Let's Bring It In: Discussions with In-House Creative Leaders

Greg Christensen
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Conversations with brand leaders who are doing great creative in-house. A production of Barnes Creative Bank. barnescreativebank.com

  1. Cameron Day on AI, Advertising, and Building an Evil Creative Twin

    25 APR

    Cameron Day on AI, Advertising, and Building an Evil Creative Twin

    Cameron Day is a writer, creative director, author, mentor, and self-described AI Anarchist. He grew up around Chiat/Day, built a career across major brands and small agencies, and has never stopped caring about the work. In this episode, we talk about his book CHAIOS, his AI alter ego Chet G. Petite, and what he learned from using AI on real creative assignments. This is not a conversation about asking AI to “write an ad.” It’s about bringing an idea to AI, pushing it, directing it, rejecting most of it, and knowing when it gives you something worth keeping. We also get into creative directors who still write, kitbashing, prompt code words, protecting good ideas, and why the best use of AI might be treating it like a brilliant but unreliable junior team.

    1hr 3min
  2. Aaron Wiggan (Seattle Kraken): Building an NHL Brand from Scratch

    18 APR

    Aaron Wiggan (Seattle Kraken): Building an NHL Brand from Scratch

    Aaron Wiggan, Vice President of Brand Creative for the Seattle Kraken, joins Let’s Bring It In to talk about building an NHL brand from scratch, moving from agency life to in-house leadership, and creating work that fans genuinely connect with. Before helping shape the Seattle Kraken, Aaron worked at REI and top agencies including Droga5, Goodby Silverstein & Partners, and Barton F. Graf 9000. In this conversation, he shares what it takes to build a distinctive brand inside a professional sports organization, how creative leadership changes in-house, and why curiosity, taste, and trust matter so much when leading teams and making great work. If you’re interested in creative leadership, sports branding, in-house teams, or the Seattle Kraken story, this is a great one.

    1hr 6min
  3. Erin Eby (PlatinumBlack): Creative Leadership in the Age of AI and Complexity

    11 APR

    Erin Eby (PlatinumBlack): Creative Leadership in the Age of AI and Complexity

    Erin Eby is the Executive Creative Director at PlatinumBlack, where she leads work for complex brands across energy, manufacturing, and technology. In this episode, Erin shares what it really looks like to lead creative teams right now, where AI is changing workflows, client needs are shifting in real time, and the lines between in-house and agency teams are starting to blur. We talk about PlatinumBlack’s hybrid model, working side-by-side with clients, and what it takes to create strong work inside highly technical industries. Erin also opens up about her own journey with AI, how she’s using it today, and how her team is adapting to stay relevant. It’s an honest conversation about leadership, uncertainty, and how creative roles are evolving. If you’re leading a team or trying to figure out where you fit in this new landscape, this one’s for you.

    53 min
  4. Erin Lewis & Brandon Ankney (Oklahoma City Thunder): Building a Championship Brand

    4 APR

    Erin Lewis & Brandon Ankney (Oklahoma City Thunder): Building a Championship Brand

    In this episode of Let’s Bring It In, Greg Christensen talks with Erin Lewis (VP of Marketing & Brand Engagement) and Brandon Ankney (Director of Brand Identity & Creative) of the Oklahoma City Thunder. They break down how the Thunder operate like an in-house agency, build a brand that goes beyond wins and losses, and create content at the speed of live sports. A sharp conversation on sports marketing, creative leadership, and what it takes to build real fan loyalty.

    56 min
  5. Kevin Frank (LinkedIn): Raising Creative Teams and Building an In-House Agency of the Year

    31 MAR

    Kevin Frank (LinkedIn): Raising Creative Teams and Building an In-House Agency of the Year

    Kevin Frank spent nearly six years as Executive Creative Director at LinkedIn, where his team was named Ad Age’s In-House Agency of the Year. He’s also the author of Raising Creative Teams, a practical guide to leading creatives and building better creative cultures. In this episode of Let’s Bring It In, Kevin shares what it really takes to build and lead a great in-house creative team, how his experience at Apple and LinkedIn shaped his leadership approach, and why most creatives are unprepared for the transition into leadership. We also get into the mindset behind Raising Creative Teams, including how to help creatives succeed without simply telling them how to fix their work, what great creative culture actually looks like, and the most common mistakes leaders make when giving feedback. If you’re a creative director, an in-house creative, or someone stepping into leadership for the first time, this conversation is packed with practical insights you can use right away.

    49 min
  6. Matt Davis (Solo Stove): How Solo Stove Became a Breakout Brand Through Content and Community

    18 MAR

    Matt Davis (Solo Stove): How Solo Stove Became a Breakout Brand Through Content and Community

    Matt Davis joins Let’s Bring It In to share how Solo Stove became one of the fastest-growing direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands, and what it takes to build a modern brand through content, community, and creative leadership. In this conversation, we break down how Solo Stove approached brand building, what actually drove growth, and the lessons marketers, founders, and in-house creative teams can apply today. In this episode: How Solo Stove built a breakout DTC brand The role of content marketing in driving growth Why community became a competitive advantage Lessons for creative leaders and in-house teams Let’s Bring It In features conversations with in-house creative leaders from brands like OpenAI, Molson Coors, Tony’s Chocolonely, Whole Foods, and more.

    46 min
  7. Adam Koppel (OpenAI): From Wieden to OpenAI and the Future of Creative Careers in the Age of AI

    28 FEB

    Adam Koppel (OpenAI): From Wieden to OpenAI and the Future of Creative Careers in the Age of AI

    Adam Koppel has worked at Wieden+Kennedy, Anomaly, Google, and OpenAI. In this episode of Let’s Bring It In, we talk about what happens when agency craft meets product-driven tech companies and AI. Adam shares his journey from traditional advertising into in-house creative leadership at Google and OpenAI, and how brand building changes inside organizations where product, speed, and experimentation drive everything. We discuss: • Agency vs. in-house creative leadership • Building brand inside tech companies • How AI is reshaping the creative process • Leading teams in high-growth environments • Balancing craft, responsibility, and scale If you’re a creative director, brand leader, marketer, or part of an in-house team navigating the future of creativity and AI, this conversation will challenge and inspire you. Let’s bring it in.

    1 hr
  8. Bryan Haupt (Molson Coors / VOLT): Building an In-House Agency That Creates Culture, Not Just Ads

    24 JAN

    Bryan Haupt (Molson Coors / VOLT): Building an In-House Agency That Creates Culture, Not Just Ads

    Bryan Haupt is the Creative Director at Volt, the in-house agency for Molson Coors, and in this episode of Let’s Bring It In, he joins host Greg Christensen to break down what modern in-house creativity really looks like from the inside. Bryan shares how Volt operates as a full-service creative partner across iconic brands like Miller Lite and Blue Moon, why close collaboration and speed matter more than ever, and how social-first thinking has reshaped creative leadership. The conversation explores the trust that comes from being embedded with the brand, the evolving role of external agencies, and what it means to be accountable not just for ideas, but for outcomes.

    47 min
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Conversations with brand leaders who are doing great creative in-house. A production of Barnes Creative Bank. barnescreativebank.com

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