Marketing Happy Hour

Marketing Happy Hour
  • 4.8 (78)
  • Marketing
  • Updated Weekly

Keeping up with marketing trends and leveling up your career doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Don’t go at it alone. Marketing Happy Hour was created to help you navigate the corporate marketing world, launch your own business, and stay sane while advancing in your career. Join hosts Cassie Tucker and Ally Golden each week as they dive into real conversations with industry guests, covering everything from marketing strategies to career growth and leadership insights—all served with a mix of inspiration and support to keep you thriving. Learn more: https://www.marketinghappyhr.com/

  1. 4d ago

    Making Your Marketing Feel Like an Invitation, Not an Ad | Ashley Johnson of Visit Newport Beach

    In this episode, we sit down with Ashley Johnson, SVP and Chief Marketing Officer of Visit Newport Beach, who has spent twenty years building some of California's most beloved destination brands, including sixteen years at Visit Laguna Beach, where she became President and CEO at just thirty three years old and won an Emmy for a children's educational campaign that used storytelling to change visitor behavior. Ashley brings a perspective that translates far beyond the tourism industry: she breaks down what it actually means to sell a feeling rather than a product, why the best marketing feels like an invitation rather than an advertisement, how her in-house team of seven executed over twenty two campaigns in a single fiscal year, and what she has learned about imposter syndrome, leadership, and hiring in two decades of leading teams. Key Takeaways: // Sell the feeling, not the feature. Nobody books a vacation because of a beach photo. They book because they can picture themselves there. The strongest marketing makes the consumer the main character of the story, not the product. // Great marketing feels like an invitation. Give people enough information to feel comfortable, enough inspiration to get excited, and then get out of the way and let them have their own experience. Overly prescriptive marketing removes the magic. // Market with your community, not around them. The biggest mistake a brand can make is building a strategy that ignores or inconveniences the people closest to it. When locals see your marketing and think "yes, that is exactly us," you have done it right. // Storytelling can change behavior. Ashley's Emmy came from a seven-minute educational video for school groups that made kids want to protect tide pools before they ever visited. Great storytelling does not just inspire — it influences what people actually do. Connect with Visit Newport Beach: @visitnewportbeach Connect with Ashley Johnson: @missashleytaylor ____ Join the MHH Collective! The MHH Collective is a community for marketers and business owners to connect, ask real questions, and grow their careers together. Join for access to live Q&As with industry experts, a private Slack community, and ongoing resources: https://www.marketinghappyhr.com/mhh-collective Say hi! DM us on Instagram and let us know what content you want to hear on the show - We can't wait to hear from you! Please also consider rating the show and leaving a review, as that helps us tremendously as we move forward in this Marketing Happy Hour journey and create more content for all of you. ⁠ Join the MHH Collective: ⁠Join now⁠ Get the latest marketing trends, open jobs and MHH updates, straight to your inbox: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our email list!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow MHH on Social: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  2. Aug 27

    What Every Marketer Can Learn from the Restaurant Industry | Brianna Keefe of Toastique

    In this episode, we sit down with Brianna Keefe, founder and CEO of Toastique — a fresh, made-in-house cafe concept that started as a single 1,000 square foot store in Washington D.C. in 2018 and has grown to over 65 locations across 25 states, entirely through franchising and word of mouth. Brianna opened her first store at 24 with no formal marketing plan, no app, and no third party delivery — just a highly shareable product, a commitment to quality, and an instinct for community. She opens up about how grassroots marketing and in-person community building became the foundation of Toastique’s entire growth strategy, what the pandemic taught her about the strength of the brand she had built, how she has had to evolve as a leader as the business scaled, and the customer service principles she swears by that any business in any industry can apply.  Key Takeaways: // Word of mouth is still the most powerful marketing channel you have. Toastique spent nothing on marketing for its first year and a half. The product was shareable, the experience was memorable, and customers did the rest. Brianna's belief: if you focus on quality and experience from day one, that becomes embedded in the culture of the brand. // Grassroots marketing compounds over time. Before apps, third party delivery, or a formal strategy, Toastique built its presence by showing up in the community — catering office breakfasts, doing pop ups in residential buildings, and connecting with neighboring small businesses. That foundation still drives some of their strongest growth today. // Product presentation is a marketing decision. Toastique was built from the beginning around food that looks as good as it tastes because people eat with their eyes first. The visual shareability of the product meant customers were doing organic social marketing without being asked. // Be knowledgeable about what you sell, at every level of the team. Toastique requires every team member to pass an 80-question product knowledge quiz before working the register. If someone cannot answer a customer's question confidently, the experience breaks down — no matter how warm the greeting was. // Personalization at scale is still possible. Remembering names, orders, and personal details — and following up on them — is what turns a transaction into a relationship. In hospitality and in marketing, that memorability factor is what keeps people coming back. Connect with Brianna: LinkedIn ____ Join the MHH Collective! The MHH Collective is a community for marketers and business owners to connect, ask real questions, and grow their careers together. Join for access to live Q&As with industry experts, a private Slack community, and ongoing resources: https://www.marketinghappyhr.com/mhh-collective Say hi! DM us on Instagram and let us know what content you want to hear on the show - We can't wait to hear from you! Please also consider rating the show and leaving a review, as that helps us tremendously as we move forward in this Marketing Happy Hour journey and create more content for all of you. ⁠ Join the MHH Collective: ⁠Join now⁠ Get the latest marketing trends, open jobs and MHH updates, straight to your inbox: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our email list!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow MHH on Social: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  3. Aug 20

    How to Turn Your Brand's Most Loyal Fans Into Your Best Marketing Channel (Lessons from Disney’s D23)

    In this episode, Cassie and Ally are fresh off attending D23, Disney's biennial fan expo in Anaheim and one of the largest brand-driven community events in the world, and they're breaking down everything they observed through a marketing lens. From Crocs building a racetrack-themed booth to Marvel turning a line into a fully immersive story experience, to Disney transforming what could have been a standard press announcement into a 15,000-person live spectacle hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, this episode is packed with concrete, transferable lessons on experiential marketing, merchandise strategy, fan engagement, and community building at scale. Key Takeaways: // Exclusivity and urgency are your most powerful tools at a live event. The activations that drove the longest lines at D23 weren't just pretty,  they offered something you could only get there, only that weekend. Limited drops, early access, collectible items, and mystery products created genuine excitement and organic content without a single paid push. // Turn your announcements into experiences, not press releases. Disney could have dropped its park and film news on social media. Instead they put 15,000 fans in a room with live performances, a talk show format, and the actual people behind the projects. The fans became the news cycle. // Merch is a marketing signal, not just a revenue line. The resurgence of vintage Disney t-shirts under Bobby Kim isn't just a product strategy, it's a cultural statement about where the brand is going. Limited drops, nostalgia, accessibility, and wearability all work together to turn a t-shirt into a conversation starter. // Peeling back the curtain builds deeper brand loyalty. Disney's Imagineering booth let fans meet the people behind the parks, ask questions, and see physical models of projects still in development. Access to the process is one of the most underused tools in brand marketing. // Community is the most durable marketing engine you can build. D23 exists because of Disney's fan community, and that community does an enormous amount of Disney's marketing for free. Cassie and Ally are a perfect example — two marketers who attended, created content, and will talk about this event for weeks. Building a community that shows up for you, on and offline, is a long game worth investing in. // Maintaining the status quo is the riskiest thing you can do. Bob Iger's philosophy, that staying still is more dangerous than taking risks, is the through line of everything Disney presented at this event. New stories, new formats, new access, new product. The brands that keep pushing are the ones that keep their audiences leaning in. ____ Join the MHH Collective! The MHH Collective is a community for marketers and business owners to connect, ask real questions, and grow their careers together. Join for access to live Q&As with industry experts, a private Slack community, and ongoing resources: https://www.marketinghappyhr.com/mhh-collective Say hi! DM us on Instagram and let us know what content you want to hear on the show - We can't wait to hear from you! Please also consider rating the show and leaving a review, as that helps us tremendously as we move forward in this Marketing Happy Hour journey and create more content for all of you. ⁠ Join the MHH Collective: ⁠Join now⁠ Get the latest marketing trends, open jobs and MHH updates, straight to your inbox: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our email list!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow MHH on Social: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  4. Aug 6

    How to Separate Your Personal Worth from Your Professional Title | Ally Golden of MHH

    In this episode, Cassie turns the mic on co-host Ally Golden for a candid, long-overdue conversation about her career journey — from a PR degree she couldn't quite use, to a wealth management firm where she cut her marketing teeth, to brand management roles that clarified exactly where her passion lived, to a layoff that forced her to rethink everything she thought she knew about her own worth. Ally opens up about the ego hit of being impacted by a reduction in force at Title, what it took to separate her personal identity from her professional title, and the unexpected projects — freelance writing, mentorship, community work — that helped her rebuild her confidence and sense of self in the aftermath. She also shares the one behavior she's spent years unlearning, why being a big fish in a small pond early in your career is one of the most underrated moves you can make, and the piece of advice she'd give to younger Ally if she could go back. Equal parts career reflection and honest conversation about what it really takes to grow — this one is for anyone who has ever felt like their career was supposed to look different by now. Key Takeaways: // Being a big fish in a small pond early in your career is a gift, not a consolation prize. Ally's first role at a 15-person wealth management firm gave her more runway, ownership, and variety than most entry-level roles ever do. Wearing every hat — even the ones you didn't ask for — is what creates a well-rounded marketer. // Clarity about what you actually want doesn't come from thinking. It comes from doing. Ally didn't know she wanted to be in brand management until she was knee-deep in tone of voice work and color analysis at a finance firm. You have to try things to know which things are yours. // When you lose control of your career, build something you can control. After her layoff, Ally cold-pitched a local magazine, started freelance writing, and leaned into mentorship — not for financial reasons, but to feed the parts of herself that a full-time job had been crowding out. Those extensions made her a more well-rounded professional and person. // Unlearn the idea that your voice has to earn its place in the room. The biggest unlock of Ally's career has been realizing she was shrinking to fit a box — holding back questions, ideas, and asks because she didn't feel she fully qualified. Raising your hand before you feel completely ready is the move. // It's okay for your dreams to change. Ally spent years chasing a goal that didn't work out on the timeline she expected — and grieving that was part of the process. But flexibility and nimbleness are what allowed her to see the opportunity that was right in front of her all along. ____ Join the MHH Collective! The MHH Collective is a community for marketers and business owners to connect, ask real questions, and grow their careers together. Join for access to live Q&As with industry experts, a private Slack community, and ongoing resources: https://www.marketinghappyhr.com/mhh-collective Say hi! DM us on Instagram and let us know what content you want to hear on the show - We can't wait to hear from you! Please also consider rating the show and leaving a review, as that helps us tremendously as we move forward in this Marketing Happy Hour journey and create more content for all of you. ⁠ Join the MHH Collective: ⁠Join now⁠ Get the latest marketing trends, open jobs and MHH updates, straight to your inbox: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our email list!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow MHH on Social: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  5. Jul 30

    Why Word of Mouth Still Beats Every Paid Channel | Lauren Schulte Wang of The Flex Co.

    In this episode, we sit down with Lauren Schulte Wang, founder and CEO of The Flex Co., the brand behind the menstrual disc that has sold over 185 million units, holds 88% market share in its category, and is now carried in over 30,000 retail locations including Target, Walmart, and CVS. Lauren built Flex from scratch in 2016, creating an entirely new product category with zero search volume and a consumer behavior change challenge that she describes as one of the hardest jobs a marketer can have. She opens up about how obsessive customer listening shaped their entire go-to-market strategy, what it took to fight platform by platform to earn the right to advertise a period product on social media, why word of mouth is still their strongest acquisition channel after nearly ten years, and how reaching profitability in year seven gave Flex the agency to put customers above all else.  Key Takeaways: // Changing human behavior is the hardest job in marketing. Flex isn't asking someone to switch brands, they're asking them to rethink something deeply personal. That challenge shaped every part of how they educate, nurture, and retain customers. // Retail shelf space is a billboard. Their target customer is in that aisle every single month. Lauren's strategy: build awareness through influencers and streaming TV, then let the shelf close the deal. // Word of mouth is still their number one acquisition channel, after ten years. Building a product people feel compelled to tell their friends about is not a soft metric. It is a growth strategy. // Profitability is about agency. Reaching profitability in year seven gave Flex the ability to make decisions that put customers first without being beholden to investor timelines or the next raise. // 88% market share and 3% awareness is the opportunity, not the problem. Most brands would panic at low awareness. Lauren sees it as the greatest runway ahead. Connect with Lauren: LinkedIn Learn More: Website ____ Join the MHH Collective! The MHH Collective is a community for marketers and business owners to connect, ask real questions, and grow their careers together. Join for access to live Q&As with industry experts, a private Slack community, and ongoing resources: https://www.marketinghappyhr.com/mhh-collective Say hi! DM us on Instagram and let us know what content you want to hear on the show - We can't wait to hear from you! Please also consider rating the show and leaving a review, as that helps us tremendously as we move forward in this Marketing Happy Hour journey and create more content for all of you. ⁠ Join the MHH Collective: ⁠Join now⁠ Get the latest marketing trends, open jobs and MHH updates, straight to your inbox: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our email list!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow MHH on Social: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  6. Jul 23

    REWIND: How National Geographic Stays Culturally Relevant with 400M+ Followers | Elizabeth Thompson of National Geographic

    In this throwback episode, we sit down with Elizabeth Thompson, Senior Manager of Social Media at National Geographic, who leads strategy for one of the largest social ecosystems in the world — over 400 million followers across platforms. Elizabeth shares the career journey that took her from Army brat and freelancer to running social for one of the most iconic storytelling brands, including how she grew Nat Geo's Instagram from 250M to 270M followers and TikTok from 2.5M to 9M. We unpack how a 137-year-old brand stays culturally relevant today, how her team uses UGC, reactive content, and new platform features to reach global audiences, and what creators and marketers can learn from building social strategy at scale. This one is packed with timeless frameworks — worth a relisten or a first listen if you missed it. Key Takeaways:// How to grow a legacy brand on social: The relevance, resonance, and risk framework Nat Geo uses to decide which cultural moments are worth jumping on — and which to sit out.// The power of UGC at scale: Why Nat Geo Your Shot was reimagined as a creative community, not just a content bucket — and how it drives belonging, not just reach.// Building strategy for massive audiences: How Elizabeth approaches content for 400M+ followers across seven platforms, and why an always-on strategy and engagement plays both have to coexist.// Career lessons for social pros: How internships spanning PR, journalism, and email marketing — plus a freelance business and a master's degree in Germany — shaped her path to Nat Geo.// Team building and cross-functional alignment: What transparency, flexibility, and proactive communication actually look like inside a large, matrixed organization.// The timeless principles that will outlast every algorithm shift: Authenticity, community, and adaptability — and why these three things will always matter no matter what the platforms do next. ____ Join the MHH Collective! The MHH Collective is a community for marketers and business owners to connect, ask real questions, and grow their careers together. Join for access to live Q&As with industry experts, a private Slack community, and ongoing resources: https://www.marketinghappyhr.com/mhh-collective Say hi! DM us on Instagram and let us know what content you want to hear on the show - We can't wait to hear from you! Please also consider rating the show and leaving a review, as that helps us tremendously as we move forward in this Marketing Happy Hour journey and create more content for all of you. ⁠ Join the MHH Collective: ⁠Join now⁠ Get the latest marketing trends, open jobs and MHH updates, straight to your inbox: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our email list!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow MHH on Social: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  7. Jul 2

    Yes Way Rosé's Playbook for Building a Lifestyle Brand | With Co-Founders Erica Small and Nikki Huganir

    In this episode, we sit down with Erica Small and Nikki Huganir, the co-founders of Yes Way Rosé — a wine brand that started as a $200 tote bag and an Instagram account in 2013 and has since grown into one of the top rosé brands in the US, with over 13 million bottles sold and retail placement at Target, Publix, Total Wine, Walmart, and beyond. What makes their story so compelling for marketers: they built an entirely formed lifestyle brand — rooted in humor, female friendship, and culture — before they ever made a single bottle of wine. Erica and Nikki open up about how their fashion, media, and design backgrounds shaped the brand's voice and visual identity from day one, why they chose to grow without outside capital, how they're navigating marketing to both their original millennial audience and a growing Gen Z consumer base, and what led them to finally launch a non-alcoholic rosé in 2026.  Key Takeaways: // Build the brand before you build the product. Yes Way Rosé launched as a lifestyle brand and Instagram community in 2013 — five years before the wine hit shelves in 2018. By the time the product launched, the brand DNA was fully formed: the voice, the aesthetic, the community, the point of view. The wine had a home to come into. // Your creative background is a competitive advantage — even in an unexpected industry. Erica's years as a fashion editor shaped how Yes Way Rosé tells stories and spots cultural moments. Nikki's graphic design background meant the brand had a distinct, immediately recognizable visual identity from the very first tote bag. Neither had a wine background — and that turned out to be the point. // Community built before a product is the most durable kind. The Yes Way Rosé audience was already engaged, loyal, and bought in before there was ever anything to buy. That foundation is a big part of why the brand is up 20% in a category that's down 4%. // IRL marketing is back — and rosé is built for it. The "Bottle the Feeling" campaign — New York billboards, boats in Miami — is rooted in the belief that a brand like Yes Way Rosé needs to show up where people are actually living the moments the brand represents. Liquid to lips, in the right places, remains the most important marketing lever they have. // The Gen Z and millennial sweet spot is relatability, not segmentation. Rather than building separate strategies for each audience, Yes Way Rosé looks for the overlap — content that's relatable, culturally relevant, and speaks the language of both groups. TikTok is a current priority, with the understanding that millennials are there too. Connect with the Founders: Nikki + Erica Learn More: Website ____ Join the MHH Collective! The MHH Collective is a community for marketers and business owners to connect, ask real questions, and grow their careers together. Join for access to live Q&As with industry experts, a private Slack community, and ongoing resources: https://www.marketinghappyhr.com/mhh-collective Say hi! DM us on Instagram and let us know what content you want to hear on the show - We can't wait to hear from you! Please also consider rating the show and leaving a review, as that helps us tremendously as we move forward in this Marketing Happy Hour journey and create more content for all of you. ⁠ Join the MHH Collective: ⁠Join now⁠ Get the latest marketing trends, open jobs and MHH updates, straight to your inbox: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our email list!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow MHH on Social: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  8. Jun 25

    Why 95% of This Brand's Marketing Budget Goes to In-Person Events | Meredith Mills-Merritt of The Original Southside

    In this episode, Ally sits down with Meredith Mills-Merritt, founder and CEO of The Original Southside, a premium ready-to-drink gin cocktail inspired by her mom's summer recipe that has grown into 20+ markets, landed on shelves at Whole Foods and Total Wine, and seen shipments grow more than 370% in its second year. Meredith brings a background in prestige beauty brand management that shaped everything about how she built Southside, from putting a full ingredient list on her cans (a rarity in alcohol) to investing in in-person demo and event marketing over digital spend. She opens up about navigating the alcohol industry's notoriously complex three-tier distribution system, how landing early partnerships with the Stanley Cup–winning Florida Panthers and LSU Athletics accelerated the brand's growth, and what she'd tell any aspiring founder sitting on an idea in their notes app right now. Key Takeaways: // 95% of the marketing budget goes to in-person, IRL events, and it's working. Demos, tastings, and events where consumers are already in a consumption mindset are where Southside wins the most efficiently. Her tip: book the 4–7pm demo slot at Whole Foods, not the 11am one — because alcohol shopping is a mindset, not just a product category. When people try it, they buy it. That's the whole strategy. // Take calculated risks on partnerships early, even when they feel too big. When the Florida Panthers and LSU Athletics came calling, Meredith said yes, not because she had the budget of a legacy brand, but because arenas and live events are exactly the consumption environments that drive trial at scale. Those early partnerships created case studies she now uses to unlock new distributors, retailers, and markets. // The alcohol industry has a transparency problem, and consumers deserve better. Alcohol is one of the only major consumer categories where ingredient labeling isn't legally required. Meredith discovered during her own production process that a proposed additive (sodium benzoate) could produce benzene when combined with vitamin C — a known carcinogen. That discovery delayed her launch by six months and eventually led her to co-found the Clean Alcohol Collective. // If you're already thinking about starting something, that's the sign. Meredith's advice for aspiring founders: if you're already turning the idea over in your mind, you probably won't be at peace until you try it. The messy middle between failure and exit is where the real growth happens — and even if it doesn't work out, you'll come out the other side with something you built for yourself. Connect with Meredith: Instagram Learn More: Website ____ Join the MHH Collective! The MHH Collective is a community for marketers and business owners to connect, ask real questions, and grow their careers together. Join for access to live Q&As with industry experts, a private Slack community, and ongoing resources: https://www.marketinghappyhr.com/mhh-collective Say hi! DM us on Instagram and let us know what content you want to hear on the show - We can't wait to hear from you! Please also consider rating the show and leaving a review, as that helps us tremendously as we move forward in this Marketing Happy Hour journey and create more content for all of you. ⁠ Join the MHH Collective: ⁠Join now⁠ Get the latest marketing trends, open jobs and MHH updates, straight to your inbox: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our email list!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow MHH on Social: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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4.8
out of 5
78 Ratings

About

Keeping up with marketing trends and leveling up your career doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Don’t go at it alone. Marketing Happy Hour was created to help you navigate the corporate marketing world, launch your own business, and stay sane while advancing in your career. Join hosts Cassie Tucker and Ally Golden each week as they dive into real conversations with industry guests, covering everything from marketing strategies to career growth and leadership insights—all served with a mix of inspiration and support to keep you thriving. Learn more: https://www.marketinghappyhr.com/

Information

  • Creator
    Marketing Happy Hour
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    281
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Marketing Happy Hour
  • Show Website
    Marketing Happy Hour

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