Digital & Dirt

Send us Fan Mail

On this week’s episode of the Digital and Dirt podcast, Ian sits down with Monica Ellingson, Executive Partner and Sports Entertainment Practice Lead at IBM Consulting, to discuss how technology, data, and AI are transforming the sports fan experience and why storytelling, personalization, and trust remain at the center of innovation.

Podcast Breakdown

00:00 - 05:08 Meet Monica Ellingson & an AI-First Mindset
05:09 - 15:12 Career Roots in Media & the Rise of the Interactive Fan
15:13 - 24:51 Accuracy Over Speed, Brand Trust & Data-Driven Storytelling
24:52 - 34:36 In-Venue Experiences & Behind the Scenes at the US Open
34:37 - 50:25 Serve Quality, Likelihood to Win & Making Complex Data Simple
50:26 - 56:51 The Masters App, Faster Innovation & Personalization Without Overstepping
56:52 - 59:22 Community, Connection & What’s Next for Sports Tech

Send us Fan Mail

On this special edition of the Digital & Dirt podcast, Ian Dallimore takes the show live from DPAA in New York City for conversations with some of the biggest names in the industry.

Podcast Breakdown

0:46-11:12 Barry Frey, DPAA
11:18-19:34 Katie Burwell, AdQuick
19:42-30:42 Alex Grieves, Billups
30:51-39:53  Rob Loftus, Broadsign
40:00-51:20 Raj Lala, Vistar Media
51:28-1:03:14 Doug Zarkin, Author
1:03:20-1:10:54 Nicole Fitzsimmons, The Trade Desk
1:11:02-1:23:56 Jim Norton, Outfront Media
1:24:04-1:38:42 Anthony Scaramucci
1:38:49-1:51:06 David Sable, Stagwell
1:51:13-1:57:52 Craig Brommers, American Eagle

Send us Fan Mail

On this week’s episode of the Digital and Dirt podcast, Ian sits down with Krystal Faircloth, Senior Director of Brand Marketing at Smalls Sliders, to discuss her career journey across sports, consumer brands, influencer marketing, and technology, and how she’s helping build a fast-growing restaurant brand through creative storytelling and community connections.

Podcast Breakdown

00:00 - 10:02 Meet Krystal Faircloth
10:03 - 15:57 Community Coffee & Building a Brand as an Early Creator
15:58 - 23:21 NIL Tech at Matchpoint & the Power of a Career Pivot
23:22 - 28:19 Inside Smalls Sliders & Building the Brand Brick by Brick
28:20 - 33:14 Orange Can Drops & Small Town Heroes
33:15 - 41:22 Cross-Industry Inspiration & Championing Micro Creators
41:23 - 51:40 Smossy Social Content & Keeping Franchisees On Brand
51:41 - 57:05 Secret Menu Teases & Calendar Management as a Working Mom

Send us Fan Mail

On this week’s episode of the Digital and Dirt podcast, Ian sits down with Dave Dreyer, Chief Marketing Officer of Bazooka Companies, to discuss how iconic candy brands are evolving beyond nostalgia, tapping into fandom, and finding new ways to stay culturally relevant.

Send us Fan Mail

On this week’s episode of the Digital and Dirt podcast, Ian sits down with Cody Kuecker, Lead Marketing Manager of Sponsorships and Experiential Marketing at AT&T, to discuss the evolution of sports sponsorships, the art of building authentic brand partnerships, and how technology and connectivity can enhance fan experiences.

Podcast Breakdown

00:00 - 05:40 Meet Cody: From College Baseball to Aggie Sports Marketing
05:40 - 09:49 From TMA to Learfield: Learning Sponsorships Inside & Out
09:49 - 14:49 Beyond Spots & Dots: What Makes a Great Partnership
14:49 - 19:39 AT&T Stadium & the Cowboys: A Naming Rights Win
19:39 - 25:24 Brand Love, Authenticity & Moving at the Speed of Culture
25:24 - 33:54 The Blue Thread: OOH, SGA & Cooper Flagg
33:54 - 41:51 Calculated Risk & the Second Screen Experience
41:51 - 52:30 March Madness, Big Moments & Standing In for Jordan Spieth

Send us Fan Mail

On this week’s episode of the Digital and Dirt podcast, Ian sits down with Katie Steinharter, Director of Social Media and Content at Alterra Mountain Company, a ski hospitality company and creator of Ikon Pass, a multi-destination season pass that lets skiers visit many different resorts without buying separate lift tickets for each trip. Katie share her views on the power of authentic storytelling and explains how athletes and creators can bring a brand’s lifestyle to life.

Podcast Breakdown

00:00 - 08:02 Ketchup Fears, Tamagotchis & Growing Up in Australia
08:03 - 15:10 Self-Made Study Abroad, Nannying in Maine & Teaching in Spain
15:11 - 21:29 Solar Lights, Cambodia & a First Taste of Marketing
21:30 - 28:05 The Denver Post, a Ski Sabbatical & the Chairlift Phone Call
28:06 - 37:04 Selling the Lifestyle & Sharing the Mountain with the Pros
37:05 - 50:10 Building the Athlete Program, Mikaela Shiffrin & the Creators Behind the Lens
50:11 - 56:56 Zeb Powell, Marshawn Lynch & the Power of One-Take Authenticity
56:57 - 59:28 Mountain Memories & Katie's Card-Splitting Skills

Send us Fan Mail

On this week’s episode of the Digital and Dirt podcast, Ian sits down with Ashleigh Griffith, Director of Marketing for Dunkin, to discuss building iconic brands, bringing Dunkin into emerging markets, and creating experiences that turn customers into loyal fans.

Send us Fan Mail

On this week’s episode of the Digital and Dirt podcast, Ian sits down with Haley Brantingham, Director of Integrated Marketing for Sporting Kansas City, the city’s Major League Soccer franchise, to discuss marketing to the team’s passionate fan base.

Podcast Breakdown

00:00 - 12:58 Fun Facts, the Pepsi Jet Redemption & Frontier Airlines Campaigns
12:59 - 17:35 The Leap to Sporting KC & Life as Director of Marketing
17:36 - 22:32 Kansas City's Soccer Obsession & the World Cup Effect
22:33 - 32:52 Inside the Cauldron: Culture, Traditions & Fan Diversity
32:53 - 44:35 Chants, Content & the Stories That Make Fans Feel Like Family
44:36 - 52:20 The Youth Soccer Pipeline & Building Community Roots
52:21 - 55:46 Career Reflections & Bella the Sponsored Chihuahua

Send us Fan Mail

On this week’s episode of the Digital and Dirt podcast, Ian sits down with Rachel Roger, Vice President of National Sales at Lamar Advertising, to discuss the power of building lasting relationships and why the human side of the business remains more important than ever.

Podcast Breakdown 

00:00 - 03:57 Meet Rachel: Playlists & Growing Up One of Five
03:57 - 10:07 The John Miller Interview That Almost Didn't Happen
10:07 - 18:13 Decentralization: Lamar's Secret Weapon in National Sales
18:13 - 21:57 Jazz Fest: Where Clients Become Family
21:57 - 28:03 Mom, VP, & Everything In Between
28:03 - 43:05 OOH in the Age of AI
43:05 - 47:57 Lamar's Human-First Culture & What's Next

Send us Fan Mail

On this week’s episode of the Digital and Dirt podcast, Ian sits down with Ian Wishingrad, Co-Founder and CMO of breakfast cereal brand, Three Wishes Cereal, to discuss the origins of his “better-for-you” cereal, the importance of creating attention, and what it takes to turn a startup brand into a household name.

Podcast Breakdown 

00:00 - 09:49 Introduction & His Journey to Three Wishes
09:50 - 20:00 Disrupting the Cereal Aisle
20:01 - 30:03 Family, Entrepreneurship & Growing the Brand
30:04 - 35:00 Retail, E-Commerce & the Agency Perspective
35:01 - 43:28 Creative Ideas, Influencers & Authentic Marketing
43:29 - 53:52 The Future of Three Wishes