The Marketing Society Podcast

The Marketing Society podcast

The Marketing Society unites and uplifts marketing leaders to accelerate business growth. Since 1959, we have grown into an influential community of more than 3000+ members across our global hubs: London, Scotland, Hong Kong, Singapore, UAE and New York. Our members are mostly senior clients (over seventy per cent) from brands such as ASOS, Barclays, IBM, Disney, HSBC, Mars, Samsung, Unilever and Vodafone. Attend our global programme of events, access the latest thinking online, including over ten years of best practice award-winning case studies. Have your work recognised as part of The Marketing Society Global Awards, GCC Awards and Star Awards competing against the best of the best. Progress your career via professional development like our Marketing Leaders Programme, and get discounted tickets to industry events. Become a member https://marketingsociety.com/join

  1. 1D AGO

    Life Trends 2026: Why Life-Centricity is the New Differentiator in a Saturated World, with Accenture Song and Virgin Media O2

    In a world of relentless choice and technological acceleration, the brands that win are not the ones with the most features or the lowest price. They are the ones that make people feel alive. In this podcast, Sophie Devonshire, Chief Executive of The Marketing Society, is joined by Katie Burke, Global Lead for Life Trends at Accenture Song, and Lisa Johnstone, Director of Priority, Loyalty and Rewards at Virgin Media O2, to explore three of the most compelling trends from the Life Trends 2026 report, Accenture Song's global study of human behaviour in a rapidly changing world. This year's trends are anchored in the hero's journey: challenge, change, and transformation. And for marketing leaders, the implications are significant. We explore Human Journeys, and how AI is reshaping the moments of discovery and decision-making that matter most to customers, including what zero-click experiences mean for brand visibility and relevance. We look at Good Vibrations, and why joy, play, and real-world connection are becoming serious commercial differentiators, and how the most effective brands enable culture rather than chase it. And we examine Coming of Age, and why age is no longer the right organising principle for marketers, and what to reach for instead. With 77% of people expecting brands to help them feel joy and wellbeing, the pressure on marketing leaders to make the case for emotional brand-building has never been greater. This episode explores what life-centricity really means in practice, and how to take that argument into the boardroom. Read the full Life Trends 2026 report: https://www.accenture.com/us-en/insights/song/accenture-life-trends-2026

    49 min
  2. JAN 28

    Brand Visibility in the age of AI, in conversation with VodafoneThree and Accenture Song

    In an AI-driven world, brand visibility is being fundamentally redefined. As AI agents increasingly mediate the customer journey, from initial research through to purchase, brands face a critical question: if AI can't see you, can your customers? In this podcast, Sophie Devonshire, Chief Executive of The Marketing Society, is joined by Steven Carvalho (Senior Manager, Accenture Song) and Alex Pott (Consumer Digital Director, VodafoneThree) to explore how brands can stay visible, relevant, and trusted in this rapidly evolving landscape. We'll be exploring how Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) is just the tip of the iceberg, because its effects ripple across the entire commercial organisation. Beyond marketing, it influences brand trust, reputation management, competitive positioning, customer experience, data infrastructure, and even how teams collaborate to stay relevant in an AI-driven landscape. The risk is clear: if AI can't see you, neither can your customers. Optimising for AI search is just the starting point in a future where the entire journey, from research to purchase, could be carried out by a customer's AI agent. The challenge is making sure your brand stays visible, relevant, and trusted in that world. With news of ChatGPT in the US rolling out instant checkout, it won't be long before it impacts the commerce experience in UK. This shift will be seismic. Hear how AI is impacting brand visibility and customer experience today, the real-world challenges organisations are facing, and how marketers can shape the business agenda around these agentic opportunities.

    36 min
  3. In My Humble Opinion… Gen Z aren't breaking the world, they're holding it together

    12/16/2025

    In My Humble Opinion… Gen Z aren't breaking the world, they're holding it together

    Welcome to "In my humble opinion", a podcast collaboration between The Marketing Society and Publicis Groupe UK that creates a space for marketing leaders to discuss their opinions on topics affecting our industry which they think about but may not always say out loud. You're joining us for our next episode in the series '‘In My Humble Opinion… Gen Z aren't breaking the world, they're holding it together Featuring Lilli English, Chief Strategy Officer at Leo UK, Joe Beveridge, Head of Strategy at Leo UK, and Hannah Pain, Head of Marketing at McDonald's. Lilli, Joe and Hannah tackle one of the most misunderstood generations in recent history – challenging the lazy stereotypes that paint Gen Z as phone-obsessed, feckless and detached, and revealing the surprising truth hidden in Leo's latest Pop Pulse research. Despite the media narrative, this generation isn't breaking things up from their couches. They're the sage voices emerging from the huddle – the micro influencers in every household who are shaping decisions across everything from music and tech to DIY, cooking tomato soup and booking holidays. Where wisdom used to trickle down, it's now rippling out from Gen Z, making them not a fringe cohort or future audience, but a commercial imperative today. They explore Leo's principles for winning with this generation, including why brands need to be "magnet, not mirror" – showing up as an unfiltered, authentic version of themselves rather than desperately trying to speak Gen Z's language. From McDonald's evolution from "confidently humble" to "unashamedly McDonald's", to understanding why this generation holds the keys to the mainstream, they reveal why getting Gen Z right isn't about alienating others – it's your route to reaching everyone. Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review our podcast! Our industry is filled with many brilliant minds with thought provoking views, we can’t wait to bring them to you, our next episode of “In my humble opinion” will be coming soon and find our series of content of the same name over at The Marketing Society website here.

    25 min
  4. In My Humble Opinion....if your commerce is disconnected, your growth is too

    11/05/2025

    In My Humble Opinion....if your commerce is disconnected, your growth is too

    Welcome to “In my humble opinion”, a podcast collaboration between The Marketing Society and Publicis Groupe UK that creates a space for marketing leaders to discuss their opinions on topics affecting our industry which they think about but may not always say out loud.  You will hear industry leaders and experts talk about their views and opinions on deliberately provocative subjects such as the impact of technology on brands and consumers, the future of our industry, the generational divides, diversity and inclusion and more. You’re joining us for episode 9 "In My Humble Opinion...if your commerce is disconnected, your growth is too”. Featuring Astrid Lloyd, Managing Director at Publicis Commerce UK and Natalie James, Head of eCommerce, Brown-Forman Europe. Astrid Lloyd and Natalie James tackle one of the most costly blind spots in commerce today – the disconnect between how consumers actually shop and how businesses are still organized to sell. Following on from their panel discussion at The Marketing Society's "Uncomfortable Conversations" breakfast, Astrid and Natalie explore why organisational silos persist despite shoppers moving seamlessly between TikTok, Amazon, Google and physical stores. From fragmented data systems to the "trough of fragmentation" where insights are a mile wide but an inch deep, they examine the structural barriers holding brands back from capturing growth. They discuss why the digital shelf deserves the same attention as physical point-of-sale, the challenge of justifying investment in emerging platforms like TikTok, and the capability gaps that leave digital commerce feeling like an afterthought. Most importantly, they reveal the leadership behaviours needed to drive transformation – and why "following the money" might be the key to breaking down barriers. Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review our podcast! Our industry is filled with many brilliant minds with thought provoking views, we can’t wait to bring them to you, our next episode of “In my humble opinion” will be coming soon and find our series of content of the same name over at The Marketing Society website here.

    33 min
  5. In My Humble Opinion... the news is dead

    09/18/2025

    In My Humble Opinion... the news is dead

    Welcome to “In my humble opinion”, a podcast collaboration between The Marketing Society and Publicis Groupe UK that creates a space for marketing leaders to discuss their opinions on topics affecting our industry which they think about but may not always say out loud.  You will hear industry leaders and experts talk about their views and opinions on deliberately provocative subjects such as the impact of technology on brands and consumers, the future of our industry, the generational divides, diversity and inclusion and more. You’re joining us for episode 8  'In My Humble Opinion... the news is dead.' Featuring Jack Peat, Head of Newsroom at Taylor Herring, and Alex Goldsmith, Head of Social Video at Metro. Jack and Alex explore how social media has fundamentally disrupted traditional news practices – and what this means for the communications industry. Drawing from Taylor Herring's report "The news is dead. Long live the news," they examine how platforms like TikTok have transformed everything from news gathering to storytelling. From Alex's "What the F test" for content that stops the scroll, to the reality that anything over one minute is now considered long form, they discuss how journalists are becoming content creators and algorithms are taking on the role of editors. They reveal why over half of digital journalists say PRs rarely supply the multimedia assets they need, and explore the growing disconnect between traditional comms practices and social-first newsrooms. Most importantly, they uncover the positive evolution happening – how the best PR professionals are now engaging with publishers earlier in the process, understanding individual platform needs, and working more collaboratively than ever before. Get the report "News is Dead" here Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review our podcast! Our industry is filled with many brilliant minds with thought provoking views, we can’t wait to bring them to you, our next episode of “In my humble opinion” will be coming soon and find our series of content of the same name over at The Marketing Society website here.

    31 min

About

The Marketing Society unites and uplifts marketing leaders to accelerate business growth. Since 1959, we have grown into an influential community of more than 3000+ members across our global hubs: London, Scotland, Hong Kong, Singapore, UAE and New York. Our members are mostly senior clients (over seventy per cent) from brands such as ASOS, Barclays, IBM, Disney, HSBC, Mars, Samsung, Unilever and Vodafone. Attend our global programme of events, access the latest thinking online, including over ten years of best practice award-winning case studies. Have your work recognised as part of The Marketing Society Global Awards, GCC Awards and Star Awards competing against the best of the best. Progress your career via professional development like our Marketing Leaders Programme, and get discounted tickets to industry events. Become a member https://marketingsociety.com/join

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