Brand Runner

Fabien Hameline

Brand Runner is a podcast about building brands, scaling creativity, and staying human in the age of AI. Hosted by Fabien Hameline, brand awareness veteran and creative operator, each episode explores how modern marketing leaders, founders, and creators can blend systems thinking with creative intuition to do more impactful work—with less mental load. From brand breakdowns to behind-the-scenes process chats, this show is your practical (and occasionally witty) guide to thriving as a creative operator in today's fast-moving world. Subscribe to the newsletter: https://brandrunner.substack.com

  1. JAN 7

    AI Is the New OS. Humans Are the Luxury — What You MUST Do in 2026

    ## Summary In this episode of Brand Runner, Fabien discusses the evolving landscape of marketing, focusing on the integration of AI as the new operating system. He explores six significant shifts in the industry, including the rise of AI in marketing, the transformation of search into answer engines, and the emergence of every company as a media company. Fabien also delves into the financial infrastructure of the creator economy and the importance of human elements in an AI-driven world. The episode concludes with actionable insights on how brands can adapt to these changes. Keywords AI, marketing, brand strategy, creator economy, answer engines, media companies, human elements, digital transformation, marketing shifts, AI integration Takeaways AI is becoming the operating system of marketing.Search is evolving into answer engines.Every company is now a media company.The creator economy is gaining financial infrastructure.Human elements are becoming a luxury in an AI-driven world.Brands need to adapt to AI-driven changes.AI is transforming discovery and commerce.The importance of direct audience relationships is growing.Brands must simplify measurements before scaling.The shifts in marketing are already underway. Title Options AI: The New Marketing OSTransforming Search: The Rise of Answer EnginesEvery Company is a Media Company NowThe Creator Economy's Financial RevolutionHuman Elements in an AI WorldAdapting to AI-Driven ChangesAI's Impact on Discovery and CommerceBuilding Direct Audience RelationshipsSimplifying Measurements for GrowthNavigating Marketing Shifts Sound bites AI is the new marketing OS. Search evolves into answer engines. Every company is a media company. Creator economy gains financial infrastructure. Human elements are a luxury now. Adapt to AI-driven changes. AI transforms discovery and commerce. Direct audience relationships matter. Simplify measurements before scaling. Marketing shifts are underway. Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction to Marketing Shifts00:00:00 AI as the New Operating System00:00:00 The Evolution of Search00:00:00 Media Companies Everywhere00:00:01 Financial Infrastructure in the Creator Economy00:00:01 The Luxury of Human Elements00:00:01 Adapting to AI-Driven Changes Links Connect on LinkedIn: Fabien HamelineSubscribe to the newsletter: Brand Runner NewsletterThe app Creative TLDR: Sends a WhatsApp daily and keeps the pulse for you on all things marketing: https://creativetldr.com Sources links: Amazon’s AI ads agent and campaign manager – https://www.adweek.com/media/amazon-ai-ads-agent-campaign-manager ↩ WPP launches self-serve AI platform – https://www.adweek.com/agencies/wpp-launches-a-self-serve-version-of-its-ai-platform-to-court-small-biz-dollars ↩ Unilever’s AI beauty marketing assembly line – https://digiday.com/marketing/inside-unilevers-ai-beauty-marketing-assembly-line-and-its-implications-for-agencies ↩ Google AI Overviews reach 2B+ monthly users – https://digiday.com/media/googles-ai-overviews-reach-over-2-billion-monthly-users ↩ ChatGPT Shopping changes ecommerce SEO – https://searchengineland.com/chatgpt-shopping-ecommerce-seo-rules-462865 ↩ Zero-click landscape challenges – https://digiday.com/marketing/how-brands-are-trying-to-optimize-outsmart-ai-answer-engines-across-the-zero-click-landscape ↩ American Express launches ad business – https://www.adweek.com/commerce/american-express-launches-ad-business-in-growing-commerce-media-race ↩

    9 min
  2. 04/14/2025

    Inside Canva’s Visual Suite: AI, Creativity & the Future of Marketing Teams

    Episode Summary:In this episode of Brand Runner, we explore Canva’s Visual Suite 2.0 — a major shift that brings design, AI, code, and data into a single creative workspace. From Magic Studio to Canva Code, we break down the most impactful features and what they mean for creative productivity, marketing teams, and the future of work. What We Cover: Canva AI and Magic Studio tools Visual spreadsheets and real-time charts Canva Code and no-code interactive tools AI-powered workflows for faster content creation How these changes impact collaboration and team structure Resources Mentioned:Canva Create 2025 Keynote and Demos:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LupwvXsOQqshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85f-fwJzUKMhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnVsl3PIx8U More on Canva’s Visual Suite:https://smallbiztrends.com/canva-launches-visual-suite-2-ai-tools/https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250410082173/en/Canvas-Biggest-Launch-Yet-Introduces-Visual-Suite-2.0-to-Redefine-Creativity-and-Productivity Connect with Fabien:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fabien-hameline/Newsletter: https://brandrunner.substack.com/Get weekly insights on creative productivity, branding, and modern marketing. New Book – The Five Rings of MarketingUnlock timeless strategy for today’s marketing battles.Grab your copy here: https://brandrunner.kit.com/8b9a431f0f?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes This episode was produced with the help of AI.

    12 min
  3. 04/01/2025

    AI Goes Ghibli: The Viral Trend and Its Implications

    Summary: This episode dives into the explosive trend of transforming images into Studio Ghibli-inspired art using ChatGPT's latest GPT-4 model. We explore why this trend captivated the internet, its ease of use, and the deep cultural resonance of Studio Ghibli's unique aesthetic. From personal photos and pop-culture memes to historical moments, this style has touched every corner of digital culture. We also address critical copyright and ethical issues raised by this AI-driven phenomenon, highlighting Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki’s stark criticism of AI-generated animation as well as legal concerns over copyright infringement. What You'll Learn: Why the Ghibli-style AI art trend has rapidly spread.The cultural and nostalgic appeal of Studio Ghibli.Easy-to-use AI tools fueling creativity and virality.Ethical and copyright implications surrounding AI-generated art.Perspectives from key figures including Hayao Miyazaki and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.Key Highlights: The role of GPT-4 and platforms like MidJourney and BrockAI in democratizing AI art creation.Viral examples including Ghibli-style renditions of historical events, famous memes, and personal portraits.Debate over artistic authenticity: Miyazaki's intense opposition vs. the widespread public enthusiasm.Legal ambiguity around AI-generated images replicating recognizable artistic elements.Ongoing lawsuits and debates over copyright protection.Important References: Sam Altman's viral engagement and tweets.Miyazaki’s comments describing AI animation as an "insult to life."Coverage from Getting Animated, CNN, Variety, The Independent.Discussion Questions: What happens when AI blurs the line between inspiration and infringement?How can creators ethically engage with AI tools?What does the popularity of AI-generated Ghibli art say about nostalgia and creative ownership?Stay Connected: Subscribe to Brand Runner's newsletter here: https://brandrunner.substack.com/Fabien's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fabien-hameline/ Join us next episode as we continue exploring the intersection of creativity, branding, and technology. Links https://variety.com/2025/digital/news/openai-ceo-chatgpt-studio-ghibli-ai-images-1236349141/ https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/studio-ghibli-chatgpt-openai-hayao-miyazaki-trend-copyright-b2723114.html https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/27/style/chatgpt-studio-ghibli-ai-images-intl-hnk/index.html https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/27/style/ai-chatgpt-studio-ghibli.html https://www.businessinsider.com/openai-studio-ghibli-style-images-violate-copyright-or-not-2025-3 This episode was generated with the help of AI.

    14 min
  4. 03/24/2025

    Inside Adobe Summit 2025 (recap): Creativity is the New Productivity

    In this episode of Brand Runner, we dive deep into the groundbreaking announcements from Adobe Summit 2025, where AI has officially stepped into the spotlight, fundamentally changing the game for creativity, productivity, and brand building. We explore how Adobe is transitioning from bolt-on AI features to embedding artificial intelligence into the foundation of their entire ecosystem. From the exciting new Firefly application that brings IP-friendly generative AI for images, vectors, video, and voice to a single platform, to the revolutionary AI assistant in Acrobat that lets you literally "talk to your PDFs," the creative landscape is being transformed. Key highlights include: Adobe's vision of "creativity for all" and how AI is democratizing design toolsThe blurring lines between productivity and creativity, as visual communication becomes essentialThe unveiling of Adobe's agentic AI platform with specialized agents for marketing, customer journeys, and data insightsCoca-Cola CEO James Quincy's insights on balancing AI-driven marketing with authentic experiencesB2B marketing's transformation with AI-orchestrated journeys and account-based intelligenceReal-world case studies showing dramatic improvements in efficiency and engagementWhether you're a creative professional, marketer, or brand strategist, this episode offers valuable insights into how AI is reshaping the tools we use every day and opening new possibilities for creativity and customer connection. As AI continues to advance, the question remains: how will you and your brand adapt while maintaining authentic human connections? Source Adobe Summit keynotes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQVpva50W74&list=TLGG8XCeg68IHIwyMjAzMjAyNQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmUZhAa6KW4&list=TLGGNvPSMz9qHZ4yMjAzMjAyNQ https://www.zdnet.com/article/adobes-latest-projects-are-packed-with-ai-agents-heres-a-sneak-peek/ https://diginomica.com/adobe-summit-coca-cola-using-gen-ai-make-cheaper-and-quicker-adverts-misses-human-touch Links Sign up for the Brand Runner newsletter ⁠⁠ here⁠ This episode was produced with the help of AI.

    23 min
  5. The State of VR with Sébastien Hameline

    01/28/2025

    The State of VR with Sébastien Hameline

    Show notes keywords: immersive marketing, virtual reality, VR milestones, consumer adoption, brand applications, metaverse, XR, Web3, healthcare VR, interactive experiences summary In this conversation, Fabien and Sébastien discuss the evolution of virtual reality (VR) and immersive marketing, highlighting key milestones, consumer adoption, and innovative applications by brands. They explore the importance of content in VR experiences, the impact of new technologies like the Apple Vision Pro, and the future of VR in the context of the metaverse and healthcare. The discussion emphasizes the need for brands to create engaging and unique content to leverage the immersive capabilities of VR. takeaways VR has evolved significantly since its inception, with key milestones marking its accessibility. The Oculus Go was a turning point for consumer access to VR. Content quality and relevance are crucial for consumer engagement in VR. Healthcare applications of VR are growing, providing therapeutic benefits. The Apple Vision Pro is setting new standards for VR technology. Brands are beginning to explore innovative uses of VR for marketing. The metaverse is becoming a focal point for social interaction and content consumption. Interactive experiences in VR can enhance storytelling and engagement. Consumer adoption of VR is still in its early stages, with growth expected. The future of VR includes a blend of entertainment, education, and productivity applications. Sound Bites "VR is not just live actions, it's games." "The consumer cares about the content." "Accessibility was a milestone in VR." Chapters 00:00Introduction to Immersive Marketing and VR 02:18The Evolution of VR: Key Milestones 13:43Consumer Landscape: Who Uses VR Today? 18:29Barriers to Mass Adoption of VR 22:56Apple Vision Pro: A New Milestone? 24:09Meta Connect: Key Takeaways 24:56Innovative Brand Uses of VR 33:22Future of VR: Innovations and Trends 44:50The Future of Work and VR Links Sébastien's VR work Sébastien's LinkedIn Fabien's LinkedIn Sign up for the Brand Runner newsletter here

    48 min
  6. 05/23/2024

    Apple's Creative Destruction: Unpacking the "Crush" Ad Debacle

    In this explosive solo episode of Brand Runner, we dissect Apple's disastrous "Crush" ad campaign that sparked outrage across the creative community. From the disturbing industrial visuals to the cringe-worthy implications of AI replacing human artistry, we'll unpack what forced a rare public apology from the tech titan. You'll hear shocking details about an emotional test screening that should have been a major red flag, and why this $3 billion marketing misfire highlights the importance of getting creatives right before going live. Tune in for an insightful autopsy of one of Apple's most controversial campaigns in years - a cautionary tale of what happens when marketing meets tone-deafness. Subscribe to the newsletter and get brand insights here: https://brandrunner.substack.com/ Links Ad Age "Apple apologizes" article https://adage.com/article/digital-marketing-ad-tech-news/apple-apologizes-ipad-pro-crushed-ad-it-missed-mark/2559321 The 2024 Apple iPad ad https://youtu.be/XTi5cGnVTzQ The 2008 LG Renoir ad https://youtu.be/NcUAQ2i5Tfo?feature=shared Hydraulic press compilation https://youtu.be/XTi5cGnVTzQ The emotional testing from System1 https://www.linkedin.com/posts/andrew-tindall_advertising-marketing-ugcPost-7195742654964383744-j-gC/ Brand Runner podcast episode about AI and the future of marketing https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/brand-runner/id1685793277?i=1000612304664 All opinions are Fabien's.

    7 min
5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Brand Runner is a podcast about building brands, scaling creativity, and staying human in the age of AI. Hosted by Fabien Hameline, brand awareness veteran and creative operator, each episode explores how modern marketing leaders, founders, and creators can blend systems thinking with creative intuition to do more impactful work—with less mental load. From brand breakdowns to behind-the-scenes process chats, this show is your practical (and occasionally witty) guide to thriving as a creative operator in today's fast-moving world. Subscribe to the newsletter: https://brandrunner.substack.com