Can you build a successful business without spending your life on social media?

The answer is yes, but that doesn’t mean you get to opt out of marketing altogether. In this episode, I’m joined by Ellen Hooper, founder of Corporate Escapees Club, to talk about what marketing looks like when Instagram isn’t the centre of your business. We talk about why your business model should determine your marketing strategy, not whatever the algorithm is demanding this week.

Ellen shares how she built a successful consulting business largely through referrals, relationships and strategic partnerships, including one particularly clever question: who is already getting enquiries for the work you do, but doesn’t want to do it themselves?

We also cover direct outreach, networking, guest masterclasses, LinkedIn, and why keeping your existing network warm can be far more valuable than endlessly trying to grow an audience of strangers.

If you’ve been looking for permission to spend less time making Reels, consider it granted. But there’s a catch. You still have to choose another way to be visible, build relationships and sell. Because “I don’t want to do social media” is a perfectly reasonable marketing decision. “I don’t want to do any marketing” is a business problem.

If social media has ever made you wonder whether running a business means signing up to become a full-time content creator, I want to hear about it.

Find me on Instagram → @campaign_del_mar

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This episode was produced by Laura McRae from Podcast Support Services

What if retail isn’t dying, but mediocre brands are?

In the same month that legacy retailers are closing stores, digital-first luggage brand July is opening a 250-square-metre Melbourne flagship that looks more like a gallery than somewhere you’d go to buy a suitcase. So, I invited marketing consultant Andrea Andric back to the podcast to talk about it.

We get into why heritage isn’t a strategy, why being known doesn’t guarantee you’ll stay relevant, and why brands that have spent years harvesting familiarity without investing back into their brand are now being exposed.

We also tackle what Andrea calls the disappearing middle. People haven’t necessarily stopped spending, but they’re becoming much more particular about where their money goes. A $300 suitcase or $600 dress can still sell when customers see enough value in it.

Mediocre is the bit that’s getting harder to justify. You’ll hear us talk about the difference between value and value for money, why brands need to know exactly who they’re for, and why trying to hold onto every customer can be a terrible strategy.

And then there’s the big measurement question. If someone visits July’s beautiful store, fondles a suitcase, leaves and buys it online three weeks later, who gets the credit?

Andrea and I talk about our obsession with attribution, the ROI of brand experiences that don’t fit neatly into a spreadsheet, and why experiential retail doesn’t require hand-poured terrazzo and a DJ. Sometimes it’s simply staff who know the product and give a sh!t.

Ultimately, this episode is about doing fewer things better and building a brand people have a reason to choose.

If you’ve ever wondered whether customers have stopped spending or they’ve simply stopped spending with brands that give them no compelling reason to care, I want to hear about it.

Find me on Instagram → @campaign_del_mar

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This episode was produced by Laura McRae from Podcast Support Services

Is Substack worth adding to your marketing mix? Or is it another shiny platform opening a new tab in your brain?

In this Marketing Moment, I’m joined by Andrea Andric to talk about our experiences using Substack. We cover where it fits alongside email marketing and blogging, why the writing experience is so bloody good, and the limitations that keep me from seeing it as a replacement for a proper email marketing platform.

We also get into the bigger strategic question. Do you need another channel? Because planting a flag on Pinterest, Substack, Instagram, LinkedIn and every other platform isn’t a marketing strategy. It’s a very efficient way to spread yourself thin.

Andrea and I talk about getting more mileage from fewer, better pieces of content, why long-form content can become the starting point for everything else, and the underrated relief of deciding a platform simply isn’t for you.

If adding another marketing platform has ever made you feel like you’ve opened yet another tab in your brain, I want to hear about it.

Find me on Instagram → @campaign_del_mar

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This episode was produced by Laura McRae from Podcast Support Services

Why do some marketing campaigns stick in your mind while others disappear the moment you scroll past?

Most marketers spend their time asking what they should say. I think the better question is why do people notice, remember and act in the first place?

In this episode, I talk about five behavioural psychology effects that quietly shape buying decisions every day. Not as marketing hacks or manipulation tactics, but as practical ways to understand how real people make choices.

We'll look at why familiarity builds trust, why distinctive brands are easier to remember, why the cost of doing nothing is often more motivating than the promise of a better future, why concrete language beats vague marketing every time, and why the most trusted brands aren't afraid to admit when they've stuffed up.

Along the way, I'll break down campaigns from Specsavers, Cadbury, WWF, Metro Trains and KFC to show these principles in action.

If you've ever wondered why some campaigns become part of culture while others vanish without a trace, this episode will change the way you think about marketing. You'll walk away with a sharper understanding of human behaviour and practical ways to build campaigns that people notice, remember and choose.

If you've ever struggled to make your marketing memorable or wondered why your campaigns aren't cutting through, I want to hear about it.

Find me on Instagram → @campaign_del_mar

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This episode was produced by Laura McRae from Podcast Support Services

I think marketing has entered a new era. Have you noticed?

Five campaigns, five completely different industries. One pattern I couldn't ignore.

In this episode, I look at campaigns from Franjos, Bonds, Reddit, Nescafé and Suncorp. On the surface they have very little in common. Different budgets, audiences and creative. But underneath, they're all built on the same strategic idea.

The interesting part isn't the creative, it's the thinking underneath it.

Every one of these campaigns starts from the same place. Not the product or purpose but a belief about the world that their audience already holds.

Once you spot that pattern, it's very hard to unsee. And it might completely change where you start your next campaign.

If you've ever wondered whether you're chasing more simply because you think you should, I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Find me on Instagram → @campaign_del_mar

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This episode was produced by Laura McRae from Podcast Support Services

The brands winning aren't the ones chasing the next big thing; they’re the ones delivering the same emotional experience over and over again.

Hallmark is one of the biggest entertainment brands in America, yet most marketers rarely talk about it. In this episode, I talk about how a greeting card company built a movie empire by understanding exactly what it sells and, more importantly, what it doesn't.

I'll show you why demand isn't always your biggest marketing problem, why consistency often beats novelty, and what Hallmark gets right that so many brands get wrong.

But this episode also became something more personal. After watching The Magic of Ordinary Days, a Hallmark movie, I found myself thinking about ambition, enoughness, and whether bigger always means better.

I'll share why leaving a $100 million brand changed how I think about impact, success and the kind of business I'm trying to build.

If you've ever wondered whether you're chasing more simply because you think you should, I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Find me on Instagram → @campaign_del_mar

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This episode was produced by Laura McRae from Podcast Support Services

What happens when you're good at something you no longer want to spend all day doing?

In this episode, I take you behind the scenes of a career crossroads I've been wrestling with since Ripple Festival wrapped up.

After five years spent largely teaching marketing, I've realised I'm craving something different. I'm missing the part where you roll up your sleeves, solve real problems, and help turn an idea into something tangible.

I'm sharing why I'm re-evaluating the role I want marketing to play in my life, the fears I have about stepping back into consulting, and what I'm learning about designing work around strengths instead of labels.

We also talk about the uncomfortable reality of repositioning yourself when you're already known for something, why the online business world loves false binaries, and the lessons I've learned from running an agency, building a membership, and working with clients who need both strategy and education.

If you're questioning your next chapter, feeling restless in your current season, or wondering whether it's time to evolve your business model, this one's for you.

If building a successful business has ever left you wondering, “is this still what I want?”, I want to hear about it.
Find me on Instagram → @campaign_del_mar

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This episode was produced by Laura McRae from Podcast Support Services

When did marketing become so safe, polished and painfully forgettable?

In this episode, I chat with Megan Winter about our biggest takeaways from Cairns Crocodiles. It felt like a giant permission slip to stop making beige marketing. We talk about the speakers who stayed with us, why creativity has always been the best competitive advantage, and why the smartest marketers in the room were far more interested in strategy, instinct, and attention than in AI hacks or trending tactics. There’s also a thread running through the entire conference around podcasting, founder energy and why brands are moving beyond “always-on” content into campaigns that create moments.

We also get into the tension between creativity and commercialisation. From Paula Bloodworth’s obsession with impatience and instinct, to Pinterest repositioning itself as the platform helping people get off the Internet and back into real life.

Plus, the behind-the-scenes reality of attending a three-day conference while juggling kids, logistics and business ownership. Because the polished LinkedIn post rarely mentions the babysitter bill and the emotional gymnastics required to simply show up.

If you’ve been feeling over the endless marketing tactics, burnt out by content churn, or wondering whether “safe” marketing is making your brand forgettable, this episode will give you plenty to think about. Especially if you’re building a founder-led brand and trying to balance creativity with commercial results.

Want to chat about any news stories mentioned in the episode?
Find me on Instagram → @campaign_del_mar

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References mentioned in this episode

This episode was produced by Laura McRae from Podcast Support Services

Are we entering the era of slow marketing?

I sat down with Jarrah Brailey to talk about the campaigns, conversations, and marketing trends shaping 2026, and there’s a lot to discuss. We get into the AI obsession happening inside agencies right now, why most AI-generated content still feels soulless, and the reason “slow” might become the most powerful word in marketing.

From Greek yoghurt confusion to FMCG billboards, we analyse the campaigns and cultural cues brands should be paying attention to.

We also go through why Fayt Estate was one of the smartest brand activations we’ve seen in a long time. From creator selection to world-building, Brittany Saunders understood something most brands miss: campaigns are meant to create moments people want to belong to.

We talk about why out-of-home advertising still works, why niche creators outperform generic influencer lists and how great brands build emotional relevance instead of just chasing reach.

We then discuss the real ROI of organic social media. The tension between ambition and balance, reassurance marketing, Emma Grede’s comments about work and motherhood, and why founders trying to do “bare minimum marketing” are setting themselves up to fail.

If you’re trying to build a brand without getting swept up in AI panic, content churn and bad marketing advice, this episode will help you think a bit more clearly about what really works.

Want to chat about any news stories mentioned in the episode?
Find me on Instagram → @campaign_del_mar

→ Get the backstage pass on Substack
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This episode was produced by Laura McRae from Podcast Support Services

There’s a psychological change happening in marketing right now, and most brands are misreading it.

In this episode, I chat with strategist Andrea Andric about why nostalgia is everywhere again and why it’s not just about aesthetics. Y2K references, familiar formats and throwback campaigns are working because consumers are exhausted. People aren’t craving transformation right now; they’re craving reassurance, familiarity and emotional safety.

We talk about the psychology behind nostalgia marketing, why familiarity builds trust and how brands can create campaigns that feel emotionally resonant without becoming cringe or performative. We also analyse the Chanel campaign, recreating Kylie Minogue’s iconic “Come into My World” video with Margot Robbie and why it works so well.

We also talk about why founders need to stop constantly reinventing their brands, why repetition matters more than originality in most marketing and why “up levelling” messaging is starting to feel deeply out of touch. If your marketing feels reactive or disconnected from what customers need right now, this episode will help you recalibrate.

Want to chat about any news stories mentioned in the episode?
Find me on Instagram → @campaign_del_mar

→ Get the backstage pass on Substack
→ Explore Marketing Circle
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This episode was produced by Laura McRae from Podcast Support Services