As has become a tradition, marketing professor Mark Ritson is back to break down his top 10 marketing moments of the year. We talk fighter brands, the president, Amazon's grannies, deepfakes, mergers and more in this snappy episode. There's nothing more to say - strap in and enjoy the opinionated marketing professor dropping some clangers.

Timestamps

00:00 - Intro
00:32 - Mark Ritson’s top 10 stories of the year
01:55 - 10. A big year for mergers
04:35 - 9. The painkiller vs the president
09:42 - 8. Tesla’s Fighter Brand Failure
12:56 - Mark Ritson’s advice to Elon Musk
23:05 - 6. Amazon brings back the grannies (compounding)
30:10 - Marketing Buzzwords of 2025
30:20 - Buzzword 1: Hyperpersonalisation
30:54 - Buzzword 2: Onmichannel Marketing
31:44 - Buzzword 3: Growth Hacking
32:38 - 5: The great Cracker Barrel crisis of 2025
39:06 - 4. Starbucks and their positioning
42:10 - 3: New CEOs chasing growth vs gimmicks
43:44 - 2. Deepfake Martin Lewis and fraudulent advertising
48:33 - 1: Maxi-miniflation

Andrew Warden, CMO of Semrush, joins us to unpack how AI is reshaping search, and what it means for marketers heading into 2026. We discuss whether SEO is really “dead,” the biggest insights from Semrush’s new AI Visibility Index, and how different AI models surface and rank content across industries. Andrew also shares why brand and digital visibility matter more than ever, the growing importance of creators in AI-driven discovery, and practical advice for CMOs trying to stay ahead as search rapidly evolves.

This episode is brought to you by Semrush — your unfair advantage in digital brand visibility. From fast-growing teams to global enterprises, Semrush shows you where you stand, where you can win, and how to stay visible across AI Search and LLMs. With unrivaled data and real AI intelligence, Semrush helps you move faster, grow faster, and make sure your brand is the answer wherever customers ask.

Timestamps

00:00 - Intro
02:08 - How disruptive is AI for search in 2026?
04:19 - Is SEO dead now because of AI?
08:32 - Biggest surprises from Semrush’s new AI Visibility Index Report
11:04 - How different AI models treat different industries
13:05 - Understanding how AI ranks different sources
15:48 - Why content creators are important in the age of AI search
18:35 - Why you need to be failing fast in AI
21:10 - Why brand matters more in the age of AI
24:20 - Why digital brand visibility matters so much
26:28 - Advice for CMOs for getting on top of AI for search
30:21 - Is AI just making decisions for us?
33:19 - Why humanity, authenticity and emotion are more important than ever
36:12 - What is Semrush One?

Jo Shoesmith, Chief Creative Officer at Amazon, joins us for a second time to reveal how one of the world’s biggest brands continues to make advertising that connects emotionally and stands the test of time. She shares what she’s learned moving from agency life to leading creativity inside a global giant, why Amazon still invests in traditional media, and the secret to ads that run for 3–5 years without losing impact.

We also discuss why right-brained storytelling works, the surprising insights about Gen Z, and how Amazon balances scale, agility, and creativity in the age of AI.

Timestamps

00:00 - Intro
01:21 - Learnings from going agency side to brand side
04:18 - How much does Amazon spend on advertising each year?
05:02 - Why Amazon still advertises using traditional media
06:21 - Why is Amazon’s creative so effective?
08:57 - Why Amazon’s advertising is so right brained
10:33 - Why Amazon make ads to run for 3-5 years
14:25 - Amazon re-airing the popular “Grannies” ad
17:00 - Why the industry is obsessed with youth
18:33 - The interesting numbers behind Gen Z and advertising
21:00 - Japanese Granny Ad from Amazon
23:07 - The only Cannes Lion Jon has ever won
26:11 - Using production to discover new stories
29:48 - Amazon’s CCO’s thoughts on AI and creativity
32:56 - Is AI used in the creative process at Amazon?
35:29 - How does such a big company stay so agile?
36:24 - What one thing has made the biggest difference for Jo?

Zaria Parvez was the creative mastermind behind Duolingo's social media success, having joined the company in 2020 fresh out of University. 5 years later, and after 8 billion impressions, she's left for her next challenge - taking on the social media for Doordash. We speak to Zaria to find out what the secret to the viral success is, and how she plans to replicate this at Doordash.

This episode is brought to you by Semrush — your unfair advantage in digital brand visibility. From fast-growing teams to global enterprises, Semrush shows you where you stand, where you can win, and how to stay visible across AI Search and LLMs. With unrivaled data and real AI intelligence, Semrush helps you move faster, grow faster, and make sure your brand is the answer wherever customers ask.

Timestamps

00:00 - Start
00:34 - Why Zaria left Duolingo
01:32 - Why Zaria moved from Duolingo to Doordash
02:44 - Coping with a rapid career trajectory
04:58 - The big moments for Duolingo
07:00 - Can you plan virality?
08:30 - How important was it having Duo as a brand character
11:02 - Why Duolingo killed duo
13:23 - Sending Duo’s ashes to Dua Lipa
14:05 - What are the conditions that make a successful social media campaign
16:01 - How Zaria spots trends and turns them into content
17:41 - Thinking long term through a social media lens
19:39 - How to scale viral social media efforts
21:36 - Why who your boss is matters so much
22:52 - When things go wrong on social media
24:47 - Why Zaria built a personal brand
28:02 - What Zaria is hoping for in the future
28:59 - How is AI changing social media?
31:36 - Social media advice for podcasters
32:20 - How to cope with the intensity of working in social media
34:58 - The best marketers hate marketing
36:25 - Why you need to embrace boredom

Esi Eggleston Bracey is the Chief Marketing and Growth Officer of Unilever. Esi joined the company in 2018 and has served as President of Unilever USA and CEO of Personal Care in North America. Prior to this, she led their $5 billion Beauty & Personal Care portfolio for North America as EVP and Chief Operating Officer which included responsibility for brands such as Dove, TRESemmé, Suave, Vaseline, Degree, Axe and more. There's a reason why this is a brand building masterclass

Esi has been recognised with many industry awards including being named as one of Forbes World’s Most Influential CMOs, a Forbes Entrepreneurial CMO 50, Women’s Wear Daily Marketer of the Year, ADCOLOR Legend, Ad Age Vanguard Award and more.

Timestamps

00:00 - Intro
00:54 - From P&G to Unilever, Esi’s career journey
03:09 - How important is breadth of experience as a marketer
04:54 - How to increase your marketing budget
07:45 - Why Esi has growth in her title and not just Chief Marketing Officer
08:36 - The most surprising thing about running 400 brands
10:37 - What skills do marketers need to be successful today?
12:08 - Esi’s thoughts of AI in marketing
17:14 - How to win the hearts of your consumer
19:48 - Unilever’s SASSY framework for winning hearts and minds
21:45 - Why we buy more when we feel more
23:27 - The secret behind the groundbreaking Dove marketing
26:45 - Why Uniliver are spending 50% of media on social and 20x spend on creators
29:18 - How the Vaseline Verified campaign took off
30:37 - Unilever’s framework for successful social media campaigns
32:29 - Applying the SASSY Framework to innovation
35:19 - Unilever’s collaboration with Crumbl Cookies
37:42 - How Unilever uses AI
39:45 - Which Unilever brand would Esi buy?
41:46 - The power of consistency
42:43 - How do you nurture the next $1b portfolio brand

Nick Tran, is the CMO and President of First Round, leading Diageo’s new joint venture with Main Street Advisors to oversee two of the world’s most culturally driven spirits brands: Ciroc and Lobos 1707. Nick shares how he’s approaching brand reinvention vs continuation, why product innovation and cultural relevance are key, and what goes into long-term brand growth. We also touch on the future of social media, AI’s role in marketing, and what it takes to build a truly modern CMO career.

00:00 - Intro
00:36 - How the Diageo and Main Street Advisors partnership happened?
02:49 - The long term view for Ciroc and Lobos 1707
06:10 - The plan for Ciroc
08:57 - Reinvention vs continuation when transforming a brand
11:31 - Focusing on product innovation and serve for Ciroc and Lobos 1707
14:14 - Is alcohol drinking trending down?
19:00 - How do you become culturally relevant?
22:07 - Using the Liquid Death challenger mindset
24:08 - The role of celebrities and influencers for drinks brands
27:16 - Why Nick is investing in his personal brand
31:53 - What does it take to become a successful CMO?
37:04 - How Nick invests in other companies
41:59 - Nick Tran’s thoughts on AI
45:47 - Have we reached peak social media?
50:39 - Bonus Question

Nils Leonard, Uncommon Studio's co-founder and Creative Director is back, and the mic is hotter than ever. We're tackling why Uncommon is pushing the boundaries of out of home, including the divisive BA "Reflections" campaign, what Nils thinks of the energy in the US vs the UK, and why we have a lot of work to do if we want creativity to thrive in this country.

Timestamps

00:00 - Start
00:52 - How did Uncensored CMO end up at Uncommon Studios
02:33 - What just Jon want to happen as a result of this episode?
04:45 - What does Nils want to happen as a result of this podcast?
06:10 - Nils' advice to founders wanting to start an agency
07:51 - Uncommon’s work with The Ordinary
13:38 - Why Uncommon loves out of home
15:31 - Uncommon’s out of home work with British Airways
22:20 - Uncommon's B&Q out of home
26:51 - Uncommon's Hiscox work
29:55 - Uncommon’s EA work
32:51 - Uncommon’s JD Sports work turning the lens on the community
37:45 - British Airway’s safety video
43:40 - The culture of creativity in the UK vs US
46:40 - Why Campaign’s"Turkey of the Week" is a terrifying reflection on the UK
48:52 - WPP and creativity
51:28 - Who killed creativity?
53:53 - What Brits can learn from Americans to bring creativity back

Entrepreneur, investor, and VaynerMedia CEO Gary Vaynerchuk joins us from Wine Library to share his unfiltered take on marketing in 2025. We cover everything from spotting consumer trends to staying authentic in the age of AI. Gary explains why generosity is his most powerful growth strategy, why the customer is always right, and which media channels are over or undervalued in 2025.

Timestamps

00:00 - Intro
01:03 - Being back at Wine Library
02:38 - Why the customer is always right according to Gary Vee
07:17 - Why Gary Vee doesn’t believe in luck
09:28 - How Gary Vee has managed to have so much reach
13:14 - The power of generosity
17:51 - Gary Vee’s advice on spotting trends
19:31 - Why you need to pay attention to the consumer
21:18 - What does good marketing look like according to Gary Vee
22:01 - Why social media is better than all other media channels
24:08 - Is TV advertising dead?
28:26 - Undervalued or overvalued: media channel edition
29:26 - Undervalued or overvalued: podcasts
31:34 - Undervalued or overvalued: LinkedIn
32:24 - Undervalued or overvalued: Email
33:26 - Undervalued or overvalued: sms/text
34:03 - Undervalued or overvalued: YouTube
35:29 - Undervalued or overvalued: search
38:39 - Undervalued or overvalued: TikTok
40:16 - Undervalued or overvalued: Twitter/X
42:29 - Undervalued or overvalued: New York Jets
44:54 - How do we maintain authenticity in the age of AI
49:00 - Gary Vee’s advice on how to execute on ideas

Will Guidara is the author of Unreasonable Hospitality and co-founder of the world’s #1 restaurant, Eleven Madison Park. He joins us to share how lessons from hospitality can be a huge competitive advantage for your brand. We discuss the power of small but impactful gestures, intelligent naivety, the 95/5 rule and investing in the things that can’t be measured but make all the difference.

Will also reflects on the mindset that took Eleven Madison Park to the top, what businesses can learn from restaurants, and how applying unreasonable hospitality can turn any customer experience into something truly extraordinary.

Timestamps

00:00:00 - Start
00:00:57 - Will’s experience writing his book
00:02:11 - Getting 4 stars from The New York Times
00:04:43 - What marketers can learn from Unreasonable Hospitality
00:08:08 - Where did the term “unreasonable hospitality” come from?
00:14:13 - Why Will is fine being “The Dining Room Guy”
00:16:40 - Why Will added a beer sommelier - reverse benchmarking
00:20:29 - Intelligent naivety and the advantages of youth
00:23:30 - The power of small thoughtful gestures that make a lasting impact
00:27:22 - The 95/5 rule - how to succeed with things that cannot be measured
00:31:47 - Restaurant smart vs corporate smart
00:36:50 - Why you sometimes need conflicting goals
00:41:34 - Is the customer always right?
00:45:55 - Turning pain points into highlights
00:48:06 - How Will Guidara makes getting the bill a memorable experience
00:51:38 - Why nothing in the world can replace persistence
00:53:40 - Never waste a good crisis
00:56:52 - What Will would do at Cannes with no budget
00:59:56 - How Shake Shack kept 11 Madison Park going
01:00:48 - Which fast food chains does Will admire
01:03:51 - Hiring exceptional talent
01:06:17 - Getting siloed teams to work together in harmony
01:09:07 - What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail

Jess Butcher MBE has built a career at the intersection of technology and consumer behaviour. She co-founded AR pioneer Blippar and has since turned her attention to a growing issue: how AI and social media are shaping our brains, behaviour, and wellbeing.

In this episode, Jess shares what she’s learned as a founder, why female entrepreneurs still struggle to access funding, and why she believes brands must take responsibility for the attention economy they help create. We discuss how “More Soul, Less Scroll” is encouraging healthier digital habits, and the practical steps companies can take to drive positive change.

Timestamps

00:00 - Intro
01:41 - Jess’ background as a female founder
05:56 - How Jon used Jess’ QR code startup
13:19 - Why Blippar ultimately failed
17:34 - The lessons from Blippar’s failure
21:30 - Why female founders struggle to get funding
25:50 - The characteristics of successful founders
31:15 - How AI is re-wiring our brains negatively
34:05 - Why social media is ruining our lives
40:09 - Why is this problem getting worse if we know about it?
44:17 - What ScrollAware is trying to do about the problem
48:38 - Which brands are taking responsibility for this problem best?
54:46 - Less Scroll More Soul sleeping bags