Explore every episode of the podcast On Strategy Showcase

The Coinbase team discusses the reframing of the brand and category, plus the opportunity that exists when 80% of Americans feel the existing financial system needs fixing. CMO, Cat Ferdon, VP, Brand, Gareth Kay and VP, Creative, Joe Staples. See all the creative work on our website or YouTube Channel.

Planners talk about brands they love, but never worked on. This month Depop and PlayStation. It's Joe Burns, Partner, Head of Strategy at Quality Meats, Brooklyn, and Jon Crowley, Partner, Head of Strategy at Fuse Create in Toronto. Thanks to Tracksuit and System1 for supporting our On the Spot series. We do it live at Johannes Leonardo in NYC this Wednesday, Sept 23, 2026 at 5pm. Tickets here https://luma.com/r0c474io

James talks about his new, brilliant, evidence-based Lions Learning course on advertising effectiveness and his latest book that popularizes a new mental model for marketing that better connects our role to the language of business and growth. Always great having James on the show.

Is there a scarcity of difference? Is it scarce because sameness works? And what's the case for sameness? I'm joined by Chicago Chief Creative Officers and Chief Strategy Officers in front of an invitation-only group at BBDO, Chicago. Josh Gross and Landi Day from BBDO, Mark Gross from Highdive, Preeti Nadgar from Starcom and Brian Siedband from Quality Meats. Thanks to Tracksuit, The Effies and System1 for supporting our 2026 live tour. Next stop is GSD&M in Austin, Thursday, Sept 10th.

I talk with Infinite Roar's EVP, Brad Keeling and Ipsos U.S. President, Pedr Howard about what is now capturing an even larger spend than TV and CTV combined. It's Retail Media Networks and they're a creative wasteland. Ipsos just dropped a new free report on the topic. Check it out here

This month's planners pitch campaigns from Spec Savers and Columbia Sportswear. Anibal Casso is CSO, North America for Ogilvy and Alix Toothman is Global Executive Strategy Director at W+K, NYC. See the creative work here. Thanks to Tracksuit and System1 for supporting this series.

Two years in a row, eos and Mischief have won the global Best-of-the-Best Iridium award from the Effies - the highest global honor of all. Recorded live on stage at Cannes 2026, this is a conversation about the creative culture and insights that led to that business-building work, featuring Jeff McCrory, CSO at Mischief and Carley Caldas, SVP Marketing at eos. So much to learn here. You can also watch this episode on our website or YouTube channel.

We venture into the heartland to hear about the amazing work being done in Kansas City - Burger King, Frontier Airlines, Wendy's, Hills Pet Foods, Coco-Cola, and the Kanas City Chiefs. I'm joined by KC Chiefs CMO, Lara Krug, Jeremy Cline of Ryan Reynold's agency, Maximum Effort, Brad Jones, CCO at Barkley OKRP, Chris Cardetti, CSO at BarkleyOKRP and Howard Laubscher, CSO at VML. Thanks to Tracksuit, System1 and the Effies for supporting our live tour.

In this episode from our Effie series, Planning for Effective Outcomes, we talk with award-winning agency creative leaders about how they approach their work, evaluate strategic directions and about work they love that they didn't work on. Our next episode in the series features Mark Ritson and Andrew Tindall. Thanks to the Effies and Tracksuit for supporting this special, six episode series. 

It was yet another strike against independent journalism. $1.1 billion in funding pulled back by the Republican administration. We learn how NPR (National Public Radio) responded in classic NPR style. They stood up for the public's right to ask hard questions. I talk with NPR's CMO, Mishka Pitter-Armand and Mischief's EVP Strategy, Ed Gunn. Our next live show is Sept 10th at GSD&M in Austin.

A live, sell-out crowd celebrates the legacy of iconic creativity in Minneapolis. Campaigns like Harley Davidson, Porsche, Buddy Guy, EDS, BMW Films, Target, Citibank and more recent work including Subaru and Walmart. Fallon, Carmichael and Colle McVoy join me live at the roundtable. Thanks to The Effies, Tracksuit and System1 for making our live tour possible. See the iconic creative work on our website at www.onstrategyshowcase.com

Can human-created ads drive better business outcomes than AI ads? From this collaboration between Ipsos and Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, we hear why AI is currently struggling to drive business outcomes and how brands can navigate the delicate balance between creative efficiency and strategic effectiveness.

Download the free report bit.ly/aiadreport

We talk campaigns from Heinz Ketchup and The New York Times. Chris Gallery is Global CSO at Mother and Nick Hirst is Global Strategy Lead on Mars across OMC at adam&eve, London. Thanks to Tracksuit and System1 for supporting this series.

A favorite guest of the show, Martin is one of the most influential strategists in the industry. Formerly of W+K and AMV BBDO, his new book, Strategy is a Verb, reflects on lessons learned in the trenches. A must listen and must read for all of us. Check him out at www.martinweigel.org

Stars like Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift have super charged the fanbase, but Lara's goal is bigger - an entertainment company with a football product. We talk about her plans, why she joined from L'Oreal and Stella Artois, and how the NFL's strict no paid media rule is creating a culture of creative innovation. She's joined by BarkleyOKRP CSO, Chris Cardetti and CCO, Brad Jones.

I'm joined by Amelea Renshaw, Head of Strategy at Lucky Generals, NYC and Janni Widerholm, Head of Social and GCD at TBWA/Chiat/Day Los Angeles. As always, thanks to System1 and Tracksuit for making this On the Spot series possible.

In Ep#3 of our Effie series, strategists share lessons on how they approach a new strategic initiative. Johnny Corpuz, Head of Comms Strategy at BBDO, Asmirh Davis, Partner and President at Majority, and Gunny Scarfo, Co-Founder at Nonfiction join me. Thanks to Tracksuit (affordable brand tracking) for supporting this Effie series. www.gotracksuit.com

Walmart's Head of Emerging Experience, Justin Breton and GEEIQ's CEO Charles Hambro join me to talk about gaming, virtual worlds and Walmart's place in them. This is episode one in a three episode virtual worlds series. Tickets for our June 18th, 2026 Live from Minneapolis show are now on sale.

Inside the Effie Judge's room in NYC on May 7th. Twelve judges were there to decide which of the seven Gold Effie-winning cases from earlier judging rounds would be awarded the prestigious Grand Effie for 2026. This is what happened.

On this month's episode of On the Pulse, I'm joined by Ipsos' Chief Behavioral Scientist ion the U.S., Jesse Itzkowitz, and SVP, Head of Creative Excellence, Lisa  Zielinski, to discuss the opportunity humor provides as a strategic tool. Thanks to Ipsos for supporting this monthly series. 

It's planners talking brands they've never worked on. We're joined this month by Landi Day, CSO at BBDO, Chicago and Omar Quinones, CSO at LERMA/, Dallas. We're having some laughs and talking Subaru and Vaseline. You can also watch this episode and see the creative work on our YouTube channel or website. Link below. Thanks to Tracksuit and System1 for making this series possible. 

www.onstrategyshowcase.com

In Ep#2 of our Effie series, Chief Strategy Officers share how they validate, build upon or challenge briefs from their clients. Will Grundy of adam&eveTBWA, E.T. Franklin of Publicis Media, Elizabeth Paul of Martin and Professor and best-selling Author, Marcus Collins join me. Thanks to Tracksuit (affordable brand tracking) for supporting this Effie series. www.gotracksuit.com

Our new monthly series with Ipsos kicks off with a discussion on the pulse of brands & sports sponsorships. It's big business with big cross platform opportunities. I'm joined by Aubree Curtis of Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and Lisa Zielinski and Jamie Stenziano of Ipsos. You can also watch this episode on our website or YouTube channel.

What happens when the team that brought you Airbnb's Belong Anywhere, Coke's Share a Coke and Prudential’s Day 1, come together on a mortgage brand? Rocket's new work is the result of not simply disrupting the mortgage category, but defining a new one. You can watch this episode on our YouTube Channel or our website at www.onstrategyshowcase.com. 

It's planners talking brands they've never worked on. I'm joined this month by John Kenny, CSO at Eversana Intouch and Ashley Williams, SVP, Experience Design at Spark Foundry, NYC. We're talking two iconic American brands. You can also watch this episode and see the creative work on our YouTube channel or website. Link below. Thanks to Tracksuit and System1 for making this series possible. 

www.onstrategyshowcase.com

Colin Kavanagh, CMO at Pernod Ricard, Adam Craw, Global Head of Prime Marketing at Amazon and George Felix, EVP CMO at Brinker International discuss how they get to defining their objectives, challenges, strategies and audience insights. And who writes the client brief. Thanks to the Effies and to Tracksuit for supporting this 6 part 2026 effectiveness series. 

Global marketing leaders from Uber, Airbnb, Coinbase and WestCap Private Equity join me for a conversation about the culture of marketing in the valley - all four came from an agency background. It's an honest, fascinating conversation. Thanks to Tracksuit, Ipsos and The Effies for supporting our live tour. You can also watch this episode on our YouTube channel or website.

In a category dominated by generics (60%) and fixated on ever-faster pain relief, Nurofen escaped the category's tropes with a message that connected with women in a deeper, more meaningful way. I'm joined by McCann London's CEO, Mel Arrow and Strategy Partner, Jocelyn Major. 

Trainline (a train ticket booking platform) is on a quest to own the journey, not just the ticket. W+K's CSO in Amsterdam, Nick Docherty and Trainline's VP Brand & Marketing, Jo McClintock, join me to share the thinking behind "The Way to Train." 

It should never have ended, but after a ten year break it's returning in all its epic glory. We get the backstory from Matt Saltzstein, VP Brand Marketing at Heineken and Jim Curtis, CCO at LePub, NYC. Stay Thirsty My Friends.

It's planners talking brands they've never worked on. I'm joined this month by Emily Garvey, Head of Strategy at Zulu Alpha Kilo, NYC, and Caitlin Cody, EVP, Group Strategy Director at BBDO, Chicago. As always, balancing our opinions with facts are Tracksuit's Matthew Herbert and System1's Vanessa Chin. 

The Effies and System1 have released The Creative Dividend. The book introduces tools to help marketers defend investment, improve work, and make advertising a more dependable driver of business growth. I talk with Effie CEO, Traci Alford, Effie CMO, Juliet Haygarth and System1 SVP, Andrew Tindall. Learn how to download the book for free.

Hugh Derrick is a long time partner at the Eat Big Fish consultancy in London. We talk about the principles outlined in Adam Morgan's original book and how time and shifts in social behavior have impacted its theories. A great conversation.

Boston has been a creative powerhouse for decades. While agencies like Mullen, The Barbarian Group, Modernista, and Hill Holiday have all left their mark, Arnold continues to this day, alongside smaller agencies like Colossus, to make a mark with national work (think Progressive Insurance) that makes most of us jealous. Boston also houses many in-house agencies at companies including The LEGO Group. Shark Ninja, Staples, Liberty Mutual, New Balance, Puma, etc. We talk about all this and more with many of the people at its center. Thanks to Tracksuit, Ipsos and the Effies for supporting our live tour.

After hitting a dead-end using traditional planning methods, the frustrated team discovered the true problem and pivoted to success. I'm joined by VCCP's CSO Max Keane and Planning Director Matt Hayes to talk through their Müller Rice award-winning Rice, Rice Baby campaign.

It's planners talking brands they've never worked on. I'm joined this month by Kate Rush Sheehy, CSO at GSD&M and Brendon Volpe, CSO at UM NYC. We're talking about the latest work from Burberry and Johnnie Walker. Thanks to Tracksuit and System1 for making this series possible. 

The new executive team discovered that while the 125 year-old brand is recognized, it's not well known. And in a category dominated by me-too products, it was time to reset the Goodyear brand. Built on the platform "tires worth bragging about," the campaign uses Dr. Dre's "Still D.R.E." to share the story of the brand's past and its pop culture presence. I'm joined by Taylor Grimes of Goodyear and Lindsey McNabb of BBH, NY.

We're a nation of protein-seeking adults in search of alternatives to yogurt snacks and chicken bites. So why not a healthier, protein-packed beef stick snack? Tons to learn in this episode. "Stick to Real" is the brand's platform. Its executions contrast exaggerated reality with moments of real. I talk with Archer Meat's Andrew Thomas. Thanks to Tracksuit for supporting our show.

We talk about how the world's greatest e-comm site considers category entry points. Also about the story behind this year's holiday ads campaign, including Benedict Cumberbatch's 5-Star Ratings Theatre, and what the now full-funnel marketer is still trying to better understand. I'm joined by Chris Marchegiani, Head of Brand Planning Insights and Creative, and Garett Levy, Sr. Global Brand Planner.

Planning's greatest Holiday Ads Party returned live to the Merchandise Mart in Chicago. A packed house watched and debated some of the best holiday ads from the US and UK. On stage were Nimisha Jain, CSO at Highdive, Pedr Howard, Head of Creative Excellence at Ipsos, Samantha Cescau, CSO at Leo Burnett and Mark Gross, Co-Founder and Co-CCO at Highdive. Love to hear what your favorite Holiday spot was this year. Thanks to Ipsos, The Effies and Tracksuit for supporting our 2025 live tour. Happy Holidays everyone.

We talk with some of London's top strategic and creative talent about the year that was 2025. Martin Beverley of Ace of Hearts, Paula Bloodworth of Alien Baby, Mel Arrow of McCann, Chris Gallery of Mother and Alex Grieve of BBH join me. Next live tour stop is Boston in late January. Thanks to The Effies, Tracksuit and Ipsos for supporting our Live Tour. 

The odds were stacked against Indeed in India. Late to market and up against behemoths whose combined market share crossed 90%, they had a fight on their hands. We hear the backstory of how they build a B2B beachhead as a way into the broader B2C market. Thanks to the Effies for making this international episode possible.

We're joined by Helene Dick, Head of Strategy at Special LA and Tom Kenny, CSO at Courage in Toronto. We discuss new work from The Ordinary and Mother's campaign for Claude AI. Thanks to Tracksuit and System1 for supporting this series.

Our interviews with UK winners as their amazingly effective work gets recognized on Effie night in London. Xbox, Uber, Smarty Mobile, Irish Tourism, Walkers, CALM, and the Grand Prix winning Nurofen from McCann London. What a night for McCann. They also won Agency of the Year and took home a total of seven awards. You can see all of the creative work from these interviews on our website at onstrategyshowcase.com.

We brought together planners and creatives to talk about epiphany moments - those times when you know you've just unlocked the idea. We talk about what they ultimately led to in the work. Joining me are Ryan Lehr, Co-CCO at Deutsch, John Deschner, Head of Brand at Maximum Effort, Jill Burgeson, CSO at TBWA/Chiat/Day/LA, Amanda Shapiro, EVP Strategy at Deutsch and Jason Karley, ECD at Artist's Equity. Thanks to Tracksuit, The Effies and Ipsos for supporting our live tour.

An encore airing of this multiple Gold Effie winner. Chris Beresford-Hill, Worldwide Chief Creative Officer at BBDO shares the real story behind the Michael Cera campaign, one he led while at Ogilvy. Frustrated by how it was being told, he shares the reality. 

Unilever CMO, Tati Lindenberg and MullenLowe's Rachel Stets join me to share how Unilever's detergent brand in the UK, in an effort to reclaim its product performance strengths, partnered with Arsenal women's soccer for the "Every Stain Should Be Part of the Game" initiative. Thanks to Tracksuit (the affordable brand tracking solution) for supporting this episode.

Five NY strategy leaders reflect on our topic and share their points of view on where we are today and how strong the future looks for what we do. Joining us are Jeff McCrory of Mischief, Tass Tsitsopoulos of W+K, Anibal Casso of Ogilvy, Emily Portnoy and BBDO, and Tom Morton of Narratory Capital. Thanks to our live tour sponsors: The Effies, Tracksuit and Ipsos. 

It's planners talking brands they've never worked on. This month, guest panelists Dan Ng, CSO at Johannes Leonardo, NYC and Steve Walls, CSO at Moon Rabbit join our regular panel of misfits. Thanks to System1 and Tracksuit for making this series possible.

I'm glad I recently met Joe Burns. He's my kind of strategist: blunt, honest and mostly right. From Mother to BBH to Quality Meats, Joe has been shaping his own unique style, one we should all get familiar with. You can also WATCH this episode on our website or YouTube channel. Be sure to Subscribe.