Episodios

  • “You’re Tracking Metrics, Not Listening” & It Shows ft. Jazmin Griffith
    Oct 1 2025

    Most brands are looking at the wrong data.

    Worse still? You don’t know what to do with it.

    This week, Verity sits down with Jazmin Griffith (Social Strategist, Content Creator, and Founder @ Social Listening Studio, queloque?). Jazmin pulls back the curtain on what real listening looks like today – and why it’s about far more than sentiment & mentions.

    From decoding niche communities to spotting Reddit-born Super Bowl ideas, Jazmin reveals how brands can shift from ‘monitoring’ to meaningful intelligence. If you’ve ever asked, "what do we actually do with this data?", this chat delivers your answers, fast.


    Listen to learn how to:

    • Use The 5 Cs to Guide Listening: Jazmin’s framework covers Content, Culture, Community, Creators, and Channels; and shows how to unlock insights across all of them.

    • Get Past Vanity Metrics: Surface-level engagement doesn’t tell the whole story. Hear how to uncover what’s really working.

    • Spot What Creators Aren’t Saying: Jazmin explains how the most valuable signals are often hidden in broadcast channels, DMs, Substacks, and Slack groups.

    • Build Listener-Led Briefs: Why reactive brands are losing, and what it takes to create culturally relevant, high-performing content today.

    • Think Beyond the Grid: Why Threads, Reddit, and even Substack might be the whitespace you’re overlooking – and how to know if it’s time to pivot your channel strategy.

    This one’s sharp, strategic, and packed with takeaways.If you’re in social or strategy, do not skip it.


    Chapters

    00:00 – You Think You're Listening. You're Not.

    02:04 – The Reddit Insight That Sparked a Super Bowl Ad

    07:46 – Why Most Social Teams Still Get This Wrong

    12:35 – The 5 Cs That Should Shape Every Strategy

    18:00 – What Creators Know That Brands Miss

    22:00 – Listener-Led Briefs > Brand-First Briefs

    27:56 – Culture Is Not Your Playground

    30:02 – Community Isn’t Comments

    36:17 – Where Your Brand Should Actually Show Up

    41:00 – 3 Signals Smart Marketers Are Already Tracking


    Rate & review Building Brand Advocacy:

    Apple Podcasts

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    Connect with Jazmin:

    On LinkedIn | On Instagram | On TikTok

    On queloque?’s Website

    Subscribe to the ‘Scroll & Tell’ Newsletter

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    45 m
  • “All Marketing Is Brand + Performance” & Aerie Knows It ft. Luke Klein
    Sep 17 2025

    What does a decade of building Brand Advocacy look like in practice?

    Back in May, Paul sat down with Luke Klein (Senior Director of Marketing Strategy & Growth @ Aerie) to unpack one of fashion’s longest-running movements: #AerieREAL.

    The campaign started in 2014 with a bold commitment: no more retouching. But it was more than a moment; it was a cultural stance. In the 10 years since, Aerie has evolved that stance into a living, breathing ‘brandformance’ strategy that continues to drive relevance & results.

    Luke shares how Aerie stays intuitive to their customer (not just reactive), balances brand consistency with performance-first cultural agility, and designs a creator strategy that feels genuinely co-owned.

    If you’re looking for smart ways to evolve a brand, this episode is yours.

    You’ll learn:

    • Why Brands Need a Mirror, Not a Magnet – Aerie doesn’t try to manufacture hype. They reflect real conversations their customers are already having; and that’s what earns trust.

    • The Bow Tie vs The Funnel – A customer journey model that actually reflects how people buy and Advocate today.

    • Why Brand Is Performance (& Vice Versa) – Luke shares why separating the two is outdated, and how Aerie uses one strategy to drive both impact and immediacy.

    • How Culture-Driven Content Fuels Strategy – From “Coastal Grandma” to subculture playbooks, Luke breaks down how Aerie turns social listening into scalable strategy.

    • Why Influencers Should Translate, Not Recite – Scripts are dead. Aerie’s creator strategy starts with values, then lets partners lead with their own voice.

    • The Underrated Power of Store Associates – When you empower employees to show up authentically, they become some of your best Advocates.

    Whether you’re brand-side, agency-side, or founder-led – if you’re serious about scaling with Advocacy, this is one way to do it.


    Chapters:

    00:00 – Why #AerieREAL Was Never Just a Campaign

    02:50 – Evolving the Movement for Gen Z in 2025

    08:45 – How Aerie Turns Listening Into Strategy

    10:30 – From SEO to Trend Spotting: The Content Nucleus Model

    13:00 – Subcultures, Micro-Trends & Translating the Brand

    14:00 – Scripts Are Dead: Let Creators Lead With Values

    21:00 – Why Brand and Performance Aren’t Separate Anymore

    23:00 – The Bow Tie vs The Funnel (and What Actually Works)

    26:00 – Segmenting Advocates Beyond Purchase Frequency

    30:00 – Store Associates as Advocates: The Untapped Channel

    34:00 – The Myth of Message Matching Across Touchpoints

    36:30 – Letting the Customer Shape the Brand, Not Just Receive It


    Rate & review Building Brand Advocacy:

    🔗 Apple Podcasts

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    Connect with Luke:

    On Instagram

    On LinkedIn

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    38 m
  • Marketing Isn’t Boring, You Are: Inside The Comedy Content Engine That’s Breaking Social's Rules ft. Henry Hayes
    Sep 10 2025

    Not Hot Take: Marketing shouldn’t feel like a meeting.

    It should move you.

    This week, Verity sits down with Henry Hayes – Head of Marketing @ Passionfruit and the comedic content machine reshaping how brands build attention, internally & externally.

    Whether you know Henry from his LinkedIn comedy bits or his unconventional marketing strategies at Passionfruit, this conversation peels back the layers on what today’s brand teams really need to nail.

    Think funny’s overdone, or simply isn’t for you? Think again.

    Press play to hear:

    • Brand vs. Performance? That’s Old News: Henry shares why separating the two is a risk in 2025 and beyond – and what should be done differently.

    • Behind the ‘Comedy Content Machine’: From Stan parodies to ‘The Bear for Marketers’, Henry breaks down how he ideates – and why truth always trumps polish.

    • Why Passionfruit Doesn’t Spend on Ads: And what their founder said that changed everything.

    • How to Unlock Employee Creators: Why leadership’s job is to get out of the way, and let their teams build personal brands that fuel business growth.

    • D2C Brands, You’re Still Playing It Too Safe: Henry names names, shares what works, and dissects why brands still treat Instagram like a shop window.

    This one’s part tactical teardown, part creative permission slip.

    Listen in. Rethink the rulebook. And maybe… be funnier.


    Chapters:

    00:00 – From Creator to Head of Marketing

    05:10 – Building Advocacy Internally

    10:20 – Marketing at the Speed of Culture

    14:40 – Why Passionfruit Doesn’t Spend on Ads

    20:15 – D2C Brands Are Still Playing It Safe

    25:55 – Let Employees Create (Then Get Out of the Way)

    31:25 – Comedy Is a Marketing Tactic

    42:35 – You Are Not the Customer


    Rate & review Building Brand Advocacy:

    Apple Podcasts

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    Connect with Henry:

    On LinkedIn

    On Instagram

    On TikTok

    Via Passionfruit’s LinkedIn

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    46 m
  • How You Make Influencers & Affiliates Your Advocates (Not Just Your Megaphones) ft. Lowri Evans
    Sep 3 2025

    Brand budgets? Tighter.

    Expectations on creators? Higher.

    Welcome to the new era of influencer marketing; where performance matters most, platforms are merging, and brands can’t afford to get it wrong.

    Kicking off Season 3, Verity sits down with Lowri Evans – an influencer strategy expert with experience at VIEVE, Coco & Eve, Revive Collagen and more. Fresh from going freelance, Lowri breaks down the real rules of modern creator marketing; from Spark Ads to affiliate programs, and why relationship-building still outperforms pay-to-play.

    Turn this episode on & up to learn how to:

    • Merge Performance & Brand Marketing: It’s time to bin the silos. Lowri shares how results and relationships can (and should) work together.

    • Get Smart About Affiliate Programs: From ShopMy to real ROI, Lowri explains how the smartest brands are tracking impact without diluting brand.

    • Build Real Relationships with Creators: Forget transactional. Learn why taking milestones seriously might be your highest-converting move.

    • Use Spark Ads to Supercharge Results: TikTok content that converts? Spark it. Lowri walks through the what, why, and how.

    • Turn Customers Into Collaborators: From fans to featured creators, hear how VIEVE and others are turning everyday customers into stars.

    If your brand still sends mass gifting with no follow-up, this is your wake-up call.

    Listen for the insight (& influencer receipts) you actually need.


    Chapters

    00:00 – Welcome to Season 3: Why This Episode Matters

    04:00 – Inside the Evolution of Influencer

    07:00 – Relationship-First vs. Pay-to-Play

    11:00 – Affiliate Strategy That Actually Drives Sales

    15:00 – Spark Ads, TikTok Shop & Performance That Converts

    20:00 – Why Brand & Performance Must Talk to Each Other

    27:00 – Turning Customers Into Creators

    34:00 – Building Real Community Through Real People

    39:00 – The Problem With TikTok Shop (& How to Use It Right)

    44:00 – Are Nano Creators Your Most Powerful Advocates?

    49:00 – What Brands Still Get Wrong About Advocacy


    Rate & review Building Brand Advocacy:

    Apple Podcasts

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    Connect with Lowri:

    On LinkedIn

    On Instagram

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    41 m
  • What Brands Can Learn From Charli XCX & Beyoncé (& Use It To Win) ft. Joel Marlinarson
    Jul 23 2025

    Engineering joy > selling stuff.

    It’s really that simple.

    (But how do you do it?)

    This week, Verity sits down with Content Creator, Social Strategist, and ‘Coldest Creative’ Founder, Joel Marlinarson. Together, they unpack the intersection where fashion, food, music, and culture collide online – and what smart brands are doing about it.

    Joel’s built a platform decoding brand moves for his audience (over on @coldestjoel), while building for brands behind the scenes. He shares what’s working, what’s next, and what most brands are missing entirely.


    Turn this on & up to learn how to…

    • Brand Like a Musician: From Cowboy Carter to Brat, musicians are leading the experiential game. Joel breaks down why brands should start thinking more like them.

    • Win with Small Joys: The "little treat" moment is more than a trend. Discover how food, feeling, and brand identity fuse to create Advocacy-ready experiences.

    • Track What Actually Matters: Forget followers. Joel shares why repeat commenters and micro-engagements are the real signal of brand love.

    • Build In-Jokes & Icons: Learn how obscure memes, emoji signals, and recurring brand language can create loyalty (and drive people to comment).

    • Cast Wider: Gen Z doesn’t have to speak to Gen Z. From retail staff to over-50s creators, Joel shares how unexpected casting builds connection.

    • Use EGC The Right Way: From ethics to execution, this is how to make employee content fair, diverse, and seriously effective.

    From Loewe’s tomato hot air balloons to finding your own “Juno” moment, this chat covers what makes culture tick – and how brands can keep up.


    Chapters

    00:00 – Why Music Marketing Works Better Than Brand Campaigns

    06:00 – Brat. Cowboy Carter. Juno: What Brands Can Learn

    08:00 – Food as Feel-Good Branding

    10:00 – In-Jokes, Emojis & Repeat Commenters: Signals of True Community

    14:00 – Is Sass Out? Why Ryanair’s TOV Might Be Tired

    20:00 – Doing EGC Right (& Fair)

    26:00 – Weird But Works: The Best Brand Collabs

    30:00 – Silver Economy & The Power of Over-50s Influencers


    Rate & review Building Brand Advocacy:

    🔗 Apple Podcasts

    🔗 Spotify

    Connect with Joel:

    On TikTok

    On Instagram

    On LinkedIn

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    28 m
  • Why MCoBeauty Is Winning the Dupe Economy (& TikTok's Heart) ft. Gabriel Gomez
    Jul 16 2025

    What do you get when you combine razor-sharp humour, social-first instincts, and a refusal to play by the rules?

    An equal-parts entertaining, and practical, deep dive into brand building on social today.

    This week, Verity sits down with Gabriel Gomez (Head of Social & Community @ MCoBeauty (US), Creator & Speaker) to explore how one of Australia’s most-followed beauty brands is winning the US market. Spoiler alert: it’s by moving fast, listening closely, and making the right kind of noise online.


    Turn this episode on and up to learn how to:

    • Spot and Scale the Right Cultural Moments, Without 10 Approvals & a Deck: Gabe shares how MCoBeauty gets from idea to action in minutes, thanks to lean teams, shared instincts, and a refusal to overthink the feed.

    • Build Campaigns with Cross-Functional Input (Without Slowing Things Down): Gabe’s approach flips the usual script: involve people early, keep ideas fluid, and trust that great strategy can come from any level of the org.

    • Choose Creators Based on Connection, Not Clout: Whether it's scouting emerging talent or inviting creators into the concepting process, Gabe breaks down how MCoBeauty treats creators like consultants, not content machines.

    • Balance Viral Chaos with Brand Clarity (and Still Forget the Playbook): Social’s a sprint, but that doesn’t mean strategy gets lost. Learn how MCo blends brand consistency with bold, off-script moves that actually land.

    • Build a Fast-Moving, Emoji-Powered Social Culture that Thrives Under Pressure: From skipping the decks to celebrating team wins with emphasis, Gabe shows how to lead a social team that runs on energy and impact.

    • Decide What’s a Green Flag (and What’s a Giant Red One): In a rapid-fire game, Gabe shares exactly how he filters pitches, rates brand behaviour, and why he’s definitely deleting your “$50 and a lipstick” offer.

    Plus: you’ll hear why TikTok is their #1 Advocacy driver, how Gabe spots red-flag creators, and the surprising platform he opens first every day.

    His advice is fast, fresh, and unapologetically honest – just like the brands that win on social now.


    Chapters

    00:00 – Gabe Gomez & the MCoBeauty Mindset

    03:00 – Why Dupes, Not Decks, Drive Beauty Culture Now

    07:00 – Crashing Trends & Creating Chaos: Moving at the Speed of Social

    12:00 – F*** the Playbook: Balancing Strategy with Spontaneity

    17:00 – Creators as Consultants: Rethinking Influence & Partnerships

    22:00 – The Green Flag / Red Flag Game: What Brands Get Wrong (and Right)

    32:00 – Why TikTok’s Driving Advocacy, And Instagram Isn’t

    36:00 – The Platform Breakdown: What’s Working, What’s Next

    41:00 – How to Really Build Brand Advocacy (It’s Not a Coupon Code)


    Rate & review Building Brand Advocacy:

    Apple Podcasts

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    Connect with Gabe:

    On LinkedIn

    On MCoBeauty’s Instagram (US)

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    42 m
  • How Surreal, Innocent & Great Copy Wins Brand Fans (Without Losing The Plot) ft. John Thornton
    Jul 9 2025

    Can you build Brand Advocacy in punchlines?

    John Thornton thinks so. Kind of.

    Verity sits down with Surreal's Senior Creative (and ex-Innocent wordsmith) to break down how brand voice becomes a business asset, how humour fuels loyalty, and why you should definitely check your QR codes before a campaign launch.

    This isn’t another chat about tone of voice. It’s a behind-the-scenes on…

    The truth about "funny" copy that drives action.

    What most brands misunderstand about distinctiveness.

    The forgotten value of comments, not campaigns.

    Why authenticity is less about saying the right thing, and more about knowing your place (and being flexible on your fonts).

    John shares the good, the bad, and the copy & collaborations that helped Surreal drive major awareness. Innocent, too.

    Whether you’re a brand builder, copywriter or just here for the laughs, there’s no fluff; just real talk from someone who knows how to make cereal & smoothies go viral.


    Turn it up to learn:


    • How to Create Copy that Converts, Sans-Corporate Feel: When the tone’s too polished, people scroll past. When it’s too offbeat, they don’t trust you. John shares how to strike the balance – writing copy that’s confident, irreverent, and still converts when it counts.

    • The One Test John Uses to Decide if a Risky Idea is Actually Risky: If you want to get bold work signed off, use John’s litmus test: “What would the Daily Mail headline be?” If it’s not scandal-worthy, it’s probably just brave. Let’s break down how to push boundaries without blowing up trust, or approval chains.

    • Why People Love Brands that Hire the “Idiot on Twitter”: It’s not about polish, it’s about presence. John explains why fast, scrappy, weirdly human replies build more loyalty than a year’s worth of branded templates. And why the best moments don’t need strategy decks; just someone funny with a login.

    • The Difference Between Going Viral and Building Something That Lasts: Viral posts spike and fade. Advocacy sticks around. Together, John & Verity unpack how to turn attention into affinity, using humour and product to build content people choose to share – long after the algorithm moves on.

    Listen. Laugh a bit. Rethink your brand copy.


    Chapters:

    03:10 – Meet John Thornton

    07:00 – Why Self-Awareness Beats Tone Guidelines

    09:10 – Innocent’s Process (and Freedom to Fail)

    11:00 – Writing to Stand Out, Not Just Be Funny

    12:50 – A Star Wars CV & Other Power Moves

    14:10 – The Best Campaigns Are Barely Planned

    15:40 – Defending ‘Vanity’ Metrics

    16:30 – The Baked Bean Smoothie ft. Heinz

    18:50 – Fonts, Risk & The Daily Mail Test

    22:20 – Why Surreal Hides Its Humans

    29:50 – Product Posts That Actually Get Shared

    31:50 – Advocacy Is a Long Game

    36:00 – Turning a Fail Into a Fan Moment

    39:00 – The LoveHoney Collab Explained


    Rate & review Building Brand Advocacy:

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    Connect with John:

    On John's LinkedIn

    On Surreal’s LinkedIn

    Via Surreal’s Website

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    37 m