
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

Oct 13, 2022 • 1h 29min
SBP 015: The Art of Budget Planning, with Dr. Grace Kite
Budget planning.
These two words can bring back nightmares for many marketers. A daunting task that pins marketers against finance departments in a game of chicken to see who blinks first. We know how difficult this process can be, so we called an expert to help us.
In this week's show, Dr. Grace Kite, Founder and economist, joins us from Magic Numbers to discuss budget planning, channel distribution, and what percentage of total revenue should be allocated to marketing. She also helps us understand the role of econometrics and shares how she really feels about CPA! This is a timely episode that we know you will enjoy.
Enjoy the show!
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Our Guest:
Follow Dr. Grace Kite on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grace-kite/
Magin Numbers: https://magicnumbers.co.uk/
Magic Numbers Profile: https://magicnumbers.co.uk/people/dr-grace-kite/
Marketing Week Author Page: https://www.marketingweek.com/author/grace-kite/
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The Sleeping Barber Podcast:
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/
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Literature:
Three data-led pointers for marketers during budget season: https://www.marketingweek.com/grace-kite-three-pointers-budget-season/
When it comes to marketing payback, words matter just as much as numbers: https://www.marketingweek.com/grace-kite-marketing-payback-words/
If there was a marketing effectiveness ‘crisis’, it’s now over: https://www.marketingweek.com/grace-kite-effectiveness-crisis/
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Timestamps:
0:40 - Introduction to Dr. Grace Kite
1:30 - What percentage of total revenue should be allocated to marketing?
6:30 - Does the industry impact what percentages of total revenue are allocated to marketing?
9:00 - What is the best way to allocate your budget?
10:30 - Econometrics and channel distribution.
11:50 - The 60/40 rule, budget allocation, and the nuances between offline and online.
14:00 - Excess share of voice and its impact on setting budgets.
17:30 - Market orientation and its impact on budget planning.
20:00 - Budget planning during a crisis.
23:00 - And why testing is important.
26:00 - Reach vs. frequency.
29:35 - Academic research may not be representative of all industries.
31:20 - Online vs. Offline media
38:04 - Did we shift to digital means more than we should have?
40:10 - CPA and why it can be misleading.
44:00 - What is incrementally?
49:00 - When SEM is important
52:36 - The role of econometrics measuring the efficacy of marketing.
54:00 - Defending research and the marketing budget.
57:30 - Defending budgets through the lens of time.
59:40 - Decrease in price sensitivity. How do marketers influence price sensitivity?
1:09 - How to get in touch with Grace
1:10 - Post-pod discussion with Mark and Vassilis

Sep 29, 2022 • 1h 7min
SBP 014: Is Marketing in Trouble?
Marketing. It's meant to be at the core of every business, bridging the gap between product and customer. In this episode of the sleeping barber podcast, our hosts Marc Binkley and Vassilis Douros debate if our discipline is at a crossroads. They discuss a myriad of topics covering the lack of identity of our discipline, CMO tenure, and even misguided marketing perspectives. This episode will leave you reflecting on what you, as a practitioner, can do differently and how to better adopt evidence-based decision-making.
Enjoy the show.
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The Sleeping Barber - A Marketing Podcast:
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/
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Literature:
Special thanks to friends of our podcast, Kantar, for sourcing great literature for us.
Creating better briefs - betterbriefs.com
How CEOs Grade Their CMOs - Forbes
Is The CMO Tenure Narrative Wrong? - Forbes
Total Marketing ROI - Kantar
The Imperative of Imagination - Kantar
Media Reactions 2022 - Kantar
The CMO Survey® - London Business School
If there was a marketing effectiveness 'crisis,' it's now over - MarketingWeek
Look at your brand from the customer's perspective, not the other way round - MarketingWeek
Average CMO Tenure Holds Steady at Lowest Level in Decade - WSJ
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Timestamps:
0:46 - Intro
2:18 - Marketing has a lack of identity
3:58 - What happened when marketing was led without an executive
6:10 - The "Evidence" why marketing is in trouble: CMO tenure, misguided perspectives, lack of effectiveness
8:14 - The CMO unicorn & the disciplines needed to succeed
11:03 - The merging of CMO and CDO
13:30 - Media Mix Modelling and Multi-touch attribution
15:09 - It's the death of ___
19:02 - The decline in marketing effectiveness
21:48 - The importance of creative
24:15 - Marketing has zero strategy
26:35 - Briefs and strategy
33:21 - The problem with quick wins
36:45 - Improving our metrics with evidence-based decision making
40:27 - Why do we default to myopic marketing myths?
43:15 - The misguided perspectives in marketing
48:00 - Are we really consumer-centric?
54:48 - The 4 Ps of marketing
57:17 - Conclusion - Is marketing really in trouble?

Sep 15, 2022 • 1h 28min
SBP 013: Creating Great (Strategy) Choices, with Jennifer Riel
After a small summer break, we are back to kick off the year's second half with a great guest lineup. In this week's episode, we welcome Jennifer Riel, Partner and Head of Strategy at IDEO, and co-author of Creating Great Choices. We discuss the similarities between Design Thinking and Integrative Thinking and when to use each model. We also touch on the importance of decoupling ideas from the person and get into a case study of the integrative thinking process: Brand Building v. Short Term ROAS. This episode is definitely worth the listen!
Enjoy the show!
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Our Guest:
Follow Jennifer Riel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-hartnett/.
IDEO Profile: https://www.ideo.com/people/jennifer-riel
IDEO: https://cantwait.ideo.com/
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The Sleeping Barber Podcast:
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/
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Literature:
Creating Great Choices: https://www.amazon.ca/Creating-Great-Choices-Integrative-Thinking/dp/1633692965/
TEDx Talk; The Importance of Being Wrong: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_suhntFmqY
Harvard Business Review:
The One Thing you Need to Know About Managing Functions
Transcending Either or Decision Making
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Timestamps:
0:45 - Intro to Jennifer & using integrative thinking to create great choices
2:30 - Similarities between Design Thinking and Integrative Thinking
7:48 - When to use each thinking model
9:30 - The fundamental question for strategy
12:30 - Why do we need to make time for creating great choices
18:52 - How incentives influence our decisions
23:55 - The cost of failure changes over time
26:45 - How to engage with other people
29:08 - Why we should decouple people from ideas
33:20 - What leaders and executives can learn from kids and Jay Z
39:06 - No judgement: IDEO's rule for brainstorming
40:37 - Why creativity (not artistry) is essential in decision making
43:24 - How to know when to use integrative thinking
49:54 - A case study of the integrative thinking process: Brand Building v. Short Term ROAS
1:07:49 - How to find out more about Jennifer
1:08:32 - Post Pod discussion with V and Marc

Jul 21, 2022 • 1h 34min
SBP 012: The Laws of Marketing with, Dr. Nicole Hartnett
In this week's show, we welcome Dr. Nicole Hartnett, Senior Marketing Scientist from the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science. We discuss the laws of marketing, what happens to brands when you stop advertising, how to build strong brands on distinctive assets, and even spend time discussing loyalty myths. Nicole shares a lot of insights that we know you will find valuable!
Enjoy the show!
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Our Guest:
Follow Dr. Nicole Hartnett on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-hartnett/.
Ehrenberg-Bass Institute: https://www.marketingscience.info/
Marketing: Theory, Evidence & Practice: https://www.amazon.ca/Marketing-Evidence-Practice-Byron-Sharp/dp/0195590295/ref=asc_df_0195590295/
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The Sleeping Barber Podcast:
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/
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Literature:
When Brands Stop Advertising: https://www.marketingscience.info/when-brands-stop-advertising/
Marketers' Intuitions about the Sales Effectiveness of Advertisements:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/304764587_Marketers'_Intuitions_about_the_Sales_Effectiveness_of_Advertisements
How Brands Grow: https://www.amazon.ca/How-Brands-Grow-What-Marketers/dp/0195573560/ref=asc_df_0195573560/
How Brands Grow Part 2: https://www.amazon.ca/How-Brands-Grow-Emerging-Services/
Building Distinctive Brand Assets: https://www.amazon.ca/Building-Distinctive-Brand-Assets-Romaniuk/dp/0190311509/
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Timestamps:
1:00 - Intro to Nicole
3:19 - The difference between repertoire and subscription markets
9:34 - Loyalty myths, the law of double jeopardy & why market penetration matters
13:55 - What influenced our fixation on loyalty
16:14 - Law of buying frequencies: why light category buyers are important
22:55 - Time & the illusion of solely loyal customers
26:29 - Penetration, the sustainable root to growth, is driven by mental & physical availability
29:58 - Proof of physical availability - private label substitutions from retailers
32:08 - Reach versus frequency - why reach is non-negotiable and the diminishing returns of high frequency
35:35 - How accurate are these laws?
41:20 - Ads don’t work on me: what happens when brands go dark
50:40 - Building solid brands through distinctive assets
55:20 - What makes a great ad - the Old Spice case study
1:01 - The difference between creativity and branding
1:04:03 - Why Nike needs to reconnect the Name with the Swoosh
1:05:38 - Brand awareness and category entry points
1:08:44 - How to contact Nicole
1:10:00 - Post-Pod discussion with V and Marc

Jul 7, 2022 • 1h 34min
SBP 011: The Power of Video Marketing with, Jon Mowat
On this edition of the Sleeping Barber podcast, we welcome Jon Mowat, award-winning content creator and video strategy expert. Initially working as a director at the BBC, he now turns his expertise to helping businesses achieve their objectives through engaging and powerful video campaigns as managing director of Hurricane Media - one of the UK's leading video marketing agencies.
Author of the book, Video Marketing, Create Engaging Video Campaigns to Drive Brand Growth and Sales, we spend time discussing the nuances of video marketing, some of the do's and don'ts and tea towels!
It's a great listen we hope you enjoy.
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Our Guest:
Follow Jon Mowat on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonmowat/
Hurricane Media: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hurricane-media/
Link to book: https://www.koganpage.com/product/video-marketing-9781398601147
20% off Promo code: sleepingbarber20
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The Sleeping Barber Podcast:
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/
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Timestamps
0:45 - Jon Mowat Bio
2:08 - A funny story from Iraq
4:01 - What makes video so unique
6:03 - Video across the sales funnel
8:17 - How video has changed
10:45 - How to use video across different touchpoints
13:46 - Video is more than just a TV commercial
16:09 - Where people watch video matters
19:44 - Video marketing planner
21:06 - Don’t waste your money: pre-plan your video shoot
25:08 - Less is more - Emotion, Fact and Action helps brand videos Airbus example https://youtu.be/Bw66ZJR2-8w
28:44 - Which emotion is important for your brand?
31:49 - Why emotion is important in B2B
33:14 - Why does video work
37:48 - How to prioritize the goals of video
42:48 - Why video costs more than email
45:47 - How to test a video
48:44 - Death by committee: how to protect ideas for your video
52:00 - Do you build videos for the channels, the idea or the audience?
55:40 - Do your objectives match your video’s performance metrics?
59:30 - More about Jon discount code: SleepingBarber20
1:01:01 - Post pod with V and Marc

Jun 23, 2022 • 1h 30min
SBP 010: The Meaningful Difference Framework, with Graham Staplehurst and Jorge Alagon
The Sleeping Barber podcast welcomes Graham Staplehurst, Director of Thought Leadership at BrandZ Kantar, and Jorge Alagon, Global Head of Data Science Innovations at Kantar. On this episode, we discuss the 2022 Global Brandz Report and decouple the 'Meaningful Difference Framework.' We also discuss what it means for brands to be salient, meaningful, and different, as well as how they can use the framework to create value. It is a fantastic conversation that we're confident you will enjoy.
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Our Guests:
Follow Graham Staplehurst on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gstaplehurst/
Follow Jorge Alagon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jalagon/
The 2022 Global BrandZ Report: https://www.kantar.com/campaigns/brandz/global
The Meaningful Difference Framework: https://kantaraustralia.com/kantar-millward-browns-meaningfully-different-framework-receives-marketing-accountability-standards-board-accreditation/
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The Sleeping Barber Podcast:
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/
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Timestamps
0:43 - Introduction to Graham Staplehurst and Jorge Alagon
2:34 - The Brandz Model and tracking the value of brands
4:27 - What is the vision of Brandz?
6:50 - How are brands valued?
9:20 - What makes Kantar's database valuable?
13:20 - What is the meaningful difference framework?
20:00 - What other attributes were considered for the meaningful difference framework?
25:20 - Understanding salience
28:42 - How does emotion stand as an attribute within the meaningful difference framework?
35:00 - Are brands really important? What does neuroscience say?
37:00 - How do brands create value?
39:30 - What are the important attributes marketers should be applying?
47:40 - How do you weigh the meaningful difference attributes against one another?
50:40 - How is 'difference' defined in the meaningful difference framework?
56:00 - The attributes help nudge consumers
56:45 - How actionable are the three core attributes?
01:00 - How to think about being meaningful as a brand
01:01 - Are there nuances between B2B and B2B industries?
01:09 - Post pod discussion

Jun 9, 2022 • 1h 6min
SBP 009: B2B Marketing and the Contrarian Matrix, with Ty Heath
In this episode of the Sleeping Barber, we welcome to the show Ty Heath, Director, Market Engagement at the B2B Institute at LinkedIn, where we discuss the contrarian matrix, the future cash flow model, the importance of content and emotion in B2B marketing and so much more.
While the focus of the discussion revolves around B2B, Ty shares a lot of great information that can apply to B2C as well.
Enjoy the episode!
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Our Guest:
Follow Ty on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyronaheath/.
Research from the LinkedIn B2B institute: https://business.linkedin.com/marketing-solutions/b2b-institute
Get more information on Ty Heath: https://tyronaheath.com/.
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The Sleeping Barber Podcast:
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/
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Timestamps
0:41 - Introduction to Ty Heath
1:48 - A little on the LinkedIn B2B institute
4:32 - The contrarian matrix and the value to businesses
6:35 - How to succeed in B2B marketing
9:00 - What are the blind spots for marketers?
11:43 - What is performance marketing?
12:40 - Does the orientation of a company change how it performs? Marketing vs. Sales.
16:16 - Orienting a team around the consumer decision journey.
17:14 - Where does brand live in a B2B organization?
22:45 - Marketing and Sales teams, how do they play nice?
26:20 - Creating shared outcomes, why is it so difficult for organizations?
28:42 - The Finance department and how marketers can make a greater impact.
31:43 - Storytelling internally.
33:35 - Future cashflow model.
38:40 - The importance of content and emotion in B2B marketing.
44:28 - What marketing trends should marketers lean into?
46:49 - Post Pod discussion

May 26, 2022 • 1h 18min
SBP 008: Building Brand on a Small Budget, with Ian Barnard and Faisal Sidiqqui
The importance of 'brand' cannot be understated, while at the same time, the most significant barrier for marketers is budget. But what if we would tell you that you can build a brand with a small budget? In this episode of the Sleeping Barber, we welcome Faisal Sidiqqui and Ian Barnard to discuss their marketing guide on building a big brand on a small budget. It's a conversation that you won't want to miss.
Enjoy the episode!
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Our Guests:
Follow Ian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-barnard-76a76251/
Follow Faisal on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mfaisalsiddiqui/
Get more information on their company: https://creativebusinesscompany.com/
Get your copy of Brand building on a small budget: https://creativebusinesscompany.com/big-brand-small-budget
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The Sleeping Barber Podcast:
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/
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Timestamps
0:38 - Introduction to Faisal & Ian
3it's- Why the marketers should care about the 5:95 rule
5:45 - Why it’s hard for marketers to think about balancing short and long term results
8:33 - Why do small companies struggle with brand building commitments
9:49 - Brand marketers are partlydon'tlame for lack of confidence
12:44 - Emotional brand campaigns don’t have to make people cry
18:49 - Bothism matters for successful marketing
20:55 - Brand marketers often fail to articulate the value of brand marketing
21:58 - Brand marketers should learn more about performance marketing metrics
25:30 - Better metrics for brWhat'srketing
30:30 - Why video is helpful for small brands
33:21 - What’s the right length of a video?
37:56 - Unlocking value - how to build brand videos affordably
39:47 - the evolution of video from snackable short format to long format
41:17 - An abundance of digital video inventory creates many opportunities
42:48 - How the 2-4-5 content framework links to the stages of the funnel
44:55 - Brand performance is not an oxymoron
46:57 - Case Study: An example of a brand performance video at work
48:31 - Case Study: Brand performance video metrics
54:50 - Post-Pod discussion with V & Marc

May 12, 2022 • 1h 14min
SBP 007: Designing a career in marketing, with Dan White
We welcome to the show Dan White, author of two books, 'The Smart Marketing Book' and 'The Soft Skills Book.' We discuss our careers and how we've adapted throughout the years while also covering the importance of soft skills that can make you a successful marketer. We finish off our conversation by bestowing advice to our younger selves.
We hope you enjoy this episode!
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Our guest:
Follow Dan White on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/danwhite1000/
Get your copy of The Soft Skills Book:
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1911671545/
You can get more information on Dan's work below:
https://smartmarketing.me
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The Sleeping Barber Podcast:
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/
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Timestamps
0:45 - Introductions
03:45 - How did this idea come about.
05:11 - How did we get to where we are today.
12:50 - How to choose your career.
15:30 - Have you ever made a decision based on money?
21:24 - What are the soft skills that have helped you the most?
32:43 - The principles of good visual design
35:00 - The sales funnel
39:25 - What information should marketers spend time becoming more familiar with?
57:00 - Learning and development, how much is this on you or the company's responsibility?
1:04:30 - What has been your motivator to seek more?
1:08:40 - One piece of advice to your younger self.

Apr 28, 2022 • 1h 22min
SBP 006: A New Way to Think, with Roger Martin
Episode 6 is here and it's a special one for us. In this episode of the Sleeping Barber Podcast, we welcome back Roger Martin and discuss his latest book 'A New Way to Think.' We cover many topics like cumulative advantage, understanding human behavior, while discussing frameworks that can help build organizations that thrive. We are really excited about this episode, and we think you will really enjoy this one!
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Follow Roger Martin on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/roger-martin-9916911a9/
Get your copy of A New Way to Think here:
https://www.amazon.ca/New-Way-Think-Management-Effectiveness/dp/164782351X/
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/
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Timestamps
0:42 - Quick Introduction to “A New Way to Think”
3:15 - Introduction to Roger
6:00 - Are we thinking about customers the right way?
10:02 - Learning to ask the right questions that inform strategy.
15:17 - Understanding Cumulative Advantage
22:00 - Making decisions based on loyalty vs. habit. The role of the subconscious.
28:37 - Understanding human behaviour in marketing
32:47 - Strategy - Planning - Execution vs. strategic planning.
38:47 - Strategic planning. How often?
41:05 - What counts isn't what's true. It’s what would have to be true.
46:00 - How to de-risk your campaigns
50:14 - Identifying problem statements vs. choice outcomes
54:58 - Creating discipline by identifying “what has to be true.”
59:35 - Knowledge work and decision factories
1:07 - Post-Pod discussion with V and Marc