Call To Action

By: Giles Edwards
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  • Summary

  • Feel better about marketing™ The go-to podcast for anyone trying to make sense of the world of marketing, business and beyond. In an industry that is a minefield of utter bollocks, we aim to capture our heroes and allies from the front line to have a chin-wag with. It’s like Pokémon Go, with the single but vital exception that it’s not a short-term bandwagon of shite. UK TOP 2 | US TOP 50 | RELEASED FORTNIGHTLY
    ...Gasp! (Gasp Four Ltd.)
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Episodes
  • 162: Howard Ibach on why better briefs breed better results.

    162: Howard Ibach on why better briefs breed better results.
    May 2 2025
    This week we kept on adding more and more and more irrelevant attachments to our so-called brief, in order to earn ourselves a swift rebuke from the marketing world’s Brief Batman – Howard Ibach.

    Inventor of the Creative Brief Mastery program, Howard is on a mission to make marketing briefs more meaningful. An advocate for clear thinking, proper collaboration and the single minded-proposition, Howard has been helping marketers all over the world put their bad briefing habits to bed (and then press a pillow over their drooling faces). He’s also an instructor at the Association of National Advertisers’ Marketing Training and Development Centre, the author of the brilliant ‘How To Write An Inspired Brief’ and host of the ‘Brief Bros’ podcast – confirming his undisputed status as the industry’s beefiest brief brain.

    In this episode, Howard will pick the art of briefing down to its rickety bones, sharing his invaluable expertise on what the perfect brief should say, be and do.

    This episode is proudly dedicated to Tom Jordan.

    Follow Howard on LinkedIn.

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    Timestamps

    03:45 - Lessons from Stonemasonry
    06:14 - Path to Writing and Advertising
    08:36 - The Influence of Advertising on Howard
    12:29 - The Importance of a Good Brief
    16:12 - Issues with Copying Client Briefs
    19:49 - The Disconnect Between Clients and Agencies
    24:24 - Collaboration in Brief Writing
    32:13 - Commonalities in Effective Briefs
    46:02 - Banishment of Purpose Advertising

    Howards Book Recommendations are:

    Chew with Your Mind Open by Cameron Day
    Spittin' Chiclets by Cameron Day
    Stones & Sticks by Cameron Day

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    54 mins
  • 161: Adam Ferrier on why listening to your customers can be bad for your brand

    161: Adam Ferrier on why listening to your customers can be bad for your brand
    Apr 18 2025
    This week we have been exclusively watching 'Magic Mike', shaking a Magic 8-Ball and listening to '24k Magic' by Bruno Mars (which is just awful) in order to win the slightly nervous attention of Adam Ferrier, founder of Thinkerbell; the thinkers, tinkers and practitioners of ‘measured magic’.

    A psychology brain sat on top of some sturdy strategy bones, Adam is a rare voice of reason in the largely barmy brand world – as well as being the chief sceptic when it comes to the industry obsession with ‘the customer’. He’s also the author of more superb books, including ‘The Advertising effect: How to Change Behaviour’ and supplements all this talk-talking with some serious walk-walking through his work that brings marketing science and creative thinking together.

    In this episode Adam shares his expertise on brands who forget how to be brands, why every business problem is a behaviour change problem and the forgotten benefits of simply fitting in.

    This episode is very proudly dedicated to Anne Young.

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    Follow Adam on LinkedIn

    Timestamps

    09:16 - The impact of D&AD annuals on Adam's career choice
    11:19 - Transition from forensic psychology to marketing
    16:12 - The perils of customer obsession
    22:57 - Balancing brand and customer needs
    25:11 - The importance of consumer research


    Adam’s Book Recommendations are:

    Stop Listening to Your Customers by Adam Ferrier:
    The Advertising Effect: How to Change Behaviour by Adam Ferrier:
    Love's Executioner and Other Tales of Psychotherapy by Irvin Yalom:
    Existential Psychotherapy by Irvin Yalom:
    Here and Now: Tales from the Heart by Irvin Yalom:

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    42 mins
  • 160: Shane Stewart on how to build brands with fizz

    160: Shane Stewart on how to build brands with fizz
    Mar 28 2025
    This week we went around slurping muddy water from puddles in order to win the sympathy of Shane Stewart – brand man, running man and fizzy drink saviour.

    Chief brand brain at XOXO soda, Shane has built his career around launching and marketing drinks that do good stuff for your innards, while looking extremely cool on your outtards. Before shaking up the canned drink business with XOXO he helped create a large and loyal community of slurpers for Moju, a ginger and turmeric shot that’s a bit like unleashing a troop of helpfully energetic monkeys inside your tired old brain. And, as well as bringing better branded bubbly beverages to Britain and beyond, he’s even found the time to launch Step by Steppers, a marvellous running club designed to help people dealing with grief to feel less alone.

    This episode is very proudly dedicated to his Dad.

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    Follow Shane on LinkedIn and Instagram
    Step by Steppers Run Club

    Timestamps

    03:14 - Shane's Early Career in Hospitality
    05:08 - Cultural Significance of Pubs in the UK
    07:29 - Importance of University Experience Over Degree Choice
    08:50 - Shane's Interest in Brands and Marketing
    10:57 - Shane's Time in Australia and Farm Work Experience
    13:04 - Transition from Hospitality to Marketing
    14:40 - Working at Northern Block Ice Cream
    16:05 - Joining Moju and Creative Job Application
    18:22 - Continuous Learning and Mini MBA
    20:19 - Transition to XOXO Soda
    23:37 - Challenges and Opportunities in the Functional Soda Market
    25:21 - Product Range and Flavor Development at XOXO
    29:27 - Psychological Aspects of Product Taste and Health Benefits
    31:12 - Listener Questions: Startups vs. Big Brands
    34:47 - Listener Questions: Convincing Retailers to Stock Products
    39:42 - Introduction to Step by Stepper Run Club


    Shane's Book Recommendation is:
    The Chimp Paradox - Prof Steve Peters

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    55 mins

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