Podcast
Ad Age Marketer's Brief
Hosted by E.J. Schultz & Adrianne Pasquarelli · EN
Marketer's Brief helps marketers stay ahead of what's changing—and decide how to respond.
Each episode focuses on the ideas, shifts and strategic tensions shaping marketing right now, from how leaders are thinking about growth, platforms and culture to how they're making trade-offs in real time. Conversations led by Ad Age editors and reporters surface patterns worth paying attention to and ways of thinking that can influence decisions at work.
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56episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Capitalizing on the women's sports boom with NWSL CMO Rachel Epstein
6d ago00:16:51Summary readyRachel Epstein, the newly named chief marketing officer of the National Women's Soccer League, discusses her strategy to make the most of booming interest in women's sports and soccer in particular. Her strategy involves absorbing new fans created by the summer's FIFA World Cup and following the unique pathways to sports fandom often taken by women. She says bigger investments, better athletes and more brand support are critical to growth, but so too is a burgeoning media ecosystem bringing women's sports to the new fan.
SummaryUsing brand partnerships to market to younger audiences with Netflix VP of global marketing
2w ago00:21:55Summary readyNetflix VP of global brand marketing and partnerships Magno Herran discusses how the streamer is using brand partnerships and sponsorships to grow its ad business as it heads into the upfronts. He breaks down co-created campaigns with State Farm and other marketers, how Netflix is extending its IP beyond the platform and why reaching younger fans now requires a broader media mix that includes social.
SummaryHow to go from product-first to culture-led marketing, with Samsonite's VP of marketing
3w ago00:20:53Summary readyFor heritage brands trying to stay relevant with younger consumers, Samsonite's playbook offers a useful case study. On this episode, David Oksman, VP of marketing and direct to consumer at Samsonite, discusses how the 115-year-old luggage company is shifting away from product specs and leaning into more social media-first, culture-led marketing by targeting travelers by psychographic rather than demographic, and measuring emotional connection alongside traditional conversion metrics. He also talks about the brand's latest social-first campaign with Olivia Culpo and how Samsonite thinks about younger D2C challengers like Away and Béis. His advice for other marketers navigating the same tension: don't be a heritage brand — be a brand with heritage.
SummaryCreating value marketing that stands out, with Domino's CMO
4w ago00:24:33Summary readyAs pizza's value wars intensify, Domino's is rethinking how to deliver value without blending in. CMO Kate Trumbull discusses the brand's focus on consistent deals, menu choice and "talk value" promotions like Emergency Pizza and You Tip, We Tip. She also discusses making the brand more "craveable" through a recent rebrand.
SummaryFrom impressions to impact: rethinking advertising at scale
4w ago00:15:37Summary readyThe future of advertising is audience-first, and Warner Bros. Discovery is leading the shift. In this sponsored episode of the Marketer's Brief podcast, Ad Age contributing editor Natalie Zfat sits down with Ryan Gould, president of U.S. advertising sales go-to-market at Warner Bros. Discovery, to explore how the company is evolving its approach to deliver both scale and measurable outcomes. From premium storytelling and live sports to innovations like Shop with Max, Gould outlines how WBD is connecting brands to culture while reducing friction between content and commerce. Tune in to hear how the company is addressing measurement challenges, simplifying cross-platform buying, and helping marketers turn engagement into impact in a rapidly changing media environment.
SummaryHow to maintain loyalty when consumer needs change with Unilever's Axe leader
Apr 2200:23:03Summary readyHead of Axe U.S. Dolores Assalini talks about how the Unilever-owned body spray brand is growing up with its customers through new products designed to lighten usage among teen boys through a more controlled spray. She also discusses why Axe is showing in cultural moments such as the World Cup, and how it is tapping into TikTok's 'fragrance maxxing' trend.
SummaryHow David's Bridal applied the power of AI to wedding planning and dress shopping
Apr 1500:28:01Summary readyLisa Horton, chief creative and communications officer at David's Bridal, talks about how the bridal retailer has leaned into AI—from proprietary LLMs and writing press releases, to shopping in ChatGPT and an AI-powered wedding planning platform.
SummaryWhy Suave is leaning into comedy and social content to drive Gen Z growth
Apr 800:20:55Summary readyEvermark CMO Rachel Behm unpacks how a recent social-first campaign for Suave is winning new Gen Z customers craving entertainment, including episodic and comedic marketing content. She also discusses the idea of reframing the value of Evermark brands, including ChapStick and Q-tips, as smart luxury in order to capture shoppers eager to trade down to cheaper, drugstore brands amid economic anxiety.
SummaryTurning brand youth into a strength in a luxury category dominated by legacy players, with the CMO of Genesis Motor America.
Apr 100:18:49Summary readyGenesis CMO Amy Marentic describes how the auto brand took a blank canvas approach to raise awareness in a segment dominated by older brands like BMW and Mercedes. She describes how the marketing department sold a campaign pivot internally. Marentic also dishes some advice on experiential marketing, including how the automaker uses its Genesis House in New York City as a brand equity play channeling Korean hospitality. Also, hear how she approaches marketing metrics.
SummaryRefreshing a heritage brand for the AI era with Consumer Reports CMO
Mar 2500:22:36Summary readyConsumer Reports CMO Khalid El Khatib explains how the independent nonprofit brand's 90-year history of testing products is creating trust amid AI slop and misinformation, reflected in its recent $3 million "We Never Stop Questioning" campaign. He also discusses how the membership-based organization is adapting its strategy to reach audiences across generations—from boomers spending more time online to younger consumers encountering the brand for the first time—and what that shift means for building credibility in a rapidly changing media environment.
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