The New Mainstream Podcast

Influencer marketing has evolved into a powerful strategy for brands looking to engage diverse audiences. Influencers leverage their broad reach to drive awareness and inspire consumer buy-in, while creator marketing enables passionate content creators to engage and connect with niche communities. Brands are increasingly incorporating both approaches into their communication strategies, with social media being a key platform.

However, with both approaches, the goal goes beyond brand visibility. It’s about achieving third-party validation, where trusted voices, such as influencers or creatives, endorse a brand. While these endorsements may be paid, the willingness of these individuals to put their reputations on the line for a brand speaks volumes. This is essential for building consumer trust, as audiences connect more deeply with authentic experiences shared by relatable individuals than with traditional advertising.

A key aspect of this is ensuring that influencers and creators genuinely reflect the audiences brands aim to reach and ensure they are compensated fairly based on engagement and reach. By prioritizing this, brands can cultivate stronger,long-term relationships with influencers and creators. This approach benefits all parties—influencers and creators feel valued, and brands gain more authentic brand advocacy.

One of the biggest mistakes brands make with creator and influencer marketing is dictating content rather than trusting the influencer or creator to do what initially drew the brand to them. While key messaging is necessary, giving them thefreedom to be creative ensures the content feels natural and authentic. When they seamlessly integrate brand messages into their content, it enhances both engagement and credibility.

In this episode of The New Mainstream Podcast, Gabe Mederos, Vice President of Creator Marketing with Edelman, discusses the importance of authenticity, diversity, and relationship-building in creator and influencer marketing.

Meet Gabe: Gabe is a creator marketing professional with extensive experience in influencer relations, strategy development, content strategy, analytics, and leadership. AUniversity of Toronto graduate with over 19 years of PR and communications experience in corporate, not-for-profit and government, Gabe has completed his social media and digital marketing certification. Gabe has held senior digitalroles at top Canadian brands such as Scotiabank, TELUS, and Nestlé Purina PetCare.

Gabe is currently a Vice President of Creator Marketing at Edelman, where he heads up the creator marketing function for an assortment of clients in Canada, including Samsung, Microsoft, PepsiCo, and eBay.  Gabe is also an Instructor at Humber College, where he teaches social media and digital marketing.

The transition from working in large companies to owning a startup is a journey of both challenge and opportunity. For many entrepreneurs, it's a chance to reconnect with their passions, streamline their offerings, and create deeperemotional connections with clients. However, all companies, regardless of size, must navigate the complexities of maintaining a strong brand identity and making decisions that align with their core values.

In today’s competitive marketplace, companies are not only navigating fluctuations in market demand but also facing intense scrutiny in the court of public opinion. Take Target, for example. Once celebrated for its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and its thoughtful multicultural marketing campaigns, the retailer now faces boycotts from consumers and the loss of popular brands that once graced its shelves.

As many brands discovered in 2020, companies that stay true to their mission, vision, and values resonate more deeply with consumers. People invest in brands that align with their values, and when companies genuinely uphold their principles, their community will support them.

In this episode of The New Mainstream Podcast, Maribel Lara, Founder of Beget Love Consulting, shares insights on her journey into entrepreneurship and how authenticity can helpbrands thrive, even when faced with challenges.

The perception of masculinity is evolving. Historically, men have been socialized to be providers—strong, confident, and financially successful. However, shifts in culture, gender dynamics, and societal expectations have tipped the scales.

Rigid societal definitions of masculinity have given rise to phrases like “man up” and “turn in your man card,” which reinforce outdated ideals and make those who deviate from them feel inadequate—both by women and other men. However, data shows that traditional markers of masculinity,

As these outdated constructs fade, fatherhood, for example, is emerging as a defining trait of contemporary masculinity. While past generations focused primarily on financial provision, today’s fathers take pride in active parenting, embracing their role as engaged caregivers. This shift is reflected in branding and media as advertisers move away from the clueless dad trope and toward representations

Despite progress, challenges remain. Many men still struggle with emotional expression, and societal expectations often discourage vulnerability. However, conversations around masculinity and mental health are becoming more

On this episode of The New Mainstream, Whitney Dunlap-Fowler, Owner and Chief Brand Strategist, of Touch of Whit Creative, explores shifts in masculinity and their impact on culture, relationships, and branding. 

It has been widely reported that the advertising industry faces critical challenges, particularly around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) in the workplace. Among the most pressing issues is the prevalence of sexual harassment, which systematically hinders female leadership and drives

However, creating systemic change extends beyond workplace reform. For underrepresented and marginalized groups, entrepreneurship offers a powerful avenue for reshaping workplace cultures. By building their own businesses, these groups can design environments informed by their lived experiences. Having encountered bias firsthand, they understand the barriers that need to be addressed and are uniquely equipped to implement infrastructure that promotes equity and inclusion.

DE&I is more complex than the headlines suggest. It is not just about increasing representation. To drive real change, the focus must shift to dismantling the systemic barriers that perpetually limit individuals' potential, such as sexual

In this episode of The New Mainstream podcast, Cindy Gallop, Founder and CEO of MakeLoveNotPorn, discusses how challenging biases and championing inclusivity can help

In today’s fast-paced world, consumers face a constant stream of messages, making it increasingly difficult for brands to stand out and for customers to commit. Relationship design is emerging as a key strategy to reduce churn and foster long-term brand loyalty. By crafting thoughtful customer interactions – whether in person or

A cornerstone of relationship design is the concept of "feedback loops." Actively seeking customer input allows brands to refine their offerings and continuously strengthen connections with their audience. As brands scale, maintaining these relationships requires systems that enable

Human connection is at the heart of relationship

Ultimately, relationship design goes beyond selling a product or service—it’s about crafting meaningful experiences that inspire repeat business and transform customers into brand advocates. When executed effectively, it’s a win-win for

In an episode of The New Mainstream podcast, Cairo Marsh, Founder & Executive Partner at relativ, shares insights on how brands can thrive by fostering a culture of care and

The transformation from traditional media to digital streaming has fundamentally shifted how companies connect with consumers across the U.S. and Latin America. With streaming platforms offering direct insights into viewer behavior, media companies are now closer to understanding their audiences—albeit with some

Historically, media companies operating through traditional channels like TV and radio relied on third parties for consumer data and insights. The shift to streaming has changed this dynamic. Today, digital platforms offer a direct window into consumer behavior, making real-time data about content consumption more

Interestingly, while platforms have evolved, consumer behavior remains largely stable. Consumers still seek engaging content, whether it’s on cable, streaming platforms, or social media. They simply want to watch their favorite shows, regardless of the medium. The platform may change, but the core desire for entertainment remains consistent.

One of the challenges in the digital space is managing data from numerous platforms. Content distribution spans not just streaming and cable but also social media,

In this episode of The New Mainstream podcast, Marcela Doria, VP of Insight for WBD Latin America/U.S. Hispanic, sheds light on how the shift to digital impacts data, consumer relationships, and media consumption across the U.S. and Latin America market.

The entertainment industry is at an exciting crossroads, with increasing diversity in programming and more creators establishing their own content studios.

There is no single path to success in entertainment, and creators must often work across different formats—whether in English or Spanish, scripted or unscripted

But inclusivity remains a significant challenge. While there is a growing demand for authentic storytelling from diverse communities, the reality is that opportunities are

On this episode of The New Mainstream podcast, Flavio Morales, Board Member, KCRW 89.9FM and Estrella Media, Inc., explores how the rise of new digital

The way we consume media has completely changed. Today, marketers need to be savvy in their understanding of how different audiences behave and what they are

Music is a universal language, but it carries distinct meanings across cultures. To connect meaningfully, brands must align their messaging with the preferences of various demographics, recognizing that specific genres and cultural trends resonate differently across communities. By grasping these cultural nuances, marketers can create more impactful campaigns and foster stronger connections with multicultural audiences.

Incorporating music videos, especially within social content, is essential for marketers targeting younger consumers and diverse groups. Research shows that nearly two-thirds of Hispanic American viewers, for example, place high importance on content that reflects their cultural heritage and personal identity.

Ultimately, inclusive marketing must be data-driven. Marketers should ask early on how their brand connects with diverse communities and then create campaigns that

In this episode of The New Mainstream podcast, Robert Vélez, Vice President of Inclusive Network & LATAM Sales at Vevo, discusses how brands must proactively pursue inclusion to cultivate opportunities to connect with diverse audiences.

McKinsey's fourth report in its series on the business case

The development of a corporate DEI strategy is essential for guiding these efforts. Such strategies typically involve both overarching themes that apply to the entire organization and specific plans tailored to the needs of individual departments. This dual approach ensures consistency while allowing for flexibility, enabling teams to address their unique challenges effectively.

To be effective, however, companies must approach DEI with the same level of detail and analysis as they do other business functions. This includes understanding

Integrating DEI in some industries, like the arts and publishing, is sometimes easier said than done, and the recent backlash against DEI in the business landscape is

In this episode of The New Mainstream podcast, Kimberly Ayers Shariff, Executive Vice President of Strategy for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Penguin Random House, makes the business case for DEI as a long-term strategic imperative.

The pandemic didn't create new consumer trends but

One effective way to cultivate this human connection

As consumer behavior evolves, researchers face new

Ultimately, a successful researcher blends a deep

In this episode of The New Mainstream podcast, Dan Comenduley, Senior Manager of Consumer Insights at UScellular, explores how AI can enhance consumer data collection while emphasizing the importance of preserving the human touch in research.

Meet Our Guest:

Dan Comenduley has been with UScellular for 3 years and is a Senior Manager on the Customer Insights Team. Dan has a wide range of experience including working at Philip Morris, Pillsbury, Discover Card, United Airlines and Synchrony and a few other places. 

He has run a wide range of research and analytic projects, sponsorship campaigns and evaluations and social media and advertising campaigns. Dan is focused on customers and representing their thoughts and lives to the entire organization. 

Dan earned his Bachelor’s degree from The University of Illinois and his MBA from Vanderbilt University.  

In his spare time, Dan likes to travel and wants to visit every state 5 times and every continent at least once. Dan also was a DJ and enjoys sports and he is working on being a published author.