Wharton Marketing Matters

The people who already love a brand can be more effective than a traditional influencer campaign. Lindsey Carter, Founder and CEO of SET Active, explains how the activewear brand identifies passionate customers and turns them into authentic advocates through its SET Insider program. She shares why social media should be a place for connection, how product drops can create a sense of belonging, and...

As consumers spend more of their lives online, brands are finding new value in getting people together in person. Julie Zukof, Vice President of Brand at Lucky Strike Entertainment, discusses how the company is building demand for screen-free entertainment across Lucky Strike, AMF, and Bolero. She explains how nostalgia can refresh a legacy brand, why bowling competes with everything from bars to...

Consumers do not only want more energy. Increasingly, they are looking for ways to pause, moderate, and unwind. Zech Francis, CMO of Recess, explains how the functional beverage brand is positioning calm as a counterweight to caffeine, overstimulation, and high-alcohol drinking occasions. He discusses how Recess makes relaxation feel relatable through everyday moments such as a difficult commute,...

The NFL's most important currency is not a product. It is relevance. Marissa Solis, SVP of Global Brand and Consumer Marketing at the NFL, explains how the league is reaching new generations of fans while staying connected to its core audience. She discusses the global strategy behind the Bad Bunny halftime show, turning players into human stories through the NFL's Helmets Off initiative, creating...

What does it take to market a product that challenges long-held category expectations? Conley Downing, CMO of Archer Roose Wines, breaks down the strategy behind building a premium canned wine brand. From consumer trial and experiential marketing to Elizabeth Banks' creative role, retail visibility, moderation trends, and the power of a distinct brand identity, she shares how Archer Roose is makin...

How do restaurant brands create loyalty when every guest wants something different? Joel Bulger, CMO of WOWorks, the parent company of Saladworks, Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh, Frutta Bowls, Barberitos, The Simple Greek, and Zoup!, explains how the fast-casual restaurant group markets distinct brands while sharing technology, data, supply chains, and operational resources. He discusses building st...

Baby technology is changing how parents monitor sleep, health, and well-being. But how can brands provide meaningful information without creating more anxiety? Krista Weaver, Vice President and Head of Marketing at Owlet Baby Care, joins Barbara Kahn and Americus Reed to discuss marketing in the fast-growing baby tech category. They explore how Owlet combines FDA-cleared wearable monitoring with p...

How did AG1 turn podcast advertising into a powerful engine for trust and growth? Paulie Dery, Chief Marketing Officer at AG1, explains why the company invested early in podcast advertising and built long-term relationships with hosts who genuinely use the product. He discusses how AG1 measures both brand impact and conversions, why authenticity is essential to host-read advertising, and how the c...

How do you market healthcare in a way that builds trust? Kate Metzinger, Vice President of Marketing and Physician Outreach at Piedmont Healthcare, discusses her transition from consumer packaged goods to healthcare, why authentic storytelling is more effective than statistics, how marketing can drive growth in a mission-driven organization, and how AI is helping improve both the patient and provi...

Most brands compete against other brands. Liquid Death competes against entertainment. Greg Fass, Vice President of Marketing at Liquid Death, joins Barbara Kahn and Americus Reed to explain how the company builds campaigns designed to “win the internet.” From hiring comedians and creators instead of traditional marketers to developing ideas in a writer’s room environment, Greg shares the unconven...

Can a simple idea create an entirely new product category? Mike Kurtz, Founder of Mike’s Hot Honey, shares the story behind transforming a homemade honey and chili pepper infusion into one of the most recognizable brands in the condiment aisle. Inspired by a memorable pizza experience in Brazil, Kurtz spent years refining his recipe before introducing the product through New York City’s pizza comm...

Rosalie Kennedy, Senior Director of Marketing at Athletic Brewing, discusses how the company helped transform non alcoholic beer from a niche category into a mainstream lifestyle brand. Rosalie shares how Athletic Brewing built cultural relevance around wellness, taste, and social connection, why authenticity matters in a crowded beverage market, and how changing consumer behavior is reshaping the...

Chad Stubbs, Chief Marketing Officer of Ferrero North America, joins Barbara and Americus to discuss how large-scale campaigns, cultural relevance, and innovative marketing strategies—from Super Bowl ads to viral brand moments—are used to build iconic brands and drive consumer engagement. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joshua Spanier, Vice President of AI and Marketing Strategy at Google, joins Barbara & Americus to discuss how artificial intelligence is transforming marketing from efficiency-driven automation to creative empowerment, redefining customer value, and enabling more personalized, “quest”-based consumer experiences. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rosa Rita, Global Chief Marketing Officer at JP Morgan Asset & Wealth Management, explains how data-driven insights and AI-powered personalization are transforming marketing from a reactive function into a proactive, client-centric driver of engagement in asset and wealth management. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dan Cataldi, Founder of Groov, joins Barbara and Americus to explain how the company uses iPhone-based 3D scanning to create custom inserts, why proprietary data and speed matter for defensibility, and how brand identity and packaging help build long-term advantage. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marcelo Kertesz, Chief Marketing Officer of Manscaped, explains how the brand leveraged humor, premium design, omnichannel distribution, and a breakout Super Bowl campaign to challenge legacy competitors and redefine modern masculinity in the global grooming market. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beverly Jackson, Vice President of Brand and Product Marketing at Zillow, joins Barbara & Americus to explain how the company’s two-sided marketplace, consumer-first philosophy, and campaigns like “Someday Starts Today” leverage data, AI-driven tools, and brand storytelling to reduce uncertainty, build trust, and modernize the home buying and renting experience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/...

Kristine Segrist, Global Head of Consumer and Product Marketing at Canva, joins Barbara and Americus to explain how the company empowers millions to bring ideas to life through accessible design tools, human-centered AI, and a mission-driven approach to creativity at scale. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jeanine Poggi, Editor-in-Chief of Advertising Age, joins Barbara & Americus to discuss the evolution of high-stakes advertising, exploring the rise of AI-generated creative and the surprising emergence of healthcare and pharmaceutical brands during the year’s biggest televised event. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stacey Andrade-Wells, Chief Marketing Officer of Liquid I.V., shares how her background at Procter & Gamble and Unilever shaped a data-driven, purpose-led approach to building a culturally relevant hydration brand and executing its first Super Bowl advertising moment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris O’Neill, CEO of GrowthLoop, joins Barbara and Americus to explore how compound marketing, agentic AI, and data-driven experimentation are redefining marketing workflows and customer experiences, using his insights from decades of leadership across technology, data, and brand-driven growth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jorge Samayoa, Chief Marketing Officer of HelloFresh, joins Barbara & Americus to explain how the brand uses consumer data, personalization, and a focus on real, home-cooked food to drive growth, reduce friction, and meet evolving health and lifestyle needs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Highlights of interviews with Hannah Kelly, Chief Marketing Officer at Resy, an American Express company, and Merill Hollander, founder of the contemporary fine jewelry brand Fiametta, as they discuss leveraging technology, curated experiences, and sustainability to connect with modern consumers and transform traditionally insular industries. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informa...

Highlights from interviews with Ryan Heuser, Senior Vice President of Experiential at Liquid Death, on the brand’s origins, Eagles partnership, and experiential strategy, alongside insights from David Picioski, Head of Global Brand Partnerships and Collaborations at Wilson Sporting Goods Co., covering Wilson’s NBA partnership, player relationships, Caitlin Clark ambassadorship, and technology-driv...