

Marketing Happy Hour
Marketing Happy Hour
Keeping up with marketing trends and leveling up your career doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Don’t go at it alone. Marketing Happy Hour was created to help you navigate the corporate marketing world, launch your own business, and stay sane while advancing in your career. Join host Cassie Tucker each week as she dives into real conversations with industry guests, covering everything from marketing strategies to career growth and leadership insights—all served with a mix of inspiration and support to keep you thriving.
Learn more: https://www.marketinghappyhr.com/
Learn more: https://www.marketinghappyhr.com/
Episodes
Mentioned books

Sep 4, 2025 • 29min
Inside the Evolving World of Influencer Marketing with WIIM’s Jessy Grossman
This week on Marketing Happy Hour, we’re joined by Jessy Grossman, Founder of Women in Influencer Marketing (WIIM). From building one of the fastest-growing influencer talent agencies in under two years to creating a global community that empowers women in the influencer marketing space, Jessy has been at the forefront of industry innovation. In this conversation, she shares her career journey, the inspiration behind WIIM, and her perspective on the challenges women face in business today. You’ll also hear her take on where influencer marketing is headed in the next 3–5 years — and why community-driven spaces like WIIM are more important than ever.Key Takeaways:// How Jessy built one of the fastest-growing influencer talent agencies in under two years.// The biggest challenges women face in influencer marketing — and strategies to overcome them.// What it takes to keep a professional community valuable and relevant in a fast-changing industry.// Predictions for where influencer marketing is heading in the next 3–5 years.// A reminder of why connection and community are critical for long-term career success.Connect with Jessy: Instagram | LinkedIn____Say hi! DM me on Instagram and let us know what content you want to hear on the show - I can't wait to hear from you! Please also consider rating the show and leaving a review, as that helps us tremendously as we move forward in this Marketing Happy Hour journey and create more content for all of you. Join our FREE Open Jobs group on LinkedIn: Join nowGet the latest from MHH, straight to your inbox: Join our email list!Follow MHH on Social: Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok | Facebook

Aug 28, 2025 • 35min
From Culture to Conversions: Maximizing Tentpole Moments | David Pangilinan of Paramount Advertising
In this final episode of our POSSIBLE series, we sit down with David Pangilinan, Senior Manager of Audience Impact and Intelligence at Paramount Advertising, to explore how brands can win big by leveraging tentpole moments. From live events and major film releases to cultural shifts that dominate the headlines, Paramount has perfected the art of turning high-profile moments into powerful opportunities for advertisers. David breaks down common mistakes brands make, strategies for staying authentic, and the four pillars for success he shared at POSSIBLE—our favorite presentation of the entire conference. If you want actionable insights on how to turn cultural relevance into measurable ROI, this conversation is one you won’t want to miss.Key Takeaways:// What tentpole marketing really means today—and how the definition is evolving in an always-on, digital-first landscape.// How to authentically connect with audiences during cultural and industry moments without forcing the brand fit.// The four proven strategies for tentpole success that Paramount uses to deliver impact at scale.// Mistakes brands should avoid when trying to insert themselves into cultural conversations.// How to measure ROI when investing in tentpole-related campaigns.// Where audience expectations are heading in 2025 and beyond, and what marketers need to pay attention to now.Connect with David: LinkedIn____Say hi! DM me on Instagram and let us know what content you want to hear on the show - I can't wait to hear from you! Please also consider rating the show and leaving a review, as that helps us tremendously as we move forward in this Marketing Happy Hour journey and create more content for all of you. Join our FREE Open Jobs group on LinkedIn: Join nowGet the latest from MHH, straight to your inbox: Join our email list!Follow MHH on Social: Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok | Facebook

Aug 21, 2025 • 36min
Building Brand Loyalty Through Nostalgia and Fandoms | Ilana Gelfand of The Walt Disney Company
Ally and I sit down with Ilana Gelfand, Senior Manager, Global Social Strategy at Disney Consumer Products. With 12+ years of experience in marketing and social media, Ilana has led creative content and brand strategy for some of the world’s most popular brands, including Disney and Loungefly. We discuss Ilana’s illustrious career in selling a lifestyle over a product and how the organic positioning of that lifestyle is the unlock to greater audience connection. We walk through how to drive authenticity within your brand’s consumers through nostalgia, self-expression and niche fandoms.Key Takeaways:// To sell a lifestyle instead of a product - identify your target audience, learn how they want to be seen and align your messaging to how they want to be spoken to.// Build nostalgia for your brand by referencing the past and finding fresh ways to incorporate it in the present.// When choosing influencers for a campaign, consider lookalike influencers that may have various crossover interests that align with the campaign look and feel.// Brands are currently underutilizing Pinterest - Gen Z is using Pinterest as a creative outlet and opportunity to build an individual user world.Connect with Ilana: LinkedIn | Instagram____Say hi! DM me on Instagram and let us know what content you want to hear on the show - I can't wait to hear from you! Please also consider rating the show and leaving a review, as that helps us tremendously as we move forward in this Marketing Happy Hour journey and create more content for all of you. Join our FREE Open Jobs group on LinkedIn: Join nowGet the latest from MHH, straight to your inbox: Join our email list!Follow MHH on Social: Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok | Facebook

Aug 14, 2025 • 22min
10 Social Media Storytelling Tips from Disney [Part 2]
Part 2 - This week’s episode is inspired by an incredible guest essay from Jonathan Hurwitz, Emmy-nominated writer and creative consultant, originally featured in Rachel Karten’s Substack, Link in Bio. Jonathan spent a decade writing at Disney, and in that time, he picked up storytelling lessons that translate seamlessly into social media marketing. These tips—distilled from a presentation he gave to an agency team—are packed with actionable ways to infuse more depth, emotion, and connection into your brand’s content. From using comedy that taps into universal truths to building “full circle” narratives your audience won’t forget, we’re sharing 5 (MORE) storytelling principles you can start applying to your next post, campaign, or content calendar.Key Takeaways:Tip 6 // Comedy = Truth + Specificity – Humor that resonates comes from nuance and oddly familiar details. Aim for those “that’s me!” moments to foster audience connection.Tip 7 // There Are No New Stories – Many beloved stories are inspired by others. Stand out by infusing your brand’s unique point of view into familiar formats.Tip 8 // Theme Drives Plot and Story – Whether it’s authenticity, humor, or aspiration, your brand should own a distinct “vibe” that resonates emotionally with your audience.Tip 9 // Story Structure is Key – Understand the traditional rules of storytelling—then decide when to follow them or break them to stand out.Tip 10 // The Best Stories Come Full Circle – Opening with a question and closing with resolution delivers a satisfying audience experience and drives deeper emotional impact.____Say hi! DM me on Instagram and let us know what content you want to hear on the show - I can't wait to hear from you! Please also consider rating the show and leaving a review, as that helps us tremendously as we move forward in this Marketing Happy Hour journey and create more content for all of you. Join our FREE Open Jobs group on LinkedIn: Join nowGet the latest from MHH, straight to your inbox: Join our email list!Follow MHH on Social: Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok | Facebook

Aug 7, 2025 • 27min
10 Social Media Storytelling Tips from Disney [Part 1]
Ally and I debrief a recent guest essay from Jonathan Hurwitz, Emmy-nominated writer and creative consultant from Rachel Karten’s Substack, Link in Bio. Jonathan spent 10 years writing at Disney - and through this essay, shares how to apply his learnings from Disney to social media marketing. In part 1 of this 2-part episode, we discuss the first 5 storytelling tips from the essay and break down real-world social media applications you can test and learn with your brand’s social presence. Key Takeaways: Tip 1 // If you don’t have stakes, you don’t have a story. Add stakes to any story makes the audience care about the characters they’re watching. Tip 2 // Shapes can elicit feelings. Create feeling and understanding with your audience through auditory and/or visual tools.Tip 3 // You can’t get surprise without expectation. That’s the core of drama. By teasing what’s coming in the video, you can help stop the doom scroll with wording like “wait until the end” or “wait for it.” Tip 4 // The conflict is the story. There is tension created between want and need. Be clear about how you want to drive audience adoption and behavior through their wants and needs.Tip 5 // TV has the ability to evolve over time, whereas movies just are. A brand’s “TV-show” style content keeps the audience engaged day-to-day while the “movies” give them something to look forward to and talk about in a bigger cultural moment.Connect with Ally: LinkedIn, InstagramSubscribe to Rachel Karten’s Link in Bio Newsletter____Say hi! DM me on Instagram and let us know what content you want to hear on the show - I can't wait to hear from you! Please also consider rating the show and leaving a review, as that helps us tremendously as we move forward in this Marketing Happy Hour journey and create more content for all of you. Join our FREE Open Jobs group on LinkedIn: Join nowGet the latest from MHH, straight to your inbox: Join our email list!Follow MHH on Social: Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok | Facebook

Jul 31, 2025 • 34min
The Strategies You Need for Brand Communications and PR | Kamara Turner of Walgreens
Kamara Turner, Brand Communications Manager at Walgreens, joins me for a deep dive into the ever-evolving world of retail PR and brand storytelling. With a track record spanning iconic campaigns—from launching OTC NARCAN to the buzzworthy Nice! Mango Gummies—Kamara shares the behind-the-scenes insights on how she builds integrated strategies that generate results. We discuss the power of niche creators, modern measures of influencer success, and the mindset shifts that have shaped her growth across both agency and in-house roles. Key Takeaways:// Why Kamara believes starting before you feel ready is often the smartest move in your career.// Why creators who lean into their niche deliver the most value in PR campaigns.// How Kamara approaches influencer partnerships and measures success beyond just likes and reach.// What inspired her to start Pulse and Perspective on LinkedIn, and how it helps her reflect on the state of brand storytelling.// The retail and brand headlines that comms pros should be paying attention to right now.Connect with Kamara: LinkedInRead Pulse and Perspective: LinkedIn____Say hi! DM me on Instagram and let us know what content you want to hear on the show - I can't wait to hear from you! Please also consider rating the show and leaving a review, as that helps us tremendously as we move forward in this Marketing Happy Hour journey and create more content for all of you. Join our FREE Open Jobs group on LinkedIn: Join nowGet the latest from MHH, straight to your inbox: Join our email list!Follow MHH on Social: Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok | Facebook

Jul 24, 2025 • 39min
The Future of Social Listening (AI for Consumer Insights) | Megan Duong of Plot
In this episode, I sit down with Megan Duong, the CEO and co-founder of Plot, an AI-powered social video listening tool backed by Alexis Ohanian’s Seven Seven Six. With a background in brand marketing at Apple and years leading her own agency, Megan brings a rare mix of creative intuition and data fluency to the table. We dive into how short-form video is changing the way we understand consumer behavior, why traditional social listening is no longer enough, and how brands can use these new insights to drive strategy. Key Takeaways:// How Megan’s experience at Apple shaped her approach to tech, culture, and storytelling// Why traditional social listening tools fall short in a video-first world// The difference between “monitoring” and true insight—and what to do with that data// Surprising social behaviors that brands often miss entirely// What authenticity really means in 2025 (and how Gen Z defines it)// How Megan is building Plot with intention, from team culture to product vision// The vanity metrics social teams should stop chasing—and what to focus on insteadConnect with Megan: LinkedInLearn more about Plot: LinkedIn____Say hi! DM me on Instagram and let us know what content you want to hear on the show - I can't wait to hear from you! Please also consider rating the show and leaving a review, as that helps us tremendously as we move forward in this Marketing Happy Hour journey and create more content for all of you. Join our FREE Open Jobs group on LinkedIn: Join nowGet the latest from MHH, straight to your inbox: Join our email list!Follow MHH on Social: Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok | Facebook

Jul 17, 2025 • 31min
The New Rules of Retail Media (Partnerships and Data) with Lauren Griewski, Chase Media Solutions
Lauren joins Ally and I for the latest episode of our POSSIBLE event series. Lauren dives into her extensive career in sales, technology and media across some of the world’s leading platforms - and what ultimately brought her to Chase Media Solutions. We discuss the importance of hyper-personalization and what marketers should be leveraging in their strategies to stand out in a crowded retail media and commerce space. Key Takeaways:// Building hyper-personalized strategies through the use of data adds immense value to the consumer.// Retail media networks are partnering to help drive innovation and solutions for marketers through tailoring ways that brands work with them.// In a study that Chase Media Solutions conducted with EMARKETER, 60% of consumers are shopping with a new brand when an offer is given to help create intent and repeatability. It’s a way to invite new consumers in and reward their loyalty.// Look for the possibilities instead of sitting on the problem. Holding yourself accountable to a positive outlook and attitude will set you apart in a crowded job market.Follow Chase Media Solutions on LinkedInResources: EMarketer | ADWEEKConnect with Lauren: LinkedIn | InstagramConnect with Ally: LinkedIn | Instagram____Say hi! DM me on Instagram and let us know what content you want to hear on the show - I can't wait to hear from you! Please also consider rating the show and leaving a review, as that helps us tremendously as we move forward in this Marketing Happy Hour journey and create more content for all of you. Join our FREE Open Jobs group on LinkedIn: Join nowGet the latest from MHH, straight to your inbox: Join our email list!Follow MHH on Social: Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok | Facebook

Jul 10, 2025 • 31min
Partner Marketing 101: How to Build Strategic Brand Relationships
Ally and I dive into a never-before-discussed topic for Marketing Happy Hour - Partner Marketing. Ally discusses how her career led her to lead the first Partner Marketing function at TIDAL and how industries are recognizing Partner Marketing as a vital piece of the marketing ecosystem. We discuss the nuances between Partner Marketing and Brand Partnerships, how Partner Marketing can serve as an integral piece of the customer journey and the latest trends in the space.Key Takeaways:// Partner marketing is the creation and execution of a broad marketing strategy where two or more brands work together to promote each other’s products, services, or brands. It can include co-branded campaigns, affiliate programs, distribution partnerships, or shared content.// Think of partners as an extension of your brand and your team. Treat them as key brainstorming and thought partners to enhance your campaign strategies. // Innovative cross-industry collaborations and differentiating your partner marketing channel mix to reach niche audiences are the leading trends in 2025.Connect with Ally: LinkedIn / Instagram____Say hi! DM me on Instagram and let us know what content you want to hear on the show - I can't wait to hear from you! Please also consider rating the show and leaving a review, as that helps us tremendously as we move forward in this Marketing Happy Hour journey and create more content for all of you. Join our FREE Open Jobs group on LinkedIn: Join nowGet the latest from MHH, straight to your inbox: Join our email list!Follow MHH on Social: Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok | Facebook

Jul 3, 2025 • 36min
Dig Inn’s Recipe for Community, Loyalty, and Storytelling | Jessica Serrano, CMO
Ally and I continue our POSSIBLE 2025 conference series by sitting down with Jessica Serrano, Chief Marketing Officer of Dig Inn. Jessica shares the unique challenges that come with localized marketing, strategies for building a strong loyalty program and tips for aspiring CMOs. Dig Inn is a fast casual, scratch food restaurant concept with locations from New York, NY to Washington D.C. Key Takeaways:// Use social media channels to tell behind-the-curtain stories and share unique experiences alongside your brand.// Local marketing requires research of the target community – observe the community through intensive good neighbor tactics. The community will dictate how the brand will show up and where.// Brand loyalty programs should deepen the relationship you have with your consumers, not just providing periodic discounts. Take your loyalty programming from transactional to relationship-driven.// Once you deepen the relationship with the consumer, you can provide other ways to reward them for their loyalty like early access programming, surprise and delight moments and more. // New ideas and innovation can come from listening directly to your consumers' wants and needs. Connect with Jessica: LinkedInFollow along with Dig Inn: Website / InstagramConnect with Ally: LinkedIn / Instagram____Say hi! DM me on Instagram and let us know what content you want to hear on the show - I can't wait to hear from you! Please also consider rating the show and leaving a review, as that helps us tremendously as we move forward in this Marketing Happy Hour journey and create more content for all of you. Join our FREE Open Jobs group on LinkedIn: Join nowGet the latest from MHH, straight to your inbox: Join our email list!Follow MHH on Social: Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok | Facebook