Soul & Science: Fast Forward Your Marketing Mind

How do you make the trip to Cannes worth it? In the final Crashing Cannes minisode, Indie at Large co-founders Chuck McBride and Bill Oberlander turn the tables and interview co-hosts Jason and Lindsay Harris about the inspiration behind Soul & Science: Crashing Cannes, how Cannes has evolved beyond an awards show, and what gives them hope about the future of the industry. Brought to you by Mekani...

Why is now the moment for independent agencies? In this Crashing Cannes minisode in collaboration with Indie at Large, Jason and Lindsay Harris talk to Chuck McBride (Founder & CCO at Cutwater) and Bill Oberlander (Co-Founder & Creative Chair at Oberland) about why they started Indie at Large, why more creatives are launching independent agencies, and how building community among indies can help t...

How can a client-agency relationship become a true creative partnership? Live from Cannes Lions in collaboration with Indie at Large, Jason and Lindsay Harris sit down with Carlo Cavallone (VP & Head of Global Creative at LEGO Agency) and Nils-Petter Lövgren (Co-Founder & CCO at Chaos x Magic) about what makes client-agency partnerships successful, why fresh perspectives matter, and how independen...

Why is everyone going indie right now? In this Crashing Cannes minisode in collaboration with Indie at Large, Jason and Lindsay Harris are joined by Matt Miller (President & CEO at AICP) and Kevin Swanepoel (Co-Founder & CEO at The One Club for Creativity) to discuss why independent agencies punch above their weight, how AI is reshaping creative work, and why agencies that embrace change will be t...

Most brands that think they’re driving culture are really just borrowing from it. In this Crashing Cannes minisode in collaboration with Indie at Large, Jason and Lindsay Harris talk to Kai Devereaux Lawson (co-founder & CEO at Valerie) and Dr. Charlene Thomas (SVP of Marketing at Def Jam Recordings) about the role of culture in modern marketing, how indies are able to move faster and better under...

What gives independent agencies their edge? In collaboration with Indie at Large at Cannes Lion, Jason and Lindsay Harris sit down with Tom Morrissy (Chief Growth Officer at Noble People) and Matt Weiss (founder at SoulPurpose Advisory) to discuss what independent agencies can do that holding company-owned agencies can’t, why saying "no" is a growth strategy, and why solving problems is more impor...

Who isn't your brand reaching? In this minisode from Cannes Lions, Jason and Lindsay Harris are joined by SeeMe Index CEO and co-founder Asha Shivaji to discuss how her company uses AI to help brands identify overlooked audiences, how inclusion and representation can help brands grow, and why she took a leap of faith and started her own company. Brought to you by Mekanism.

The smallest consumer insight can lead to a breakthrough campaign. Live from Cannes Lion, Jason and Lindsay Harris speak with Match Group Head of Media Vicki Shapiro about turning user insights into brand collaborations, how dating apps are adapting to changes in dating habits, and why staying curious is the best way to stay relevant. Brought to you by Mekanism.

“Overnight success” is usually years in the making. In this minisode live from Cannes Lion, Jason and Lindsay Harris are joined by Breaking & Entering founders Jack Westerkamp and Geno Schellenberger to discuss building a media company from scratch, how they got their live show up and running, and their interest in the people behind the ads. Brought to you by Mekanism.

Want a reporter’s attention? Don’t start with a pitch—start with a conversation. Live from Cannes Lions, Jason and Lindsay Harris talk to Ad Age Senior Reporter Brian Bonilla about the biggest stories from Cannes, best practices for approaching journalists, and why a little discomfort is essential to achieving your full potential. Brought to you by Mekanism.

Can marketing actually make a difference? In this Crashing Cannes minisode, Jason and Lindsay Harris catch up with Ad Council Chief Campaign and Program Officer Heidi Arthur about ideas that change behavior, why the messenger is just as important as the message, and how her optimistic outlook has guided her work through global crises and major cultural shifts. Brought to you by Mekanism.

Great marketing doesn’t just capture your attention—it makes you want to do something. In this minisode from Cannes Lions, Jason and Lindsay Harris are joined by Sophie Kelly, SVP of Global Tequila and Mezcal at Diageo, to discuss the ideas that move people to action, the importance of taking risks in marketing, and her biggest takeaways from judging Cannes this year. Brought to you by Mekanism.

Fandoms aren’t target audiences—they’re dynamic cultural communities. In the third installment of “Crashing Cannes,” recorded live from Cannes Lions, Jason and Lindsay Harris talk to Kay Hsu, Head of Global Creative Lab at Spotify, about understanding your audience, building experiences fans actually value, and how following her mom’s advice to “burn the bridge” has kept her constantly moving forw...

Cannes isn't just about parties and awards—it’s about the people. In this minisode recorded live from Cannes Lions, Jason and Lindsay Harris chat with Advertising Week Global President Ruth Mortimer about ideas that make an impact, the real value of networking, and the leadership philosophy she brings back from Cannes every year. Brought to you by Mekanism.

Jenny Rooney has been coming to Cannes for 13 years, but she’s never seen it this intense. In this minisode live from Cannes Lions, Jason and Lindsay Harris catch up with Adweek Chief Brand and Community Officer Jenny Rooney to discuss the power of community building, the distinction between advertising and marketing, and the “work hard, play hard” ethos that has guided her since college. Brought...

How do you build customer loyalty when switching brands is easier than ever? This week on Soul & Science, Jason Harris talks to Wendy Bergh, CMO of Rakuten Rewards, about the changing nature of customer loyalty and why today's marketing leaders need to think beyond campaigns and creative. With experience spanning marketing, operations, and merchandising at brands like Zoom and Walmart, Wendy bring...

How does a brand stay relevant for generations? In this special episode of Soul & Science recorded live at White Castle headquarters, Jason Harris sits down with White Castle CMO Jamie Richardson, Tripadvisor Head of Media Kristin Tormey, and Lands' End CMO Sarah Sylvester for a conversation about modernizing legacy brands without losing what you stand for. The panelists share how White Castle, Tr...

Has marketing become too personalized? This week on Soul & Science, Jason Harris sits down with Klarna CMO David Sandstrom to discuss how one of the world’s fastest-growing fintech brands maintains a consistent narrative across a wide range of industries and audiences. With a background in consumer insights, agency leadership, and nearly a decade leading marketing at Klarna, David brings a nuanced...

How does a brand stay culturally relevant across 200 countries? This week on Soul & Science, Jason Harris talks to Rustom Dastoor, EVP and Head of Marketing & Communications at Mastercard, about building a brand that resonates across cultures, markets, and generations. Born and raised in India amid the country’s surge towards consumerism, Rustom has lived and worked across four continents and brin...

How do you make a digital marketplace feel human? This week on Soul & Science, Jason Harris talks to Llibert Argerich, CMO of Thumbtack, about the unique challenges of marketplace marketing and why trust can’t just be built through brand—it has to be built into the platform itself. From Expedia to eBay, Llibert has spent his career building businesses that connect people through technology and stu...

Most marketers see AI as a tool. What if it’s also the audience? This week on Soul & Science, Jason Harris sits down with Chris Koehler, CMO of Twilio, to discuss B2B marketing and how AI is fundamentally changing the way brands communicate with consumers. From a 10-year stint at Adobe to navigating AI adoption at Box and now Twillo, Chris brings a deep understanding of how technology transforms b...

What does it take to turn a legacy brand into something bigger? This week on Soul & Science, Jason Harris sits down with Victoria Lozano, former CMO and EVP at Crayola, to discuss how she helped evolve one of the world’s most recognizable brands into a multi-platform growth engine. Drawing on her experience in both marketing and finance, Victoria’s approach ties brand strategy directly to business...

What if your last idea was the one that mattered most? This week on Soul & Science, Jason Harris sits down with Mekanism alums Tony Benna and Lee Einhorn, the director and producer behind André Is an Idiot: a documentary that follows their friend André Ricciardi as he faces stage four colon cancer with a sense of humor. What began as an outrageous pitch from André—that if he was going to die, they...

The World Cup will get Americans talking about soccer. Can MLS keep the conversation going? This week on Soul & Science, Jason Harris is joined by Radhika Duggal, SVP and CMO of Major League Soccer, to discuss what it takes to grow a league when your competition isn’t just other sports—it’s everything people do for fun. With a background in consulting, fintech, and pharma, Radhika brings an outsid...

What does it mean to create something that people don’t just hear, but feel? This week on Soul & Science, Jason Harris sits down with Ziggy Marley, the eight-time Grammy Award winning musician, philanthropist, and entrepreneur, for a conversation about identity, creativity, and his upcoming album, Brightside. Born into one music’s most iconic legacies, Ziggy shares how he’s found his own voice by...