Smarter Marketer

James Lawrence
  • 0.0 (0)
  • MARKETING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Hosted by James Lawrence - Co-Founder of Rocket Agency and B&T Marketer of the Year finalist, each episode features candid conversations with marketers, leaders and innovators on what’s really working in today’s fast-changing landscape. This is the definitive podcast for Australian Marketers.

  1. 102. Creativity That Pays Its Way: How to Link Ideas to Commercial Outcomes w. The Hallway's Jules Hall

    5D AGO

    102. Creativity That Pays Its Way: How to Link Ideas to Commercial Outcomes w. The Hallway's Jules Hall

    When the pressure for short-term results keeps getting louder, how and why should you still emphasise creativity? In this episode of the Smarter Marketer Podcast, James Lawrence sits down with Jules Hall, CEO and Founder of The Hallway, to unpack how creativity, data and commercial thinking need to work together if brands want sustainable growth. From navigating short-termism and AI hype to building credibility with CFOs and boards, Jules shares a grounded, practical view on what effective marketing leadership looks like today, and what it takes to earn the licence to do truly great creative work. Watch Cardboard Cake - The Hallway’s Cannes Lion-winning ad B Corp - Fat Cats Key Takeaways:Why creativity isn’t at odds with commercial rigour, and why “trust me” no longer cuts itHow the best marketers link brand investment to real business outcomesWhat AI is actually useful for inside agencies (and where humans still win)Why short-term pressure is holding marketing back and how leaders can balance bothHow to “market marketing” internally and earn trust across the businessWhat the Webjet rebrand reveals about modern brand growth and measurementWhy relevance to culture still matters, even in a fragmented media landscape Guest:Jules Hall is the CEO and Founder of The Hallway, one of Australia’s most awarded independent creative agencies. Since founding the agency in 2007, Jules has led work for brands including Google, Suncorp Bank, BINGE and Webjet, and helped The Hallway earn honours such as B&T Independent Agency of the Year and Campaign Asia Independent Agency of the Year. In 2024, Jules and his team won a Cannes Lion for design - a standout achievement for an Australian independent agency. You can follow Jules on LinkedIn. Find Us Online:James Lawrence LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameslawrenceoz/ Smarter Marketer Website: https://rocketagency.com.au/smarter-marketer-podcast Rocket Agency Website: https://rocketagency.com.au/ Rocket Agency LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rocket-agency-pty-ltd/ Buy Smarter Marketer:span class="ql-ui"...

    41 min
  2. From the Archives: Dr. Robert Cialdini on Persuasion and Influence in Modern Marketing

    JAN 13

    From the Archives: Dr. Robert Cialdini on Persuasion and Influence in Modern Marketing

    What makes people say "yes"? Rocket Agency’s Co-Founder James Lawrence sits down with Dr. Robert Cialdini, the godfather of influence and the world’s foremost authority on the psychology of persuasion, to talk about the timeless principles behind his work, his seventh principle of influence - Unity - and how AI, ethics and empathy are shaping persuasion in modern marketing. Key Takeaways:Origin story: How Dr. Cialdini went “undercover” in multiple industries to discover the universal principles of influenceA walkthrough of the original six principles - Reciprocity, Scarcity, Authority, Consistency, Liking and Social ProofThe 7th principle - Unity: Why bonds formed by shared identity matter todayThe importance of ethics: Why marketers should use persuasion techniques truthfully and responsiblyInfluence vs cultural differences: How different regions (e.g., Australia, Asia, Scandinavia) prioritise different principles of influenceThe rise of AI: How marketers are using AI to apply Cialdini’s principlesThe science of “pre-suasion” and how setting context before your message boosts effectivenessReal-world examples of effective use of influence and persuasion from brands like Avis, L’Oreal and Best Buy Guest:Dr. Robert Cialdini is a globally renowned psychologist and the bestselling author of Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, Pre-Suasion, and Yes!. His groundbreaking research on why people say 'yes' has shaped the way professionals across marketing, sales, leadership and behavioral science approach persuasion.  He is often referred to as the godfather of influence, and his principles of influence drive ethical influence strategies today. Find Us Online:James Lawrence LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameslawrenceoz/ Smarter Marketer Website: https://rocketagency.com.au/smarter-marketer-podcast Rocket Agency Website: https://rocketagency.com.au/ Rocket Agency LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rocket-agency-pty-ltd/ Buy Smarter Marketer:Hardcover: https://amzn.to/30O63kg Kindle: https://amzn.to/2ZqfCWm  About the Podcast:This is the definitive podcast for Australian marketers. Join Rocket Agency Co-Founder and best-selling author, James Lawrence in conversation with marketers, leaders, and thinkers about what it takes to be a smarter and more successful marketer.

    53 min
  3. From the Archives: Marketing Under Pressure: Managing Stress, Sleep and Decision-Making w. Dr. Jemma King

    12/30/2025

    From the Archives: Marketing Under Pressure: Managing Stress, Sleep and Decision-Making w. Dr. Jemma King

    In marketing, deadlines are relentless and expectations are high. It’s critical to manage stress and make clear-headed decisions under pressure. In this episode of Smarter Marketer, host James Lawrence chats with Dr. Jemma King - founder of BioPsychAnalytics and expert in stress, resilience and high performance.  Having worked with elite organisations like the Australian Olympic Swim Team, the Australian Defence Force, McKinsey and Atlassian, Dr.King shares science-backed insights on managing burnout, improving decision-making and optimising sleep for peak performance. Whether you're leading a team, juggling campaigns, or striving for balance in your personal life, this episode will equip you with practical strategies to navigate the pressures of marketing. Key Takeaways:Dr. Jemma King’s journey - How she became a leading expert in stress research and high-performance psychology.Why marketers are under pressure And the need to manage stress for long-term successScience-backed strategies to reduce stress and prevent burnout – Practical techniques used by elite athletes, military personnel and corporate leaders to stay resilient The role of sleep in peak performance - How sleep quality directly impacts decision-making, creativity and overall health.Actionable tips to improve sleep for better health: How to measure sleep quality and its effects on energy and performance.The hidden impact of alcohol on sleep cycles and cognitive function.Simple ways to eliminate sleep-disrupting distractions.How dim lighting before bedtime signals your brain to relax.The science behind a 40-degree hot bath as a sleep aid.How cutting back on sugar can significantly improve sleep quality. Beyond sleep: The next most powerful factors in resilience - regular exercise, a balanced diet, meaningful relationships, fulfilling work and financial stability.Tactical ways to build a stress-resilient life by structuring your day, improving your work environment and developing a low-stress mindset.Decision-making under pressure – How to maintain a clear, strategic mindset in high-stakes situations.Emotional intelligence & AI – The evolving role of AI in helping professionals improve emotional intelligence and make better, more rational decisions. Guest:Dr. Jemma King PhD is the founder of BioPsychAnalytics, a consultancy that helps companies, teams and individuals reduce stress, avoid burnout and make better decisions under pressure. She focuses on practical strategies to improve team performance and well-being in high-stress environments. Jemma has worked with organisations like the Australian Olympic Swim Team, the Australian Defence Force, McKinsey and Atlassian, among others. Find Us Online:James Lawrence LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameslawrenceoz/  Smarter Marketer Website: https://rocketagency.com.au/smarter-marketer-podcast Rocket Agency Website: https://rocketagency.com.au/  Rocket Agency LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rocket-agency-pty-ltd/ Buy Smarter Marketer:Hardcover: https://amzn.to/30O63kg  Kindle: a href="https://amzn.to/2ZqfCWm" rel="noopener noreferrer"...

    56 min
  4. From the Archives: Persuasion, Manipulation and Behavioural Psychology: How Consumer Choice is Shaped w. Thinkerbell's Dan Monheit

    12/16/2025

    From the Archives: Persuasion, Manipulation and Behavioural Psychology: How Consumer Choice is Shaped w. Thinkerbell's Dan Monheit

    In marketing, there exists a fine line between influencing decisions and crossing into manipulation. The difference? One builds trust while the other erodes it. Host James Lawrence chats with Dan Monheit, Chief CX Thinker at Thinkerbell and former CEO of creative behavioural science agency HardHat, about applying behavioural science principles like default bias and anchoring to your marketing, related ethical considerations and how to draw the line between persuasion and manipulation. Key Takeaways:Dan’s journey - starting Hardhat and his interest in behavioural scienceIntroduction to behavioural science and it’s connection to marketingWhat are some common behavioural biases you see everyday? -Default bias -Framing -Anchoring -Loss aversion -Effort bias Ethics in persuasion vs manipulationNavigating dark patternsHow context impacts perception and shapes biasesEssential behavioural science resources for marketers Guest:Dan Monheit is a leader in creative behavioural science. In 2005, he founded Hardhat, a pioneering agency that worked with top brands like Mattel, Bega Dairy, the Victorian Government, Kogan, DocuSign and Afterpay. Under his direction, Hardhat became a go-to agency for brands looking to understand and influence consumer behaviour. In October 2024, Hardhat was acquired by Thinkerbell, where Dan now serves as Chief CX Thinker, applying his expertise to elevate customer experiences through a blend of creativity and behavioural insights. Find Us Online:James Lawrence LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameslawrenceoz/  Smarter Marketer Website: https://rocketagency.com.au/smarter-marketer-podcast  Rocket Agency Website: https://rocketagency.com.au/  Rocket Agency LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rocket-agency-pty-ltd/ About the Podcast:This is the definitive podcast for Australian marketers. Join Rocket Agency Co-Founder and best-selling author, James Lawrence in conversation with marketers, leaders, and thinkers about what it takes to be a smarter and more successful marketer.

    49 min
  5. 101. Attribution Is Breaking: How Marketers Should Rethink Paid Media in 2026 w. Rocket Agency's Adrian Oguz

    12/02/2025

    101. Attribution Is Breaking: How Marketers Should Rethink Paid Media in 2026 w. Rocket Agency's Adrian Oguz

    As platforms push Performance Max, Advantage+ and new modelling systems, we’re entering a world where results often look better in-platform than they do in reality. Behind the scenes, attribution is becoming harder and marketers are being forced to rethink how they interpret success altogether. In this episode of the Smarter Marketer Podcast, host James Lawrence sits down with Rocket’s Paid Media Manager, Adrian Oguz, to unpack what truly matters when you’re running paid media in an AI-driven landscape. Adrian shares an unfiltered view on automation, performance loops, the limits of attribution and how in-house marketers can step back and measure what actually drives growth, and not just what looks good on a dashboard. Key Takeaways:Why AI-driven campaign types often optimise toward the easiest conversions, not the most valuable onesHow to recognise when Performance Max has fallen into the “existing customer loop”The hidden risks of lead-gen automation and why spam leads often spike before performance improvesThe simple macro metrics that reveal whether your media is genuinely growing the businessHow channels like YouTube can drive huge results without showing any conversions in-platformWhy creative is becoming the new targeting, especially inside Meta’s evolving ecosystemHow to design tests that prove whether a channel is actually contributing to growthWhen it’s time to scale spend, and when stability matters more than chasing the next tactic Guest:Adrian Oguz is a Paid Media Manager at Rocket Agency, overseeing multi-million-dollar budgets across search, social and programmatic. With his clear, practical approach, he’s led multiple award-winning campaigns for various business types and industries across the APAC Search Awards and SEMrush Awards year after year. You can follow Adrian on LinkedIn. Find Us Online:James Lawrence LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameslawrenceoz/ Smarter Marketer Website: https://rocketagency.com.au/smarter-marketer-podcast Rocket Agency Website: https://rocketagency.com.au/ Rocket Agency LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rocket-agency-pty-ltd/ Buy Smarter Marketer:Hardcover: https://amzn.to/30O63kg Kindle: https://amzn.to/2ZqfCWm  About the Podcast:This is the definitive podcast for Australian marketers. Join Rocket Agency Co-Founder and best-selling author, James Lawrence in conversation with marketers, leaders, and thinkers about what it takes to be a smarter and more successful marketer.

    44 min
  6. 100. How Attention Is Rewriting the Rules of Advertising w. Amplified's Dr. Karen Nelson-Field

    11/18/2025

    100. How Attention Is Rewriting the Rules of Advertising w. Amplified's Dr. Karen Nelson-Field

    Marketers have long optimised for visibility and memory, but in our metric-focused industry, are we measuring what really matters? In this episode of the Smarter Marketer Podcast, host James Lawrence speaks with Dr. Karen Nelson-Field, Founder of Amplified, about why attention is the real currency of modern advertising and how to measure it effectively. From the myth of virality to the flaws in CPMs, Karen shares what years of research reveal about how people truly engage with ads, and what marketers need to do next to stay ahead. Key Takeaways:Dr. Karen’s journey: from academic researcher to founder, shaping the global conversation on attention measurementWhy traditional metrics like reach, impressions and engagement fail to capture real ad effectivenessHow attention measurement works and why it’s revolutionising media planning and buyingThe difference between active, passive and non-attention, and how they impact ROIWhy CPM should stand for “Cost per Meaningless Thousand”How creative and media need to work together for attention to truly convertWhy cheaper ad formats often deliver worse ROI than expectedThe role of AI and synthetic audiences in scaling attention measurementThe future: the unification of creative and media through AI-driven tools Additional resource: The Eye-Watering Cost of Dull Media Guest:Dr. Karen Nelson-Field is a globally recognised researcher and entrepreneur reshaping how marketers think about effectiveness. As the Founder and CEO of Amplified, she leads pioneering work in attention measurement across platforms and formats. A former academic turned industry innovator, Karen’s research has influenced how the world’s biggest brands evaluate advertising performance.  Find Us Online:James Lawrence LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameslawrenceoz/ Smarter Marketer Website: https://rocketagency.com.au/smarter-marketer-podcast Rocket Agency Website: https://rocketagency.com.au/ Rocket Agency LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rocket-agency-pty-ltd/ Buy Smarter Marketer:Hardcover: https://amzn.to/30O63kg Kindle: https://amzn.to/2ZqfCWm  About the Podcast:This is the definitive podcast for Australian marketers. Join Rocket Agency Co-Founder and best-selling author, James Lawrence in conversation with marketers, leaders, and thinkers about what it takes to be a smarter and more successful marketer.

    37 min
  7. 99. Why “In-House vs Agency” Misses the Point w. TrinityP3's Darren Woolley

    11/04/2025

    99. Why “In-House vs Agency” Misses the Point w. TrinityP3's Darren Woolley

    As 2025 comes to a close, the conversation around in-housing has never been more confusing. With rising pressures on budgets and the disruption caused by AI, businesses are being forced to rethink what the right marketing structure might look like  for them. In this episode of the Smarter Marketer Podcast, Host James Lawrence speaks with Darren Woolley, Founder and Global CEO of Australia’s leading marketing management consultancy TrinityP3. Together they unpack the myths surrounding in-housing and outsourcing, and what research really says about cost, culture, productivity and creativity. Key Takeaways:Why “in-housing vs. agency” is the wrong question to ask and what the right balance looks likeThe hidden costs that make many in-house teams more expensive than expectedHow in-house agencies can fall into creative myopia and how to bring external stimulus back inWhy AI is more than just efficiency: accountability, smarter decision-making, strategic advantage and moreThe three challenges keeping marketers up at night: tighter budgets, proving ROI and keeping pace with changeHow agencies remain indispensable by offering perspective and speed that internal teams can’t easily replicate Guest:Darren Woolley is considered a thought leader on all aspects of marketing management - a problem solver, negotiator, mentor, Founder & Global CEO of TrinityP3, industry commentator, podcaster and author. He is also an ex-chair of the Australian Marketing Institute, an ex-president of the Melbourne Advertising and Design Club, ex-medical scientist and ex-creative director. You can follow Darren on LinkedIn. Find Us Online:James Lawrence LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameslawrenceoz/ Smarter Marketer Website: https://rocketagency.com.au/smarter-marketer-podcast Rocket Agency Website: https://rocketagency.com.au/ Rocket Agency LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rocket-agency-pty-ltd/ Buy Smarter Marketer:Hardcover: https://amzn.to/30O63kg Kindle: https://amzn.to/2ZqfCWm  About the Podcast:This is the definitive podcast for Australian marketers. Join Rocket Agency Co-Founder and best-selling author, James Lawrence in conversation with marketers, leaders, and thinkers about what it takes to be a smarter and more successful marketer.

    39 min
  8. 98. The Growth of Outdoor Media in Australia w. oOH! Media’s Josh Gurgiel

    10/21/2025

    98. The Growth of Outdoor Media in Australia w. oOH! Media’s Josh Gurgiel

    Once thought of as a “traditional” channel, outdoor has once again become one of the most creative and technology-integrated mediums in modern marketing. As audiences move faster and attention gets harder to hold, out-of-home (OOH) continues to prove its staying power. In this episode, James Lawrence sits down with Josh Gurgiel, Head of Creative at POLY (oOh!media’s content and innovation hub), to unpack how Australia’s largest OOH network is evolving, from the rise of digital formats and AI-driven creative to why simplicity and emotion still sit at the heart of every great campaign. Key Takeaways:Why OOH remains one of the most powerful full-funnel channels, and will continue to beThe creative rules that separate great outdoor work from visual clutterHow motion and real-time creative are reshaping outdoor storytellingWhy consistency and context, not constant reinvention, drive long-term brand resonanceHow brands like Specsavers, McDonald’s and Bankwest are redefining what ‘public space art’ can beWhy static and digital work best together, and what that means for campaign planning in 2026A look ahead: from immersive brand experiences to outdoor as cultural content Guest:Josh Gurgiel is the Head of Creative at POLY, the content and creative innovation hub within oOh!media. With a career spanning creative direction, brand strategy and production, Josh leads the team shaping the next era of OOH innovation. His work with leading Australian and global brands continues to push the boundaries of how creativity, technology and data intersect in public space. Find Us Online:James Lawrence LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameslawrenceoz/ Smarter Marketer Website: https://rocketagency.com.au/smarter-marketer-podcast Rocket Agency Website: https://rocketagency.com.au/ Rocket Agency LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rocket-agency-pty-ltd/ Buy Smarter Marketer:Hardcover: https://amzn.to/30O63kg Kindle: https://amzn.to/2ZqfCWm  About the Podcast:This is the definitive podcast for Australian marketers. Join Rocket Agency Co-Founder and best-selling author, James Lawrence in conversation with marketers, leaders, and thinkers about what it takes to be a smarter and more successful marketer.

    42 min
See All (111)

Trailer

About

Hosted by James Lawrence - Co-Founder of Rocket Agency and B&T Marketer of the Year finalist, each episode features candid conversations with marketers, leaders and innovators on what’s really working in today’s fast-changing landscape. This is the definitive podcast for Australian Marketers.

Information

  • Creator
    James Lawrence
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    111
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 James Lawrence
  • Show Website
    Smarter Marketer

You Might Also Like