Soul & Science: Fast Forward Your Marketing Mind

Let's talk about the Soul & Science of disrupting an industry and scaling a business. This week, Jason sits down with Erika Badan, CEO of Food52, to discuss her journey from early career uncertainty to becoming a leader in the home goods and lifestyle industry. Erika shares how her time at Barstool Sports taught her to embrace risk, her vision for reimagining Food52’s role in the market, and the i...

This week, we’re throwing it back to a classic episode that won us not one, but two Signal Awards.  Douglas Martin, Chief Brand and Disruptive Growth Officer at General Mills, is a brand growth champion with over 22 years of experience. In his role at General Mills, Doug has worked on marketing initiatives for Cheerios and Yoplait, and his experience spans across household names in addition to Gen...

There’s just one day left before the election, and Kamala Harris has recently intensified her critique of Donald Trump, calling out his "unstable" and "fascist" tendencies. In this mini episode, Jason talks about why, as a Harris voter, her campaign’s strategic pivot to a tougher tone aimed at swaying independents and energizing her base might not have been the best move. Brought to you by Mekanis...

How is influencer marketing evolving in the creator economy? In today's mini episode, we explore the shift from one-off campaigns to building long-term relationships with micro-creators who drive engagement and authenticity. Plus how we here at Mekanism are leading the way by leveraging creator networks to foster genuine connections, fill content gaps, and optimize strategies for lasting brand suc...

Building a lasting brand is all about balancing long-term strategy with short-term wins. In this episode of the Soul & Science Podcast, Jason sits down with William White, SVP and CMO at Walmart, to talk about the secret sauce marketers can use to drive both ongoing engagement and immediate business results. With a career spanning several major brands like Coca-Cola, Target, and KitchenAid, Willia...

In this episode of the Soul & Science Podcast, we’re exploring what it means to find your creative voice with a person who has built a legacy on taking calculated risk. Chase Jarvis is an award-winning artist, entrepreneur, and Emmy-nominated director who has shot global campaigns for Apple, Nike, and more than 100 other brands – as well as contributed to the Pulitzer Prize-winning NYT story Snowf...

In today’s mini episode, we explore the core business orientations that shape how companies sell and market their products. We break down the four key approaches: sales, market, product, and societal orientation. Discover how brands like Apple, Nike, and Patagonia align their strategies with these orientations, and why knowing your business orientation is essential for crafting effective marketing...

In today’s episode of the Soul & Science Podcast, we’re talking to Mark Pollard, brand strategist, CEO of Sweathead, host of the Sweathead Podcast and author of the book Strategy is Your Words. For the past 20 years, Mark has worked with global brands such as The Economist, Meta, and The Wall Street Journal to solve complex marketing challenges and build winning strategies. Throughout his career,...

Is it time to update your company values? In today’s mini episode, we dive into why values matter and we’ll share the six new guiding principles at Mekanism. From embracing bold creativity to fostering teamwork and innovation, these values will help us redefine our company’s future. Brought to you by Mekanism.

In this episode of the Soul & Science Podcast, we explore balancing business results and creative innovation in global brand building with the Global Chief Marketing Officer, GM Direct Commerce at Fortune Brands Innovations, Mark-Hans Richer. With over 30 years of experience, Mark-Hans has built groundbreaking campaigns with companies such as Moen, Masterlock, Harley Davidson, and GMC. In today’s...

In this episode of the Soul & Science Podcast, the founder of JUV Consulting, Ziad Ahmed joins us to teach us how to truly connect with your Gen Z audience. You’re going to learn how to crack the code to speak to this dynamic and elusive audience. 25-year-old Ziad has been making serious waves in the brand world as the Head of Next Gen at United Talent Agency or UTA. After founding JUV Consulting...

Have you ever wondered if Chief Marketing Officers have what it takes to lead as CEOs? In this mini episode, we uncover four powerful reasons why CMOs might be the secret weapon for business growth and customer-centric leadership. Tune in to challenge the traditional executive hierarchy and discover new possibilities! Brought to you by Mekanism.

Beyond his role as the over-the-top showman and host of Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island, George Shea is a seasoned marketing professional with three decades of experience. Together with his brother, Richard, he has elevated the Nathan's Famous hot dog-eating contest into a major brand promotion recognized around the world. Beyond Nathan's, George and company ru...

Have you been watching the olympics? We certainly have been here at the Mekanism offices, and it’s inspired us to revisit this amazing conversation with New Balance CMO Chris Davis. New Balance is not only “the shoe brand of choice for film stars, athletes and supermodels,” according to Urban Journal, it’s the brand for “the biggest, hype-inducing names on the street right now.” As CMO of the hotl...

Today on the Soul & Science podcast, we’re sitting down with Jacqueline Welch, Chief Human Resource Officer at the New York Times to get the inside scoop on what you as an employer can do to make a strong and effective team. In her role at the Times, she leads the organization's human resources team and oversees all aspects of talent acquisition, career development, organizational development, equ...

In this episode of the Soul & Science podcast, Carlos Santiago Co-Founder at The Alliance for Inclusive and Multicultural Marketing or AIMM is joining us to explore how we as marketers can better celebrate diversity and inclusion with a multicultural audience. Carlos has been working and developing this space for over 18 years as a leading researcher and market strategist with a heavy focus on gro...

In this episode of the Soul & Science podcast, Founder and CEO of ready-to-drink cocktail brand Gay Water Spencer Hoddeson is joining us to teach us why stellar community engagement is the key to success in today’s marketing world. Spencer is far more than a founder and beverage aficionado. He started his career in the marketing and brand department at Yahoo and worked his way to leading the entir...

In this episode of the Soul & Science podcast, we are joined by Carrie Hutchison, the Director of Marketing and Brand at Re:wild. Re:wild is an environmental organization that recently partnered with Mekanism’s brand partner, Culturelle Probiotics to bring awareness to an untraditional cause- the endangerment of the human gut microbiome. Carrie started her career in sustainability and marketing wi...

This week, we're revisiting our inspiring conversation with David Lester, Co-founder at Olipop. There’s an alchemy to relationships, including the ones between co-founders. David Lester, co-founder at good-for-you-soda company, OLIPOP, first heard about his future business partner, Ben Goodwin, while he was quitting his 10-year job at global beverage giant Diageo. His then boss thought they’d work...

This week, we're revisiting our amazing conversation with Julia Perez, CMO at OWYN from May 2023.Julia is a New York born, Miami-based marketing executive with a deep understanding of high-growth, healthier-for-you food and beverage startups. With more than 10 years of experience working for brands like Red Bull, Hain Celestial, RSP Nutrition, and CORE Water, it’s actually kind of her superpower....

In this episode, we look into the Soul & Science of starting a movement. Small actions done consistently can have profound effects on our lives. The real challenge is doing those things every day. Something the majority of us seem to have no issues doing almost everyday is complaining. While complaining about this, that, and whatever comes to mind is easy, the negativity can block your focus, crea...

Why do some pitches soar while others flop? Today, we talk about the secrets of successful client pitches with the five laws of new business. From strategic selectivity to post-pitch follow-ups, here are some of our best strategies for winning over clients. Brought to you by Mekanism. 

It’s easy to get lost in the details of those everyday small inconveniences – what’s for dinner tonight, that looming deadline, whether or not your joke landed in that meeting earlier. It’s also just as easy to switch our brains to autopilot when they get overwhelmed and disappear into social media or TV. And what about that narrator in our heads? The constant critic. The complainer. It really doe...

What do you do with a great idea that your client didn't want? Toss it? Or keep it? In today’s mini episode, we tackle the dilemma of rejected concepts. Discover how to transform these creative casualties into proactive initiatives that not only promote your business but also make a positive impact on the world. Brought to you by Mekanism.

This week on the Soul & Science podcast, we take a look at the power of culture and consumption. Take the rise of social media marketing as an example of consumption as culture. Companies have piggybacked on viral sounds, trends, and cultural moments from TikTok and Instagram as a way to promote their products. On the flip side, a seemingly clever campaign can flop if it jumps on a trend too late...