The New Abnormal

Series FourThis episode of #TheNewAbnormal podcast features Tom Morton, Global Chief Strategy Officer at R/GA. He helps brands solve the biggest challenges of a changing world: launching and scaling innovation, turning revolutionary technologies into legitimate brands, identifying and winning a radically different next generation of users, defining a purpose to transform the organisation and unlock future growth, developing marketing for today's media and culture, redefining brands from words to actions to create value through interface and innovation, responding authentically to the societal challenges of remote work and racial justice. As a standard setter for creativity and marketing effectiveness, Tom's been a judge for the Effies, Cannes Lions and the IPA Effectiveness Awards, and has won multiple effectiveness awards for increasing revenue and brand equity. As a champion of talent, he sits on the selection committee of the Advertising Hall of Fame and Hall of Achievement to honour diverse leaders who make a positive impact in the creative industries. So, and as you can imagine, we cover a lot of ground in this dynamic conversation: it's not every day that you hear philosophy, psychology and sociology mentioned in the same sentence when discussing brand actions. But first, we have to get past his 'Day One' in agencyland, that saw him tasked with sending faxes to clients. The question is, was he any good as a Jnr Account Exec?

Series Four This episode of The New Abnormal podcast features the renowned futurist Tom Lombardo, Director at the Center for Future Consciousness, Exec Board Member of the World Futures Studies Federation, and Editor at the Journal of Futures Studies. Back by popular demand (and having previously covered 'Top Futurist Books') this time he returns to the series to give an overview of the top movies in science fiction. The biggest problem - of course - was deciding what to leave out (so as to not make this episode several hours long) but Tom still managed to cover a wide range of superb films via his renowned depth and breadth of expertise. So, I hope you enjoy listening as he discusses titles that were produced in the earliest days of the 20th Century to those released to critical acclaim only recently. 

Series FourThe episode of The New Abnormal podcast features Shermon Cruz, the Founder & Chief Futurist of the Center for Engaged Foresight, a global futures innovation and strategic foresight hub..He serves as the UNESCO Chair on Anticipatory Governance and Regenerative Cities at Northwestern University, Philippines.  As a full member of the World Futures Studies Federation (WFSF) and a pioneer member of UNESCO's Global Anticipatory Thinking Network (Futures Literacy), Shermon has established himself as a leading figure in the field. He is also a co-founder of the Global Future Society at the Dubai Future Foundation.  Previously, Shermon held significant roles in business continuity management and risk management at PWC, EY, and Accenture.  We discuss his deeply knowledgeable perspectives regarding all things 'futures related' and I hope you enjoy listening to him as much as I did. BTW, Shermon's dog also wanted to join the conversation...so you may hear the odd bark, all the way from the Philippines to wherever you listen to this podcast!

Series FourThis episode of #TheNewAbnormal podcast features Cecile Cremer,  Founder of 'Wandering the Future'. She's a renowned trends expert who explores the 'Added Value of the Future' by translating trends into future-proof business solutions. She's also the first female and youngest ever President of LaFutura Global Trend Network, and Co-Founder of the 'Humanized Tech Awards'. In this interview, we discuss all of the above, along with her viewpoints on issues including 'democratising the future' re: knowledge distribution, approaches on how to build healthier and happier countries, leading-edge thinking on speculative fiction & scenario planning, and of how to develop futures-thinking as a dynamic skillset. She's a really dynamic individual - and I'm sure you'll enjoy listening to her viewpoints.

The podcast features Andrew McLuhan, grandson of Marshall McLuhan. They discuss exploring Marshall McLuhan's library, the relationship between his grandfather and father, pattern recognition, identity, global village concept, and the iconic statement 'the medium is the message'. Topics include mimesis in media studies, cultural shifts, technology's impact on identity, challenges in navigating technology, stress management in modern life, global village concept, and newsletter subscription details.

Series FourThis episode of 'The New Abnormal' podcast features Adam Chmielowski, co-founder at the specialist cultural insight and brand strategy practice, Starling Strategy, who work for clients including Google, Nike, PepsiCo, Pan Macmillan and the National Trust.Adam has worked in the insight and brand strategy industry for nearly 25 years, during which his interests have shifted towards using cultural rather than psychological / individualist approaches, as well as systems and sociological thinking, historical perspectives and a journalistic instinct for storytelling. No one project is the same, but all invariably involve helping brands see alternative paths to the future.He’s also a lecturer on cultural strategy at the University of Bristol’s School of Management, focusing on how the theory translates into practice. We discuss all of the above during the interview, along with his latest undertaking – an MRes at the Cabot Institute, exploring how brands construct sustainability campaigns as cultural strategies, using myth, promoting ideologies, reconfiguring systems and more. So…enjoy the episode!

In this podcast, the guest Eric Korsvik Ostergaard discusses the transformation towards future work trends, Teal organizations, and anticipatory leadership. The conversation explores the evolution of organizational structures, the traits of anticipatory leaders, and the effects of the pandemic on societal scripts and mental health. It's a masterclass on reinventing organizations for a positive effect.

Series FourThis episode of 'The New Abnormal' podcast features Louise Mowbray, founder of Mowbray by Design, author of 'Relevant: Future-Focused Leadership' and co-author of 'Uncertainty: Making Sense of the World for Better, Bolder Outcomes'. She specialises in the future of work & future of leadership,  working with some of the world's most respected leaders and C-suite teams at the intersection of leadership, innovation, transformation and purpose-driven business. Clients include those such as PWC, EY, Cass Business School, The IoD, Boston Consulting Group, Henley Business School, the Law Society, and more. She's also a Conscious Leadership Coach, Natural Foresight Practitioner, and a behavioural science practitioner. So, in the podcast, we discuss all of the above in what I hope you'll find is a wide-ranging and deeply interesting conversation!

Renowned futurist Tom Lombardo discusses the top futures books in science fiction, ranging from late 19th-century classics to futuristic imagery and comical predictions. He explores the expansive and cosmic futures of Stapleton, dystopian fiction such as 'Brave New World' and '1984', non-Western futuristic visions, and the influence of women in sci-fi. The podcast also delves into the importance of long-term thinking and effective altruism.

Series FourThis episode of The New Abnormal podcast features Chicago-based Keely Adler, cultural futurist at Dentsu and core team at Radar.  A brand strategist by trade, time-traveling futurist at heart and with a nearly decade-long career grounded in creative strategy and qualitative consumer research, Keely has spent her time working across a range of brands and special projects that leverage her cultural expertise and fuel clients’ curiosity about the world and where it’s headed. Today, she’s spearheading a Cultural Futurism practice within the strategy group at dentsu: leveraging foresight to help brands understand — and future-proof — themselves in rapidly shifting contexts. She believes in understanding the present through the lens of the past in order to make sense of the future, and she loves helping makers, creators, and brands do the same. In this episode, we therefore discuss a range of issues that she's currently obsessing over: the future of work & global power dynamics | the makings of a post-deprivation world | the role of fandom and community in a micro-culture first context | exploring new ways into strategic foresight & designing for the future...