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

Greg Christensen
  • 4.8 (13)
  • Marketing

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

  1. May 25

    Starbucks Creative Director Luis Marques on Why Clever Ideas Aren’t Enough

    Luis Marques has worked at some of the most creatively ambitious places in advertising, from Hyper Island to Crispin Porter + Bogusky, BBDO, and Starbucks. But one of the biggest creative lessons of his career came from a simple banner ad. At realtor.com, Luis helped rewrite a basic app download CTA around a real human truth: people are curious about what their neighbors’ homes are worth. The result? Cost per install dropped from $29 to $5. Same design. Same product shot. One sharper insight. In this episode of Let’s Bring It In, Luis talks about the shift from agency life to in-house creative leadership, why “expression without impact is decoration,” and how in-house teams can use data, business problems, and creative practice to make better work. We also get into: How Hyper Island changed the way Luis thinks about creativityWhat agency life taught him about ambition, craft, and cultureWhy moving in-house to realtor.com was creatively freeingHow Creative Gym helped teams practice ideas like athletes practice repsWhy stakeholders became better collaborators when they were invited into the creative processWhat he learned working with Anomaly on Starbucks’ “Drawn Together” and “Coffee Run”How in-house creative leaders can bridge business needs and agency ambitionWhy feedback can be treated like a creative briefThis is a great conversation for creative directors, in-house teams, agency creatives, brand leaders, and anyone interested in how creativity can drive both culture and business. Listen to more conversations with in-house creative leaders at LetsBringItIn.com.

    Starbucks Creative Director Luis Marques on Why Clever Ideas Aren’t Enough

  2. May 19

    Is the Creative Career Path Broken? Jim Bosiljevac and Will Chau on What Comes Next

    What does the future of a creative career actually look like? In this special panel episode of Let’s Bring It In, Greg Christensen sits down with two former guests: Jim Bosiljevac, former Executive Creative Director at Yahoo and now professor at Texas Creative at UT Austin, and Will Chau, Executive Creative Director at Whole Foods Market. Together, they talk about how the creative industry has changed, why more agency talent is moving in-house, and what young creatives should be thinking about as they build portfolios and careers. The conversation moves from teaching and creative direction to the realities of brand-side work, the importance of curiosity and humility, and how AI is changing the way creative teams concept, present, and produce work. Jim and Will also offer a candid look at what in-house teams actually need today. It is not just big campaign thinking. It is customer experience. It is problem solving. It is caring about every touchpoint, from broadcast campaigns to emails, banners, store signage, UX decisions, and small details that may never win awards but can have a real impact on the business. They also discuss what students and young creatives should know now: define success for yourself, build the best portfolio you can, stay curious, and do not assume there is only one path forward. In this episode: Jim and Will’s paths from agencies to teaching and in-house leadershipWhy teaching can be “creative direction bootcamp”How Whole Foods built a full in-house creative teamWhy customer experience may matter as much as big campaign ideasWhat portfolios may need to show in the futureHow AI is changing creative education and brand-side workWhy taste, judgment, and editing skills matter more than everWhat young creatives should consider when choosing their first jobWhy curiosity, kindness, humility, and optimism still matter Listen to more conversations with in-house creative leaders at LetsBringItIn.com.

    Is the Creative Career Path Broken? Jim Bosiljevac and Will Chau on What Comes Next

  3. Apr 25

    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.

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

  4. Apr 18

    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.

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

  5. Apr 11

    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.

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

  6. Apr 4

    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.

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

  7. Mar 31

    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.

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

  8. Mar 18

    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.

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