Marketing scientist Carl Driesener joins the show for a mini-masterclass on brand growth based on research insights from the Ehrenberg Bass Institute, where he is an associate professor. He and Itir cover how brand equity should be measured through consumer research and category entry points, the benefits of the "pick any" method for measuring brand image, why brand loyalty is often overstated, and the real source of brand growth. The discussion covers topics like pricing power, mental and physical availability in marketing, and the importance of maintaining presence in both digital and physical retail environments. By the end, some marketing myths will be busted, and closely held assumptions challenged!

Carl Driesener has been at the Ehrenberg-Bass institute for over 15 years. He manages the Institute’s in-house tracking capabilities project and has conducted significant brand equity tracker and bespoke market research projects for a wide range of industries including packaged goods, financial services, IT and telecommunications, real estate, primary production suppliers, government departments, education and research, and grocery products.

His earlier research compared three different methods for measuring brand image and he has published in this area in the International Journal of Market Research. He has driven the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute’s commercial activities in the area of understanding the competitive set through NBD-Dirichlet and Duplication of Purchase analysis. Carl’s core areas of research expertise include buyer behavior, market modeling, and internet research. He has published in the Journal of Advertising Research, Marketing Intelligence and Planning, Journal of Business Research and the Journal of Brand Management.

Carl recommends the coffee at West Oak Deli in Adelaide (https://www.instagram.com/westoakhotel/?hl=en).

His suggested books are How Brands Grow by Byron Sharp and Daniel May (https://www.amazon.com/How-Brands-Grow-What-Marketers/dp/1511383933) and Oliver Burkeman's Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals (https://www.amazon.com/Four-Thousand-Weeks-Management-Mortals/dp/0374159122).

Connect with Carl on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/drcarldriesener?originalSubdomain=au

If you have any questions about brands and marketing, connect with Itir Eraslan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itireraslan/

In the final episode of 2024, LinkedIn expert and B2B Growth Co founder Michelle J Raymond shares her thoughts on what shifts to expect on the platform next year, and how brands can prepare. On tap in today's discussion are the shift toward a pay-to-play model, the growing influence of Gen Z users, the downside of relying on AI for your LinkedIn content, and a lot more. Michelle emphasizes the need for company and individual brands to develop their unique voices and focus on emotional connectivity in all their content. Plus, jingle bells!

Michelle J Raymond is the founder of B2B Growth Co and has made her mark as a leading LinkedIn growth strategist, offering comprehensive strategies and training to brands eager to harness LinkedIn for business growth through thought leadership, content marketing, or social selling techniques. 

Michelle doesn't drink it herself, but makes coffee from Sydney's Coffee Alchemy coffee at home for her partner.

Her recommended book is one she cowrote with Michelle B Griffin, The LinkedIn Branding Book: https://www.amazon.com/LINKEDIN-BRANDING-BOOK-Personal-Exponential/dp/0645602906

Find Michelle on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellejraymond?originalSubdomain=au

If you have any questions about brands and marketing, connect with the host of this podcast, Itir Eraslan, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itireraslan

Brand strategist Massimo Giunco rejoins the podcast to share his rare perspective on the current state and future of marketing. Drawing from his extensive 25-year experience at Nike, Giunco explores critical challenges facing the industry in 2024 and beyond, including the pervasiveness of the "too big to fail" digital marketing ecosystem, increasingly intrusive data extraction, and the immense power of generative AI. Although he has become less sure of the power of marketing to drive consumers to make better choices, his reflections provide a thought-provoking look at how marketers might reimagine their role in creating more sustainable, purposeful brand interactions.

Massimo worked for 25 years at Nike in various brand, marketing, and communications leadership roles. He is now helping other brands as a brand strategist and consultant.

Connect with Massimo on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/massimogiunco/

If you have any questions about brands and marketing, connect with the host of this channel, Itir Eraslan, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itireraslan/

Do you struggle with distraction and multitasking? Do you have trouble setting goals? Do everyone else's lives just seem cooler than yours on social media?

In a departure from the usual marketing-related content, Itir welcomes her sister Defne Eraslan, a psychiatrist, for an in-depth exploration of mental health. The episode offers an intimate conversation about understanding psychological challenges, debunking myths surrounding mental disorders, and navigating modern psychological pressures. Defne provides professional insights into ADHD, social media's impact on mental health, and the complexities of psychiatric diagnoses, delivering a refreshingly personal and informative discussion. And stick around till the end for some good-natured sibling rivalry!

Defne's favorite cafe in Germany is Blumen Beetz: https://www.blumenbeetzshop.de/

Her recommended reads are Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention by Johann Hari (https://www.amazon.com/Stolen-Focus-Attention-Think-Deeply/dp/0593138511) and Determined: A Science of Life without Free Will by Robert Sapolsky (https://www.amazon.com/Determined-Science-Life-without-Free/dp/0525560971/).

Connect with Defne Eraslan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/defne-eraslan-a967691b5/

If you have any questions about brands and marketing, connect with the host of this podcast, Itir Eraslan, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itireraslan/

Tom Denford joins Itir to discuss the challenges and opportunities marketers face in working with media agencies, focusing on transparency, trust, and long-term strategy. They cover the complexities of the buyer-seller roles within agencies, the shift toward in-house media capabilities, and practical advice for smaller brands looking to work with the right agency. A key takeaway is the importance of not cutting corners on media investments, as the cheapest option often comes at the expense of quality and effectiveness. Whether you’re starting out or refining your approach, this conversation offers valuable insights for building strong media partnerships, understanding the importance of media quality in advertising, and how to unlock growth with the right media investments.

Tom is a leading advisor with over 20 years of experience in media and advertising, known for his strategic insights and thought leadership. Before co-founding ID Comms in 2009 with David Indo, he gained experience in media agencies and client-side marketing. ID Comms, which helps major brands like Walmart, T-Mobile, and Meta navigate digital transformation and optimize media investments, is recognized as the #1 Media Advisor by the World Federation of Advertisers and the #1 Best Place to Work in Marketing and Advertising. Tom is also an active mentor, contributor to industry publications, and conference speaker.

Tom is looking forward to having a coffee at a plaza in Paris or Italy next summer.

His book recommendations include:

• The Data Deluge: Making Marketing Work for Brands and People by Arun C. Kumar (https://www.amazon.com/Data-Deluge-Making-Marketing-Brands/dp/B0CRNC65BY)
• Quantum Marketing: Mastering the New Marketing Mindset for Tomorrow's Consumers by Raja Rajamannar (https://www.amazon.com/Quantum-Marketing-Mastering-Tomorrows-Consumers/dp/1400223954)
• A Marketer's Guide to Digital Advertising: Transparency, Metrics, and Money by Shailin Dhar and Scott Thomson (https://www.amazon.com/Marketers-Guide-Digital-Advertising-Transparency/dp/1398609668)

Connect with Tom Denford on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomdenford

If you have any questions about brands and marketing, connect with the host of this podcast, Itir Eraslan, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itireraslan/

In this episode, Allan Dib, founder of Lean Marketing and author of two bestsellers, shares his approach to setting loose goals and tight systems for continual progress—including how traditional goal-setting frameworks fall short. He explains the fundamentals of the lean marketing approach, and argues that today's marketers need to niche down—way down.

Allan is the founder of Lean Marketing, a marketing accelerator that helps individuals and organizations learn and implement marketing best practices in-house. He is best known as the author of The 1-Page Marketing Plan and Lean Marketing (almost a million copies sold).

Allan recommends Via Battisti coffee in Melbourne: https://www.viabattisti.com His book recommendation is The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life by David Brooks: https://www.amazon.com/Second-Mountain-David-Brooks/dp/0812993268

Connect with Allan Dib on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allandib/

If you have any questions about brands and marketing, connect with the host of this podcast, Itir Eraslan, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itireraslan/

In this episode, Itir chats with Chris Do, an Emmy-winning designer and founder of Blind and The Futur. They touch on Chris's pivot from brand design to education, and dig into his practical advice for new entrepreneurs. Chris highlights the importance of staying financially secure before starting a business, finding market gaps that fit your skills, and offering free or low-cost services to build your experience. They also dive into client engagement tips, the pros and cons of project-based pricing, and the essentials of personal branding in today's digital world.

Chris Do is an Emmy award-winning designer, director, CEO and Chief Strategist of Blind and the founder of The Futur—an online education platform with the mission of teaching 1 billion people how to make a living doing what they love. He currently serves as the chairman of the board for the SPJA, and as an advisor to Saleshood. He has also served as: advisory board member for AIGA/LA, Emmys Motion & Title Design Peer Group, Otis Board of Governors, Santa Monica College and Woodbury University.

Chris doesn't drink coffee, but he likes the matcha latte at Sunright Tea Studio (various locations, including southern California): https://www.snrtea.com/location-category/southern-california/

His book recommendation is 7 Strategies for Wealth & Happiness: Power Ideas from America's Foremost Business Philosopher, by Jim Rohn: https://www.amazon.com/Strategies-Wealth-Happiness-Americas-Philosopher/dp/0761506160

Connect with Chris Do on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thechrisdo

If you have any questions about brands and marketing, connect with the host of this podcast, Itir Eraslan, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itireraslan/

Professor Anindya Ghose discusses his upcoming book on AI and wellbeing, explaining the "House of AI" framework that corporate leaders can use to build an AI-driven organization and its applications in marketing. He covers topics like data engineering, marketing mix modeling, and the future of mobile advertising. He also shares insights on maintaining traditional marketing principles while embracing AI technologies, and why human creativity and intuition aren't going anywhere in the age of AI.

Anindya Ghose is the Heinz Riehl Chair Professor at NYU Stern, specializing in quantitative marketing and tech economics. Recognized as a Top 40 Under 40, and Thinkers50, he authored the best-selling and award winning book TAP: Unlocking the Mobile Economy and the upcoming release Thrive: Maximizing Well-Being in the Age of AI. He has been interviewed and his research has been profiled numerous times in the BBC, Bloomberg TV, CNBC, The Economist, Financial Times, the Wall Street Journal, and elsewhere.

You can pre-order his new book, (with Ravi Bapna), THRIVE: Maximizing Well-Being in The Age of AI: https://www.amazon.com/Thrive-Maximizing-Well-Being-Age-AI/dp/0262049317

Anindya's preferred coffee spot in New York City is Blue Bottle Coffee: https://bluebottlecoffee.com/cafes

His favorite book is No Shortcuts to the Top by Ed Viesturs with David Roberts: https://www.amazon.com/No-Shortcuts-Top-Climbing-Highest/dp/0767924711

Connect with Anindya on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-jeffrey-funk-a979435

Anindya's personal website: https://pages.stern.nyu.edu/~aghose/contents/bio.html

If you have any questions about brands and marketing, connect with the host of this channel, Itir Eraslan, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itireraslan/

Dr. Jeffrey Funk offers a balanced perspective on AI hype, discussing the importance of understanding processes, evaluating technological progress, and critically assessing market signals. He emphasizes the need to look beyond superficial claims, like the idea that AI will replace 95 percent of marketers' workload. He also highlights potential pitfalls in AI adoption, and provides insights on avoiding investment bubbles in the tech industry.

Jeffrey's recommended book is Emmanuel Maggiori's Siliconned: How the tech industry solves fake problems, hoards idle workers, and makes doomed bets with other people's money: https://www.amazon.com/Siliconned-industry-problems-workers-peoples-ebook/dp/B0D7MRG775

He doesn't drink coffee, but likes to meet people at Tiong Bahru bakery near his home in Singapore: https://www.tiongbahrubakery.com/

Connect with Dr. Jeffrey Funk on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-jeffrey-funk-a979435

If you have any questions about brands and marketing, connect with the host of this channel, Itir Eraslan, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itireraslan/

Ashley Gross, AI marketing strategist and founder of the Prompt community, discusses how entrepreneurs can leverage AI to build businesses rapidly. She shares insights on overcoming challenges, creating personalized marketing campaigns on a budget, and using specialized AI tools. Ashley also details her journey from corporate marketer to AI-empowered entrepreneur. Ashley is an AI marketing strategist and entrepreneur with ten years of marketing experience and four years of expertise in AI-driven strategies. She is the founder of a company dedicated to making AI education affordable and accessible, bridging the gap in AI literacy.

Ashley's favorite coffee spot is A Place at the Table, the first pay-what-you-can café in Raleigh, NC. Her book choice is Brené Brown's The Gifts of Imperfection. Connect with Ashley Gross on LinkedIn. If you have any questions about brands and marketing, connect with the host of this channel, Itir Eraslan, on LinkedIn.