The Big Impression

U.S. politicians across the aisle, from ultra-Libertarian to extreme Republican, have used digital advertising to fuel their presidential campaigns. With the 2022 midterms and 2024 presidential election fast approaching, the time is ripe for new strategies. On the latest episode of The Current Podcast, meet two men who sit — Wizard of Oz style — behind the curtain of political advertising: Billy McBeath and Mike Schneider.

McBeath is the digital director and senior advisor at the Senate Leadership Fund — a Republican super PAC that specializes in getting conservatives elected to the Senate. Schneider, on the other hand, sits on the liberal side of the political spectrum. He worked on President Biden’s presidential campaign in 2020 as a partner and head of BPI Labs for Bully Pulpit Interactive.

“What we’re really buying for is impact and outcomes,” Schneider says on The Current Podcast. “Where can we deliver a persuasive video message to a voter to get them to shift their opinion?”

“It’s all about how can you measure how your message is received, not how many times it was viewed,” McBeath adds.

The next upcoming elections also align around the expected deprecation of third-party cookies, which McBeath is awaiting. “We’re basically going to be rebuilding the airplane while we’re flying it next cycle,” McBeath says. “It’s going to be fun, but also really challenging.”

McBeath and Schneider also discuss the fast nature of a political marketer’s job, why connected TV will be the way forward for all future elections, and how important identity will become as we get closer to the deprecation of third-party cookies. Dive into more insights and inspiration from leaders in ad tech:

https://www.thecurrent.com/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

for information about our collection and use of personal data for

advertising.

Fifteen years into his celebrated career as chief creative officer at BBDO, Greg Hahn — like millions of other people — lost his job at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Two months later, however, he launched Mischief @ No Fixed Address, which found immediate success and recently was crowned Ad Age’s Agency of the Year.

“That’s kind of mind-blowing,” Hahn, who also acts as chief creative officer of the agency, says on The Current Podcast. “But if you surround yourself with the right kind of people and everybody knows why they’re there, the results are endless.”

Ironically, Mischief has developed a reputation true to its name, creating campaigns for Jay-Z’s cannabis brand, Monogram, that challenge marijuana regulation by comparing it to state laws of incest and bestiality. Another example: Kraft Macaroni & Cheese asked people to “send noods.” For Hahn, the riskiest idea is “the one no one pays attention to.”

In this episode, Hahn goes into how he discovered his co-founder at Mischief, what he looks for when he hires new employees, and the benefits of taking risks with campaigns. “That’s been our guiding force,” Hahn says. “How do you remain pure to your vision and grow at the same time? And I think it can be done.” Dive into more insights and inspiration from leaders in ad tech:

https://www.thecurrent.com/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

for information about our collection and use of personal data for

advertising.

Not too many people can say they’ve gone from working as a chemical engineer to chief marketing officer, though that’s exactly what Discover CMO Kate Manfred has done.

In our latest episode of The Current Podcast, Manfred discusses her unconventional career path from working as an engineer and then consultant to her current role as CMO of Discover. “To make good, robust decisions, you really need to embrace the math and data that every consumer leaves as they’re clicking around the internet,” Manfred says on the podcast.

Manfred’s scientific background equips her with a marketing skill set that allows her to thrive as a data-driven CMO. Despite her unique background, Manfred knows she can’t do everything on her own. “No one can do this job alone. A CMO can never be successful by himself or herself,” Manfred says. “It really comes down to the strength and quality of the team that you build both internally and externally.” Dive into more insights and inspiration from leaders in ad tech:

https://www.thecurrent.com/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

for information about our collection and use of personal data for

advertising.

Twelve years into his career, Mike Law took a self-described “sabbatical” from advertising holding company Dentsu when he moved client side to be Director of Media at Pfizer. In the third season of The Current Podcast, Law describes how he’s using the lessons he learned at Pfizer in his second go-around with Dentsu, where he now serves as CEO of the award-winning agency, Carat U.S.

Law also touches on the recent work he’s most proud of (hint: it has to do with the Covid-19 pandemic), why former college student-athletes can thrive in advertising even if they don’t have any experience, the value of working for an agency today, and why he loves working in advertising.

“Everything that happens in the world, whether it be Hollywood or real geopolitical issues, has an impact on us and for us,” Law says. “We watch TV kind of cautiously, because we are like, okay, whatever happens next I'm going to have to think about what that means for my clients and my brands, but it also makes it a really exciting business.” Dive into more insights and inspiration from leaders in ad tech:

https://www.thecurrent.com/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

for information about our collection and use of personal data for

advertising.

To L’Oréal executive Shenan Reed, advertising is part art and part science. Reed went from working with the beauty brand on the agency side to taking over as L’Oréal’s senior VP and head of media in 2020. During that time, she has emphasized approaching customers as people instead of targets and making sure the consumer experience is the best it can be. 

“It’s inspiring to be inside and understand how an organization like ours is dedicated to the science and to the quality of the products we put forward,” Reed says in our debut episode of the third season of The Current Podcast. “I absolutely love being in the position to help make the decisions on the media side.”

Reed, who previously served as president and chief client officer at Publicis Groupe, discusses how L’Oréal has deep roots in technology, why marketing across a variety of channels is critical to scale messaging, and why she thinks the advertising industry will be better without third-party cookies.

Since 2020, Reed has been bringing her unique vision to the timeless L’Oréal brand. The 112-year-old French personal care company, which owns brands like Lancôme, Maybelline, Prada, Ralph Lauren, and CeraVe, is evolving by offering skin diagnostics and more sustainable product options. This shift led to record sales last year. “The opportunity for us to lean into technology allows us to help create products that bring the experience of the products to life on behalf of the consumer,” she says. “It’s definitely a very proud part of our heritage.” Dive into more insights and inspiration from leaders in ad tech:

https://www.thecurrent.com/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

for information about our collection and use of personal data for

advertising.

Parents with children over ten will likely know Roblox as a gaming platform, which bills itself as the ultimate virtual universe that allows create and share experiences with friends. But as the concept of the metaverse has gone mainstream, Roblox is already positioned as a metaverse — a universe of millions of immersive experiences that attracts over 47 million users a day — half of which are now older than 13 years old. Within Roblox, people interact as avatars and purchase in-game currency called Roblox to acquire digital items that they then collect or dress up their avatars. The marketing opportunities of this new space are not lost on major brands like Warner Bros., Gucci, Netflix and others who have partnered with Roblox to bring virtual experiences, concerts, and launch parties to its users. Joining us on The Current Podcast is Christina Wootton, vice president of global brand partnerships at Roblox, who discusses the power of the metaverse, how the platform is on the frontlines innovating and driving its development, and how brands can interact on the platform. Dive into more insights and inspiration from leaders in ad tech:

https://www.thecurrent.com/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

for information about our collection and use of personal data for

advertising.

Dubbing itself “the world’s most global bank,” Citi is evolving its approach to be on the frontlines of marketing, as it strives to set the brand apart from others in the competitive financial services category. Leading with a sharp, data-driven digital marketing strategy, Citi relies on its brand efforts to connect with customers and differentiate the banking experience. In this episode, we speak with Mike Venables, the head of media, managing director at Citi — a longtime agency leader who recently made the switch to his first client-side gig — to understand his media strategy and how his background of leading media efforts across clients like AT&T, IBM and Merck is helping him drive better outcomes and accelerate growth during a moment of transformation for this iconic brand. Dive into more insights and inspiration from leaders in ad tech:

https://www.thecurrent.com/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

for information about our collection and use of personal data for

advertising.

Marriott is synonymous with travel. With its extensive portfolio of hotel brands and styles and services that suit every type of traveler, it’s no wonder it is leading the way in reengaging travelers. In this episode, we speak with Nicolette Harper, VP of Media at Marriott to hear how the company planned its global relaunch after more than a year of travel restrictions. As wanderlust builds amongst consumers around the world — even as travel remains in flux because of the pandemic — we dive deep into how Marriott is inspiring travelers to book their next trip. We also learn about an exciting future Marriott destination — the world’s first metaverse hotel. Dive into more insights and inspiration from leaders in ad tech:

https://www.thecurrent.com/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

for information about our collection and use of personal data for

advertising.

As a top-five automaker, and recently ranked #1 in the U.S. by Reputation, Nissan is no stranger to staying ahead of opportunities around the bend. This is especially true under the leadership of U.S. CMO, Allyson Witherspoon. Whether it’s debuting a new e-commerce platform to meet customer demand during a time when dealership visits were impossible, or reimagining launches for 10 new models this year, Allyson leads Nissan’s marketing efforts with creativity and compassion. In this episode, we get a chance to learn how she navigated a transformative year for auto, from semiconductor chip shortages affecting inventory to a massive industry shift toward electrification, all while maintaining a sharp focus on what drives her: building life-long bonds with customers. Dive into more insights and inspiration from leaders in ad tech:

https://www.thecurrent.com/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

for information about our collection and use of personal data for

advertising.

At more than 160 years old, Anheuser-Busch — parent company to more than 100 brands including international linchpins like Budweiser, Bud Light and Stella Artois— has a sizable hold on the beer market and yet still innovates, building out its e-commerce initiatives and brand portfolio in recent years into categories like craft beer, seltzer, and canned wines. The company’s adaptability to the ever-changing market and consumer trends extends to its advertising strategy. This week, we speak with Paolo Provinciali, VP of media and data at Anheuser-Busch, about reaching new consumers through digital channels like connected TV and how the brand is prioritizing data to connect with the consumer in relevant ways. Dive into more insights and inspiration from leaders in ad tech:

https://www.thecurrent.com/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

for information about our collection and use of personal data for

advertising.