Brandmakers

The Subthread

Brandmakers explores the world’s most innovative brands and the people behind them. Hosted by journalist Hannah Bowler and produced by The Subthread.

  1. 1d ago

    Adobe and the Future of Marketing | Brandmakers ft. Simon Morris

    Simon Morris has a unique marketing remit. His role is to market marketing technology to marketers. For him this means he has to be even more on top of the latest innovations and changes in marketing, than his industry peers. That gives Simon a useful vantage point. He can see the problems marketers are grappling with, then take those insights back into Adobe, where he works with product teams on potential solutions. Simon believes the big promise for AI and marketing is to fix the blind spots. What Simon has found interesting navigating through his 20 years in tech and marketing is that while the technology moves at break-neck speed, human behaviour tends to happen a little bit more slowly. For a marketer who thrives on change, the challenge is not simply keeping up with what comes next. It is understanding the behaviour changes that come with new technologies. --00:00 - Intro02:20 - How Simon Morris thrives on innovation and fast-paced technological change 06:20 - How Adobe is marketing, marketing to marketers 11:40 - Embedding experimentation in the culture 14:40 - The problem with the proliferation of content 22:00 - Adobe as a pioneer of creative technology, what now?26:50 - Inside Adobe’s creator strategy 33:50 - Breaking down siloes across the marketing function 37:00 - The shift from SEO to GEO --Guest: Simon Morris is vice president of international marketing at Adobe. Simon has spent 15 years at Adobe he heads up communications, brand marketing, events, media, and the content studio. Before Adobe, Simon spent a decade at ClickSoftware where he also served as vice president of marketing. About Brandmakers:The Brandmakers podcast is a series exploring the world’s most innovative brands and the people driving them forward.Each episode, The Subthread’s editor and host Hannah Bowler will be joined by brand leaders to uncover the strategies and ideas keeping their brands culturally relevant.Brandmakers goes beyond origin stories, diving into ongoing culture, design, product and tech decisions that form a brand's long-term success. From bold strategies to breakthrough ideas, Hannah uncovers what keeps these brands at the cutting edge.About The Subthread:The Subthread is an independent media and events business focusing on the intersection of culture, creativity and innovation. We serve strategists, creatives and brand marketers across brands and agencies who are interested in what’s next.For more interviews, essays and features on what the future holds for marketing, innovation and creativity, head to The Subthread ►► https://www.thesubthread.com/ Links:Still haven’t subscribed to The Subthread on YouTube? ►► www.youtube.com/@UCfuNqZLzVlARdzVGeCajgMQWant to read The Subthread ►► https://www.thesubthread.com/Follow The Subthread:Instagram ►► / https://www.instagram.com/thesubthread/?hl=enLinkedIn ►► / https://www.linkedin.com/company/thesubthread/Get more incredible stories with The Subthread's free newsletters: https://www.thesubthread.com/#/portal/signup

    Adobe and the Future of Marketing | Brandmakers ft. Simon Morris

  2. Oct 28

    The Non-Alcoholic Brand That Won’t Tell You to Drink Less | Botivo | Brandmakers

    Startup brand Botivo has carved out a distinctive place in the alcohol free category standing for pleasure and hedonism, not for sacrifice and alternatives. That approach was pioneered by its co-founder Imme Ermgassen. Imme is a strategist by trade, with nearly two decades of experience building brands for Nike, Adidas, Disney, Bacardi and Diageo. Rather than approaching Botivo like a drinks founder, she approached it like a strategist.This has given Botivo a leg up, rather than retrofitting the brand into a drinks product, Imme has embedded it within every part of the business from the beginning. That positioning extends into every part of the Botivo world. Botivo's bright yellow stands out on the shelf, chosen because it represents joy and positivity. Its hand drawn illustrations signal the craft that goes into every bottle. Chapters:00:00 Intro01:30 - The Botivo origin story 04:40 - From being a fan of the brand to co-founder of the brand07:27 - Creating an entirely new category for drinking 10:18 - Taking storytelling skills from strategy into the boardroom14:30 - Pitching Botivo for pleasure and party not for moderation 21:20 - The importance of color and design as a luxury experience 27:00 - Botivo's unique approach to Brand collabs 33:45 - Finding the Botivo customer 36:00 - Growing Botivo into a globally iconic brandGuest: Imme Ermgassen is the co-founder of the non-alcoholic aperitif brand Botivo. Having spent 20 years in strategy working for iconic brands like Nike, Disney, MTV and Smirnoff, Imme channeled her expertise into building her own brand with Sam Paget Stevenson. Botivo was launched in 2023 and stocked in supermarkets like Waitrose, Ocado and in many of London’s top restaurants. About Brandmakers:The Brandmakers podcast is a series exploring the world’s most innovative brands and the people driving them forward.Each episode, The Subthread’s editor and host Hannah Bowler will be joined by brand leaders to uncover the strategies and ideas keeping their brands culturally relevant.Brandmakers goes beyond origin stories, diving into ongoing culture, design, product and tech decisions that form a brand's long-term success. From bold strategies to breakthrough ideas, Hannah uncovers what keeps these brands at the cutting edge.About The Subthread:The Subthread is an independent media and events business focusing on the intersection of culture, creativity and innovation. We serve strategists, creatives and brand marketers across brands and agencies who are interested in what’s next.For more interviews, essays and features on what the future holds for marketing, innovation and creativity, head to The Subthread ►► https://www.thesubthread.com/ Links:Still haven’t subscribed to The Subthread on YouTube? ►► www.youtube.com/@UCfuNqZLzVlARdzVGeCajgMQWant to read The Subthread ►► https://www.thesubthread.com/Follow The Subthread:Instagram ►► / https://www.instagram.com/thesubthread/?hl=enLinkedIn ►► / https://www.linkedin.com/company/thesubthread/Get more incredible stories with The Subthread's free newsletters: https://www.thesubthread.com/#/portal/signup

    The Non-Alcoholic Brand That Won’t Tell You to Drink Less | Botivo | Brandmakers

  3. Oct 20

    Why Back Market Wants You to Stop Buying New Tech | Luke Forshaw, Brandmakers

    Brandmakers is back for a second season. The first episode is with Luke Forshaw, head of marketing for Europe at Back Market who shares his personal motivations for joining the refurbished tech marketplace.  After working on the media plans for the biggest consumer tech brands, Luke loved the creativity and ambition of the marketing, but was disillusioned by the frequency of releases and push to get customers to upgrade.  At Back Market his strategy is to challenge fast tech through wit and humour all while balancing more serious messages about sustainability and the trustworthiness of refurbished tech.  Guest: Luke Forshaw is head of marketing for Europe at Back Market, he joined the refurbished tech marketplace after 15 years working in media. As executive director at OMD International Luke led all Apple EMEA campaigns and partnerships. Prior to OMD he was associate director at MediaCom Luke managed all media for theatrical releases and streaming campaigns for  NBCUniversal’s global business.  About Brandmakers: The Brandmakers podcast is a series exploring the world’s most innovative brands and the people driving them forward. Each episode, The Subthread’s editor and host Hannah Bowler will be joined by brand leaders to uncover the strategies and ideas keeping their brands culturally relevant. Brandmakers goes beyond origin stories, diving into ongoing culture, design, product and tech decisions that form a brand's long-term success. From bold strategies to breakthrough ideas, Hannah uncovers what keeps these brands at the cutting edge. About The Subthread: The Subthread is an independent media and events business focusing on the intersection of culture, creativity and innovation. We serve strategists, creatives and brand marketers across brands and agencies who are interested in what’s next. For more interviews, essays and features on what the future holds for marketing, innovation and creativity, head to The Subthread ►► https://www.thesubthread.com/  Links: Still haven’t subscribed to The Subthread on YouTube? ►► www.youtube.com/@UCfuNqZLzVlARdzVGeCajgMQ Want to read The Subthread ►► https://www.thesubthread.com/ Follow The Subthread: Instagram ►► / https://www.instagram.com/thesubthread/?hl=en LinkedIn ►► / https://www.linkedin.com/company/thesubthread/ Get more incredible stories with The Subthread's free newsletters: https://www.thesubthread.com/#/portal/signup

    Why Back Market Wants You to Stop Buying New Tech | Luke Forshaw, Brandmakers

  4. Jul 27

    From Britpop to Squarespace: Making Culturally Fluent Brands | Brandmakers ft. Nate Skinner

    In the 90s, Nate Skinner devoured Q, Melody Maker and the cult design publication Ray Gun. He'd buy CDs not just to listen to them. It is this education that taught him how ideas spread between people, scenes and communities and where brands fit within that. As senior director of global brand at Squarespace, Nate believes hiring culturally attuned creatives has a bigger impact on the tech company’s output than anything else. The episode also explores the industry’s move away from campaign cycles to an always on strategy. Interrogating how brands can create tentpole moments in this age. 00:00 - Introduction, who is Nate Skinner Squarespace’s senior director of global brand03:50 - Learning brand from Britpop 06:20 - The culture hasn’t changed the format did 09:10 - Building Squarespace’s innate creative taste 15:00 - Are we in a post-ad era?19:40 - Inside Squarespace’s Super Bowl ideation 24:22 - Playing music for creative inspiration Guest:Nate Skinner is senior director of global brand at Squarespace, where he leads the brand strategy and works on the website builders’ iconic Super Bowl campaigns. Before Squarespace, Nate spent two years as a brand narrative director for Nike in New York working to tell the stories of athletes and subcultures in the city. He’s a culturally attuned strategist working for one of the most distinctive technology brands. About Brandmakers:The Brandmakers podcast is a series exploring the world’s most innovative brands and the people driving them forward.Each episode, The Subthread’s editor and host Hannah Bowler will be joined by brand leaders to uncover the strategies and ideas keeping their brands culturally relevant.Brandmakers goes beyond origin stories, diving into ongoing culture, design, product and tech decisions that form a brand's long-term success. From bold strategies to breakthrough ideas, Hannah uncovers what keeps these brands at the cutting edge.About The Subthread:The Subthread is an independent media and events business focusing o

    From Britpop to Squarespace: Making Culturally Fluent Brands | Brandmakers ft. Nate Skinner

  5. Jul 20

    How Motorway Pushes the Boundaries in a Low Interest Category | Brandmakers ft. Cassie Hall

    Cassie Hall, marketing and brand director at Motorway, has built her career transforming brands across categories - from global names like Virgin Atlantic, Nike and Diageo to high-growth platforms like Zoopla. Her skill lies in being able to prove the commercial case for brand investment, no matter the category.At Motorway she has the ambition to turn the used car platform into a household name, like a Monzo or a Wise. The strategy includes, entertainment and sports sponsorship, community engagement on Reddit, bold above the line campaigns and PR. Chapters:  00:00 - Introduction, who is Cassie Hall, director of marketing and brand at Motorway  03:00 - Getting her hands on the brief  05:30 - Brand as the system at the heart of a business 09:00 - Breaking down the department silos  11:30 - Proving the commercial value of brand  17:45 - Expanding Motorway’s cultural footprint 23:53 - Marketers need to become builders of new systems About Brandmakers: The Brandmakers podcast is a series exploring the world’s most innovative brands and the people driving them forward. Each episode, The Subthread’s editor and host Hannah Bowler will be joined by brand leaders to uncover the strategies and ideas keeping their brands culturally relevant. Brandmakers goes beyond origin stories, diving into ongoing culture, design, product and tech decisions that form a brand's long-term success. From bold strategies to breakthrough ideas, Hannah uncovers what keeps these brands at the cutting edge. About The Subthread: The Subthread is an independent media and events business focusing on the intersection of culture, creativity and innovation. We serve strategists, creatives and brand marketers across brands and agencies who are interested in what’s next. For more interviews, essays and features on what the future holds for marketing, innovation and creativity, head to The Subthread ►► https://www.thesubthread.com/

    How Motorway Pushes the Boundaries in a Low Interest Category | Brandmakers ft. Cassie Hall

  6. Jul 14

    Semrush’s VP of Creative on Brand Building for LLMs | Brandmakers ft. Ben Kendall

    In this special Cannes Lions episode of Brandmakers, Semrush’s VP brand and creative Ben Kendall, shares with Hannah Bowler how to use clever communication to stay visible online. As marketers pivot from SEO to AEO, Ben believes that telling a consistent brand story is the way to be surfaced in AI search. The ex-Red Bull and Airbnb marketer also talks about internal culture and how the art of having fun can build exciting and well loved brands.

    Semrush’s VP of Creative on Brand Building for LLMs | Brandmakers ft. Ben Kendall

  7. May 19

    How Notion Turns Superfans into a Community‑Led Growth Engine | Brandmakers ft. Áine Dundas

    For this episode of Brandmakers, Notion’s head of marketing for EMEA, Áine Dundas, beams in from Dublin to share the secrets of Notion’s community-led strategy. Áine, a self-confessed fan of the productivity tool, tells us how Notion turned passionate users into true ambassadors, built guardrails for community-led storytelling and transformed influencer marketing and experiential into its core marketing channel.--This episode is presented by SBS. Helping brands and independent agencies deliver smarter, high-impact programmatic advertising. https://wearesbs.com/

    How Notion Turns Superfans into a Community‑Led Growth Engine | Brandmakers ft. Áine Dundas

  8. May 5

    Zalando’s Content-First Strategy: Inside Its Publishing Push | Brandmakers ft. James Rothwell

    In this episode Zalando’s James Rothwell talks about turning a retailer into a publisher, why content and entertainment sit at the centre of its next chapter, and how a fashion platform becomes a broader lifestyle brand. -- This episode is presented by SBS. Helping brands and independent agencies deliver smarter, high-impact programmatic advertising. https://wearesbs.com/--Still haven’t subscribed to The Subthread on YouTube? ►► www.youtube.com/@UCfuNqZLzVlARdzVGeCajgMQ Want to read The Subthread ►► https://www.thesubthread.com/Follow The Subthread:Instagram ►► / https://www.instagram.com/thesubthread/?hl=enLinkedIn ►► / https://www.linkedin.com/company/thesubthread/ Get more incredible stories with our free newsletters: https://www.thesubthread.com/#/portal/signupABOUT THE SUBTHREADFor brands and agencies interested in what's next. The Subthread is an independent media and events business focusing on the intersection of culture, innovation and creativity for the marketing industries.

    Zalando’s Content-First Strategy: Inside Its Publishing Push | Brandmakers ft. James Rothwell
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About

Brandmakers explores the world’s most innovative brands and the people behind them. Hosted by journalist Hannah Bowler and produced by The Subthread.

Information

  • Creator
    The Subthread
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    14
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © The Subthread
  • Show Website
    Brandmakers