Soul & Science: Fast Forward Your Marketing Mind

In this episode of the Soul & Science Podcast, the founder of JUV Consulting, Ziad Ahmed joins us to teach us how to truly connect with your Gen Z audience. You’re going to learn how to crack the code to speak to this dynamic and elusive audience. 25-year-old Ziad has been making serious waves in the brand world as the Head of Next Gen at United Talent Agency or UTA. After founding JUV Consulting as a high school student, Ziad has been pushing the boundaries of content, community, and culture and also finding new intersections of the three with his Gen Z-focused conference ZCON.In today’s episode, you’ll learn:  How to not just join cultural conversations, but to lead and shape them What it takes to future-proof your brand and foster communities that resonate with Gen Z values A few of Ziad's best strategies to help you rethink how you engage with Gen Z and refine the language you use to communicate with them Brought to you by Mekanism.

Have you ever wondered if Chief Marketing Officers have what it takes to lead as CEOs? In this mini episode, we uncover four powerful reasons why CMOs might be the secret weapon for business growth and customer-centric leadership. Tune in to challenge the traditional executive hierarchy and discover new possibilities!Brought to you by Mekanism.

Beyond his role as the over-the-top showman and host of Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island, George Shea is a seasoned marketing professional with three decades of experience. Together with his brother, Richard, he has elevated the Nathan's Famous hot dog-eating contest into a major brand promotion recognized around the world. Beyond Nathan's, George and company run Major League Eating and also Shea communications doing work in the commercial real estate industry. In today’s episode, you’ll learn:  What it takes to create and promote a niche sport like competitive eating Why having multiple irons in the fire helps fuel productivity and creativity Why controversy is so effective for generating earned media Brought to you by Mekanism.

Have you been watching the olympics? We certainly have been here at the Mekanism offices, and it’s inspired us to revisit this amazing conversation with New Balance CMO Chris Davis. New Balance is not only “the shoe brand of choice for film stars, athletes and supermodels,” according to Urban Journal, it’s the brand for “the biggest, hype-inducing names on the street right now.” As CMO of the hotly resurgent brand, which was born in 1906, Chris Davis applies a risk/innovation model which puts 50% of the marketing budget into proven, demand-creation tactics, 30% into calculated risks (NFTs, for example) and 20% into purely experimental vehicles that may fail spectacularly or succeed later. Davis, who is also SVP Global Merchandising, says the only unacceptable risk is one that comprimes brand values. He tells us how to transform a 116-year-old product company into a world-class brand.Brought to you by Mekanism. 

Today on the Soul & Science podcast, we’re sitting down with Jacqueline Welch, Chief Human Resource Officer at the New York Times to get the inside scoop on what you as an employer can do to make a strong and effective team. In her role at the Times, she leads the organization's human resources team and oversees all aspects of talent acquisition, career development, organizational development, equitable compensation practices, performance enablement and diversity, equity and inclusion. In today’s episode, you’ll learn:  How to build a strong team with a solid mission that moves everyone toward a common goal How to operate from a place where both internal and external branding overlap The crucial nature of an engaged Human Resources during times of crisis Brought to you by Mekanism.

In this episode of the Soul & Science podcast, Carlos Santiago Co-Founder at The Alliance for Inclusive and Multicultural Marketing or AIMM is joining us to explore how we as marketers can better celebrate diversity and inclusion with a multicultural audience. Carlos has been working and developing this space for over 18 years as a leading researcher and market strategist with a heavy focus on growth roadmaps and econometric models to better address the challenges that come with multicultural marketing. He has experience working with brands such as AT&T, AARP, Target, and so many more. In today’s episode, you’ll learn:  How we can help our brands actively listen to and engage with various cultures in an authentic way Using the same marketing language for everyone doesn’t help and might even harm your marketing efforts The majority of people want diverse and inclusive campaigns, and any backlash is coming from a small minority Brought to you by Mekanism.

In this episode of the Soul & Science podcast, Founder and CEO of ready-to-drink cocktail brand Gay Water Spencer Hoddeson is joining us to teach us why stellar community engagement is the key to success in today’s marketing world. Spencer is far more than a founder and beverage aficionado. He started his career in the marketing and brand department at Yahoo and worked his way to leading the entire team. Shortly after, he found himself as a top social media influencer. Now, Spencer is crafting a new beverage for and by the queer community. In today’s episode, you’ll learn:  How brands can create products that serve an established community rather than trying to build one from scratch  Why many younger audiences expect brands to be mission and purpose-driven before they become consumers Why connecting and engaging with your audience in organic ways is like rocket fuel for growth Brought to you by Mekanism.

In this episode of the Soul & Science podcast, we are joined by Carrie Hutchison, the Director of Marketing and Brand at Re:wild. Re:wild is an environmental organization that recently partnered with Mekanism’s brand partner, Culturelle Probiotics to bring awareness to an untraditional cause- the endangerment of the human gut microbiome.Carrie started her career in sustainability and marketing with National Geographic as their Director of Corporate Communications and has worked with universities such as Georgetown. Now, she campaigns for sustainability in brands and the planet around the world. In today’s episode, you’ll learn:  The ways that industry could be interacting with the planet to ensure sustainability.  Why the protection of our endangered ecosystems- especially the ones within our own bodies- is crucial to a sustainable future for mankind.  What we can do on an individual level to promote sustainability in our own lives.  Brought to you by Mekanism.

This week, we're revisiting our inspiring conversation with David Lester, Co-founder at Olipop. There’s an alchemy to relationships, including the ones between co-founders. David Lester, co-founder at good-for-you-soda company, OLIPOP, first heard about his future business partner, Ben Goodwin, while he was quitting his 10-year job at global beverage giant Diageo. His then boss thought they’d work well together. The first meeting between entrepreneurs was memorable as Ben showed up with a bag of home-made soda. The pair went on to run a kefir beverage startup, followed by OLIPOP. Packed with healthy prebiotics and a tenth the sugar of regular, OLIPOP brilliantly markets taste, health and nostalgia while drawing 50% of revenues through online channels, just a few of Lester’s marketing feats.  In this episode you’ll learn: Soda psychology is grounded in our earliest memories. Three-quarters of the population is trying to make healthy adjustments.  When something seems stupid, that’s your cue to figure out a better way. That humility will take you from knowing nothing to expertise. Data science surrounds us, but your soul processes the insights Brought to you by Mekanism.  

This week, we're revisiting our amazing conversation with Julia Perez, CMO at OWYN from May 2023.Julia is a New York born, Miami-based marketing executive with a deep understanding of high-growth, healthier-for-you food and beverage startups. With more than 10 years of experience working for brands like Red Bull, Hain Celestial, RSP Nutrition, and CORE Water, it’s actually kind of her superpower. Her continued success in the health and wellness space led her to the role of Chief Marketing Officer at OWYN, which stands for Only What You Need, a plant-based nutrition company best known for its ready-to-drink protein shakes. OWYN is currently the #1 best selling plant protein shake in the US.  In this episode you’ll learn:  How OWYN is cleaning up the sports nutrition industry with transparency, education, and empowering messaging Where Julia stands on the Ozempic trend and how OWYN fits in  Why you shouldn’t forget about the big picture when looking at segmented data The value of being an early adopter and in love with your industry Brought to you by Mekanism.