
Sleeping Barber - A Marketing Podcast
Ready to rethink business strategy and supercharge your marketing game? Join hosts Marc Binkley and Vassilis Douros as they break down big questions at the crossroads of strategy, marketing effectiveness, and creative impact.
From real-world case studies to hot-off-the-press business news, each episode dives deep into how modern companies navigate complexity. Plus, interviews with global thought leaders bring you fresh insights and actionable strategies to drive growth and build unforgettable customer experiences.
This is your backstage pass to smarter thinking and better business results.
Latest episodes

Feb 13, 2025 • 1h 8min
SBP 108: Touchdowns & Turnovers: Super Bowl Ads Rated. With Vanessa Chin.
Welcome back to another episode of The Sleeping Barber Podcast!Super Bowl 59 may be over, but the ads are still making waves! Today, we’re joined by Vanessa Chin, SVP at System1, to break down the intricacies of Super Bowl advertising.We analyze four standout ads and explore how they scored across Star, Spike, and Fluency, diving into key topics like:- The effectiveness of creative quality- The power of emotional responses in advertising- The role of pre-testing in shaping winning ad strategiesTune in for an insightful discussion on what makes a Super Bowl ad truly resonate!One last thought. We would also encourage you to head over to watch this episode on YouTube. This way you can watch the System 1 tech in action!https://youtu.be/9QU1ZUDXWtQOur Guest:Vanessa Chin - SVP of Marketing at System 1https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessamackeychin/System 1 - Creative Effectiveness Platform measures emotion to predict the business impact of adshttps://system1group.com/Follow Our Updates:https://www.linkedin.com/company/sleeping-barber/Get in touch with our hosts:Marc Binkley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbinkley/Vassilis Douros: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vassilisdouros/Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction03:01 - Understanding System One's Creative Effectiveness Metrics05:43 - The Importance of Creative Quality in Advertising08:54 - Comparing Super Bowl Ads to Regular Ads11:43 - The Role of Pre-Testing in Advertising14:47 - Navigating Internal Conversations with Pre-Testing Data17:43 - Case Study: Reese's Don't Eat Lava Ad20:13 - Analyzing Emotional Responses in Advertising22:58 - Case Study: Budweiser's First Delivery Ad27:59 - Emotional Resonance in Advertising32:19 - The Power of Music in Ads36:14 - Celebrity Influence in Super Bowl Ads44:15 - The Success of Doritos' Crash the Super Bowl50:18 - Brand Fluency and Recognition Strategies56:45 - Post Pod with V and MarcBackground Research & Links:https://system1group.com/uncategorized/our-metrics-explainedhttps://www.emarketer.com/content/super-bowl-deliver-on-ratings--ads--streaminghttps://www.westwoodone.com/blog/2024/08/12/adelaide-attentiveness-measurement-1000-of-am-fm-radio-ads-require-2635-worth-of-facebook-ads-to-achieve-the-same-level-of-attention-audio-platforms-generate-nearly-the-same-attentiveness-as-tv/https://www.smartmarketing.me/attention-gained-by-different-media.htmlhttps://www.thinkbox.tv/research/thinkbox-research/the-drivers-of-profitabilityhttps://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-much-do-2025-super-bowl-commercials-cost-heres-the-price-tag-on-ads-this-year/https://system1group.com/the-extraordinary-cost-of-dullhttps://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/sbp-091-the-cost-of-dull-ads-with-adam-morgan/id1609811324?i=1000671637754https://ipa.co.uk/news/creative-consistency

Feb 6, 2025 • 37min
SBP 107: The Barber's Brief: Tariff Edition - February 6, 2025
Welcome to another episode of The Barber’s Brief!Join Marc and Vassilis as they dive into the latest marketing and business news, spotlight a standout case study in their Marketing Moment, and wrap up with the Ad of the Week. This week though, they tackle the topic of the potential trade war that could be looming!Enjoy the show!Follow our updates here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sleeping-barber/Get in touch with our hosts:Marc Binkley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbinkley/Vassilis Douros: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vassilisdouros/Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction01:39 - NBC Tariff Overview?04:04 - Tariffs and the 4Ps20:05 - The Marketing Moment: WARCs Multiplier Effect Study29:22 - Ad of the Week - Kraft Mayonnaise from 193134:23 - Coming Up Next WeekIn The News LinksTariff Overview - NBC NewsNBC News https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/live-blog/trump-china-canada-mexico-tariffs-live-updates-rcna190144Which provinces are pulling U.S. alcohol off shelves over Trump’s tariffs?https://globalnews.ca/news/10993794/trump-tariffs-liquor-boards/ China’s Massive Belt and Road Initiativehttps://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/chinas-massive-belt-and-road-initiative10 things that could cost more under new tariffshttps://www.fox9.com/news/trump-tariffs-price-hikesAll the generic coronavirus ads are a waste of time and budgethttps://www.marketingweek.com/generic-covid-ads-waste-time-budget/The Marketing Moment:WARC Multiplier Effect - Great resource with a few highly relevant case studieshttps://page.warc.com/the-multiplier-effect-reportAd Of The Week:An ad from Kraft in 1931 Despite a challenging economy, they didn’t highlight the price Instead, Kraft focused on increasing brand recognition: from Gelfand to KraftProduct features & ingredients: a great supply chain that keeps mayonnaise Always Kitchen Fresh! Guaranteed by your trusted grocerEggs, Select Oil, aged-in-the-wood vinegar, rare spicesService: Home DeliveryRecipe ideas to use more: dress lettuceEmphasized nutritional value and quality for an economical price, and used recipe books as a promotional tool.

Jan 30, 2025 • 1h 21min
SBP 106: Why Cutting Marketing Budgets is a Mistake. With Hilary Borndahl.
In this episode of The Sleeping Barber Podcast, Marc Binkley and Vassilis Douros welcome Hilary Borndahl to discuss the critical role of measurement in marketing, with a focus on marketing mix modelling (MMM) and its impact on ROI. They explore the challenges marketers face in justifying budgets, the importance of understanding ad stock, and the consequences of cutting marketing spend.
The conversation also covers the evolution of digital marketing, the balance between performance and brand marketing, and the value of MMM in providing a holistic view of marketing effectiveness. Marc highlights the growing need for integration between paid and organic search, the influence of audio advertising on consumer behaviour, and the complexities of modern consumer journeys.
Other key topics include targeting strategies, AI’s role in marketing measurement, and the necessity for CMOs to be data-savvy. The episode also examines the effectiveness of creative in campaigns and the rising significance of metrics like the Marketing Effectiveness Ratio (MER) in evaluating media performance.
Our Guest:
Hilary Borndhal, CEO & founder of Miix Analytics
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hilary-borndahl/
Follow our updates here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sleeping-barber/
Get in touch with our hosts:
Marc Binkley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbinkley/
Vassilis Douros: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vassilisdouros/Follow Our
Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction to Measurement in Marketing
02:56 - Introduction to Hilary, Miix Analytics & the Insights Association
06:07 - The Wanamaker Dilemma and ROI Challenges
08:59 - Understanding Ad Stock and Its Importance
11:49 - The Impact of Cutting Marketing Budgets
15:08 - The Role of Digital Marketing Today
18:03 - Performance Marketing vs. Brand Marketing
20:51 - The Evolution of Measurement Techniques
24:04 - Marketing Mix Modeling Explained
26:56 - Benefits of Marketing Mix Modeling
30:14 - Review Cycles for Marketing Mix Modeling
33:01 - Balancing Brand and Performance Investments
39:42 - The Integration of Paid and Organic Search
42:07 - The Role of Audio in Marketing
44:58 - Consumer Behavior and Search Dynamics
50:37 - The Complexity of Consumer Journeys
54:21 - Narrow vs. Broad Targeting in Marketing
58:43 - The Impact of AI on Marketing Measurement
01:01:15 - Post-pod Discussion - Marc and V's key takeaways and insights from the conversation

Jan 23, 2025 • 34min
SBP 105: The Barber's Brief - January 23, 2025
Welcome to another episode of The Barber’s Brief, by the Sleeping Barber Podcast!
Join Marc and Vassilis as they dive into the latest marketing and business news, spotlight a standout case study in their Marketing Moment, and wrap up with the Ad of the Week.
Enjoy the show!
Follow our Updates:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/sleeping-barber/
Follow our Hosts:
Marc Binkley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbinkley/
Vassilis Douros: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vassilisdouros/

Jan 16, 2025 • 1h 16min
SPB 104: Marketing Resolutions for 2025. With Prof. Byron Sharp.
In this episode of the Sleeping Barber Podcast, Professor Byron Sharp discusses key marketing resolutions for 2025, emphasizing the importance of understanding consumer behaviour, the limitations of loyalty programs, and the need for evidence-based marketing practices. He shares insights from his extensive research at the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, challenging conventional marketing wisdom and advocating for a more scientific approach to marketing strategy.
We hope you enjoy listening to this episode!
Our Guest:
Prof. Bryon Sharp: https://www.linkedin.com/in/professorbyronsharp/
Professor of Marketing Science & Director of the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute the world's largest centre for marketing research
Author of
How Brands Grow I & II
Textbook Marketing: Theory, Evidence & Practice
90+ Journal articles
Follow our updates here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sleeping-barber/
Get in touch with our hosts:
Marc Binkley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbinkley/
Vassilis Douros: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vassilisdouros/Follow Our Updates:
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction to Marketing Resolutions
02:53 Byron Sharp's Journey in Marketing Science
05:57 The Punk Rock Nature of Marketing Science
08:48 Consumer Behavior: The Weirdness of the Market
11:53 Rethinking Brand Loyalty and Customer Acquisition
15:10 The Importance of Mental Availability
18:00 Segmentation Strategies in Marketing
20:47 Assessing Metrics for Performance Tracking
38:42 Reassessing Metrics for Performance Measurement
41:25 Understanding Mental vs. Physical Availability
45:21 The Importance of Distinctive Brand Assets
47:12 Rethinking the Consumer Purchase Funnel
51:39 How Brands Go Live: A New Approach
56:54 Post-Pod with V& Marc Key Takeaways

Jan 9, 2025 • 31min
SBP103 - The Barber's Brief - January 9th 2025
Welcome to another episode of The Barber’s Brief, by the Sleeping Barber Podcast!
Join Marc and Vassilis as they dive into the latest marketing and business news, spotlight a standout case study in their Marketing Moment, and wrap up with the Ad of the Week.
Enjoy the show!
Follow our Updates:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/sleeping-barber/
Follow our Hosts:
Marc Binkley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbinkley/
Vassilis Douros: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vassilisdouros/
Timestamps:
0:00 - Introduction
1:18 - Mark Ritson's Annual Top Marketing Moments 10 - 5
5:56 - How Small Brands Grow
10:18 - Mark Ritson's Annual Top Marketing Moments 4-1
15:41 - Chipotle Expands Partnership with Strava
19:17 - The Marketing Moment: Questioning the Growth Dogma. A Replication Study
25:49 - Ad of the week: Apple's Heartstrings
28:45 - Coming up next week.
In The News Links:
Mark Riston’s Annual Top 10 Marketing Moments
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kk9ju-avzNo
How Small Brands Grow
Source LinkedIn - Author Julia Skinner
Link: https://shorturl.at/Kwy9Y
Headline: Chipotle expands Strava tie-up globally to fuel New Year’s fitness goals
Source: Marketing DiveLink: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/chipotle-strava-global-new-years-fitness-goals/736446/
Questioning the Growth Dogma: A Replication Study
Ad of the Week
Title: Heartstrings
Advertiser Apple
Agency: TWBA & Media Arts LabLink: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvnJhwIwqds
Apple had introduced their annual Holiday advertisement for the 2024 season at the end of November, titled “Heartstrings”, and it’s an unusually moving commercial that focuses on hearing loss and the hearing aids feature of AirPods Pro 2 (which happen to be hugely discounted on Amazon right now, if you’re in the market).
In the touching and family oriented commercial, a small family is gathered around a Christmas tree opening presents, and as the father reminiscences about his daughter growing up over the years, he gets a nudge from his wife to listen to his daughter singing a rendition of “Our House” by Crosby, Stills, and Nash, where he puts in his AirPods and is able to hear her clearly.

Dec 18, 2024 • 43min
SPB 102: The Barber's Brief: Navigating the 2025 Marketing Trends
Welcome to Another Episode of Our Barber’s Brief.
In our final episode of the year, Vassilis and Marc discuss the key insights from the Cantor 2025 Trends Report, focusing on sustainability, inclusion, population growth challenges, the evolution of retail media networks, and the importance of innovation.
They emphasize the need for authenticity in sustainability efforts, the business advantages of inclusivity, and the potential of retail media networks to leverage first-party data for targeted marketing. The conversation highlights the necessity for brands to adapt and innovate in a changing market landscape.
Enjoy the show!
Follow our updates here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sleeping-barber/
Get in touch with our hosts:
Marc Binkley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbinkley/
Vassilis Douros: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vassilisdouros/
Timestamps
00:00 - Introduction to 2025 Trends Report
01:24 - Sustainability in Marketing
04:39 - The Inclusion Imperative
09:19 - Population Growth Challenges
17:17 - Retail Media Networks Evolution
25:43 - Stretching the Limits of Innovation
Link to report: https://www.kantar.com/campaigns/marketing-trends

Dec 11, 2024 • 1h 7min
SBP 101: The Year In Review Episode. With Elena Jasper and Conor Byrne.
Join our hosts, Marc and Vassilis as they welcome back Elena Jasper from 'The Marketing Architects Podcast' and Conor Byrne from 'Now That's What I Call Marketing' to the "studio."
In this engaging year-end review, our hosts and guests dive into standout marketing campaigns, trends in influencer marketing, and the effectiveness of various targeting strategies. They highlight successful campaigns like Budweiser's Clydesdales return and Elf Beauty's bold marketing approach while debating the future of influencer marketing and the critical role of first-party data.
The conversation also explores broad targeting strategies, brand purpose vs. performance marketing, and the impact of diversity campaigns amidst cancel culture. Furthermore, they discuss the evolution of large language models (LLMs) and their marketing implications, alongside Jaguar's controversial rebranding strategy and its effect on brand loyalty. Wrapping up, they share predictions for 2025, focusing on emerging trends in media and marketing, the rise of AI in creative processes, and the importance of nuanced marketing strategies in a dynamic landscape.
This episode is packed with insights, predictions, and vibrant debates you won't want to miss!
Our Guests:
Elena Jasper:
VP of Marketing @ Marketing Architects and Podcast Host of The Marketing Architects
https://www.linkedin.com/in/elenajasper/
Conor Byrne:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/conorbyrne/
Senior Marketing Director and Podcast of 'Now That's What I Call Marketing'
Follow our updates here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sleeping-barber/
Get in touch with our hosts:
Marc Binkley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbinkley/
Vassilis Douros: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vassilisdouros/
0:00 - Introduction and Year in Review
04:50 - Campaigns of the Year
14:45 - Bullish or Bearish: Marketing Trends
33:05 - Marketing Surprises of the Year
48:50 - Predictions for 2025: Media and Marketing Trends
Links:
Marketing Architects https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-marketing-architects/id1679048313
That’s What I Call Marketing https://www.thatswhaticallmarketing.com/
Sleeping Barber https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-sleeping-barber-a-business-and-marketing-podcast/id1609811324
Filipe Thomaz Report https://www.mi-3.com.au/15-10-2024/really-mediocre-outcomes-oxford-uni-professor-says-byron-sharp-and-ehrenberg-bass

Dec 5, 2024 • 43min
SPB 100: The Barber's Brief - Celebrating Our 100th Episode
This is a special episode of the Barber's Brief, where Marc and Vassilis celebrate their 100th episode of the Sleeping Barber Podcast, while still diving into the latest marketing and business news. A small twist to the marketing moment, where they spotlight the Podcast, its origin, vision and direction moving forward.
Enjoy the show!
Follow our updates here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sleeping-barber/
Get in touch with our hosts:
Marc Binkley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbinkley/
Vassilis Douros: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vassilisdouros/
Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
03:32 - US Black Friday Results
06:34 - Jaguar's Bold Rebranding
10:36 - Critique of Jaguar's Marketing Strategy
20:20 - DOJ Recommendations for Google. Sell Chrome!
27:24 - Marketing Moment: Our Podcast
In The News Links:
US Black Friday Spending In store & online rose by 3.4%
https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/black-friday-data-shows-us-shoppers-spent-108-bln-online-2024-11-30/
Jaguar releases a concept for its new EV model after a controversy over its rebranding — which didn't feature a car.
Link: https://www.businessinsider.com/jaguar-releases-concept-car-after-controversial-rebranding-campaign-woke-2024-12
Advertising Malpractice at Jaguar - Roger Martin
https://rogermartin.medium.com/strategy-branding-30fcb644ecc8
DOJ: Google must sell Chrome to end monopoly
Link: https://techcrunch.com/2024/11/20/doj-google-must-sell-chrome-to-end-monopoly/

Nov 28, 2024 • 1h 14min
SBP 099 - How To Build Persuasive Presentations. With Nancy Duarte.
Marketing may involve running campaigns, tracking pricing, or creating brands, but let’s face it—marketers spend a lot of time building decks. From pitching ideas and asking for funding to reporting results or outlining strategies, we rely on presentations to drive action. Yet, no idea gains traction if it isn’t understood. That’s why communication and presentation skills are essential.
In this episode, Nancy Duarte shares her insights on crafting persuasive presentations and mastering effective communication.
Enjoy the show!
Our Guest:
Nancy Duarte
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyduarte/
CEO & Principal @ Duarte, Inc. - Creative Services & Presentation Skills Training
Author of 6 books & contributor to numerous publications like HBR, NYT, Wall Street Journal, Wired
Her TED Talk - The Secret Structure of Great Talks has well over 3M views
A client list that looks like the S&P500 listing - Apple, Hubspot, Walmart, Salesforce, Visa, Workday etc
Follow our updates here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sleeping-barber/
Get in touch with our hosts:
Marc Binkley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbinkley/
Vassilis Douros: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vassilisdouros/
Background Research & Literature:
Duarte, Inc. https://www.duarte.com/
TEDx The Secret Strucutre of Great Talks https://www.ted.com/talks/nancy_duarte_the_secret_structure_of_great_talks
Books https://www.duarte.com/resources/books/
Create Slides People will Remember https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeV2fHEM4RI
Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro to Nancy Duarte
3:35 - Nancy’s career path to Presentation Agency Owner
6:38 - A presentation that won an Academy Award 9:35 - The challenge with most presentations
12:40 - How to amplify the connection to your audience
15:22 - Building decks is different from persuasive communication
19:00 - The importance of unpacking visuals
20:35 - Slideshows vs. Slidedocs
24:00 - Communication is evolving, PPT is just a tool
26:55 - How data has changed presentations
29:55 - Design implications with data
33:19 - The structure of great talks
37:42 - Why objections can improve your presentations
41:38 - Poking holes before presenting
43:45 - The Duarte Method: Story, Visuals, Delivery & Empathy
47:19 - Presenters need to think more like a helicopter than a train
49:40 - The big Aha’s for great presentations
51:54 - Learning more about Nancy
55:21 - Post-pod with V and Marc
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