Embracing Marketing Mistakes

Prohibition PR
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  • MARKETING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Welcome to Embracing Marketing Mistakes, the world’s leading irreverent podcast for senior marketers who are tired of the polished corporate b*llshit.  Join Chris Norton and Will Ockenden, founders of the award-winning Prohibition PR, as they sit down with industry leaders to dissect the career-ending f*ck-ups they’d rather forget. The show moves past any pretty vanity metrics to uncover the brutal, honest truths behind marketing disasters, from £30,000 SEO black holes and completely failed companies, to social media crises that went globally viral for all the wrong reasons. We don't just celebrate the f*ck-ups; we extract the tactical blueprints you need to avoid them yourself. If you are a business owner, or a CMO looking for a competitive advantage that only comes from real-world experience, this is your weekly masterclass in resilience and strategy. Listen for: Raw stories from top brands, ex-McKinsey strategists, and industry disruptors.Learn from: The errors that cost thousands and the recoveries that saved careers.Get ahead by: Turning other people's nasty disasters into your unfair market advantage. If you have a story to tell and would like to appear on the show, tell us your biggest marketing mistake and drop us a line.

  1. 5H AGO

    EP 108: Why 95% Of Buying Happens On Autopilot

    Most marketers believe customers think carefully before they buy. Behavioural science shows that 95% of buying happens on autopilot, driven by subconscious shortcuts rather than logic. In this episode of Embracing Marketing Mistakes, Nancy Harhut explains why framing, anchoring and presentation matter more than information. She shares real examples where small changes doubled results without changing the product. Nancy is the author of Using Behavioural Science in Marketing and founder of HBT Marketing. She has spent decades helping brands apply psychology and neuroscience to real campaigns, translating academic research into practical tactics that increase response and preference. This is a practical conversation for senior marketers who want better ROI without chasing discounts or gimmicks. Is your strategy still right in 2026? Book a free 15-min no obligation discovery call with our host: 👉 [Book your call with Chris now] 👈 Subscribe to our newsletter 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter here. 👈  Follow Chris: X, TikTok, LinkedIn Follow Will: LinkedIn Follow The Show: TikTok, YouTube Instagram

    56 min

  2. 5D AGO

    The Weight We Carry: Authenticity and Mental Wellbeing in Corporate Life

    Mental health neglect emerges as the most impactful career mistake, affecting happiness, security, and stability in both personal and professional realms. Many people recognise mental health issues too late, silently carrying burdens that significantly impact their relationships and performance. Authentic Alex shares her story. • Tendency to ignore mental health concerns until they become impossible to dismiss • Personal anecdote about a friend struggling silently despite having a busy career • Started writing about therapy experiences seven years ago, and grief on LinkedIn five years ago • Corporate conversations about mental health have transformed dramatically in recent years • Current global circumstances continue to place extraordinary pressure on people's mental health • Many remain unaware of the burdens they're carrying and that they have the option to set them down • COVID-19 intensified universal experiences of grief and mental health challenges Is your strategy still right in 2026? Book a free 15-min no obligation discovery call with our host: 👉 [Book your call with Chris now] 👈 Subscribe to our newsletter 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter here. 👈  Follow Chris: X, TikTok, LinkedIn Follow Will: LinkedIn Follow The Show: TikTok, YouTube Instagram

    3 min

  3. APR 21

    EP 107: Award-winning ads stopped driving growth says Steve Harrison

    Steve Harrison has spent over 40 years in advertising. He rose to Creative Director at Ogilvy, then founded Harrison Troughton Wunderman, building one of the most awarded direct marketing agencies in the world and winning 18 Cannes Lions. In this episode, Steve argues the industry lost effectiveness when it stopped focusing on selling and started chasing societal impact. He explains why award-winning work stopped delivering commercial results and why purpose messaging rarely stuck with consumers. Steve also shares a personal leadership mistake. After selling his agency, he took a global role that cost him day-to-day control and real influence, a lesson many senior marketers will recognise. This is a direct conversation about effectiveness, growth, and why selling the product matters again. Is your strategy still right in 2026? Book a free 15-min no obligation discovery call with our host: 👉 [Book your call with Chris now] 👈 Subscribe to our newsletter 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter here. 👈  Follow Chris: X, TikTok, LinkedIn Follow Will: LinkedIn Follow The Show: TikTok, YouTube Instagram

    46 min

  4. APR 16

    What Losing a £10K Tape Taught This BBC Journalist

    Veteran tech journalist Spencer doesn’t hold back in this refreshingly honest episode filled with media mishaps and marketing missteps. From confidently predicting the iPad would never take off to losing £10,000 worth of BBC footage in a single stairwell accident, Spencer shares the kind of hard-earned lessons that come from real-world chaos. It’s a funny, cringe-worthy, and surprisingly relatable look at how fast things can go wrong behind the scenes. You’ll hear what really happens when promised access on international press trips disappears on arrival, why having your PR contact on the same flight matters more than you'd think, and how a nonexistent motion-sensing TV led to an awkward bamboo laptop diversion. Whether you're in PR, media, or tech, this episode is a sharp reminder that mistakes are inevitable. They are also where the best stories usually begin. Is your strategy still right in 2026? Book a free 15-min no obligation discovery call with our host: 👉 [Book your call with Chris now] 👈 Subscribe to our newsletter 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter here. 👈  Follow Chris: X, TikTok, LinkedIn Follow Will: LinkedIn Follow The Show: TikTok, YouTube Instagram

    8 min

  5. APR 10

    EP 106: Ant Cousins Explains Why Handing Empathy to AI Almost Went Wrong

    In this episode of Embracing Marketing Mistakes features Ant Cousins unpacking a moment where trusting AI with empathy nearly caused real harm. Ant Cousins is Vice President of Product at Meltwater and has spent over 25 years working across defence, public safety and AI. He previously advised the UK Ministry of Defence in Iraq and Afghanistan, worked in counterterrorism and strategic communications, and later led AI efforts to combat misinformation. Broadcasted live, the conversation captures the unfiltered reality of how AI decisions play out under pressure. Ant draws on experience from defence, counterterrorism and modern AI product leadership to explain why empathy is one area where automation still struggles. From deepfakes and crisis communications to a powerful real-world incident involving emergency response, this live discussion shows both the value of AI and its limits. The key lesson is about responsibility, judgement and knowing when human intervention must stay firmly in place. This episode is essential listening for senior marketers, comms leaders and anyone using AI in sensitive or high-risk situations. Is your strategy still right in 2026? Book a free 15-min no obligation discovery call with our host: 👉 [Book your call with Chris now] 👈 Subscribe to our newsletter 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter here. 👈  Follow Chris: X, TikTok, LinkedIn Follow Will: LinkedIn Follow The Show: TikTok, YouTube Instagram

    1h 4m

  6. APR 9

    The Costly Hiring Habit That Nearly Broke Sarah Clay’s Business

    Ever hired someone just because you clicked with them? You are not alone. In this candid episode, our guest admits to recruiting based on personality instead of business needs. The result was duplicate roles, major skill gaps, and tough decisions that still sting years later. From letting go of an “amazing assistant” before the pandemic, a decision they still regret, to realizing the need for complementary skills over similar personalities, this is an honest look at one of entrepreneurship’s most common and costly mistakes. The turning point came when they recognized the problem and invested in professional hiring help, creating stronger and more balanced teams. Whether you are making your first hire or managing a growing company, this episode offers lessons that can help you avoid the same pitfalls. Is your strategy still right in 2026? Book a free 15-min no obligation discovery call with our host: 👉 [Book your call with Chris now] 👈 Subscribe to our newsletter 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter here. 👈  Follow Chris: X, TikTok, LinkedIn Follow Will: LinkedIn Follow The Show: TikTok, YouTube Instagram

    4 min

  7. APR 2

    How My Coca-Cola Site Tour Ended in Disaster - Richard Shotton

    Marketing mistakes happen to everyone, even the so-called experts. We’ve seen everything from press releases that accidentally went viral for the wrong reasons to brand names so complicated even the CEO couldn’t spell them. But there’s something weirdly therapeutic about sharing these messes. One guest summed it up perfectly. If you’re only testing stuff you already know will work, you’re not really testing. The risk is tiny when something flops. The reward if it works is huge. So why are so many marketers still playing it safe? Of course, we also got the juicy stuff. Richard Shotton once missed a 9am Coca-Cola site tour because he was too hungover to move. Another guest won a pitch he was too foggy to remember. You couldn’t make it up. These stories aren’t just funny. They’re honest. They show the grit behind the gloss. The recovery after the c**k-up. That’s what this podcast is about.  Got a story like that? Share it. Join the chaos. Link’s in the bio. Is your strategy still right in 2026? Book a free 15-min no obligation discovery call with our host: 👉 [Book your call with Chris now] 👈 Subscribe to our newsletter 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter here. 👈  Follow Chris: X, TikTok, LinkedIn Follow Will: LinkedIn Follow The Show: TikTok, YouTube Instagram

    4 min

  8. MAR 31

    EP 105: The Email That Destroyed 30 Years Of Customer Loyalty - Roger Dooley

    One email rewrote “lifetime” loyalty and turned Carnival’s most devoted customers against the brand. In this episode, neuromarketing pioneer Roger Dooley breaks down the background to that decision, the Royal Caribbean photo-op disaster, and how AI could have stopped both. For twenty years, Roger has been inside the rooms where these calls are made, teaching companies how real human brains work in marketing, loyalty and crisis communication. He shares how, until recently, only big brands with behavioural science teams and neuromarketing labs could afford this level of insight, and why generative AI has blown that wide open. They chat through the emotional history behind loyalty schemes, the symbols that make customers feel seen, and how a single cold message can feel like the end of a long relationship. They walk through Carnival’s loyalty “update”, Royal Caribbean’s eight-second helicopter video that ruined luxury cruises, and what happened when Roger ran those communications through AI. If you lead marketing, CRM, loyalty or customer comms, this episode gives you a practical playbook to AI-proof your emails, stress-test crisis statements and avoid turning loyal fans into vocal critics. Is your strategy still right in 2026? Book a free 15-min no obligation discovery call with our host: 👉 [Book your call with Chris now] 👈 Subscribe to our newsletter 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter here. 👈  Follow Chris: X, TikTok, LinkedIn Follow Will: LinkedIn Follow The Show: TikTok, YouTube Instagram

    56 min
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Trailers

About

Welcome to Embracing Marketing Mistakes, the world’s leading irreverent podcast for senior marketers who are tired of the polished corporate b*llshit.  Join Chris Norton and Will Ockenden, founders of the award-winning Prohibition PR, as they sit down with industry leaders to dissect the career-ending f*ck-ups they’d rather forget. The show moves past any pretty vanity metrics to uncover the brutal, honest truths behind marketing disasters, from £30,000 SEO black holes and completely failed companies, to social media crises that went globally viral for all the wrong reasons. We don't just celebrate the f*ck-ups; we extract the tactical blueprints you need to avoid them yourself. If you are a business owner, or a CMO looking for a competitive advantage that only comes from real-world experience, this is your weekly masterclass in resilience and strategy. Listen for: Raw stories from top brands, ex-McKinsey strategists, and industry disruptors.Learn from: The errors that cost thousands and the recoveries that saved careers.Get ahead by: Turning other people's nasty disasters into your unfair market advantage. If you have a story to tell and would like to appear on the show, tell us your biggest marketing mistake and drop us a line.

Information

  • Creator
    Prohibition PR
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    163
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Embracing Marketing Mistakes
  • Show Website
    Embracing Marketing Mistakes

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