This week we donned a smelly neon bib, distributed some tiny cones and shouted things like ‘THAT’S NEVER A PEN’ all in order to win the attention of Karen Dobres, one of the sporting world’s most genuine game changers.

Advocating for equal budgets, facilities and recognition in women’s sport with all the tenacity of a crunching, shin-pad obliterating tackle, Karen is the co-founder of Equality FC and the Sistership Network. Her new book, soon to hit the shops, is called Pitch Invasion and tells the tale of her experiences as a feminist on the board of Lewes FC, the world’s first (hurray) and only (boo) equal football club. And, with all the creative energy of a box-to-box midfield dynamo, she’s also helped establish the #CallHimOut initiative, has served as a judge on the UN Women UK Awards, managed a counselling service at Polygram Records and, just because she could, helped arrange the installation of a statue celebrating bisexual female pirates.

It’s an episode where we chatter ‘in and around’ all things relating to her hopes for women’s sport, the impact of equality on crowds and culture and the value of being an outsider.

This episode is proudly dedicated to Marios Christos Sfantos.

 

 Follow Karen on LinkedIn.

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06:10 - From Journalism Aspirations to Modelling

08:45 - Transitioning to Counselling and Music Industry

12:40 - Discovering Women's Football

15:31 - Feminizing the Football Environment at Lewis FC

18:14 - Impact of Equality on Crowds and Culture

24:48 - Challenges Faced by Women in Football

27:25 - Creating a Supportive Community through Football

30:37 - Football as a Vehicle for Social Change

32:06 - The Value of Being an Outsider in Football

34:15 - Pitch Invasion: Karen's Book

A Room of One’s Own by Virgina Woolf

Why Men Win at Work by Jill Whitty Collins

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This week we kept on adding more and more and more irrelevant attachments to our so-called brief, in order to earn ourselves a swift rebuke from the marketing world’s Brief Batman – Howard Ibach.

Inventor of the Creative Brief Mastery program, Howard is on a mission to make marketing briefs more meaningful. An advocate for clear thinking, proper collaboration and the single minded-proposition, Howard has been helping marketers all over the world put their bad briefing habits to bed (and then press a pillow over their drooling faces). He’s also an instructor at the Association of National Advertisers’ Marketing Training and Development Centre, the author of the brilliant ‘How To Write An Inspired Brief’ and host of the ‘Brief Bros’ podcast – confirming his undisputed status as the industry’s beefiest brief brain.

In this episode, Howard will pick the art of briefing down to its rickety bones, sharing his invaluable expertise on what the perfect brief should say, be and do.

This episode is proudly dedicated to Tom Jordan.

Follow Howard on LinkedIn. 

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Timestamps

03:45 - Lessons from Stonemasonry

06:14 - Path to Writing and Advertising

08:36 - The Influence of Advertising on Howard

12:29 - The Importance of a Good Brief

16:12 - Issues with Copying Client Briefs

19:49 - The Disconnect Between Clients and Agencies

24:24 - Collaboration in Brief Writing

32:13 - Commonalities in Effective Briefs

46:02 - Banishment of Purpose Advertising

Howards Book Recommendations are:

Chew with Your Mind Open by Cameron Day

Spittin' Chiclets by Cameron Day

Stones & Sticks by Cameron Day

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This week we have been exclusively watching 'Magic Mike', shaking a Magic 8-Ball and listening to '24k Magic' by Bruno Mars (which is just awful) in order to win the slightly nervous attention of Adam Ferrier, founder of Thinkerbell; the thinkers, tinkers and practitioners of ‘measured magic’. 

A psychology brain sat on top of some sturdy strategy bones, Adam is a rare voice of reason in the largely barmy brand world – as well as being the chief sceptic when it comes to the industry obsession with ‘the customer’. He’s also the author of more superb books, including ‘The Advertising effect: How to Change Behaviour’ and supplements all this talk-talking with some serious walk-walking through his work that brings marketing science and creative thinking together. 

In this episode Adam shares his expertise on brands who forget how to be brands, why every business problem is a behaviour change problem and the forgotten benefits of simply fitting in.

This episode is very proudly dedicated to Anne Young.

 

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 Follow Adam on LinkedIn

Timestamps

09:16 - The impact of D&AD annuals on Adam's career choice

11:19 - Transition from forensic psychology to marketing

16:12 - The perils of customer obsession

22:57 - Balancing brand and customer needs

25:11 - The importance of consumer research

Stop Listening to Your Customers by Adam Ferrier:

The Advertising Effect: How to Change Behaviour by Adam Ferrier: 

Love's Executioner and Other Tales of Psychotherapy by Irvin Yalom: 

Existential Psychotherapy by Irvin Yalom: 

Here and Now: Tales from the Heart  by Irvin Yalom: 

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Chief brand brain at XOXO soda, Shane has built his career around launching and marketing drinks that do good stuff for your innards, while looking extremely cool on your outtards. Before shaking up the canned drink business with XOXO he helped create a large and loyal community of slurpers for Moju, a ginger and turmeric shot that’s a bit like unleashing a troop of helpfully energetic monkeys inside your tired old brain. And, as well as bringing better branded bubbly beverages to Britain and beyond, he’s even found the time to launch Step by Steppers, a marvellous running club designed to help people dealing with grief to feel less alone.

This episode is very proudly dedicated to his Dad.

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Follow Shane on LinkedIn and Instagram

Step by Steppers Run Club

03:14 - Shane's Early Career in Hospitality

05:08 - Cultural Significance of Pubs in the UK

07:29 - Importance of University Experience Over Degree Choice

08:50 - Shane's Interest in Brands and Marketing

10:57 - Shane's Time in Australia and Farm Work Experience

13:04 - Transition from Hospitality to Marketing

14:40 - Working at Northern Block Ice Cream

16:05 - Joining Moju and Creative Job Application

18:22 - Continuous Learning and Mini MBA

20:19 - Transition to XOXO Soda

23:37 - Challenges and Opportunities in the Functional Soda Market

25:21 - Product Range and Flavor Development at XOXO

29:27 - Psychological Aspects of Product Taste and Health Benefits

31:12 - Listener Questions: Startups vs. Big Brands

34:47 - Listener Questions: Convincing Retailers to Stock Products

39:42 - Introduction to Step by Stepper Run Club

The Chimp Paradox - Prof Steve Peters

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A strategist who’s set himself the mountainous task of extracting all the nonsense from business strategy, Alex is very much a breath of a fresh air in a field that can, at its worst, smell a lot like somebody’s done a poo… on a dead crab… in the drains of an abandoned laundrette… and then set it on fire. He is the author of a bestselling book on strategy, titled, with Alex’s typical disregard for fluff, No Bullshit Strategy. In those pages – and through Alex’s wildly popular LinkedIn posts – he makes a compelling case for businesses to look more closely at the decisions they make and wheedle out the ‘anti-strategic’ ones that are causing 99% of all pickles. So, in true Alex fashion, we probably could have just said something like ‘he helps businesses get stuff right, more of the time’ instead of all that nonsense about the crab and the laundrette. Ah well.

This episode is dedicated to Alex’s wife who is the engine and foundation underneath everything. 

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Follow Alex on LinkedIn.

(03:26) - First Jobs and Failures

(06:19) - Reflections on Being Fired

(08:53) - Finding the Right Fit

(10:46) - The Challenge of Entering Advertising

(12:24) - Polishing the Pig: Agency Work

(15:36) - The Importance of Unique Value

(19:08) - Theory vs. Practice in Strategy

(20:26) - Defining Business Strategy

(22:03) - Value Generation in Business

(24:16) - The Role of Communication

(28:04) - The Hierarchy of Business Strategy

(30:28) - The Role of Founders in Strategy

(32:10) - Navigating Corporate Structures

(36:15) - The Myth of the Legendary Founder

(40:05) - Mediocrity vs. Strategy

(42:58) - Learning from Established Brands

(45:11) - Applying Strategy to Personal Business

(47:30) - The Shift from Freelancer to Entrepreneur

Zero to One by Peter Thiel

Incerto Series by Nassim Taleb

Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson 

Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson 

The Matter with Things by Ian McGilchrist

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As the Head of Brand Marketing at Miro, Paul has been busy bolstering his reputation as one of the industry’s smartiest pant-wearers when it comes to marketing effectiveness. Miro is just the latest stop in a marketing career you could only possibly describe as both distinguished and glittering (glittinguished?) and has seen Paul tackle the marketing challenges on behalf of everyone from O2 to Telefonica to the National Lottery in Ireland (scooping, along the way, the title of Ireland’s Marketer of the Year in 2022.) He’s also the author of Run With The Foxes, a superb book about marketing, mistakes and making much better decisions.

This episode is very proudly dedicated to Peter Field. Peter has had a huge influence on Paul’s career both as a mentor and advisor.

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Follow Paul on LinkedIn.

03:45 - First Job and Proper Job

05:10 - Early Career in Marketing

07:34 - Career Path and Focus

09:30 - Paul's Sweet Spot in Marketing

11:00 - Writing the Book: Run with Foxes

13:27 - Learning from Mistakes

15:51 - Mistakes and AI in Marketing

18:08 - Decision-Making Process

20:40 - Classical vs. Modern Marketing

22:22 - AI's Impact on Marketing

25:06 - Practical Applications of AI

30:05 - Advanced Uses of AI

33:08 - Synthetic Research

34:28 - Skepticism vs. Cynicism

36:42 - Curiosity and Experimentation

39:27 - Admitting Mistakes

43:27 - Listener Questions: Embedding Chapter One 

Ogilvy on Advertising – David Ogilvy

The Anatomy of Humbug – Paul Feldwick

Decoded: The Science Behind Why We Buy – Phil Barden

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Before becoming the enormously popular columnist and critic for the Irish Times, Patrick spent his 20s chasing the rock star dream. But while the life of big hair, hard drugs and tight trousers wasn’t to be, it did give Patrick the time and space required to be one of the creative world’s leading authors, thinkers and sense-talkers. His book ‘Ok, Let’s Do Your Stupid Idea’ is a glorious celebration of curiosity, experimentation and letting your heart lead the way. And now he’s on a mission to dismantle the cult of ‘Big P’ productivity and remind people that ‘maximising your potential’ is a poor substitute for living your life. 

This episode is dedicated to Patrick’s wife Anna Carey, who has been his biggest influence. She also has an amazing funny romance fiction book coming out later this year called Our Song. 

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Follow Patrick on X and Bluesky

 01:32 - The Concept of Demotivational Speaking

07:36 - Patrick's Early Jobs and Musical Aspirations

09:08 - The Influence of Music on Patrick's Life

12:04 - The Importance of Curiosity in Career Paths

15:18 - Exploring the Idea of 'Stupid Ideas'

17:14 - The Impact of Burnout and Productivity Culture

20:40 - Finding Peace in Accepting Average Productivity

22:37 - Cultural Expectations and Work-Life Balance

25:31 - The Role of Technology in Productivity Anxiety

30:17 - The Dangers of Measurable Metrics

32:03 - Writing Techniques and Approaches

36:30 - The Importance of Rhythm in Writing

39:01 - Listener Questions: Generational Perspectives on Productivity

42:57 - Antidotes to Hustle Culture and Finding Balance

45:27 - Final Thoughts on Productivity and Well-Being

The Fourth Time We Drowned – Sally Hayden 

Commonwealth – Anne Patchett

A Visit from Lagoon Squad – Jennifer Egan

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Apart from your CEO accidentally getting trapped in his own futuristic private bathroom over the bank holiday weekend, the funniest stuff in marketing usually comes from Tom’s brain. The comic genius behind The Marketoonist, Tom has been skewering this highly skewerable business for years – giving a reassuring chuckle to millions of marketers along the way. As well as being a famous side-splitter he’s also an expert eye-opener, with his Marketoonist agency having persuaded mega brands like Google, Microsoft and even LinkedIn of the value of having (and giving) a laugh. And, in his bid to remove the ‘po’ from the face of marketing, he also shares his wit and wisdom as one of the industry’s most in-demand keynote speakers.

This episode is dedicated to David and Claire Hyatt from Wales, as without these two Tom’s cartooning may never have transitioned from hobby to work. 

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Follow Tom on LinkedIn.

Tom Fishburne's website here.

The Marketoonist website here.

02:14 - Quick Fire Questions with Tom Fishburne

03:21 - Tom's Career Journey: From English Major to Cartoonist

07:00 - Early Influences and Inspirations

08:42 - Observations and Humour in Prague

10:09 - First Office Cartoons and Their Impact

13:49 - Humour in Marketing and Business

17:55 - Finding Material for Cartoons

19:06 - The Role of Humour in Serious Topics

23:21 - Can Any Brand Embrace Humour?

25:18 - Humour During the COVID-19 Pandemic

27:50 - Variety of Brands Tom Has Worked With

29:54 - Consistency of Human Nature in Humour

30:41 - Listener Questions: Balancing Satirical Humour

33:28 - Digital Transformation and Industry Jargon

35:07 - Listener Questions: AI and Humour

38:07 - Listener Questions: Humour Category at Cannes

39:38 - Listener Questions: AI vs. Human Comedians

42:26 - Four Pertinent Poses: Advice to Younger Self

43:23 - Four Pertinent Poses: Banish One Thing from the Industry

Tom's Book Recommendations are: 

Orbiting the Giant Hairball – Gordon MacKenzie 

School is Hell – Matt Groening 

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Spencer and Graham lead a creative crew leaner than a wildebeest that got banished from its herd last Tuesday for repeatedly messing around. But size means little when you have big ideas, and the agency regularly rubs shoulders with the behemoths of the ad and marketing world when it comes to gongs and glory. From Gus being named Ad Age Small Agency of the Year, to their campaigns winning top honours at the likes of Cannes, Forbes and the New York Film Festival, Spencer and Graham are a testament that brains can beat brawn in this industry. Especially when those brains are inside the heads of a couple of fellas who’ve had such an interesting journey through it.

This episode is dedicated to all the small but mighty creative agencies out there proving that size doesn't limit impact.

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Follow GUS on LinkedIn

Visit their website here.

(01:54) - Quick Fire Questions with Spencer & Graham

(03:26) - Graham & Spencer’s Career Journey

(10:35) - Spencer's Inspiration from an Outdoor Ad

(12:08) - Working at Campfire and True Blood Campaign

(15:54) - Graham & Spencer's Partnership and Founding of Gus

(18:56) - Strategy and Creativity Silos in Agencies and Clients

(20:32) - The Importance of Singular Creative Statements

(22:33) - The Mural Test for Brand Platforms

(24:56) - Internal vs. External Brand Positioning

(26:36) - The Role of Simplicity in Branding

(28:05) - Optimism About AI in Creativity

(30:01) - The Threat of AI in Strategy and Research

(32:29) - Staying Small on Purpose

(36:18) - The Changing Shape of Agencies

(42:18) - The Gus Grid and Creative Strategy

(43:13) - Breaking Norms with Back Market Campaign

(44:48) - Four Pertinent Poses: Advice to Younger Self

(47:59) - Banish One Thing from the Industry: Lack of Mentorship

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

The Artists Way by Julia Cameron

Essentialism by Greg McKeown 

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If there’s a fancy, famous and highly respected teaching institute in the world, then Moira has almost certainly been there, sharing the stuff in her enormous brain with students, leaders and top businesses. From Fontainebleau to UCC and the IMI – not to mention the legendary Mark Ritson Mini MBA – Moira has taught at them all, passing on her knowledge and experience as one of the world’s leading financial strategists. Also, as well as being multi-brilliant and multi-nice, she’s multi-lingual and often delivers her talks and lectures in English, Spanish, French and German.

This episode is proudly dedicated to the late and great Gail Gunderson.

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Follow Moira on LinkedIn

Visit her website here.

(02:19) - Quick fire Questions:

(05:47) - Moira's Career Path: Early Jobs and Experiences

(09:51) - First Proper Job: General Motors

(12:02) - Moira's Extensive Travel Experience

(17:16) - Marketing and Finance: Bridging the Gap

(19:12) - Understanding the Language of Finance

(23:43) - Career Management for Marketers

(25:50) - The Role of CMOs in Organisations

(28:18) - Low Margin Industries and Marketing Budgets

(32:04) - Cultural Differences in High vs. Low Margin Companies

(35:00) - Jaguar's Marketing Strategy Discussion

(39:51) - Perception of Marketing in the C-Suite

(41:06) - Finance's View of Marketing as a Cost Centre

(44:33) - Finance and Marketing Decision-Making

(46:54) - The Role of Finance in Modern Business

The ascent of money by Neil Ferguson 

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