The New Abnormal

This isn’t actually an episode of #TheNewAbnormal at all…but as it’s my podcast series, I’m taking the outrageous liberty of linking to a separate one that features me - as opposed to my guests. Hence linking to 'The Speaker Show' which is run by the renowned global speaker-bureau, Speakers Associates. In this episode, their brilliant host Maria Franzoni interviewed me as the launch epis...

Series Two  In this episode of #TheNewAbnormal, I interviewed Steve Vranakis.  He's an award winning creative who worked on the launch of the iPhone, with Amazon, NASA (Space Lab), The United Nations, UNICEF and headed up the Creative Lab at Google in EMEA for nearly a decade.  Appointed as the first ever Chief Creative Officer for Greece, he developed a new country narrative as a Special Adv...

Series One In this episode of #TheNewAbnormal, I interviewed Charlie Waterhouse, Creative Director of This Ain't Rock 'n' Roll (with an ethos based on  identity + activism for culture + causes) whose clients include those such as Amnesty International, English Heritage, Médecins Sans Frontières, National Gallery, and UNICEF.  He's also co-founder of the Art Group and Media &amp...

Series One This episode of #TheNewAbnormal features Paul Kemp-Robertson, the co-founder of Contagious Communications and co-author of 'The Contagious Commandments'. To put it mildly, he has a very deep knowledge of the global marketing communications industry.  A graduate of Goldsmiths, and the ex-worldwide director of creative resources for Leo Burnett, in 2004 he then co-founded Contag...

Series One In this episode of #TheNewAbnormal, I interview the leading futurist, author and speaker Anne-Lise Kjaer.  Her wholebrain methodology bridges the rational and emotional universe – shaping the strategies and core concepts driving the businesses and brands of the future.  According to the Financial Times her unique world vision is "as fertile as Dali’s only she creates social prototy...

Series One In this episode of #TheNewAbnormal, I interviewed Carl Miller, who specialises in how technology is changing society and politics.  He co-founded the first UK think tank institute dedicated to studying the digital world, at Demos (Britain's leading cross-party think tank)  nearly a decade ago, and has been their Research Director ever since.  Carl writes widely on tech and society...

Series One In this episode of #TheNewAbnormal, I interview the writer Tom Hodgkinson.  His philosophy is of a relaxed approach to life, enjoying it as it comes rather than toiling for an imagined better future.  After lounging around at Jesus College, Cambridge, where he played bass in the thrash band Chopper, he took the natural step of getting a job in Rough Trade records before moving on to bec...

Series One  This episode of 'The New Abnormal' features the renowned semiotician Dr Rachel Lawes.  One of the earliest providers of British commercial semiotics, her PhD was in social psychology, hence bringing a unique perspective to semiotics, placing her at the exact intersection of psychology, linguistics and cultural studies.  Rachel has been using semiotics for nearly 20 years to r...

Series One  In this episode of #TheNewAbnormal podcast, I interviewed Joakim Noren, who is now a consultant, having been the Marketing Director and Vice President of Artipelag - a unique international venue for art, culture and design, beautifully set among pine trees on Varmdo in the Stockholm archipelago.  Previously, Joakim was at the Swedish Institute, where he developed the 'Brand Sweden...

Series One In this episode, I talk with the renowned strategist Gareth Kay, a founding partner of the cutting-edge independent creative studio Chapter, in San Fransisco, whose clients inc Google, Airbnb, Sonos, Dropbox, Uber, Facebook and PayPal.  (Although , since we recorded the episode, Gareth has now moved into fintech). Prior to setting up Chapter, he'd spent 20yrs at some of the world&a...

Series One  In this episode of 'The New Abnormal' I interview Emily Hare, the Global Content Strategy Director of the Publicis Groupe. (Prior to this, she was Head of Content for Make Honey, before which she spent over a decade with Contagious Communications, where she was the Managing Editor.)  In our discussion, which is a reposted episode, she explains her views on a wide range of iss...

Series One In this episode of The New Abnormal podcast, I interview the journalist and broadcaster Emma-Louise Boynton, who has a background as a broadcast producer, working with the likes of Sky News, the BBC and Tina Brown Media.   She's the co-founder and CEO of Her Hustle, which launched in 2019 and lifts the veil on the world of work, empowering women to carve out a career they want, on...

Series One In this episode of #TheNewAbnormal I interviewed Jen Urich, a marketing strategist and founder of Sparrow Strategy in Portland, Oregon.  She's also the ex-Group Planning Director of Wieden + Kennedy in Portland, ex-Director of Account Planning at Crispin, Porter + Bogusky in Miami, and Director of Account Planning at J. Walter Thompson Worldwide, in Mexico City. (Previously, she wa...

Series One In this episode, I spoke with Nicole Fall, the CEO of the renowned strategic research, innovation consultancy and forecasting agency Asian Consumer Intelligence.  She's spent 20 years in Asia working with leading brands in countries inc China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and Malaysia.  In the interview, we discuss her expert views on decoding cultural/social trends in Asia, and the...

Series One Martin Raymond is an author, journalist and co-founder of The Future Laboratory - one of the world's most renowned futures consultancies.  Established in 2000, they've worked with more than 1000 businesses in 50 countries.  In this reposted episode, we discuss his thinking around a wide range of areas, including journalism being 'the last refuge of the desperate - and the...

Series One Steve Lacey has a reputation for being a genuine outsider, in an industry where being 'inside the bubble' is the 24/7 reality for the vast majority of its workforce.  (Hence him founding 'The Outsiders: an international network of misfits and experts').  He understands diversity and prides himself on conducting research outside the margins, delivering social insight...

Series One  In this early episode of #TheNewAbnormal, I interviewed Simon Armstrong, who has the incredibly enviable job of being the book buyer for The Tate.  He's a fascinating individual, with a background across an array of leading-edge cultural positions.  In this interview, he describes his journey from a working-class background in the North East, to running what many consider to be th...

Series One In this episode of #TheNewAbnormal podcast, I interview the features journalist, trend analyst and data storyteller Sabrina Faramarzi, who's particularly fascinated by internet culture and online communities.  She's written for The Guardian, Wired, Vice and Culture Trip, and is the international newsrooms & content lead for Opinary in Berlin, and the Contributing Data Edit...

Series One  In this early episode of the series, I talked with John Grant, who spent his early career at JWT and BMP-DDB, before becoming co-founder and Head of Strategy for the revolutionary St Luke's .  (As you'll hear, it narrowly missed being named after...well listen and find out).  John has since become a highly sought-after consultant, and somehow managed to write several excellen...

Series One In this episode of #TheNewAbnormal, I interview Raja Habre.  He's Executive Director of the LFA, a highly influential business organisation based in Beirut, comprising a mixture of those from top Lebanese and international brands.  He's also responsible for the innovative economic congresses #BIFF and #BIFEX events, that promote the Lebanese economy.  A widely travelled and de...

Series One The launch of Sony Playstation was one of the most successful (and in a marketing context - anarchic) launches of all time.  In this episode I interview the brains behind that activity, Geoff Glendenning. He's a renowned brand strategist and integrated marketing expert, who's also worked with iconic brands including Greenpeace, Microsoft, Vans, Coca-Cola, MTV,  Olympus, Ben &a...

Series One In this episode of #TheNewAbnormal, I interview Neil Boorman, Head of Creative Lab Europe at TikTok.  He builds and leads their in-house creative service, dedicated to producing best in class work on the platform. Prior to TikTok, he was the Content Director at agencies including Wieden + Kennedy, Mother, Grey, and VCCP, before which he was a Content Strategist/Producer at Amnesty Inter...

Series One In this episode of 'The New Abnormal' I talk with the inspirational Andy Middleton. He's the Chief Exploration Officer of the adventure pioneers TYF, who introduced the world to coasteering and are at the forefront of low-impact adventures and experiential learning.  In addition to supporting TYF, Andy's role is to enable leaders to deliver radical and transformation...

Series One In this early episode of 'The New Abnormal' I spoke with the founder of the world's first "Movement" marketing / transformation / advertising and design company: the famous Strawberry Frog.  Prior to this, I'd last spoken with Scott Goodson, the agency's founder/CEO, just after they'd won the coveted 'Best Marketing Agency of the Year' a...

Series One In this episode of #TheNewAbnormal, I interview Jens Laugesen, the Danish Fashion Design Practitioner / Advisor / Educator / Video Artist, who is known for a conceptual approach to creative design thinking. He's recently launched an innovative Global Graduate Design Showcase in partnership with the art & design portfolio platform ARTSTHREAD and i-D Magazine.  Jens is very inter...