Authentic Avenue

Today I chat with Jill Thomas, who is the CMO / CxO / Head of eCommerce for PGA Tour Superstore, a growing golf retail footprint founded by industry legend Arthur Blank which has everything your golf game needs...except a better approach shot.

Today, we discuss Jill's approach!

Full transcript (powered by AI, provided by Descript) available at https://www.authenticavenuemedia.com/post/take-a-swing-at-the-story-jill-thomas-pga-tour-superstore.

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Theme Song: Extreme Energy (Music Today 80)

On today's episode, Adam reveals the results of a CXO study outlining the intersection of culture, connections, and content. Full study and transcript available at authenticavenuemedia.com.

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LinkedIn (Authentic Avenue): https://www.linkedin.com/company/68049428/

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Theme Song: Extreme Energy (Music Today 80)

Question of the day: how do you authentically market hype?

I mean seriously. We've seen NFTs, stocks, trading cards, and sneakers (even sneakers that don't exist) swing wildly in value via hype. How you tell the authentic story of a platform that harnesses that hype for the "next-gen consumer"?

Well, today I have someone who knows the answer to that question: you'll meet Deena Bahri, Chief Marketing Officer of StockX. Via StockX's platform, you can get your hands on some of the latest products in categories known for "drop culture" -- limited-time, limited-quantity offerings. (You can also flip these products via the platform, too.)

Deena has been with the company since fall of 2019 -- far before the most recent hype train left the station. She teaches me all about what the "next-gen consumer" is, and has a neat three-part definition for authenticity which I think you'll appreciate.

Check out their platform while you listen: https://stockx.com/. Maybe you'll find something you like!

FOLLOW AUTHENTIC AVENUE, AND ADAM, ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

LinkedIn (Authentic Avenue): https://www.linkedin.com/company/68049428/

Email Adam: [email protected]

Learn more at https://authenticavenuemedia.com/.

Theme Song: Extreme Energy (Music Today 80)

Lunchclub, an invite-only platform dubbed the future of business networking, announced today that Chelsea Maclin will be joining the team as Chief Marketing Officer.

So, naturally, we had to get a podcast together for day 1!

(Here's an invite to the platform, by the way.)

Today, Chelsea shares her journey to Lunchclub and what makes it such a great opportunity, including what she looks for in a brand and why Lunchclub meets it. We talk about her experience in personal networking from Bumble, and how it can apply to the business networking world.

We follow along to a few stories of networking success via the Lunchclub platform, including new partnerships, investments, and charitable efforts. Here is one such story:

Reaching out to share a story about serendipity on Lunchclub.

I've done about a dozen meetings now and one of them turned into a great project to help severely malnourished children in Nigeria.

On July 7/24 I met Chris on a Lunchclub call. We talked about work and our love of cycling. Towards the end of our time together he mentioned that he was putting together a fitness class for some friends and wanted to find a non-profit to donate any proceeds to. I mentioned a project I'm involved in and the work we do at Active For Good (helping to solve world hunger for kids combined with helping people getting active).

Long story short, Chris and I ended up booking a second call and eventually working together. The result of our meeting was over 16,000 life-saving therapeutic meal packets to kids in Nigeria, which is enough to deliver full treatments to 110 children. These packets are more than food, they are administered by a health worker to young children who are sometimes days away from death. With over a 95% success rate these packets are truly life-saving! Crazy. Chris and I talk about how we almost hung up the call that day without even talking about the class he was going to do.

The irony that your app is called Lunchclub and it actually provided meals to kids in need. Amazing.

Just thought I would share, it was too good of a story not to.

(Additionally, shout out to Jessica Alderson, founder of So Synced, who raised $1 million via a connection she made on Lunchclub!)

All this revolves around authentic connection -- so, towards the end, Chelsea shares her advice for how to find your own.

By the way, if you would like to join Lunchclub, check out the above invite link and you can get in! I'll put it again here: https://lunchclub.com/?invite_code=adamc53.

Enjoy!

FOLLOW AUTHENTIC AVENUE, AND ADAM, ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

LinkedIn (Authentic Avenue): https://www.linkedin.com/company/68049428/

Email Adam: [email protected]

Learn more at https://authenticavenuemedia.com/.

Theme Song: Extreme Energy (Music Today 80)

On today's show, we figure out how to unfck the internet.

Helping us on that journey to discovery is Lindsey Shepard. Lindsey, who also goes by Shep, is the Chief Marketing Officer of Mozilla. You probably best know them by their Firefox browser. (Maybe you're reading this through it right now!)

Shep is interesting because she comes from Facebook, where she led, among other things...integrity. So naturally I was curious about her journey away from the social network to the browser world.

On that very same note, we then talk about how the internet is...well, fcked. How'd it get there? Why's it stuck there? And, what is Mozilla doing to fix it? To unfck it, as they've put it?

We end on a note of advice, and a first for my career here: Shep calls me out on how I define and think about the word authenticity. I loved it, and I hope you enjoy the brief challenge as well.

It wouldn't be a feature of Mozilla if I didn't give you a link to download Firefox, so here it is: https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/.

Enjoy, and happy unfcked surfing!

FOLLOW AUTHENTIC AVENUE, AND ADAM, ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

LinkedIn (Authentic Avenue): https://www.linkedin.com/company/68049428/

Email Adam: [email protected]

Learn more at https://authenticavenuemedia.com/.

Theme Song: Extreme Energy (Music Today 80)

Today: how to bring together the worlds of real and virtual sport -- plus, how to bring brands into the fold.

My conversation today is with Dan Parise. Dan is about a year into his role as the Chief Marketing Officer of Rival, which is a B2B enterprise solution creating community through gaming and interactive experiences.

Now when I think of video games, my mind doesn't immediately jump to the B2B world, and it's possible that yours doesn't either. But the truth is: brands are trying to jump into this world at the same time as traditional sporting orgs. And this makes for incredibly interesting business opportunities. What's more: Dan himself is not a life-long gamer -- so it feels very much like everyone is learning together.

Today, you'll learn right along with us, especially when it comes to how to authentically combine the three entities into a common channel -- one which has only been mainstream-popular for a couple of years.

By the way, here's the story about Stevenage I'd mentioned: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/54279530.

It's worth mentioning that Fernando Machado, who was previously CMO over RBI here in the US (which owns Burger King in NA), has moved into the gaming world himself via a move to become CMO of Activision Blizzard. Perhaps we'll have a pod about it soon!

Enjoy!

FOLLOW AUTHENTIC AVENUE, AND ADAM, ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

LinkedIn (Authentic Avenue): https://www.linkedin.com/company/68049428/

Email Adam: [email protected]

Learn more at https://authenticavenuemedia.com/.

Theme Song: Extreme Energy (Music Today 80)

Today: how a $24B Catholic healthcare system unites.

I'm on with Nick Ragone, the EVP, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for Ascension. Nick pursued law to start his career, and found that marketing carries the same linear storytelling style. Today, Nick continues to tell the story he's spread for the last seven years at Ascension, which advocates for a compassionate and just society as it expands access to healthcare for those who need it most.

Today we talk about how Nick led the One Ascension unification process for its hospital network, and how that togetherness became immediately valuable when COVID struck just a few months later.

We also chat about the unfortunate rising tide the pandemic brought to float all healthcare boats, and how Nick responded. Finally we talk about some of Nick's favorites avenues Ascension has utilized to tell their authentic story all the while.

(Including a podcast. Did you know Ascension has a podcast? Check it out: https://ascension.org/news/podcasts.)

FOLLOW AUTHENTIC AVENUE, AND ADAM, ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

LinkedIn (Authentic Avenue): https://www.linkedin.com/company/68049428/

Email Adam: [email protected]

Learn more at https://authenticavenuemedia.com/.

Theme Song: Extreme Energy (Music Today 80)

Here's a story about lightning in a bottle...in a bottle.

Today we explore Sunwink through the eyes of their Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer, Jordan Schenck. Jordan's a celebrated marketer in the plant-based world, having previously been Head of Consumer Marketing for Impossible Foods. She was also recently named to the Forbes CMO Next 2021 list.

Sunwink is a consumer brand producing "super clean plant powered Sparkling Tonics and Superfood Powders for everyday wellness."

Wellness. That's a word I've heard more than almost every word in the brand world over the last year. I get it. Pandemic, stress, depression. Anyone who can front as a wellness brand immediately captures some value, right?

Maybe. Maybe not. Actually these days when I hear the word wellness I think either 1) it's marketing buzzwords meant to drive a sale regardless of truth, or 2) it actually makes me feel "unwell."

Sunwink has a recent campaign and study recognizing this and seeking to clear up what wellness truly means. Today, we chat about that plus Jordan's unique perspective as someone with the responsibility of innovative marketing while staying lean as a founder.

FOLLOW AUTHENTIC AVENUE, AND ADAM, ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

LinkedIn (Authentic Avenue): https://www.linkedin.com/company/68049428/

Email Adam: [email protected]

Learn more at https://authenticavenuemedia.com/.

Theme Song: Extreme Energy (Music Today 80)

Today: how a flagship name in sexual wellness and creative expression has evolved from its heritage to its NFT age.

It's PLBY Group, which you'll know from its flagship brand Playboy. Rachel Webber is their Chief Brand & Strategy Officer, who joined the group two years ago from NatGeo following years in mass media, consumer tech, and other brands.

Today we discuss a number of things, like:

FOLLOW AUTHENTIC AVENUE, AND ADAM, ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

LinkedIn (Authentic Avenue): https://www.linkedin.com/company/68049428/

Email Adam: [email protected]

Learn more at https://authenticavenuemedia.com/.

Theme Song: Extreme Energy (Music Today 80)

Today we take the science of at-home fitness and the art of the SPAC...and myx them together.

(Not a typo.)

My guest is Carl Daikeler, co-founder and CEO of The Beachbody Company. Beachbody is dedicated to help people achieve their goals and enjoy healthy, fulfilling lives. Carl, a marketer at heart rather than a fitness junkie, has built the business (on cash flow only) to today's $1 billion annual revenue.

I checked in with Carl shortly after COVID's onset to chat about fitness without gyms, and today I build on that by learning how he's kept up the momentum up.

We also talk about what will change for Beachbody now that the company has announced it will go public via SPAC (the first time this host has interviewed any brand about) and will also fold in MYXfitness, an in-home fitness company which competes with players like Peloton.

Enjoy!

FOLLOW AUTHENTIC AVENUE, AND ADAM, ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

LinkedIn (Authentic Avenue): https://www.linkedin.com/company/68049428/

Email Adam: [email protected]

Learn more at https://authenticavenuemedia.com/.

Theme Song: Extreme Energy (Music Today 80)