Math & Magic: Stories from the Frontiers of Marketing with Bob Pittman

Over the years Bob has asked dozens of business titans to share their secrets –what’s inspired them, how they’ve exceeded their career goals, and the important lessons they’ve learned along the way. In this bonus episode, we’re highlighting memorable stories and secrets from marketing masters. AT&T CMO Kellyn Smith Kenny is honest about her takeaways from unsuccessful campaigns and Gwyneth Paltrow talks about the piece of feedback that changed everything for Goop. Entrepreneur and filmmaker Andrew Jarecki reveals that his successful business came out of trying to solve a problem for himself, while Jon Bon Jovi and Bobbi Brown have wise words on the power of authenticity. Finally, Olivier Francois gives us a behind-the-scenes look at an unforgettable Superbowl commercial.

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The Unshakeables is back for Season 2 — and it’s kicking off with an episode you absolutely won’t want to miss. Listen in as Ben Walter sits with a very special guest: chairman and CEO of JPMorganChase, Jamie Dimon. One of the world’s most respected financial thought leaders, Jamie will connect the dots between the current challenges facing small business owners and the broader financial landscape. And, of course, it wouldn’t be an episode of The Unshakeables if Jamie didn’t share some of the pivotal moments that he overcame to forge ahead in his own career. 

This season Ben will also be joined by some new co-hosts, all of whom are making waves in business and culture in their own right. In this first episode, you'll hear from Kathleen Griffith, founder of Grayce & Co. and author of Build Like a Woman. 

The Unshakeables is brought to you by Chase for Business and Ruby Studio by iHeartMedia. 

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Every day, Bloomberg Businessweek brings you news from the world of business and finance, plus interesting stories on global technology, politics and economics. Hear more from Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec by subscribing on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. 

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Martha Stewart has been a household name for over four decades and she still isn’t done building her empire. During her rise, the world’s first female self-made billionaire ignored conventional wisdom to become an Emmy Award-winning TV host, best-selling author, and creator of a groundbreaking magazine. Beyond those accolades, her wildly successful merchandising business and multi-channel lifestyle company has established her as an innovative mind in business. Bob sat down with Martha for an intimate live recording at iHeartMedia HQ in front of 100 marketing, advertising, and branding executives. Celebrating her 100th book, Martha: The Cookbook: 100 Favorite Recipes, with Lessons and Stories from My Kitchen, this conversation between friends covers the pivotal decisions in Martha’s career and unpacks the guiding philosophy that built an icon.

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In honor of the 43rd anniversary of MTV, we’re rereleasing a classic episode: the real story of MTV, as told by the founders. Today MTV is a cultural institution, but people forget what a long shot it was to get the channel off the ground. Bob Pittman led the team that created MTV. In this special episode, he reminisces with co-founders and friends John Sykes, Judy McGrath, Fred Seibert, Tom Freston and Jarl Mohn about what it was like to create the '80s version of a start-up and lead a TV revolution by dreaming up the rules as they went along. From why the first MTV logo was designed on crinkled paper (it spent a little time in a trash bin), to how a tiny record store in Tulsa helped save the business, to why you should really think twice about going on a Lost Weekend with Van Halen... all the way to how a terrible cereal inspired one of the greatest ad slogans of all time: “I want my MTV,” we’ve packed this episode full of stories that marketers, fans and entrepreneurs will all want to hear. 

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You may know this week’s guest by many names. Mr. 305, Mr. Worldwide, or more likely, the one and only Pitbull. Yes, the Grammy winning superstar, education advocate and entrepreneur sat down with Bob for a live conversation in his native Miami at the POSSIBLE conference. Before gaining all his titles, Pitbull was simply Armando Christian Pérez, a kid soaking up the colorful cultures of his city. Growing up, he was exposed to diverse, bustling, and at times unstable environments on the streets of Miami. Yet despite any hardship, Pitbull credits his city with giving him the skills to succeed in music and business. In fact, he’s leveraged his creativity and keen business sense to develop a number of independent ventures, including creating his own record label, Mr. 305, Inc., co-owning the Trackhouse NASCAR racing team and creating the Voli 305 vodka brand. Plus, he uses his international superstardom to give back to his community. Through SLAM! Charter schools, Pitbull is revolutionizing education and giving kids in underrepresented communities the opportunities he didn’t have. Listen to hear about these endeavors and more, and stay tuned to learn how he got the name Pitbull in the first place. 

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Ryan Seacrest is America’s favorite host. He’s been on the radio since he was a teenager, but it wasn’t until he came on all of our TV screens in 2002 as the host of American Idol that he became a constant presence in American households. That big break propelled him to other roles, like hosting E! Red Carpets, Live with Kelly and Ryan, and will soon become the new host of Wheel of Fortune. All the while, he’s been on the radio in Los Angeles, and as the host of the syndicated show On Air with Ryan Seacrest, recently celebrating his 20th year on KIIS-FM. All this plus producing ventures that have brought us phenomena like Keeping Up with the Kardashians make it seem like Ryan can be in multiple places at once, and is definitely the hardest working person in showbiz. As Ryan tells Bob, he’s had a relentless drive to find success since he was a kid in Atlanta falling in love with radio. Listen to hear how he dropped out of college at 19, moved to Los Angeles, and turned that determination into a storied career. Plus, hear how a key encounter with Dick Clark helped him hone his hosting persona and why interacting with people–from connecting with contestants to his meaningful philanthropic ventures–is what keeps him going. 

To learn more about the Ryan Seacrest Foundation, please visit www.ryanseacrestfoundation.org.

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You’ve probably been entertained by entrepreneur and filmmaker Andrew Jarecki even if you didn’t realize it. He co-founded the business everyone used in the 1990s: Moviefone. His list of accomplishments also include co-writing the theme song for the hit TV show, Felicity, directing the Ryan Gosling film, All Good Things, and directing and producing the documentary, Capturing the Friedmans, which won 18 international prizes and earned an Academy Award nomination. He’s probably best known for directing the Emmy-winning HBO series The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst, which will be back with Part Two this year. Andrew sat down with Bob to recount how he got Moviefone off the ground and changed the industry forever; the major pivots and innovations behind the production of his films; and share how his parents influenced his career. You’ll get a sense of the unique skills that have enabled him to turn curiosities into successes, and have fun along the way. 

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How does one come up with great ideas? Some may think they’re random strokes of genius, but Rob Reilly knows it takes a mix of hard work and creativity–the truest embodiment of math and magic. Now the Chief Creative Officer of WPP, Rob built his stunning reputation on work that is memorable and buzzy, from campaigns for companies like American Express and Burger King to the “Fearless Girl” statue that still stands in Manhattan’s Financial District. These works weren’t strokes of genius. They emerged from decades of Rob tirelessly logging ideas and learning his business inside and out. Listen to hear Rob explain his creative process and reflect on some of the most important moments of his career, from the college party that landed him his first advertising job to the time he took a demotion and pay cut to improve his craft. 

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Country music is the biggest radio music format and Nashville’s Scott Borchetta knows the genre inside and out. He’s the founder, president, and CEO of Big Machine Label Group and the founder of Big Machine Distillery. Scott has signed deals with artists like Tim McGraw, Jewel, Lady A, Zac Brown Band, Thomas Rhett, Florida Georgia Line, and many others.  Scott sits down to talk about his impressive career, from how he discovered his place in the music industry to when he knew it was the right time to go out on his own. His optimism, strategic thinking, and competitive spirit has helped him master music promotion and he feels more energized than ever to take on the next big thing. 

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