The MadMen Pod

Apple goes all in with MLS, making Beats the official audio partner of the MLS. Quick-hit recaps of cool Valentine's Day campaigns. Mental health issues are on the rise, and the target is social media.

The MadMen recap an eventful Super Bowl with takes on the best and worst ads, and why Super Bowl ads are always worth it. Disney invests in Epic Games to get Mickey & Friends on Fortnite. Live Sports channels are consolidating into a single platform... just like cable?

Summary In this episode, Salim and Adeel review and react to several Super Bowl ads. They discuss the strategies and messages behind each ad, as well as the star-studded cast and the impact of the ads on the brands. The ads they cover include E-Trade, Doritos, Uber Eats, BMW, Bud Light, Michelob Ultra, and Pringles. They analyze the effectiveness of each ad and discuss the potential return on inve...

Summary   In this episode, Salim Gheewalla interviews Shez Mehra, a creative entrepreneur in the field of sound and music marketing. They discuss the importance of sound in marketing and branding, and how it can create a powerful emotional connection with consumers. Shez shares examples of successful campaigns and projects he has worked on, highlighting the impact of sound in enhancing brand exper...

Summary The conversation covers various topics including social media influence, Tiger Woods' new brand, the future of malls, the streaming wars, TikTok Shop, the rise of Peacock and YouTube TV, content creation, and AI-generated websites.   Takeaways Social media has a significant influence on people's mindset and can contribute to anxiety and stress. Limiting social media usage can help improve...

Summary This conversation covers a range of topics including the importance of in-office work, challenges with internal communication, the impact of viral videos on personal brand, advertising strategies of Calvin Klein and IKEA, screen time management with Opal, and the future of Carta as a brand. The conversation also touches on political commentary. Takeaways In-office work has benefits such as...

Summary The conversation covers various collaborations, including Stanley Cups, Peloton's partnership with TikTok, and Nike's collaboration with Dove. The hosts discuss whether these collaborations are duds or studs. They also highlight Lil Nas X and Gardyn as brands to watch.    Takeaways Collaborations can be successful when they align with the brand's values and target audience. Marketing plays...

Adeel goes into the three pillars of rhetoric: logos, pathos, and ethos.

In this week's episode, we dive into the latest headlines making waves across the globe. Southwest Airlines recently gained attention for a decades-old policy benefiting plus-size travelers, leveraging the moment to nudge other airlines towards inclusivity. Meanwhile, dating app Hinge is making unexpected moves with its "one more hour" initiative, allocating a $1 million fund to foster in-person c...

Elon Musk goes after Disney CEO Bob Iger and the entire advertising world. Bath & Body Works drops a 10-foot tall candle in New York City to get you to slow down, reset and "Come Back to Your Senses." Mark Cuban cashes out of the Mavs and Shark Tank, and we have a theory as to what's next for him. KitKat wins the Inclusivity & Diversity Award for celebrating a break we tend to forget about...

Coming off Black Friday, the MadMen debate some of the dumbest and coolest brand stunts of the weekend. Cards Against Humanity launches Yowza, a new social network where you can only do one thing. Mud Jeans and other fashion brands play in to anti-consumerism during Black Friday weekend. goPuff launches Apple Deals, with a lowercase A. Queen of Sparkles is collaborating with Coca-Cola. Kohl's will...

OpenIA fires Sam Altman, and the MadMen just can't keep up with the latest development of this dramatic storyline. Stanley can literally survive in a fire, and the CEO is a hero. Amazon will start selling Hyundai cars on Amazon.com . Adeel is watching ARMRA, a colostrum brand claiming to be the next wonder drug. Balenciago goes to head-to-head with... IKEA? Elon Musk unveils Grok x AI, which is po...

A couple months ago Adeel shouted out Salad and Go as his next brand to watch. He is a fan of the rapidly growing Fast Food restaurant. Lo and behold Salad and Go reached out to Adeel to share their story, and fitting to the theme of the show, Adeel sits down with the CMO, Nicole Portwood, to discuss branding, marketing, pricing, growth, and more! Let's go mad, men. 

Meta partnering with Amazon is a win-win-win situation. Brands can sell more. Meta gets the data. And users get a seamless shopping experience. Can Kraft Real Mayo make "moist" the Webster Word of the Year? Sirius XM is rebuilding and rebranding, becoming a winning audio company. But can it beat the big players out there? We finally have a replacement to the smartphone - AI Pin by Humane. Govee is...

Walmart launches its Black Friday ad with iconic characters from Mean Girls, all grown up. TikTok Shop is exploring grocery delivery, but are they underestimating how complex that is? Yeti gets ambassadors to map their favorite hikes and upload them to Google Street View. Dude Perfect gets its own streaming service, signaling the next tier of creator content. CGI by fashion brands gives shoppers a...

Shama Hyder, a LinkedIn Top Voice and "Zen Master of Marketing" joins the discussion this week. Carta's CEO writes an open letter making the media the bad guy, and it backfires. Chick-Fil-A is testing hamburgers at a single location, and people will probably love it because Chick-Fil-A can do whatever it wants. Beats launches a campaign featuring LeBron James' family, embracing his Year 21 storyli...

General Mills rebrands its famous fruit snack brands - Fruit Gushers, Fruit Rollup and Fruit by the Foot. Skims gets in to menswear with superstar athletes as the face of the lineup. French running shoe store encourages people to steal their shoes from their store. Asics finds a deep insight about the mental impact of exercise culture.

Coming off the latest developments in the unrest in Israel, Adeel and Sameer discuss how brands tend to respond during times of crisis, carefully treading the sensitivities of real issues without offending consumers. Apple is pitching $2 billion a year for exclusive streaming rights for F1. Netflix is doing something smart with all of this IP they've created with their content. Brands winning in s...

Captain Morgan gets in to the alcohol-free game. McDonald's in Loki is a masterclass on product placement. Michelin gives out stars for restaurants, and now keys for hotels. Poppi is doing things Coke and Pepsi can't even do. Songtradr is a beast in B2B, and make a play to buy Bandcamp to get in to DTC. Las Vegas Sphere looks like a hit... so far. RFK Jr. "re-brands."

Welcome to the MadMen Pod, where we dissect the latest marketing and branding trends! In this episode, we dive headfirst into some intriguing developments across various industries. Join us as we ponder the merits of bold marketing moves and the potential impact they might have. Are they duds or studs? Let's find out! Dud or Stud #1: "All is Fair in Monopoly?" Monopoly's new campaign, "All is Fair...

While local governments crack down on short term rentals, Airbnb launches a new campaign highlighting what hotels don't offer. Google points the finger at Apple for using pager-era texting technology. Fyre Fest is back for sequel - but is it going to be for real this time? The #RomanEmpire trend got brands buzzing on Threads instead of X. Cisco gets into security by acquiring Splunk for $28 billio...

McDonald's is putting an end to self-serve fountain drinks. Coach Prime is a walking, talking, promotion machine. Tom Brady joins Delta Airlines as a strategic advisor. Champion redefines itself as a verb, not a noun. The Cavier Company brings a delicacy to your doorstep.

Episode 12 Kelly Helfman (instagram.com/kellyhelfman), the President of the Fashion Division of Informa Markets, the parent company of Magic, Coterie, and Project sits down with Adeel (instagram.com/adeelmitha) to discuss fashion branding for consumers and wholesale. She talks Magic Trade Show, Celebrity-backed Fashion Brands like D'Amelio Footwear, Skims, and Good American. She also gives her tak...

Make your own Funko Pop figure. Milk goes on the offense against alternative dairy milk. Pepsi celebrates its 125th anniversary with the launch of a diner that makes you feel nostalgic. Pumpkin Spice season is back and bigger than ever. TikTok bans links to external sites do double-down on its own TikTok Shop. NFL script writers make an ad.

"Ditch the Vape" focuses on opportunity cost instead of health costs. Bud Light is trying to put the drama behind them and come out strong for football. Haagen-Dazs redesigns its storefront to make it a date night destination. JCPenney is trying to make a comeback (again) with a $1 billion investment. More celebrity-backed consumer goods - this time is D'Amelios and snacks. EV is allegedly the fut...