How to Make Marketing More Than a Campaign: Niels Schuurmans on Building Durable Brands

Jan 29, 2026

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A conversation with Niels Schuurmans on creative endurance, franchise thinking, and how lasting brands are built beyond the launch.

The Media Machine is a strategy podcast that breaks down how media really works, unpacking the systems, deals, and decisions shaping the future of the industry.

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EPISODE DESCRIPTION

In this episode of The Media Machine, Johanna Salazar and Julie Kellman Reading talk with Niels Schuurmans, Chief Marketing and Chief Creative Officer at 101 Studios, about what it takes to build durable brands in a franchise-driven media economy.

Niels shares why marketing today is less about launches and more about infrastructure, how incentives shape creative risk, and why relevance must be actively maintained between releases. The conversation breaks down how legacy brands can be reintroduced without relying on nostalgia, how independent studios operate differently from conglomerates, and what operators should focus on if they want their work to compound over time.

This episode is for media leaders, marketers, and creators who want to understand how cultural relevance is engineered, not hoped for.

PLEASE NOTE: "This episode contains occasional adult language."

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FRAMEWORK TAKEAWAY

Marketing compounds when it is built as a system, not a series of campaigns. Relevance must be earned continuously, not reintroduced at launch.

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WHAT THIS EPISODE COVERS

Why marketing has shifted from campaigns to long-term franchise systems
The difference between launching new brands and relaunching legacy ones
How familiarity opens the door, but meaning keeps audiences engaged
Why creative ideas still matter more than platforms
How incentives shape creative risk and marketing decisions
The operational differences between conglomerates and independent studios
Why working beyond your desk is now a career advantage
Franchise management as an always-on discipline, not a launch phase
When influencer marketing works, and when it doesn't
How creators and operators can become known for something distinctive

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KEY THEMES

Marketing as infrastructure, not promotion
Franchise relevance versus launch momentum
Creative ideas as the core differentiator
Incentives shaping behavior and risk
Entrepreneurial thinking inside large systems
Disruption as a discipline, not a moment

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WHY THIS CONVERSATION MATTERS NOW

As audiences fragment and traditional distribution power weakens, media companies can no longer rely on launches or legacy awareness to sustain attention. Operators are being asked to do more with fewer resources while maintaining cultural relevance across longer time horizons.

This conversation offers a grounded look at how durable franchises are actually built, why relevance must be actively managed between releases, and how marketers and leaders can design systems that compound instead of reset. It helps listeners move from reactive tactics to long-term thinking at a moment when the media system is still being rewritten.

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ABOUT THE GUEST

Niels Schuurmans is Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Creative Officer at 101 Studios. His career spans more than three decades across some of the most influential entertainment brands in modern media, including Nickelodeon, Spike TV, Paramount Network, and independent studio franchises such as Yellowstone. He is known for building creative and marketing systems that scale cultural relevance over time.

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ABOUT THE HOSTS

Johanna Salazar is a media systems builder with more than two decades of experience operating across television, streaming, sports, and digital platforms. She brings an operator's lens to the industry, breaking down how media systems function and how decisions and incentives shape outcomes.

Julie Kellman Reading is a creative executive, executive producer, and founder with experience spanning linear television, digital content, and independent ventures. She brings a people-first perspective and deep creative insight into how media is built, scaled, and sustained.

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SUBSCRIBE & FOLLOW

If someone sent you this episode, it's because they care about your future in media.

Follow The Media Machine for weekly conversations breaking down the systems, deals, and decisions shaping the industry.

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CREDITS

Created by: Johanna Salazar
Hosts: Johanna Salazar and Julie Kellman Reading
Executive Producers: Johanna Salazar and Julie Kellman Reading
Edited by: Love + Daydreams, Canvas Films Colombia

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WEBSITE LINK

the-mediamachine.com

Built on lovable, here's my link: LOVABLE

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PODCAST SOCIALS

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PODCAST LINKS

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HOST SOCIALS

Johanna Salazar

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_johannasalazar/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johannasalazar/
Website: the-mediamachine.com

Julie Kellman Reading

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loveanddaydreams/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliekellmanreading/
Website: https://www.loveanddaydreams.com

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ABOUT THE PODCAST

THE MEDIA MACHINE is a strategy podcast that breaks down how media really works. Each episode goes inside the systems, deals, and decisions shaping the future of media, tech, and content. The goal is not to react faster, but to see more clearly, understand long-term shifts, and make smarter short-term decisions. This show is for operators, builders, and decision-makers who want signal over noise, clarity over hype, and confidence over urgency.