Adspeak

Love it or hate it, the advertising and marketing industry is the ultimate broker of power and influence in the world today. Adspeak, hosted by ADWEEK editor in chief Ryan Joe, brings to life stories from our top reporters, delving into the people, brands, ad agencies, and adtech giants that shape how we view the world, the products we buy, and the entertainment we enjoy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 21 TIMER SIDEN

    Reinventing a 77-Year-Old Brand: NASCAR’s Modern Playbook with Tim Clark and Jimmie Johnson

    In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, host Alison Weissbrot speaks with Tim Clark, EVP and Chief Brand Officer at NASCAR, and Jimmie Johnson, seven-time champion, about how NASCAR is reinventing itself for a fragmented media landscape. They explore staging races in unconventional venues, expanding through gaming and digital platforms, and turning motorsport into a broader lifestyle brand. The conversation highlights how legacy organizations can evolve culturally, reshape audience perception, and stay authentic while engaging new generations of fans. What You'll Learn: How to overcome the "barrier to entry" problem in motorsports The critical difference between brand awareness and brand perceptionWhy authentic brand integration generates 10x more loyalty than logo placementHow to use gaming and simulation as legitimate talent pipelines The Formula 1 brand playbook lesson for legacy sports How to build athlete-driven brands that transcend competition About the GuestsTim Clark is the Chief Brand Officer at NASCAR, leading the organization's strategic positioning and modernization efforts. With expertise in brand perception management and legacy brand transformation, Clark oversees NASCAR's expansion into new markets, digital platforms, and lifestyle categories. Jimmie Johnson is a seven-time NASCAR champion and owner of Legacy Motor Club, bringing both competitive racing expertise and entrepreneurial business acumen to the motorsports industry. With a career spanning two decades as a professional driver and recent expansion into team ownership and brand building, Johnson represents the modern athlete-entrepreneur model. Guest Resources: Tim Clark on LinkedInJimmie Johnson on LinkedInNASCAR Website Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    26 min.
  2. 10. MAR.

    Jeff Greenspoon of Kantar on Brand Power

    This week on Adspeak by ADWEEK, host Will Lee speaks with Jeff Greenspoon, CEO of The Americas at Kantar, on the sidelines of BrandWeek, about why brand tension fuels growth. From meaningfulness versus differentiation to short-term performance versus long-term investment, Jeff shares Kantar’s framework for predicting brand success. With examples like Nespresso and Barbie, he explains how CMOs protect their North Star while experimenting boldly, and why sustained brand investment drives stronger ROI, resilience, and lasting enterprise value. What You'll Learn: The "Meaningful and Different" FrameworkHow to Protect Your Brand's North Star While ExperimentingWhy Cutting Brand Spend During Budget Constraints Sacrifices 3-5 Years of GrowthThe Four-to-One ROI Ratio of Brand SalienceNespresso and Barbie as Case Studies in Navigating Competing Tensions)How to Translate Brand Metrics into CFO Language in B2B Organizations About the Guest and Host: Jeff Greenspoon is CEO of The Americas at Kantar, a global leader in brand measurement and marketing effectiveness backed by 50 years of proprietary research. Previously with Dentsu, he brings deep expertise in brand strategy and marketing transformation. Jeff partners with organisations to navigate the tensions between consistency and innovation, and short-term performance and long-term growth, helping brands unlock sustainable, measurable impact. Will Lee is CEO of ADWEEK, the leading media platform serving the marketing and advertising industry. Previously, he was Chief Operating Officer of NPR, where he oversaw strategy, transformation, and growth across its national network of member stations. He has also led digital businesses for PEOPLE, Entertainment Weekly, Sports Illustrated, and The Hollywood Reporter. With two decades in content, audience growth, and brand development, Will is based in New York City with his family. Guest Resources:  Jeff Greenspoon on LinkedInKantar Website Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    23 min.
  3. 5. MAR.

    The Trust Advantage in a Misinformation Era: Dr. Sanjay Gupta

    In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, recorded live at Brandweek, Dr. Sanjay Gupta sits down with Brianna Burtman to explore how trusted communication becomes a competitive advantage. Gupta reflects on 25 years at CNN, sharing how to translate complex medical information into accessible, actionable knowledge. The conversation examines authentic storytelling, combating misinformation without amplifying it, and using multi-platform formats intentionally to deepen audience trust and create lasting cultural impact in a fragmented media landscape. What You'll Learn: How to distill complex medical information into actionable insightsWhy isolation is your audience's biggest health threat, and how to make it relatableThe difference between information and knowledge in health storytellingHow to maintain trust when audiences already know the story before you report it The strategic approach to combating misinformation without playing whack-a-moleWhy multi-platform storytelling requires intentional format selection About the Guests: Dr. Sanjay Gupta is Chief Medical Correspondent at CNN and a practicing neurosurgeon, bringing 25 years of experience translating complex health and medical stories for public audiences. With a unique background spanning both clinical medicine and broadcast journalism, Dr. Gupta has covered major global health crises, conflicts, and natural disasters while simultaneously practicing medicine in crisis zones, including Haiti, Iraq, and beyond. Brianna Burtman is currently the VP of CNN Digital Strategy and Network Partnerships at CNN, where she has worked since August 2008. Brianna holds a Bachelor's degree in Public Policy Studies, Economics, and Women's Studies from Hobart and William Smith Colleges, and a Master's degree in Public Administration from Baruch College. Guest Resources:  Dr. Sanjay Gupta at CNN Brianna Burtman on LinkedIn Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    23 min.
  4. 17. FEB.

    How Atlanta Became a Marketing, Music, and Sports Powerhouse

    In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, host Will Lee sits down with Tony Ressler, Co-founder and Executive Chairman of Ares Management Corporation, and Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, a Grammy-Winning Artist, Entrepreneur, and Philanthropist, for a fast-moving conversation on culture, community, and the business mechanics behind Atlanta’s rise. What You'll Learn: How to identify and leverage your city's unique creative assetsWhy diversification across entertainment, tech, and philanthropy protects long-term brand valueHow to transform real estate into a brand catalystThe strategic importance of non-core revenue streams in sports venuesWhy community investment and brand building are inseparable business strategies About the Guests: Chris "Ludacris" Bridges is a Grammy-winning artist, entrepreneur, and cultural innovator with over 25 years of industry experience spanning music, film, and technology. Known for defining Atlanta's cultural landscape through his influence on hip-hop, film production, and emerging trends, Ludacris has successfully diversified his portfolio into philanthropy, brand partnerships, and tech startups focused on the next generation. Tony Ressler is the Principal Owner of the Atlanta Hawks, a prominent sports executive and real estate developer driving transformative urban development across the Southeast. With expertise in sports franchise management, community investment, and large-scale real estate projects, Ressler has spearheaded initiatives including the revitalization of downtown Atlanta and the expansion of youth education and opportunity programs throughout the region. Guest Resources:  Tony Ressler’s ProfileThe Ludacris Foundation WebsiteAres Management Corporation WebsiteAtlanta Hawks Website Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    24 min.
  5. 11. FEB.

    From Retail Relic to Market Darling: Sharon Price John on Reinventing Build-A-Bear

    In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, host Will Lee speaks with Sharon Price John, President and CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop, about engineering one of retail’s most unlikely turnarounds. Recorded live at BrandWeek, the conversation explores how Build-A-Bear reinvented its business model, leveraged nostalgia and emotional connection, and reshaped investor storytelling to fuel a 2000% stock surge. Sharon shares lessons on distinguishing brand problems from business problems, balancing data with creativity, and expanding into multi-generational audiences while opening new stores as competitors retrenched. A must-listen for marketers navigating reinvention, resilience, and profitable growth. What You'll Learn: How to distinguish between a brand problem and a business problemThe "Stretchable Brand" frameworkWhy 40% of Build-A-Bear's revenue now comes from teens and adultsThe art of strategic storytelling for different audiencesHow to manufacture tradition in retailWhy financial literacy is non-negotiable for modern CMOs and creative leadersHow to renegotiate your way out of a structural crisis The operational flywheel in action About the Guest: Sharon Price John is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Build-A-Bear Workshop, where she has led the company for nearly 13 years through a remarkable turnaround that saw stock prices increase 2,000% over five years, outpacing NVIDIA, Microsoft, and Oracle. With a background spanning global advertising agencies, brand leadership at Mattel and Disney, and executive roles at Hasbro and Stride Rite Children's Group, Sharon brings deep expertise in brand strategy, vertical retail operations, and consumer-centric marketing. Guest Resources:  Sharon Price John on LinkedInBuild-A-Bear Workshop Website Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    24 min.
  6. 3. FEB.

    Why Coca-Cola Bet Big on Generative AI, with Pratik Thakar

    In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, host Jenny Rooney speaks with Pratik Thakar, Global VP and Head of Generative AI at The Coca-Cola Company, about the brand’s bold, AI-generated holiday campaign unveiled at Brand Week. Thakar explains why Coca-Cola prioritised creative ambition and speed over cost-cutting, and how a human-first approach to AI is reshaping modern marketing. The conversation explores legal and ethical considerations, new agency collaboration models, and how to embed AI expertise across organisations without silos. It’s a clear-eyed look at why AI marks an inflection point CMOs can’t afford to ignore. What You'll Learn: How to position AI as a creative superpower, not a replacement toolThe "Human First, AI-Amplified" production frameworkWhy you cannot treat your biggest business opportunity as a cost-cutting experimentHow to create organizational velocity through distributed AI adoptionThe legal and IP infrastructure required to scale AI responsiblyWhy iteration speed and re-rendering flexibility are competitive advantages  About the Guest: Pratik Thakar is Global Vice President and Head of Generative AI at The Coca-Cola Company, where he leads the development of scalable AI platforms that enhance consumer and brand experiences across Coca-Cola’s global portfolio. With more than 25 years of experience in creative marketing, design, media, and communications, he has delivered award-winning work for some of the world’s most iconic brands. A passionate advocate for human-first AI, Pratik is also an industry leader, educator, and advisor focused on sustainability, equality, and responsible technology. Guest Resources:  Pratik Thakar on LinkedInCoca-Cola Website Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    49 min.
  7. 27. JAN.

    Don’t Blink: Marketing by Turning Controversy into Growth with Craig Brommers

    In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, host Ryan Joe speaks with Craig Brommers, CMO of American Eagle, about how bold and polarizing marketing can translate into real business growth. Brommers breaks down the strategy behind American Eagle’s headline-grabbing celebrity campaigns, including how the brand gained over a million new customers by refusing to retreat amid social media backlash. The conversation explores risk-taking and crisis management, while exploring why data and not online noise should guide decision-making. From building momentum like a serialized show to tapping into cultural moments that resonate with Gen Z, this episode offers a clear playbook for modern retail marketers. What You'll Learn: How to Build a Year-Round Holiday Marketing Engine by launching campaigns in August The "Don't Blink" Principle for Crisis ManagementWhy Social Media Noise Is Often Just NoiseReserving 20-30% "Open-to-Buy" Marketing Capacity to react to cultural moments The Competitive Advantage of Leaning Into Americana Without PoliticsHow to Sustain Momentum Post-Viral Campaigns About the Guest: Craig Brommers is the Chief Marketing Officer at American Eagle, with deep experience building iconic fashion and apparel brands. His career spans senior leadership roles at Calvin Klein, Gap, and Abercrombie & Fitch, where he became known for bold, culture-defining campaigns. A global, metrics-driven marketing executive, Craig blends creativity with commercial rigour to drive P&L growth, global consistency, and local relevance. He is passionate about purpose-driven brands, digital expansion, and building high-performing teams. Craig holds an MBA from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management. Guest Resources:  Craig Brommers on LinkedInAmerican Eagle Website Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    28 min.

Om

Love it or hate it, the advertising and marketing industry is the ultimate broker of power and influence in the world today. Adspeak, hosted by ADWEEK editor in chief Ryan Joe, brings to life stories from our top reporters, delving into the people, brands, ad agencies, and adtech giants that shape how we view the world, the products we buy, and the entertainment we enjoy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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