This week we very tentatively clambered on top of our desks to bellow ‘Oh Captain, my Captain’ to the most inspirational educator in advertising, Ally Owen. The brains behind one ad-lands most invaluable teaching programmes, Brixton Finishing School, Ally has done more than literally anyone to help young, multicultural and neurodiverse creatives find a way into advertising – kickstarting hundreds and hundreds of creative careers, while most big agencies were sat fiddling with the font on their DEI policy PowerPoints. For most people, transforming all those lives would have been enough – but Ally has also gone on to launch ADcademy, a free virtual programme that provides 2,500 students a year with top-class creative training. Ally is also one of the brains behind Visible Start, an incredible program designed to help women over 45 to re-enter the workforce. So, in a nutshell, just imagine what a huge stinky poo-fire the creative industries would be without her. In this episode we ponder everything from the real value of diversity and inclusion in all kinds of business, the financial and emotional hurdles she helps young creatives navigate at Brixton and how a Friday-night shift at Portsmouth McDonald's gave her the skills of a UN negotiator. ///// Follow Ally on LinkedIn Visit the Brixton Finishing School website or follow them on Instagram Head to Career Adventures where tomorrow’s creatives are being inspired ///// Timestamps  (04:10) - From Selling Shoes to McDonald's: The Early Gigs (06:49) - The Skills of a UN negotiator: Friday night in McDonald's Portsmouth (09:23) - The Great Escape to University (10:56) - From Pharaohs to Advertising and the House of Stolen Things (13:39) - Pure Luck or Destiny, The Path to Advertising?  (15:22) - A Relentless Career Pursuit (18:04) - Setting out to make things better with Brixton Finishing School (24:13) - Building a Bridge into Advertising  (28:04) - Office Etiquette, Don’t Microwave Fish (31:36) - How to Support Brixton Finishing School  (33:07) - The Finishing School Foundation: Practical Help for the NEET  (41:19) - Four Pertinent Poses  (45:45) - Honouring Carol Tully     Ally’s book recommendation is: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman. /////

This week we pulled on our most dramatic tights and tried not to mumble our lines in order to catch the attention of one of the theatre world’s most charismatic – and mischievous – characters, Christian Edwards. The comedy genius behind one of Twitter’s greatest spoofs – the mysterious West End Producer – Christian eventually pulled back the curtain to reveal, with glorious theatrically, that it was him all along. And this is entirely typical of a man whose creative adventures, and commitment to putting on a show, encompass writing regularly for The Stage and starring in sell-out shows in both the West End and Edinburgh Fringe. Like a nonchalant spoon, he has never been afraid to cause a stir, and while that may have knocked the occasional nose out of joint, he has amassed a cult following and a well-earned reputation for being one of theatre-lands wittiest wags. As well as re-living his starring role in that big, weird show we used to call Twitter, we chat about the life – and challenges – of a professional actor, what the future holds for both Christian and his West End Producer, and hear a magnificent yarn about the time he ran into an ex-fiancée dressed as a giant cigarette. Discover the homepage of the latex mask The Twitter account that launched the star View West End Producer’s snaps on Instagram Follow Christian Edwards (the real one) on Instagram Follow the real Christian Edwards on X ///// Timestamps (02:15) - Early Jobs and Humorous Experiences (05:06) - First Proper Acting Role: A Journey Begins (06:05) - Discovering a Passion for Acting (08:41) - The Challenges of Early Acting Roles (10:08) - The Variety of In-Between Jobs (12:10) - Lessons from Early Jobs in Acting (14:09) - The Birth of the West End Producer Persona (18:31) - The Rise of West End Producer on Twitter (20:31) - Validation and Identity: Christian vs. West End Producer (23:30) - The Evolution of the West End Producer Character (25:51) - Impact on the Theatre Industry (30:06) - The Importance of Mental Health Advocacy (32:22) - Unmasking: The Transition from West End Producer (35:21) - Future Projects and Creative Outlets (41:21) – Listener Questions (53:00) – Four Pertinent Posers ///// Christians Book Recommendations are: Ultra-Processed People: Why Do We All Eat Stuff That Isn’t Food … and Why Can’t We Stop? by Chris van Tulleken Year of the King by Anthony Sher Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression – and the Unexpected Solutions by Johann Hari Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Acting (But Were Afraid to Ask, Dear) by West End Producer Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Going to the Theatre (But Were Too Sloshed to Ask, Dear) by West End Producer

This week we deliberately kept standing on rakes and getting repeatedly thwacked in the face in order to lure out the king of creative nonsense, Mr Mark Denton esq. The creative hero that advertising needs, but doesn’t entirely deserve, Mark Denton is the once-in-many-lifetimes imagination behind more than 500 commercials – scooping up so many awards he could spend all day throwing them at passing canoeists and still have armfuls to spare. With even the biggest creative industry on the planet unable to entirely hold Mark’s interest, he’s flitted magnificently between the worlds of art, fashion and furniture design – Dentonising each field to glorious effect. Currently chief of COY! Communications, Mark is surgically re-implanting advertising’s forgotten sense of fun, and putting the ‘big idea’ back on the table. Teetering gloriously at the edge of what he calls ‘old geezership’, Mark has a lifetime of stories, adventures and quadruple-strength whimsy to impart – covering everything from stumbling into advertising, why he’s embracing new creative spaces and his famous experiment as a 65-year-old intern. ///// Visit Mark Denton's Website Dig through Dave Dye’s Mark Denton Archive Follow Mark on Instagram Connect with Mark on LinkedIn Mark’s first ever TV ad for Cadbury’s Cream Eggs Mark’s scamp for Samsung car batteries A showcase of Mark’s work in his interview with the peerless Dave Dye A tribute to his dedication, and former boss Norman Icke (creator of the Milk Tray man), Cadbury’s Fruit and Nut Case advert: Timestamps (03:55) - Mark Meets Duncan (07:00) - Family Background and Career Choices (09:15) - First Job and Sneaking in Creative Ideas (12:25) - The Cadbury's Cream Eggs Breakthrough (18:10) - Adapting to Different Agency Styles (23:30) - Interning at St. Luke's (30:00) - The Role of Process in Agencies (32:00) - The Decline of Quirkiness in Advertising (35:00) - The Need for Entertainment in Ads (37:00) - The Creative Fulfilment in the Ads Your Working On (39:00) - Encouraging Young Creatives (40:30) - Visual Posters Make Great Ads (43:00) - Encouraging Enthusiasm in Advertising (46:00) - Allowing Creatives to be Creative (49:00) - Conclusion and Reflection on Change (51:00) - Getting his head round TikTok (57:10) - Listener questions (01:01:25) - 4 pertinent posers Mark's book recommendations are:   How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie Unleash the Power of Puerility by Mark Denton /////

This week we just kept on making the logo bigger and bigger (and bigger) until we caught the despairing eye of legendary art director, author and, let’s face it, visual Jesus, Mr Dave Dye. The art director’s art director, Dave is the architect of some of the coolest advertising you’ve ever seen – with a hit-list of iconic ads for everyone from Adidas to Volkswagen to The Economist. He’s also a champion for advertising with more wit and brains, expertly rummaging back through some forgotten ad masterpieces via his wildly popular blog and podcast, Stuff From The Loft. Finally, he’s the co-author of the excellent The Howard Gossage Show, a book created with another friend of CTA, Steve Harrison. A guest so entertaining we genuinely forgot there was a running time, Dave shares the stories behind his most memorable campaigns, the lessons we can all learn from past masters, a philosophy that’s all about making ads people enjoy and his optimism for the creative future of the industry. ///// Rummage around Dave's Stuff from the Loft Timestamps (05:00) - From Paperboy to Trying to Get a Job in Advertising (08:04) - Creating His Own Ads (10:25) - Changing the Approach to Cover Letters (12:33) - Getting Interviews and a Foot in the Door (20:03) - Being Bold and Distinct in Job Applications (25:27) – Optimism and Naivety in Advertising (30:02) - Challenges of Working with Established Brands (31:18) - The Potential of Digital Advertising (34:47) - The Origins of Stuff From The Loft (36:58) - The Purpose of Archiving Work (40:12) - Transitioning to a Public Archive (43:10) - Accidental Evolution into Podcasting (56:50) – Listener Questions Dave's book recommendations are:   A Self-Help Guide for Copywriters by Dan Nelken  The Howard Gossage Show by Steve Harrison & Dave Dye /////

This week, we got into a thumb-war-to-the-death with our inner critic in order to lure over legendary copywriter, speaker, coach, author and all-round good Canada goose egg Dan Nelken. The alphabetical genius behind the bestselling Self Help Guide for Copywriters, and his 5-star online course ‘Writing Under Pressure’, Dan has made it his mission to rescue writers and brands all over the world from the malign influence of the dreaded inner critic – a character that Dan describes, with characteristic politeness, as a ‘ding dong’. The true Canadian king of creativity (shut your face Reynolds) Dan chats to CTA about the importance of creating stuff that’s just for you, the long-game of any creative career, how to gain and maintain creative confidence, and of course his own grapplings with an inner critic he calls Alan. ///// Follow Dan on LinkedIn  Visit Dan’s site  Jerry Seinfeld's interview with Tim Ferriss, the interview every creative should watch ///// Timestamps (02:05) - Quick Fire Questions (04:05) - Dan's Early Jobs (04:53) - From Forklift Truck Driver to Copywriter (06:45) - Finding His Path into Copywriting (08:36) - First Copywriting Gig at Cosset and Breaking through with McDonald's (12:02) - Value of Getting Lost (13:21) - The inspiration behind “Writing Under Pressure” (17:59) - Creating a Course On Writing Headlines (21:03) - Response to the Book (22:40) - Maintaining Creative Confidence (24:09) - Confronting Your Inner Critic (26:07) - Structure in Creativity (29:07) - Creativity Closer to Math(s) than Magic (31:04) - Importance of Structure in Creativity (32:39) - Most Creatives Hate Brainstorming (36:57) - Naming Alan, the Inner Critic (39:21) - The Joy of Creating for Yourself (42:46) - Impact of Creating on Social Media (43:40) - Audience Questions (48:20) - Four Pertinent Posers ///// Dan's book recommendations are:   A Self-Help Guide for Copywriters by Dan Nelken  Hey Whipple, Squeeze This  by Luke Sullivan Mind Management, Not Time Management by David Kadavy /////

This week, we went fishing in a Levi’s Creek to catch TED speaker, co-author of ‘The Creative Nudge’ and enthusiasm enthusiast, Kevin Chesters. His Twitter bio says he’s a “tall bald bloke from Penzance”. And whilst that might be true, it does rather undersell the fact that perched atop that tall body, and in that bald bonce, are some serious smarts. For Kevin is a Chief Strategy Officer, formerly strategy head at Ogilvy, Wieden + Kennedy, Saatchi, Dentsu, with a client-side cameo at BT, a visiting lecturer in creativity at several universities, a TEDx speaker, co-author of ‘The Creative Nudge’ and an absolute advocate for walking in stupid and talking in smarts.  We discuss his journey from his beginning manning boying a vegetable stall, flirting with journalism, getting past ‘A’ in the careers dictionary, the importance of fostering creativity in all fields (including muddy ones), executional skill, breaking category norms, sifting through the interesting to find useful, enthusiasm, neurodiversity, walking in stupid, finding the world endlessly fascintating, big agencies, little agencies and so much more. ///// Kevin’s website  Follow Kevin on LinkedIn Here’s his book, co-written with the brilliant Mick Mahoney His TED Talk Levi’s – Creek by BBH, 1993 ///// Timestamps (03:17) - Kevin's early jobs and first steps in the advertising industry (07:34) - His initial lack of interest in advertising and his pivot from journalism (10:04) - The impact of iconic ads like Levi's Creek on Kevin's career (19:04) - The value of diverse experiences in building a successful career (23:03) - Defining creativity and its importance in business and life (27:37) - Breaking category norms (31:06) - The concept of bravery in marketing (34:42) - Bringing Fresh Perspectives to Meetings (36:38) - Practical tips for fostering creativity in the workplace (45:05) - Listener questions including Mark Earls about the role of enthusiasm (47:08) - The impact of neurodiversity on Kevin's approach to strategy Kevin’s book recommendations are:  The Creative Nudge: Simple Steps to help you think differently by Kevin Chesters and Mick Mahoney The Victorian Internet by Tom Standage Legacy by James Kerr An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth by Chris Hadfield The Rebuilders by Sara Tate & Anna Vogt (Sara’s appearance on Call to Action® https://gasp.agency/media/call-to-action/sara-tate) ////

This week we got out our thesaurus and sent a proper professional-sounding connection request to snag the attention of Mimi Turner, Head of LinkedIn’s B2B institute for EMEA and Latin America. With more strategic know-how in her little finger than a yurt-load of gurus, Mimi has worked as Director of Strategy, Messaging and Research for The Liberal Democrats and Marketing Director for Lad Bible, before moving to her current role at LinkedIn where she champions brand as a key growth driver for B2B businesses.  One of B2B’s biggest brains and boldest bullshit busters, Mimi shares her thoughts on the ancient origins of strategic thinking, journalism’s tendency toward self-harm, the common mistakes B2B marketers keep on making and why B2B is just one big game of hide and seek. ///// Follow Mimi on LinkedIn Read Mimi and Jann  Schwarz's eye-opening research The real job of B2B Marketing is to give the Buyer Group permission to agree Tune in to Mimi's Nudgestock 2023 talk Every Product Needs a Promise   Timestamps (02:23) - Quick Fire Questions (07:14) - Mimi’s Early Career (08:43) - The early days as a student journalist (10:52) - The world’s worst chambermaid (12:09) - Sequencing operations in Burger King (15:48) - Hospitality Skills in Marketing: Leaders should be waiters (21:35) - Mimi’s route into marketing (24:50) - Playing to win and solve the strategic problems (29:31) - B2B marketing: The challenger to B2C marketing (32:29) - Joining the B2B Institute at LinkedIn (33:55) - Who is making the decisions in B2B buying (37:03) - In B2B Brand is a decision insurance (46:03) - This quarter’s sales will be won or lost on brand (49:26) - Target B2B’s hidden buyers (57:16) - Advice for CMO’s fighting for investment (01:01:46) - Target your customers, go after the buying group (01:04:43) - Differentiation and distinctiveness: The job of creativity in B2B brands (01:11:23) - Pertinent posers   Mimi's book recommendations are: The Penguin Book of Modern Speeches by Brian MacArthur  /////

It’s been 5 years since Call to Action® captured our first of what’s now over 140 heroes and allies from the industry front lines to have a chin-wag with. To celebrate, we’re rereleasing a choice cut of our favourite episodes as part of a ‘Best Of’ series.  Back in 2021, we posed as a jester in the throne room of the Burger Kingdom to nab one of the most influential CMOs in the industry; the mind behind the infamous Mouldy Whopper, Fernando Machado. A global marketer with enough Lions to rival Joe Exotic, Fernando has since tucked into a few new roles, including one as CMO at Activision Blizzard. But at the time of recording, Fer was CMO at Restaurant Brands International, serving up great creative work for Burger King, Popeyes and Tim Hortons.  So, pull up to the next window and pick-up Fer’s final flame-grilled interview pre-abdicating, where we chat on his obsession with creativity, how to make the case for creativity, the role of the CMO, why Mouldy Whopper was never a risk, brand heritage, cancel culture, Bill Bernbach, Dads in Briefs and the cliff divers of Acapulco. ///// Check out The One Club for Creativity  BGH Air Conditioners: Dads in Briefs   Timestamps (02:15) - Quick fire questions (03:39) - His early career and first job (08:02) - Importance of creativity as a competitive advantage (15:24) - Making the case for creativity in marketing (20:30) - Burger King's challenger mindset and culture of creativity (25:22) - Role of the CMO and comfort with being uncomfortable (28:29) - Listener questions  (33:04) - 4 pertinent posers  Fernando’s book recommendations are:  Bill Bernbach's Book by Bob Levenson  The Copy Book by D&AD  /////

This week, we tracked a trail through deserts, glaciers, coral reefs, paddy fields, palaces, the DMZ between the two Koreas and an Italian hilltop to catch a copywriter with a lifetime of wild experience behind him. Ciao, Andrew Jolliffe.  For 25 years he’s written ads, strategies, thought starters, content, manifestos and copy. Some of those have won him prizes in Cannes, Paris and New York, but more importantly, he still adores writing them. In an age where concepts cast shadows over craft, Andrew is a true craftsman.  Full of refreshingly smart observations, Andrew talks to us on his organ building apprenticeships, fireworks accidents, Princess Di’s wedding, his "3rd career" in advertising, the internet as a vending machine, an outstanding defence of proper craft, and much, much more.  ///// Follow Andrew on LinkedIn  Here’s his website, entirely written by his clients  A short but very award-winning film he wrote with animator Darren Price   MusiCuvia, music festival in Valcuvia, northern Italy, founded by Andrew 4 years ago  And some Jack Dee for good measure  Timestamps (02:12) - Quick Fire Questions  (06:03) - Andrew's Early Career: Pipe Organ Builder (11:03) - Transition to Firework Technician (16:20) - The Cutthroat World of Fireworks (19:53) - Transition to Advertising (23:54) - Learning the Craft at Ogilvy (25:09) - Understanding People from All Walks of Life (26:14) - The Value of Real Experiences (27:32) - The Internet as a Vending Machine (29:59) - The Importance of Craft in Advertising (32:22) - Consumer Intelligence and Craft (45:00) - Advice for Aspiring Advertisers  (52:06) - Pertinent Posers  Andrew’s book recommendations are:  Atonement by Ian McEwan Saturday by Ian McEwan Black Dogs by Ian McEwan The Pornographer by John McGahern The Plot Against America by Philip Roth  The Howard Gossage Show by Steve Harrison and Dave Dye /////

It’s been 5 years since Call to Action® captured our first of what’s now over 140 heroes and allies from the industry front lines to have a chin-wag with. To celebrate, we’re rereleasing a choice cut of our favourite episodes as part of a ‘Best Of’ series.  In 2021, baited by a Bedouin birthing blanket, we caught big thinker and bestselling author, Paul Feldwick.  The man behind one of our favourite all time ad campaigns, Paul worked at the legendary agency BMP on some of Britain’s most famous brands for over 30 years. Paul talks to us on tonnes of topics, including BMP, being the world’s worst account manager, clowns, talking to real people, what brands can learn from Snow White, Jeremy Bullmore, PT Barnum, fame, shame, purpose, Mrs Brown’s Boys, whether ads need to be "liked", Martin Boase, and a whole lot more.  ///// Check out his website  Follow Paul on LinkedIn We implore you to read both of his fabulous books:   Why Does the Pedlar Sing?  Anatomy of Humbug  And here’s that famous Barclaycard ad with Rowan Atkinson  Timestamps (01:58) - Quick fire questions (07:20) - Paul's early career and transition to account planning (11:24) - Importance of entertaining advertising (17:29) - Discussion on fame in advertising (24:35) - The history of advertising and its impact on creativity (29:33) - The moral implications of advertising and the need for entertaining content (35:32) - Question on creative thinking in advertising and overcoming shame for fame (41:36) - Balancing likability and fame in advertising campaigns (47:07) - Pertinent posers  Paul’s book recommendations are:  How Brands Grow by Byron Sharp  Building Distinctive Brand Assets by Jenni Romaniuk  /////

This week, we ate and left no some crumbs to lure and catch GEN-Z copywriters, Carolyn McMurray and Em Goodier.  Co-founders of Word Tonic, the world’s first GEN-Z copywriting community, Carolyn and Em are hell-bent on helping and inspiring more young people to write for a living. Driven directly by young copywriters, it's a space to connect, share advice and learn from both each other and in masterclasses with the world's most noticeable brands like Disney and Google.  With over 700 GEN-Z copywriters involved, they’re growing so fast they’ve got brands reaching out to recruit fresh, emerging talent straight from the community.  We spill the tea (we’ll stop now) on embracing chaos in your career, building a community as an introvert, why research matters before a GEN-Z marketing effort, flexibility, mentorship, wanky creative directors, creating a diverse and inclusive community, short-term echo chambers, listener questions from Vikki Ross, Dave Harland, Thomas Kemeny and Andrew Boulton, boyfriend dedications, and loads more*. *including a World Cup of GEN-Z words designed solely to get Giles to say “yeet”, “bussin”, and “vibe check”.  ///// Follow Word Tonic on Instagram  Find them on LinkedIn  Here’s their website and newsletter  And check out one of Carolyn’s recommendation; Farnam Street Timestamps (01:47) - World Cup of GEN-Z Words  (03:31) - Early (chaotic) career paths; from Costa Coffee and cleaning to copywriting  (12:31) - How Word Tonic started, the recruitment side, and why you should join  (22:46) - How to nail GEN-Z marketing efforts  (31:31) - Listener questions  (40:51) - 4 pertinent posers  Their book recommendations are:  Junior by Thomas Kemeny  Hey Whipple Squeeze This by Luke Sullivan  Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov A Self-Help Guide for Copywriters by Dan Nelken  The Girl With All The Gifts by M.R. Carey /////

This week we asked “Is Pepsi okay?” to bait and catch Coca-Cola Creative Lead, Adam Ross.  Creative Lead for Coca-Cola across the ASEAN & South Pacific region, Adam is responsible for translating and elevating global core creative ideas regionally and locally, wrangling agencies around the world, and driving thought leadership across the business. So, gather on a Hilltop and listen as we sing on working on impactful campaigns for the Met Police, the power of brand and why it’s far from dead, “leaving loudly”, serendipity, the power of a great brief, going from agency to client side at Coca-Cola, Cantona, being an agency whisperer, balancing parenthood and leaderships and loads more. ///// Follow Adam on LinkedIn  Listen to his sister, Vikki, on Episode 6 of Call to Action®  Check out Adam’s Creative Sparks post each month   And keep an eye out for Vikki’s Copy Safaris  Timestamps (02:01) - Quickfire questions  (02:56) - His first jobs and first proper job at MediaCom  (05:05) - Tackling issues like knife crime and gun violence for the Met Police (08:29) - The role of serendipity in his career  (13:07) - Transition to client-side at Coca-Cola (23:17) - Being an ‘agency whisperer’  (26:08) - The power of a brief  (31:15) - Leaving loudly  (40:55) - Listener questions (51:38) - 4 pertinent posers  Adam’s book recommendations are:  Emotion by Design by Greg Hoffman  Misfits by Michaela Coel  Is This Anything? by Jerry Seinfeld  Dave Trott’s books  The Course of Love by Alain de Botton  The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work by Alain de Botton /////

This week, we caught Scott ‘The Boom’ to shake-shake-shake the room.  Cutting his teeth at Saatchi and Saatchi, Scott Morrison has run the Nike business at Wieden and Kennedy, and been CMO and Commercial Director at Levi’s, Activision and Diesel. Now he brings the Boom! to brands and leaders to Unblock, Unlock and Unleash commercial, creative or cultural impact that transforms business and individuals. Strap in as we wag chins on picking tomatoes, the power of stating intent, the magic of positive disruption, and the art of creating a movement. Scott's not just about making noise - he's about making a real impact. From quiet leadership lessons inspired by Nelson Mandela to the bold moves that drive businesses forward, Scott's got the playbook for success. Listen quick. Tic-tic-tic-tic... Follow Scott on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram  Find out more about the Boom!  Here’s the Boom! Book Club  Read 10 ways future-thinking clients are bringing the Boom! to Business Unusual Scott's ISOLATED Talk Leadership Lessons from Marvin and Mandela Timestamps 02:07 - Quickfire questions  03:40 - His early jobs and career path 06:19 - Importance of being open to serendipity in career choices 13:39 - The importance of positive disruption in business 21:29 - The "unblock, unlock, unleash" approach 25:40 - Defining success and unblocking obstacles 33:24 - Stating intent as a powerful leadership tool 36:52 - Characteristics of impactful leaders and the concept of learning fast 41:25 - Impactful leadership styles and the balance between quiet and loud impact 45:37 - Listener questions  51:38 - 4 pertinent posers  Scott’s book recommendations are:  The Mountain is You by Brianna Wiest  The Ego is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday  The Road Less Stupid by Keith Cunningham

This week we sent off a coupon to catch 1960s advertising copywriter, Howard Gossage, through the eyes and work of Steve Harrison and Dave Dye. As a copywriter, Steve tamed more Cannes Lions in his discipline than anyone else in the world. He’s been on the show twice before, once guesting, once hosting, and is a great friend of …Gasp!. Dave is the true “art director’s art director”. Through his career he’s won everything, worked for the best agencies in the business, and the visual techniques he uses to squeeze every ounce of juice from an idea are frankly unparalleled.  The pair have joined forces to pen and produce ‘The Howard Gossage Show’, a fitting celebration of the fun and fame peddling ad man; one of the industry’s lesser known greats. We gossip on Gossage’s showmanship, breaking conventions, having half an interesting conversation through his ads, writing to somebody, stunts, fame, and so much more. At a time when advertising is disliked and avoided by most people, his legacy feels even more important now than it was 60 years ago. So listen up.  ///// Here’s The Howard Gossage Show  Follow Steve and Dave on LinkedIn  Check out Dave’s Stuff From the Loft And Steve’s biography on Howard Gossage  Timestamps (02:34) - Quick fire questions (Posh Spice or Persil?) (04:41) - How Gossage ended up in advertising  (12:09) - Why now’s the time for a book about Gossage (20:50) - How he broke conventions  (26:28) - People read what interests them  (35:00) - The industry becoming hyper-serious  (45:17) - Listener questions from Vikki Ross and Nick Asbury  (52:00) - The Cannes Lions humour category   (1:00:00) - A dedication to Alice Lowe and Phish Food  Image of Howard Gossage credit: ©George W Dippel /////

It’s been 5 years since Call to Action® captured our first of what’s now over 130 heroes and allies from the industry front lines to have a chin-wag with. To celebrate, we’re rereleasing a choice cut of our favourite episodes as part of a ‘Best Of’ series.  In February 2022, we stuck a fake shark fin on our back and lurked in the waters off Adelaide to catch the attention of one of the industry’s most respected researchers; Prof. Karen Nelson-Field.  Hell-bent on fighting the broken media ecosystem as founder and CEO at Amplified Intelligence, Karen is also an author and alumni of the world-renowned Ehrenberg-Bass Institute. When she’s not binge-watching Home & Away (yes, she’s still a fan), Karen’s research into the measurement of attention has made her a global authority on media effectiveness. Point your ears this way as Karen talks on her 10 years at Ehrenberg-Bass, skateboarding cats, myth-busting Facebook likes, going viral, why attention is an important metric, how to measure it and more. And strap in as Karen finally answers the red-hot question of whether our attention spans really are becoming shorter than a goldfi- Oh, look, some links…  ///// Follow Karen on LinkedIn  And on Twitter  Here’s her website And, Karen kindly dedicates this episode to the bullshit-detecting bulldog himself, Bob Hoffman Grab yourself her books: Viral Marketing: The Science of Sharing  The Attention Economy and How Media Works  Timestamps (01:50) - Quick fire questions (03:15) - First jobs and early fascination with advertising  (08:40) - What she learnt about media from cinema  (14:00) - Her time at Ehrenberg-Bass  (15:45) - Myth-busting Facebook likes  (19:15) - A deep dive into the attention economy  (25:30) - Are our attention spans really getting shorter?  (30:00) - Single piece of advice to marketers to better understand attention (34:30) - Listener questions  (38:15) - 4 pertinent posers  Karen’s book recommendations are:  Play Bigger by Al Ramadan, Dave Peterson, Christopher Lochhead & Kevin Maney That Will Never Work by Marc Randolph  Feel better about marketing with Episode 81 of Call to Action® with Professor Karen Nelson-Field.  /////

This week, we scoured wardrobes far and wide to catch a man who has dressed rock icons, Sapeurs of the Congo, a blue monster for Ed Sheeran, and even ‘plug boy’ from the Sainsbury’s Christmas ad; Mr Gammon.   Costume designer, fashion stylist, and distinctive English gent, Mr Gammon is the go-to guy for creatively styled costumes. Whether it’s dressing The Rolling Stones, elegant men of the Congo, Usain Bolt, a school nativity like no other, or mum and dad in jeans and a t-shirt; no cast is too vast, nor celebrity too big. We wag chins on his first ever job with an alcoholic called Malcolm, his first proper job dressing Adam Ant, making and selling bermuda shorts at school, being a colourful punk, what he loves about being on set, how a joke about needlework changed the trajectory of his life, managing expectations, where ‘Mr Gammon’ came from, taking 25 suitcases to film Guinness ‘Sapeurs’, making jackets for Mick Jagger, drawing as ‘creative offsetting’, and a treasure trove more.  ///// Find Mr Gammon on Instagram Here’s his website  Loving You is Killing Me by My Life Story  And a choice cut of Mr Gammon’s best work:  Guinness Sapeurs  Sainsbury’s The Big Night  The brand new Carlsberg spot 'Curious Beginnings' And DJ Shadow - Rocket Fuel ft. De La Soul Timestamps (02:09) - Quick fire questions, Doctor Who, and the reality check The Rolling Stones gave him  (08:14) - First jobs, making bermuda shorts, and designing for Adam Ant  (16:05) - His time at the Royal College of Art  (20:30) - The ‘common good of the shoot’ when you’re on set  (27:55) - Dealing with the opinions and emotions of different people on set (39:39) - His new work for Carlsberg  (41:35) - Listener questions  (46:30) - 4 pertinent posers  Mr Gammon’s book recommendations are:  Small Trades by Irving Penn  Michel the Giant: An African in Greenland by Tété-Michel Kpomassie Learning to Love You More by Miranda July and Harrell Fletcher  The Old Patagonian Express by Paul Theroux The Financial Times Weekend Edition /////

It’s been 5 years since Call to Action® captured our first of what’s now over 130 heroes and allies from the industry front line to have a chin-wag with. The show is still very much like Pokémon Go, with the single but vital exception that it’s not a short-term bandwagon of shite. And to celebrate, we’re rereleasing a choice cut of our favourite episodes as part of the ‘Best of’ series.  In September 2020, we pulled a network agency worm out of the Big Apple and used it as topic-bait to catch one of advertising’s biggest fish; the one and only George Tannenbaum.  One of the most highly awarded, revered and talented copywriters and creative directors on the planet, George was Executive Creative Director and Copy Chief at Ogilvy for over 10 years. He has worked with huge brands like IBM, Boeing, PayPal, and General Motors, writes a hugely influential marketing blog called Ad Aged, and has a charming if alarmingly deluded French alter ego called ‘Le Agency Holding Company CEO’ who holds up a satirical mirror to the holding company era. Initially released as a two-parter, this is the full, director’s cut. So strap in for an hour and 20 minutes of George’s blissful yet biting NY tones as he talks on subjects such as the agency scene in the 80s and 90s, ageism, the state of copywriting, rediscovering his love for advertising, his time at Ogilvy including his last assignment working on the Boeing account, how to write a good headline, and tons more.  And the whole thing kicks off with an unmissable cameo from Le Agency Holding Company CEO. So what are you waiting for? Go listen. Feel better about marketing with Episodes 46 and 47 of Call to Action® with George Tannenbaum.  Follow George on LinkedIn Here’s his Ad Aged Blog And his website George’s book recommendations: The Saddest Words by Michael Gorra The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson Caste by Isabel Wilkerson 

This year marks 5 years since our maiden episode launched in 2019. And to celebrate Call to Action® turning 5, we’ve asked the …Gasp! team to rummage through all 130 episodes to re release some of their favourites.  In June 2020, we cast a net off the coast of Adelaide and caught one of the globe’s greatest researchers, Jenni Romaniuk, for her first of two Call to Action® appearances.  Jenni is a Research Professor at the conveyor belt of marketing stars, the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, where she has advised many of the world’s biggest brands. She’s also authored what’s now a trilogy of true industry bibles; How Brands Grow 2, Building Distinctive Brand Assets, and Better Brand Health.  In one of our most listened to episodes of all time, you can hear all about Jenni’s first job as a talented mixologist, how to build mental availability, context, memory, metrics, and more. If you work for a company with a brand logo, font or colour scheme, this episode is as close to essential listening as you’re going to get to understand how to build, measure, manage and, crucially, protect distinctive brand assets.  Feel better about marketing with Episode 39 of Call to Action® with Professor Jenni Romaniuk.  ///// Follow Jenni on LinkedIn. If you haven’t already, you’d be a fool not to fill your ear canals up with Jenni’s second cameo on Call To Action®, here. And check out her books; Building Distinctive Brand Assets, How Brands Grow Part 2, and Better Brand Health. Timestamps (01:55) - Quick fire questions (04:30) - First job behind the bar at a football club  (07:00) - Getting a phone call from Byron Sharp and landing a job at EBI  (12:30) - How Brands Grow 2 and Building Distinctive Brand Assets  (17:05) - How to build mental availability  (24:10) - The link between context and memory   (31:25) - Best practices for managing and measuring distinctive assets (45:35) - Listener questions  (52:40) - 4 pertinent posers  Jenni’s book recommendation is:  A Scandalous Life by Mary S. Lovell  /////

This week, we posed as a wide receiver to catch ad land’s premier Super Bowl pundit, Andrew Tindall, to tell us which of this year’s cohort of cost-the-earth commercials were MVPs…and which fumbled the ball.    A man who hadn’t slept in days, we snared Andrew straight from System1’s Super Bowl “war room”. After spending the past week testing the ads our industry can’t help but get sweaty about year on year, he’s here to tell us what “won” the Super Bowl and why.  An award-winning marketer with a commercial background at some top notch FMCGs, Andrew leads System1's global partnership strategy and growth, seeking out the world’s best ads and why they work to unlock the potential of their world-leading effectiveness database. He talks to us on Young Apprentice being a way of "getting out of Huddersfield'', studying medicine for 3 years, wanting to work in alcohol, how System1 predicts creative potential and effectiveness, his mentor, colleague and friend Orlando Wood, why effectiveness is relative; outperform your category, the hierarchy of evidence, the brilliant Jenni Romaniuk, creativity as the UK’s greatest export, and lots more. Plus, of course, the Super Bowl winners and losers, including Michelob Ultra, Messi, using celebs, mayo cat, T-Mobile and Pfizer.  Touch down on the play button. You won’t be disappointed.  ///// Follow Andrew on LinkedIn  Find out more about System1 and their ad effectiveness predictors  The only four slides you need for Super Bowl 2024 ad insights from System1 Here’s Andrew’s Super Bowl piece in The Drum  And his personal favourite Super Bowl ad of 2024, Foot Washing Plus Mr P by Pringles  And if you haven’t seen them, watch 2024’s top scoring Super Bowl ads here:  Dunkin’ Donuts, Hellmann’s, Reese’s, Oreo, State Farm, Popeyes, T-Mobile, NFL, Michelob ULTRA, Booking.com, and Budweiser. Timestamps (01:50) - Quick fire questions (03:45) - First jobs, BBC’s Young Apprentice, and going from med school to marketing (07:40) - How he ended up testing marketing effectiveness at System1  (13:12) - How System1 predicts creative potential and effectiveness (17:50) - Which ads “won” the Super Bowl? (21:15) - What Michelob ULTRA did right  (27:14) - His favourite Super Bowl ad of 2024 (and it’s one no one is talking about) (30:45) - Efficiency and effectiveness  (36:35) - Listener questions  (42:00) - What US marketers can learn from the UK  (46:30) - 4 pertinent posers  Andrew’s book recommendation is:  Building Distinctive Brand Assets by Jenni Romaniuk  /////

Go, Shotton, it’s our birthday, we gon’ podcast like it’s our birthday. This week, we claimed that 50 Cent is better than 49 Cent to coax out and catch a man who knows his onions on the ‘left hand digit effect’; Richard Shotton.  In February 2019, Richard agreed to be our inaugural guest to launch the Call to Action® podcast. Almost exactly 5 years, 343309 listens (or 686618 ears), and 1 book better, we're snaring him for a second, celebratory episode to mark the occasion. Drawing on academic research, previous ad campaigns, and his own original field studies, Richard is the best in the business when it comes to improving marketing with findings from behavioural science. His brace of best-selling books, The Choice Factory and The Illusion of Choice, are practical guides on how any business can use behavioural biases to win customers and sell more stuff.  He chinwags to us on dressing up as Mr Blobby, second album syndrome, why ‘muscular gentleman’ is more memorable than ‘common fate’, rejecting dubious papers (not the whole field), the IKEA effect, Rory Sutherland and The World of Jam, tips to sell more champagne, releasing the handbrake vs pushing the accelerator, how to make your ad more believable, why Giles is scared of Jollibee, and loads more. You’d be a fool not to fill your ear canals up. *Feel free to ignore this*…but if you leave a review for Call to Action® on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, we’ll choose the best 5 to WIN a book pack prize of The Illusion of Choice, The Choice Factory, Delusions of Brandeur, and How Brands Blow. Mega.  ///// Follow Richard on Twitter and LinkedIn Listen to our maiden episode with him here  Here’s Astroten  Get your grubby mitts on his books:  The Choice Factory  The Illusion of Choice  And here’s that Gregory and Gregory stunt from Greggs  Timestamps (02:02) - Quick fire questions (04:45) - Second album syndrome and writing The Illusion of Choice  (07:26) - Why marketers should always use concrete words   (12:20) - Richard’s response to behavioural science critics  (17:05) - Choice paralysis and the importance of context  (19:08) - The IKEA effect   (23:08 ) - ‘Press for champagne’ and why marketers should weigh up appeal vs friction  (28:00) - Should ads use more rhyme and humour?  (33:00) - Quick wins for marketers looking to wield the powers of behavioural science  (42:00) - Listener questions  (50:10) - 4 pertinent posers  Richard’s book recommendations are:  Writing for Busy Readers by Todd Rogers Alchemy by Rory Sutherland  /////

This year marks 5 years since our maiden episode with Richard Shotton in February 2019. To celebrate Call to Action® turning 5, we asked the …Gasp! team to rummage through all 130 episodes for us to re-release some of their favourites.  Back in January 2020, we kicked off the year with fizzy, fuzzy energy. The fizz and fuzz faded come March 2020, but before that, we packed our plasticine and carried out a search of The Avon to pick up Bristol’s finest maker of noise, Gavin Strange.  By day, Gavin is Director and Designer at the beloved Aardman Animations, the Academy Award winning studio behind Wallace & Gromit. It is probably easier to ask what Gavin does not do, a sucker for a night-time side project, under the pseudonym of Jam Factory, he’s also an author, toy inventor and speaker on the global circuit. In one of the …Gasp! team’s all time favourite episodes, Gavin talks to us candidly on having car parts thrown at his head, pixels, plasticine, what Morph is really like, the unlikely crossover of Maya Angelou and Dragon Ball Z and why we need more wonky things.  Feel better about marketing with Episode 28 of Call to Action® with Gavin Strange.  Follow Gavin on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn Check out his website And get his book: Do Fly Timestamps (01:59) - Quick fire questions (02:40) - First jobs, having car parts thrown at his head, getting a job in design (10:00) - Tinkering and creating his alter ego JamFactory  (13:15) - What it’s like working at Aardman Animations  (16:39) - Pixels vs plasticine and long standing characters like Morph  (23:30) - Being time buddies with Beyonce and how he gets so much done  (33:10) - Doing silly stuff and his directorial debut (41:50) - Writing his book Do Fly  (53:00) - Listener questions  (1:00:00) - 4 pertinent posers  Gavin’s book recommendations are:  Feck Perfuction by James Victore  Draplin Design Co: Pretty Much Everything by Aaron Draplin  Why? How? What? The First Big Book of Art by Brosmind  Cabinet of Curiosities by Guillermo del Toro  Anything by Shepard Fairey 

This week, Call to Action® laid bait in a box trap to lure and snare our maiden catch of 2024, Roger Wade. First founding Boxfresh, a pioneering British streetwear brand, he went on to transform a patch of wasteland to create the world’s first pop-up dining and shopping destination, BOXPARK, in the heart of London’s Shoreditch. Today, Roger is putting his passion for independent brands, the future of retail, and thinking outside the Box, into his role as Chairman of Boxfund VC. We shoot the breeze on stealing sweets, getting sacked from his first three jobs in advertising, having a positive attitude to problems, entrepreneurship, risk, how Boxfresh gave 90s kids a new uniform, being special to your customer, investing in people not spreadsheets, emotion in business, golf, why in-store is better than online for all three key pillars of retail, and loads more.  In fact, we had to stop and reload a few times to take aim at Bezos, bean counters, Boris and Brexit. And he certainly doesn’t sit on the fence. What an episode.  ///// Follow Roger on LinkedIn Here’s Boxfund VC Check out BoxSeat, a live pitch session for ESG consumer startups hosted every month  We’ve made our decision by Omid Djalili  Timestamps (02:00) - Quick fire questions (03:55) - Stealing sweets, running nightclubs, and getting sacked from his first 3 jobs in advertising  (06:40) - Realising he was unemployable and why it was the best thing that ever happened to him  (08:54) - Creating a new uniform for 90s kids with Boxfresh   (12:50) - “If you aren’t special to your customer, you won’t exist” (17:00) - Investing in people not spreadsheets and why we need to talk more about emotion in business  (23:43) - Giving both barrels to Bezos, Boris, and Brexit  (33:52) - Listener questions  (39:34) - 4 pertinent posers  Roger’s book recommendations are:  Politics on the Edge by Rory Stewart  But What Can I Do? by Alistair Campbell  /////

This week, we used plenty of plaid to lure and poach the planning pro in patterned shirts, Julian Cole.  Strategy consultant to leading brands like Uber, Apple, Facebook and ex-Head of Comms Planning at BBDO and BBH, Julian noticed the void of proper education for the role and started the Strategy Finishing School. Putting an end to impostor syndrome, he’s now whipping up world class strategists by the bucket load.  We talk delivering prescriptions, loving maps, horse racing, gambling, why going straight into strategy was a curse, learning (and now teaching) the fundamentals of strategy, imposter syndrome, spotting an untrained vs strategist, how to actually use AI in a helpful way, Giles’s Thermomix, hallways not boardrooms, nemawashi, his definition of an insight, where he gets his shirts from, and loads more.  Sink your houndstooth in wherever you get your podcasts.  ///// You can find Julian on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube Check out the Strategy Finishing School  This episode is proudly dedicated to Richard Huntington  And if you like Julian’s crazy shirts, have a gander at Lazy Oaf  Timestamps (02:00) - Quick fire questions (02:56) - His first job delivering prescriptions by bike, loving maps, and what led him down the path of strategy  (05:05) - The similarities between strategy and gambling (09:45) - Why going straight into strategy was a curse, being a lone ranger, impostor syndrome, and deck monkeys  (18:07) - The positive side to impostor syndrome and how to overcome it  (22:27) - Spotting a trained vs untrained strategist  (28:08) - Using AI for strategy like you’d use salt in cooking  (31:30) - How he actually uses AI as a strategist  (35:13) - Diplomacy, hallways not boardrooms, and nemawashi (40:38) - Listener questions  (51:42) - 4 pertinent posers  Julian’s book recommendations are:  Strategy is Your Words by Mark Pollard  Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath  Trust Me I’m Lying by Ryan Holiday  /////

This week, we gave ourselves 50 minutes and the task to catch master of mirth, Alex Horne.  Comedian, frontman of six-piece band The Horne Section, and sensationally silly sod, Alex is best known for creating and co-hosting cult TV show, Taskmaster. Alongside Greg Davies, the only man in comedy big enough to call him ‘Little’ Alex Horne, he tests the wiles, wit and wisdom of comedians through a series of tasks teeming with tomfoolery. We chat middle children, sorting potatoes from toads, Big Brother and berocca, reviewing an all-male strip show, The Cambridge Footlights, British humour overseas, car games, silly versus wacky, escapism, how he comes up with tasks, catching tears in an eggcup, and (of course) the glorious 'stupid waste of time' that is Taskmaster.  Tune in wherever you get your podcasts. You’ve got 49 minutes and 18 seconds. Your time starts now.  ///// Follow Alex on Twitter  Here’s his website And see The Horne Section on tour   Timestamps (02:00) - Quick fire questions (03:56) - His first jobs sorting potatoes from toads, reviewing an all-male strip show, and working on Big Brother  (08:08) - Giving comedy a crack and The Cambridge Footlights  (12:10) - How Taskmaster went from playing games in the back of the car, to Edinburgh Fringe, and then onto the tele  (14:27) - What’s behind the success of Taskmaster, the role of luck, and what he’d do differently if the show started today  (24:20) - Trying to entertain, silly vs wacky, and the importance of escapism  (30:03) - How he keeps coming up with tasks  (36:10) - Listener questions  (41:39) - 4 pertinent posers  Alex’s book recommendations are:  Game On by Marley Byng  Palindromes and Anagrams by H.W. Bergerson  The Pebble Spotter’s Guide by Clive Mitchell  /////

This week, we went meep meep past Contagious HQ to catch an ACME wielding Alex Jenkins.  As Managing Partner at Contagious, Alex’s industry knowledge encompasses a treasure trove of past campaigns, current narratives, and future predictions. Part editorial, part consultancy, part research, Contagious believes in the best version of our industry, one where creativity wins.  After trying to crush us with a Greco-Roman catapult, Alex talks to us on his wonderfully wiggly career path, having his marketing budget poached by Girls Aloud, feeling like Wile E. Coyote after education, Contagious as a triaging function, walking around a problem, the current state of creativity, anti-creative forces, Most Contagious 2023, David Lynch, and French supermarkets.  That’s not all folks, he also explains what we've always known deep down...that Les Binet and Peter Field are one of your 5-a-day.   Follow Alex on LinkedIn and Twitter  Here’s Contagious  Get your tickets to Most Contagious (use promo code "GASPMOCO" for 30% off the full price of a ticket)  Go gorge on our episodes with Bob Hoffman and Richard Huntington Here’s the ad by Ruavieja  And a clip of Angelo Badalamenti explaining how he wrote the Twin Peaks soundtrack  Timestamps (01:44) - Quick fire questions (03:04) - His first jobs, music, creativity, and feeling like Wile E. Coyote after  (09:25) - Having his marketing budget stolen by Girls Aloud  (10:45) - His role at Contagious, triaging, and how they stay objective  (16:49) - The state of creativity in advertising, anti creative forces, and why Les Binet might be one of your five a day  (30:40) - Most Contagious 2023  (38:40) - Listener questions  (46:46) - 4 pertinent posers  Alex’s book recommendations are:  R.U.R. by Karel Capek  The Human Use Of Human Beings by Norbert Wiener  Essays by George Orwell  Invisible Ink by Brian McDonald  Lynch on Lynch by David Lynch  Good Strategy Bad Strategy by Richard Rumelt 

This week, darling, we dangled a bit of Bolly to lure and ensnare the Absolutely Fabulous, Tara Austin. Behavioural science leader, Nudgestock host, and Rory Sutherland wrangler, Tara’s been on the frontline of the applied B.S. revolution for over a decade. More recently she’s turned ‘psychedelic evangelist’, lobbying to change the UK's approach to magic mushrooms. Tara talks to us on attempting to model herself on Ab Fab’s Patsy, ringing up Scottish farmers to chat anaerobic digestate, being at the basecamp of behavioural science, Ogilvy, Rory, combining Pimms with spicy food, painting babies faces on shop shutters (h/t Nicole Yershon), her favourite Nudgestock memories, her time at 10 Downing Street, psilocybin, the stoned ape hypothesis, finding hope in the form of a mushroom, and tons more. ///// Follow Tara on LinkedIn  Take action for psilocybin access rights through PAR  Watch Fantastic Fungi on Netflix And, of course, check out the world's biggest festival of behavioural science and creativity; Nudgestock  Including these talks from the archives:  Andrew Sheerin's talk 'The Persuasive Power Of Play' from 2017 Dave Trott’s talk ‘Complexity Kills Creativity’ from 2016 Dr Paul Zak’s talk ‘Messiness in the brain’ from 2023  Timestamps (02:02) - Quick fire questions (03:14) - First jobs, cleaning up bodily fluids and why menial jobs are a worthy experience for any young person  (06:19) -  How Ab Fab inspired her career and whether she’s more Eddie or Patsy  (08:16) - Getting into behavioural science, Rory Sutherland, and the market opportunity to pair Pimms with spicy food  (12:37) - Painting babies faces on shop shutters after the London riots  (17:40) - Favourite Nudgestock talks from the archives (cc Dave Trott, Andrew Sheerin, Paul Zak) (26:03) - Advocating for psilocybin, the stoned ape hypothesis, and the bouba and kiki effect  (34:33) - Campaigning for PAR, Project Croydon, and why hope exists in the form of a mushroom  (49:04) - Listener questions  (54:18) - 4 pertinent posers  Tara’s book recommendations are:  The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt Falling in Love with Where You Are by Jeff Foster  /////

This week we led Lucky Saint’s Head of Brand, Emily Laws, not into temptation but into Call To Action's recording studio. With marketing chops spanning a decade in brand management, PR, and brand activation, Emily is currently breaking rules and honouring traditions at the helm of the UK’s Number 1 Dedicated Alcohol-Free Beer. We get in a round of tantalising topics, including her first jobs selling shoes and speaking French, how The Yorkshire Post dashed her dreams, Flat Eric, behaving like an iconic brand, not doing ‘new’ for new’s sake, using brand codes with fresh consistency, why they don’t talk about hangovers, riding the alcohol-free wave and cracking on with whatever data you have (or don’t have), the tattoo test, and loads more. If you’re a fan of Lucky Saint or simply proper marketing, pour this into your ear holes.  ///// Follow Emily on LinkedIn  Here’s Lucky Saint  And their Marylebone pub, The Lucky Saint  Timestamps (01:44) - Quick fire questions (02:45) - First jobs, speaking French, and dashed dreams of being a journalist  (10:20) - Brand codes and behaving like an iconic brand  (15:20) - Not giving in to the pressure to always bring something new  (18:45) - How attitudes to alcohol-free are changing  (21:10) - Research, data, and wrong assumptions  (33:40) - Staying humble and being market-oriented  (48:50) - Listener questions  (54:59) - 4 pertinent posers  Emily’s book recommendations are:  The Making of a Manager by Julie Zhuo Damn Good Advice by George Lois  Alchemy by Rory Sutherland The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene  /////

This week, ​​in a world where most businesses blend together like a briefcase filled with slightly smaller briefcases, we’re seeking out the business leaders who are standing out in their sector, and doing things very much their own way. Mind Your Business is the sponsored spin-off of Call to Action® that gives inspiring, unusual or simply very likeable businesses a chance to share their story. It’s like reading a business book with the word ‘guru’ in the title, with the single but vital exception that it won’t make you do a little sick in your mouth. This is the third and final episode of a special, three-part, series with Startle. A talented tech company curating music for brands looking to deliver customer experiences within spaces spanning retail, hospitality and beyond.  Whether you’re a food operator looking to get customers chewing faster, a retailer wanting to get shoppers shopping longer, or simply a fan of behavioural science and its application across a range of industries, press play to find out why the music sounds better with Startle. For the encore, we’ve got the band back together with Adam Castleton, CEO, James Picken, Creative Director, and Magnus Linn, Playlist Manager, belting out their favourite behavioural science hits, like expectancy theory and the peak end rule, before facing a ton of tough posers from people in the industry.    If you listened to Episode 1 and 2, jump to [02:50] to skip the recap and get straight into Episode 3.  ///// Check out Startle, Adam, Magnus, and James on LinkedIn. Here’s Startle’s first-of-its-kind book, Atmospheres That Sell.  And find out what happened when Startle handed out free air guitars at Nudgestock.  Timestamps:  (01:12) - An introduction to Startle, Adam, Magnus, and James (02:50) - If you listened to Episode 1 and 3, jump here to skip the recap and get straight into Episode 3.     (03:20) - A quick lesson in expectancy theory   (06:54) - How to manage first impressions at scale  (08:25) - Brands doing it well and the power of a balloon  (10:57) - Peak end rule and playing musical scrabble   (15:25) - Questions from people in the industry   (15:40) - Is there one playlist that does it best?  (23:00) - Should you let employees play their favourites?  (27:28) - How the weight of cutlery impacts how you perceive your meal  (30:28) - Wrap up  ///// This episode of Call to Action® is sponsored.  Got a business we could stick our sponsored spinoff shaped nose into next? Email [email protected]. 

This week, ​​in a world where most businesses blend together like a briefcase filled with slightly smaller briefcases, we’re seeking out the business leaders who are standing out in their sector, and doing things very much their own way. Mind Your Business is the sponsored spin-off of Call to Action® that gives inspiring, unusual or simply very likeable businesses a chance to share their story. It’s like reading a business book with the word ‘guru’ in the title, with the single but vital exception that it won’t make you do a little sick in your mouth. This is the second episode of a three part series with Startle. A talented tech company curating music for brands looking to deliver customer experiences within spaces spanning retail, hospitality and beyond.  Whether you’re a food operator looking to get customers chewing faster, a retailer wanting to get shoppers shopping longer, or simply a fan of behavioural science and its application across a range of industries, press play to find out why the music sounds better with Startle. For Episode 2, we've caught a Startle BOGOF of Magnus Linn, Playlist Manager, and James Picken, Creative Director, to shoot the breeze on how music can influence every aspect of how we behave, why you shouldn’t view music solely as an entertainment service, the science of sound, boosting bass to sell more Rolexes, dealing with a constantly changing context, how to use music to say something about your brand, and tons more.  If you listened to Episode 1, jump to [02:50] to skip the recap and get straight into Episode 2.  ///// Check out Startle, Magnus, and James on LinkedIn. Here’s Startle’s first-of-its-kind book, Atmospheres That Sell.  And find out what happened when Startle handed out free air guitars at Nudgestock.  Timestamps:  (01:12) - An introduction to Startle, Magnus, and James (02:50) - If you listened to Episode 1, jump here to skip the recap and get straight into Episode 2.     (03:20) - The power of music to influence every aspect of our lives  (06:45) - How brands can use music as an atmospheric tool  (09:24) - The pitfalls of seeing music solely as an entertainment service (15:26) - The science of sound and why boosting the bass could sell more Rolexes  (19:18) - The role of context  (28:40) - A teaser for Part 3  ///// This episode of Call to Action® is sponsored.  Got a business we could stick our sponsored spinoff shaped nose into next? Email [email protected]. 

This week, ​​in a world where most businesses blend together like a briefcase filled with slightly smaller briefcases, we’re seeking out the business leaders who are standing out in their sector, and doing things very much their own way. Mind Your Business is the sponsored spin-off of Call to Action® that gives inspiring, unusual or simply very likeable businesses a chance to share their story. It’s like reading a business book with the word ‘guru’ in the title, with the single but vital exception that it won’t make you do a little sick in your mouth. This is the first episode of a three part series with Startle. A talented tech company curating music for brands looking to deliver customer experiences within spaces spanning retail, hospitality and beyond.  Whether you’re a food operator looking to get customers chewing faster, a retailer wanting to get shoppers shopping longer, or simply a fan of behavioural science and its application across a range of industries, press play to find out why the music sounds better with Startle. For this first episode, we’ve caught Adam Castleton, Startle’s CEO and self-confessed lead singer who can’t sing, to riff on his first job in charge of a rollercoaster, being an anti-tech tech founder, the magic of subtlety in tech, how Startle designs the perfect atmosphere, Startle’s book to help harness heuristics and biases in retail and hospitality, handing out free air guitars, why you shouldn’t play music people like, and loads more.  ///// Check out Startle and Adam on LinkedIn. Here’s Startle’s first-of-its-kind book, Atmospheres That Sell.  And find out what happened when Startle handed out free air guitars at Nudgestock.  Timestamps:  (01:12) - An introduction to Startle and Adam  (02:43) - His first job in charge of a rollercoaster and his passion for the intersection of leisure, humans and tech     (04:38) - An idea in the pub 5 years ago and how Startle came to be (10:44) - Startle in a nutshell   (12:47) - Startle’s behavioural science book for retail and hospitality  (15:26) - Where background music providers have go wrong and the importance of intent (21:50) - Thinking about your customers’ mood (29:10) - Handing out free air guitars at Nudgestock (30:30) - A teaser for Part 2  ///// This episode of Call to Action® is sponsored.  Got a business we could stick our sponsored spinoff shaped nose into next? Email [email protected].

This week we travelled home and away to catch Tourism Australia’s Chief Marketing Officer, Susan Coghill.  Using the power of creativity to build brands, drive business, and shape culture, Susan is a proper marketer tasked with tempting tourists to the land of kangaroos and Kylie.  And we were lucky, lucky, lucky enough to talk to her on a ton of topics, including her first job at a retirement home, working with Steve Jobs, understanding context, creativity in service of commercial outcomes, brand codes as a mental shortcut, testing, Come and Say G’Day, silencing critics, creating something distinctly and uniquely Australian, managing 27 million stakeholders, and a whole lot more. If it’s a celebration of proper marketing you want, then pour this into your lug holes.  ///// Follow Susan on LinkedIn  And check out Come and Say G’Day Timestamps (02:08) - Quick fire questions (03:17) - First jobs, what she learnt working in a retirement home, and getting into ad land (08:12) - Being a part of Apple’s Think Different campaign and what Steve Jobs asked her opinion on   (13:00) - Account management, being a creative enabler, and what set her up for success client side  (18:14) - Speaking the language of the boardroom and Ritson’s Mini MBA   (20:49) - A deep dive into Tourism Australia’s Come and Say G’day campaign (25:55) - Using research and brand codes to create something distinctly and uniquely Australian   (32:26) - Testing in Australia and beyond with System 1  (39:52) - Listener questions  (47:41) - 4 pertinent posers  Susan’s book recommendation is:  Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara  /////

This week, we followed the HERDmeister to find and catch behavioural science buff, Mark Earls.  Dubbed by DO Lectures as “Britain’s answer to Malcolm Gladwell…without the hair”, Mark is a prolific thinker, recovering account planner and best-selling writer.  We shoot the breeze on the intimidatingly smart Paul Feldwick, being public enemy no. 1 in the eyes of market research, why we’re not individuals, copying, learning Welsh, what he’s optimistic about in the industry and tons more. In fact, we had to stop and reload a few times to take aim at bollocks brain scans and infantilising the creative genius, before wrangling a stampede of listener questions. What an episode. ///// Find Mark on LinkedIn and Twitter   Check out HERD HQ Get your mitts on all Mark’s books: Copy, Copy, Copy  Herd  Creative Superpowers  Welcome to the Creative Age  Here’s Strands of Genius guest curated by Giles  And ISOLATED Talks  If that wasn’t enough, keep an eye out for chances to catch Mark IRL at upcoming The Marketing Society events  Timestamps (01:48) - Quick fire questions (02:44) - First jobs, being a tour guide and working with Paul Feldwick    (08:38) - Becoming a behavioural science geek (aka becoming HERDmeister) (17:17) - Why we’re wrong to think of ourselves as individuals  (22:00) - Stop overlooking the influence of culture   (36:32) - Copying and the value of creative triage  (48:13) - A shed load of listener questions  (53:50) - Why brain scans are bollocks  (1:07:07) - How being a lover of both language and languages helps him understand people, communication and culture (cc Lisl Macdonald)  (1:31:12) - 4 pertinent posers  Mark’s book recommendations are:  Why the Germans Do it Better by John Kampfner The Invention of Tradition by Eric Hobsbawn  Hooligan by Geoffrey Pearson  Books by Jhumpa Lahiri  From the Diary of a Snail by Günter Grass /////

This week, we rattled the trunk of a large tree to dislodge and catch Matt Herbert and Connor Archbold.  A pair of possum* players turning brand tracking upside down, Matt and Connor are co-founders of Ritson-backed startup, Tracksuit. The duo are dead set on making it easier and cheaper for marketers to track their brand health, demonstrate return on marketing spend, and answer the all important question, "Is what we're doing working?". Go press play and unleash a mega catch of informative marsupials, including; getting brand tracking into boardrooms, knowing your brand’s ‘job to be done’, picking the fruit vs watering the tree, future demand, how CMOs should talk to to CFOs, the cookie-pocalypse, velcro buttons, the future of Tracksuit, playing possum, and more. ///// Follow Matt, Connor, and Tracksuit on LinkedIn.  Check out the Tracksuit website too. *A proper Kiwi drinking game. To play possum, you climb a tree (along with your case of beer) and drink until you fall out of the tree. First person to fall out of the tree loses. Timestamps (01:57) - Quick fire questions and who’s a strong budgie smuggler fan (02:58) - Matt’s first jobs, working in radio and getting into the world of startups  (06:18) - Connor’s beginnings as a corporate lawyer and reconnecting with Matt  (07:47) - The hypothesis that started Tracksuit  (10:15) - Making brand tracking more accessible (16:14) - Knowing your ‘jobs to be done’ as a brand (21:09) - Brand building as future demand  (22:48) - How the CMO should talk to the CFO (24:40) - The future of Tracksuit  (27:44) - Listener questions, velcro buttons and playing possum  (35:58) - 4 pertinent posers  Matt and Connor’s book recommendations are:  Travels with Charley: In Search of America by John Steinbeck  Future Demand by James Hurman  Shoe Dog by Phil Knight /////

This week, we caught something Contagious. Luckily for us, it’s their Co-Founder Paul Kemp-Robertson. A chap with serious smarts for global marketing communications, Paul is the brain behind Contagious. Part editorial, part consultancy, part research, they get their kicks helping brands and agencies be more creative, get smarter, and deliver better work.  Paul spreads his smarts across a tonnes of topics, including; being the intern who became editor at Shots, thinking Saatchi & Saatchi was an investment bank, creativity as giving the world something it didn’t know it was missing, Nordic socks on Instagram, zero based creativity, the manic unlock, question storming, drunken nights at the Gutter Bar, AI and the meh-taverse, agencies as outside agitators, ageism, and a whole lot more.  ///// Follow Paul on LinkedIn  Sign up for the Contagious newsletter  Check out Contagious IQ Here’s his book The Contagious Commandments  Bag a seat at Most Contagious London 2023 on 7 December And here’s  Paul’s TED Talk  Timestamps (02:00) - Quick fire questions (04:25) - Going from intern to editor at Shots   (12:54) - Creativity is giving the world something it didn’t know it was missing  (20:00) - Zero-based creativity  (21:44) - What we learned about AI from Cannes Lions    (33:45) - The real value of agencies  (38:28) - Asking heretical questions  (46:38) - Listener questions  (50:57) - 4 pertinent posers  Paul’s book recommendations are:  Atomic Habits by James Clear  Good Strategy Bad Strategy by Richard Rumelt  The Choice Factory by Richard Shotton How Not to Plan by Les Binet and Sarah Carter How Brands Grow by Byron Sharp  Anatomy of Humbug by Paul Feldwick Shy by Max Porter  /////

This week, we pushed a creative fledgling out of the agency nest to lure and catch author of ad land’s how-to guide, Junior, to teach them to fly. Long overdue, it’s Thomas Kemeny.  Junior is a book that should be instantly useful for people starting out. Unlike most marketing books, Thomas packs it with proper, practical advice on navigating hallways, not ballsing up presentations, and the virtue of pushing in your chair after meetings. Thomas chirps to us on tonnes of topics, including his first job taking a crowbar to beautiful furniture, what might've been if he'd never read Hey Whipple, writing the book he wished existed, bus stops that smell like cookies, writing 100 terrible lines to get to a great one, AI, what to do with a dud brief, his arch rival Andrew Boulton, the Tom he’d float with in a barrel down a river, and a whole lot more. Junior or not, you’d be a fool not to let us bend your ear ‘ere. ///// Follow Thomas on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter.  Here’s his website.  Pick up at least one copy of Junior.  Listen to our episodes with Thomas’s pals Luke Sullivan and Cameron Day.  Here’s our episode with his arch-rival Andrew Boulton too.  Timestamps (02:08) - Quick fire questions (03:22) - Getting paid to beat the shit out of beautiful furniture  (07:40) - What might’ve been if he'd never read Hey Whipple (08:57) - Writing the book he wished existed  (12:10) - The highs and lows of life as a Junior (16:41) - Writing 100 terrible lines to get to a good one   (20:17) - Will AI take our jobs?  (25:00) - What to do with a dud brief (28:04) - Listener questions  (29:32) - Which Tom he’d float with in a barrel down a river  (34:40) - 4 pertinent posers  Thomas’s book recommendations are:  The Book of Gossage by Howard Luck Gossage  Hey Whipple, Squeeze This by Luke Sullivan  Chew With Your Mind Open by Cameron Day  /////

This week, we cast a spell of double double toil and trouble and caught the pair from Burst Your Bubble; it’s Andrew Tenzer and Ian Murray.  The duo behind a treasure trove of award-winning research on the culture of marketing, Andrew and Ian have recently launched a radical new consultancy powered by the art and science of perspective-taking.  There’s no eye of newt or toe of frog in this cauldron of conversation topics, but the duo turned up the heat on studying politics, when their paths first crossed, monkeys, bananas, and pandas, provocative research, why Ian is sickened by the idea of the ‘London bubble’, spotting bad research, whether the ad industry is left-leaning (h/t Steve Harrison), banning the word insight, and lots more.  ///// Follow Andrew and Ian on LinkedIn Check out Burst Your Bubble  Here's their workshop on research for open thinkers Read why we shouldn’t trust our gut instinct And listen to our episode with Steve Harrison for good measure Timestamps (02:08) - Quick fire questions  (02:54) - Andrew’s first jobs, failed music career, and how he got into research  (07:54) - What happened when Ian followed what interested him (13:43) - Their first joint research piece on gut instinct  (16:31) - How marketers compare to the rest of the population when it comes to taking notice of context (28:01) - The Myth of the ‘London Bubble’ and why it sickens Ian (33:39) - Their new consultancy Burst Your Bubble (40:31) - Listener questions  (47:12) - 4 pertinent posers  Andrew and Ian’s book recommendations are:  The Road to Somewhere by David Goodhart  The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt Lemon by Orlando Wood Look Out by Orlando Wood Decoded by Phil Barden  Obliquity by John Kay  Feminism for the 99% by Nancy Fraser  The Old is Dying and the New Cannot Be Born by Nancy Fraser Editor’s Note: Steven Lacey, mentioned by Ian in this episode, has been in touch to clarify his stance on the 'London Bubble'. Steven concurs entirely with Ian and Andrew’s viewpoint that the London Bubble is a myth. For his full response, see here.  /////

This week, we opened spoof copywriting dojo Cobra K-AI to sweep the leg of the scammer-scammer, Dave Harland. Copywriter and messabouter with massive fingers. Dave helps businesses and brands speak to people with more personality, via the medium of the alphabet. His favourite part of it all is “getting paid to be silly”. Tune in for an exclusive on his brand-new copywriting agency. Plus we chat about betting on illegal hedgehog duels, a size 5 Mitre Delta casey, what he’s been up to the last 1400 days, going all in on the funny stuff, positioning himself against our diligent robot overlords, confusing scammers, Uncle Tony’s underpants, where the most memorable ideas come from, Professor Henry Gremlin and tons more.  ///// Listen to his first Call To Action foray in 2019.  Follow Dave (and the tales of Uncle T) on LinkedIn and Twitter. Here’s his website.  Sign up to The Word for tips, stories, silliness, and updates on his new agency. He’ll be at  The Marketing Meetup Liverpool and CopyCon.  And once he gets his arse in gear, there’ll be an Uncle Tony book to look out for. Timestamps (02:01) - Quick fire questions  (04:05) - What he’s been up to since his first episode  (05:02) - Lockdown and going all in on the fun stuff  (10:57) - Does funny have a formula?  (18:06) - The Origins of Confuse the Scammers (25:12) - An exclusive look at his new copywriting agency (31:02) - Listener questions (31:58) - Something…something…copywriting and AI (48:46) - 4 pertinent posers  Dave’s book recommendation is:  A Self-Help Guide for Copywriters by Dan Nelken  /////

Following eyewitness reports of stolen genius, we hurtled down the highway to catch ad land’s own Bonnie and Clyde; it’s Rosie and Faris Yakob.  Together they form Genius Steals, a nomadic creative consultancy helping brands, agencies, and rebels find the awesome at the intersection of new communication ideas, new product concepts, and new ways of thinking.  They give us the low down on life on the run road, how Rosie earned $10,000 babysitting, ‘Ask Faris’, US vs UK education system, the lack of industry practitioners as professors, engineering moments of in-betweenness, K-shaped recovery, Blair Enns, charging for what you know (not what you do), entertainment as the cost of admission to someone’s brain, the key to creative effectiveness, and a whole lot more.  ///// Here’s Genius Steals  Follow Rosie on Instagram  And follow Faris on Twitter (yes, he’s still on there) For our chinwag with Blair Enns, hear here  Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen) by Baz Luhrmann  Timestamps (01:44) - Quick fire questions (Ask Jeeves or Ask Faris?) (03:42) - How Rosie made $10,000 babysitting and her first jobs  (10:32) - Faris’s beginnings collecting golf balls, management consultancy and working at lads mags   (18:41) - The education system, subjectivity and outdated teaching methods  (26:52) - Life on the road and why you shouldn’t be a prisoner to your preferences (32:47) - Engineering moments of in-betweenness  (42:08) - Listener questions  (42:24) - Attention, emotion and the importance of context  (52:56) - How we can create more effective work (01:02:00) - Trends for marketers and the emergence of luxury products  (01:04:50) - 4 pertinent posers  Rosie and Faris's book recommendations are:  To Sell is Human by Dan Pink  The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt  XX by Rian Hughes  Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin  Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud  Stone Junction by Jim Dodge  /////

We had to drag Giles away from Chick King to catch Spurs royalty and exceptionally talented business brain Chris Paouros this week.  Broadcasting from the bench to the boardroom, Chris spends her time solving hugely complex, often highly emotive problems that are rooted in everything from corporations to communities.  She talks to us on her first job in a video shop, making covered buttons, what working in retail teaches you, social justice, Eric Cantona and meaningless distinction, building businesses, running a political campaign, being a pain in the arse with compassion, Pride in Football, why belonging at work is so important, and a whole lot more. So go have your ears bent now (in a good way). ///// Follow Chris on Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram  Hear her sing a little song on Guardian Women’s Football Weekly  And check out her website  Timestamps (02:19) - Quick fire questions (03:53) - First job in a video shop and what a grounding in retail can teach you  (12:31) - Doing the original “Mickey Mouse” degree  (17:30) - The lecturer who stayed in her house (20:17) - Eric Cantona and meaningless distinction  (26:53) - Learning how to build a business on the job (33:09) - The Women’s Equality Party and running a political campaign  (38:58) - Equity, inclusion and belonging  (47:59) - Pride in Football and getting a homophobic chant banned (52:31) - Listener questions (h/t Andrew Spurrier-Dawes) (58:44) - 4 pertinent posers  Chris's book recommendations are:  From Margin to Centre by Bell Hooks  How to Lose a Country by Ece Temelkuran   How to Stay Sane in an Age of Division by Elif Shafak The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak /////

This week we’re leading the frontline charge against agencies not advertising themselves by catching and conscribing long-serving ad man, David Moore.  A creative director and copywriter living in the land of beef and corn, he’s written ads for dog wormers, mainframe computer channel extenders, and $1000 dollar steaks. He even named the tallest, fastest roller coaster in the world.  Lauded on LinkedIn for sharing ads for advertising agencies, David is dead set on reminding us all that agencies have an obligation to advertise themselves, yet inexplicably few do.  Lend us your ears for a caffeine-fuelled chinwag on writing 500 TV commercials in 3 years, why agencies won’t advertise themselves, winning and losing a client in 24 hours, how to retain creative talent when your clients aren't big sexy brands, cover songs, why you shouldn’t be afraid to lean on precedent, and a shed load more. Plus, Giles somehow manages to crowbar in Richard Cheese. ///// Follow David on Twitter and LinkedIn  Here’s Kingswood and Palmerston  And David swears by the One Show annuals  Timestamps (01:47) - Quick fire questions (03:03) - His first-ever job as a photographer (06:44) - Writing 500 TV commercials in 3 years (11:03) - What he’s learned from wearing practically all the agency hats   (14:38) - Why aren’t ad agencies advertising themselves? (15:44) - The Four Horsemen of the “Adpocalypse” (22:40) - Should your ad agency hire an ad agency?    (24:35) - What hiring a consultant can do for your business  (32:16) - Just because it’s not the way you’d do it, doesn’t mean it’s wrong (35:18) - The connection between cover songs and advertising  (39:35) - Listener questions from Derek Walker, Carolyn Barclay, and Jake Sanders  (48:07) - 4 pertinent posers  David's book recommendations are:  Where the Suckers Moon by Randall Rothenberg A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson A Self-Help Guide for Copywriters by Dan Nelken  /////

Wi-re-du doo doo push pineapple shake the tree as we catch the messaging expert helping brands sing with a hula melody. This week, it’s Diane Wiredu (doo doo*).  Founder of Lion Words, Diane is laser focused on customer research and brand strategy. She’s a top writer getting SaaS and B2B companies to simplify their message, attract more perfect-fit customers and get better results from their marketing. She roars to us on her favourite Dave, her penchant for hotel lift music (and people with pointy ears), the legendary Jacqueline Wilson, stacking shelves, her love for languages, a pandemic pivot to copywriting, fighting the ‘fluff’ in B2B and SaaS, approaching and justifying research, putting buyer personas in the bin, the “so what?” test, over preparing, and a treasure trove more.  *Good luck getting that one out of your head.  ///// Follow Diane on LinkedIn  And check out Lion Words  Timestamps (01:54) - Quick fire questions (05:35) - First ever job (07:22) - Studying languages and her pandemic pivot   (13:09) - Finding the ‘fluff’  (16:08) - Research > strategy > tactics  (19:03) - Justifying the research phase with clients (20:36) - Should you chuck your buyer personas in the bin?   (24:55) - Why customer interviews are king  (29:47) - Building your messaging strategy post-research (33:35) - Balancing customer vs competitor insights   (37:41) - Listener questions (h/t Dave Harland) (47:06) - 4 pertinent posers  Diane's book recommendations are:  Different by Youngme Moon  Alchemy by Rory Sutherland  Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling  Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson  /////

This week, we said pspspsps to tempt and catch the c̶a̶t̶ man behind US Ad Agency of the Year, Mischief, Greg Hahn. Dubbed a “legend who deserved to be a legend” by George Tannenbaum, Greg has produced creative work that works for decades, winning pretty much every award in the ad land arsenal in the process. But, more importantly than that, he’s one of our most important industry voices, talking the talk as Mischief walks the walk.  He talks to us on his first job knocking on stranger's doors, why he sacked off journalism, cutting his teeth in print and out-of-home, how to deal with the pressure to perform, saying no to work, bringing the joy back to ad land, why his agency Mischief meows, finding the most interesting problem, the story behind Tubi’s Super Bowl hijack, 80s hair metal, and more. ///// Follow Greg on LinkedIn Check out his agency Mischief Here’s why Mischief meows And make sure to watch that Tubi Interface Interruption Super Bowl ad Timestamps (01:45) - Quick fire questions (02:43) - First-ever jobs (07:55) - Cutting his teeth in print and OOH   (12:25) - Why he says no to work  (13:59) - Bringing the joy back (17:14) - Why Mischief is a brand not just an agency (22:26) - Don’t bark, meow   (29:59) - Listener questions (33:15) - Tubi Super Bowl hijack  (37:11) - 4 pertinent posers  Greg's book recommendations are:  The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle Alchemy by Rory Sutherland  The Creative Act by Rick Rubin  Hit Makers by Derek Thompson Nothin’ But a Good Time by Richard Bienstock and Tom Beaujour /////

When life gives you Lemon, make lemonade. So, this week, we catch and squeeze a glass full of tasty topics from creative super brain, Orlando Wood. Chief Innovation Officer at System 1 group and author of Lemon and Look Out, Orlando is dead set on delving deep into the links between advertising, psychology, and the creative arts. He talks to us on interviewing unsuspecting passengers on the Eurostar, advertising as a barometer to society, art history, how a dazzling artform became a dreary science, left and right brain hemispheres, whether advertising is changing for better or worse, legends like Gossage, Bernbach, and Bullmore, humour, his favourite painting, what he thinks of ‘content’, and more. ///// Follow Orlando on LinkedIn Get your mitts on his books Lemon and Look Out And, if you’re an IPA member you can get a wedge off by buying directly from them (Lemon and Look Out) This month we’re supporting the award-winning School of Communication Arts to make the very best creative education available to all. They’ve launched a huge sale across their best-selling courses for agency creatives to fuel diversity in the industry - 20% of sales will go to Brixton Finishing School, all further profits will feed into SCA’s scholarship programme for 2023. Head here to see the courses for sale from only £150 per person. Timestamps (01:57) - Quick fire questions (03:29) - First ever job and first proper job in marketing  (07:40) - Advertising doesn’t exist in a vacuum (09:52) - The parallels between art and advertising  (12:30) - Studying history and how it helps with advertising (14:39) - His books Lemon and Look Out   (23:05) - The left and right hemispheres of the brain  (25:40) - Advertising in the 1950s  (33:24) - “Humour gets in under the door while seriousness is still fumbling at the handle” (38:42) - Listener questions  (49:39) - 4 pertinent posers  Orlando's book recommendations are:  Madison Avenue USA by Martin Mayer  When Advertising Tried Harder by Larry Dobrow  Methods of the Mad Men by Mike Everett /////

This week, we tracked a trail from Tilehurst to Tinseltown to catch one of Reading’s finest exports, Matt Watkinson, where he was, and remains, in LA. An internationally renowned author, speaker to a whole host of brands, and consultant on all things CX, product and business, Matt’s latest tome, Mastering Uncertainty, explores and advises how to turn this inherent source of anxiety into an advantage. 3 years and almost 100 episodes since his first Call To Action chinwag, Matt talks through a ton of topics; his new book, the fertile void of COVID, piling rice one grain at a time, Rafael Nadal, serendipity, luck surface area, fear of failure, affordable loss, asking yourself ‘what’s my downside?’, Hungarian expletives, and a treasure trove more.  ///// Follow Matt on LinkedIn Here’s his website (“idiotic” side projects included) Check out his three books: Mastering Uncertainty, The Grid, and The Ten Principles Behind Great Customer Experiences And go gorge on our first Call To Action chinwag with Matt here This month we’re supporting the award-winning School of Communication Arts to make the very best creative education available to all. They’ve launched a huge sale across their best-selling courses for agency creatives to fuel diversity in the industry - 20% of sales will go to Brixton Finishing School, all further profits will feed into SCA’s scholarship programme for 2023. Head here to see the courses for sale from only £150 per person. And you can listen to SCA Dean, Marc Lewis, talk more about the school and a whole load more, here. Timestamps (03:30) - Quick fire questions (05:00) - Why he wrote Mastering Uncertainty (12:13) - The trivial beginnings of most life-changing events   (17:39) - Trying to get to certainty before you act is a waste of time (26:43) - Luck vs serendipity (30:00) - Fear of failure and uncertainty  (41:28) - The concept of affordable loss (47:28) - What’s my downside?  (50:09) - Listener questions  (01:01:58) - 4 pertinent posers  Matt's book recommendations are:  Accelerating Excellence by James A. King Gap Selling by Keenan The Creative Act by Rick Rubin  /////

This week, we opened wide and said 'aaaah-nd welcome back' as we once again caught Better Brand Health author, Jenni Romaniuk. Research Professor and Associate Director at that conveyer belt of marketing minds, the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, Jenni has advised many of the world’s biggest brands and authored what’s now a trilogy of true industry bibles. 3 years and 1 new book better, we snared Jenni for a second Call To Action chinwag on penning Better Brand Health, pomegranate trees, marketer’s frustrations around brand tracking, shiny new metrics, brand rejection, attributes, memory, charming condiments, healthy cars, a rant on Net Promoter Score, $3 hot dogs, a salacious soft p*rn novel, and a quick fire question she answered with a third alternative which was to gouge her eyes out with a spoon... ///// If you haven’t already, you’d be a fool not to fill your ear canals up with Jenni’s first cameo on Call To Action, here. Find Jenni on LinkedIn Get your grubby mitts on a copy of Better Brand Health Here’s Jenni’s other two brilliant books; Building Distinctive Brand Assets and How Brands Grow 2 And enjoy her current favourite ad, Go A Moe’s, if you’re after a serious earworm (or $3 hot dog) Thank you to everyone who has lent their ears and their brains for over 100 episodes of the Call To Action® podcast. It’s a real privilege. Please do share and review the podcast to help more marketers feel better about marketing.  Timestamps (01:54) - Quick fire questions (05:00) - Why she wrote Better Brand Health (11:32) - The frustration marketers feel with brand tracking  (15:17) - Chasing shiny new metrics  (18:09) - Is tracking brand health easier than we assume? (20:53) - A lesson on brand rejection (25:43) - Is there a case for not tracking brand health?  (29:01) - Attributes and memory (40:22) - Listener questions  (50:50) - 4 pertinent posers (55:40) - The salacious soft p*rn version of Better Brand Health Jenni’s book recommendations are: Slow Horses by Mick Herron A Scandalous Life by Mary S. Lovell  The Meaning of It All by Richard Feynman   /////

This week, we thought Phuket and sailed the Thai seas to catch marketer and problem solver, Lisl MacDonald. With over 30 years of experience in the business, Lisl cut her teeth in London with BT, Virgin, and Ogilvy, before her sense of adventure and curiosity took her to Asia to set up her own consultancy. Obsessed with interrogating ideas, she is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and chairs judging panels for the prestigious MSS Star Awards. Lisl talks to us on her unusual upbringing on a tiny Scottish island, her ‘white coat and condom’ phase, learning whilst doing at BT, moving to Asia, what kept her in Thailand, finding her job being advertised in The Sunday Times, being the only backpacker with Estee Lauder sun cream, realising that you are not the cultural baseline, her experience as a woman in the industry, ego, complacency, solving oddly shaped problems, and tons more. We also wade through a shedload of overwhelmingly good listener questions we had in (including one from Call To Action alumni Rory Sutherland). ///// You can find Lisl on LinkedIn She wants you to watch this case study for TMB And keep your eyes peeled for her book that’s coming soon Thank you to everyone who has lent their ears and their brains for over 100 episodes of the Call To Action® podcast. It’s a real privilege. Please do share and review the podcast to help more marketers feel better about marketing.  Timestamps (01:53) - Quick fire questions (03:51) - Her first-ever jobs on a tiny Scottish island (05:31) - The 'white coat and condom' phase (09:02) - Learning whilst doing at BT (18:12) - Moving to Asia in a dramatic fashion (21:27) - How to succeed working in Asia (28:30) - Differences she sees in the trajectory of the industry nowadays (38:31) - Being a woman in the industry   (49:31) - Listener questions (including one from Rory Sutherland) (55:36) - 4 pertinent posers  Lisl’s book recommendations are:  Delusions of Brandeur by Ryan Wallman  How to Build a Better Business Plan by Alastair Thomson  Nonviolent Communication by Marshall B. Rosenberg Hex by Jenni Fagan   On Connection by Kae Tempest The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu  /////

The Lannisters send their regards this week as we catch Game of Thrones and After Life actor, Tim Plester, for a right royal chinwag.  All-round stellar chap (off-screen anyway), Tim is best known for selling drugs to Ricky Gervais in Netflix’s After Life and slitting Cat Stark’s throat in Game of Thrones. But alongside his film and TV exploits, Tim has made documentaries capturing the weird-and-enduring folk customs of our Sceptred Isle, won the National Student Playwright of the Year Award and featured in over 70 adverts. Yes, that’s right, he was once one of the 118-118 runners.    Tim doesn’t sell Giles any drugs, but does talk to us on stealing comic books, Nativity plays, having an interesting face, ads bleeding into culture, Nobby’s (and Rowan’s) nuts, writing versus acting, getting the role in After Life, dipping his toe into ad land, his Morris dancing journey, why the Red Wedding stunk, and tons more.  ///// Here's Tim’s website Follow him on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram Check out Way of the Morris and The Ballad of Shirley Collins Southern Journey [Revisited] is on Now TV Backyard Village is on Apple TV and Amazon Love Me Till Monday is on Amazon and iTunes And finally, The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself and Shadow & Bone are on Netflix Thank you to everyone who has lent their ears and their brains for over 100 episodes of the Call To Action® podcast. It’s a real privilege. Please do share and review the podcast to help more marketers feel better about marketing. Timestamps (02:28) - Quick fire questions (05:00) - Stealing comic books and his first ever job   (11:57) - Getting an agent and having an interesting face  (14:58) - Writing vs acting  (19:43) - Acting in ads (118-118, AIB bank, Nobby’s Nuts) (27:50) - Getting the role in After Life (after not getting the role in The Office)  (40:45) - Dipping his toe into ad land  (45:31) - Being a Morris dancing convert   (58:28) - Advice for copywriters  (01:03:35) - Game of Thrones and The Red Wedding  (01:14:39) - 4 pertinent posers  Tim’s book recommendations are:  Herzog on Herzog by Werner Herzog A Guide for The Perplexed by Werner Herzog Pilgrim At Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard  The Book of Trespass by Nick Hayes  The Trespasser’s Companion by Nick Hayes  He also recommends a couple of films:  Bardo: False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths by Alejandro Iñárritu Haulout by Maxim Arbugaev and Evgenia Arbugaeva /////

This week Glover’s in the air(waves), everywhere I look around, as we catch Joe from The Marketing Meetup for a positively lovely chinwag.   The kind of guy who gives marketing a good name, Joe Glover is the smile behind a growing community of marketers that’s currently 25,000 strong. At weekly events, his community hears from Oscar nominees, disabled rights champions, and marketing heroes such as Ritson, Rory, and many of the world’s best-known marketers. Lend us your ears as we talk Cantona, self-worth, salary, “inventing” the marketing funnel, how growth enables impact, why he never gives advice, shooting for the States when he should’ve shot for the moon, building a brand with love and kindness at its core, how he built the most welcoming community in marketing, and so much more. ///// Follow Joe on Twitter and LinkedIn Check out The Marketing Meetup Join their online or in person events And get your grubby mitts on their newsletter  Here’s Joe’s choice cut of TMM Talks to treat yourself to: Why your website visitors are not converting by Mary Owusu How to deliver great presentations, speeches and pitches by Max Hoppy How to break away from billable time and charge for creativity by Giles Edwards How to launch a business or project you love by Sophie Cross How to find the right marketing messaging by Diane Wiredu Thank you to everyone who has lent their ears and their brains for over 100 episodes of the Call To Action® podcast. It’s a real privilege. Please do share and review the podcast to help more marketers feel better about marketing. Timestamps (01:42) - Quick fire questions (04:25) - First ever job and first job in marketing (08:51) - Thinking he invented the marketing funnel (14:04) - Why he started The Marketing Meetup (16:25) - How he created a seriously welcoming community (24:16) - The origin of ‘positively lovely' (30:20) - The future of The Marketing Meetup (38:19) - Listener questions (48:38) - 4 pertinent posers Joe’s book recommendations are: The Escape Artist by Jonathan Freedland Man’s Search For Meaning by Viktor E Frankl  /////