Clicks 2 Bricks

What sets Krispy Kreme apart from other indulgent food brands? It’s not just their delicious doughnuts. It’s their focus on creating memorable, shareable moments that bring people together. We are joined by David Skena, Krispy Kreme’s Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), to walk us through the legacy of this beloved brand and the innovative methods that have helped them expand globally to bring fresh, delicious doughnuts to an international audience. In our conversation, David sheds light on Krispy Kreme’s innovative digital marketing strategies, with a breakdown of how they are leveraging social media and limited-time-only promotions to drive customer engagement and build awareness. We also cover Krispy Kreme’s exciting new partnership with McDonald’s before discussing the opportunities it represents and the media options it’s opened up for the brand. Tuning in, you’ll hear about David’s passion for ROI marketing, why it’s clear when social media marketing delivers, and why Krispy Kreme is investing more and more into SEO every year. To find out how Krispy Kreme continues to delight customers and adapt to market trends, don’t miss this episode!

Key Points From This Episode:

• A fun fact about David: a surprising background as a computer programmer.
• Key characteristics of the Krispy Kreme brand and what sets it apart.
• Why providing a consistent, high-quality product is essential.
• Krispy Kreme’s dedication to quality by “delivering fresh daily” across all access points.
• How the brand has increased access with an expansive footprint in the US and globally.
• An exciting new partnership with McDonald’s and the opportunities it presents.
• David’s innovative approach to social media marketing for Krispy Kreme.
• The value of ROI marketing: how David measures sales when using social media marketing.
• Insight into Krispy Kreme’s reciprocal relationship with its franchisees.
• Top tech achievement: instituting their own e-commerce channel with a fulfillment partner.
• The key role that SEO, SEM, and consumer reviews play in their digital strategy.
• David’s unpopular marketing opinion and what he loves about the marketing industry.
• His impressive career journey from Kraft Foods to Pepsi Co. and what he learned.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

David Skena on LinkedIn

David Skena on X

Krispy Kreme

Krispy Kreme Job Openings

Krispy Kreme on LinkedIn

Krispy Kreme on Instagram

Krispy Kreme on TikTok

Krispy Kreme on X

Krispy Kreme on Facebook

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Clicks 2 Bricks 

Marketing Leaders Coffee Chat

When a brand has a clear and attractive value proposition and then goes on to deliver on that promise, then a dedicated following and exponential brand growth is all but assured. Milan Laser Hair Removal is focused on one thing – providing a guaranteed treatment with excellent service – and to explain how Milan always stays true to its promise to become the biggest brand in its category, we are joined today by its Chief Marketing Officer, Sheila Ullery. Sheila details what Milan Laser Removal is all about, how she approaches her work as CMO, why the brand reveres everything that happens on a local level, and how it engages with influencers. Then, our guest unpacks the role of customer reviews in her work, how AI fits in, why a marketer’s passion is a strength and not a weakness, and how all the jobs she’s had until now have prepared her for her current role. We end with Sheila’s advice to new and prospective marketers, and we get a glimpse into the types of people who inspire her the most.

Key Points From This Episode:

• Welcoming Sheila Ullery as she tells us about her move from Arizona to Nebraska. 
• Why she loves nature and being outdoors. 
• The ins and outs of Milan Laser Hair Removal, where Sheila is now the CMO. 
• What the brand needs from Sheila in her position, and how she goes about it. 
• The role influencers in the growth of a brand, and tips for best practices. 
• How customer reviews affect Sheila’s work. 
• Exploring the way Milan has embraced AI. 
• Sheila’s strongly held yet unpopular opinion about marketing. 
• How her experience at previous companies set her up for her current role. 
• Her advice to new and prospective marketers for how to conquer modern challenges. 
• The leaders who inspire Sheila the most.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Sheila Ullery on LinkedIn

Sheila Ullery on Facebook

Milan Laser Hair Removal  

WellBiz Brands 

L'Oréal 

Matrix

Massage Envy

Aveda 

The All-In Podcast 

LVMH

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Clicks 2 Bricks 

Marketing Leaders Coffee Chat

If you want your marketing to connect with younger demographics, then your best bet is to make sure that your initiatives are indisputably authentic and aligned with your values – especially when it comes to sponsorships. That’s the advice of today’s guest, Shannon Cole, head of brand marketing and sponsorship at Royal Bank of Canada (RBC). She joins us today to discuss RBC’s dedicated approach to sponsorships and the transformative impact of the RBC Training Ground program. Designed to identify and support Canadian athletes who might otherwise be lost in the system, this initiative has uncovered talents like Kelsey Mitchell, a former soccer player who won a gold medal in track cycling at the Tokyo Olympics. Discover how this program goes beyond traditional sponsorship, aligning with RBC's values to create authentic, life-changing stories that resonate with audiences. Shannon also discusses common mistakes made by marketers new to sponsorship and offers advice for aspiring marketers, before sharing her thoughts on AI, influencer marketing, and more. Join us for a fascinating conversation on how RBC leverages sponsorship to build meaningful connections and drive brand equity!
 

Key Points From This Episode:

• Introducing Shannon Cole, head of brand marketing and sponsorship at RBC.
• Shannon’s background in soccer and how it influenced her choice of school.
• Finding the balance between brand marketing and performance marketing.
• The key role that branding plays for banks in setting themselves apart.
• How RBC is using sponsorship to connect with younger generations.
• RBC’s proud history of sponsorships and long-standing partners, including the Olympics.
• A breakdown of the RBC Training Ground program and its origins.
• How the program identifies and supports under-resourced Canadian athletes.
• A program success story: Kelsey Mitchell's journey from soccer to Olympic gold in cycling.
• Evaluating sponsorship opportunities: key criteria and metrics.
• How RBC adapts its strategies to the digital era and changing consumer behaviors.
• The importance of authentic, value-aligned sponsorships for RBC.
• Common mistakes made by marketers new to sponsorship (and how to avoid them).
• Advice to marketers interested in pursuing a role similar to Shannon’s.
• Lightning round: influencer marketing, AI-powered marketing, and agencies.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Shannon Cole on LinkedIn

Royal Bank of Canada (RBC)

RBC Training Ground Program

Mary DePaoli on LinkedIn
Kelsey Mitchell

Clicks 2 Bricks 

Marketing Leaders Coffee Chat

Today on Clicks 2 Bricks, we are joined by the chief brand and marketing officer of Caribou Coffee to discuss the brand’s innovative TikTok campaign. Tuning in, you’ll hear all about Caribou Coffee and what sets it apart from other coffee brands, how it fits into the Panera portfolio, and how the coffee industry has changed in terms of market dynamics. We delve into their new TikTok dating show, Dream Date and how they’re leveraging the use of influencers and ambassadors for marketing before discussing the digital foundation they have created and how AI feeds into it. Our guest tells us about their local marketing strategies, how they optimize local search performance, and her unpopular opinion about foot traffic and marketing. Finally, Erin tells us about her interesting career trajectory and some lessons she’s learned along the way. Thanks for listening in!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Welcoming Erin Newkirk to the show, and a surprising fact about her.
• What Caribou Coffee is all about and what makes them different from other coffee brands. 
• Our guest explains the regional boundaries for Caribou Coffee within the Panera portfolio. 
• How the market dynamics have shifted within the coffee category. 
• Erin tells us about their new TikTok dating show, Dream Date: A Sip at Love.
• What led them to make use of influencers and TikTok for marketing. 
• Erin talks about the technological side of Caribou Coffee and how they use AI. 
• How Caribou Coffee is working with their domestic franchisees on local marketing. 
• A breakdown of their local search performance and how they optimize it. 
• Erin shares an unpopular opinion about marketing that she has.
• Why consumer packaged goods is a really good place to start a marketing career. 
• How she compares CPG to multilocational marketing. 
• Who Erin wants to see on the show next. 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Erin Newkirk

Erin Newkirk on LinkedIn

Erin Newkirk on X

Caribou Coffee

Caribou Coffee on LinkedIn

Caribou Coffee on TikTok

Hannah Burner

Clicks 2 Bricks 

Marketing Leaders Coffee Chat

In today’s episode of Clicks2Bricks, we are joined by Ash ElDifrawi in his capacity as the Chief Commercial and Brand Officer for The Aspen Group (TAG), a portfolio of health-services brands. Ash is here to talk about the unique challenges of growing and supporting a national dentistry brand, and he is perfectly situated as two of the brands under TAG's umbrella are the largest two national dentistry brands in the country! We learn about Ash's father and son podcast, Hold Me Back, before dissecting the inner workings of TAG as a company. We discuss how TAG's daughter companies are structured, how to overcome the challenges of the modern marketing funnel, the marketing relationship between TAG and its affiliated dental practitioners, and why the company relies so heavily on influencers and social media in its marketing efforts. Ash also explains the roles of customer reviews and AI at TAG, why he believes that marketing should be redefined in line with our evolving world, and how his experience at previous companies serves him in the work he does today, as well as the job opportunities that are currently available at The Aspen Group. Tune in for all this and more!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Insight into Ash’s father-son podcast, Hold Me Back.
• The ins and outs of Aspen Dental and The Aspen Group (TAG). 
• Exploring Ash's journey at TAG and how his role has changed through various titles.
• A closer look at all the brands under the TAG umbrella and how they're structured. 
• TAG’s marketing funnel and the unique challenges that come with it. 
• The thrills and spills of managing the only two national brands in dentistry. 
• How TAG engages with its network of dental practitioners from a marketing perspective.
• Filling the funnel: understanding what works in today's market. 
• How (and why) TAG uses influencers and social media marketing. 
• Why Ash and his team are more focused on the first visit than retaining customers.
• Customer reviews and the role of AI at TAG. 
• Ash's unpopular opinion about the evolution of the definition of marketing!
• How previous experiences at Google, GoGo, and Redbox influence the way he works today. 
• The differences between general cognitive ability, talent, education, and experience. 
• Job vacancies at TAG and how to connect with Ash and his team.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Ash ElDifrawi on LinkedIn

Ash ElDifrawi Books on Amazon

The Aspen Group (TAG)

Hold Me Back Podcast

AI Xecutive Council

Bob Fontana on LinkedIn 

Redbox

Gogo Business Aviation

Raising Cane's

Marriot International 

Warby Parker

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Clicks 2 Bricks 

Marketing Leaders Coffee Chat

There is always space for learning and innovating; regardless of how old you or your brand are! Today on Clicks 2 Bricks we are joined by the new CMO at Blaze Pizza, Christian Kuhn to discuss the exciting changes he has incited at the company. Tuning in, you’ll hear about Christian’s fascinating career and some fun facts about him we may not have known, how Blaze Pizza was prepared for his arrival, how the company has evolved since we last heard about them on the show, and how Christian kickstarted his work there. We delve into what is driving change at the brand before Christian outlines some of the exciting new menu changes and reminds us that change can be small and simple. We even discuss their incredible Pie-oneer Program, hear about the Trail Blazing Pie-oneers, find out about their tech stack, how they are adapting their loyalty program, franchise marketing challenges, and how they are driving foot traffic, and so much more! Finally, our guest shares some words of wisdom for anyone wanting to get into marketing and stresses the importance and benefit of mentorship. Thanks for listening in!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Welcoming Christian Kuhn to this episode of Clicks 2 Bricks.
• Christian tells us about his time working at the Pentagon and US Air Force PR Department. 
• How Blaze Pizza has evolved since new leadership took over and Christian joined.
• What was done to prepare the company in terms of marketing before Christian arrived. 
• Why Christian chose to meet with the Blaze leadership and learn about the business first. 
• Some of the dynamics at play driving the changes at Blaze Pizza. 
• Christian outlines the changes they have made to the Blaze Pizza menu. 
• The power of reinventing and adapting existing products to drive brand excitement. 
• What plans Christian has for the brand and all about their new Pie-oneer Program. 
• He tells us about some of the original Trail Blazing Pie-oneers and the cause it supports. 
• Why and how the Blaze Pizza tech stack is ambitious but too expensive and too complicated. 
• The importance of getting clear on what your loyalty program is for your brand. 
• Unique marketing challenges with all their outlying franchises and how they overcome them. 
• What’s driving foot traffic to their stores and why they prefer digital over traditional marketing. 
• How mentors have played a role in Christian’s career and the importance of listening. 
• Christian shares some advice for young people getting into marketing in 2024. 
• What’s coming next in the talent department at Blaze Pizza. 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Christian Kuhn on LinkedIn

Blaze Pizza

Clicks 2 Bricks 

Marketing Leaders Coffee Chat

As a Chief Marketing Officer, you have to be passionate about the brand you’re working for. With more than 10 years of experience working for Chicago-style fast-casual restaurant, Portillo’s, CMO Nick Scarpino joins us for this episode of Clicks 2 Bricks to share his marketing expertise and love for this multi-generational brand! Tuning in, you’ll hear all about Nick’s career at Portillo’s, from cashier to CMO, the highlights of his time at Portillo’s (including his idea to introduce the birthday club), how his work integrates with the IT side of things, and so much more! We delve into how they balance digital and traditional marketing for local and national audiences before Nick tells us how he has leveraged the TikTok Creator program. We even discuss how Nick’s experience working at Google has helped him prioritize Google's foot traffic to the company, how AI will affect his role, his unpopular marketing opinions about TV, mentorship, and more! Thanks for listening in.

Key Points From This Episode:

• A bit of background and a fun fact about today’s guest, Nick Scarpino!
• Insight into Portillo’s story, Nick’s job as the first CMO, and his CIO counterpart. 
• How their marketing supports and keeps up with the kind of growth Portillo’s experiences. 
• Nick’s 10-year journey with the brand and the high points of his career. 
• The birthday club he created and how it has benefitted Portillo’s. 
• How marketing and IT work together at the company and their tech stack goals. 
• Balancing national versus local and digital versus traditional marketing. 
• Why the TikTok Creator program is so effective for digital marketing. 
• The massive role Google plays in consumer foot traffic and how Nick approaches that. 
• How AI is going to impact his job and restaurant marketing in general. 
• An unpopular marketing opinion that Nick feels very strongly about.
• The important role that mentors have played in his career. 
• Some hot takes on hot topics in the lightning round!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Nick Scarpino on LinkedIn

Portillo’s

Net Conversion

TikTok Creator Academy

How Brands Grow

Bob Hoffman

Trish Giordano on LinkedIn

Dawn Keller on LinkedIn

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Clicks 2 Bricks 

Marketing Leaders Coffee Chat

Customers aren’t interested in being marketed to or having products sold to them. What they seek is a genuine connection with brands that truly understand their needs. This is where the opportunity lies to inspire a deep affinity for your brand and products. Marketing today is less about selling and more about building relationships, creating connections, and fostering authenticity! This is the firm belief of our amazing guest on today’s episode of Clicks to Bricks. Bronze Major is the Head of Marketing for Carrabba's Italian Grill, one of several casual dining restaurants within the Bloomin’ Brands portfolio. Join the conversation as we explore the shifts in restaurant marketing between the pre and post COVID periods, offer insights into converting off-premise diners to on-premise patrons, and introduce the brand's new influencer marketing strategy for 2024. Thanks for tuning in, enjoy. 

Key Points From This Episode:

• Par for the course, we start out with a fun fact about our guest Bronze Major.
• Bronze dives into the story behind Carrabba’s Italian Grill.
• How Carrabba’s Italian Grill fits into the Bloomin’ Brands portfolio.
• He details his career journey, over the past ten years.
• The learnings he gleaned from Publix that he took forward with him.
• Bronze unpacks the challenges and new initiatives he wanted to implement returning to Carrabba’s.
• Meeting the customer where they are and how they lean into it with their marketing.
• How priorities have shifted from 2023 to 2024 for Bronze and Carrabba’s.
• He highlights their approach to influencer partnerships and the evolution of word-of-mouth. 
• His advice to other marketers looking at using influencer partnerships.
• Bronze talks about being featured in the Nation's Restaurant News’ Power List.
• We delve into a discussion on the different kinds of marketing spectrums. 
• The marketing relationship dynamic between his team (corporate) and the franchisees.
• Local search and the role it plays as a marketing tactic they heavily lean into. 
• The AI conversation and what it sounds like for Bronze and his marketing team. 
• How they are using AI in their marketing right now.
• An unpopular opinion about marketing that Bronze feels strongly about.
• His advice to young marketers entering the profession in 2024.
• Bronze takes on our lightning round of questions!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Bronze Major on LinkedIn

Nation's Restaurant News’ Power List

Carrabba’s Italian Grill

Bloomin’ Brands

Leah Burgess on LinkedIn

Aussie Grill

Bonefish Grill

Publix

Widow Jane

Eagle Rare

High West

Clase Azuls

Casamigos 

Teremana

Avion

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Clicks 2 Bricks 

Marketing Leaders Coffee Chat

If you’re a teenage girl, then you definitely know this global retail brand that specializes in ear piercing, affordable jewelry, and fashion. Today on Clicks 2 Bricks, we learn about the dynamic retail brand, Claire’s, as we welcome its Global Head of Marketing, Chris Duncan. Our conversation begins with exploring Claire’s complex retail network and unique marketing challenges. Then, we discover how the brand performs in malls and online, how and why it prioritizes attracting Gen Z and Gen Alpha customers, and how these youths have influenced the way the brand appears on digital media channels. We also learn about the work that Chris and his team are doing in virtual reality spaces, why Claire’s is happy to keep its more traditional brand associations, how it interacts with its local store representatives, and how it approaches marketing locally, nationally, and internationally. To end, Chris details the role of AI at his company, how his previous jobs prepared him for this one, and his advice to young marketers who wish to follow a similar career path as his. 

Key Points From This Episode:

• Global Head of Marketing, Chris Duncan walks us through the history of Claire’s.
• Claire’s current (and complex) retail footprint, and its unique marketing dynamics.
• How the brand performs in malls nationwide, and how it uses social media. 
• Chris explains how he and his team connect with younger generations. 
• How the youth have influenced the way the brand uses digital media channels.
• Tracking customer loyalty. 
• The plans he has for Roblox, the Metaverse, and other similar spaces. 
• Why Claire’s is happy to maintain its reputation as “the ear-piercing place”.
• The relationship between Claire’s and its local store representatives. 
• Diving deeper into the brand’s local, national, and global approaches to marketing and receiving feedback. 
• Claire’s marketing and AI, and Chris’ unpopular yet strongly held opinion on marketing. 
• How Chris’ previous roles have prepared him for this one. 
• His advice to young marketers who aspire to be leaders, and job vacancies at Claire’s. 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Chris Duncan on LinkedIn

Claire’s  

Claire’s on LinkedIn 

Shimmerville

Roblox

Metaverse 

OfficeMax 

Kohl’s 

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Wild Coffee Marketing

Clicks 2 Bricks 

Marketing Leaders Coffee Chat

Having been established for over 50 years, Hard Rock is one of the most instantly recognizable and revered global brands. But with such remarkable success and widespread expansion, it's easy to forget what the brand truly values at its core. To refresh our memories and to explain what Hard Rock stands for today, we are joined by the President of Entertainment and Brand Management for Hard Rock International and Seminole Gaming, Keith Sheldon. As a lawyer-turned-marketer, Keith describes his current role at Hard Rock, how he and his team are navigating the unique challenge of redistilling Hard Rock's brand identity under one banner, and how his approach to marketing has changed since 2023. We learn about the evolution of Hard Rock's identity and DNA, how its memorabilia collation began, the ins and outs of the brand's recent resurgence (including its new advertising campaign), and how it benefits from its various partnerships with other big brands and noteworthy influencers. To end, Keith explains why mentorship at Hard Rock is a two-way street, and we learn about the brand's measured approach to adopting AI!

Key Points From This Episode:

• How Keith Sheldon's professional journey began as a lawyer.
• The evolution of Hard Rock and how Eric Clapton influenced its memorabilia collection.
• Insight into Hard Rock's recent brand resurgence.
• How Hard Rock's identity and DNA have evolved over the past 50 years. 
• What Hard Rock's partnerships with F1 and Red Bull Racing do for the brand.
• The ins and outs of Keith's role as President of Entertainment and Brand Management.
• Embracing the challenge of redefining Hard Rock's identity under one umbrella. 
• The campaign to reintroduce Hard Rock to the world, what the brand aims to achieve, and the payoff for customers. 
• A look at the brand's local marketing efforts and property ownership structure. 
• Understanding Keith's approach to marketing challenges in 2023 versus now. 
• An overview of Hard Rock's stance on AI. 
• How Keith learns from the youth at his company just as much as he offers them advice. 
• Career opportunities at Hard Rock International. 
• Keith’s hot takes on influencer marketing, TikTok, and Google!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Keith Sheldon on LinkedIn

Hard Rock International

Seminole Gaming 

‘Come Together with Unity by Hard Rock’

Miami F1

Red Bull Racing 

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Clicks 2 Bricks 

Marketing Leaders Coffee Chat