TRENDSETTERS

Today, I'm joined by Jared Belsky, CEO and Co-Founder of Acadia, former CEO of 360i, and author of You Get the Agency You Deserve. Jared recently made headlines by returning media rebates directly to clients—a decision that sparked an important conversation about trust and transparency in the agency business. But as you'll hear, that's really just the starting point. Our discussion explores why co...

As brands invest heavily in creative excellence and AI-powered content creation, a new challenge is emerging: how do great ideas survive the journey from headquarters to market? In this episode of Trendsetter,  Deborah Malone speaks with Alexander Augustesen, CEO and Co-Founder of Zuuvi, about what he calls "creative infrastructure"—the systems and processes that connect brand strategy to market e...

Innovation is one of the most celebrated—and misunderstood—concepts in business. In this episode, Deborah Malone speaks with Costas Papaikonomou, product innovation veteran, entrepreneur, investor, and author of The Grumpy Innovator series and The Disruption Fallacy. Drawing on decades of experience helping global companies create new products and growth opportunities, Costas challenges convention...

In this episode of Trendsetters, Deborah Malone speaks with Mary Katherine “MK” Woltz of Danone about how retail media is evolving from a channel into a core driver of business outcomes. They explore the shift toward connected commerce, the changing role of retailers as media partners, and how brands are balancing performance with long-term brand equity. A grounded conversation on how marketing is...

Mirella Amalia Vitale of ROCKWOOL — a global leader in sustainable stone wool insulation that improves building safety, energy efficiency, and comfort — discusses the company’s new platform, “If It’s Worth Building,” and how marketing is evolving from product performance to human impact. A timely perspective on leadership, purpose, and why brands should speak up when markets go quiet.

As Habitat for Humanity marks its 50th anniversary, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer Amy Dunham reflects on how the organization is evolving to meet a growing global housing crisis. In conversation with Deborah Malone, she discusses Habitat’s new Let’s Open the Door campaign, the enduring meaning of “home,” and why solving housing affordability will require collaboration across sectors,...

In a marketing industry increasingly defined by dashboards, data layers, and expanding channel choices, Adam Benaroya has been advocating something refreshingly counterintuitive: strategic simplification. He believes that complexity itself rarely creates value. In many cases, it quietly drains time, budget, and creative energy from the work that actually matters.

When Anthony Farina talks about joining Fujifilm, he doesn’t describe it as a career move. He describes it as stepping into one of the most compelling transformation stories in modern business. For decades, Fujifilm was synonymous with photography. Today, it is a diversified global company spanning healthcare, life sciences, advanced materials, and imaging technologies — a reinvention few legacy b...

What if one of marketing’s biggest growth opportunities is also one of its most persistent blind spots? On today’s Internationalist Trendsetters, I’m speaking with Sonsoles Gonzalez, Founder of Better Not Younger, about the realities of marketing in today's "longevity society"—and why the industry still struggles to move beyond surface-level representations of women over age 40.  Sonsoles shares h...

In a wide-ranging Trendsetters conversation, Bob Liodice, President & CEO of ANA (Association of National Advertisers), explains why the organization chose Agentic AI and Authenticity as its Words of the Year—and why they are inseparable. This conversation offers signals for every kind of marketer—brand builders, performance leaders, CMOs, talent developers, and agency partners alike. And it r...

Today's edition of Trendsetters explores one of the most complex—and consequential—areas of modern marketing: how nonprofit organizations build brands, inspire belief, and raise critical funds in a world where every dollar must work harder than ever. My guest is Jon Lee, Principal and Head of Brand Leadership at Lerma, one of the most forward-thinking multicultural agencies in the U.S. Jon has led...

Despite soft consumer confidence and uneven economic signals, ad spending continues to grow faster than consumer spending—breaking a historical relationship marketers have relied on for decades. So what’s driving the disconnect? Luke Stillman, Managing Director at Madison & Wall, unpacks what he calls the hidden engines of ad growth—five forces quietly pushing more money into the advertising s...

In a world obsessed with disruption, Deloitte Principals Geoff Tuff and Steven Goldbach argue that the real danger facing organizations today isn’t moving too slowly—it’s drift. In their new book, HONE: How Purposeful Leaders Defy Drift, they make the case for a different kind of leadership: one rooted in steady, intentional refinement rather than constant transformation. Their work represents a n...

If you’ve ever had a Big Idea that deserved to move faster — this episode is for you. I’m speaking with Susan Schramm, author of Fast Track Your Big Idea!, about why so many marketing strategies stall, and what leaders can do to turn vision into velocity. Susan reveals why the biggest threat to your idea isn’t the budget or the timeline — it’s the people side of risk. And she shares a practical fr...

In today’s episode, we’re stepping into the kitchen with Jen Harrington, CEO and founder of HATCH, the independent, women-owned agency that’s redefining what it means to build creative partnerships. Jen recently launched Eat In or Dine Out, a sharp new YouTube series for CMOs that uses food as a metaphor for one of marketing’s most pressing questions: Should you “eat in” with in-house talent, or “...

When an ad agency launches an AI division with a campaign that begins by declaring how bad AI can be, you know it’s not business as usual. Michael Moszynski, Chairman and Co-Founder of London AI, isn’t interested in selling artificial intelligence as the next miracle cure for marketing. Instead, he’s redefining what AI should mean for agencies, clients, and creativity itself.

Today we’re joined by Dr. Jan Flemming, one of The Internationalists of the Year and a true innovator in European retail marketing. As CMO at PENNY and Media Director of REWE Group, he has redefined how top German grocery retailers connect with millions of customers. His story is an inspiration to marketers everywhere who want to push boundaries, challenge assumptions, and turn industry problems i...

What happens when media no longer just delivers messages—but reflects what we already believe? Former Omnicom Vice Chairman Tim Love and former Speaker of the House Richard Gephardt tackle that question in The Medium is the Mirror, exploring how algorithms, advertising, and politics collide to shape truth itself. From children’s online safety to national security, both leaders call for greater acc...

Bridget Sponsky, Executive Director of Brand Marketing at Ally Financial has become one of today’s most innovative marketers by blending bold actions with measurable results. When speaking with Bridget, you immediately sense why Ally feels different from most financial institutions. Its purpose is simple yet powerful: put people first. Whether that means designing fairer financial products or cham...

Children’s online safety is one of the defining tests of how advertising can live its purpose. In my latest Trendsetters podcast, I speak with Charley Stoney, CEO of EACA, about #Campaign4Good—a pan-European competition created with 5Rights Foundation that invites young creatives to design campaigns protecting children in digital spaces. With support from EU Commissioner Michael McGrath, this init...

Most CMOs obsess over purpose, storytelling, or benefits. But what if the real driver of growth is something simpler—and more powerful? In my new conversation with Ulli Appelbaum, author of The Science of Brand Associations , we dig into the evidence, the frameworks, and the discipline needed to build brands that stick in the brain—and in the market.

Today, we’re joined by Rogier Vijverberg, founder of SuperHeroes—the independent agency with a mission  to save the world from boring advertising . From flying blimps over football stadiums for Netflix to transforming Buicks into modern art, SuperHeroes has mastered breaking through the clutter. We’ll talk with Rogier about how Gen Z tastemakers and AI collectives are reshaping creativity, what it...

Sweden’s CMO doesn’t just market a country—he makes it impossible to forget.   From letting the world call a random Swede to co-writing a horror story with AI, Nils Persson has turned Visit Sweden into a masterclass in bold, creative, and sustainable destination marketing. In our conversation, he shares how humor, cultural insight, and environmental responsibility can work together to win traveler...

How do you keep a 110-year-old brand at the forefront of technology and trust? Joe Prota, Director of Brand Marketing at IBM and a recent Internationalist of the Year honoree, is answering that question daily— by reimagining how brand marketing can blend storytelling, purpose, and AI-powered innovation. As a result, he’s helping IBM stay not just relevant—but resonant.