The Brand Hunch

Sudeep Gohil has seen the industry from almost every angle, and he's got some opinions that are worth the listen. In this episode, Lindsay sits down with the former founding partner of Droga5 Australia and ex-Partner in Charge of Brand and Marketing at KPMG to talk about what it takes to get brand investment over the line and why empathy might be the most underrated capability in the industry righ...

Too many agencies assume what brands are doing. At Chello, we went out and asked them. In this episode, Lindsay sits down with Chello's Strategy Director Tom Dabner and Co-Founder & Executive Creative Director Tristan Velasco to unpack Operation Brand. It's Chello's first brand leadership benchmark report, built on 1,200 minutes of candid conversations with senior leaders across 25 organisations....

What does great PR actually look like in 2026, and why are so many brands still getting it wrong? Lindsay sits down with James Hutchinson, CEO of global PR powerhouse Sling & Stone, to discuss the state of modern communications. From the growing backlash against AI-generated content to the case for putting comms professionals at the executive table, James unpacks why the brands winning today aren'...

What does “good taste” actually mean, and is it something you're born with? In this episode, we chat with Zhoe Low, Marketing Director at MoveActive and former GM of Marketing & Retail at July Luggage, about why taste is an essential ingredient for building premium brands. From hiring tastemakers and setting creative standards, to giving teams the autonomy to learn by doing, Zhoe unpacks why taste...

In this live episode, recorded at Content Summit Australia, Lindsay sits down with Anri Mc Hugh, Head of Marketing - Awareness & Consideration at Specsavers ANZ, to explore one of the most enduring brand platforms in advertising history. Almost 24 years on, "Should've Gone to Specsavers" shows no signs of slowing down, and does a stellar job of rolling out consistent marketing campaigns around the...

Having held senior marketing roles at Formula 1, World Rugby, Rugby Australia, and now Guide Dogs Australia, Marissa Pace knows a thing or two about life in the fast lane. In this episode, we chat about how she builds fan bases and communities that stick, and why loyalty programs are her secret marketing weapon. She also lifts the lid on the importance of accessibility, particularly in sports, and...

In this episode, we sit down with Nick Parmar, a seasoned Brand Director who’s helped build a host of culturally-attuned brands from New York to APAC and the Middle East. Nick shares what he learnt as Head of Global Brand Experience for W Hotels Worldwide, and how those same instincts now shape dozens of hotel brands across 44 countries in his current role, VP of Brand Marketing & Management at Ac...

In this episode, we chat to Georgie Leslie, CMO at Future Group, about what it really takes to lead in a category most people tend to ignore (spoiler: it’s superannuation). We unpack the realities of nudging action in a low-interest category and the difference between good management and good leadership. It’s a grounded look at the reality behind the coveted CMO job title, delivered by someone who...

In this episode, we chat with Matt Gudge about the messy, brilliant reality of marketing in high-growth businesses, from tourism during COVID to scaling complex marketplaces and jumping head-first into health tech. We get into why prioritisation beats perfectionism and how he has built teams that are smarter than him (on purpose). Matt has a real knack for championing creativity and commercial thi...

In this episode, we chat with Ainsley Pope about the side of brand most people never see: the inside. From her work at Westpac and PwC to building the employer brand function at IAG, Ainsley breaks down how culture, internal comms and a clear narrative can shift an organisation from disconnected to one of the most desirable places to work in the country. Listen to find out why employer brand is fi...

In this episode, we sit down with Hannah Vinden to unpack how Better Beer went from a scrappy startup to one of Australia’s favourite beer brands. (Spoiler: most of it was down to gut feel, good banter and a seriously engaged community.) Hannah shares what she carried over from her time working in FMCG, what she happily left behind, and why entertainment beats traditional advertising every time. W...

R.M.Williams is many things; handcrafted, hard-wearing, and quintessentially Australian. But how do you keep a 1932 icon relevant for a 2025 audience? In this episode, Lindsay sits down with Victoria Taylor, Head of Brand Marketing Communications at R.M.Williams, to unpack all things brand custodianship, why collaboration is her superpower, and what happens when boots built by 80 pairs of hands me...

In this episode of The Brand Hunch podcast, we chat to Raquel Bouris, Creative Director and Founder of cult fragrance brand Who Is Elijah. From a $12K investment to a $20M business, Raquel shares how a mix of obsession, delusion (her words, not ours!), and good old-fashioned hustle turned a scrappy side project into a globally-recognised brand. We talk guerilla marketing, meeting Sofia Richie, and...

This episode’s a special one, our first ever live recording at SxSW Sydney! We chat to Mark Richardson, GM of Marketing at Petbarn (and formerly of Aldi, Marley Spoon, and M&C Saatchi), about challenger brands, creative effectiveness, and the ROI of brave ideas. From building Aldi’s Good Different platform to leading well-known brands with empathy and edge, Mark shares his take on what makes marke...

In this episode of The Brand Hunch podcast, we chat to Revlon ANZ Marketing Director Amy Kingon Smith about the fine art of keeping a 92-year-old brand feeling fresh. From protecting classics to knowing when to shake things up, she shares how product development can double as a marketing superpower. We get into makeup-themed stunts, local ambassadors (shout out Delta Goodrem), and the not-so-glam...

In this episode of The Brand Hunch podcast, we chat with Francis Coady, CEO of Grand Pacific Entertainment & Advisory and king of branded entertainment. From launching Havas’ Sports & Entertainment division and scaling it into a multi-million dollar business, to producing award-winning music-led campaigns, Francis shares how he balances artistic instinct with commercial success, and why great mark...

In this episode of The Brand Hunch podcast, we sit down with Anna Cheng, Head of Marketing at Turo. An experienced growth marketer, Anna shares her perspective on marketing with a challenger mindset; she runs weekly marketing experiments and expects the same from her team. It's an episode full of "how to" growth hacking ideas.

In this episode of The Brand Hunch podcast, we chat to Dan Robertson-Jones, Partner at Kantar. Dan's career spans research and strategy across many of the world's most well-known brands. His role now centres around culture, strategy and the future. We delve into what this means for brands and how they find their place in culture.

In this episode of The Brand Hunch podcast we chat to Robbie Brammall, ex-CMO of MONA Museum for the past eight years. Possibly one of the most coveted CMO roles in the country, MONA is known for its hedonistic, polarising approach to everything it touches. We talk about MONA's first ever brand campaign, why sliding to the middle is his biggest fear, and some of his proudest moments.

In this episode of The Brand Hunch podcast we chat to Jennifer Vandekreeke, CEO at URBNSURF. Jennifer's career has centred around experiences and tourism, launching the Carnival Cruise Line business into Australasia and now pioneering the Australian surf park culture. With less than 5% of marketers in a CEO role, she shares her journey to the boardroom, how she now interrelates with marketing and...

In this episode of The Brand Hunch podcast, we chat to the dynamic duo; Julia Gaw, Director of Communications and Tyler House, Head of Marketing at Bellroy, the much-loved carry brand. We discuss their development of a brand atlas, what it means and how it's applied. How communications, marketing and creative are the ultimate triad, and which comes first, product or brand.

In this episode we chat to Amanda Gordon, Strategy Director at For The People. Amanda has worked both brand-side and agency side in strategic and CMO roles, bringing a thoughtful approach to growth. Amanda's definition of a successful strategy and her approach to developing brands "even at the cost of", will get you thinking about how standing for something great will, and should, come at the cost...

In this episode of The Brand Hunch podcast we chat to Brony Popp, Senior Marketing Lead, Brand at Canva. Canva is one of Australia's well-known unicorns, with its largest markets in the US and Brazil. We chat about scaling a brand globally through English and non-English markets, how marketing expectations change in a landscape like the US, and how much of a brand can be codified.

In this episode of The Brand Hunch podcast we chat to Adam Ross, Senior Director of Creative Strategy at Coca Cola across Southeast Asia and the South Pacific region. Adam has been with Coca Cola for seven years and champions creative excellence across the business. We talk through how you keep legacy fresh and connected to culture in new ways, why controlling all outputs leads to failure, and how...

In this episode of The Brand Hunch podcast we chat to Natalie Placko, Global Brand Director at Intrepid Travel. Natalie has been with the brand for over 16 years; we talk about the power of brand purpose underpinning growth, how the team reimagined the role of brand building during the pandemic, and how to successfully scale a global brand through the power of people.