This week on The Breakdown, we look at the brand plays winning with fans.

The NFL extends its cultural footprint with Crocs, proving comfort and fandom go hand in hand.

YETI taps into game-day rituals with team-color drinkware across every major league.

And Cracker Barrel’s $700M rebrand shows what happens when a brand forgets what its customers actually want.

The thru line? Serving your customers is the smartest way to serve your shareholders.

Join us at The Gathering Festival this October 22 - 24, 2025!

In this episode, Owen Reader, Head of Marketing at The Gathering, sits down with Matt Gagnon, founder of Atomic Mornings and speaker on the Human Performance track at The Gathering 2025. Matt has built his practice around helping busy executives reclaim the first moments of their day—transforming morning routines into a foundation for resilience, clarity, and sustainable high performance.

Together, they explore why self-care, emotional awareness, and community are non-negotiables for leaders who want to win the future together.

This episode explores:

Why building a bulletproof optimism mindset is essential in today’s world

How self-care routines—sleep, nutrition, fitness, stillness, and community—create a foundation for peak performance

The dangers of comparison, burnout, and isolation for high-performing leaders

How community at The Gathering fuels connection and resilience for executives, creators, and brand builders

Guest’s Social Media: Instagram - @atomicmornings

LinkedIn - Matt Gagnon🎟️ Join us at The Gathering 2025 | October 22–24

Apply for a Creator Pass: https://go.thegatheringfestival.com/create🔔 Subscribe to our channel for more legendary content from The Gathering. The Gathering 2025Winning the Future — Together.https://www.thegatheringfestival.com/tickets

This week on The Breakdown, we dig into the brand moves making waves: Gap × BÉIS launches a travel-ready collab blending heritage and hype, McDonald’s revives its classic mascots with an adult Happy Meal, and AI influencer Mia Zelu goes viral from Wimbledon without ever attending. We also unpack Guess’ backlash for using AI models in Vogue and Wendy’s moody Wednesday “Meal of Misfortune” on Uber Eats. The common thread? The strongest brands aren’t just selling products—they’re building moments of belonging, nostalgia, and cultural relevance.

All links mentioned in the show:

https://www.cntraveler.com/story/gap-b%25C3%25A9is-denim-collection%5D

https://corporate.mcdonalds.com/corpmcd/our-stories/article/magic-of-mcdonaldland-with-signaturemeal-specialtyshake.html

https://www.tennis.com/baseline/articles/ai-influencer-mia-zelu-went-viral-wimbledon-artificial-intelligence-social-media

https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Style/controversy-stirs-ai-generated-models-new-guess-ads/story?id=124271323&

https://www.irwendys.com/news/news-details/2025/Theres-Nothing-Happy-About-This-Meal-Wendys-and-Netflixs-Wednesday-Cook-Up-a-Meal-of-Misfortune/default.aspx

This week on The Breakdown, we unpack the boldest moves in brand and culture:

• Astronomer’s scandal turned PR masterclass with Ryan Reynolds & Gwyneth Paltrow.• Nike’s “You’ve Already Won” campaign flips performance marketing into emotional storytelling.• American Eagle’s Sydney Sweeney ad—when controversy creates headlines (and headaches).• F1’s growing female fanbase reshaping sponsorships and partnerships.• Liquid Death enters energy drinks, proving challenger brands can stretch their edge.💡 Strategic Shift: The smartest brands aren’t just playing to win—they’re playing to connect.👉 Want more stories like this? 🎟️ See who’s speaking at The Gathering 2025: https://www.thegatheringfestival.com/speakers The Gathering 2025Winning the Future — Together.Join us in Banff, Alberta, October 22–24, 2025, and discover how today’s most admired brands are winning hearts, minds, and markets.

Sources mentioned in the show:

https://www.fooddive.com/news/liquid-death-to-launch-energy-drinks-entering-23b-category/753337/

https://www.businessinsider.com/astronomer-coldplay-viral-video-gwyneth-paltrow-ryan-reynolds-maximum-effort-2025-7

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/golf/nike-drops-tearjerking-scottie-scheffler-ad-after-open-championship-win/ar-AA1IXqDn

https://www.businessinsider.com/american-eagle-sydney-sweeney-jeans-campaign-controversy-backlash-2025-7

https://www.marieclaire.co.uk/life/health-fitness/formula-one-female-fans?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Join Owen Reader, Head of Marketing at The Gathering, for an energizing conversation with Caleb Clark, Chief Partnership Officer and Founder of hooK + Ladder. Together, they explore what it takes to maintain strong leadership in fast-changing times, how to position yourself to win the future, and the evolving role of a marketer in building high-performing teams. Caleb also shares how to uncover your “zone of genius” — and why tapping into it is key to unlocking your best work.

This episode explores:

• How great leaders sustain vision and performance in uncertain times
  

• The marketer’s role in shaping culture, not just campaigns
  

• Strategies for building teams that consistently outperform
  

• How to identify and operate from your unique zone of genius
  

🎟️ Join us at The Gathering 2025 | October 22–24 Get Tickets Here: https://www.thegatheringfestival.com/tickets 

All the links mentioned in the show: Guest’s Website: https://hldigital.ca

Guest’s Social Media: https://www.linkedin.com/in/calebclark1

📲 Follow us for updates and inspiration: Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube

Join Owen Reader, Head of Marketing at The Gathering, for an unplugged conversation with Sloane Brown, CMO of Turtlebox Audio. What started as a need for rugged, high-quality sound outdoors has turned into a brand beloved by hunters, anglers, overlanders, and backyard legends alike.

In this episode, Sloane shares how Turtlebox carved out a unique place in the audio industry by going louder, tougher, and more community-driven than the competition.

This episode explores:

• The origin story behind Turtlebox—and the problem it boldly solved

• Why Turtlebox resonates across hobbies, passions, and subcultures

• How Sloane approaches marketing a product that became a lifestyle

• Building brand equity in tight-knit, niche communities

🎟️ Join us at The Gathering 2025 | October 22–24, 2025
[Get Tickets Here]

Follow us for updates: [Instagram] | [Linkedin]

All the links mentioned in the show:
Guest’s Website: www.turtleboxaudio.com
Guest’s Social Media: @turtleboxaudio
Sloane Brown on LinkedIn: Connect here

Join Owen Reader, CMO of The Gathering, for a heartfelt and forward-thinking conversation with creator and community-builder Chloë Chapdelaine. With over 600,000 followers across social platforms and a leadership role at Socality, Chloë shares how creators are rewriting the rules of media, storytelling, and community—and why The Gathering is partnering with 250+ creators this year to spark bold collaborations.

This episode explores:

• Why community, not content, is the real driver of influence today

• The rise of creator-led storytelling and what brands can learn from it

• How Socality is building meaningful offline relationships in an online world

• Why The Gathering is bringing creators and CMOs together like never before

🎟️ Join us at The Gathering 2025 | October 22–24

[⁠Get Tickets Here⁠]

Follow us for updates: [⁠Instagram⁠] | [⁠LinkedIn⁠]

⁠APPLY TO BUY A CREATOR PASS⁠

Guest's Website:⁠ www.chloechapdelaine.com⁠

Guest's Social Media: Instagram –⁠ @chloe.chapdelaine⁠

TikTok –⁠ @chloe.chapdelaine⁠

Socality:⁠ socality.org⁠

Socality Instagram:⁠ @socality⁠

In this high-impact episode, Mandy sits down with somatics educator and conscious leadership coach Randelle Lusk to explore what it really takes to thrive in high-pressure environments. Randelle shares the science and soul behind her somatic-based framework, RARE Method, and offers grounded, actionable rituals for high performers to regulate their nervous system, sustain energy, and lead with clarity.

Whether you're scaling a brand, managing a team, or simply trying to hold it all together—you’ll walk away with tools to pause the pressure, return to presence, and lead from the inside out.

• Why somatic awareness is the missing key for sustainable leadership

• How nervous system regulation is linked to creativity and high performance

• The difference between pushing through vs. leading in flow

• How to recognize when you're operating in “fifth gear” and how to shift

✨ You’ll Learn: Small, practical rituals to bring into your daily life—and your team culture

Follow us for updates: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cultgathering/Linkedin: ⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/company/cult-gathering/⁠Guest’s LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/randelle-lusk-0013b47a👉 Want more stories like this? 🎟️ See who’s speaking at The Gathering 2025: https://www.thegatheringfestival.com/...

📬 Join the Inner Circle for exclusive insights, early access, and behind-the-scenes moments from the world’s boldest brand builders: https://www.thegatheringfestival.com/... 🔔 Subscribe to our channel for more legendary content from The Gathering. Join us in Banff, Alberta, October 22–24, 2025, and discover how today’s most admired brands are winning hearts, minds, and markets.

BUY YOUR TICKETS: https://www.thegatheringfestival.com/tickets

Join Mandy Balak, President of The Gathering, and Owen Reader, Head of Marketing, for a high-energy conversation with Nicole Wingard—the creative disruptor who turned a marketing internship into a viral movement (and a 1,200% revenue spike).

From being rejected (twice) to becoming the face of Mixology's most successful campaign, Nicole opens up about the chaos, pressure, and purpose behind her now-famous can-smashing content. What started as a bold bet turned into a masterclass in brand storytelling, community building, and trusting the process.

This is one for the brand leaders, content rebels, and anyone daring to do things differently.

This episode explores:

🔥 How Nicole turned rejection into rocket fuel (and why persistence still wins)

🎯 The real strategy behind “The Best Marketing Strategy Ever” and what it taught her about virality

📈 Behind the scenes of a 1,200% sales spike—and what brands can learn from it

🧠 Imposter syndrome, audience co-creation, and barfing brilliance on Google Docs

🤝 Why creator-brand trust is the future of marketing—and how to build it from day one

🎟️ Join us at The Gathering 2025 | October 22–25, 2025

[⁠Get Tickets Here⁠]

Follow us for updates: 

Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/cultgathering⁠

Linkedin: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/cult-gathering⁠

⁠Subscribe to the newsletter⁠

⁠Watch the 2025 Preview on YouTube

• Guest’s LinkedIn: Nicole Wingard
  

Join Mandy Balak, President of The Gathering, and Owen Reader, Head of Marketing, as they sit down with Jillian Frechette, CMO of the New Jersey Devils, for a conversation that blends bold leadership, brand reinvention, and what it means to be truly fan-first. From her Olympic bid work in Calgary to navigating hockey's most competitive market, Jillian shares what it takes to lead with grit, grace, and a challenger mindset.

This episode explores:

• Rebuilding a legacy sports brand in a crowded, chaotic market

• Why the Devils focused on digital first—and fans always

• The non-negotiables of leadership when the scoreboard doesn’t reflect the effort

• How curiosity, courage, and community fuel the future of sports marketing
  

🎟️ Join us at The Gathering 2025 | October 22–25, 2025

[Get Tickets Here]

Follow us for updates: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cultgathering

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cult-gathering

Subscribe to the newsletter

Watch the 2025 Preview on YouTube

All the links mentioned in the show:

Guest’s Website: www.nhl.com/devils

Guest’s Social Media: LinkedIn – Jillian Frechette