Marketing, Machines & Mischief

Your favorite Marketing specialists dive into the biggest stories shaking up the marketing world: Polymarket faces a lawsuit over deceptive influencer tactics, with fake “winning” bet videos and undisclosed sponsorships under heavy scrutiny. Influencer marketing’s power keeps growing—now, more than one in four Americans discover products via influencers, outpacing even TV and radio, especially amo...

We break down down OpenAI’s debut at Cannes Lions and its bold ambitions to redefine the advertising business. We examine how the “time and materials” agency model is declared dead, dig into the ongoing saga of advertising transparency, and spotlight Sesame Street’s Count going undercover in an anti-scam campaign. Plus, we explore the creative genius behind logo “cover ups” at the upcoming FIFA Wo...

Get ready to be the smartest marketer in the room. In today’s episode, Matthew and Chris welcome special guest Jacob Hiler—a professor at Ohio University and pioneer of the Influencer 101 course—and his students’ BS Meters were off the charts! First, we explore DoorDash’s transformation into a global advertising powerhouse, and what it means for small businesses and the future of retail media. Nex...

Matthew and Chris dive into the high-stakes marketing juggernaut behind the upcoming release of Grand Theft Auto 6. Hear why even the world's most famous game franchise needs a massive push—and what that means for marketers everywhere. Then, the duo unpacks the FTC's latest crackdown on deceptive AI advertising practices, explores how "people like me" marketing is driving real cultural moments, an...

We’re serving you up a rapid-fire rundown of the hottest industry headlines, from Google’s game-changing AI ad formats to the rise of locally driven marketing in India. Dive into the seismic shift toward agentic advertising, where AI is poised to take the wheel on campaign creation and optimization. Plus, get inspired (and entertained) by creative brand storytelling—from a Waitrose ad that’s out o...

This week, Matthew and Chris tackle Tesla’s latest legal tangle over its “autopilot” claims, shine a spotlight on tobacco companies’ sneaky tactics to lure young users with kid-friendly nicotine pouches, and celebrate the rise of influencer marketing as a legit college course. Plus, stick around as they debut their own hilarious take on fake ads—from “Blue Sky Meth” to the relentless Acme Corporat...

Welcome back, marketers, influencers, and mischief-makers! In this week’s episode of "Marketing, Machines & Mischief," Matthew and Chris break down the biggest headlines shaking up the world of advertising. Meta is set to overtake Google in global ad revenue for the first time ever—find out what this milestone really means for brands and marketers. Then, we hit the East Coast, where Virginia B...

We break down the week’s wildest updates from the world of marketing. Get the first look at ChatGPT’s new AI ad platform – where $100 million flowed in just six weeks, but brands are keeping suspiciously quiet about their results. We also dive into the surprising resurrection of digital cookies, why OpenAI’s move might mean cookies are here to stay, and poke fun at X’s long-overdue ad manager upgr...

Your favorite marketing astronauts float into the rise of zero click marketing, dissect Duolingo’s shift from “unhinged” social media antics to a more wholesome approach, and react to the Cannes Lions Festival’s brand new AI Craft Award. Plus, don’t miss our spotlight on KFC Brazil’s finger-licking fashion statement and the surprising cultural journey of Nutella, all served up with a side of wit,...

In this action-packed episode, Matthew and Chris tackle the latest in marketing trends and industry shifts. They break down the rise of always-on A/B testing, Apple’s expansion of its ad platform under the new Apple Business, and the ongoing tension between privacy and advertising reach. Plus, Matthew unveils his latest book – White Hat Marketing: How to Succeed in Marketing, Advertising and Artif...

Buckle up, fellow marketing misfits! We’re taking streaming TV from the kids’ table to the sales funnel main course, and trust me, it gets messier than our coffee budget mid-campaign. We’re also dishing out the latest drama with WPP – because nothing screams PR like a 6,000-person game of corporate musical chairs. And if you thought AI was done taking over your playlists, Spotify is here to remind...

We take you on a whirlwind tour of the week’s most buzzworthy marketing happenings. In addition to Zuck’s “Rotisserie Oven Of Ai Advertising,” we dive into Australia’s bold move to restrict infant formula advertising, go behind the scenes on the skyrocketing growth of AI-driven ad spending, and break down Google’s latest core update – which is keeping content marketers on their toes. Plus, the spo...

This week, we dive into everything from the polarizing rise of AI in advertising to microtonal shifts in influencer marketing and the massive restructuring of ad giant WPP. Plus, we spotlight McDonald’s clever “horizontal breakfast” campaign and brilliant real-time ads from the Miami Open, before playing a round of “Wrong Answers Only” about face tattoos and brand logos. Whether you’re still dragg...

We kick things off with big news about Celsius and Rockstar Energy bringing their ad game in-house to gain speed and authenticity, and dig into why live sports are still the kingpins of ad-supported TV. No punches pulled as we tackle the age-old lesson that customer retention—not constant acquisition—is where brands actually make their easiest money. And for a dash of creative inspiration, Chris b...

From ChatGPT's slow but intentional rollout of its new ad capabilities, to Netflix experimenting with interactive and live ads, and even the rise of synthetic focus group testing – a trend your boss will soon be buzzing about – we’ve got you covered. It doesn’t stop there! We spotlight ingenious campaigns like Coinbase’s surprisingly analog Super Bowl ad, and unravel the weird, wonderful mysteries...

An up-and-coming AI platform promises to automate ad campaigns from start to finish, major US cities are spending millions to woo back Canadian tourists, and brands are kickstarting summer campaigns earlier than ever thanks to changing weather patterns. Along the way, Matthew and Chris spotlight campaigns that get it right—from Adidas’s fresh take on a 55-year-old sneaker to a tennis tournament co...

In today’s milestone episode, Matthew, Chris and guests Jason Alan Snyder and Heather Salkin dive into a future where artists and robots collaborate to reshape advertising. We kick things off by exploring the game-changing debut of ChatGPT ads – now accessible through Criteo – signaling a seismic shift to programmatic AI-powered media buying. The panel weighs in on what happens when advertising st...

Dunkin' sold a single pink glove and the internet lost its mind. Google just dropped a core update that's coming for your clickbait. And a WPP whistleblower just forced one of the world's biggest ad agencies to show receipts on BILLIONS in client spend. 👀 📖 Grab the new Book “How To Succeed In Marketing, Advertising and Artificial Intelligence Without Really Lying” on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3OJ...

From the ridiculous scale of social media scams – now a multibillion-dollar business (thanks, Zuck) – to the ambitious rollout of contextual ChatGPT ads by Target, we serve up essential insights with a side of sass. Plus, while coastal agencies face cutbacks, America's heartland emerges as an unexpected powerhouse of marketing growth. Whether you're a veteran or a newbie to the marketing game, thi...

This week, Matthew and Chris kick off with the Super Bowl smashing its own ad pricing records, discuss how France’s Publicis is outpacing global competitors with bold moves in data and tech, and explore the Gen Z shift from influencer culture to community-driven hangouts. From Pepsi’s audacious Super Bowl ad featuring the infamous Coca-Cola polar bear, to Ryanair’s CEO taking on Elon Musk in a ver...

Think Super Bowl ads end when the game does? Think again. Big news: OpenAI and ChatGPT are about to start testing ads, opening new possibilities (and a $250k minimum) for the biggest brands. Plus, newsletter ads are making a major comeback, catching many by surprise and proving that some “old school” marketing tactics still pack a punch. And in true industry fashion, Skittles is prepping to air a...

Think Super Bowl ads end when the game does? Think again. Matthew breaks down the Monday Morning Effect — the secret sauce that separates Super Bowl advertising winners from the $7 million failures. It's not about who gets talked about on Sunday night. It's about who makes you do something on Monday. Also: Why most Super Bowl campaigns die before the coffee gets cold The Monday Morning Effect stra...

Matthew and Chris make sense of brand chaos and AI overload - no martinis required. This episode serves up marketers dodging X’s drama, brands swapping digital fatigue for real-world immersion, and why fewer, punchier ideas beat endless AI slop. Stick around for a Jonas Brothers shirtless cameo, cough drops that taste like soup, and a lightning round of marketing trivia. Mischief meets marketing -...

CES isn't just about gadget specs anymore - it's about hype, narratives, and brands battling for attention in a TikTok-fueled media circus. Matthew & Chris unpack how platforms like Roblox are quietly becoming the true frontier for brand engagement among younger audiences, outpacing the glitz of Las Vegas show floors. They also break down Google's latest core update and how it's shaking up sea...

In this episode, the duo dives into the ongoing tug-of-war between CMOs and CFOs over what really counts as marketing success, the explosive rise of retail media as an essential - not optional - channel, and why AI isn’t replacing marketing teams, but transforming how they’re built. Plus, they spotlight bold campaigns that break the mold, celebrate Chicago’s marketing resilience, and tackle the wi...