The world of advertising can use a little more kindness and candor. On this episode, Chris is joined by Glen Hilzinger, the Chief Creative Officer at Luquire. Glen is recognized as one of the top copywriters in the world, and he shares his journey from art school to leading an award-winning creative team.  Chris and Glen go into his transition from graphic design to copywriting, his impactful campaigns, and why Luquire promotes a culture of "Kindor.”

Show Highlights

• (0:00) Intro
• (2:04) Glen's background before coming to Luquire
• (3:08) Going from graphic design to copywriting
• (5:20) Glen's journey to becoming the Chief Creative Officer at Luquire
• (9:25) The "dragon" Glen felt like he had to slay
• (10:16) Working for a fully integrated agency
• (13:09) The challenges of remote work with creatives and explaining "Kindor"
• (17:38) Trademarking Kindor and what it means to Luquire's identity
• (20:29) Luquire projects that Glen is proud of
• (26:36) What Glen has learned about branding businesses during his time with Luquire
• (28:34) Glen's thoughts on AI and the advertising industry
• (35:08) What's the future look like for Luquire?
• (37:25) What brand does Glen admire the most right now?
• (39:40) Where you can find more from Glen and Luquire

About Glen Hilzinger
With more than 30 years in the advertising business, Glen has been named one of the top 10 Copywriters in the world by AdAge's CREATIVITY. He’s been listed as one of the 25 most creative people in advertising by Business Insider.

Links:

Glen’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glenhilzinger/

Glen’s email: [email protected]

Luquire’s website: luquire.com

20 years ago, YouTube changed the internet forever. One woman was there to see the platform evolve. On this episode of We Built This Brand, Chris is joined by Aditi Rajvanshi, Head of Strategy for Portal A and a renowned expert in the content creation industry. Aditi shares her fascinating journey from growing YouTube’s presence in India to starting Brewing Awesome, which supports small-to-medium creators. They also discuss the changing landscape of content creation, the significance of community-building, and the evolving role of platforms like YouTube and TikTok.

Show Highlights

• (0:00) Intro
• (1:36) Aditi's background at the dawn of YouTube
• (9:32) Online content creation in the U.S. vs. online content creation in India
• (17:46) Starting Brewing Awesome
• (24:40) The origins of the Brewing Awesome and Chris's podcasting career
• (30:51) The differences between a "flash in the pan" and dedication
• (34:21) What is Portal A?
• (40:16) Aditi's approach to content strategy
• (46:29) From online content to ad campaign
• (50:03) What is top of mind for the content creation industry
• (1:01:23) What brand does Aditi admire the most?
• (1:05:05) What YouTube channel does Aditi admire?
• (1:08:46) Where you can find more from Aidit and Portal A

About Aditi Rajvanshi

Aditi works with content creators, publishers and brands to help them build and execute their digital content strategy.

She has close to 10 years of experience partnering with YouTube content creators across lifestyle, education, How-To, comedy, kids and beauty categories to build and grow their audience across platforms.

Aditi is passionate about building audiences and believes that we can change the way we entertain and educate this generation and next by nurturing a diverse set of voices in her industry.

Links:

Portal A’s website: https://www.portal-a.com/

Portal A’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/portal_a

Aditi’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aditirajvanshi/

Aditi’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adi_rajvanshi/

Aditi’s email: [email protected] 

It’s a viral sensation, all thanks to people being put on hold. Nick Adams is a versatile copywriter and the brains behind the renowned Pizza Hut chicken wing song. He started his journey in the mailroom at GSD&M, but his persistence and creativity led him to become a writer, crafting memorable campaigns and even winning prestigious awards. On this episode, Chris delves into Nick's unique creative process, his comedic style, and his thoughts on current trends in branding and marketing. They also explore his passion for comedy and desire to make impactful, humorous content in the advertising world. Tune in to hear about Nick’s fascinating career and the creative minds behind some of your favorite ad campaigns.

Show Highlights

• (0:00) Intro
• (2:21) Nick's education and musical background
• (3:04) Getting started in the GSD&M mail room and working his way up
• (5:53) Creating the Pizza Hut chicken wing hold music and going viral
• (7:25) Nick's musical creative process
• (8:45) What came after the song? 
• (9:44) Nick's current work post-Pizza Hut
• (10:34) Nick's involvement with Second City and his creative process
• (12:50) How will AI and TikTok affect marketing?
• (13:46) Nick's other creative interests
• (15:06) What brand does Nick admire most right now?
• (16:41) Where you can find more from Nick

About Nick Adams
Nick Adams is a copywriter at GSD&M.

He love chips, salsa and going to bed at a decent hour. His current hobbies include changing diapers and surviving wake windows, but he prefers bikes and basketball when he has the time.

Links:

Nicks website: https://www.bignickcreative.com/

Appealing to your audience is the name of the game in marketing, but what do you do when they’re critical and hard to reach? Enter Clint Runge, the CEO and Co-Founder of Archrival. For decades now, Clint has had his finger on the pulse of what young adults want out of their products. On this episode of We Built This Brand, Clint walks us through Archrival’s growing pains as a small business founded straight out of college, to becoming a marketing juggernaut synonymous with tapping into youth culture. Whether it’s taking the (Red) Bull by the horns or remixing Spotify’s ad campaigns, Clint has the insights to stand, deliver, and reach those kids.

Show Highlights

• (0:00) Intro
• (1:37) Clint's background before Archrival
• (5:10) Where did Archrival's name come from?
• (6:07) The struggles of starting a business right out of college
• (8:20) The growth of Archrivals
• (11:14) What was the moment of validation for Archrival?
• (13:31) Reflecting on Red Bull and what came next
• (17:31) What worked and allowed Archrival to grow
• (19:15) The work that defines Archrival today
• (22:50) What it means to build communities
• (24:27) What's the future of youth culture movements
• (31:36) What brand does Clint admire?
• (34:27) Where you can find more from Clint and Archrival

About Clint Runge
Clint leads agency thought leadership with a big-thinking, cultural approach for brands who desire to be more relevant with young adults, teens to twenty-somethings. He kicks the tires and lights the fires for brands like adidas, Spotify, Hollister and Red Bull. 

With a never-say-die work ethic, Clint’s passion for the business has been recognized over the past two decades with as many awards as he’s had all-nighters. Archrival is an Ad Age Small Agency of the Year Award Winner and has made the Inc 5000 list.

With two decades spent reaching young adults, Clint brings a unique, relatable view on the State of Youth Culture as a regular speaker on Gen Z at conferences and events. Topics include identity, world view, relationships, consumerism, creativity, adulting, pandemic-ing and loyalty.

He’s also a frequent Rock Paper Scissors competitor and welcomes your challenge.

Links:

Archrvial’s website: https://archrival.com/

Archrival’s newsletter: https://archrival.com/insights

Clint’s website: https://clintrunge.com/

Clint’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clintrunge/

The world of advertising and marketing is all about standing out, and Dustin Artz is helping spearhead innovative campaigns for noteworthy brands. As a co-founder at Familiar Creatures, he’s dedicated his career to outsmarting the industry’s brand behemoths. On this episode of We Built This Brand, Dustin shares some of the “secret sauce” with Chris about what goes into making his agency stick out. From dumping mayonnaise on college football coaches, to encouraging people to feel good on their fitness journeys, you’ll learn the “Artz” behind some of advertising’s biggest moments in recent years.

Show Highlights

• (0:00) Intro
• (1:19) Dustin's background and where he got started
• (3:15) The origins of Familiar Creatures
• (7:23) Working with various popular mascots
• (10:44) The business model for Familiar Creatures
• (12:24) How Familiar Creatures approaches the challenger space
• (16:51) Work-life balance and the birth of ideas
• (19:41) Duke's influence in the marketing space
• (26:45) Duke's influence on branding college football bowl games
• (30:59) Familiar Creatures' work with Crunch Fitness
• (39:47) What's ahead for Familiar Creatures?
• (44:25) What brand does Dustin admire?
• (48:05) Where you can find more from Dustin and Familiar Creatures

About Dustin Artz
Dustin is a creative director/art director who has worked in the advertising industry with more than 20 years of experience.

He considers himself a maker—someone who can not only think at a high brand level but also execute to finish by art directing, writing, designing, retouching and/or editing.

Links:

Familiar Creature’s website: https://www.familiarcreatures.com/

Do you listen to that feeling in your gut? The that tells you right from wrong and what you should do next? It’s what we call your “intuition,” and Bonnie Casamassima thinks it should help be your guiding light through life. Coming from a corporate background, Bonnie found herself at the intersection of stress and internal understanding. One day, she had a breakthrough while deep in meditation, revealing her true calling in life - Intuition By Nature. On this episode of We Built This Brand, Bonnie and Chris talk about her business and what it means to listen to yourself. If you’ve ever had a difficult time following through on your own intuition, Bonnie’s work and research will help you reach that understanding.

Show Highlights

• (0:00) Intro
• (1:38) How Chris and Bonnie connected
• (2:46) How Intuitive by Nature came to be
• (6:22) What's the goal of Intuitive by Nature?
• (8:51) Who does Intuition by Nature serve?
• (9:37) Reaching a better understanding of your own intuition
• (12:57) The purpose of the Intuitive by Nature Podcast
• (14:21) Highlights from Bonnie's research into intuition
• (16:44) How people interpret intuition
• (23:35) What's next for Intuitive by Nature
• (24:59) What brand does Bonnie admire the most?
• (26:21) Where you can find more from Bonnie and Intuitive by Nature

About Bonnie Casamassima
Bonnie is a researcher, educator and highly sensitive intuitive empath.

She’s dedicated to nurturing people’s joy-driven lives through fostering our innate intuitive connection.

Bonnie worked for the past decade+ in the corporate world, as an academic research professor and consultant to corporations. 

Years ago Bonnie started receiving visual “pictures” during meditation, and now, each day she just keeps listening to what felt aligned deeply within her and followed her heart. So far, it’s led Bonnie to pursue trainings to hone her intuitive abilities and support others in tuning into theirs.

Links:

Intuitive By Nature’s website: https://www.intuitivebynature.com

Intuitive By Nature Podcast: https://www.intuitivebynature.com/podcast

Intuitive By Nature’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/intuitive_by_nature/

Everyone has their own favorite brands, but have you ever considered that you’re a “fan” of those products? Maggie Walsh thinks that you should. Having recently wrapped up a social media campaign for Peacock centered around the 2024 Paris Olympics, Maggie is no stranger to working with household names. As the Head of Strategy for the marketing agency GLOW, she’s tasked herself with helping clients and consumers reconsider our relationships with our go-to goods and media. In this episode, you’ll hear how Maggie’s background in the music industry shaped her approach to marketing. Coming from a world where authenticity can be “do or die” for artists, she brings that perspective to our conversation when it comes to working with major brands.

Show Highlights

• (0:00) Intro
• (1:37) What brought Maggie to GLOW?
• (4:10) What does GLOW do?
• (5:50) Music, branding, and authenticity
• (7:58) Identifying fan bases
• (13:32) Relevancy vs. trends
• (16:26) Perceptions of "brand burning"
• (19:31) The problem with Pride Month campaigns
• (24:12) Audience engagement in the social space
• (33:15) The future of brands and "ethical fandom"
• (40:37) What brand is Maggie a fan of?
• (43:06) Where you can learn more about Maggie and GLOW

About Maggie Walsh
Maggie is a marketing strategist with 15 years of experience at ad agencies, TV networks, and record labels. Their career's been built off channeling cultural curiosity into insightful work and effective team-building that’s helped iconic brands earn new places in culture.

Some of Maggie’s many clients have included Captain Morgan, Oreo, and A&E.

Links:

Maggie’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monstermaggs/

Maggie’s Twitter: https://x.com/monstermaggs

Maggie’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monstermaggs/
Maggie's Threads: https://www.threads.net/@monstermaggs
Maggie's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@monstermaggs 

GLOW’s website: https://weareglow.com/

CEOs wear many hats, and that’s especially true in the world of IT. So, it’s pretty appropriate Brian Strong heads up TenHats - an IT and data center firm in Knoxville, Tennessee. The name isn’t just eye-catching, it reflects the wide variety of services the business provides to its customers. In this episode, Brian recounts how the company landed on its current name during a rebranding effort.  He and Chris also discuss their shared backgrounds in telecom, and they even delve into local conspiracy theories surrounding Knoxville’s communication buildings. 

Show Highlights

• (0:00) Intro
• (2:02) Brian's path to TenHats
• (4:35) Rebranding to TenHats
• (6:32) Conspiracy theories and Knoxville's tech buildings
• (8:42) What does TenHats do as a business
• (11:39) Services proved by TenHats
• (14:02) What power demands will look like in the future
• (16:28) What’s ahead for TenHats
• (19:24) Brian's moment of validation at TenHats
• (23:07) TenHats' branding beyond its name
• (25:24) What brand does Brian admire?
• (28:02) How to learn more about Brian and TenHats

About Brian Strong:
Brian Strong is TenHats’ Chief Executive Officer, working with every department to cast and execute the company’s vision. As CEO, he also represents TenHats publicly, assists in the sales process, and manages TenHats’ partnership with Covenant Health.

Before joining the team, Brian gained extensive management and sales experience working at nationwide MSP and IaaS firms in the Knoxville region. Brian was the top salesperson at Claris Networks when he decided to leave and found his own company, Vendor Registry, which he sold in 2020.

In 2003, Brian graduated from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville with a BS in Finance. In his free time, Brian enjoys playing in a local soccer league and spending time with his family.

Links:

• TenHats' Website: https://tenhats.com/
• Brian’s email: [email protected]

With a love of crunching numbers from a young age, Erin Reece always knew her future lay in finance. She spent more than a decade at corporate and public accounting firms until Erin realized it was time for a change. After seeing and experiencing the churn and burn nature of the field, she knew it was time to make a difference. Instead of letting corporate burnout get the better of her, Erin regrouped and founded Bear Financial Solutions. In this discussion, you’ll hear her break down the experience of facing a lawsuit during the early days of the business, learn about the knowledge she’s gained after five years of running Bear Financial Solutions, and revisit the moment she realized financial therapy is her calling in life.

Show Highlights

• (0:00) Intro
• (1:12) The creation of Bear Financial Solutions
• (4:11) The "fun" side of accounting
• (5:28) Name origins for Bear Financial Services
• (7:53) The Evolution of the company logo
• (9:54) Lessons Erin’s learned after five years
• (14:39) Learning to temper growth expectations
• (16:52) Experiencing getting sued
• (20:13) Finding validation through business
• (22:44) Becoming a financial therapist
• (27:01) Approaching finance like a “mama bear”
• (28:34) What brand Erin admires
• (29:39) Where you can find more from Erin and Bear Financial Solutions

About Erin Reece:

Erin has worked with CEOs, Founders, VPs, multi-million-dollar companies, and mom-and-pop shops all across the country. Her dream when she built Bear Financial was to be able to meet with any business owner, at any level and help them achieve all of their financial goals.

Erin knew from a young age that she wanted to be an accountant. She never waivered from that passion, declaring her major on her first day of college. She graduated with a BS in Accounting and holds a graduate certificate in Criminal Justice. Erin then spent over 10 years working in corporate and public accounting firms. But seeing how burnt-out both her clients and colleagues were, Erin decided to create her own, unique accounting firm.

Erin believes that everyone deserves a personal relationship with their accountant. She goes above and beyond to ensure every client feels at home, fully supported, and ready to tackle and accomplish every financial goal.

Links:

• Bear Financial Solutions’ website: https://bearfinancialsolutions.com/
• Bear Financial Solutions’ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bearfinancialsolutions/

In this episode of "We Built This Brand," you’ll hear from Trent Anderson, the Head of Growth and Strategy at Podchaser. Trent and Chris discuss the origins and key features of Podchaser, emphasizing its role as a vital data aggregator and discovery tool in the industry. Together, they delve into the importance of entering podcasting with the right intentions, the significance of Podchaser's Power Score, and what lies ahead for the company. If you’ve ever wanted to know what goes into crunching the numbers for your favorite podcast, this is the episode for you!

Show Highlights

• (0:00) Intro
• (2:01) What led Trent to Podchaser
• (3:25) Origins of Podchaser
• (5:18) Podchaser as a podcast database
• (6:44) Breaking down podcasting stats
• (11:40) Benefits of Podchaser’s pro package
• (14:26) Advertiser hesitancy in podcasting
• (19:27) The Podchaser “Power Score”
• (22:03) Trent’s role at Podchaser
• (26:13) Changes in podcasting trends
• (29:05) Podcasting with intention
• (33:00) Where Podchaser is heading
• (36:22) The meaning of Podchaser’s name
• (37:32) What brand does Trent admire?
• (39:40) Where you can find more from Podchaser

About Trent Anderson:
Trent is the Head of Growth & Strategy at Podchaser with an extensive background in marketing. When he’s not working for the IMDB of the podcast world, he’s likely watching Bravo reality shows with his wife.

Links:

• How to Find Podcast Listener Demographics: https://www.podchaser.com/articles/podcast-insights/how-to-find-podcast-listener-demographics
• Podchaser’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/podchaser/
• Podchaser’s newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6999456299717382145/