Side Projects Podcast
with Clara Malley, Eli Williams, and Trey Taylor
Side Projects is a strategy studio and creative outlet helping brands, marketers and everyday people think critically about how advertising shapes the cultural landscape across digital surfaces, generational cohorts, and our social fabric. Every Tuesday on our podcast, we talk with the most interesting voices across tech, media, and art to give marketers an inside look at the forces shaping culture before it hits the mainstream.Hosted by Clara Malley, Eli Williams and Trey Traylor.Find video episodes on YouTube.For questions, comments and inquiries: info@side-projects.co Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jun 16, 2025 • 15min
Human Creativitymaxxing
Clara and Eli are on the ground reporting from day one of the Cannes Lions. Highlights include: Willa Bennett’s plans for rebooting Cosmopolitan’s IP, Apple’s VP of Marketing saying “human creativity” over 18 times in 20 minutes, a potential new sponsor, Chinese soft power, being in the Nashville of France, and our ideas for a Bravo buildout on the Croisette. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 13, 2025 • 2min
See you in Cannes
Bonjour. Eli and Clara will be dropping daily episodes of the podcast, recorded live and uncut from the Cannes Lions Festival next week. We’ll break down some of the Croisette’s highs and lows, plus get the rundown of what some former D1FM guests are seeing on their end. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 10, 2025 • 43min
Benjamin Edgar on Navigating Cultural Tipping Points
Benjamin Edgar is a Chicago-based designer who’s been making a lot of very cool things for a very long time. He co-authored the early aughts blog THE BRILLIANCE, founded Boxed Water, and more recently started An Object Company. We talk about the importance of design consistency, how we’re at an inflection point with “phone stuff,” Dieter Rams, bar etiquette, applied design, Adrien Brody’s art, why it’s interesting to know what you’re interested in, Chicago, the sin wave of culture and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 3, 2025 • 27min
The “Flyover Finals” and “Establishment Podcasts”
Today we’re talking about the NBA’s “crisis of cool,” and whether that’s also inclusive of Timothée Chalamet’s Chrome Hearts, Adam Friedland’s interview on Mixed Signals, the rise of “establishment podcasts,” cruise ships, space ships, and waiting in line at pop-ups. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
10 snips
May 27, 2025 • 39min
How Recho Omondi’s The Cutting Room Floor Became Fashion’s Most Honest Podcast
Recho Omondi, host and creator of The Cutting Room Floor, shares her unique insights on the fashion industry. She reveals how her outsider perspective allows her to navigate its complexities and explore the politics of taste. The conversation highlights her innovative 'clipping' technique that brings candid interviews to life. Omondi also discusses the criteria for selecting guests and the need for authenticity in a world where curated narratives often prevail. It's an engaging dive into the art of honest storytelling in fashion.
May 20, 2025 • 20min
Cinematic Sports and OnlyFans Pickleball
Forget the score, on this week’s episode we unpack how the real action isn’t happening on the court, but instead on the second screen and…OnlyFans? We’ll unpack SNY’s surprisingly good social content, “Smash City,” Engelbert Humperdinck, pollen, and “water-based cooking.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 13, 2025 • 42min
John Paul Brammer: ¡Hola Papi! ¡Adios Twitter!
John Paul Brammer is an author, artist, and writer of the popular advice column, ¡Hola Papi!. He joins us on the pod to discuss midwest debauchery, advice on giving advice, high-profile penguins, his top 5 birds, why Bluesky is “giving gas leak,” standing behind something you 100% do not believe in, house parties, and much more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 6, 2025 • 24min
Bird Flu Bailouts and AI Cheaters
Today we’re talking about friend supply versus “friend demand,” AI designed specifically for cheating on your Costco job interview, naming a sandwich after a disease epidemic (bad idea), thirst trap strategies, and how the West Village is now filled with identikit personalities wearing scrunch bum leggings. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Apr 29, 2025 • 15min
We’re Running Out of Ways to Sell Things
Back with another impromptu in-house episode, this week we take stock of the grocery store shelves which are packed with protein: Khloé Kardashian Khloud popcorn, dry as sawdust Quest bars, and… Hormbles Chormbles. Also, why does every new product sound like it was named by a toddler? And are we experiencing a mass cognitive decline or does every advertisement sound nonsensical? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Apr 22, 2025 • 19min
Scam Alert: MrBeast, Fyre Fest and Baby Back Ribs
We’re being scammed. The latest Mr Beast experience was a flop, Fyre Festival is back, Chinese manufacturers are exposing the luxury goods industry, and everyone is buying now and paying later. Between financing your Coachella tickets and your Chilli’s baby back ribs, this week on the pod we unveil the many ways scams have gone mainstream. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
