The Drum Podcast

Experiential marketing has had tumultuous few years: crash with Covid-19; rapid pivot to hybrid environments; and (not so long ago at all) a returned clamor for IRL experiences. Is this year, this summer, the time when all of this comes together for experiential's big moment? In this episode we hear from Sophie Taylor, senior account director, George P. Johnson; Svenja Frahm, creative director, Pixel Artworks; Stephen Whelan, creative director, TRO; and Arianna Lebed, senior creative director at MAS, to discuss:  What are the biggest trends around experiential that we'll be riding this summer?To what extent is tech now indivisible from experiential, both in the run-up to and post-event?What KPIs do clients now expect from experiential campaigns, and how easy is it to integrate those measurements into an omnichannel campaign?What are the biggest challenges facing experiential marketers at the moment, and how are they being overcome?What are you most excited about in the world of experiential over the next few months and years? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our culture is waking up to the differences in people's minds - and the differences in the sorts of thinking they can do and work they can create. On this episode we speak to experts with an interest in neurodiversity alongside neurodivergent creatives (and other marketers) to figure out whether the industry is doing right by its different-thinking talent, and how to make the most of this rich diversity.Senior reporter Chris Sutcliffe speaks to Charli Edwards, creative drector, BECG / LoveThat; Rory Natkiel, head of integrated strategy, Iris; Luke Hodson, founder, Nerds Collective; and Jess Markwood, COO, the Fifth, to discuss:LinkedIn made dyslexia a skill last year - to what extent is neurodiversity becoming more visible and recognised in our industry?What benefits do agencies have when their employees are open about being neurodivergent? Better representative, more inclusive creative etc.What more should be done by brands and marketers to make sure that neurodivergent people feel welcome and able to fully contribute in the industry?Whose responsibility is it within agencies/brands to ensure that neurodiversity is being considered?Finally, how hopeful is the panel that we're making progress in this area? Why - or why not?  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

'Phygital reality' was thr buzzword du jour a couple of years back, replaced more recently by the wider catch-all 'hybrid'. Whatever you call these blended experiences (and perhaps you're already calling them something new), a marrying-up between the digital and physical worlds has become a goal for many. Here, we investigate not just total CX approaches that bring journeys through both worlds, but cutting-edge technical applications that merge the two; examples of work that shows the way forward; and thinking about what all this means for the marketing landscape.Senior tech reporter Chris Sutcliffe is joined by Karen Hu, business development lead, GreenJinn; Ken Madden, SVP digital engagement at George P. Johnson Experience Marketing; Trin Basra, executive creative director, Freeman EMEA; and Andy Sexton, executive creative director and partner, 2LK, to discuss:What have been the best examples to date of consumer-facing phygital experiences? What made them so successful?Which sectors are verticals are primed to do these experiences already? Where are there still opportunities?What role do agencies play in planning these experiences - and how do we go about measuring their success in a meaningful way?Finally, what are you most looking forward to when it comes to blending real-world and digital marketing in the next few years? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's data month, and we're examining the biggest questions related to its use in marketing. What are the groundbreaking ways you or your colleagues have used data to segment, target, discover, or understand audiences? How is that impacting campaigns and other aspects of your business? And what are the next developments (close or far-off) that will expand your capabilities even further?Senior tech reporter Chris Sutcliffe is joined by Andrea Villa, paid media analyst, Brave Bison; Natasha Willmott, head of proposition activation, Indicia Worldwide; Richard Chapman, social data director, Ogilvy UK; and Sophie Coley, director of strategy at Propellernet, to discuss:  Where does data enter into the marketing journey - or is it there from the outset? Where has smart deployment of data been used to entice the user into the top of the funnel?Over the past few years we've seen marketers and brands use data to deliver upon the promise of personalisation. Can you think of any examples of brands doing this really effectively?Is 'data' too broad a category description for its use by marketers?What would be your advice for any marketer or brand looking to supercharge its use of data - and can it be done wholly in-house, or are partnerships necessary?Finally, what are you most excited about for the use of data in marketing in the next few years? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We hear a lot about marketing's new frontiers - social media; speculative excitements like the metaverse - but we can't forget the continuing power of traditional formats and platforms. On this episode we speak to experts in traditional channels - linear TV; radio; print; analog billboards; direct marketing - to hear how they see those channels developing. Senior reporter Chris Sutcliffe is joined by Andy Benningfield, head of broadcast at Bray Leino and Matt Bond, SVP, studio & print production services at Merkle, to discuss:Spend on some traditional advertising media has held up - which traditional advertising media do we think are still strong?What strengths i.e. trust, heritage etc. do those traditional advertising formats have that marketers should be aware of?How are those advertising media adapting to the digital age when it comes to things like measurement/attribution?What are the opportunities for brands when it comes to using these traditional media? Are there some sectors and verticals that should be using them more?Finally, what predictions do you have for the future of print/radio/linear TV etc? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the latest edition of our semi-regular 101 series, we'll look at social media's 'next big thing': live shopping. What are the essentials that your fellow marketers need to know? Who is doing the most interesting work in this space? And what opportunities are emerging next for people looking to lead this space?Senior reporter Chris Sutcliffe is joined by Carmen Muley, CEO, FREIM Studio and Debbie Ellison, chief digital officer, VMLY&R Commerce, to discuss: What is currently possible using live shopping tech?Who - both brands and platforms - have we seen make the most of what is possible to date?There has been speculation about why live shopping hasn't taken off in Europe and the US as it has in Asia. What is holding those territories back?What are the opportunities for agencies and content creators to become part of the live shopping experience?What predictions do you have for the next 5 years of live shopping? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 Under the rubric of web3 we've been promised a lot: immersive entertainment, widespread decentralization, new ownership models, and countless other goodies. Are any of these things really round the corner? If they are, what does that mean for marketers? And if not, what should they be looking forward to instead?Senior reporter Chris Sutcliffe is joined by Lottie West, global head of PR, Fox Agency; Russell Nuzzo, head of new media measurement, Gain Theory; Linda Xiao, Head of Digital Experience & Innovation, Mekanism; and Brian Yamada, chief innovation officer, VMLY&R, to discuss:Anecdotally, web3 has dropped off marketers' priority lists for 2023, with AI having taken its place. Is it necessarily a bad thing that some of the hype has been lessened around web3 for marketing?What are the best examples of web3 tech being used by brands - and how does it intersect with how consumers and audiences are using web3?Where is there still headroom for development in web3? Are we still waiting for true utility with NFTs, interoperability of metaverse platforms etc.?Where should smart marketers place their chips for web3 - and does it vary between verticals and sectors?How optimistic are you that web3 will deliver on its promise in the next two, five, ten years? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

DTC brands, especially Chinese giants like Shein, have been big news for all sorts of reasons over the last couple of years: their remarkable growth, but also challenges around their sustainability and quality. Is this an evolution that will continue to evolve, one that more established brands will be able to incorporate in the long-run, or a flash in the pan?Senior tech reporter for The Drum is joined by Andy Griffiths, associate director for growth, Space & Time; Miro Jin, head of EPAM continuum for China, EPAM Continuum; Lingzi Zhang, digital strategy director, Landor & Fitch; and Jessica Chapplow, commerce managing partner at Reprise Digital, to discuss:  Talking points:DTC saw a boom time during the pandemic, and has rapidly accelerated innovation in that space. What have been the biggest trends of the past few years in and around DTC?How has the rapid rise in new DTC brands changed how we think about brand comms?What advertising mediums are working especially well for DTC brands?The perception seems to be that many new DTC brands will flame out in a short period of time - where has this perception come from, and how accurate do we think it will be?What are the panel's predictions for future trends in and around DTC marketing? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this sustainability focused episode we hear some substantive examples of how marketing is changing or has changed the world, particularly in relation to the environment.  The Drum's senior tech reporter Chris Sutcliffe speaks to Jonathan Shanahan, Sustainability Engagement Director, Radley Yeldar; Laura Fell, Head of Graphic Production, George P. Johnson; Celine Craipeau, Senior Director, Brand Strategy & CSR Lead; Jellyfish and MB Barczak , Executive Creative Director, Landor & Fitch, to discuss:Beyond the moral imperative, what other reasons is the marketing industry trying to become more sustainable?What tangible steps has the industry taken to get its own house in order for sustainability?Moving onto the fun stuff - what are the best examples you can think of of the industry stepping up and making a tangible difference when it comes to sustainability?What have their own organisation done - either solo or on behalf of a client - to further sustainability issues in the industry and beyond?Finally, are they confident the industry is moving in the right direction? Why - or why not? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this latest entry in our semi-regular 101 series, we are bring together experts in martech to survey what's happening in this corner of the industry and how the uninitiated can enter the space without being daunted by the sheer size of martech stacks.Senior reporter for The Drum Chris Sutcliffe is joined by Laurie Miller, Head of Analytics and Data Science, PMG; Lee Allan, Global CTO, Indicia Worldwide; Guy Wieynk, Global CEO, AnalogFolk Group; and Dannii Robyn, Head of Conversion, Favoured, to discuss: As consumers expect more personalised experiences, where should agencies prioritise building out their tech stacks?We've increasingly hearing about the need for an omnichannel approach. What does that mean for agencies - particularly those with specialisms of smaller sizes?Ultimately whose responsibility within the company is it to keep an eye for developments in martech?What predictions do our guests have for martech in 2023? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.