Host: Cliff Rigano Guest: Michael Kauffman

Cocktail Hour is BizBash's brand-new, six-episode podcast series that dives deep into the world of experiential events, hosted by Cliff Rigano—the executive creative director for music and audio agency PM Group, and former creative director and head of culture, content, and experiential marketing for Mast-Jägermeister U.S. Grab a drink, and listen up!

This week, host Cliff Rigano is switching it up and going sans alcohol with his drink of choice, a watermelon agua fresca. He's not the only one skipping beverages with ABV: Brands have begun in earnest to cater to the alcohol-free lifestyle. There are even sober bars popping up, with the mission to create a safe, comfortable space for like-minded individuals to meet up and share a similar experience. And bars and booze aren't the only thing disrupting the status quo.

This is exactly the kind of thing that this episode's guest, Michael Kauffman, praises in his role as executive director of Clio Music and Clio Cannabis, both programs of the Clio Awards (otherwise known as the "Oscars of advertising"). Clio Music honors creativity in advertising and marketing for artist promotion and brand collaborations, as well as music in ads, trailers, film, and video. Clio Cannabis, launched in 2019, celebrates the creative work and creators at the forefront of cannabis marketing. In his interview, Kauffman covers the history of the longstanding Clio Awards, how criteria for judging submissions has changed, live event trends he'd bet on, the challenges of marketing cannabis, wow-worthy campaigns he's seen over the years, and more. This one's chock full of marketing inspiration. Cheers!

Host: Cliff Rigano Guest: Elise McRoberts

Cocktail Hour is BizBash's brand-new, six-episode podcast series that dives deep into the world of experiential events, hosted by Cliff Rigano—the executive creative director for music and audio agency PM Group, and former creative director and head of culture, content, and experiential marketing for Mast-Jägermeister U.S. Grab a drink, and listen up!

It's June, summer is just around the corner, and host Cliff Rigano is ready for a frozen margarita—blanco tequila, no salt. Speaking of tequila, in this week's episode, Cliff recalls the origins of George Clooney's Casamigos tequila brand and its sale to Diageo in 2017. He also delves into canned water company Liquid Death's cheeky presence in today's culture (its tagline is "murder your thirst," after all). It's all in an effort to discuss how brands can operate within culture to drive contextually relevant conversations with a new audience.

So what is culture marketing? And why is it important? These are questions we ask this week's guest, Elise McRoberts, a cannabis industry powerhouse who has been working with leading companies and judging cannabis worldwide for the past decade. She's also the founder of The Hashinista, an event production company and lifestyle brand producing best-in-class experiences for a long list of clients and collaborators. In this episode, she discusses why events are one of the most successful marketing tools; pop culture, influence, and how brands can participate; why culture is ready for cannabis; using her influencer position in the industry to move the needle; and so much more. Cheers!

Host: Cliff Rigano Guest: Isabel Solano Jiménez

Cocktail Hour is BizBash's brand-new, six-episode podcast series that dives deep into the world of experiential events, hosted by Cliff Rigano—the executive creative director for music and audio agency PM Group, and former creative director and head of culture, content, and experiential marketing for Mast-Jägermeister U.S. Grab a drink, and listen up!

Memorial Day weekend is upon us, which means host Cliff Rigano craves an ice-cold beer (specifically, a Pacifico). As a vegetarian, he's also curious about the lore of smoked watermelon for this upcoming holiday. But, while researching the best way to smoke the fruit on his own, he found himself with an influx of data—it was hard to know where to begin. He needed a trusted source. This is often the role of an event or experience agency, which often uses its full network of talent to deliver a well-thought-out plan to clients. Agencies, after all, leverage their strengths to help brands build the internal capabilities they need to fuel their business.

This is something this week's guest, Fever's global VP of original experiences Isabel Solano Jiménez, knows all about. In this episode, Jiménez discusses how Fever—a live entertainment discovery platform—uses data to predict demand for a given event, how the company is disrupting the industry, building internal thought leadership, the importance of a diverse team, creating experiences around the globe, and so much more. Cheers!

Host: Cliff Rigano Guest: Lisa Litvack

Cocktail Hour is BizBash's brand-new, six-episode podcast series that dives deep into the world of experiential events, hosted by Cliff Rigano—the executive creative director for music and audio agency PM Group, and former creative director and head of culture, content, and experiential marketing for Mast Jägermeister U.S. Grab a drink, and listen up!

Summer is just around the corner, which has host Cliff Rigano thinking about a nice watermelon gin punch. Did you know actor Ryan Reynolds makes his own gin? The answer is likely yes, since Reynolds has seen great success with his Aviation gin brand, which he sold to Diageo for a reported $610 million in 2020. Mint Mobile, a wireless carrier he holds a stake in, was also recently acquired by T-Mobile for more than $1 billion. Rigano explains why Reynolds' marketing approach—which often leans into his humor and personality—is beyond the curve and lightyears ahead of other marketers. Brand trust is a part of it too, which is something this week's guest, Lisa Litvack of Barstool Sports, knows all about. With Barstool Sports—one of the most influential sports, lifestyle, and entertainment media brands today—Litvack has built a robust live events department from the ground up, comprising live sports, live podcast shows, and experiential events. No, this is not your typical events department. In this candid conversation, Litvack (who is also a member of the BizBash Sports Advisory Board) discusses what makes Barstool events stand out, building trust with your teams and audience, what makes a great vendor partner, and more. Cheers!

Also referenced in this episode: Harvard Business School's 2022 Edelman Trust Barometer

Host: Cliff Rigano Guest: Monique Ruff-Bell

Cocktail Hour is BizBash's brand-new, six-episode podcast series that dives deep into the world of experiential events, hosted by Cliff Rigano—the executive creative director for music and audio agency PM Group, and former creative director and head of culture, content, and experiential marketing for Mast Jägermeister U.S. Grab a drink, and listen up!

This week, temps are higher—which means host Cliff Rigano has piña coladas and margaritas on his mind. But in today's consumer-centric landscape, a shaker, strainer, and muddler have been traded for RTD (ready to drink) beverages. They come in eye-catching packages but can be elevated simply by being served the right way: over craft ice, in the right glass, and with an appropriate garnish. And it's all in an effort to appeal to today's consumers who, in the workplace, conduct business off of data-driven insights, social media-heavy strategies, and collaborative tactics.

But don't just take it from Rigano. This week's interview guest, Monique Ruff-Bell, the head of events at TED Conferences, agrees. Ruff-Bell shares how her experience working for the world's biggest fintech conference, Money 20/20, differs from the events she puts on at TED, where there's a large focus on philanthropy. She also dishes on how execution is never flawless—although, for the outsider, the picture looks quite perfect—plus how to be intentional with your career, how you can get yourself on a TED Talk, and so much more. Cheers!

Referenced in the episode: Global Ready-to-Drinks (RTDs) Alcohol Market Research Report 2022

Host: Cliff Rigano Guest: Joseph Graziano III

Cocktail Hour is BizBash's brand-new, six-episode podcast series that dives deep into the world of experiential events, hosted by Cliff Rigano—the executive creative director for music and audio agency PM Group, and former creative director and head of culture, content, and experiential marketing for Mast Jägermeister U.S. Grab a drink, and listen up!

For the first episode of Cocktail Hour, host Cliff Rigano's drink of choice is wine—because millennials and Gen Z aren't drinking enough of it, according to The New York Times. Why? Well, it might have something to do with marketing. Rigano then welcomes this week's interview guest, Joey Graziano, the senior vice president and head of global event strategy and development for the National Basketball Association (NBA). Expect to hear how Graziano is able to simplify his complex role to find success—and why he thinks other leaders should do the same. He also discusses "cultivating exclusivity," how the NBA has fulfilled a pent-up demand for live events, and the ways in which the organization is addressing what Graziano referred to as "the struggle of the everyday event." Cheers!

Also referenced in the episode: Silicon Valley Bank's State of the Wine Industry Report 2023