Product Thinking Podcast, Episode 257: “Making Product Launches Work at Scale”

Host: Melissa Perri
Guest: Michael Dodsworth (Founder & CEO, Fanfare)
Date: November 19, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the intricacies of orchestrating large-scale product launches, blending tech, storytelling, and organizational alignment. Melissa Perri sits down with Michael Dodsworth, whose company Fanfare specializes in launching immersive, high-traffic product experiences. Together, they unpack the real challenges, tradecraft, and must-have mindsets for delivering launches that excite customers, drive engagement, and scale seamlessly.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Importance of Storytelling in Product Management

• Evolving From Engineer to Storyteller
  • Michael shares his transition from “heads down engineering” to realizing the critical need for rallying teams and customers through compelling narratives.
  • Quote:

    “If you really want to build something of merit... you have to be able to bring people together around that cause.” — Michael, [02:59]

• Learning by Observing Masters
  • Watching Nathan Hubbard (former Ticketmaster CEO) “weave together something cohesive” inspired Michael to develop storytelling skills.
  • Intentional structuring, repeated messaging, and making stories personal are key tactics.
  • Quote:

    “It felt natural when you saw him do it, but realizing there was clear intent... that was the thing that really stuck.” — Michael, [07:30]

• Practicing Resonance and Simplicity
  • Focus on “two or three pithy points” that linger with people after a meeting.
  • Story resonance is identified through trial, error, and keen listening.

2. Anatomy of a Successful Product Launch

• Clear Purpose and Audience
  • Top brands start with deep clarity on who the launch targets, why the launch is happening, and what feeling they want to evoke.
  • Quote:

    “Usually a launch is part of a longer journey with that customer... Not just that launch, but also how can I keep things going after the fact?” — Michael, [11:18]

• Cohesive Cross-team Collaboration
  • Best results arise from integrating product, marketing, and customer success—not “kicking it over the fence.”
  • Ad hoc, patchwork launches (e.g., blending Google Forms with disparate marketing tools) fail to deliver cohesive experiences.
  • Quote:

    “I feel like when you create these launches, the whole thing needs to feel cohesive... from the very first announcement all the way through.” — Michael, [13:40]

3. Scaling for High-Traffic, High-Stakes Launches

• Reliability Under Load
  • Drawing on experiences at Salesforce and Rival, Michael stresses that performance isn’t just infrastructure concerns—it’s a core feature.
  • Spikes in traffic during launches can be “like a DDoS attack,” and downtime destroys trust and experience.
  • Quote:

    “Performance is one of our primary features. It has to be in everything we do.” — Michael, [22:04]

• Bot Mitigation and Fraud Handling
  • Fanfare’s platform is engineered to combat not just volume but also malicious activity.
  • Brands risk losing both revenue and trust if bots overrun launches for highly coveted products.

4. Crafting Immersive Launch Experiences

• Moving Beyond ‘Flat’ Digital Queues
  • Most big launches (e.g., tickets for Taylor Swift or Disney passes) are bland, time-consuming ordeals for customers.
  • Michael advocates for injecting community, entertainment, and brand touchpoints into waiting periods, e.g., livestreams with celebrities or interactive content.
  • Quote:

    “You have a captive audience and you deliver nothing to them. Seems like a huge miss.” — Michael, [27:15]

• Rewarding Loyalty and Managing Disappointment
  • Example: Brands providing special opportunities (“L Club”) for repeat customers who repeatedly miss out, turning frustration into belonging.

5. Experimentation and Nimbleness

• Rapid Prototyping With Modern Tools
  • Evolving development tools and AI enable Fanfare's team to create high-fidelity proofs-of-concept in days, not weeks.
  • “Experimentation, especially in the early stages, is really critical. Staying nimble and not being too dogmatic… helps.” — Michael, [31:20]
• Data-Informed Adjustment
  • Frequent testing (on pricing, channels, audience segments) allows for rapid learning and iteration.

6. AI’s Transformative Role

• AI as a Tool, Not a Dogma
  • AI accelerates mundane tasks, enhances iteration, and allows teams to devote more time to creative and high-level problems.
  • Quote:

    “It’s just so easy… If I feel like I’m going to do this twice, I’m going to get AI to create me a script to do this for me.” — Michael, [34:00]

• Emerging Trends
  • Michael references Anthropic’s tools for rapid interface and experiment creation as a glimpse of where product development is heading.

7. Practical Advice for Product Managers & Organizations

• Don’t Just Ship—Tell the Story
  • No matter how robust your product, lack of education and narrative will sabotage adoption.
  • “Doesn’t matter how good your product is technically if you don’t have the right narrative around it, if you don’t launch it properly… it won’t be successful.” — Michael, [29:51]
• Break Down Problems, Avoid Dogmatism
  • “Stick with the process, break the problem down… Just keep going and believing that you’ll get there.” — Michael, [35:30]
  • Remain open to learning and change, as “large incumbents get stuck” and “stop innovating”—an opportunity for startups.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|-----------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:59 | Michael | “If you really want to build something of merit... you have to be able to bring people together around that cause.” | | 07:30 | Michael | “[Storytelling] felt natural… there was a clear intent, a clear like weaving together of something that was cohesive.”| | 11:18 | Michael | “A launch is part of a longer journey with that customer... Not just that launch, but also how can I keep things going after the fact?”| | 13:40 | Michael | “The whole thing needs to feel cohesive... from the marketing, from the very first announcement all the way through.”| | 22:04 | Michael | “Performance is one of our primary features. It has to be in everything we do...” | | 27:15 | Michael | “You have a captive audience and you deliver nothing to them. Seems like a huge miss.” | | 29:51 | Michael | “Doesn’t matter how good your product is technically if you don’t have the right narrative around it… it won’t be successful.”| | 31:20 | Michael | “Experimentation, especially in the early stages, is really critical. Staying nimble and not being too dogmatic…”| | 34:00 | Michael | “If I feel like I’m going to do this twice, I’m going to get AI to create me a script to do this for me.” | | 35:30 | Michael | “Stick with the process, break the problem down… Just keep going and believing that you’ll get there.” |

Segment Timestamps

• [02:21] – Michael’s career trajectory: from engineering to product storytelling
• [04:56] – Storytelling as a superpower in product
• [07:36] – Crafting memorable, repeatable product stories
• [11:13] – The anatomy of a successful, strategic product launch
• [12:26] – Aligning product, marketing, and customer success for cohesive launches
• [16:08] – Practical process and prioritization at Fanfare
• [19:19] – Technical infrastructure: Why scale and reliability are non-negotiable
• [23:46] – Communicating technical needs as core product values
• [26:10] – Building immersive customer experiences and maximizing launch moments
• [29:48] – Applying these launch principles in software and enterprise companies
• [31:05] – Embracing experimentation and continuous learning
• [34:00] – Incorporating AI in product development
• [35:26] – Advice to product managers: process, humility, and opportunity

Takeaways for Product Leaders

• Prioritize storytelling alongside technology.
  Elevate launches into holistic journeys, not just transactional moments.
• Deeply understand your customer, before, during, and after the launch.
• Create tight cross-team alignment; silos result in fragmented, underwhelming launches.
• Treat reliability, performance, and security as part of the core user value—especially at scale.
• Leverage immersive techniques to transform frustration into brand loyalty.
• Adopt a mindset of nimble experimentation and continuous improvement—avoid dogmatism.
• Harness AI thoughtfully, as a productivity multiplier for your teams.
• Persistent, process-driven problem-solving beats heroics.

Find Michael Dodsworth on LinkedIn or at Fanfare.io for more resources and case studies on best-in-class launches.