Math & Magic: Stories from the Frontiers of Marketing with Bob Pittman

4.7 (97)
BUSINESS

How do the smartest marketers and business entrepreneurs cut through the noise? And how do they manage to do it again and again? It's a combination of math—the strategy and analytics—and magic, the creative spark. Join iHeartMedia Chairman and CEO Bob Pittman as he analyzes the Math and Magic of marketing—sitting down with today's most gifted disruptors and compelling storytellers.

AUG 1

Celebrating MTV’s Anniversary with the Real Story of MTV

In honor of the 43rd anniversary of MTV, we’re rereleasing a classic episode: the real story of MTV, as told by the founders. Today MTV is a cultural institution, but people forget what a long shot it was to get the channel off the ground. Bob Pittman led the team that created MTV. In this special episode, he reminisces with co-founders and friends John Sykes, Judy McGrath, Fred Seibert, Tom Freston and Jarl Mohn about what it was like to create the '80s version of a start-up and lead a TV revolution by dreaming up the rules as they went along. From why the first MTV logo was designed on crinkled paper (it spent a little time in a trash bin), to how a tiny record store in Tulsa helped save the business, to why you should really think twice about going on a Lost Weekend with Van Halen... all the way to how a terrible cereal inspired one of the greatest ad slogans of all time: “I want my MTV,” we’ve packed this episode full of stories that marketers, fans and entrepreneurs will all want to hear. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

53 min
APR 25

Pitbull: “Anything you love you have to fight for.”

You may know this week’s guest by many names. Mr. 305, Mr. Worldwide, or more likely, the one and only Pitbull. Yes, the Grammy winning superstar, education advocate and entrepreneur sat down with Bob for a live conversation in his native Miami at the POSSIBLE conference. Before gaining all his titles, Pitbull was simply Armando Christian Pérez, a kid soaking up the colorful cultures of his city. Growing up, he was exposed to diverse, bustling, and at times unstable environments on the streets of Miami. Yet despite any hardship, Pitbull credits his city with giving him the skills to succeed in music and business. In fact, he’s leveraged his creativity and keen business sense to develop a number of independent ventures, including creating his own record label, Mr. 305, Inc., co-owning the Trackhouse NASCAR racing team and creating the Voli 305 vodka brand. Plus, he uses his international superstardom to give back to his community. Through SLAM! Charter schools, Pitbull is revolutionizing education and giving kids in underrepresented communities the opportunities he didn’t have. Listen to hear about these endeavors and more, and stay tuned to learn how he got the name Pitbull in the first place. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

28 min
APR 11

Ryan Seacrest: “I celebrate people, but I’m not the star.”

Ryan Seacrest is America’s favorite host. He’s been on the radio since he was a teenager, but it wasn’t until he came on all of our TV screens in 2002 as the host of American Idol that he became a constant presence in American households. That big break propelled him to other roles, like hosting E! Red Carpets, Live with Kelly and Ryan, and will soon become the new host of Wheel of Fortune. All the while, he’s been on the radio in Los Angeles, and as the host of the syndicated show On Air with Ryan Seacrest, recently celebrating his 20th year on KIIS-FM. All this plus producing ventures that have brought us phenomena like Keeping Up with the Kardashians make it seem like Ryan can be in multiple places at once, and is definitely the hardest working person in showbiz. As Ryan tells Bob, he’s had a relentless drive to find success since he was a kid in Atlanta falling in love with radio. Listen to hear how he dropped out of college at 19, moved to Los Angeles, and turned that determination into a storied career. Plus, hear how a key encounter with Dick Clark helped him hone his hosting persona and why interacting with people–from connecting with contestants to his meaningful philanthropic ventures–is what keeps him going. To learn more about the Ryan Seacrest Foundation, please visit www.ryanseacrestfoundation.org. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

37 min
APR 4

Andrew Jarecki: “People really do want to tell you their story.”

You’ve probably been entertained by entrepreneur and filmmaker Andrew Jarecki even if you didn’t realize it. He co-founded the business everyone used in the 1990s: Moviefone. His list of accomplishments also include co-writing the theme song for the hit TV show, Felicity, directing the Ryan Gosling film, All Good Things, and directing and producing the documentary, Capturing the Friedmans, which won 18 international prizes and earned an Academy Award nomination. He’s probably best known for directing the Emmy-winning HBO series The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst, which will be back with Part Two this year. Andrew sat down with Bob to recount how he got Moviefone off the ground and changed the industry forever; the major pivots and innovations behind the production of his films; and share how his parents influenced his career. You’ll get a sense of the unique skills that have enabled him to turn curiosities into successes, and have fun along the way. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

40 min
MAR 28

Rob Reilly: “Be a fountain of ideas.”

How does one come up with great ideas? Some may think they’re random strokes of genius, but Rob Reilly knows it takes a mix of hard work and creativity–the truest embodiment of math and magic. Now the Chief Creative Officer of WPP, Rob built his stunning reputation on work that is memorable and buzzy, from campaigns for companies like American Express and Burger King to the “Fearless Girl” statue that still stands in Manhattan’s Financial District. These works weren’t strokes of genius. They emerged from decades of Rob tirelessly logging ideas and learning his business inside and out. Listen to hear Rob explain his creative process and reflect on some of the most important moments of his career, from the college party that landed him his first advertising job to the time he took a demotion and pay cut to improve his craft. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

36 min
MAR 14

Scott Borchetta: “This is the future – we better figure this out.”

Country music is the biggest radio music format and Nashville’s Scott Borchetta knows the genre inside and out. He’s the founder, president, and CEO of Big Machine Label Group and the founder of Big Machine Distillery. Scott has signed deals with artists like Tim McGraw, Jewel, Lady A, Zac Brown Band, Thomas Rhett, Florida Georgia Line, and many others. Scott sits down to talk about his impressive career, from how he discovered his place in the music industry to when he knew it was the right time to go out on his own. His optimism, strategic thinking, and competitive spirit has helped him master music promotion and he feels more energized than ever to take on the next big thing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

33 min
MAR 7

Kenneth Feld: “People make an organization.”

Audiences love a spectacle, and Kenneth Feld knows better than anyone how true this is. As the Chairman and CEO of Feld Entertainment, he’s an acclaimed visionary when it comes to live, family friendly theatrics. He took over the business from his father, who founded it back in 1967 when he discovered the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. Kenneth sat down with Bob to describe how he maintains the company’s core principles, from valuing families above all else to championing live entertainment as a way of bringing people together–even during a global pandemic. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

30 min
FEB 29

Kellyn Smith Kenny: “The working world is a team sport.”

Kellyn Smith Kenny was born to innovate. From her early years, she was a textbook over-achiever, thriving as both an athlete and a mathlete and joining any additional club she could squeeze her way into. Growing up, she watched her mom run a hospital and her dad contribute to groundbreaking work at Bell Labs, inspiring her to dedicate herself to meaningful work. This well-rounded foundation has taken Kellyn far in the world of marketing. Her resume is stacked with giants of business like Microsoft, Hilton, Capital One, and Uber, where she learned to approach work like she’s captain of a sports team. Knowing the game inside and out and fostering a diverse, cohesive team is of the utmost importance. Currently, as the Chief Marketing and Growth Officer at AT&T, she has continued making bold moves to breathe new life into an iconic brand. She sat down with Bob to explain just how she does it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

37 min

See All (92)

4.7

out of 5

97 Ratings

As a marketer and student of advertising, this podcast inspires.

02/07/2020

Osimoto

Bob knows how to talk to people and equally important are the people he brings in to interview. I have one solid takeaway from 90% of the Math and Magic episodes. Marketing at it’s best.
This is Awful

Jul 5

No, please!

You’d think someone whose job it is to get people to be interested in stuff would be able to make something that isn’t next level boring.
More magic than math

02/02/2020

Mercury Forward

Update: If you only listen to one episode, try the one with Bobbi Brown. Her career is a testament to magic! Having worked at MTV Networks along with Pittman and several of his guests, I can attest to the importance and focus on math (data), but the real stars always involve more than a little magic.✨ So a podcast that includes and informs on both? Makes sense to me! There can be a lot to learn from pioneers, even if nobody has said “I want my MTV” for a couple decades. These folks are pioneers, like the Mercury astronauts were pioneers. 🚀 Would we even be in space without them?
The BEST in the game!

06/06/2019

TownsendFitnessSystems

Bob brings the top business + media professionals in the game to sit down for an ultra practical + tactical strategy. This is one of the best shows out there - BAR NONE! Thanks Bob for sharing a refreshing breath of air in a sea of informational diversity!

How do the smartest marketers and business entrepreneurs cut through the noise? And how do they manage to do it again and again? It's a combination of math—the strategy and analytics—and magic, the creative spark. Join iHeartMedia Chairman and CEO Bob Pittman as he analyzes the Math and Magic of marketing—sitting down with today's most gifted disruptors and compelling storytellers.

Channel

iHeartPodcasts
Creator

iHeartPodcasts
Years Active

2019 - 2024
Episodes

92
Rating

Clean
Copyright

2024 iHeartMedia, Inc. © Any use of this intellectual property for text and data mining or computational analysis including as training material for artificial intelligence systems is strictly prohibited without express written consent from iHeartMedia
Show Website

Math & Magic: Stories from the Frontiers of Marketing with Bob Pittman
Provider

iHeartMedia + Entertainment, Inc