Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Strategy Sessions

Sarah is the Global Planning Partner for adam&eve\TBWA and Dan is the Brand & Marketing Director for Currys. James Hayhurst, Founder of the Magic Sauce Course brought them together to discuss how you get the best from the agency x client relationship.

This is the first episode of Season 7 and we've got some gold coming your way. Make sure you subscribe.

In this episode we discuss

• Don’t kill baby turtles: why great creative ideas get pecked to death by feedback, sign-offs and “just one little change”.
• Good relationships aren’t cosy: how trust, honest disagreement and a willingness to feel uncomfortable help clients and agencies make better work.
• Do the strategy before the brief: define the problem, make real choices and stop asking creatives to work out what your business should be doing.
• From good to gloriously weird: how Currys’ “Beyond Techspectations” campaign came together—and why Dan nearly pulled the plug on it.
• Measuring success: why Currys MMM approach is unusual and discussing why the true measure of a campaign’s success is effectiveness.
• Hot takes: Stop whinging, competitor analysis and marketers being more worried about marketers than the market.

Link in the show notes...

• Magic Sauce Course
• How Not To Plan – 66 ways to screw it up by Sarah Carter and Les Binet
• Currys ‘Beyond Techspectations’ TV ads
• Mark Ritson’s MiniMBA Programme

Full show notes, including a transcript, links to everything discussed and contact details can be found on the episode page here.

Noam is a marketing leader who has grown brands like Marmite, Pot Noodle, Andrex and Huggies.

In this episode we discuss:

• The need for caring leaders
• Managing a brand during a war
• Category expansion for heritage brands
• Working with Paddington Bear
• Evolving iconic brands
• Distinctive brand assets and early crowdsourcing of content
• Doing well by doing good - a case study from Andrex

Noam Buchalter

Noam helps turn around and accelerate established brands leveraging his 24+ years experience as a Marketing leader, from Unilever UK Local Jewels like Marmite and Pot Noodle, to $1bn international brands like Andrex and Huggies at Kimberly Clark EMEA.

He has experience in consultancy and PE owned businesses and takes a holistic, pragmatic and commercial approach to managing brands. With specialisms in Brand Strategy, Innovation and Shared Value (Sustainability & Social Impact), Noam delivers results through a care for performance leadership style that builds Marketing teams who are motivated, skilled and resilient.

Find Noam on LinkedIn

Strategy Sessions Host - Andi Jarvis

This is the last episode of Season 6 and it's been a hell of a ride! I've loved meeting some amazing people this season and I hope you've enjoyed it too. I'll be back in September with a new Season. Until then, enjoy the summer!

If you have any questions or want to talk about anything that was discussed in the show, the best place to get me is on LinkedIn or Instagram.

Make sure you subscribe to get the podcast directly or sign up for it here to have it emailed when it's released.

If you enjoyed the show, please give it a 5* rating.

Full show notes, including a transcript, links to everything discussed and contact details can be found on the episode page here: https://eximomarketingstrategy.com/care-for-performance-leadership-with-noam-buchalter-strategy-sessions-podcast/

JP Castlin is an internationally recognised authority on strategy, a writer and keynote speaker.

In this episode we discuss:

• Why the world is complex not ordered
• Why the strategy process is flawed
• Complexity science and it’s practical application
• What most of the great strategic thinkers got wrong (think: Porter, Mintzberg, Rumelt, Drucker, Taylor, Martin… everyone!)

Find JP on LinkedIn

Full show notes, including a transcript, links to everythingdiscussed and contact details can be found on the episode page here.

You'll also find Andi on LinkedIn or Instagram.

Colleen Babcock is Head of Partner Marketing at Rightmove, one of the UK’s most trusted and best‑loved brands.

In this episode we discuss:

• Learning that personal development isn’t selfish
• Re-branding and differentiation as the market leader
• Evolving Rightmove’s income streams
• Ensuring people remain central to the brand
• Why emotion matters in b2b marketing
• Why customer complaints are like a big dog
• Marketing Lessons from theatre
• The importance of ‘Interactive WTFs’

Colleen Babcock

Colleen Babcock leads the B2B marketing teams helping agents and developers grow through smarter, more effective marketing. With over 20 years in the property industry and more than a decade at a FTSE 100 brand, she combines a love of storytelling with a sharp strategic lens and a strong belief that even B2B marketing is always personal.

She’s known for building high‑performing teams, using data to guide decisions and turning brand strategy into commercial action - without losing the human touch (or her trademark energy). Alongside her leadership role, Colleen is a national media spokesperson on the housing and rental market, regularly appearing on Sky News, LBC and the BBC to make Rightmove’s insights clear, useful and never boring..

Full show notes, including a transcript, links to everythingdiscussed and contact details can be found on the episode page here: https://eximomarketingstrategy.com/interactive-wtf-with-colleen-babcock-strategy-sessions-podcast/ 

Shantanu Srivastava is a global marketing and innovation leader whose career spans leadership roles across Twinnings, Danone, Sanofi, and Reckitt.

In this episode we discuss:

• The risks and benefits of evolving a brand
• Customer led innovation
• Making innovation work inside a company
• How challenger brands see innovation v mega brands
• Innovating inside a start up
• Humans v AI in research

Full show notes, including a transcript, links to everythingdiscussed and contact details can be found on the episode page here.

Mike works in strategy at Made Brave, one of Scotland’s finest agencies. He talks about how marketing can make a real difference to people’s lives.

In this episode we discuss:

• Career advice to your younger self
• Working with brave brands
• Changing perceptions of T1D
• Working with a sales led organisation
• Brand v community ownership of campaigns
• How to get great work from your agency
• Strategy as part of the sales process

Full show notes, including a transcript, links to everythingdiscussed and contact details can be found on the episode page here.

If you enjoyed the show, please give it a 5* rating or share it with a friend.

00:00 - Early career and trusting the process13:48 - Introduction16:52 - Launching Real Madrid TV22:00 - Online abuse39:22 - Using social media positively 52:10 - Quick fire football questions1:02:45 - Recommendations and wrap up

Alison Bender is an award-winning football presenter, reporter, podcaster, author and producer who has worked for Sky News, Sky Sports News, ITV, BBC and ESPN.

In this episode we discuss:

• Early career
• Online abuse
• Using social media positively to build a career
• Quick fire football questions
• Who’s going to win the Premier League

One Question

One Question is a start up I’m building (that’s me, Andi Jarvis). If you hear this episode before Tuesday 10 March, you can vote for me in a start up competition and I might win £50,000 to help build it. Just visit this page on the Belfast Telegraph website, scroll down until you see One Question, click it, then click next and you’ve voted! No registration required.  

Show Notes and Transcript

Full show notes, including a transcription and links to everything discussed can be found here.

00:00 - Mental health in marketing

15:15 - Introduction

16:30 - David's career background at Unilever

18:30 - Dollar Shave Club

40:37 - Who Gives A Crap

54:55 - Lynx

1:04:15 - Recommendations and wrap up

Will Poskett is an award-winning strategist, the founder of Defiant and previously of Wieden & Kennedy, Droga5 and Saatchis.

Full show notes, including a transcript, links to everything discussed and contact details can be found on the episode page here.

In this episode we discuss:

Building leads for SMEs on LinkedIn and Substack Will Poskett  

Will Poskett is an award-winning strategist and the founder of Defiant. He has advised some of the world’s most famous brands (Clipper Teas, Heineken & Coca Cola) and worked at the world’s most awarded agencies.

In 2014 he was awarded the first ever Grand Prix at the YouTube Effectiveness Awards for his work on Mattessons and gaming.

Find Will on LinkedIn or Substack.

Andi Jarvis - Strategy Sessions Host

If you have any questions or want to talk about anything that was discussed in the show, the best place to get me is on LinkedIn or Instagram.

Make sure you subscribe to get the podcast directly or sign up for it here to have it emailed when it's released.

If you enjoyed the show, please give it a 5* rating.

Lianre is CEO at The Marketing Academy Foundation (TMAF) and an award-winning digital marketer. She is in conversation with Andi Jarvis

In this episode we discuss:

• Follow your instincts
• Why TMAF is important for the marketing industry
• What the opportunity is for TMAF and why they’re rebranding
• Why 5 year plans don’t work
• How Lianre engages with her stakeholders
• Using communities in marketing
• What Lianre and Seth Godin have in common

Recommendations

Learn Like a Lobster by Helen Tupper and Sarah Ellis

Full show notes, including a transcript, links to everything discussed and contact details can be found on the episode page here: https://eximomarketingstrategy.com/follow-your-instincts-with-lianre-robinson-strategy-sessions-podcast/

Tarek Sioufi is Grey’s Chief Strategy Officer. He has led brand strategy for adidas, The Financial Times, Sainsbury’s, Iceland, Netflix, Cadbury and Coca-Cola.

In this episode we discuss:

• The power of imagination
• Why strategy is simple
• Do ideas just ‘find’ strategists
• Are strategists the smartest people in the room
• Three modes of thought for devising a brilliant strategy
• The most debated Christmas ad of all time
• The UK’s super bowl
• Promoting Iceland – the country, not the supermarket
• Taking on Google for Iceland (and Sweden)
• Stella’s new campaign

Tarek Sioufi  

Tarek is a multi-award winning strategist with over 20 years of industry experience. He has held senior roles at some of the world’s most entrepreneurial and creatively awarded agencies including: Media.Monks, Wieden+Kennedy, The Brooklyn Brothers, Fallon and Sid Lee.

He joined Grey in 2023 as Chief Strategy Officer and leads some of the agencies key accounts including, Etihad, Sky Bet, Haleon and Vodafone Ireland. Tarek’s work has been celebrated both for its creativity and effectiveness by Cannes Lions, The Effies, D&AD and Contagious Pioneers.

And in 2022, Tarek was recognised by Campaign Magazine for outstanding contributions to the industry in their 40 over 40 category and by BIMA (The British Interactive Media Association) as one of the nation’s top strategists and consultants.

Find Tarek on LinkedIn

Show Notes

Full show notes, including a transcription andlinks to everything discussed can be found here.

Joe Rampley is the Creative Brand Manager at Forest, London’s homegrown ebike company. He joins the show to talk about their new campaign.

In this episode we discuss:

• Why perfection is overrated
• The insight behind Forest’s new campaign
• Why they rebranded
• How ad placement is as equally important as creative
• How you measure success when building a brand
• Why Ritson’s Mini MBA is worth the money

Full show notes, including a transcript, links to everythingdiscussed and contact details can be found on the episode page.

Joe Rampley

Joe leads Forest’s Creative Team, shaping the brand’s voice across everything from campaigns to positioning. He began his career as a freelance designer and illustrator, always with a keen interest in cycling culture.

After a design internship with Deliveroo, he moved in-house and now serves as guardian of the Forest brand, overseeing all things creative for Forest.

Find Joe on LinkedIn

Tim Donald is the Creative Director at Sneak, the cult energy brand known for its disruptive campaigns, chaotic storytelling, and fiercely loyal fanbase.

In this episode we discuss:

• Why you shouldn’t chase seniority
• Building from DTC to retail
• The power of design for Sneak
• Satanic cults for marketing activations
• Building a brand around gaming culture
• Finding the sweet spot between nerd culture and popular culture
• The creative pressure to stay true to the brand heritage
• The impact of price promotion on brand
• Building communities for marketing while not “selling out”

Full show notes, including contact details and a transcript can be found here on the show page.

Paul Makaya is the Founder and CEO of Bergast House, one of Zimbabwe’s most progressive integrated advertising agencies, that produces work that fuses insight, design, and purpose to drive both business growth and cultural impact.

In this episode we discuss:

• Being authentically yourself
• Clients using AI
• Radio being the dominant media platform across Africa
• Shooting for greatness
• Why diverse teams perform better

Talk To Your Customers Research

I'm running a survey at the moment to find out how frequently marketers speak to customers and what they learn if/when they do.

All the details and the survey are on this page.

A full transcription, contact details and enhanced show notes can be found here: https://eximomarketingstrategy.com/never-average-with-paul-makaya-strategy-sessions-podcast/

Chloë Davies is a multi award-winning founder, a transformation consultant, chef and creative visionary whose work sits at the intersection of creativity, culture and social.

In this episode we discuss:

• Understanding what matters and what doesn’t 
• Reflecting on how culture shapes us
• How It Takes A Village Collective came about
• Using social impact to change the world 
• The story behind Virgin’s ‘See The World Differently’ campaign 
• Why real relationships are essential to the agency / client magic 
• Creating a ruckus in Ad Land
• The continuation of poor male behaviour in the marketing industry 
• The challenges of trying to change an industry perspective of Black women
• How you can support It Takes A Village Collective

Talk To Your Customers Research

I'm running a survey at the moment to find out how frequently marketers speak to customers and what they learn if/when they do.

All the details and the survey are on this page.

Show Notes

The full show notes, transcription and links to everything Chloë talks about can be found on the episode page here.

Cynthia Harris, MBA, leads 8:28 Insights, a consumer insights and marketing strategy agency rooted in cultural competence and human understanding.

In this episode we discuss:

• How we deal with change 
• Getting good briefs from clients
• The magic sauce between agencies and clients
• Harnessing imagination 
• Speeding up research
• Lessons from P&G
• Celebrating client wins

Cynthia Harris

Cynthia Harris, MBA, leads 8:28 Insights, a consumer insights and marketing strategy agency rooted in cultural competence and human understanding. With a pre-agency career spanning Abbott Nutrition, P&G, McCormick, and Bath & Body Works, she blends nearly 20 years of experience with a passion for empathy and human stories. 

An award-winning industry leader and a distinguished Insights Association Laureate, Cynthia is a sought-after speaker and thought leader, recognized for her contributions to the industry and her ability to make brands more human. A tennis enthusiast and world traveler, Cynthia calls Columbus, Ohio, home. Cynthia also serves as an Insight's Association North Central Chapter Board Director.

If you enjoyed the show, please give it a 5* rating.

Find the full show notes, transcript and links on the episode page.

Brendan McDowell is the founder of BPerfect Cosmetics and Voduz Hair. He’s built two amazing brands (from a background in sales) by investing in community and social media.

In this episode we discuss:

• Work life balance
• Building a community of fans
• Following social trends and social selling
• Dragons Den and Made Up In Belfast
• Opening on the High Street when everyone said “the High Street is dead”
• Staying close to the customer as your role evolves into CEO
• Launching in Superdrug
• Rethinking sales from a strategic perspective
• What comes next

Brendan McDowell

Founded in Belfast in 2012 by visionary entrepreneur Brendan McDowell, BPerfect Cosmetics set out to revolutionise the beauty industry with products that are easy to use, versatile, and transformative. Brendan’s game-changing approach caught the spotlight in 2017 on Ireland’s Dragons’ Den, where he wowed all five Dragons and secured offers from two, to which he later declined.

Since then, Brendan has been nominated for Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year and earned multiple awards for his bold entrepreneurial spirit. Today, BPerfect is a global beauty powerhouse, stocked in over 2,000 locations across Ireland, the UK, and internationally.

Known for its cult-favourite makeup, tanning essentials, and more recently, skincare, BPerfect has also partnered with top makeup artists and influencers to create standout collections like the Stacey Marie Carnival Collection, LMD Collection, and Annalivia Collection.

With record-breaking sales on TikTok and a spot among the top five beauty brands in the UK and Ireland, BPerfect is leading the way with exciting new revenue streams and unstoppable growth.

Find Brendan on TikTok and Instagram

Andi Jarvis

If you have any questions or want to talk about anything that was discussed in the show, the best place to get me is on LinkedIn or Instagram.

If you want the podcast emailed to you sign up for it onthe Eximo Marketing website.

Make sure you subscribe to get the podcast pushed to you and if you enjoyed the show, please give it a 5* rating.

Andi Jarvis, Eximo Marketing.

Phillip Oakley is a brand strategist and marketing consultant with over 20 years of experience helping brands stand out and grow.

In this episode we discuss:

• The power of questions and curiosity
• Talking to your customers and the power of bringing the customer voice into the room
• Overcoming objections for talking to your customers
• What the movie Arthur Christmas can teach us about marketing
• Riches in Niches
• The power of visiting the store where your product is sold

Phillip Oakley

Phillip Oakley is a brand strategist and marketing consultant with over 20 years of experience helping brands grow and stand out across industries like technology, medtech, and consumer goods. In 2012, he founded Common Giant, a boutique consultancy that helps businesses leverage branding as a competitive advantage in a crowded marketplace.

Phillip has also served as VP of Brand Strategy, helping retail brands sell in, stand out, and sell through while consulting on marketing strategy and creative execution for various business models.

An energetic keynote speaker, Phillip shares insights on branding and creativity. He also lectures junior creatives and small businesses on effective marketing and is an eternal student of branding and marketing, having completed the Marketing Week Mini MBA and MAD//Masters.

Find Phillip on LinkedIn.

Recommendations

• Man's Search For Meaning by Viktor Frankl

Strategy Masterclass with Seth Godin

I’m doing a series of strategy masterclasses with Seth Godin in Ireland this spring. If you use code Eximo (capital E) then you’ll be able to grab a ticket for £225 instead of the full rate of £265.

You get to work with Seth, who will be joining remotely from his NYC studio, with me in the room and the team from Horrible Brands to help out with brand strategy. These events have been put together by the Event Queen Treena Clarke. Tickets available from here.

Strategy Sessions Host - Andi Jarvis

If you have any questions or want to talk about anything that was discussed in the show, the best place to get me is on LinkedIn or Instagram.

Make sure you subscribe to get the podcast directly or sign up for it here to have it emailed when it's released.

If you enjoyed the show, please give it a 5* rating.

Transcript

A full transcript is available on the episode page here.

Paul has been deep in brand diagnosis, strategy and realisation for over 25 years. You need to hear how he thinks about brands.

In this episode we discuss:

• Listening as a superpower for strategists
• Why strategy isn’t predicting the future – with a hat tip to JP Castlin
• Mike Tyson on strategy
• Creators building brands
• Defining what a brand isn’t helps defines what a brand is
• The role of insight in strategy
• Staying customer focused in strategy
• Associated memorable moments
• Naming segments- and why we (sort of) disagree!

Paul Bailey

25+ years professional experience in brand diagnosis, strategy, realisation – improving experience, empowering culture, achieving business objectives.
A deep knowledge in brand, strategy, business leadership, marketing and communication. Working with global businesses to fast-scaling startups, across a myriad of industries, with diverse target audiences and business objectives.

Supported by academic expertise including MA Brand, Communication & Culture (Goldsmiths, London), Mini-MBA Marketing (Marketing Week), and extensive writing, speaking, and lecturing on brand, strategy & marketing.

Find Paul on LinkedIn

Recommendations

• The Power of Co-Creation by Ramaswamy and Gouillart 
• Brands: Meaning and Value in Media Culture by Adam Arvidsson
• Beyond Culture by Edward T Hall
• How Not To Plan by Les Binet and Sarah Carter

I’m doing a series of strategy masterclasses with Seth Godin in Ireland this spring. If you use code Eximo (capital E) then you’ll be able to grab a ticket for £225 instead of the full rate of £265.

You get to work with Seth, who will be joining remotely from his NYC studio, with me in the room and the team from Horrible Brands to help out with brand strategy. These events have been put together by the Event Queen Treena Clarke. Tickets available from here.

Strategy Sessions Host - Andi Jarvis

If you have any questions or want to talk about anything that was discussed in the show, the best place to get me is on LinkedIn or Instagram.

Make sure you subscribe to get the podcast directly or sign up for it here to have it emailed when it's released.

If you enjoyed the show, please give it a 5* rating.

A full episode transcription is available from the show page.

Devora Rogers developed the methodology deployed for Google's groundbreaking ZMOT research. Yes, THAT Zero Moment of Truth research.

In this episode we discuss:

• How everything changes
• One HELL of a medical story
• Zero moment of truth (ZMOT) and convincing people to buy online
• How long people take to decide to buy something
• Using data to tell stories at conferences
• Marketers being bad at research
• Red and green flags for clients
• Why chaotic brands can still grow (with good lighting)

Devora Rogers

Consultative insights and strategy has been Devora's passion for more than a decade.

She has led research teams, developed the methodology deployed for Google's groundbreaking ZMOT research, launched global offices, and worked with dozens of global brands including Google, Gatorade, Nespresso, Snapchat, and Audacy, among others.

She is a regular public speaker at industry events and her TedX on the Future of Shopping and Retail has been viewed over 250,000 times

Find Devora on LinkedIn.

Strategy Masterclass with Seth Godin

I’m doing a series of strategy masterclasses with Seth Godin in Ireland this spring. If you use code Eximo (capital E) then you’ll be able to grab a ticket for £225 instead of the full rate of £265.

You get to work with Seth, who will be joining remotely from his NYC studio, with me in the room and the team from Horrible Brands to help out with brand strategy. These events have been put together by the Event Queen Treena Clarke. Tickets available from here.

Strategy Sessions Host - Andi Jarvis

If you have any questions or want to talk about anything that was discussed in the show, the best place to get me is on LinkedIn or Instagram.

Make sure you subscribe to get the podcast directly or sign up for it here to have it emailed when it's released.

If you enjoyed the show, please give it a 5* rating.

Magda is a research professor at the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute in Adelaide. She has been widely published in academic journals and authored two chapters in How Brands Grow 2.

In this episode we discuss:

• The importance of curiosity
• The impact of How Brands Grow
• The Semmelweis effect and The Sharp Effect
• Learn, test and learn
• The high performance culture at the Ehrenberg Bass Institute
• The benefit of being sceptical and open minded as a researcher
• Growing categories v growing brands
• The challenge for small brands and marketers
• The research behind raising prices
• How categories grow in the luxury sector
• Can marketers do pricing?
• Talking to your customers
• Is marketing changing?

The full transcript is available on the episode page.

Magda Nenycz-Thiel

Before her current role as Industry Growth Professor, Magda was Mars Professor of Marketing, a Chair funded by Mars Incorporated. Prior to this she led the Institute’s Mars Marketing Lab, a R&D initiative funded by Mars Incorporated from 2013-2016.

As Industry Growth Professor, Magda, together with a research team at the Institute, pioneers research into category growth and leads the Industry Growth Initiative which focuses on applying discoveries to improve the ways that growth investments are made within organisations.

Magda’s core areas of expertise are category and industry growth, e-commerce and neuromarketing. Her work has been published widely including in the Journal of Advertising Research, European Journal of Marketing and Journal of Business Research. She is also the author of two chapters in How Brands Grow Part 2, “Building Physical Availability” and “Online shopping – is it different?”.

Magda regularly presents at domestic and international conferences to industry and academic audiences, as well as to the Institute’s Sponsors. She publishes regularly in international journals and has also written a number of book chapters. 

Strategy Masterclass with Seth Godin

I’m doing a series of strategy masterclasses with Seth Godin in Ireland this spring. If you use code Eximo (capital E) then you’ll be able to grab a ticket for £225 instead of the full rate of £265.

You get to work with Seth, who will be joining remotely from his NYC studio, with me in the room and the team from Horrible Brands to help out with brand strategy.

Tickets available from here.

Strategy Sessions Host - Andi Jarvis

If you have any questions or want to talk about anything that was discussed in the show, the best place to get me is on LinkedIn or Instagram.

Make sure you subscribe to get the podcast directly or sign up for it here to have it emailed when it's released.

If you enjoyed the show, please give it a 5* rating.

Úna is the co-founder of The Indie List, Ireland’s leading platform for connecting businesses with top-tier freelance talent across marketing, creative, and digital disciplines.

In this episode we discuss:

• Why it’s OK not have everything figured out
• Building a community of marketers
• The Indie List
• Why pitching as an independent is tough
• The benefit of using freelancers
• The mindset shift between being a freelancer and running a business
• Surviving the retirement of a business partner Dealing with imposter syndrome

Links

• The Inner Game of Tennis by W Timothy Gallwey
• Alchemy by Rory Sutherland
• Rory Sutherland on the Strategy Sessions – he’s been on twice, so this is episode 1 and this is episode 2.

A full set of show notes, including transcript, can be found on the episode page on the Eximo Marketing website.

James Hurman does a lot. He’s a strategist, a creative, an entrepreneur, an investor, a teacher and a great bloke.

In this episode we discuss:

• The lessons from ancient cultures
• The power of delegation
• Making not drinking cool AF
• Influencer partnerships with the Kardashians
• The story behind Tracksuit, the brand tracking platform
• How James approaches brand names
• Why you can be fun in B2B
• Becoming an investor using a different thesis to most VCs
• The impact of Binet & Field on marketing
• The ‘problems’ with Binet & Field’s work
• Sharing the success of his agency with his team

James Hurman

Over the course of his advertising career, James won more than 50 awards for advertising effectiveness. In 2013, he was named the world’s number-one strategic planning director.

Since then, James has co-founded and scaled multiple global brands, including brand health trackerTracksuit and non-alcoholic canned cocktail producerAF Drinks. He also foundedPreviously Unavailable, a venture studio that helps startups create new products, scale business ventures, and build their brand. 

James has published multiple books; the most recent,Future Demand, explores how startups can expand beyond their initial audience of early adopters. He’s also authored multiple marketing effectiveness studies, including “The Effectiveness Code” and “The B2B Effectiveness Code.”

• https://www.jameshurman.com 
• Khloe Kardashian and Kris Jennerpromoting Free AF on LinkedIn orInstagram
• The power on emotion in brand buildingJames writing in Marketing Week
• Three books by Jonathan Haidt:The Anxious Generation,The Happiness Hypothesis andThe Righteous Mind

Strategy Masterclass with Seth Godin

I’m doing a series of strategy masterclasses with Seth Godin in 2025. If you use codeEximo (capital E) then you’ll be able to grab a ticket for £225 instead of the full rate of £265.

You get to work with Seth, who will be joining remotely from his NYC studio, with me in the room and the team from Horrible Brands to help out with brand strategy. These events have been put together by the Event Queen Treena Clarke.

Ticketsavailable from here.

Host Andi Jarvis

If you have any questions or want to talk about anything that was discussed in the show, the best place to get me is on LinkedIn orInstagram.

Make sure you subscribe to get the podcast directly orsign up for it here to have it emailed when it's released.

If you enjoyed the show, please give it a 5* rating.

Find the full show page including transcription, here: https://eximomarketingstrategy.com/tracksuit-marketing-with-james-hurman-strategy-sessions-podcast/

Nils Wimby is an experienced leader in marketing with a strategic mindset and a proven track record of generating value.

In this episode we discuss:

Strategy Masterclass with Seth Godin

I’m doing a series of strategy masterclasses with Seth Godin in 2025. If you use code Eximo (capital E) then you’ll be able to grab a ticket for £225 instead of the full rate of £265.

You get to work with Seth, who will be joining remotely from his NYC studio, with me in the room and the team from Horrible Brands to help out with brand strategy. These events have been put together by the Event Queen Treena Clarke. Tickets available from here.

The full show notes, including transcript can be found here.

Dan Knowlton, the co-founder of Knowlton, has delivered millions in trackable sales for some of the world’s leading brands.

In this episode we discuss:

• How he grew Knowlton from working with micro business to big brands
• Learning from mistakes
• Having your dad as a non exec
• How to write marketing reports
• Working with Barry from Eastenders
• Why nostalgia never gets old
• When campaigns win for clients

Dan Knowlton

Dan Knowlton, the co-founder of Knowlton, accidentally discovered a game-changing marketing strategy in 2017 called 'Advertainment' that has delivered millions in trackable sales for some of the world’s leading brands.

Starting with humorous videos crafted in a spare room with his brother, now co-founder Lloyd, Knowlton has propelled brands like Wahl, BBC Storyworks, and Sunny D to new heights. Additionally, Dan shares his insights as the co-host of the Business Anchors podcast & on stages around the world.

Find Dan on LinkedIn or via his company website, https://knowltonmarketing.co.uk/

Links

Sunny D campaign

My First Million Podcast

Strategy Masterclass with Seth Godin

I’m doing a series of strategy masterclasses with Seth Godin in 2025. If you use code Eximo (capital E) then you’ll be able to grab a ticket for £225 instead of the full rate of £265.

You get to work with Seth, who will be joining remotely from his NYC studio, with me in the room and the team from Horrible Brands to help out with brand strategy. These events have been put together by the Event Queen Treena Clarke. Tickets available from here.

Show Page

Find the full episode home page, including a transcript here: https://eximomarketingstrategy.com/relaunching-an-icon-with-dan-knowlton-strategy-sessions-podcast/

Suzanne is the Director CEE, Google Customer Solutions and a long time Googler.

In this episode we discuss:

• Planning (or not) for a career
• How digital marketing has changed in the 25 years
• Has brand loyalty changed over the years
• Do you need to be always on with your marketing
• Talk to your customers
• Working across counties and customs
• Using AI as a BFF
• What companies are worried about with AI (it’s not what you think)

The full episode page, including links and a transcription can be found here: https://eximomarketingstrategy.com/customer-insight-with-suzanne-claassen-strategy-sessions-podcast/

Carrie Rose runs Rise at Seven, the Search-First creative agency from the UK that’s taking over America.

In this episode we discuss:

• Business is just business
• Positioning for fast fashion
• Saying no to new business
• Using values in your agency
• When to say no to clients
• The Rise at Seven story
• The role of data in decision making
• Strategy v tactics

Strategy Masterclass with Seth Godin

I’m doing a series of strategy masterclasses with Seth Godin in 2025. If you use code Eximo (capital E) then you’ll be able to grab a ticket for £195 instead of the full rate of £265. See the link below for full details.

The show notes, links and transcription can be found on the Eximo Marketing website.

Aaron Ahuvia PhD is the world’s leading scientific expert on brand love.

In this episode we discuss:

• How the brain works and what we know about love
• What it’s like working with Philip Kotler
• How we define love and why it matters to marketers
• How to build brand love
• What to do when brand love isn’t something you should aspire to 
• Anthropomorphism and why brands talk to us
• Why stories matter
• Why the IKEA effect works (but not for me!)
• What Lisa Marie Presley can teach us about B2B marketing (really)
• What to do if people fall out of love with your brand

Aaron Ahuvia

Dr. Aaron Ahuvia is a Professor of Marketing at the University of Michigan-Dearborn and holds an appointment in the College of Engineering’s program on Human Centered Design as well as at the UM-Ann Arbor’s Penny W. Stamps School of Art and Design.

He completed his Ph.D. in Marketing at Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management, where he worked with Professor Philip Kotler (‘the father of modern marketing’).

Strategy Sessions Host - Andi Jarvis

If you have any questions or want to talk about anything that was discussed in the show, the best place to get me is on LinkedIn or Instagram.

Make sure you subscribe to get the podcast directly or sign up for it here to have it emailed when it's released.

Recommendations

• Aaron’s book, The Things We Love
• Creating Superfans by Brittany Hodak
• Lidia Infante on the Strategy Sessions talking about using data on dating apps

Rachel runs marketing at Equitas and her own fashion brand, Ivy Haven. We explore the similarities and differences!

This is the final episode in the 2024 Black History Month mini series.

In this episode we discuss:

• Setting the ambition for a DEI in NI event
• Celebrating small wins
• SaaS marketing for a start up
• Positioning the right message to the right customer
• Talking to customers
• Not copying your competitors
• Similarities between running a B2C fashion brand and marketing a B2B SaaS brand

A full transcript and show notes can be found on the ep homepage.

Blessing is the Business Inclusion Programme Manager at NatWest, where her role focusses on breaking down barriers to enterprise for Ethnic Minority owned businesses across the UK. We talk about the challenges and opportunities for Ethnic Minority owned businesses and the impact on the country.

This is the second episode in the 2024 Black History Month mini series.

• Escaping the clutches of the British Army in Zimbabwe
• The challenges faced by ethnic minority entrepreneurs
• The 4X impact that ethnic minority businesses could have in the UK
• The power of talking to customers
• Ensuring your activity aligns with the overarching business strategy
• How and why NatWest is supporting entrepreneurs across the UK
• Fitting in and belonging when moving countries

Blessing Mutamba

Blessing is also a co-lead of the NatWest Group Global Multicultural Network which promotes inclusion and allyship for employees working within NatWest across all the offices in Europe, India, UK, USA and Asia. 

Full show notes are on the Eximo Marketing website.

This episode was recorded live at Ulster Bank as part of our mini series for Black History Month.

It features David Levin and Charmaine McConville.

In this episode we discuss:

• The early days of social media
• The challenges of growing a start up
• Acting on advice from loved ones
• The best petrol station in Ireland
• Whether Bradford or Leeds is better (it’s Bradford)
• How race and identity overlap

Miracle is the Head of Search at John Lewis Finance, with over a decade of experience helping global and national brands increase their visibility. In this episode we discuss: • Organic and paid search playing nicely together • The importance of brands in search • Working for the darling of the British high street • Building effective teams • The difference between Nigerian and British education • A future career for Miracle Find a full transcript and links for Miracle on the Eximo Marketing website.

Allen Adamson is an industry expert in all disciplines of branding. He has worked with a broad spectrum of consumer and corporate businesses in industries ranging from packaged goods and technology to health care, financial services, hospitality, and entertainment.

In this episode we discuss:

• Why Skype died
• The joy of a 1 page document
• Switching from client to agency side
• HBO’s great approach to working with interns
• Why diversity is important and why we need to think beyond optimisation
• The lessons we learn from talking to customers
• How Ford changed how they think
• The lessons from Apple’s Genius Bar
• How to spot problems in business
• What we learn teaching students

Find all the show notes, including Allen's contact details, on the main episode page.

Dave Birss is an educator, a recovering creative director and man used to spelling his last name over the phone.

In this episode we discuss:

• Why producing unique work is hard
• What a creative director really does
• How Dave became a leading voice in AI
• Where AI can really help companies
• Where AI shouldn’t be used
• Why Dave won’t ever be employed by the Belfast Tourist Board

Recommendations

• Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us by Daniel Pink
• Dave’s LinkedIn Learning courses
• Dave's books

Dave Birss

Dave Birss has quickly established himself as the top AI instructor on LinkedIn Learning. His first AI course on the platform has attracted over 100,000 students and receives rave reviews daily.

Beyond teaching, Dave advises numerous companies on practical AI implementation, including leading Fortune 500 firms.

He has launched the Sensible AI Manifesto to provide organizations of all sizes with guidance on incorporating generative AI into their activities in the most effective ways.

In addition to his AI expertise, Dave is an acclaimed author, speaker, and broadcaster on the topics of innovation, creativity, and ideation. He speaks professionally at events around the world, wowing audiences with his insights and humour.

Dave has authored several bestselling books dissecting the creative process, including “How To Get To Great Ideas,” “A User Guide To The Creative Mind,” “Friction,” and “Iconic Advantage.” Find them all here. His upcoming book will focus on applied AI.

Dave has taught university courses on multiple continents, from Singapore to Santiago and New York to Newcastle.

He is an occasional broadcaster, having written, directed and presented the 6-part TV series “The Day Before Tomorrow” in the UK. Dave also wrote and presented the world’s first Virtual Reality history documentary “Secret Spaces.” And he has lent his expert commentary to news programs on the BBC and Channel 5.

With his prolific output across books, courses, speaking, advising, and broadcasting, Dave Birss has established himself as a leading global authority at the intersection of creativity, innovation, and AI.

He’s currently working on more courses, a video series, a couple of books and releases content on an almost daily basis. Find Dave on LinkedIn or at DaveBirss.com

Host - Andi Jarvis

If you have any questions or want to talk about anything that was discussed in the show, the best place to get me is on LinkedIn or Instagram.

Make sure you subscribe to get the podcast directly or sign up for it here to have it emailed when it's released.

If you enjoyed the show, please give it a 5* rating.

Ikram Mohideen is the Chief Strategy Officer at Shift Integrated, an independent agency in Sri Lanka.

In this episode we discuss:

• Why quant doesn’t tell you everything
• The importance of testing and radical thinking
• Focus on effectiveness
• Marketing and advertising in a difficult economic climate
• Lessons from judging awards
• Does positioning exist

Recommendations

• LondonSEOXL ⁠ - use code Andi20 to get 20% off a ticket
• Good Strategy / Bad Strategy by Richard Rumelt
• Social Class in the 21st Century by Mike Savage
• The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable Paperback by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Other links

• James Hayhurst on agency client relationships
• JP Castlin on why language matters in marketing

Ikram Mohideen

Ikram currently leads strategy at Shift Integrated – an independent, fully-fledged creative

agency based in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

At Shift he is the custodian of the “effectiveness culture”, focused on creating a culture that

combines rigour, creativity, and data, to help make work that really works.

He previously worked at Nielsen in consumer insights, specializing in brand equity research,

and afterwards at Leo Burnett, helping to grow brands in CPG, telco, banking, finance, and

real estate.

Working together with clients and research partners, he is currently engaged in establishing a

brand and advertising strategy practice built upon marketing science.

Find Ikram on LinkedIn

Strategy Sessions Host - Andi Jarvis

If you have any questions or want to talk about anything that was discussed in the show, the best place to get me is on LinkedIn or Instagram.

Make sure you subscribe to get the podcast directly or sign up for it here to have it emailed when it's released.

If you enjoyed the show, please give it a 5* rating.

Find the full audio transcription here: https://eximomarketingstrategy.com/focus-on-effectiveness-with-ikram-mohideen-strategy-sessions-podcast/

James Hayhurst is former MD of Leagas Delaney, Global Brand Equity Director for OMO/Persil at Unilever and the Founder of the Magic Sauce Course.

In this episode we discuss:

• What makes great creative
• Why the agency / client relationship break down
• The importance of talking to your customers
• The Parents Promise

• LondonSEOXL ⁠ - use code Andi20 to get 20% off a ticket
• How Brands Grow by Bryon Sharp

James started his career agency-side BMP DDB (now Adam&Eve DDB) as a grad trainee. During his time there he worked on award-winning campaigns for Volkswagen, Channel 4 and the Teacher Training Agency amongst many other UK and international clients. In 2012 James joined Leagas Delaney as Managing Director running the London office, and managing brands including Glenfiddich, Patek Philippe and Timberland.

James decided to try his hand at client-side marketing by joining Unilever in October 2014 as the Global Brand Equity director for OMO/Persil, Unilever's third biggest brand and sold in 80 countries globally. James was attracted by the brand positioning of Dirt is Good and Unilever's commitment to sustainable living and during his four years James helped position the brand as one of Unilever's fastest growing purposeful brands.

Whilst there James was struck by what he 'didn't know he didn't know' when he'd been an agency MD about client culture and decision making. He also began to appreciate how alien agency culture appeared to many clients, and that they hadn't been given the instruction manual of how to 'operate' their agencies. There was an empathy gap on both sides that needed bridging.  The Magic Sauce Programme was the result.

The Magic Sauce programme helps clients and agencies to work more effectively, efficiently, enjoyably and profitably together.  It does this by improving the understanding and importance of relationship dynamics, communication and wider team chemistry.  It also offers a behaviour change and measurement framework to improve relationship quality over time.

Find James on LinkedIn or visit the website https://magicsaucecourse.co.uk/

If you have any questions or want to talk about anything that was discussed in the show, the best place to get me is on LinkedIn or Instagram.

Make sure you subscribe to get the podcast directly or sign up for it here to have it emailed when it's released.

If you enjoyed the show, please give it a 5* rating.

RecommendationsJames HayhurstStrategy Sessions Host - Andi Jarvis

Lidia Infante is Head of SEO at SurveyMonkey. Lidia has over a decade of marketing experience and a strong focus on SEO and content strategy. She also LOVES data.

In this episode we discuss one tip that can boost your career and finding a partner by applying marketing principles to dating.

Recommendations

• Andi writing for JP Castlin’s Strategy in Praxis blog about storytelling
• Red and blue ocean strategy in HBR
• Never split the difference by Chris Voss
• LondonSEOXL - use code Andi20 to get 20% off a ticket

Lidia Infante

Lidia holds a BSc in Psychology and a Master's in Digital Business, she has made her mark at companies such as Sanity.io, BigCommerce, and Rise At Seven.

Lidia is recognized as a leading voice in the SEO community. She is an exceptional SEO speaker, regularly featured at top-tier events such as MozCon, BrightonSEO, or WTSFest. She often writes about SEO trends and best practices for Moz, Search Engine Journal, and the Wix SEO Hub.

Strategy Sessions Host - Andi Jarvis

If you have any questions or want to talk about anything that was discussed in the show, the best place to get me is on LinkedIn or Instagram.

Make sure you subscribe to get the podcast directly or sign up for it here to have it emailed when it's released.

If you enjoyed the show, please give it a 5* rating.

Catherine is a long time listener to the Strategy Sessions and good friend. It’s an honour to hand over the reigns for this episode – the first I don’t feature on! – to Catherine.

In this episode we discuss the highlights from the episodes featuring Aleya Harris, Geraldine DeRuiter and Emma Mallett that made up the Women’s History Month Mini Series.

Catherine McKernan

Catherine is an accomplished marketing professional with over 10 years’ experience across the manufacturing, engineering and hospitality industries. She’s currently the Marketing Manager for the Galgorm Collection – the premium hotel group from Northern Ireland.

Catherine is highly strategic with a creative mind, who matches her marketing skills with empathy and a calm composure that gets the most out of her team. You’ll often find Catherine with a book, writing, baking or at a gig.

Find Catherine on LinkedIn.

Andi Jarvis

If you have any questions or want to talk about anything that was discussed in the show, the best place to get me is on LinkedIn or Instagram.

Make sure you subscribe to get the podcast directly or sign up for it here to have it emailed when it's released.

If you enjoyed the show, please give it a 5* rating.

Emma Mallett is in marketing and business development for a B Corp. She also helps young marketers build a career, via her Concrete Club platform and podcast.

In this episode we discuss:

• Working for a B Corp
• How marketing and sales can work better together
• Building a career
• Fighting back from life threatening adversity  

Recommendations

• Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma: The Innate Capacity to Transform Overwhelming Experiences by Peter A Levine
• Juliet Hodges on the Strategy Sessions (the person who speaks about fight or flight response)

Strategy Sessions Host - Andi Jarvis

If you have any questions or want to talk about anything that was discussed in the show, the best place to get me is on LinkedIn or Instagram.

Make sure you subscribe to get the podcast directly or sign up for it here to have it emailed when it's released.

If you enjoyed the show, please give it a 5* rating.

Take The Heat, is out now. It’s a series of essays about food, feminism and fury.

In this episode we discuss:

• Promoting a book
• The story behind If You Can’t Take The Heat
• Dealing with internet trolls
• Creativity

Geraldine's Links

• If You Can't Take the Heat: Tales of Food, Feminism, and Fury
• The blog where it all started, I Made the Pizza Cinnamon Rolls from Mario Batali’s Sexual Misconduct Apology Letter
• Geraldine’s review of Bros, Lecce
• All Over the Place: Adventures in Travel, True Love, and Petty Theft

Other Links

Lunchtime Learning in Belfast

Geraldine DeRuiter

Geraldine DeRuiter is an acclaimed author, world-renowned public speaker, and the voice behind the award-winning Everywhereist blog.

She finds it very difficult to be self-promotional, so she hopes that you understand how hard that last sentence was for her to write.

Time magazine named Everywhereist one of their blogs of the year in 2011. Her memoir, All Over the Place, was published in 2017.

While ostensibly a travel writer, Geraldine also writes about dessert, feminism, and Jeff Goldblum’s entire filmography. TIME Magazine described her work as “consistently clever” and The New York Times said her writing was “dark and hilarious”. Her blog has received accolades from The Independent, Forbes Magazine, and The Huffington Post, because sometimes features editors get drunk.

When not on the road with her long-suffering and infinitely patient husband, Rand, Geraldine can be found in Seattle, usually fighting with people on the internet.

Strategy Sessions Host - Andi Jarvis

If you have any questions or want to talk about anything that was discussed in the show, the best place to get me is on LinkedIn or Instagram.

Make sure you subscribe to get the podcast directly or sign up for it here to have it emailed when it's released.

If you enjoyed the show, please give it a 5* rating.

For a full transcription of this podcast, visit the episode page on the Eximo Marketing website.

Aleya Harris is the spark for your spark™. With her infectious energy and profound expertise, Aleya Harris stands as a intersection of innovative storytelling and strategic thinking.

In this episode we discuss:

• The secret to successful public speaking
• Using stories to build your organisation
• Succeeding through adversity
• Being part of StoryBrand
• Understanding the challenges women face in business

Recommendations

• Andi’s blog on storytelling for JP Castlin’s Strategy in Praxis newsletter
• Thierry Ngutegure talking data on the Strategy Sessions
• Sherice Anibaba on the Strategy Sessions podcast
• Aleya photo credits - Aurelia D'Amore Photography
• StoryBrand

Aleya Harris

As the founder and CEO of The Evolution Collective Inc., and a seasoned former marketing executive and ex-Google Vendor Partner, Aleya brings a wealth of experience to her role as a Strategic Storytelling Consultant.

Aleya excels in guiding entrepreneurs, executives, and teams to excavate their radically authentic stories, fostering memorable connections that resonate deeply within and beyond their organizations. Her unique approach leads to significant shifts, differentiating brands in the market, repairing workplace cultures, and fulfilling a higher purpose through meaningful connections.

As a two-time Speaker of the Year award recipient, Aleya has captivated audiences with over 100 presentations and webinars, and has been featured on over 125 podcasts. Her role as the host of the award-winning Flourishing Entrepreneur Podcast further solidifies her status as a thought leader.

Aleya Harris is not just a dynamic voice in the industry; her diverse background, including her time as Stevie Wonder's private chef, adds an extraordinary layer to her narrative. Aleya's rich tapestry of experiences includes certifications as a StoryBrand Guide and NES Health Practitioner and is augmented by her presence in global platforms like Thrive Global, Authority Magazine, and the Marketing Made Simple podcast.

Aleya Harris is not merely a voice in the industry; she is a spark of innovation, inspiring leaders and teams to embrace and articulate their unique narratives. Her commitment to strategic storytelling and transformative leadership has made her an indispensable figure in the realm of business consultancy and public speaking.

Strategy Sessions Host - Andi Jarvis

If you have any questions or want to talk about anything that was discussed in the show, the best place to get me is on LinkedIn or Instagram.

Make sure you subscribe to get the podcast directly or sign up for it here to have it emailed when it's released.

If you enjoyed the show, please give it a 5* rating.

Duane runs Take Some Risks, a Toronto based agency that helps ecommerce and DTC brands grow through strategy, PPC marketing, and data.

Top 3 things in this episode:

• Moving from delivery to strategy for clients
• Staying nimble in the face of changes by Google and Meta
• Lessons on pricing from the luxury sector

Duane Brown

Duane has been called an international man of mystery and digital nomad by friends. He has lived in 6 cities across 3 continents and visited 50+ countries around the world.

Over the years Duane has had the opportunity to work with brands including LARQ, Birdies, Pela Case, The Lost Co and Tiger Companies.

Strategy Sessions Host - Andi Jarvis

If you have any questions or want to talk about anything that was discussed in the show, the best place to get me is on LinkedIn or Instagram.

Make sure you subscribe to get the podcast directly or sign up for it here to have it emailed when it's released.

If you enjoyed the show, please give it a 5* rating.

In this episode I review Daryl’s incredible hour on the podcast. I could have featured every single word she said, but instead I focused on

• Insights being the rocket fuel of marketing

• Why diversity matters

• How to plan a marketing career (spoiler alert: it’s hard)

Links

Daryl’s episode

Dove Real Women campaign

Andi Jarvis

If you have any questions or want to talk about anything that was discussed in the show, the best place to get me is on LinkedIn or Instagram.

If you want the podcast emailed to you sign up for it on the Eximo Marketing website.

Make sure you subscribe to get the podcast pushed to you and if you enjoyed the show, please give it a 5* rating.

Andi Jarvis, Eximo Marketing.

Daryl is a CEO, NED and Author. Perhaps best known as the architect of Dove’s “Campaign for Real Beauty”, Daryl’s career includes leadership roles in brand owners, media and advertising agencies.

In this episode we discuss:

• Diversifying marketing’s talent pool
• THAT Dove campaign
• The Brand Book
• The other books Daryl didn’t write
• Being a NED
• Marketing at Vodafone

Daryl Fielding

Workwise, she now combines board roles with a part time role as a charity CEO. She is a Trustee of The British Heart Foundation, The Academy of Ancient Music and Pelican Cancer Foundation and a Non Executive Director at the Association of Chartered and Certified Accountants.

She is part-time CEO of The Marketing Academy Foundation, which she co-founded, a Registered Charity enabling career starts for young adults from disadvantaged backgrounds. She has held executive director roles at Vodafone, Mondelez, Independent Newspapers and Ogilvy Advertising.

Daryl has just published “The Brand Book” a practical, no-nonsense guide to brands drawing on her personal experience and other world class examples and enjoys delivering keynote speeches on brands, marketing and diversity and inclusion.

Find Daryl on LinkedIn

Book Recommendations

Daryl’s book is The Brand Book: An insider’s guide to brand building for businesses and organisations

Andi Jarvis

If you have any questions or want to talk about anything that was discussed in the show, the best place to get me is on LinkedIn or Instagram.

If you want the podcast emailed to you sign up for it on the Eximo Marketing website https://eximomarketingstrategy.com/signup/

Make sure you subscribe to get the podcast pushed to you and if you enjoyed the show, please give it a 5* rating.

Andi Jarvis, Eximo Marketing.

In this episode I review Seth Godin’s podcast, through the lens of a theoretical fight between Seth and Mark Ritson!

• Tesla’s price cut – who was right?

• The power of storytelling

• Changing ourselves to change the world?

Links Storytelling on Strategy in Praxis with JP Castlin

Mark Ritson on Tesla 

Mark Ritson on the Strategy Sessions

David Mannheim on the Strategy Sessions

Andi Jarvis

If you have any questions or want to talk about anything that was discussed in the show, the best place to get me is on LinkedIn or Instagram.

If you want the podcast emailed to you sign up for it on the Eximo Marketing website.

Make sure you subscribe to get the podcast pushed to you and if you enjoyed the show, please give it a 5* rating.

Andi Jarvis, Eximo Marketing.

Seth Godin is an author, a marketer and a climate activist but most of all he’s a teacher. He’s also an incredible podcast guest.

In this episode we discuss:

• A $50billion mistake
• What the internet has in common with the rail road and oil
• Open v closed systems
• Wheeler’s Which and the value of the old school
• Smallest delightable audience (SDA™️)
• Tesla and crossing the chasam
• Cows, concrete and carbon footprint
• Pricing carbon fairly
• Was Gandhi right?
• How to write a book

Seth Godin

For more than thirty years, Seth has been trying to turn on lights, inspire people and teach them how to level up. His blog has been appearing daily for more than a decade.

He has spent most of his professional life as a writer, publishing 20 bestselling books that have been translated into nearly 40 languages. These books are a great way to go deep into a concept, and he hopes many of them stand the test of time.

Along the way through his career, Seth has found countless detours, interesting projects, designed to inspire and entertain you as you continue to do your work.

His latest book is called THE PRACTICE. Like the one before, THIS IS MARKETING, both were bestsellers. The one before that was called Your Turn. It’s illustrated and shareable and provocative.

In 2015, Seth created the altMBA. It’s a life-changing 30-day workshop and it’s entirely possible it will change your life. It’s now part of Akimbo, which is now an independently owned entity, a B corp, creating new ways to learn. More than 60,000 people have taken his online courses, including The Marketing Seminar and several on Udemy.

He’s a member of the Guerrilla Marketing Hall of Fame, the Direct Marketing Hall of Fame and, just recently, the plain old no-modifier Marketing Hall of Fame. Which is pretty cool.

You can read Seth’s free ebooks on the placebo effect and education. And there are five TED talks. He also pioneered ethical online direct marketing, now a $30bn a year industry.

Seth is an industry leader and marketing royalty. To use his words: “Go, make a ruckus.” 

Book Recommendations

Find Seth at seths.blog

The Master Switch: The Rise and Fall of Information Empires by Tim Wu.

All Seth’s books in one place

Other Links

Neal McCullough – Hand Drawn Creative, the man behind that beautiful bit of artwork

Big Marketing Meet Up – where I first met Seth and has a 2024 date already released... 14 November. Tickets available now.

Andi Jarvis

If you have any questions or want to talk about anything that was discussed in the show, the best place to get me is on LinkedIn or Instagram.

If you want the podcast emailed to you sign up for it on the Eximo Marketing website.

Make sure you subscribe to get the podcast pushed to you and if you enjoyed the show, please give it a 5* rating.

Andi Jarvis, Eximo Marketing.

In this episode I review Rory’s second appearance on the Strategy Sessions. It’s a riot, as always, and covers hotels, trains and movies.

The couple of bits I picked to focus on are:

• Rory’s most recent episode

• Rory’s first episode
• The LinkedIn post I reference
• Tom Critchlow’s episode on the Strategy Sessions

Rory Sutherland is, perhaps, the closest thing to industry royalty that we have in marketing. He’s Vice Chairman of Ogilvy UK, a best-selling author, owner of one of the best TED Talks you’ll ever see and the man behind MAD Fest a marketing.

Rory crashed straight into the top of the charts on the Strategy Sessions when he was on the first episode, so he came back for part 2.

In this episode we discuss:

• The father of behavioural economics

• What Columbo can tell us about strategy

• Why we should embrace accidents and post rationalisation

• Why the death of the creative process and insights is a problem for advertising

• The doorman fallacy

• Is performance marketing focusing on the wrong thing

• Start with the bottom of the funnel

• The importance of ‘commercial innovation’

• Premium economy and why it works

• Price v quality

• Rory’s view on cinema

• Why Britain gets trains wrong

• What parking at Heathrow tells us about customer behaviour

• Start with the consumer and work backwards

• Why the average is the enemy

Rory Sutherland

Rory is the Vice Chairman of Ogilvy, an attractively vague job title which has allowed him to co-found a behavioral science practice within the agency.

He works with a consulting practice of psychology graduates who look for ‘unseen opportunities’ in consumer behaviour - these are the often small contextual changes which can have enormous effects on the decisions people make - for instance tripling the sales rate of a call centre by adding just a few sentences to the script. Put another way, lots of agencies will talk about "bought, owned and earned" media: we also look for "invented media" and "discovered media": seeking out those unexpected (and inexpensive) contextual tweaks that transform the way that people think and act.

It is a hugely valuable activity - but, alas, not particularly lucrative. This is because clients generally do not have budgets for solving problems they did not know they had.

Before founding Ogilvy’s Behavioural Practice, Rory was a copywriter and creative director at Ogilvy for over 20 years, having joined as a graduate trainee in 1988. He has variously been President of the IPA, Chair of the Judges for the Direct Jury at Cannes, and has spoken at TED Global. He writes regular columns for the Spectator, Market Leader and Impact, and also occasional pieces for Wired. He is the author of three books: The Wiki Man, available on Amazon (at prices between £1.96 and £2,345.54, depending on whether the algorithm is having a bad day), and the best-selling Alchemy, The surprising Power of Ideas which don't make Sense, published in the UK and US in May 2019, and, co-written with his former colleague Pete Dyson, the newly released Transport For Humans on the behavioural science of transport.

Rory is married to a vicar and has twin daughters. He lives in the former home of Napoleon III - unfortunately in the attic. He is a trustee of the Benjamin Franklin House in London and a Patron of Rochester Cathedral.

Find Rory on LinkedIn or Twitter

Rory’s Other Stuff

MAD Fest

Alchemy: The Surprising Power of Ideas That Don't Make Sense

Transport for Humans: Are We Nearly There Yet?

Chris Rock and Evolutionary Psychology

Andi Jarvis

If you have any questions or want to talk about anything that was discussed in the show, the best place to get me is on LinkedIn or Instagram.

If you want the podcast emailed to you sign up for it on the Eximo Marketing website.

Make sure you subscribe to get the podcast pushed to you and if you enjoyed the show, please give it a 5* rating.

Andi Jarvis, Eximo Marketing.

A review of David Mannheim's Strategy Session episode. Solo episode with Andi Jarvis.

Shot live on location in Santo Domingo (watch it on Spotify or YouTube if you can - the fact it looks like a pit lane interview from F1 is entirely accidental).

I cover the Friedman Doctrine and why brands matter to people.

If you have any questions or want to talk about anything that was discussed in the show, the best place to get me is on LinkedIn or Instagram.

If you want the podcast emailed to you sign up for it on the Eximo Marketing website.

Make sure you subscribe to get the podcast pushed to you and if you enjoyed the show, please give it a 5* rating.

Andi Jarvis, Eximo Marketing.

David built and sold an agency and now runs Made With Intent, the tool that could transform ecommerce. He’s also a MASSIVE Disney fan.

In this episode we discuss:

• Learning the lesson of being too business obsessed
• What Disney can teach us about customer focus
• How Manchester United have messed up personalisation
• How Made With Intent is trying to change the personalisation space
• Selling a CRO agency
• Movie reviews with Dave & AJ (yes, I still love Con Air)

David Mannheim

David is a big kid, a big Disney fan and a big geek. He founded User Conversion which was acquired by Brainlabs and now the author of The Person in Personalisation.

His mission is to help retailers care more for their customers by listening, being appropriate, being familiar and creating a relationship. He is doing that through his new start up, Made With Intent, a platform that helps retailers do just this by diligently understanding customer intent.

Find David on LinkedIn.

Book Recommendations

The Person in Personalisation by, erm , David Mannheim

Moneyball: The art of winning an unfair game by Michael Lewis

Andi Jarvis If you have any questions or want to talk about anything that was discussed in the show, the best place to get me is on LinkedIn or Instagram.

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Andi Jarvis, Eximo Marketing.