Why Didn't I Think of That? – Details, episodes & analysis

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Why Didn't I Think of That?

VML Canada

Business

Technology

Frequency: 1 episode/41d. Total Eps: 4

"Why didn't I think of That?" is brought to you by the Innovation Team at VML Canada. Join us for a relaxed, round-table chat where we break down the latest in innovation – from the complex world of tech to surprisingly simple, yet brilliant, creative initiatives. We'll cover news, offer deep dives, and share fascinating interviews, all through a distinctly Canadian lens. Whether you're a fellow innovator or just keen to learn about the exciting developments shaping our nation, this podcast is your go-to source for understanding what's new and next in Canada.

Recent rankings

Latest chart positions across Apple Podcasts and Spotify rankings.

Apple Podcasts

🇨🇦 Canada - marketing
12/06/2026
#64
🇨🇦 Canada - marketing
29/04/2026
#71
🇨🇦 Canada - marketing
28/04/2026
#43
🇨🇦 Canada - marketing
11/02/2026
#57

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73p4lL1iq7w
1 share
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RV_SdCfZ-0s
1 share
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xffOCZYX6F8
1 share

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RSS feed quality

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Score global : 63%

Publication history

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Latest published episodes

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The Power of AI Agents

Episode 2

Saturday, October 18, 2025 • Duration 24:33

Ever wonder what lies beyond your everyday ChatGPT? Join the VML Canada Innovation Team as they dive deep into the world of AI Agents – specialized, self-enclosed chatbots designed to be experts in one thing. This episode unpacks what agents are, how they work, and crucial best practices for leveraging their power... and avoiding their potential pitfalls.

In this episode, you'll discover:

What Exactly is an AI Agent? Learn how these focused bots differ from general LLMs, offering unparalleled accuracy, personalization, and the ability to challenge your thinking – unlike "puppy dog" chatbots prone to hallucination.
The Art of Training: Rick Brown and Jeremy Lenz reveal the critical importance of quality inputs ("garbage in, garbage out") and clever strategies for structuring data to make your agent an expert.
The Human Element: Trevor Byrne highlights the essential role of feedback loops, while Jeremy issues a powerful warning: "We are still the experts." Discover why the carpenter never blames the tools when it comes to AI.
Real-World Innovation: Explore how VML Canada is already using "briefing agents" to streamline projects and the exciting potential of building "teams of agents" for complex tasks.
How NOT to Use AI: A crucial segment featuring cautionary tales from Bell's Fan Expo blunder and Home Depot's facial recognition controversy. Learn why empathy, transparency, and avoiding generative AI in public-facing social content are paramount.

Connect with VML Canada Innovation: Have questions or ideas? Email us at innovationcanada@vml.com

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Cannes Innovation Recap

Episode 1

Friday, October 3, 2025 • Duration 19:23

2025 Cannes Innovation Recap:

The Fourth Judge (00:03:00): Jeremy shares a mind-blowing AI-powered judge for boxing from Big Time Creative Shop in Riyadh. Discover how AI is tackling subjectivity and bias in sports, trained on a century of boxing history to provide unbiased real-time analysis. Is this the future of fair play?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcLlNta1deE
Daisy vs. Scammer (00:06:00): Tim introduces us to O2's ingenious AI "granny" from VCCP London, designed to waste scammers' time. Laugh along as Daisy hilariously stalls fraudsters and ponder the potential for this tech to be integrated directly into our phones. Could this be the end of spam calls?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RV_SdCfZ-0s
Shakespeare Bic (00:09:00): Rick reveals VML Sao Paulo's incredible campaign for Bic's 75th anniversary. Learn how AI recreated Shakespeare's lost handwriting, complete with authentic variations, and a robot penned an entire Romeo and Juliet manuscript with a single Bic pen. A beautiful blend of history, tech, and product demonstration!
https://www.vml.com/work/one-bic-one-book-two-classics
Grand Prix Innovation Winner: Sounds Right Campaign (00:12:00): We dissect AKQA's groundbreaking "Sounds Right" campaign, which monetizes nature sounds for environmental conservation. Explore the concept of "Nature" being credited as an artist and debate the true definition of "innovation" in today's tech-saturated world. Is it truly innovative, or just a new application?
https://www.akqa.com/news/sounds-right-wins-the-cannes-lions-innovation-grand-prix/
News Story of the Week: The Velvet Sundown Hoax (00:16:00): Jeremy breaks down the viral sensation of "Velvet Sundown," an AI-generated 70s-style band that amassed 50,000 fans overnight on Spotify before being outed as an art hoax. We discuss the implications of AI music creation (like Suno, which created our intro music!) and the ongoing conversation about AI's role in the art world. How did they get so big, so fast?
https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/ai-band-hoax-velvet-sundown-1.7575874

Have thoughts on these innovations or want to chat with our hosts? Email us at Innovationcanada@vml.com

Top Innovative Super Bowl Ads of All Time

Episode 4

Wednesday, February 4, 2026 • Duration 25:46

Super Bowl 60 is almost here, but which ads truly changed the game?
With Super Bowl 60 approaching, the VML Canada team reveals the most innovative commercials ever – and why they worked. This isn't about the funniest spots or biggest celebrities. It's about the campaigns that truly disrupted the advertising game.

Discover how:
• A 5-second Reddit ad crashed their servers
• A bouncing QR code broke Coinbase's app
• A 1,813-character promo code had viewers ignoring the game
• A fake TV glitch fooled 100 million people

But here's the kicker: some of the biggest winners never paid for airtime. Some very smart advertisers "hacked" the Super Bowl, saving millions while generating billions in impressions.

Commercials Discussed:

Joe Namath, Beautymist (1970)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBl7Q1TPTLs

Mean Joe Green, Coca-Cola (1979)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xffOCZYX6F8

Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, McDonald's (1993)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1shK-j_u6LI

Monster.com "When I Grow Up" (1999)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fY1WoHkNGy4

E-Trade monkey commercial (2000)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Muyq2kMDFoA

Reddit Super Bowl ad (2021)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wkvH0qBMP8

DoorDash commercial (the one with the 1,813-character promo code)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTLM5o-9hYg

Tubi ad (2023, the fake TV glitch)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73p4lL1iq7w

Coinbase QR code (2022)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIUD_NE1BDo

Exclusive Interview: Rob Guénette

Episode 3

Friday, January 23, 2026 • Duration 36:27

Opening quote from Rob Guénette: "We ought to shape it before it shapes us. I think that is the right healthy attitude."

Rick Brown: Welcome to "Why Didn't I Think of That?" This is our first episode of 2026, and we have a very special guest with us today. Rob Guénette is here. Rob is the CEO of VML Canada. He's an absolute legend in the advertising business and an incredible storyteller. So stay tuned for this – you're going to love it. And then right after that, we have a panel discussion about gamification with our host Jeremy Lens and Tim Voet.

Interview with Rob Guénette: From Brand Management to Agency Leadership

Rick: Welcome to the show, Rob. Do you want to maybe start with your background and how you got into advertising?

Rob: Sure. So I started my career at Unilever Canada as a client in brand management, and I was there for 14 years. Through that time period, I received the best business education I could ever have gotten. Unilever was amazing in those years. I started in '86 and left in '99, and was able to cross a lot of categories and learned a ton, worked with outstanding people.

Through that, though, I learned that I was really gravitating to one aspect of the job more than the others, and that was the advertising piece. I loved working in the communication area. I loved working with agencies. I loved doing work that the public saw, that impacted our brand and all that stuff. And I decided at one point I wanted to do two things: I wanted to work in advertising, so I'd cross the bridge, and I also wanted to be an owner. I wanted to have an equity stake. So those were my two objectives.

Rick: That's pretty ambitious, right?

Rob: It was. Well, I was at that stage in my life where I was super confident, I was ambitious, and I just wanted to get on with it. And I thought, if it happens, great. If it doesn't happen, you know, I'm happy. I have a good career, I have fun, I work with great people. But I got pretty lucky, and it happened.

Why Didn't I Think of That? – Details, episodes & analysis

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Why Didn't I Think of That? – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

Youtube14

Other3

RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

Similar podcasts and content

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Youtube14

Other3

Apple Podcasts

Spotify