The Cambridge Marketing Podcast

From China’s Singles Day to the rising price of gold - Kiran Kapur and Charles Nixon explore how global consumer habits, cultural events, and economic shifts shape marketing opportunities. This week, they discuss adapting to new social and retail phenomena, the importance of wide-ranging news sources, and why smart marketers always look beyond the headlines.

Kiran Kapur talks to copywriter Jamie Thomson about why the best writing begins long before fingers touch the keyboard. He explains his five-step “Brand New Copy” method, showing how understanding goals, psychology, and positioning makes copy clear, human and effective. A practical chat about thinking, not just typing — and why AI can’t replace that.

Kiran Kapur and Charles Nixon talk about the new John Lewis Christmas ad, the comfort of old-fashioned catalogues, and the joy of getting something in the post. They share memories of real shopping and chat about a brand that skips Black Friday discounts to give money to charity instead — proving kindness can stand out more than sales.

AI is reshaping everything—from business to our sense of what’s real. In this thought-provoking conversation, Kiran asks Neil Wilkins whether our unease around artificial intelligence is justified or simply misunderstood. Together they explore AI-first businesses, human–machine “relationships,” and what happens when technology starts to feel a little too human.

Charles and Kiran explore the reality of robots in care homes, from Japan’s seal-like companions to machines that just get in the way. They debate why humans keep giving robots faces, what makes automation useful, and whether we’re designing for need or novelty.

Vahagn Sarksyan, VP of Marketing at KRISP, shares how the company turned a simple noise-cancelling tool into a whole new voice AI category. From educating users who didn’t know they had a problem to shifting from B2C to B2B, he talks about testing ideas fast, building trust, and turning product value into the story.  This episode is a sharp and honest look at marketing in action.

In this episode of Opinionated Marketers, Kiran Kapur and Charles Nixon discuss Schumpeter’s long wave theory and the cycles of creative destruction—from steam power to AI. They look at how innovation changes economies, jobs, and industries, why adaptability matters, and whether solar energy could drive the next global revolution. Read more: “4.6 Billion Years On, the Sun Is Having a Moment” – The...

This week on The Cambridge Marketing Podcast, Anthony Smith from Red Stag Media explains how to market to farmers and agribusinesses. He shares insights into agricultural and horticultural marketing, the power of digital tools in farming, and why using the right language is vital for connecting with rural audiences.

In this episode, we explore a Three-Step Formula for successful PowerPoint presentations. Our guest is Richard Goring of BrightCarbon, who reveals why many presentations miss the mark and therefore fail in their objective. This episode is a must-listen for anyone who uses PowerPoint, Google Slides or any other tool for business communication, sales, training or marketing.

Email expert Kim Arnold joins Kiran to reveal why most of us are terrible at writing emails—and how to fix it. From the “Dump Truck” (walls of text) and “White Bread” (bland, personality-free emails) to the “Undertaker” (buried calls-to-action), Kim explains the biggest mistakes people make and shares practical tips to write clear, persuasive, and human emails that actually get replies. Whether yo...

What does “commercial intelligence” really mean for marketers, and why do so many of us avoid it? In this episode, I sit down with Andrew Hatcher (entrepreneur, investor, and fellow of the Cambridge Marketing College) to cut through the noise around numbers, ROI, and lifetime customer value. We dig into the stuff marketers often push aside: how much it costs to get a customer, how much it takes to...

What does a strong employer brand really look like? Alexis Drake of Reed Talent Solutions explains why honesty beats buzzwords, how the right Employee Value Proposition attracts top talent, and why cutting through the corporate beige is essential for smarter talent acquisition and retention.  

What really makes a community tick? Hayley Williams, founder of Keystone Marketing, shares how to spark community engagement, move beyond personas, and build trust through authentic conversations.

Charles Nixon and Kiran Kapur dive into Cracker Barrel’s failed logo rebrand, how a presidential tweet turned backlash into retreat, and what it reveals about branding, social media firestorms, and influencer power. Plus: the rise of AI influencers and how electric cars could reinvent roadside dining.

In this episode, Kiran sits down with Neil Wilkins, founder and host of the AI Marketing Summit, to explore how AI is reshaping marketing strategy, creativity, and business growth. From practical tools like process mapping and AI video creation to big-picture questions on ethics, AGI, and the future of work, the summit brings together 24 global thought leaders for a full day of keynotes, panels, a...

Can AI feel? Our Opinionated Marketers debate the absurd, the worrying, and the hilarious sides of emotional machines.

Charles Nixon and Kiran Kapur tackle inflation, pricing, and AI in marketing - why innovation and clear storytelling matter now more than ever.

This week our Opinionated Marketers bid a misty-eyed farewell to what was once America's biggest internet service.  

This week, Kiran and Charles dive into how AI is shaking up marketing - from streamlining everyday tasks to churning out word salad. They explore job hunting with AI, shifting workplace culture, and why clear, simple messaging matters more than ever.

In this episode, Kiran and Charles chat about how businesses need to stop ignoring Asia and start marketing to it—not just outsourcing. They explore IKEA’s smart moves in India, lab-grown diamonds gaining ground, and how solar panel recycling could reshape sustainability.

Marketing for architects is WAY more interesting than you'd think! For this episode, Susie Lober joins us to share why strategy beats shouting, how word-of-mouth actually works, and why architects aren’t just selling buildings. Susie has a very impressive CV, having worked at Norman Foster’s iconic Foster + Partners and who now runs her own consultancy, LO Marketing.

In this episode, brand strategists Rachel Fairley and Sarah Robb join us to discuss their book Re-Brand Right: How to Refresh Your Brand and Marketing to Grow Your Business. We explore what rebranding really means, why it’s not just about new logos, and how smart brand strategy can boost revenue, cohesion—and even price.  The discussion is FULL of sharp insight and fresh thinking!

This week Matt Wake of Hideout Theatre joins Kiran to discuss how his theatre company is storming the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this summer with their show The Players of Diadon. But, with no tangible product, how do you go about marketing?  Listen to hear Matt talk about guerrilla tactics, branding and good old-fashioned hustle!

This week, our Opinionated Marketers discuss the unnecessary use of AI in everyday life.

In this episode of the Cambridge Marketing Podcast, Kiran Kapur talks with marketer Sam Bridge about using the SOSTAC framework for effective marketing planning. They discuss how to make it work in real-world scenarios (dealing with vague briefs, moving targets, and tight deadlines) while keeping marketing strategies clear and focused.