IN CLEAR FOCUS: Jeff Umbro, CEO of The Podglomerate, discusses podcast marketing for brands and businesses. He explores advertising strategies, host-read ads, and branded podcasts. Jeff shares insights on audience growth, measuring success, and cross-promotion. He also addresses common mistakes, thought leadership, and AI's impact on podcasting. Listen for fresh perspectives on maximizing podcast strategies for brand awareness and engagement, emphasizing clear goals and targeted content.  

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Michael Beach, CEO of Cross Screen Media and author of "Screen Wars," discusses the evolution of convergent TV advertising. He explains the shift from linear to streaming, audience-based planning, and the role data analytics plays in convergent TV. Michael also shares practical advice for maximizing reach and data-driven insights that point to the future of TV consumption. Valuable perspectives on navigating the changing landscape of video advertising and audience engagement.  

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Caroline Florence, author of our featured book "Data Storytelling in Marketing," discusses transforming data into compelling narratives. She outlines a five-step roadmap for effective data storytelling, emphasizing emotion's role in persuasion. Caroline offers advice for marketers to enhance their skills, sharing a De Beers case study to illustrate data-driven insights' impact. Learn how to leverage data storytelling for more effective marketing communication and decision-making.

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Mitch Duckler, Managing Partner at FullSurge, discusses his book "The Future-Ready Brand." He explores how CMOs navigate societal trends and emerging technologies, including brand purpose, wellness shifts, and Gen Z marketing. We discuss AI in marketing, extended reality, and Web3 opportunities. Mitch emphasizes the need for CMOs to experiment with new technologies and adapt to rapid changes. Learn innovative strategies for future-proofing brands in a rapidly evolving landscape.

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Praveen Nara, CEO of Tech.us, explores AI's impact on retail marketing and advertising. Praveen discusses leveraging AI for personalized consumer experiences, ethical use guidelines, and AI's future in marketing. He shares insights on hyper-personalization strategies for retailers, AI's role in engaging different generations, and its broader societal impact. A conversation bridging the gap between cutting-edge AI technology and practical applications in retail and advertising.

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Dr. Sachiko Scheuing, Acxiom's European Privacy Officer and author of our featured book, "How to Use Customer Data," discusses effectively balancing data protection and marketing. Sachiko shares insights on navigating complex privacy laws, implementing robust data security, and fostering collaboration. Sachiko introduces the MaRCS protection check and recommendations for thriving in the evolving data regulation landscape, bridging the gap between marketing and privacy concerns.

IN CLEAR FOCUS: To celebrate Global Focus Group Day, an interview with consumer behavior strategist Jeanne Corrigan. Jeanne discusses focus groups' history and their enduring relevance in brand strategy and advertising research. We explore how technology and COVID-19 have transformed qualitative research, and Jeanne considers the role AI will play in shaping market research's future. Jeanne also shares insights from recent focus groups and offers advice for brand managers and aspiring researchers.

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Our guest this week is Nick Asbury, one of the UK's most-awarded copywriters, discussing his new book, "The Road to Hell: How Purposeful Business Leads to Bad Marketing and a Worse World." We explore the history of purpose in business, its detrimental impact on advertising effectiveness over the past 15 years, and the potential risks for brands aligning with causes. Nick shares fresh insights on shifting from purpose-led branding towards more effective, humor-based advertising.

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Matthew Herbert, co-founder and co-CEO of SaaS research platform Tracksuit, discusses measuring brand awareness and marketing effectiveness, building on insights from co-founder James Hurman's presentation, “The Awareness Advantage” at Cannes Lions last week. Matt shares advice on balancing brand building with performance marketing and suggests key metrics for product launches. He also addresses measuring brand perception across touchpoints and previews Tracksuit's new features.

IN CLEAR FOCUS: In this week's episode, guest Priscilla McKinney, CEO of Little Bird Marketing and the author of “Collaboration is the New Competition,” shares her insights on shifting mindsets in marketing and advertising. Learn about Priscilla's proven framework for successful collaboration and the concept of "itchy backs," illustrated with real-world examples. Discover how to identify opportunities, overcome challenges, and build partnerships with a transformational approach to collaboration.