In Clear Focus

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Matthew Herbert, co-founder and co-CEO of SaaS research platform Tracksuit , discusses measuring brand awareness and marketing effectiveness, building on insights from co-founder James Hurman's presentation, "The Awareness Advantage" at Cannes Lions last week. Matt shares advice on balancing brand building with performance marketing and suggests key metrics for product launches. He...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: In this week's episode, guest Priscilla McKinney, CEO of Little Bird Marketing and the author of " Collaboration is the New Competition ," shares her insights on shifting mindsets in marketing and advertising. Learn about Priscilla's proven framework for successful collaboration and the concept of "itchy backs," illustrated with real-world examples. Discover how to identify opportu...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Guest Matt Swalley, co-founder and Chief Business Officer at Omneky , discusses his AI-driven advertising technology startup. Matt explains how Omneky's platform leverages AI and computer vision to generate and optimize personalized digital ad creative at scale, showcasing several client success stories. Matt also discusses the future of AI in advertising, provides practical advice...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Kathy Guzmán Galloway, a seasoned CPG strategist known to her clients as The Clarity Wizard , shares insights on her unique brand positioning framework and the impact of consumer research on effective brand strategy. Kathy discusses the role of multicultural marketing in brand positioning and future trends shaping the CPG space. Learn how brand positioning can help tell compelling...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Jim Pietruszynski, the CEO of the Chicago-based branding agency Soulsight , explains how to uncover and leverage the hidden, emotional drivers of consumer behavior. With over three decades of experience working with iconic CPG brands, including Nike, Campbell's, and Coors, Jim shares his expertise on some of the ways brands can understand the powerful emotions that drive consumer c...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Our guest this week is Cody Schneider, the co-founder and CEO of Swell AI . Cody discusses how AI is revolutionizing content creation and marketing and explains how Swell AI's platform automates workflows, repurposes content, and streamlines distribution. Cody believes businesses must become media companies, using interviews and AI tools to build trust and drive discovery, and shar...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Guest Dr. Anastasia Kārkliņa Gabriel is the author of " Cultural Intelligence for Marketers ." Anastasia shares her insights on building inclusive marketing strategies through "the four Cs" of cultural intelligence: culture, communication, critical consciousness, and community. We discuss moving from performative to genuine inclusivity, examining DTC brand Billie and Dove's "Real B...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Guests Nicole Munsey and Dana Keilman, co-founders of consumer insights consultancy Morning Light Strategy , discuss the largely untapped potential of the 50-plus market, which they characterize as "The NextGen Consumer." Debunking common myths and misconceptions about this audience, Dana and Nicole explain how their research identifies extended ecosystems of family decision-makers...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Guest Pat LaCroix discusses his career in advertising and the transition to brand-side roles with CVS Health and Bose. Today, Pat is the EVP of Strategic Partnerships at Seekr Technologies , an AI company that offers content evaluation solutions. Pat discusses how Seekr's AI platform analyzes brand safety and suitability for advertisers and, in this election year, explains Seekr's...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Guest Kate Wolff is CEO of Lupine Creative , co-chair of Do The WeRQ, and co-founder of LumiTerra. Kate shares how her career journey in advertising led her to establish Lupine Creative and co-found Do The WeRQ, an organization dedicated to increasing LGBTQIA+ representation in the industry. Kate also discusses the challenges of launching a new sustainable product, the LumiCup, and...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Matt Bourn and Sebastian Munden, authors of the new book, " Sustainable Advertising ," share insights on how agencies and brands can transition to more sustainable practices. Starting with a five-point action plan, our conversation also explores the role of strategy and research in developing sustainable advertising, and how agencies can evaluate partners' sustainability efforts. L...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Our guest this week is Jillian Gibbs, founder and CEO of Advertising Production Resources . Jillian discusses the changing landscape of video production and shares insights from her new book, "The Marketer's Guide to Creative Production." Addressing how brands can improve their content creation processes and implement more sustainable techniques, we also discuss the first Productio...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Our guest this week is Jack Shannon, co-founder and CEO of Recess , a platform reimagining sampling for consumer packaged goods brands. Jack shares the platform's evolution and explains how Recess connects brands with experiential marketing events across a broad range of venues, driving targeted and measurable activations. We dive into Recess's targeting capabilities, integration w...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Olivia Scott and guests explore the Barbie movie's enduring impact, discussing its marketing strategies, brand collaborations, and cultural significance. Olivia, a UCF student interning with Bigeye's strategy team, discusses the film's exploration of femininity, empowerment, and brand collaborations. Bigeye team members Sandra Marshall, Rhett Withey, and Savannah Santiago weigh in...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Kunle Campbell is the author of the Bigeye Book Club selection for March, " E-commerce Growth Strategy ," and co-founder of Octillion Capital Partners, a digital-first house of "good-for-you" CPG brands. Kunle discusses first principles in e-commerce, the significance of customer-centric strategies, and integrating customer feedback for improved online experiences. We also examine...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: AI pioneer Peter Voss discusses the evolution from "narrow AI" tools such as ChatGPT towards Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). Sharing his journey from engineer to AI innovator, Peter explains how his company, AIGO.ai , has developed a "chatbot with a brain." Hear how its cognitive AI, with advanced understanding and memory, revolutionizes customer service with hyper-personali...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Gabby Morris is an award-winning designer whose work inspires change. Currently the Regenerative Futures lecturer at Glasgow School of Art, Gabby describes recent projects , including an immersive experience called "Dish the Dirt" and her Kickstarter "Grounded Wisdom," a tarot-inspired card deck. Reflecting on her experiences, Gabby underscores the need for educational approaches t...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Our guest is Gina Perrelli, a retention marketing expert and the co-founder of Stay Ai , a subscription app for Shopify brands. Gina explains why she views subscriptions as a performance channel and how Stay's platform can help DTC marketers optimize their programs. Gina discusses changing customer expectations and the potential for subscription models across various product catego...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: This week's guests, Paul Randle and Alexis Eyre, discuss their book, "Sustainable Marketing: The Industry's Role in a Sustainable Future." They explain why it's imperative for marketers to shift from a focus on revenues toward balancing commercial, societal, and environmental goals. The authors also describe how their framework, the Sustainable Marketing Compass, can help brands an...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Ashley Stanford is EVP at digital ticketing solution TicketSocket and the Co-Founder of Ice Cream Social , an incentive-based social sharing platform. Our conversation reflects Ashley's 15-year career in digital marketing strategy. We discuss what being selected for the NBCUniversal Sports Tech Accelerator Program meant for Ice Cream Social's development, secrets of successful Infl...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Whitney Dunlap-Fowler shares her expertise in integrating cultural insights into consumer research. She discusses working with brands as a freelance strategist at Touch of Whit Creative , emphasizing the significance of understanding broad cultural forces and specific multicultural nuances influencing consumer behaviors and preferences. We also discuss the challenges and opportunit...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Award-winning marketer and entrepreneur Kim Lawton discusses marketing in regulated categories like alcohol and cannabis, highlighting state-specific regulations and compliance challenges. Kim describes the operational differences she faces as Chief Possibilities Officer at Inspira and CEO at Enthuse, focusing on marketing operations plus integrating technology and AI. We also disc...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: The first episode of our new season features Jarie Bolander , engineer-turned-marketer, entrepreneur, and author. Jarie discusses what he's dubbed "story-driven marketing," explaining the role and impact of stories in business. Jarie shares his journey from engineering to entrepreneurship, emphasizing the importance of narrative in marketing and communication. He also discusses how...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Jenny Li Fowler, Director of Social Media Strategy at MIT, discusses her new book, " Organic Social Media ." Jenny explains the differences between strategy and tactics, creating more effective organic social strategies and aligning social media with organizational goals. Jenny also shares practical advice for social media managers on audience engagement, platform selection, and co...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Applied behavioral economist Melina Palmer, CEO of The Brainy Business , discusses her new book, "The Truth About Pricing: How to Apply Behavioral Economics So Customers Buy." Melina shares her insights into pricing psychology and determining customer value, explaining perceived value, dynamic pricing, and the pitfalls of low pricing strategies. Learn effective pricing and the impa...