Soul & Science: Fast Forward Your Marketing Mind

Soul & Science: Fast Forward Your Marketing Mind

In today’s world how does a brand break through the noise and become iconic? Well, there’s a complex marketing machine running behind all your favorite brand names that goes deeper than you could imagine. Join Jason Harris, co-founder and CEO of award-winning creative agency, Mekanism, as he speaks with leading experts about how to build an iconic brand. We will pull back the curtain on how culturally relevant brand building and always-on digital work together to make brands famous and drive business Results. Think of it as EQ meeting IQ. Let’s fast forward our marketing minds on the Soul & Science Podcast. Soul & Science is a Mekanism podcast produced by Maggie Boles, Ryan Tillotson, Grace Robert and Lily Jablonski. The show is edited by Daniel Ferreira, with theme music by Kyle Merritt. At Mekanism we build iconic brands with Soul & Science. The Soul is culturally relevant brand building and the Science is the always-on marketing activities that drive the bottom line. Learn more at mekanism.com. Brought to you by Mekanism.

Episodes

May 5, 2025 3 mins
From Prime to Chamberlain Coffee, influencers are making serious moves into the beverage aisle.

In this Soul & Science mini-episode, Jason unpacks the rise of creator-led drink brands—and why the beverage industry has become the go-to playground for digital tastemakers. With built-in audiences and high margins, the formula is simple: influence + hydration = $$$.

Key Takeaways:

✅ Beverages are easy to produce and offer premium prof...
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In a world that feels more chaotic by the day, leading with clarity has never been harder — or more important.

In this Soul & Science mini-episode, Jason explores how leaders can navigate the “liminal experience” of constant change. From reaffirming values to strengthening team bonds, he breaks down the strategies that help leaders anchor themselves—and their organizations—when everything else is shifting.

Key Takeaways:
✅ Ask the...
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From TikTok trends to viral campaigns, brands are constantly trying to tap into culture. But what actually defines culture — and how can brands engage with it in a meaningful way?


This week, we’re re-airing a great conversation from April 2024 with Dr. Marcus Collins — marketing professor, best-selling author, and cultural strategist.

Dr. Collins, author of For the Culture and former Head of Strategy at Wieden+Kennedy, has worked wit...
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What do J.Crew, Tiffany & Co., and Prada all have in common? They’re falling in love with the written word. 

In this Soul & Science mini-episode, Jason explores fashion’s latest unexpected muse: literature. From literary salons to author collaborations, brands are embracing the written word in a digital age—and it's not just for show.

Key Takeaways:
✅ Fashion brands are aligning with literature to appeal to Gen Z’s love of boo...
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What do Trump’s new tariffs have to do with your brand strategy? A lot.

In this Soul & Science mini-episode, Jason breaks down how the latest wave of tariffs is creating ripple effects across industries—and what it means for marketers trying to navigate a rapidly shifting economy.

Key Takeaways:

✅ Brands are reallocating budgets toward performance marketing as margins tighten.
✅ Expect a rise in “Made in America” messaging to appea...
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Why are brands still hesitant to embrace AI in creative work—even when it delivers faster, cheaper, and often better results?

In this episode, Superside co-founder & CEO Fredrik Thomassen joins Jason Harris to explore the Soul & Science of AI-powered creativity—and why the biggest barrier to AI adoption isn’t the technology, but human resistance to change.

Fredrik shares how Superside is reshaping the creative industry, using...
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March 10, 2025 5 mins
CMOs have the shortest lifespan of any C-suite executive. Why?

In this Soul & Science mini-episode, Jason breaks down insights from a recent Adweek article, exploring the top reasons CMOs get fired—and how they can avoid the same fate.

Key Takeaways:
Overpromising results is the #1 reason CMOs lose their jobs.
✅ Many fail to earn trust from CEOs, CFOs, and the leadership team.
✅ Only 1 in 3 CEOs & CFOs feel aligned with their ...
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How do you go from leading an agency to coaching the next generation of leaders?

In Part 2 of our conversation, Rob Schwartz—former CEO of TBWA\Chiat\Day and now an Executive Coach—talks with Jason about the Soul & Science of Coaching. He shares his philosophy on guiding teams, unlocking creative potential, and moving businesses from transactional back to transformational.

Rob breaks down where and how his GROW coaching framework...
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How do you turn creative vision into leadership success—and inspire a team to grow through disruption?

This week, Jason dives into the Soul & Science of Creative Leadership with Rob Schwartz, Executive Coach and former CEO of TBWA\Chiat\Day. Rob’s journey from copywriter to CEO is a masterclass in creative transformation. Using his philosophy of “Clarify, Simplify, Unify, Amplify,” Rob revitalized TBWA\Chiat\Day New York and led...
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What if the secret to creating ads that truly connect isn’t in what people say, but in what their brains reveal?

Pranav Yadav, founder and global CEO of Neuro-Insight, leverages neuromarketing—technology that measures neural signals to track emotional responses—to uncover deeper truths that help brands like TJ Maxx and Anheuser Busch craft ads that stir emotions and hit the perfect pitch.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
  • What neurom...
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This week, Jason explores The Soul & Science of Entrepreneur Partnerships with Dustin Baker and Maya French, co-founders of HappyPop. As the driving forces behind Koia and now HappyPop, Dustin and Maya have redefined what it means to create purposeful products in the competitive beverage industry.Discover how their unique partnership has evolved over a decade, how they turned personal challenges into groundbreaking products, an...
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    What’s the secret to building lasting and successful partnerships? This week, we dive into the Soul & Science of agency-client relationships with Stephen Boehler, founder of Mercer Island Group and former Procter & Gamble brand manager. Stephen shares his journey from growing up in a family business to leading one of the most respected agency search consultancies. Learn how a serendipitous flight led to the creation of Merc...
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    Let's talk about the Soul & Science of disrupting an industry and scaling a business. This week, Jason sits down with Erika Badan, CEO of Food52, to discuss her journey from early career uncertainty to becoming a leader in the home goods and lifestyle industry.

    Erika shares how her time at Barstool Sports taught her to embrace risk, her vision for reimagining Food52’s role in the market, and the importance of building brands tha...
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    This week, we’re throwing it back to a classic episode that won us not one, but two Signal Awards.  

    Douglas Martin, Chief Brand and Disruptive Growth Officer at General Mills, is a brand growth champion with over 22 years of experience.

    In his role at General Mills, Doug has worked on marketing initiatives for Cheerios and Yoplait, and his experience spans across household names in addition to General Mills, with roles at Gap and Wa...
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    There’s just one day left before the election, and Kamala Harris has recently intensified her critique of Donald Trump, calling out his "unstable" and "fascist" tendencies. In this mini episode, Jason talks about why, as a Harris voter, her campaign’s strategic pivot to a tougher tone aimed at swaying independents and energizing her base might not have been the best move. 

    Brought to you by Mekanism.
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    October 28, 2024 3 mins
    How is influencer marketing evolving in the creator economy? In today's mini episode, we explore the shift from one-off campaigns to building long-term relationships with micro-creators who drive engagement and authenticity. Plus how we here at Mekanism are leading the way by leveraging creator networks to foster genuine connections, fill content gaps, and optimize strategies for lasting brand success.

    Brought to you by Mekanism.
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    Building a lasting brand is all about balancing long-term strategy with short-term wins. In this episode of the Soul & Science Podcast, Jason sits down with William White, SVP and CMO at Walmart, to talk about the secret sauce marketers can use to drive both ongoing engagement and immediate business results.

    With a career spanning several major brands like Coca-Cola, Target, and KitchenAid, William shares insights on the world o...
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    In this episode of the Soul & Science Podcast, we’re exploring what it means to find your creative voice with a person who has built a legacy on taking calculated risk. Chase Jarvis is an award-winning artist, entrepreneur, and Emmy-nominated director who has shot global campaigns for Apple, Nike, and more than 100 other brands – as well as contributed to the Pulitzer Prize-winning NYT story Snowfall.

    His previous book Creative ...
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    September 30, 2024 3 mins
    In today’s mini episode, we explore the core business orientations that shape how companies sell and market their products. We break down the four key approaches: sales, market, product, and societal orientation. Discover how brands like Apple, Nike, and Patagonia align their strategies with these orientations, and why knowing your business orientation is essential for crafting effective marketing plans.
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    In today’s episode of the Soul & Science Podcast, we’re talking to Mark Pollard, brand strategist, CEO of Sweathead, host of the Sweathead Podcast and author of the book Strategy is Your Words. For the past 20 years, Mark has worked with global brands such as The Economist, Meta, and The Wall Street Journal to solve complex marketing challenges and build winning strategies. Throughout his career, he has blended non-traditional ...
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