In this episode, get the five most significant marketing and branding stories making headlines this week, from major leadership changes to technological breakthroughs that are reshaping the industry landscape.
- PepsiCo appoints Mark Kirkham as new CMO for US beverages, signaling potential strategic shifts in response to changing consumer preferences
- Three BBDO offices merge to form West BBDO, creating an integrated agency powerhouse offering clients comprehensive services
- Spotify launches a programmatic ad exchange, revolutionizing how audio advertising is targeted and purchased
- The rise of agentic AI is transforming marketing roles, with autonomous AI taking over routine tasks while humans focus on strategy and creativity
- Harry's grooming brand executes a major reset, moving beyond product-focused marketing to build deeper emotional connections with consumers
Follow the Brand Builder Lab newsletter on LinkedIn and follow our podcast for your daily dose of marketing and branding insights.
Produced by Kai D. Wright. Follow Kai on LinkedIn.
Buy the companion book, "Follow the Feeling: Brand Building in a Noisy World" on Amazon.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the Brand Builder Lab, ready to jump into
the marketing and brandingworld's most talked about
stories of the moment.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
I'm ready when you are.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
All right, then, think of this as your cheat
sheet for staying ahead of thegame, you know, cutting through
all the noise and zeroing in onwhat actually matters for
building a powerful brand.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
I like that a cheat sheet.
Let's do it.
Okay, so kicking things offwith a big shakeup in leadership
, one that's making waves acrossthe industry, oh yeah, these
are always interesting becauseyou kind of get a glimpse of
maybe some strategic shiftshappening behind the scenes,
right?
Speaker 1 (00:33):
For sure.
So, coming in at number five onour list, PepsiCo.
They've appointed a brand newchief marketing officer
specifically for their USbeverages division.
Big move it is.
His name is Mark Kirkham, andwe've been seeing his name pop
up everywhere, you know, likemarketing dive ad age, the usual
suspects.
But here's the thing to reallythink about with this one.
The whole beverage landscape ischanging so rapidly right now.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Totally, totally.
Consumers are way more healthconscious these days.
Yeah, and brands, I mean,they're battling it out for
every ounce of attention.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Exactly so a new CMO at a powerhouse like PepsiCo.
That's not just a simplepersonnel change.
It could be a sign of someready are you to adapt when the
market throws you a curveball?
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Because a fresh CMO, they often bring a whole new
playbook of ideas, which can beexactly what you need to
navigate those choppy waters.
So think about it.
What are the warning signs, thelittle whispers that things are
changing in your industry, andwhat would it take for you to
reassess your strategy, yourleadership, the whole shebang?
Speaker 1 (01:46):
Okay, let's shift gears and zoom over to number
four.
This one's all about someserious power moves in the
agency world.
We're seeing some forces comingtogether and it's pretty
significant.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Mergers and acquisitions in the agency world
.
They usually tell us one thingright they're trying to create
these mega agencies that canoffer their clients a whole
smorgasbord of services, like aone-stop shop, basically.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
Exactly.
So three count them.
Three BBDO offices out west arejoining forces creating a new
powerhouse called West BBDO.
Ad Age had a field day withthis one, so you have these
separate teams, all with theirown strengths, now operating as
a single unit.
What are the immediateadvantages their clients might
see from a structure like this?
Speaker 2 (02:28):
I think the most interesting thing here is the
sheer concentration of expertise.
I mean, think about it.
By pooling all the knowledgeand skills from each of those
individual offices, west BBDO isbasically creating a super
brain.
So they're aiming to give theirclients these highly integrated
, specialized solutions allunder one roof.
But it also makes you thinkright as a brand what's the
(02:49):
better approach for you?
Do you go with the nicheagencies, the specialists, or do
you go for these bigger, moreintegrated networks?
And what are the tradeoffs youhave to consider?
Speaker 1 (02:57):
Time to crank things up a notch.
Coming in at number three, amove from Spotify that has the
whole digital advertising worldbuzzing.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
Spotify throwing their hat into the programmatic
ad exchange ring.
This is a huge development inhow audio advertising is bought
and sold.
You know, programmaticessentially means that ads are
being placed in a more automatedway, using data to target the
right audience.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Precisely, Adweek was all over this one.
Spotify is basically swingingthe doors wide open to
programmatic buying on theirplatform, and this could be a
total game changer in how brandsconnect with listeners.
We're not talking about yourtypical ad breaks anymore.
This is about super targetedcampaigns that hit listeners
right where they are.
So, if you're trying to reachpeople through audio, what kind
of new avenues does this open up?
Speaker 2 (03:43):
It really reflects a bigger trend we're seeing too.
These digital platforms areincreasingly leveraging data and
automation, all in the name ofmaximizing ad revenue.
Now for advertisers, the goodnews is this can translate into
much more efficient targeting.
You can zero in on specificlistener demographics, tap into
their interests, all based onwhat they're already listening
(04:04):
to.
So it forces us to ask are youmaking the most of programmatic
advertising right now?
Are you exploring all theplatforms and formats out there?
Because audio might just beyour next big opportunity.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
All right, only two left Coming in hot.
At number TWO, we've got theever-growing buzz around agentic
AI and this one.
This has some pretty profoundimplications for the future of
marketing.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
You know, what's really mind-blowing about
agentic AI is its ability towell act independently.
It's not just processinginformation, it's actually
making decisions and takingactions with less direct human
intervention.
And in marketing, oh man, thiscould completely change the game
.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
Absolutely.
Jenny Baker from Tradewindsreally hit the nail on the head
with this one.
She asked and I'm paraphrasinghere, but she basically said if
everyone's got an AI-powereddigital assistant, what happens
to the marketer's role?
It's a great question, right?
Because AI could potentiallyhandle a ton of stuff, from
scheduling your social mediaposts to even drafting the first
(05:04):
reasons of your ad copy.
That's exciting, but also alittle unsettling, don't you
think?
So what are your immediatethoughts on this?
What does this mean for thefuture of marketing?
Speaker 2 (05:12):
Well, it really raises a crucial question about
how the role of human marketersis going to evolve, right?
Because, as AI takes over moreof those day-to-day routine
tasks, I think the focus isgoing to shift towards the
bigger picture.
We're talking about strategicthinking, coming up with
campaigns that really resonateemotionally and also making sure
that these AI tools are beingused ethically and responsibly.
(05:33):
It's almost like are youpreparing yourself and your team
for a future where AI plays amuch more independent role in
marketing?
Because that future is coming,whether we're ready or not.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
All right, drumrollroll please.
The moment we've all beenwaiting for.
The number one most talkedabout story in marketing and
branding right now is awell-known brand doing a
complete 180.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
I love these.
I mean, they're almost always asign that a brand is
recognizing they need toreconnect with consumers on a
deeper level.
Maybe they need to adapt to howthe market perceives them, or
maybe just inject some freshenergy into their image.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
You hit it right on the head.
So Harry's, the men's groomingcompany, is making a pretty big
move to reestablish their brandidentity.
Ad Age was following this oneclosely, and they're not just
showcasing their products.
This time they're going waydeeper.
They're trying to build astronger, more meaningful
connection with their audience.
It's about moving beyond justselling razors and shaving cream
, you know.
So what do you think?
(06:30):
When a brand does this kind offundamental reset, what message
does it send to the market?
Speaker 2 (06:34):
I think it really highlights the growing
importance of emotionalconnection and crafting a
compelling brand story.
Consumers today, they want morethan just the features and
benefits of a product.
They want to align themselveswith brands that share their
values, brands that get them ona deeper level, and this reset
tells us that Harry's isprioritizing that kind of
connection.
So it makes you think what'syour brand story?
(06:56):
What are you saying beyond theproducts or services you offer?
Speaker 1 (07:00):
And there you have it , folks, the top five marketing
and branding stories sendingshock waves through the industry
.
Number one Harry's resettingits brand with a push beyond
just product-focused marketing.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Number two the rise of agentic AI and what it means
for marketers.
I mean, this is a big one.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
Absolutely.
Coming in at number three,Spotify, launching its
programmatic ad exchange,opening up a whole new world of
possibilities for audioadvertising.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
And at number four, the formation of West BBDO, a
new agency powerhouse with awhole lot of potential.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
And last but not least, number five, PepsiCo's
appointment of a new CMO for itsUS beverages, a definite sign
that big changes might bebrewing.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
So we hope this dive into the latest industry
happenings has given you somevaluable insights and maybe even
sparked some new ideas.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
If you're ready to keep the inspiration flowing and
your brand building knowledgegrowing, make sure to check out
the Brand Builder Lab newsletteron LinkedIn.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
It's a goldmine of insights.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
And hey, don't forget to subscribe on your favorite
podcast platform for a dailydose of inspiration.
And hey, don't forget tosubscribe on your favorite
podcast platform for a dailydose of inspiration.
Thanks for joining us.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
See you next time.
Welcome to the Brand Builder Lab, ready to jump into
the marketing and brandingworld's most talked about
stories of the moment.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
I'm ready when you are.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
All right, then, think of this as your cheat
sheet for staying ahead of thegame, you know, cutting through
all the noise and zeroing in onwhat actually matters for
building a powerful brand.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
I like that a cheat sheet.
Let's do it.
Okay, so kicking things offwith a big shakeup in leadership
, one that's making waves acrossthe industry, oh yeah, these
are always interesting becauseyou kind of get a glimpse of
maybe some strategic shiftshappening behind the scenes,
right?
Speaker 1 (00:33):
For sure.
So, coming in at number five onour list, PepsiCo.
They've appointed a brand newchief marketing officer
specifically for their USbeverages division.
Big move it is.
His name is Mark Kirkham, andwe've been seeing his name pop
up everywhere, you know, likemarketing dive ad age, the usual
suspects.
But here's the thing to reallythink about with this one.
The whole beverage landscape ischanging so rapidly right now.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Totally, totally.
Consumers are way more healthconscious these days.
Yeah, and brands, I mean,they're battling it out for
every ounce of attention.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Exactly so a new CMO at a powerhouse like PepsiCo.
That's not just a simplepersonnel change.
It could be a sign of someready are you to adapt when the
market throws you a curveball?
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Because a fresh CMO, they often bring a whole new
playbook of ideas, which can beexactly what you need to
navigate those choppy waters.
So think about it.
What are the warning signs, thelittle whispers that things are
changing in your industry, andwhat would it take for you to
reassess your strategy, yourleadership, the whole shebang?
Speaker 1 (01:46):
Okay, let's shift gears and zoom over to number
four.
This one's all about someserious power moves in the
agency world.
We're seeing some forces comingtogether and it's pretty
significant.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Mergers and acquisitions in the agency world
.
They usually tell us one thingright they're trying to create
these mega agencies that canoffer their clients a whole
smorgasbord of services, like aone-stop shop, basically.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
Exactly.
So three count them.
Three BBDO offices out west arejoining forces creating a new
powerhouse called West BBDO.
Ad Age had a field day withthis one, so you have these
separate teams, all with theirown strengths, now operating as
a single unit.
What are the immediateadvantages their clients might
see from a structure like this?
Speaker 2 (02:28):
I think the most interesting thing here is the
sheer concentration of expertise.
I mean, think about it.
By pooling all the knowledgeand skills from each of those
individual offices, west BBDO isbasically creating a super
brain.
So they're aiming to give theirclients these highly integrated
, specialized solutions allunder one roof.
But it also makes you thinkright as a brand what's the
(02:49):
better approach for you?
Do you go with the nicheagencies, the specialists, or do
you go for these bigger, moreintegrated networks?
And what are the tradeoffs youhave to consider?
Speaker 1 (02:57):
Time to crank things up a notch.
Coming in at number three, amove from Spotify that has the
whole digital advertising worldbuzzing.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
Spotify throwing their hat into the programmatic
ad exchange ring.
This is a huge development inhow audio advertising is bought
and sold.
You know, programmaticessentially means that ads are
being placed in a more automatedway, using data to target the
right audience.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Precisely, Adweek was all over this one.
Spotify is basically swingingthe doors wide open to
programmatic buying on theirplatform, and this could be a
total game changer in how brandsconnect with listeners.
We're not talking about yourtypical ad breaks anymore.
This is about super targetedcampaigns that hit listeners
right where they are.
So, if you're trying to reachpeople through audio, what kind
of new avenues does this open up?
Speaker 2 (03:43):
It really reflects a bigger trend we're seeing too.
These digital platforms areincreasingly leveraging data and
automation, all in the name ofmaximizing ad revenue.
Now for advertisers, the goodnews is this can translate into
much more efficient targeting.
You can zero in on specificlistener demographics, tap into
their interests, all based onwhat they're already listening
(04:04):
to.
So it forces us to ask are youmaking the most of programmatic
advertising right now?
Are you exploring all theplatforms and formats out there?
Because audio might just beyour next big opportunity.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
All right, only two left Coming in hot.
At number TWO, we've got theever-growing buzz around agentic
AI and this one.
This has some pretty profoundimplications for the future of
marketing.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
You know, what's really mind-blowing about
agentic AI is its ability towell act independently.
It's not just processinginformation, it's actually
making decisions and takingactions with less direct human
intervention.
And in marketing, oh man, thiscould completely change the game
.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
Absolutely.
Jenny Baker from Tradewindsreally hit the nail on the head
with this one.
She asked and I'm paraphrasinghere, but she basically said if
everyone's got an AI-powereddigital assistant, what happens
to the marketer's role?
It's a great question, right?
Because AI could potentiallyhandle a ton of stuff, from
scheduling your social mediaposts to even drafting the first
(05:04):
reasons of your ad copy.
That's exciting, but also alittle unsettling, don't you
think?
So what are your immediatethoughts on this?
What does this mean for thefuture of marketing?
Speaker 2 (05:12):
Well, it really raises a crucial question about
how the role of human marketersis going to evolve, right?
Because, as AI takes over moreof those day-to-day routine
tasks, I think the focus isgoing to shift towards the
bigger picture.
We're talking about strategicthinking, coming up with
campaigns that really resonateemotionally and also making sure
that these AI tools are beingused ethically and responsibly.
(05:33):
It's almost like are youpreparing yourself and your team
for a future where AI plays amuch more independent role in
marketing?
Because that future is coming,whether we're ready or not.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
All right, drumrollroll please.
The moment we've all beenwaiting for.
The number one most talkedabout story in marketing and
branding right now is awell-known brand doing a
complete 180.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
I love these.
I mean, they're almost always asign that a brand is
recognizing they need toreconnect with consumers on a
deeper level.
Maybe they need to adapt to howthe market perceives them, or
maybe just inject some freshenergy into their image.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
You hit it right on the head.
So Harry's, the men's groomingcompany, is making a pretty big
move to reestablish their brandidentity.
Ad Age was following this oneclosely, and they're not just
showcasing their products.
This time they're going waydeeper.
They're trying to build astronger, more meaningful
connection with their audience.
It's about moving beyond justselling razors and shaving cream
, you know.
So what do you think?
(06:30):
When a brand does this kind offundamental reset, what message
does it send to the market?
Speaker 2 (06:34):
I think it really highlights the growing
importance of emotionalconnection and crafting a
compelling brand story.
Consumers today, they want morethan just the features and
benefits of a product.
They want to align themselveswith brands that share their
values, brands that get them ona deeper level, and this reset
tells us that Harry's isprioritizing that kind of
connection.
So it makes you think what'syour brand story?
(06:56):
What are you saying beyond theproducts or services you offer?
Speaker 1 (07:00):
And there you have it , folks, the top five marketing
and branding stories sendingshock waves through the industry
.
Number one Harry's resettingits brand with a push beyond
just product-focused marketing.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Number two the rise of agentic AI and what it means
for marketers.
I mean, this is a big one.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
Absolutely.
Coming in at number three,Spotify, launching its
programmatic ad exchange,opening up a whole new world of
possibilities for audioadvertising.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
And at number four, the formation of West BBDO, a
new agency powerhouse with awhole lot of potential.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
And last but not least, number five, PepsiCo's
appointment of a new CMO for itsUS beverages, a definite sign
that big changes might bebrewing.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
So we hope this dive into the latest industry
happenings has given you somevaluable insights and maybe even
sparked some new ideas.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
If you're ready to keep the inspiration flowing and
your brand building knowledgegrowing, make sure to check out
the Brand Builder Lab newsletteron LinkedIn.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
It's a goldmine of insights.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
And hey, don't forget to subscribe on your favorite
podcast platform for a dailydose of inspiration.
And hey, don't forget tosubscribe on your favorite
podcast platform for a dailydose of inspiration.
Thanks for joining us.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
See you next time.
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