The Push

Building a brand is hard enough; but when you’re a marketer, the challenge intensifies. You feel the pressure to be perfect, and every misstep feels like you “should’ve known better.”  Brand Strategist Jack Ferguson and Founder of the Marketing Club Chanel Clark co-host this episode. In this episode, Chanel shares how leaning into authenticity and vulnerability, rather than perfection, built her c...

Every marketer knows the value of objectives, they help you prioritise, decide what to push, and what to park.  But here’s the paradox: the very objectives that keep you focused can come back to bite when stakeholders grip too tightly to the promises baked into them. This episode is hosted by Brand Strategist Jack Ferguson. In this solo episode, Jack unpacks a story of working with a professional...

Every marketer has faced it, clients convinced marketing should be a quick fix or a single big idea. In this episode, we discuss challenges with non-marketer persuasion, and why alignment and expectation management matter more. This episode was co-hosted by Brand Strategist Jack Ferguson and E-commerce specialist Ben Reeves. They discuss: How Ben’s client claimed his one “big marketing idea” worke...

For small and medium sized brands, referrals feel like the holy grail of growth; no acquisition cost, easier conversions, and a compounding return on past work. But what if you’ve done everything right and they still aren’t coming in? In this solo episode, Jack shares how a referral drought in his own consultancy forced him to look beyond promotion and into service portfolios . This episode discus...

When you’re paying your agency big money, how much of that is productive? And how much is pastries, drinks trolleys, and middle-management ticket clipping? In this episode, Gerard Doyle joins Jack to share the hidden economics of Marketing Agencies.  We explore: Why glass-walled meeting rooms, front-desk greeters, and “free” pastries aren’t really free How bloated hierarchy and made-up titles infl...

Differentiation vs. Distinctiveness. It’s a debate that’s been looping in marketing circles for years; so what’s our take? In this episode Jack discusses the effectiveness of both concepts and shares how he talks about it with non-marketers.  In this episode Jack covers: The "Laptop Bag Story" that simply explains category entry points, distinctiveness, and differentiation How Uber could...

In this episode, Jack and Chanel discuss burnout, how marketers are susceptible to it, and how tying your identity in a high-growth brand can be addictive, but unsustainable. We cover: How running 2 sold-out events in 1 day was a burnout breaking point What it’s like to go from high-functioning to non-functioning overnight Jack’s experience with burnout after launching 14 restaurants for a brand i...

Every marketer knows positioning is crucial, but explaining that to stakeholders is often met with blank stares or polite nods.  In this episode, we’ll share an effective analogy that helps stakeholders get it. We’ll cover: Why most brands confuse company, brand, and product positioning, and how to untangle them The ‘Queensland Analogy’ that makes positioning land with non-marketers How to explain...

In this episode, Ben and Jack talk about the chaos that comes when every campaign, landing page, or price change is a response to right now .  If you’ve ever found yourself dropping everything to chase a metric, or wondering why all your “busy” doesn’t feel like progress, this one’s for you. They get into: The invisible cost of constant change Why “quick wins” often lead to long-term stagnation Wh...

What do you do when you're under pressure to deliver B2B sales..... fast? In this solo episode, Jack breaks down the exact moves he makes when he or his clients need to drive short-term revenue. This includes practical plays that have been effective. You’ll hear: Why most of a B2B market isn’t buying, and what to do about it How to cash in on brand equity without burning bridges Where to find...

In this episode, Jack sits down with Chanel Clark to unpack a rare achievement in modern marketing: proving that brand drives real business outcomes. Listen in and hear how:  – Chanel increased brand awareness for a FMCG company by 12% in 9 months  – Chanel ran one campaign so effectively, the brand tracking platform thought the data was broken – To use sentiment tracking to identify (and fix) maj...

Every marketer’s had a moment they wish they’d said less. You’re trying to be transparent. Clear. Accountable. But sometimes, transparency backfires; especially when it gives stakeholders the wrong frame to judge your work. In this episode, Jack shares a short story about a well-meaning update that led to weeks of misaligned expectations. And the simple language shift that Jack now uses to avoid t...

In this episode, Jack Ferguson and Gerard Doyle break down how marketing agency pitches really work, revealing the hidden costs, internal strain, and showmanship that often wins business, regardless of the agency’s ability to deliver. Listen in and hear how: Gerard used cellophane glasses, laser-cut covers, and a 22-year-old grad to win over Coca-Cola executives.  An H&M global pitch left an a...

Every senior marketer’s been there. You know brand building drives long-term growth, but the people holding the purse strings only care about this quarter’s numbers, and direct response advertising….and what ‘works’. In this episode, Jack breaks down how he shifts that stakeholder mindset. He’ll share: How to use Binet & Field’s research to reframe the short vs. long-term debate How to explain...

In this episode, Jack and Ben share real marketing campaigns that backfired, and discuss how complex interdependencies across teams, tools, and timelines can sabotage best-laid plans. From production mishaps to broken sales handovers, we explore how weak links can unravel an entire campaign. Listen in and hear how: A $200,000 lead gen campaign was derailed by red tape and poor follow-up. A major p...

Partnerships: everyone says you have to do them.  But most of that advice is dangerously naive, bordering on incompetent.  This episode discusses self-serving agendas and ineffectual approaches that tanked collaborations, as well as successful partnerships that drove great commercial outcomes (and why).  Listen in and hear: How a software company and a diversity & inclusion service provider cr...

There is a chasm between market want and corporate can . In this episode we dissect company core competency and the impact misunderstanding this has on marketers.  If you’ve ever felt there is some invisible architecture that dictates success or failure in your organisation, but can’t quite put your finger on why, it might be due to a deficit in core competence. Forget chasing trends. We discuss w...

In this episode of the podcast we dive into a fascinating concept that could explain why your marketing job feels misaligned or difficult. We explore the idea of company "orientation," how a company’s focus and cultural direction can shape your experience as a marketer. From sales-focused companies to product-driven organisations, we'll break down 4 distinct orientations and how the...

In this fun and insightful episode, we dive into a "Not-So-Rapid-Fire" Q & A session with senior marketers Alex and Jack. While the aim was to keep it quick, they got talking….and…well, it didn’t end up being that quick 😂 Alas, there are a lot of laughs as the entertainment factor is high! Questions include: - What is the best marketing advice you’ve ever received? - What is the bes...

We all know the goal is the same—drive results. But when it comes to promoting products versus services, the game changes. In this episode, we dive into the differences with real life examples to draw upon. After all, we all know it’s not just about the product or service—it’s about how you approach the messaging, and the strategy behind it. What we cover: A story of a software developer rebrandin...

In this episode….we’re going to pull teeth….wait, wait, we mean manage up as a marketer.  What is actually going on when your boss is disagreeing with you? Let's explore this oh-so familiar situation and take a look at what's really going wrong, and what we can do about it. Get ready for: - A marketer trying to expand a CFO’s view beyond PPC. - A lesson from Trevor Noah in understanding...

Can you truly market a subpar product and come out on top?  On this episode we explore the realities of marketing a product that simply doesn’t deliver. From Crocs to Google to Santorini, we’ll explore real-world examples of brands attempting to win with a product that falls short.  We will explore: - Why marketers should always be asked about product - How a bootstrapped company did very little p...

In this episode, we talk about how to sell yourself as a marketer! We’re giving you tales, tactics, and frameworks! Marketer's have unique challenges when it comes to selling our services and expertise. We are going to discuss why this happens, and strategies to overcome this! This episode is hosted by: Brand Strategist Jack Ferguson and Product Marketing Specialist Alex Urquhart . This episo...

In this episode, we are talking about employer/employee break ups (or client/contractor break ups). The key question we are looking is: When should a marketer leave an employer or client? Specifically, we discuss:  - The importance of leaving a job at the right time - Personal stories of staying in the wrong job for too long - Signs that it’s time to leave - Tribalism in the workplace - The import...

In this episode, hosts Jack and Alex engage in a lively debate on pricing strategies. Jack argues passionately for pricing products and services as high as possible to maximize profits, while Alex presents a counterargument, drawing on real-world examples that highlight the importance of finding the right price point based on market dynamics and customer value. Jack shares stories of times when he...