Soul & Science: Fast Forward Your Marketing Mind

In this episode of the Soul & Science podcast, Carlos Santiago Co-Founder at The Alliance for Inclusive and Multicultural Marketing or AIMM is joining us to explore how we as marketers can better celebrate diversity and inclusion with a multicultural audience. Carlos has been working and developing this space for over 18 years as a leading researcher and market strategist with a heavy focus on growth roadmaps and econometric models to better address the challenges that come with multicultural marketing. He has experience working with brands such as AT&T, AARP, Target, and so many more. In today’s episode, you’ll learn:  How we can help our brands actively listen to and engage with various cultures in an authentic way Using the same marketing language for everyone doesn’t help and might even harm your marketing efforts The majority of people want diverse and inclusive campaigns, and any backlash is coming from a small minority Brought to you by Mekanism.

In this episode of the Soul & Science podcast, Founder and CEO of ready-to-drink cocktail brand Gay Water Spencer Hoddeson is joining us to teach us why stellar community engagement is the key to success in today’s marketing world. Spencer is far more than a founder and beverage aficionado. He started his career in the marketing and brand department at Yahoo and worked his way to leading the entire team. Shortly after, he found himself as a top social media influencer. Now, Spencer is crafting a new beverage for and by the queer community. In today’s episode, you’ll learn:  How brands can create products that serve an established community rather than trying to build one from scratch  Why many younger audiences expect brands to be mission and purpose-driven before they become consumers Why connecting and engaging with your audience in organic ways is like rocket fuel for growth Brought to you by Mekanism.

In this episode of the Soul & Science podcast, we are joined by Carrie Hutchison, the Director of Marketing and Brand at Re:wild. Re:wild is an environmental organization that recently partnered with Mekanism’s brand partner, Culturelle Probiotics to bring awareness to an untraditional cause- the endangerment of the human gut microbiome.Carrie started her career in sustainability and marketing with National Geographic as their Director of Corporate Communications and has worked with universities such as Georgetown. Now, she campaigns for sustainability in brands and the planet around the world. In today’s episode, you’ll learn:  The ways that industry could be interacting with the planet to ensure sustainability.  Why the protection of our endangered ecosystems- especially the ones within our own bodies- is crucial to a sustainable future for mankind.  What we can do on an individual level to promote sustainability in our own lives.  Brought to you by Mekanism.

This week, we're revisiting our inspiring conversation with David Lester, Co-founder at Olipop. There’s an alchemy to relationships, including the ones between co-founders. David Lester, co-founder at good-for-you-soda company, OLIPOP, first heard about his future business partner, Ben Goodwin, while he was quitting his 10-year job at global beverage giant Diageo. His then boss thought they’d work well together. The first meeting between entrepreneurs was memorable as Ben showed up with a bag of home-made soda. The pair went on to run a kefir beverage startup, followed by OLIPOP. Packed with healthy prebiotics and a tenth the sugar of regular, OLIPOP brilliantly markets taste, health and nostalgia while drawing 50% of revenues through online channels, just a few of Lester’s marketing feats.  In this episode you’ll learn: Soda psychology is grounded in our earliest memories. Three-quarters of the population is trying to make healthy adjustments.  When something seems stupid, that’s your cue to figure out a better way. That humility will take you from knowing nothing to expertise. Data science surrounds us, but your soul processes the insights Brought to you by Mekanism.  

This week, we're revisiting our amazing conversation with Julia Perez, CMO at OWYN from May 2023.Julia is a New York born, Miami-based marketing executive with a deep understanding of high-growth, healthier-for-you food and beverage startups. With more than 10 years of experience working for brands like Red Bull, Hain Celestial, RSP Nutrition, and CORE Water, it’s actually kind of her superpower. Her continued success in the health and wellness space led her to the role of Chief Marketing Officer at OWYN, which stands for Only What You Need, a plant-based nutrition company best known for its ready-to-drink protein shakes. OWYN is currently the #1 best selling plant protein shake in the US.  In this episode you’ll learn:  How OWYN is cleaning up the sports nutrition industry with transparency, education, and empowering messaging Where Julia stands on the Ozempic trend and how OWYN fits in  Why you shouldn’t forget about the big picture when looking at segmented data The value of being an early adopter and in love with your industry Brought to you by Mekanism.

In this episode, we look into the Soul & Science of starting a movement. Small actions done consistently can have profound effects on our lives. The real challenge is doing those things every day. Something the majority of us seem to have no issues doing almost everyday is complaining. While complaining about this, that, and whatever comes to mind is easy, the negativity can block your focus, creativity, and productivity. This week, we’re talking with Will Bowen, who’s working on unlocking the secrets of positivity with his complaint-free movement. Will started his career as an advertising executive for Yellowpages, but even back then, he felt a passion for speaking and helping people discover a better way to live. In 2006, Will challenged 250 people to break the destructive habit of complaining by going 21 days in a row without speaking a single complaint. Now, almost 20 years later, he’s still traveling the country as a keynote speaker and working to change the lives and minds of thousands of professionals. His International best-selling book “A Complaint Free World” has sold nearly 4 million copies in 40 countries. In today’s episode, you’ll learn:  The damage a complaining habit can do to your productivity and workflow  How to be more aware of your own complaints and negative thinking  What can happens when you step into a more positive mindset, and how to redefine your values with that in mind  Brought to you by Mekanism.

Discover the secrets behind successful client pitches! Explore the five essential laws that can elevate your pitching game. Learn about strategic client selection and the art of project planning. The importance of rehearsing and making a lasting impression is highlighted. Don't forget the role of feedback for continuous improvement. Uncover these strategies to win over clients and take your business to new heights!

It’s easy to get lost in the details of those everyday small inconveniences – what’s for dinner tonight, that looming deadline, whether or not your joke landed in that meeting earlier. It’s also just as easy to switch our brains to autopilot when they get overwhelmed and disappear into social media or TV. And what about that narrator in our heads? The constant critic. The complainer. It really doesn't serve us. But the simple practice of mindfulness might offer a solution. And our guest this week believes that everyone can be at least 10% happier if they work mindfulness into their daily life.Dan Harris spent more than 20 years as a journalist for ABC where he was the co-anchor of Nightline and the weekend editions of Good Morning America. He’s covered wars, natural disasters, and even spent 48 hours in solitary confinement to better understand the criminal justice system. Today, Dan is the best-selling author of the meditation book “10% Happier” and host of the podcast of the same name. In today’s episode, you’ll learn:  Not only how but also why you should incorporate a meditation practice into your personal and professional life To apply the lessons Dan learned during his path towards mindfulness in your own life How to better manage your own thought habits in order to be happier and healthier Brought to you by Mekanism.

What do you do with a great idea that your client didn't want? Toss it? Or keep it? In today’s mini episode, we tackle the dilemma of rejected concepts. Discover how to transform these creative casualties into proactive initiatives that not only promote your business but also make a positive impact on the world. Brought to you by Mekanism.

This week on the Soul & Science podcast, we take a look at the power of culture and consumption. Take the rise of social media marketing as an example of consumption as culture. Companies have piggybacked on viral sounds, trends, and cultural moments from TikTok and Instagram as a way to promote their products. On the flip side, a seemingly clever campaign can flop if it jumps on a trend too late or misses the point entirely. So, if culture ultimately drives everything that people do, how do brands keep pace? Today, we’re talking with Dr. Marcus Collins about the effects of culture on human behavior and the undeniable connection between marketing and culture. Riding the line between industry and academia, his award-winning book For The Culture: The Power Behind What We Buy, What We Do, and Who We Want to Be was a best-seller and he currently serves as a marketing professor at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. In the past, he was the Head of Strategy at Wieden+Kennedy and has worked with brands like Apple, Nike, and even Beyoncé. In today’s episode, you’ll learn:  How culture and marketing intertwine to create some of the most successful campaigns  What defines culture and how people choose to interact with it How brands can put themselves in the driver’s seat of cultural relevance Brought to you by Mekanism.