

Soul & Science: Fast Forward Your Marketing Mind
Mekanism and Jason Harris
Soul & Science is an award-winning podcast where marketing’s brightest minds reveal what it takes to build breakthrough brands. Hosted by Jason Harris, each episode explores the balance between brand building (Soul) and business performance (Science). From legacy brands to emerging disruptors, we delve into the insights, culture, and vision behind the most successful brand stories.Soul & Science is a Mekanism podcast produced by Maggie Boles, Ryan Tillotson, and Lily Jablonski. The show is edited by Daniel Ferreira, with theme music by Kyle Merritt.Brought to you by Mekanism.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Apr 11, 2024 • 5min
Mini: Why Unexpected Ideas Win
What’s the true value of breaking free from conventional marketing mediums? In this week’s mini episode, we delve into some unconventional branding strategies that made impactful results. Oatly's 'Oatmilkers' initiative in Minor League Baseball, Stoked Dispensary's clever ads in neighboring stores, and Adidas' liquid billboard in Dubai showcase innovative approaches to circumvent restrictions and leave a lasting impression. Join us as we explore thinking outside the box in branding and advertising.Brought to you by Mekanism.

Apr 8, 2024 • 50min
#67: The Soul & Science of Life Coaching | Lauren Zander, CEO of The Handel Group
At some point in their career, everyone has had to answer the dreaded interview question: “Where do you see yourself in the next five years?” You might have a well-scripted answer, but do you really know? This week on the Soul & Science podcast, we sit down with the founder and CEO of the Handel Life Coaching Group, Lauren Zander, to explore how we can rebrand the mind, body, and soul. In today’s episode, you’ll learn:
The true power of auditing your life in an honest way
How our minds, bodies, and souls are far more interconnected than we realize
What kinds of practical consequences you can give yourself to make your dreams a reality
Brought to you by Mekanism.

Mar 28, 2024 • 6min
Mini: Rules for a Rebrand
Ever wondered about the secrets behind a successful rebrand? Today, we'll unravel three essential rules for transforming your brand identity. From finding your why to executing a seamless rollout, we'll discuss what we can learn from iconic successes like Dunkin' and Airbnb, and how to avoid the pitfalls of missteps like Twitter's puzzling transformation to 'X'. Brought to you by Mekanism.

Mar 25, 2024 • 42min
#66: The Soul & Science of Airlines | Alaska Airlines Managing Director of Marketing and Advertising Eric Edge
Modern-day flying has become more of a chore than an adventure. If you’ve read any headlines about the airline industry in recent years, it’s clear that many customers are apathetic about which carrier they fly with. Long delays and cancellations, poor customer service, and fluctuating pricing all leads to a sourness in the industry. So how can an airline fly themselves back to customers' good graces? This week, we aim to answer that question with Eric Edge, Managing Director of Advertising and Marketing at Alaska Airlines. In today’s episode, you’ll learn:
How caring about your customer creates lifelong brand champions
How to pivot your marketing when the industry takes a turn for the worse
How gambling on new technologies can help put your brand ahead of the curve
Brought to you by Mekanism.

Mar 21, 2024 • 5min
Mini: Winning PR Strategies
Discover the critical role of PR in boosting your brand's success. Learn about four key benefits: gaining media coverage, enhancing website traffic and SEO, managing crises effectively, and building thought leadership. These elements are essential for increasing visibility, credibility, and resilience in today's competitive landscape.

Mar 18, 2024 • 44min
#65: GIPHY Editor In Chief, Tyler Menzel | The Soul & Science of GIFs
What’s your favorite GIF? Today, we’re sitting down with the Editor-in-Chief at GIPHY, Tyler Menzel. With a passion for creativity, authenticity, and the power of fun, Tyler has been instrumental in driving GIPHY’s success in the world of digital content. He provides oversight and mentorship for all aspects of content on GIPHY, including partner content acquisition strategy, original content creation, search and trending algorithm refinement, and moderation guideline creation and enforcement. In today’s episode, you’ll learn:
Creativity and authenticity are at the core of Giphy's approach to curating engaging content and fostering meaningful connections with users
How they’ve used campaigns from minor league baseball promotions to digital marketing strategies to understand and trust the intelligence of the audience to drive impactful engagement
Why you should commit to continuous learning. Tyler reminds us to stay open to experimentation, feedback, and growth in order to remain adaptable in today's rapidly evolving landscape
Brought to you by Mekanism.

Mar 14, 2024 • 6min
Mini: Navigating AI
We all know that AI has reshaped the landscape of marketing and advertising forever. But how familiar are you with generative vs. predictive AI? This week, we’re breaking it down. Predictive AI aids in informed decision-making, targeting audiences, optimizing ad placement, and forecasting campaign results. Generative AI accelerates creative work by assisting in content creation, copywriting, and generating images and videos for marketing materials. Tune in for a concise breakdown of AI's applications in advertising agencies.Brought to you by Mekanism.

Mar 11, 2024 • 50min
#64: An End To Rise and Grind Culture | Todd Anderson, Founder of Dream Recovery
Rise and grind or work yourself into the ground? In the past few years, a sole focus on constant productivity and hustle has spread throughout the world of marketing and business, and frankly, it’s burning people out. This culture of overworking is forcing some people to live on autopilot and burn out. Let’s be honest for a moment: Nothing good is ever created after 10 cups of coffee and only 3 hours of sleep. Today, I’m sitting down with the founder of Dream Recovery, Todd Anderson, to reshape the stigma around rest and recovery. Before starting Dream Recovery, Todd was an NFL fullback for the Rams when they were still in St. Louis, a sponsored athlete by TYR, and a health and wellness expert for brands like Vision – an AI health companion app – and Arena – an all-in-one at-home training platform.In today’s episode, you’ll learn:
Why Rest and Recovery have become as important to professionals as it is to athletes
How sports and wellness science can be applied to a luxury brand
Why the rise and grind culture is dying out to one of strategic rest
Brought to you by Mekanism.

Mar 7, 2024 • 5min
Mini: Three Laws to Live By
Discover three powerful laws that can revolutionize your problem-solving approach. Kidland's Law suggests that clearly writing down a problem can halve the difficulty. Gilbert's Law highlights the importance of clear communication in defining roles and expectations. Falkland's Law advises against making unnecessary decisions. These insights can streamline your decision-making process and help tackle life's challenges with confidence.

Mar 4, 2024 • 29min
Girl Scouts of the USA CMO Jocelyn Johnson | Learn, Earn, Return (2023)
This week, in honor of Women’s History Month, we’re re-sharing an amazing conversation from last summer where we spoke with Jocelyn Johnson. Jocelyn is a proud Girl Scout alum and Lifetime Member and she joined Girl Scouts of the USA as CMO in 2021.Jocelyn is a brilliant marketer and a champion for the future females of the world.Before joining Girl Scouts of the USA, Jocelyn worked at General Electric, where her focus on data-centric marketing strategies helped grow revenue from $50 million to $20 billion.In this episode, you’ll learn:
The importance of being able to make a quick decision when needed, coupled with an ability to pivot just as quickly
The powerful filter that values provide to an organization when it comes to balancing data and instinct
A great mantra to live by courtesy of Jocelyn’s mom and dad: Learn, Earn, Return
Brought to you by Mekanism.


