Brand Collective

If you watched a Buzzfeed video between 2015 and 2019, chances are you’ll recognize Chantel Houston. Whether producing viral videos for some of the biggest entertainment brands on the internet or creating mission-driven content in her latest role as Content Director at Farm Sanctuary, Chantel has learned that the best work comes from following your passions. Each pivot in her career journey has expanded her skillset and taught her to get into the mindset of a new audience. In this episode, she shares her strategies for making impactful content (which sometimes includes musical chickens), how she approaches the challenge of converting viewers to followers, and why she never regrets trying something new. Tune in to learn more about making the first three seconds of a video count and — since we’re on the theme of reinvention — Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, of course!

 In a fast-paced, creative career like copywriting, you have to be able to think on your feet — a skill Winston Noel, Associate Creative Director at Ogilvy, first learned as an improv comedian. Offstage, saying “yes, and” to ideas and opportunities has been the cornerstone of his career journey. In this episode, Winston shares how he went from managing the Twitter account for “Dancing with the Stars” (back when it had 99 followers) to shaping major campaigns at a world-renowned advertising agency. He reveals how a background in improv — the ultimate masterclass in collaboration and navigating feedback — has made him a better creative thinker and partner. Tune in to this star-studded episode to learn more about teamwork, overcoming writer’s block, and what it’s like to have your script marked up by the great Stanley Tucci.

Key Takeaways: 

• We talk about how to keep critical feedback from sinking in — and the secret to refilling your creative tank.
• Ever wonder what it’s like to work on campaigns with celebrities? Winston takes us behind the scenes.
• We discuss why some brands are better at being funny, and why comedy and copywriting don’t always mesh.
• Winston shares what makes a great creative partnership work.

Winston Noel is an Associate Creative Director at Ogilvy, managing high-profile clients like Philips, Instagram, S. Pellegrino, and the ERA Coalition. Beyond his expertise in copywriting, he co-created and starred in the popular comedy podcast Mission To Zyxx. Additionally, he performs regularly at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater.

Marketing in a sensitive industry like home healthcare can be a challenge, but for Sara Cook, Marketing Director of Brand Management and Content at Homecare Homebase (HCHB), the key is caring about what matters. Whether sitting side-by-side with doctors and nurses in her early days as a traveling implementation consultant or wrangling creatives in her current role, Sara lets empathy lead the way. In this episode, she shares how she boomeranged between creative and technical positions before striking the perfect balance, how she communicates with her team (sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words), and why she loves car commercials. Ultimately, Sara tells us, the best marketing message is about making someone’s day better — so listen up for a mood boost!

Key Takeaways: 

• Sara tells us how working as an implementation consultant taught her what users really care about (and that marketers don’t always get it right).
• We talk about the commercials that make us cry — and why those heartwarming ads work.
• Are you more left-brained or right-brained? Sara shares how she harnesses both creativity and organizational skills.
• We discuss how the pandemic shone a spotlight on home-based industries and generated lasting change.

Guest Bio: 

Sara is the Marketing Director of Brand Management and Content at Homecare Homebase (HCHB), a software leader for home-based care agencies. With past marketing and project management experience, Sara enjoys integrating a mix of creativity and analytical skill in this role. She has a degree in Integrated Marketing Communications from ACU and worked in marketing, graphic design, and photography before joining HCHB in 2009 as an implementation consultant. She later moved into project management on the implementation team where she could put her knowledge of the product and organization skills to work. When the opportunity arose to join the HCHB marketing team in 2018, Sara jumped at the chance to get back to her marketing roots — she started as a product marketing manager and was later promoted to her current director role.

Always looking for opportunities to broaden and share her knowledge, Sara participates in many programs with Smartsheet, including: Smartsheet Overachievers, Marketing Advisory Council, Early Adopters Program, and more.

Not all journeys start with a glamorous destination — some start on Craigslist. For Dan Rosenbaum, Vice President of Global Marketing at San Francisco Travel, answering a Craigslist ad kicked off thirteen years (and counting) of innovative destination marketing. In the rise from social media manager to VP, Dan learned to seek out opportunities to expand his skillset. In this episode, he shares how he volunteered to explore Facebook advertising in its early days, how he responds to challenges with meaningful campaigns, and how he finds ways to amplify what locals love about San Francisco. Come to this episode for Dan’s expert take on the evolution of social media marketing, stay for his unmissable San Francisco restaurant recommendations!

Key Takeaways: 

• We talk about the keys to career growth in marketing, from going deep in your niche to using data to make an impact.
• Worried about original social media content? Dan tells us how leveraging user-generated content (UGC) leads to authentic engagement.
• Dan shares how he captures the DNA of San Francisco as a hub of innovation and creativity — and introduces its most famous celeb, Karl the Fog.
• We discuss how Dan and his team adapted in one of the industries hit hardest by COVID-19.

Guest Bio: 

As the Vice President of Global Marketing at San Francisco Travel, Dan leads a dynamic team dedicated to showcasing San Francisco as a compelling world destination. With a keen focus on marketing communications, Dan and his team orchestrate strategies across various paid and owned channels to captivate audiences and drive visitor engagement from inspiration to booking. Drawing from over 16 years of experience in marketing and management, Dan has honed his ability to leverage content, digital advertising, and social media to create impactful campaigns that resonate with global audiences. In addition to his professional pursuits, Dan is fueled by his love for craft coffee, a curated playlist of uplifting tunes, and an ever-expanding library of books. He satisfies his wanderlust through culinary adventures near and far, always seeking out his next best meal.

You’ve probably heard the saying that life begins at the end of your comfort zone — and if you ask QDOBA Sr. Manager of National Marketing, Tara Lynch, it’s definitely true. After nearly five years working for big name agencies in New York, Tara moved across the country and eventually started a product marketing job in the food and beverage industry — one that turned out to be much different than she anticipated. Nine days after starting her new role, COVID-19 hit, drastically changing the restaurant industry as the world knew it. Now Tara is sharing how she rose to the occasion, along with the most enlightening and entertaining things she learned along the way. Bring your appetite, because we’re talking brisket birria, mango salsa, citrus lime shrimp, and so much more on this tasty episode of the pod! 

Key Takeaways: 

• We discuss the key differences between agency and in-house life and the experiences that transcend both worlds.
• Curious how restaurants bring new flavors and menu items to life? Tara gives us the behind the scenes scoop we never knew we needed.
• We learn all about the most pivotal marketing metrics in the food and beverage industry.
• Tara explains how she helped successfully transform QDOBA’s fast casual dine-in model into a digital takeout and curbside experience during the pandemic.

Guest Bio: 

Tara Lynch is a marketing & advertising professional that has over 10 years of experience. She started her career in advertising as a summer intern at Saatchi & Saatchi working on Procter & Gamble’s Olay brand. After securing a full-time job on the account after graduation, she worked in New York advertising at Saatchi & Saatchi and Ogilvy & Mather for almost 5 years before moving to San Diego.

Tara made the jump to client side in 2020, and currently serves as the Sr. Manager of National Marketing at QDOBA Restaurant Corporation. She oversees the national marketing efforts for the brand, including the test & launch of new menu innovations, and activation of brand promotions and partnerships. Food is her love language, and while she never got the chance to work on a restaurant account during her time in the advertising world, she’s happy she gets to work growing QDOBA – a brand that is close to her heart.

Bridging the gap between the artistic aspects of marketing such as design and the harder skills like data analysis often feels scary and unnatural for creatives. But according to theater and improv student turned Cineverse SVP of Marketing, Lauren McCarthy, it’s all about finding the story. In this episode of the podcast, she shares how tying all marketing activities back to storytelling and approaching persona research as character writing has enabled her to connect the dots across Cineverse’s many diverse properties, from Bob Ross’ “happy little” streaming channel to the most trafficked horror site on the web, Bloody Disgusting. Tune in to hear how Lauren’s product marketing approach to branding and habit of saying “yes, and” enabled her and her lean, mean marketing team to successfully rebrand Cineverse and consistently power the future of entertainment.

Key Takeaways: 

• We discuss strategies for building a powerhouse marketing team from the ground up, including how to create a “team charter.”
• Ever wonder what improv and marketing have in common? Lauren’s got your back…
• Lauren shares how going back to school to get her master’s degree during the pandemic impacted her career.
• We dig into some of the craziest yet most successful ideas the Cineverse marketing team has said “yes” to recently.

Guest Bio: As Senior Vice President of Marketing, Lauren is responsible for telling the story of Cineverse; overseeing the strategy and execution of all marketing, communication and creative initiatives for the company. Lauren and her customer-obsessed team build engaging and effective brand and consumer narratives – supporting revenue generators with measurable, data driven results. 

Lauren brings over 15 years of entertainment and technology experience to her work, including senior roles at SaaS startup Tangelo.ai, Broad Green Pictures along with various marketing, product, creative strategy and filmed entertainment positions. Additionally, Lauren is an advisor to the top-rated entrepreneurial course, “NUVention: Arts & Media” at Northwestern University’s McCormick School of Engineering.

 We’ve all heard about the importance of learning to say “no,” but what about the power of starting from “yes”? For photographer and content creator Aayushi Rana, saying “yes” to receiving her first DSLR camera, moving from Bangalore to London (Ontario, not England) at just 18 years old, and following a strong connection to the DECIEM brand led to her landing her dream job at the Ordinary. In this episode of the podcast, she shares her journey and discusses how starting from a place of “yes” continues to help her hone her craft, spark creativity, and achieve success. You definitely won’t regret saying “yes” to giving this episode a listen!

Key Takeaways: 

• We discuss the creative process used by the team at the Ordinary, and how inspiration can come from anywhere — even trash can fires.
• Ever wonder whether it’s truly possible to manifest the perfect job? Aayushi gives us a crash course on how to make your dreams a reality.
• Aayushi gives us the inside scoop on the Ordinary’s inspiring company culture.
• We talk about the power of storytelling and why a picture really is worth a thousand words.

Guest Bio: Aayushi Rana is a Canada based, India born fashion photographer. Her fascination with photography and storytelling started at a young age, with only a phone camera. Ever since her move to Canada, she spent her years crafting her niche in fashion and beauty photography. Over the course of her career, she has gained experience working with and orchestrating a team of creative individuals. She prides herself in her ability to be a continual learner and morph to the needs of her clients. She’s had the opportunity to work with some incredible brands such as Hudson’s Bay, Saks OFF 5th, Joe Fresh and most recently, DECIEM, the creators of The Ordinary. She thoroughly enjoys molding and shaping light and is constantly striving to create something beautiful. 

Few professionals experience career highs and lows as drastic as creatives who put their heart and soul into their work. Fortunately, Bob Bejan, Microsoft’s Corporate VP of Global Events, Production Studios & Marketing Community, has had a lot of highs — from turning the Ninja Turtles into rock stars (his voice may sound familiar to you) to signing a 5-picture interactive movie deal with Sony (a concept well before its time). Yet despite these impressive accomplishments, Bob firmly believes the quality that defines creative success is the ability to choose excellence in times of adversity. In this episode of the podcast, Bob shares his experience and advice around maintaining your self worth amidst creative criticism, meeting challenges with a positive attitude, and allowing your greatness to shine regardless of mistakes. As Michelangelo would say, cowabunga! 

Key Takeaways: 

• We discuss what it means to be “human first” at work, and how great leaders effectively balance creativity and business strategy.  
• Ever wonder what separates creatives from the pack? Bob shares what he believes is the common thread.
• We learn why experiential marketing has become the “emotional skin” of the Microsoft brand.
• Bob tells us how his background as a theater major and performer has shaped his philosophies as a creative marketer.

Guest Bio: Bob Bejan is the Corporate Vice President of Global Events, Production Studios & Community at Microsoft. He graduated with a degree in theater from University of Pacific and worked as a performer for several years before penning his own musical and writing 150+ jingles for some of today’s leading brands. Bob is responsible for not only transforming the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles into a rock band, but also serving as the voice of Michelangelo throughout the “Coming Out of Their Shells” tour. 

After founding interactive motion picture company Interfilm and selling several pictures to Sony, Bob was hired by Warner Bros. to help found Warner Bro’s Interactive and launch the company’s online presence. He then turned his attention and creative talent to the tech industry when he joined Microsoft as its General Manager in 1996. Bob spent twelve years in the agency business, during which time he served as CEO for Publicis Experiential for nearly a decade, before returning to Microsoft in 2014 and again in 2016. Today he is responsible for managing and creating all the brand’s experiential marketing, including overseeing the production of more than 1200 hours of television programming each month via the Microsoft studio.

In this extra special mini episode, we are over the moon to introduce you to our new co-host, Beth Bradley. Beth joins us while our regular co-host, MacKenzie Koss, is on parental leave with her new baby boy.

Take a listen to learn a little bit about Beth, her background in the marketing and creative space, and her history with our long time host, Nick Ross. Welcome to the Brand Collective Podcast, Beth!  

Guest Bio: Beth Bradley has been telling stories as long as she could talk. After stints first as a fashion designer and then a magazine editor, she eventually figured out that she could tell stories professionally as a content marketer. She’s been fascinated by the intersection of art and science in marketing ever since.

Beth works as a Senior Content Strategist, but she also tells stories recreationally and competitively. She has been featured on The Moth Radio Hour on National Public Radio, as a speaker at various film festivals, and as a guest on podcasts including She Explores and Marriott Bonvoy’s About the Journey. She loves hiking, the Broncos, all dogs (her Aussie Ember is the cutest one, just facts), and adventures of all kinds. 

Being discovered by Whole Foods at a local Farmer’s Market. Appearing on Shark Tank 9 months pregnant. Launching a rebrand during a global pandemic. Going viral on TikTok overnight. While any of these events may seem like a wild ride to most, for Texas-based mom of three and Poppi Co-founder Allison Ellsworth, it’s just another day in the life — and she thrives in the chaos. In this episode of the podcast (our 50th, to be exact!), Allison shares her inspiring journey from experimenting with apple cider vinegar in her kitchen to crafting a best-selling soda replacement that landed at #1 on Amazon’s hot new products list. Whether she’s telling a personal story on TikTok or taking a Zoom call from the labor and delivery room, everything Allison does is authentic — and usually a family affair. So grab your favorite Poppi flavor and get ready to enjoy some realness!

Key Takeaways: 

• We talk about what it takes to stay true to your brand vision and identity while undergoing exponential growth.
• Ever wonder what it’s like to appear on Shark Tank? Allison gives us the inside scoop.
• We discuss the challenges and benefits of blending one’s personal and professional lives.
• Allison tells us how she “hacked” the TikTok and Amazon algorithms to sell $2.2 million worth of Poppi last Prime Day.

Guest Bio: 

Allison Ellsworth is the Co-Founder and Chief Brand Officer of Poppi: a delicious, better-for-you soda made with clean ingredients. Struggling with a variety of health issues, she created Poppi after discovering the health benefits of apple cider vinegar (ACV) and experimenting in her kitchen to make it taste great. From the farmers market to a shark tank deal and now in retailers nationwide, Poppi quickly became one of the fastest-growing non-alcoholic beverages in the U.S.

Ellsworth leads the Austin-based beverage company’s overall brand strategy and innovation. She pioneered the brand’s cultural cache and digital-first approach, attracting a loyal community of over 400K followers and celebrity brand fans including Noah Beck, Russell Westbook and J.LO. Within 24 months, Poppi was awarded BevNet’s “campaign of the year”, went viral on Tiktok with 1B+ page views, and ranked #1 on Amazon search for “soda”