
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

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

Nov 21, 2024 • 27min
SBP 098: The Barber's Brief - November 21, 2024
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.
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
00:51 - Why Tide is shifting to social-first marketing for its latest NFL blitz.
03:47 - Spotify takes aim at YT with a new revenue-sharing platform for creators.
06:07 - Google to halt political ads in EU over new regulations.
10:07 - US Ad spend managed by agency holding companies.
14:15 - 2024 CeraVe's Super Bowl Stunt: A Humorous Take on Brand Awareness.
14:15 - Ad of the Week - VW, Think Small
In The News Links:
Title: Why Tide is shifting to social-first marketing for its latest NFL blitz - https://www.marketingdive.com/news/tide-tackles-NFL-marketing-campaign-social-creator-content/732597/
Spotify takes aim at YT with a new revenue-sharing platform for creators - https://www.businessinsider.com/spotify-battles-youtube-with-new-creator-video-revenue-sharing-program-2024-11
Google to halt political ads in EU over new regulations - https://searchengineland.com/google-halt-political-ads-eu-448336
US Ad Spend managed by agency-holding companies, Shane O’Leary - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/shane-o-leary-1660_sometimes-you-see-a-graph-or-piece-of-data-activity-7261356951370895360-BMSB

Nov 14, 2024 • 1h 31min
SBP 097 - A Customer Promise Is A Business Strategy, with Roger Martin, Mimi Turner and Jann Martin Schwarz.
In this episode, we're excited to welcome back our returning guest, Roger Martin, and he's brought along two brilliant co-researchers/authors, Mimi Turner and Jann Martin Schwarz!
They’re here to share insights from the latest Promise to the Customer (PTTC) research by WARC and The B2B Institute. Last year, Roger joined us to discuss findings from a B2C dataset, but this time, it’s all about B2B.
So grab a seat, plug in your earbuds and join us as we dive into what really matters to business customers today—direct from the experts.
Our Guests
Roger Martin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/roger-martin-9916911a9/
The World’s Authority on Strategy
Named #1 Management Thinker by Thinkers50
Trusted strategy advisor to CEOs of the biggest companies on the planet like P&G, Lego, Ford
Author of 13 books & 34 HBR articles including Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works
Mimi Turner - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mimi-turner/
Head of Marketplace Innovation with LinkedIn LMS
Fellow @ The B2B Institute
Jann Martin Schwarz - https://www.linkedin.com/in/janns/
Founder of The B2B Institute, Sr. Director Marketplace Innovation
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
0:57 - Introduction to Mimi, Jann & Roger
3:05 - How LinkedIn is shaping the understanding of B2B marketing
5:00 - Defining & examples of a promise to the customer (PTTC)
8:40 - Linking PTTC to strategy
10:53 - Why PTTC matters
14:40 - PTTC isn’t just for big brands
18:47 - The link between PTTC and a winning aspiration in business strategy
20:39 - Why PTTC can help brands differentiate
24:08 - PTTC examples with Sage ERP B2B SaaS
26:20 - how PTTC can improve ad creative
27:55 - Why PTTC works
32:50 - PTTC is more than an ad campaign
35:14 - Aligning sales & marketing to simplify the buyer’s experience
38:43 - PTTC impact on ABM & targeting
41:52 - Customer promises make the customer-company relationship tangible
44:20 - Business isn’t personal?
46:20 - The real job of B2B marketers
50:17 - How you know when you’ve got a brand
51:40 - The importance of knowing a brands before buying
54:58 - Brands are like blame insurance in decision making
57:20 - Roger: the most striking finding from this research
1:00:45 - Jann: the most striking finding from this research
1:03:55 - Mimi: the most striking finding from this research
1:05:41 - how P&G used PTTC to evaluate campaigns
1:10:08 - Post-pod with V, Marc & MIMI!
Links & References
The B2B Institute - https://business.linkedin.com/marketing-solutions/b2b-institute
Making a Promise to the Business Customer - https://business.linkedin.com/marketing-solutions/b2b-institute/making-a-promise-to-the-business-customer
Full Research Library - https://business.linkedin.com/marketing-solutions/b2b-institute/b2b-research?selectedFilter=all-categories
The Product Delusion - https://business.linkedin.com/marketing-solutions/b2b-institute/b2b-research/trends/the-product-delusion
Roger Martin
Website https://rogerlmartin.com
Medium https://rogermartin.medium.com/
SBP - PTTC 2023 episode with Roger https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/sbp-040-making-a-promise-to-the-customer-with-roger-martin/id1609811324?i=1000631039119

Nov 7, 2024 • 30min
SBP 096: The Barber's Brief - November 6, 2024
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.
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
01:25 - Is influencer marketing right for you?
04:24 - lululemon and Fanatics Partner with NHL® to Launch New Premium Fan Apparel Collection.
08:18 - Moo Deng will Die. Your brand needs to be immortal.
12:08 - ChatGPT search officially launches
18:26 - The Marketing Moment: Heinz Ketchup, It has to be Heinz.
25:21 - Ad of the Week - Apple, Write Smarter.
In The News Links:
Is influencer marketing right for you?
Dr. Grace Kite https://www.linkedin.com/posts/magic-numbers-co_is-influencer-marketing-right-for-you-the-activity-7254761570923069441-iknX
YouGov findings: https://business.yougov.com/content/50275-from-kitchen-to-closet-nearly-three-in-five-users-find-fashion-and-food-influencer-advice-helpful
lululemon and Fanatics Partner with NHL® to Launch New Premium Fan Apparel Collection
Source: https://corporate.lululemon.com/media/our-stories/2024/lululemon-and-fanatics-partner-with-nhl
Moo Deng will Die. Your brand needs to be immortal
Andrew Tindall on The Drum
Source: https://www.thedrum.com/opinion/2024/10/24/moo-deng-will-die-your-brand-needs-be-immortal
ChatGPT search officially launches
Source: Techcrunch
Link: https://searchengineland.com/chatgpt-search-officially-launches-447919
The Marketing Moment:
Heinz Ketchup: It has to be Heinz
WARC Cannes Creative Lions Grand Prix, Creative Effectiveness Lions
Agency - Rethink Canada
https://info.canneslions.com/the-official-cannes-lions-2024-wrap-up-report/creative-impact
Ad Of The Week:
Title: Write Smarter
Advertiser: Apple
Link: https://youtu.be/3m0MoYKwVTM?list=TLGGnLWpSYG3DtwwNTExMjAyNA
The latest Apple ad, ‘Write Smarter,’ follows an office worker using the tech giant's Intelligence system on his iPhone 16 Pro to refine his usually casual emails into polished, professional messages, much to the surprise of his boss, who seems a bit perplexed by the sudden shift in tone.