Adspeak

AI Governance Isn’t a Barrier: It’s Marketing’s Growth Engine

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:00:00 GMT

In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, host Rebecca Stewart, Brand Editor at ADWEEK, sits down with Thomas Ranese, CMO at Intuit, and Michael Schanker, CMO at OneTrust, to explore how AI is reshaping modern marketing. They unpack why governance and consent are not barriers but enablers of innovation, and how clean, permissioned data is foundational to scaling personalization. The conversation highlights the shift toward AI-powered agents, faster campaign execution, and evolving brand architectures. Crucially, they emphasize balancing automation with human creativity, adopting high-impact use cases first, and building responsible frameworks to protect trust while unlocking AI-driven growth.

What You'll Learn:

How to move from AI experimentation to scaled deployment
Why "AI-ready governance" unlocks innovation rather than slowing it down
The critical gap marketers must close: AI-ready data
How to build AI agents that maintain brand trust
The human-AI balance that drives creativity, not replacement
How to prioritize AI use cases for maximum ROI

About the Guests:

Thomas Ranese is Chief Marketing Officer at Intuit, where he leads the transformation of the company from a house of brands to a unified branded house powered by AI. With a decade at Google and recent leadership roles at Uber, Thomas brings deep expertise in scaling emerging technologies, from mobile and social to artificial intelligence, across consumer and enterprise audiences.

Michael Schanker is Chief Marketing Officer at OneTrust, bringing nearly a decade of technology industry experience to the forefront of data privacy and AI governance. Known for his expertise in navigating complex regulatory landscapes and emerging technologies, Michael has positioned OneTrust as a leader in helping enterprises manage consumer consent and data responsibility at scale, processing 400 million consumer consent transactions daily.

Guest Resources:

Thomas Ranese on LinkedIn
Intuit Website
Michael Schanker on LinkedIn
OneTrust Website

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How Experiential Retail Drives Loyalty at a Heritage Brand with David Lafitte

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:00:00 GMT

In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, host Mark Stenberg speaks with David Lafitte, President and CEO at Tecovas, about scaling a heritage brand without losing authenticity. David explains how the brand expands into new markets while staying rooted in Western storytelling, invests in experiential retail to build loyalty, and balances performance marketing with long-term brand building. He highlights the importance of using cultural trends as tailwinds, not as a core strategy, while maintaining craft quality as a core differentiator. The conversation also explores AI’s role in operations, not creativity, and how an omnichannel approach, including digital, retail, and wholesale, drives sustainable growth for modern DTC brands.

What You'll Learn:

How to thread the authenticity needle when expanding into non-traditional markets
Why full-funnel marketing outperforms lower-funnel strategies for premium products
The radical hospitality framework for creating defensible retail experiences
How to leverage cultural momentum without chasing trends
Why AI should enhance operations, not replace authentic creative content
The omnichannel growth playbook for DTC brands

About the Guest:

David Lafitte is the President and CEO of Tecovas, a leading and heritage western wear retailer. David is recognised for his expertise in scaling authentic heritage brands while maintaining cultural integrity in competitive markets. With a background in brand strategy and retail expansion, he has successfully transformed Tecovas from a digitally native direct-to-consumer company into an omnichannel powerhouse with 56 locations across 24 states, wholesale partnerships, and a distinctive retail experience centered on "radical hospitality."

Guest Resources:

David Lafitte on LinkedIn
Tecovas Website

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How CorePower Yoga Turned Fitness Into a Movement with Sarah Choi

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:00:00 GMT

In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, host Alison Weisbrott, Executive Editor at ADWEEK, speaks with Sarah Choi, Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer at CorePower Yoga. Sarah shares how CorePower Yoga is redefining modern wellness, and how the brand reframes yoga as a physically intensive, results-driven workout grounded in mindfulness, while scaling community through 5,000+ teacher ambassadors. The conversation explores blending digital tools with in-studio experiences, using science-backed mental health research to strengthen brand credibility, and building loyalty through inclusive, Gen Z-focused strategies. It’s a practical look at turning a fitness brand into a community-led movement that extends far beyond the mat.

What You'll Learn:

How to drive conversion through free trial funneling
Why teacher spotlighting outperforms traditional influencer partnerships
The dual-role technology strategy that strengthens the in-studio community
How to ground wellness claims in Harvard-backed research for competitive positioning
The Gen Z wellness opportunity beyond the fitness category
How to balance product expansion while maintaining brand clarity

About the Guest:

Sarah Choi is Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer at CorePower Yoga, where she leads the brand's strategic initiatives in wellness marketing and consumer engagement. With expertise in omnichannel marketing, brand accessibility, and community-driven loyalty programs, Choi has pioneered CorePower's evolution from traditional yoga positioning to an intensively physical, science-backed wellness experience.

Guest Resources:

Sarah Choi on LinkedIn
CorePower Yoga Website

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The Authenticity Playbook in Personal Branding: Featuring Mina Park & Alyson Stoner

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 14:00:00 GMT

In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, Mina Park, CEO and co-founder of Crispy Chicken Social Media Agency, and Alyson Stoner, Founder and CEO at Movement Genius, explore how celebrities can balance authenticity with strategy on social media. They discuss calculated transparency, using trends without losing originality, and building values-driven narratives that outlast algorithms. The conversation also highlights team-based content creation, thoughtful brand partnerships, and structuring content to deepen audience connection. Together, they reveal how intentional storytelling, not constant virality, is key to creating sustainable, meaningful personal brands in today's fast-moving digital landscape and culture shifts.

What You'll Learn:

How to reframe "authenticity" as calculated transparency
The anti-marketing marketing approach.
How to inject originality into viral trends without sacrificing reach
The grid management strategy for audience development
Why celebrity social media requires a team-based infrastructure, not solo management
The vetting framework for brand partnerships

About the Guests:

Mina Park is the CEO of Crispy Chicken Social Media Agency, a social-first agency specializing in organic content creation for brands, entertainment studios, and talent accounts. With over five years of experience managing high-profile celebrity social media presence, including clients like Chelsea Handler and Awkwafina, Mina brings strategic expertise in building authentic digital narratives.

Alyson Stoner is a certified mental health practitioner and author who brings 25 years of entertainment industry experience to her work at the intersection of child safety, mental health, and media. As a New York Times bestselling author and long-term collaborator with Crispy Chicken, Alyson provides insights into navigating brand collaborations with integrity while maintaining an authentic public presence.

Guest Resources:

Mina Park on LinkedIn
Crispy Chicken Social Media Agency Website
Alyson Stoner on LinkedIn
Movement Genius Website

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Reinventing a 77-Year-Old Brand: NASCAR’s Modern Playbook with Tim Clark and Jimmie Johnson

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 14:00:00 GMT

In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, host Alison Weissbrot speaks with Tim Clark, EVP and Chief Brand Officer at NASCAR, and Jimmie Johnson, seven-time champion, about how NASCAR is reinventing itself for a fragmented media landscape. They explore staging races in unconventional venues, expanding through gaming and digital platforms, and turning motorsport into a broader lifestyle brand. The conversation highlights how legacy organizations can evolve culturally, reshape audience perception, and stay authentic while engaging new generations of fans.

What You'll Learn:

How to overcome the "barrier to entry" problem in motorsports
The critical difference between brand awareness and brand perception
Why authentic brand integration generates 10x more loyalty than logo placement
How to use gaming and simulation as legitimate talent pipelines
The Formula 1 brand playbook lesson for legacy sports
How to build athlete-driven brands that transcend competition

About the Guests

Tim Clark is the Chief Brand Officer at NASCAR, leading the organization's strategic positioning and modernization efforts. With expertise in brand perception management and legacy brand transformation, Clark oversees NASCAR's expansion into new markets, digital platforms, and lifestyle categories.

Jimmie Johnson is a seven-time NASCAR champion and owner of Legacy Motor Club, bringing both competitive racing expertise and entrepreneurial business acumen to the motorsports industry. With a career spanning two decades as a professional driver and recent expansion into team ownership and brand building, Johnson represents the modern athlete-entrepreneur model.

Guest Resources:

Tim Clark on LinkedIn
Jimmie Johnson on LinkedIn
NASCAR Website

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Jeff Greenspoon of Kantar on Brand Power

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 14:00:00 GMT

This week on Adspeak by ADWEEK, host Will Lee speaks with Jeff Greenspoon, CEO of The Americas at Kantar, on the sidelines of BrandWeek, about why brand tension fuels growth. From meaningfulness versus differentiation to short-term performance versus long-term investment, Jeff shares Kantar’s framework for predicting brand success. With examples like Nespresso and Barbie, he explains how CMOs protect their North Star while experimenting boldly, and why sustained brand investment drives stronger ROI, resilience, and lasting enterprise value.

What You'll Learn:

The "Meaningful and Different" Framework
How to Protect Your Brand's North Star While Experimenting
Why Cutting Brand Spend During Budget Constraints Sacrifices 3-5 Years of Growth
The Four-to-One ROI Ratio of Brand Salience
Nespresso and Barbie as Case Studies in Navigating Competing Tensions)
How to Translate Brand Metrics into CFO Language in B2B Organizations

About the Guest and Host:

Jeff Greenspoon is CEO of The Americas at Kantar, a global leader in brand measurement and marketing effectiveness backed by 50 years of proprietary research. Previously with Dentsu, he brings deep expertise in brand strategy and marketing transformation. Jeff partners with organisations to navigate the tensions between consistency and innovation, and short-term performance and long-term growth, helping brands unlock sustainable, measurable impact.

Will Lee is CEO of ADWEEK, the leading media platform serving the marketing and advertising industry. Previously, he was Chief Operating Officer of NPR, where he oversaw strategy, transformation, and growth across its national network of member stations. He has also led digital businesses for PEOPLE, Entertainment Weekly, Sports Illustrated, and The Hollywood Reporter. With two decades in content, audience growth, and brand development, Will is based in New York City with his family.

Guest Resources:

Jeff Greenspoon on LinkedIn
Kantar Website

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The Trust Advantage in a Misinformation Era: Dr. Sanjay Gupta

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 09:13:40 GMT

In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, recorded live at Brandweek, Dr. Sanjay Gupta sits down with Brianna Burtman to explore how trusted communication becomes a competitive advantage. Gupta reflects on 25 years at CNN, sharing how to translate complex medical information into accessible, actionable knowledge. The conversation examines authentic storytelling, combating misinformation without amplifying it, and using multi-platform formats intentionally to deepen audience trust and create lasting cultural impact in a fragmented media landscape.

What You'll Learn:

How to distill complex medical information into actionable insights
Why isolation is your audience's biggest health threat, and how to make it relatable
The difference between information and knowledge in health storytelling
How to maintain trust when audiences already know the story before you report it
The strategic approach to combating misinformation without playing whack-a-mole
Why multi-platform storytelling requires intentional format selection

About the Guests:

Dr. Sanjay Gupta is Chief Medical Correspondent at CNN and a practicing neurosurgeon, bringing 25 years of experience translating complex health and medical stories for public audiences. With a unique background spanning both clinical medicine and broadcast journalism, Dr. Gupta has covered major global health crises, conflicts, and natural disasters while simultaneously practicing medicine in crisis zones, including Haiti, Iraq, and beyond.

Brianna Burtman is currently the VP of CNN Digital Strategy and Network Partnerships at CNN, where she has worked since August 2008. Brianna holds a Bachelor's degree in Public Policy Studies, Economics, and Women's Studies from Hobart and William Smith Colleges, and a Master's degree in Public Administration from Baruch College.

Guest Resources:

Dr. Sanjay Gupta at CNN
Brianna Burtman on LinkedIn

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Fandom Over Funnels: Marian Lee of Netflix on Culture-Led Brand Growth

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 14:00:00 GMT

This week on Adspeak by ADWEEK, host Rebecca Stewart speaks with Netflix CMO Marian Lee about building culture-first marketing that fuels fandom and organic conversation. From flexible campaign planning to live events and immersive brand experiences, Lee shares how Netflix balances authentic partnerships, IP protection, and ad-supported growth, positioning the brand as a cultural force, not just a streaming platform.

What You'll Learn:

How to build a marketing strategy around culture, not campaigns
The "Flexibility-First" marketing framework
Why authentic brand partnerships require custodianship of storytelling
How to translate digital fandom into measurable real-world experiences
The dual-role advantage: buying media as a marketer teaches you how to sell it
How to develop appointment viewing behavior for streaming platforms

About the Guest:

Marian Lee is Chief Marketing Officer at Netflix, appointed in 2022 after serving as VP of UCAN Marketing. She leads a global team driving culture-shaping campaigns that connect audiences worldwide. Previously, she was VP & Co-Head of Music at Spotify, spearheading artist marketing and partnerships. Her career spans Condé Nast, J.Crew and PwC. She holds a BA from Barnard College.

Guest Resources:

Marian Lee on LinkedIn
Netflix Website

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How Atlanta Became a Marketing, Music, and Sports Powerhouse

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 14:00:00 GMT

In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, host Will Lee sits down with Tony Ressler, Co-founder and Executive Chairman of Ares Management Corporation, and Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, a Grammy-Winning Artist, Entrepreneur, and Philanthropist, for a fast-moving conversation on culture, community, and the business mechanics behind Atlanta’s rise.

What You'll Learn:

How to identify and leverage your city's unique creative assets
Why diversification across entertainment, tech, and philanthropy protects long-term brand value
How to transform real estate into a brand catalyst
The strategic importance of non-core revenue streams in sports venues
Why community investment and brand building are inseparable business strategies

About the Guests:

Chris "Ludacris" Bridges is a Grammy-winning artist, entrepreneur, and cultural innovator with over 25 years of industry experience spanning music, film, and technology. Known for defining Atlanta's cultural landscape through his influence on hip-hop, film production, and emerging trends, Ludacris has successfully diversified his portfolio into philanthropy, brand partnerships, and tech startups focused on the next generation.

Tony Ressler is the Principal Owner of the Atlanta Hawks, a prominent sports executive and real estate developer driving transformative urban development across the Southeast. With expertise in sports franchise management, community investment, and large-scale real estate projects, Ressler has spearheaded initiatives including the revitalization of downtown Atlanta and the expansion of youth education and opportunity programs throughout the region.

Guest Resources:

Tony Ressler’s Profile
The Ludacris Foundation Website
Ares Management Corporation Website
Atlanta Hawks Website

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From Retail Relic to Market Darling: Sharon Price John on Reinventing Build-A-Bear

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 14:00:00 GMT

In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, host Will Lee speaks with Sharon Price John, President and CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop, about engineering one of retail’s most unlikely turnarounds. Recorded live at BrandWeek, the conversation explores how Build-A-Bear reinvented its business model, leveraged nostalgia and emotional connection, and reshaped investor storytelling to fuel a 2000% stock surge. Sharon shares lessons on distinguishing brand problems from business problems, balancing data with creativity, and expanding into multi-generational audiences while opening new stores as competitors retrenched. A must-listen for marketers navigating reinvention, resilience, and profitable growth.

What You'll Learn:

How to distinguish between a brand problem and a business problem
The "Stretchable Brand" framework
Why 40% of Build-A-Bear's revenue now comes from teens and adults
The art of strategic storytelling for different audiences
How to manufacture tradition in retail
Why financial literacy is non-negotiable for modern CMOs and creative leaders
How to renegotiate your way out of a structural crisis
The operational flywheel in action

About the Guest:

Sharon Price John is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Build-A-Bear Workshop, where she has led the company for nearly 13 years through a remarkable turnaround that saw stock prices increase 2,000% over five years, outpacing NVIDIA, Microsoft, and Oracle. With a background spanning global advertising agencies, brand leadership at Mattel and Disney, and executive roles at Hasbro and Stride Rite Children's Group, Sharon brings deep expertise in brand strategy, vertical retail operations, and consumer-centric marketing.

Guest Resources:

Sharon Price John on LinkedIn
Build-A-Bear Workshop Website

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Why Coca-Cola Bet Big on Generative AI, with Pratik Thakar

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 14:00:00 GMT

In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, host Jenny Rooney speaks with Pratik Thakar, Global VP and Head of Generative AI at The Coca-Cola Company, about the brand’s bold, AI-generated holiday campaign unveiled at Brand Week. Thakar explains why Coca-Cola prioritised creative ambition and speed over cost-cutting, and how a human-first approach to AI is reshaping modern marketing. The conversation explores legal and ethical considerations, new agency collaboration models, and how to embed AI expertise across organisations without silos. It’s a clear-eyed look at why AI marks an inflection point CMOs can’t afford to ignore.

What You'll Learn:

How to position AI as a creative superpower, not a replacement tool
The "Human First, AI-Amplified" production framework
Why you cannot treat your biggest business opportunity as a cost-cutting experiment
How to create organizational velocity through distributed AI adoption
The legal and IP infrastructure required to scale AI responsibly
Why iteration speed and re-rendering flexibility are competitive advantages

About the Guest:

Pratik Thakar is Global Vice President and Head of Generative AI at The Coca-Cola Company, where he leads the development of scalable AI platforms that enhance consumer and brand experiences across Coca-Cola’s global portfolio. With more than 25 years of experience in creative marketing, design, media, and communications, he has delivered award-winning work for some of the world’s most iconic brands. A passionate advocate for human-first AI, Pratik is also an industry leader, educator, and advisor focused on sustainability, equality, and responsible technology.

Guest Resources:

Pratik Thakar on LinkedIn
Coca-Cola Website

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Don’t Blink: Marketing by Turning Controversy into Growth with Craig Brommers

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 01:00:00 GMT

In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, host Ryan Joe speaks with Craig Brommers, CMO of American Eagle, about how bold and polarizing marketing can translate into real business growth. Brommers breaks down the strategy behind American Eagle’s headline-grabbing celebrity campaigns, including how the brand gained over a million new customers by refusing to retreat amid social media backlash. The conversation explores risk-taking and crisis management, while exploring why data and not online noise should guide decision-making. From building momentum like a serialized show to tapping into cultural moments that resonate with Gen Z, this episode offers a clear playbook for modern retail marketers.

What You'll Learn:

How to Build a Year-Round Holiday Marketing Engine by launching campaigns in August
The "Don't Blink" Principle for Crisis Management
Why Social Media Noise Is Often Just Noise
Reserving 20-30% "Open-to-Buy" Marketing Capacity to react to cultural moments
The Competitive Advantage of Leaning Into Americana Without Politics
How to Sustain Momentum Post-Viral Campaigns

About the Guest:

Craig Brommers is the Chief Marketing Officer at American Eagle, with deep experience building iconic fashion and apparel brands. His career spans senior leadership roles at Calvin Klein, Gap, and Abercrombie & Fitch, where he became known for bold, culture-defining campaigns. A global, metrics-driven marketing executive, Craig blends creativity with commercial rigour to drive P&L growth, global consistency, and local relevance. He is passionate about purpose-driven brands, digital expansion, and building high-performing teams. Craig holds an MBA from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management.

Guest Resources:

Craig Brommers on LinkedIn
American Eagle Website

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From Hooters to Building a Health Empire: Rewriting the Wellness Playbook with Kat Cole

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 15:11:08 GMT

Recorded on the sidelines of Brandweek, this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK features Jenny Rooney in conversation with AG1 CEO Kat Cole. Kat shares her journey from a Hooters hostess to leading a global wellness brand, unpacking how resilience and intuition shape bold leadership decisions. She explains AG1’s evolution from a single-product DTC business to a multi-product, multi-channel brand, including its first global “Good Morning Moon” campaign created in-house with Rick Rubin. Cole also reveals why AG1 redirected marketing spend into $20M of clinical research, upgraded its core formula, and positioned a new sleep product to compete with Netflix, not supplements.

What You'll Learn:

How to involve your CEO in creative development from concept to launch
Why rebranding at $160M in revenue is worth the risk
The power of listening to customers closest to the transaction
How to redirect marketing spend toward clinical credibility in saturated categories
Why reformulating a bestselling product is a calculated courage play
The importance of knowing who you actually compete against

About the Guest:

Kat Cole is Chief Executive Officer of AG1, the leading daily health drink brand. With a distinctive career trajectory spanning restaurant franchising, brand turnarounds, and large-scale portfolio management at Focus Brands (overseeing $4B+ in annual revenue across nine brands), Kat brings operational excellence and entrepreneurial thinking to the health and wellness space. She transformed Cinnabon from a $300 million struggling brand to over $1 billion in revenue within two years and spearheaded the evolution of Carvel, Jamba Juice, and other iconic franchises.

Guest Resources:

Kat Cole on LinkedIn
AG 1 Website

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Trust Yourself First: Bozoma Saint John on Leading Without Permission

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 14:00:00 GMT

What if the most powerful career advice is to stop listening to everyone else?

In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, recorded live at Brandweek, host Ryan Joe sits down with marketing powerhouse Bozoma Saint John to unpack how intuition and not approval has guided her career across Apple, Uber, Netflix, and beyond. Bozoma shares why traditional mentorship is overrated, how fear often disguises itself as “good advice,” and what it really takes to assert authority in rigid corporate environments. From building intuition through everyday decisions to planning intentional pivots, this conversation is a masterclass in leading authentically and confidently on your own terms.

What You'll Learn:

How to Assert Authority in Established Organizations
Why Traditional Mentorship and Champions Are Overrated
The Practice Framework for Building Unshakeable Intuition
How to Distinguish Fear-Based Advice from Intuition
The Strategic Planning Method for Pivoting.
How Mentoring Reveals Leadership Blind Spots

About the Guest:

Bozoma Saint John is the Creator and CEO of Eve by Boz, a culturally rooted hair and hair care brand celebrating Black women and women of color, and a Hall of Fame–inducted marketing executive, author, and unapologetic badass. She built an iconic career at SpikeDDB, PepsiCo, Apple, Uber, Endeavor, and Netflix, where she served as Global CMO. Bozoma is the author of The Urgent Life, a Harvard Business School case study subject, and creator of leadership programs including The Anatomy of a Badass. She serves on multiple boards, is an Ambassador for the African Diaspora to Ghana, and proudly considers motherhood her greatest achievement.

Guest Resources:

Bozoma Saint John on LinkedIn
Eve by Boz Website

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How Cultural Relevance Builds Billion-Dollar Brands with Elizabeth Banks

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 15:29:17 GMT

Disrupting a legacy category takes more than buzz; it takes clarity, conviction, and consumer empathy. In this Adspeak by ADWEEK episode, host Zoë Ruderman speaks with Elizabeth Banks and Marian Leitner-Waldman about how Archer Roose Wines reimagined the wine industry by solving real consumer problems, embracing humor, and refusing growth that didn’t align with their brand voice. From treating product launches like entertainment premieres to choosing partnerships that show up in real-life moments of celebration, the conversation unpacks how authentic disruption, cultural relevance, and disciplined decision-making can build sustainable, billion-dollar brands without chasing viral hype.

What You'll Learn:

How to identify category disruption opportunities by solving real consumer problems
Why accessibility and humor are competitive weapons in traditional categories
The velocity-over-volume framework for sustainable growth
How to apply entertainment industry playbooks to consumer brands
The partnership strategy for innovation adoption
How to evaluate partnership fit using cultural zeitgeist alignment

About the Guest:

Elizabeth Banks is an award-winning actor, director, producer, and entrepreneur, born Elizabeth Mitchell in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. A magna cum laude graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, she trained at the American Conservatory Theater before building her career in theatre, television, and film. Banks broke out in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man and went on to star in hits including The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Pitch Perfect, and The Hunger Games, earning Emmy nominations for her role on 30 Rock. Known for her wit and range, she also co-founded Archer Roose Wines, bringing the same creative disruption to consumer brands as she has to Hollywood.

Guest Resources:

Elizabeth Banks on IMDb

Archer Roose Wines Website

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Scale or Stale? Omnicom’s Big Bet on the Future

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 10:00:00 GMT

As Omnicom reveals its new structure after completing its $13 billion acquisition of IPG, is it building the modern holdco of the future or repeating an old playbook? On this episode of Adspeak, we explore the deal’s consolidation of brands, cuts in staffing, and push into data and buying power.

Ibotta Founder & CEO, Bryan Leach joins Ryan at the end of this episode to discuss why “performance” and “measurement” are the words on every brand marketer’s mind right now.

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Inside Houseplant’s Growth Play

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 10:00:00 GMT

Houseplant CEO and co-founder Mikey Mohr details how he and Seth Rogen used ceramics and home goods to build trust before entering the THC market. He explains the evolution from ashtrays to CPG and what it takes to survive a volatile category.

Also, Treasure Data CMO Karen Wood joins Ryan in a mid-episode sidebar to discuss the biggest opportunities and challenges for companies leaning into autonomous hyper-relevant AI.

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Amazon’s Next Ad War

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 10:00:00 GMT

Amazon spent this year making an aggressive bid for the ad industry’s future, and the ripple effects were felt across agencies, tech vendors, and rival platforms. Ryan Joe and Adweek Retail & Commerce editor Kathryn Lundstrom break down Amazon's new tech that could challenge Meta, Google, and The Trade Desk for 2026 budgets. They also unpack why buyers were buzzing, why some partners were sweating, and why Amazon’s deeper push into the open internet and premium video may reshape the entire media landscape.

ADWEEK shifts into high gear this November as we head to Las Vegas during formula racing season. Sports marketing has never been bigger, and we’re bringing together the industry leaders who are in the fast lane to brand growth and peak consumer engagement.

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Warner Bros. Discovery's M&A Madness

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 10:00:00 GMT

All eyes in the media world are on Warner Bros. Discovery's decision to hang up a "for-sale" sign, with a potential deal rippling across the media space. Lauren Johnson and Bill Bradley unpack the media giant's move and why Paramount may be the big winner.

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Hot Santa vs. The Grinch

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 10:00:00 GMT

Target’s Hot Santa is back, and Walmart’s going full Dr. Seuss. Ryan Joe and Brittaney Kiefer unpack two wildly different holiday ad strategies and what they reveal about each retailer’s fortunes heading into the season.

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On the First AI of Christmas

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Santa’s out, chatbots are in. As Walmart, Shopify, and Etsy plug into ChatGPT, agentic AI is reshaping how consumers discover and buy gifts. Ryan Joe talks with ADWEEK deputy editor Lauren Johnson about what’s real, what’s hype, and how brands can prep for an AI-driven holiday rush.

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AI’s Big Emotional Ad Makeover

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 09:00:00 GMT

From OpenAI to Anthropic, the machines have feelings now — or at least, really good creative directors. ADWEEK's Rebecca Stewart, Brittaney Kiefer, and Trishla Ostwal unpack how AI companies are humanizing their brands with some help from Madison Avenue, and how those efforts are landing with consumers.

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In Brands We Trust: Gen Z vs. Millennials

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 09:00:00 GMT

From Google and PayPal to Red Bull and Bitcoin, the brands we trust say a lot about the generations we’re part of. In this episode, Morning Consult CMO Jeff Cartwright unpacks which brands Millennials and Gen Z trust most—and what their choices reveal about hustle culture, digital skepticism, and the future of brand loyalty.

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The Meme Lord of Adland

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Digital_chadvertising built a meme account, got a flood of sources, and now shapes the industry’s inside jokes. We go deep on verification, fake‑tip paranoia, and why the coffee chart broke his DMs.

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American Eagle CMO Craig Brommers Runs Toward the Fire

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 09:00:00 GMT

American Eagle’s Sydney Sweeney campaign broke the internet, drove 1 million new customers, and sparked outrage—from eugenics accusations to presidential hot takes. American Eagle CMO Craig Brommers unpacks how the brand weathered the storm, what it couldn’t say during the quiet period, and whether he thought the discourse had any merit. Plus: Travis Kelce, Roblox, and what’s next after the most polarizing jeans ad Gen Z has ever seen.

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Kimmel, Colbert, and Late Night in Limbo

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 09:00:00 GMT

ABC’s suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! has cast a new shadow over late night. ADWEEK’s Rebecca Stewart and Bill Bradley dig into what this moment says about free speech, censorship, and the future of a genre already under pressure.

This episode was recorded Monday September 22nd, before the news broke that Jimmy Kimmel would return to air.

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Flipping the Swoosh Script

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Nike has one of the most recognizable taglines in the world. But as its brand struggles to reach Gen Z, it’s betting that playing with that equity will pay dividends. In this episode, Brittaney Kiefer unpacks Nike’s latest global brand campaign and whether or not a flip on its tagline will resonate with the anxious generation.

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The 15-Front War Facing Publishers

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Publishers are bleeding traffic, battling 15 problems at once—and experimenting like never before. Mark Stenberg breaks down the rise of on-site answer engines, the Substack vs. Patreon turf war, and why the New York Times quietly killed its audio app. It’s messy, but there is a playbook.

And if you're interested in getting Mark's insights on a weekly basis, be sure to sign up for his newsletter On Background here.

ADWEEK House Advertising HQ:

https://event.adweek.com/awh-advertisinghq-2025/9435390?r

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The SSP in the Shadows

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 09:00:00 GMT

A hidden link in the ad tech supply chain is raising eyebrows. Buyers found themselves unknowingly transacting through Epsilon’s SSP, owned by Publicis—giving a rival agency potential access to sensitive targeting data. We dig into how reselling obscures transparency and accountability.

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Frankenstein Criteo With Better Hands

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 09:00:00 GMT

The retail media gold rush is getting crowded, and Criteo’s role is being tested. ADWEEK’s Kathryn Lundstrom unpacks the battles ahead in one of digital advertising’s hottest sectors.

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Keeping Air in the Jordans

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Michael Jordan hasn’t played in two decades—but the Jordan Brand he built is turning 40. We explore how Nike is keeping it relevant in a world where most Gen Z fans never saw him play.

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Bad Jeans

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Brooke Shields did it in the ’80s. Sydney Sweeney did it in 2025. We compare the ad playbook then and now—and how American Eagles' “Great Jeans” campaign became a Rorschach test for the American psyche.

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The Measurement Wars: Nielsen vs. Everybody

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Can anyone topple Nielsen? We break down TV’s biggest (and nerdiest) turf war. For a while in 2021, the longtime ratings king looked vulnerable—inviting challengers like VideoAmp, iSpot, and Comscore to step up. But now, Nielsen is reasserting its dominance. We explore how the measurement landscape is shifting, who’s gaining ground, and why a multi-currency future might be harder than it sounds.

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The Fall of the Velvet Hammer, the Rise of the Rose

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 09:00:00 GMT

As X pivots to AI and WPP bets on a systems exec, we explore what Linda Yaccarino’s departure and Cindy Rose’s arrival mean for the future of marketing leadership.

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The War for the Living Room

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Can a single deal between streaming frenemies redraw the streaming power map? Roku’s partnership with Amazon could transform connected TV, shaking up rivals like The Trade Desk, Walmart, Google, and LG. It’s a clear win for Amazon—but is Roku gaining scale at the cost of control?

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The Scam Lions

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 09:00:00 GMT

The Cannes Lions wants to honor creativity. But in 2025, it also honored fabrication. We investigate the fallout.

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What Really Killed The Mill?

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Thousands of jobs gone. Decades of prestige, erased. What really killed The Mill? We go inside parent company Technicolor’s mismanagement and hidden debt, and the talent drain behind one of the production and VFX industry’s most shocking implosions. Plus: what it all means for the future of VFX and ad production.

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Why Agency Life Feels Broken

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Holdcos promise prestige, but are they killing creativity? We unpack ADWEEK’s exclusive survey about staffer satisfaction at big agencies, and hear from ex-employees who’ve gone indie for good.

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The Great Cannes Land Grab

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Behind the rosé and rooftops, Cannes 2025 laid bare a deep anxiety in advertising. With AI unease and retail media consolidation looming, Cannes became ground zero for creative one-upmanship. We break down the land grab, the ad tech wars, and the award season drama.

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Mark Read Is Out. Now What?

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 09:00:00 GMT

WPP’s CEO is on his way out, with no clear successor in place. Mark Read inherited a holding company in crisis, and the company is still in crisis. We unpack his legacy and what the future holds for the ad giant.

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Adalytics vs. the Industry

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Adalytics has become the industry's most polarizing watchdog, praised for its transparency crusade—and sued for it. We unpack how its research is shaking up ad tech and whether the company can survive its own impact.

Guest: Kendra Barnett, ADWEEK senior tech reporter

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Holding Company Succession

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 09:00:00 GMT

The power struggle among ad giants has never been fiercer. Publicis has surged ahead, WPP is wobbling, and Omnicom is making a massive play by plotting a historic merger with IPG. Ryan Joe and Alison Weissbrot unpack the drama behind the consolidation frenzy reshaping Madison Avenue.

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Every Story’s an Ad Now

Tue, 27 May 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Batman’s selling insurance. Sally is unreasonably excited about mayonnaise. Morpheus has more than a few chip flavors to offer. Welcome to Warner Bros. Discovery’s Storyverse – where your favorite characters become the face of your household products. On this episode of Adspeak, Editor in Chief Ryan Joe and Deputy Editor Bill Bradley unpack the strategy, risks, and ripple effects of turning every story and every beloved character into a sales channel.

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Dark Times at the LA Times

Tue, 20 May 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Can billionaires save journalism—or are they accelerating its collapse? ADWEEK’s Mark Stenberg reports on how Patrick Soon-Shiong’s hands-on management of the Los Angeles Times sparked internal chaos, subscriber losses, and advertiser backlash. With insights from Janice Min, we explore what this case says about the future of legacy media.

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Women's Sports Is Rewriting the Playbook

Tue, 13 May 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Women’s sports aren’t “having a moment” – they are the moment. Sue Bird saw it coming. Now, with NIL deals, $2 billion media rights contracts, and brands pumping in sponsorship dollars, the playbook is changing fast. This episode features trailblazers who've helped turn women's sports into an audience magnet, including WNBA legend Bird, Ally Financial CMO Andrea Brimmer, and Google global marketing director Kate Johnson. We'll unpack how women’s leagues became one of the hottest growth stories in sports marketing, why fan engagement is off the charts, and why smart brands are getting in before it’s too expensive to play.

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Miami Nice

Tue, 06 May 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Possible began as an upstart industry event with yachts, sun, and a surprise Elon Musk cameo. But in just three years, it’s become a legitimate power center for senior marketers. In this episode, host Ryan Joe speaks with industry veteran Lou Paskalis and ADWEEK senior reporter Kendra Barnett about the Miami-based conference's rapid expansion, the business done in hotel hallways, and how Possible might reshape the global event calendar—including Cannes itself.

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Antitrust and Google’s Adtech Alphabet Soup

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Google comfortably controls over 25% of the $303 billion ad market in the U.S. That will probably look very different in five year's time. This episode unpacks Google's adtech antitrust violations, explaining the tangled path that led us here and what it means for the industry, plus Google itself as it faces looming threats of a break up. Experts join us to make sense of the acronyms and intrigue behind digital advertising’s biggest shake-up yet. Let’s dive straight into Google’s adtech alphabet soup.

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Walmart: Always Low Prices, Except on Ads

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Retail media is a major growth area for digital marketing, and retailers like Walmart, Target, and Instacart and making huge investments to grow their ad selling businesses. But with that growth comes outsized expectations. This year, Walmart in particular has been clawing for bigger ad commitments from the companies that sell in its stores — up to 25% more from the previous year. And that’s a problem because it’s not always clear if these ads really perform. In this episode, we look at the damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don’t dichotomy as retail media has its financial growth spurt.

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Madwell CEO Chris Sojka’s Mad Salvation Plan

Wed, 16 Apr 2025 09:00:00 GMT

In this exclusive 1:1, Madwell CEO Chris Sojka speaks with ADWEEK editor in chief Ryan Joe about the controversial investments he’s made, the investments he’s making, and how he hopes it’ll all bring Madwell back. From the $17.5 million private jet to a mysterious theme park “exercise” in Texas, Sojka reveals how he hopes to bring Madwell back after two turbulent years.

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Inside Madwell's Mayhem

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Madwell, a Brooklyn-based indie agency, once was known for punching above its weight. Its impressive client roster includes big brands like Verizon Visible, e.l.f. Cosmetics, and Branca.

But in 2023, the agency became embroiled in financial and cultural trouble under the leadership of CEO Chris Sojka, and staffers tell ADWEEK they’ve struggled with “dictatorial” leadership and severely delayed paychecks.

In this debut episode of our flagship podcast Adspeak, we take a behind-the-scenes look at how ADWEEK uncovered the inside story of Madwell’s descent into madness.

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Introducing Adspeak from ADWEEK

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 16:40:17 GMT

Love it or hate it, advertising is the ultimate broker of power and influence in the world today. Adspeak, hosted by Adweek editor in chief Ryan Joe, brings to life stories from our top reporters, delving into the people and companies that shape how we view the world, the products we buy, and the entertainment we enjoy.

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