of Translation and UnitedMasters, and Rita Ferro, the President...

As Chief Creative Officer of Friends at Work, Rob English sits at the intersection of management, entertainment and social impact, and has run creative direction for the likes for Lady Gaga and John Mayer. In this episode, we’ll dive into how he merges purpose with culture. Hear about Rob’s work with John Legend and Adam Levine for the infamous Super Bowl spot, “Stinky Booty Duty,” and why it reso...

In this episode, we’ll sit down with business luminaries exploring what the future might hold as we navigate the “transitional normal” together. Hear S4 Capital Executive Chairman Sir Martin Sorrell discuss a V-shaped recovery, Snap Chief Business Officer Jeremi Gorman on technology’s role in relief, Unilever Chief HR Officer Leena Nair on employee well-being and the World Health Organization Amba...

At 91 years young, legendary sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer is having an epic year. In this episode, we dive in to some of the highlights, like getting personal about her incredible life experiences with the release of the documentary  Ask Dr. Ruth  on Hulu, as well as an animated short to accompany her book,  Roller Coaster Grandma . Plus, hear what she thinks about the loneliness epidemic and...

Marketing, media, entertainment and tech are transforming rapidly. Join MediaLink’s Michael Kassan in the company of leaders building great companies from the ground up. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Chief Marketing Officer of Deloitte Digital, Alicia Hatch is on a mission to reorient the CMO role as the central point of leadership for customer-focused businesses. Tune in to hear how she feels CMOs can best leverage their superpowers, particularly when it comes to purpose and the sustainability of companies, as well as collecting “emotional data sets” to better connect with people. Note: In...

Carla Hassan, Citi’s Chief Brand Officer, knows a thing or two about strong leadership through difficult times. Hear why she decided to leave a comfortable, fulfilling job at Pepsi for the challenge of leading marketing at Toys “R” Us; and later, why Citi’s transparent stance around pay equity drew her to take the top brand role there. She also fills us in on the importance of being a decisive lea...

As a face of Facebook, the world’s largest social media platform’s VP of Global Marketing Solutions, Carolyn Everson, takes us inside her reality and what’s in her charge. Hear about how travel has changed the way she views what Facebook means to people in other parts of the world, and how it’s impacted her parenting. Plus, we discuss how Facebook handled the dramatic shift to mobile, the cultural...

Marc Pritchard helms marketing duties at the world’s largest advertiser, Procter & Gamble. In this episode, we’ll discuss how this powerful position has allowed P&G brands to change the narrative around topics that are important to its consumer base, such as gender quality (including how Always completely shifted the meaning of the phrase “Like a Girl.”) Plus, hear how P&G is preparing...