
Breaking and Entering Advertising Podcast
Connecting the Advertising and Marketing World, One Heist at a Time
We bridge gaps across the industry—connecting agencies with brands, production houses with agencies, and aspiring talent with recruiters. Whether you're a marketing executive seeking the perfect agency partner or someone aiming to break into the field, this podcast helps you pull off your ultimate heist.
With over 150,000 listeners, we explore the people, culture, and insights shaping advertising and marketing. Tune in to conversations that break down barriers and open doors.
Latest episodes

Jan 16, 2024 • 56min
#201: Paanii Annan, Brand Director, Nike at Wieden + Kennedy
You should hear how Paanii Annan explains why Nikola Jokic is the best person to learn from as an Account Person.
Or what it's like to be a Brand Director on Nike at Wieden + Kennedy.
Or what it's like to move from Denver to Chicago for his first job at Leo Burnett in Chicago.
You should listen to his best advice for aspiring account professionals and the key attributes he exemplifies and looks for when he is hiring.
And you can ask him directly about these things after you listen, because he gives out his email at some random point in the podcast.
But, we will leave that for you to find; along the way, you will learn about his life and some valuable advice for all aspiring advice.
Listen to Paanii, for the golden nuggets of advice that could be the difference.
Links
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paanii-annan-77285765/
https://www.crowbarawards.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/breaking-entering-podcast

Jan 9, 2024 • 39min
#200: Jeffrey Buntin, Jr. - CEO at BUNTIN
Despite his father's advice, Jeffrey Buntin, Jr. packed his bags and broke into advertising.
He left Nashville in his early 20s to join the Chicago ad world.
There, he learned what he loved and did not love about creating great work.
He returned to Nashville bright-eyed, and since taking the helm of BUNTIN, Jeffrey has doubled agency billings.
BUNTIN is a fiercely independent advertising agency sitting in Nashville's Railyard District, where the agency itself is housed in a 100-year-old railyard building.
We discuss Nashville's culture. The importance of human-centered briefs. The importance of breaking out of your comfort zone and how that can help you break in and thrive in advertising.
BUNTIN should be on your radar, and this podcast might open new doors for you.
Links:
Check out BUNTIN here: https://buntingroup.com/
Connect with Jeffrey here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrey-buntin-jr-3751a322/

Jan 4, 2024 • 35min
#199: Claudia Illán, The #1 Copywriter In 2023
She is the number one copywriter in the world, according to D&AD Rankings.
Claudia Illán is a copywriter at Marcel Worldwide.
We recently interviewed Gaëtan du Peloux, Marcel's CCO/CEO, where we dove deep into the agency structure, culture and magic.
In this episode, we learn about Claudia and Copywriting. To be the best of the best and what it takes.
She is proud that she goes to work like a kid to kindergarten, to play with words and colors and create, even on Mondays.
Don't you wish you had that same mindset?
Connect with her: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudia-ill%C3%A1n-218b703b/

Jan 2, 2024 • 45min
#198: Daniel Lobatón Morey, Chief Creative Officer @ Rethink NY
Daniel Lobatón is the creative mastermind and Chief Creative Officer at Rethink NY.
Daniel's trailblazing journey from streets of Lima, Peru, to the bustling avenues of New York City is nothing short of inspiring.
We discuss how he transformed the advertising landscape with the iconic “It’s a Tide Ad” campaign during the Super Bowl, cleverly turning every commercial into a showcase for Tide's effectiveness.
Listen in as Daniel shares his unique approach to creativity and messaging, a skill every advertising professional, from interns to executives, should practice.
His story is a testament to the power of cultural diversity and relentless dedication to shaping the world of advertising.
Links:
Connect with Daniel here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dlobaton/
Connect with Geno here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/genogeno/

Dec 26, 2023 • 44min
ADjunct! Glenn Griffin, Director of Texas Creative - UT Austin
He has studied and perfected the undergraduate creative system.
Glenn Griffin is the Director of Creative at UT Austin.
He's been teaching creativity and portfolio development courses for over 20 years.
His mission is clear. It's to help aspiring advertisers break into the creative industry. And he's gotten quite good at it.
He shares his wealth of knowledge with us today on our ADjunct segment, and if I were an aspiring advertiser, I would listen to this episode twice. And once in reverse.
Links:
Connect with him here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wglenngriffin/
Win a Crowbar to break into advertising: https://www.crowbarawards.com/

Dec 21, 2023 • 44min
ADjunct! Dr. Sean Sawicki, Assistant Professor of Communication at University of Tampa
It's never too late to pivot to the career you love.
For Sean, it was from pivot tables and a career in Excel to becoming Dr. Sean Sawicki after earning his Ph.D. in communications after falling in love with teaching.
Today, Sean is on his way to tenure, leading the advertising and PR Department at the University of Tampa as an Assistant Professor.
His years of marketing-side experience and academic journey make him the perfect guest on our "ADjunct segment," where we interview the best advertising educators nationwide.
In addition to sound advertising advice, Sean teaches us some invaluable lessons - like proper ways to invest in yourself, whether you are a student or thriving in your professional career.
Links:
Connect with Sean: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-sawicki-ph-d-43b07814/
Win a Crowbar to break into advertising: https://www.crowbarawards.com/

Dec 19, 2023 • 41min
#197: Andrew Weissman, Copywriter & Creator of AD ADDERALL
He’s worked at FCB and R/GA on clients like ESPN+ and Straight Talk wireless. Before advertising, he worked on the Sopranos.
Now, he has published an online resource for ad creatives called the AdAdderall Handbook of Advertising Idea Generation Techniques.
He is Senior Copywriter Andrew Weissman.
He takes us through some of his favorite ideation techniques, methods, and creative processes of ad titans, from the more than 80+ in the e-book, which is an attempt at a comprehensive list of every fruitful creative technique in advertising.
Including what it means to “Larry David Your Idea”.
Andrew reveals something he believes every first-class portfolio should accomplish on its landing page before you even click into the work.
Andrew is happy to connect, so if you love what you hear him say in this episode and you’re looking to add an extremely curious copywriter to your team, reach out to him directly.
Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-weissman-copywriter/
https://adadderall.com/

Dec 12, 2023 • 49min
#196: Shelley Elkins, Chief Creative Officer at NVE Experience Agency
This week, we learn from Shelley Elkins, the Chief Creative Officer of NVE Experience Agency, appointed in October as part of the agency's inaugural C-Suite. NVE Experience Agency focuses on creating impactful brand experiences. Shelley's previous role was as the Global CCO for Jack Morton Worldwide, where she led the agency to multiple prestigious awards and chaired the Global Creative Council. With a career marked by jury roles in major award shows and active participation in mentorship programs, Shelley's journey in advertising is notable. She holds a degree in advertising from the University of Missouri-Columbia Journalism School. She discusses her unique "5 Cs" system for succeeding in advertising and dives into the current landscape of experiential advertising.
Links
Connect with her: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleyelkins/
Connect with us: https://www.instagram.com/breakingandenteringpod/
Connect with NVE: https://experiencenve.com/

Dec 7, 2023 • 42min
ADjunct! Merc Heredia-Ferran, Adjunct Professor and Data Strategist at 72andSunny
A role you might not have considered, but you should.
It's data strategy.
Merc is a data strategist at 72andSunny and an Adjunct Lecturer at The University of Illinois and Indiana University.
We break down what it means to be a data strategist, who could be best interested and how data strategy uncovers insights to help identify audiences and world trends that lead to the right creative idea at the right place and time for the right audience.
Merc also discusses the decision to pursue a Master's degree after college, even after receiving a full-time strategy offer at a local Chicago agency and breaks down why that decision was made.
This dense episode might shift your break-in blueprint for the better.

Dec 5, 2023 • 49min
#195: Gaëtan du Peloux, CEO & CCO of Marcel
He's the 5th ranked Chief Creative Officer in the world, per D&AD.
Born and raised in Paris, Gaëtan du Peloux is the eldest of seven children.
He started his career as a copywriter at CLM/BBDO in 2004.
He's now 43 years old and works at Marcel as Chief Creative Officer and Co-Chief Executive Officer.
Along with his creative partner, Youri Guerassimov, Gaëtan has produced outstanding and award-winning work for a large span of national and international brands.
Gaëtan is one of the most awarded French creatives of his generation. He won more than 100 awards, including 2 Cannes Lions Grand Prix, 3 D&AD Black Pencils, D&AD White pencil, One Show Green Pencil, 2 NY Festival Best of Show, 8 Eurobest Grand Prix, Grandy, and Grand LIA.
He comes on the show to teach us how to break into advertising and how to win some awards of our own, perhaps.
Link
Connect with him: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ga%C3%ABtan-du-peloux-47367951/
Connect with us: https://www.linkedin.com/company/66741635/admin/feed/posts/
Win your first award of 100s: https://www.crowbarawards.com/