BEYOND THE BRAND

In this episode, Caroline Pay (Ex. Headspace, Mother, BBH, Grey) discusses the creative layer that sits between a brief and the work that comes back, and why, in her experience, it is almost always missing.The brief lands with a designer. The thinking that should happen in between — the strategic and conceptual work that turns a problem into something distinctive — gets skipped. The result is work that looks like everything else, teams that can't move fast without losing quality, and brands that never quite compound.Caroline spent 20 years at agencies including Mother and BBH before becoming CCO at Headspace, where she built a brand system tight enough to hold its own against Disney, Netflix, Nike, and Spotify.She draws on that experience to explain what the missing layer is, how to build it, and why hiring a designer and calling it a creative team isn't the same.This episode is for every senior marketer who suspects their creative process is the problem but hasn't been able to name why.Caroline Pay on LinkedIn

In this episode, Peter Markey talks about life as a CMO of a heritage brand and the need to adapt. Consumers change, categories mature, and competitors want to take your hard-earned market share. At the same time, your brand only grows if it stands for something clear and consistent.Pete draws on his time leading marketing at Boots, TSB, Aviva and the Post Office to explain how to manage that in large organisations.He shares how strong marketing leaders can take advantage of all that heritage, but also build for the future.They make deliberate choices about what stays constant and what genuinely needs to evolve.A fascinating episode for anyone interested in peering into the mind of one of the best marketers in modern retail.Peter Markey on LinkedIn

84% of marketers report experiencing imposter syndrome.It reflects the reality of working in a discipline built on ambiguity.In this conversation, Professor Laura Chamberlain explains why marketing operates in shades of grey, while teams are still expected to deliver clear ROI narratives and confident answers.When your work depends on context, judgement and human behaviour, doubt isn’t a defect. It’s a signal that the problem is complex.In this conversation, Laura and Adam explore:→ why more knowledge doesn’t automatically resolve self doubt→ why resilience is built through everyday practices, not crisis moments→ why marketing still works on human beings, not algorithms→ how frameworks help you think more clearly when certainty isn’t availableIf you’ve ever had to defend a budget, justify a decision, or speak with confidence when the data tells an incomplete story, this episode will feel familiar.It offers a steadier way to think under pressure and a more realistic understanding of what professional confidence requires.

Many senior brand managers believe that only new ventures can deliver big wins. This conversation shows why unlocking value in established brands can create sustainable growth. Jordan Schlipf left the excitement of building tech startups to lead Cowshed, a heritage bath and body beauty brand. He explains how modernising an existing brand, building a trusted team and using measured risk can unlock dormant potential.Jordan has built and invested in numerous technology companies, co‑founded the Startup Bootcamp accelerator and now serves as the hired CEO of Cowshed, part of the Soho House group. His blend of entrepreneurial grit and operational discipline gives him a rare perspective on growth and risk.Listeners will discover:How unlocking hidden value in legacy brands can lower risk and open new opportunities for scale.Why recruiting exceptional talent and setting a clear vision are a CEO’s primary responsibilities.How to wake a “sleeping giant” by modernising product development and bringing creative edge back to a heritage brand.What it takes to build trust when you are not the founder and do not come from the category.How measured creativity in product names and home fragrance can reignite brand love.This episode is a must‑listen for leaders responsible for growing established consumer brands or rethinking their growth strategy. Jordan’s reflections will help you see how mature businesses can become growth engines when you align vision, talent and strategy.Guest links:Jordan Schlipf on LinkedInCowshed official site

Hannah Parvaz, founder and CEO of Aperture and former music-industry pro turned growth leader, blends customer psychology with creative experimentation. She discusses treating growth as continuous testing, using Jobs to Be Done to uncover motivations, building a creative operating system for repeatable ad winners, and combining AI tools with human insight to speed creative velocity.

Marketers talk about being consumer first. Louise Troen, CMO at Clue actually operates that way.In this episode, she explains why no one cares about your product, why most strategies fail before they begin, and why the future of marketing starts with closing a human gap not hitting a business metric.Lou shares how she built mission-led brands at Bumble, Headspace and now Clue by putting emotional truth and creative clarity above noise and performance theatre. She breaks down the discipline of starting with the human problem, the courage required to throw away weak ideas, and the practical ways to measure brand work without pretending it’s magic.If you want an honest, sharp and deeply practical conversation about building brands that matter at scale, this is the episode.Learn more about Clue here: https://helloclue.com/Connect with Lou here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louise-troen-1895a235/

Tessa Tysome has one of the most unconventional and instructive careers in modern marketing. A Global Brand and Growth Strategist, Fractional CMO, eCommerce and Digital leader, and Soho House Creative Network mentor, she has shaped brands at Meta, Nike, L’Oréal, Diageo and PepsiCo before launching her own consultancy.Her journey spans continents and categories, but the real value is how she thinks. Tessa brings sharp perspective on creating coherence across the funnel, understanding culture at a local level, building teams that move fast, and knowing when to break from the rulebook entirely.This is not a linear career story. It is a blueprint for marketers who want to grow with intent, make better decisions, and build brands that stand up in the real world.If you want insight you can actually use, this episode will give you plenty to work with without giving everything away.Connect with Tessa Tysome on Linkedin

Bridget Hirst, Head of Brand at DASH Water, joins us to explore how a young soft drinks company is preparing to take on the giants.She explains the mix of discipline and creative instinct behind DASH’s rise, shaped by her years on Lucozade and Ribena at Suntory and sharpened through her work at Proper Snacks.Bridget talks through why DASH has stayed focused on its core range while other brands chase trends, how the team models shifting consumer behaviour as people move away from both sugar and artificial sweeteners, and why taste remains the real battleground in soft drinks.She also shares the story behind DASH’s first TV campaign, a creative risk that could have gone either way and instead became a defining moment for the brand.This episode looks at the practical side of challenger growth. How to prioritise. How to avoid dilution. How to build a brand people are proud to be seen with.For anyone interested in the thinking behind bold creative leaps or in the mindset required to scale a challenger, Bridget’s approach offers rare clarity.🎧 Beyond the Brand is brought to you by ⁠Sampl⁠, the smarter way for brands to turn product trial into measurable growth.

Olivia Mae Hanlon turned a one woman side project into Girls in Marketing, a global community of more than half a million marketers. Now as co-founder of Passata, an AI productivity tool built to make work more personal and effective, she is redefining what balance looks like for modern founders and marketers.In this episode, Olivia joins Adam Wright to talk about the realities of building a business around your passion, how to create a community that grows with its members, how to recognise the signs of burnout before it takes over, and how to find purpose again when your work becomes your identity.This is an honest conversation about growth, leadership and the pursuit of balance in a world that celebrates busyness.Connect with Olivia Mae HanlonLinkedIn | Instagram | Girls in Marketing | Passata🎧 Beyond the Brand is brought to you by Sampl, the smarter way for brands to turn product trial into measurable growth.

In this episode of Beyond the Brand, Adam Wright and Matt Huntly chat with Rossana Doldi, Marketing and Strategy Director at Church & Dwight. Rossana has shaped global brands across P&G, Reckitt, and now Church & Dwight, where she oversees everything from beauty icons like Batiste dry shampoo to trusted healthcare brands like Anusol, as well as intimate skincare products such as Femfresh. She shares how her luxury roots inform mass-market creativity, how to drive attention in crowded categories, and how to reframe stories in even the most awkward spaces.Key takeaways▶ Emotional framing, humour, and simplicity are key to breaking through in ‘unsexy’ or taboo categories.▶ Value doesn’t mean cheap. Consumers want a psychological ROI and actively mix channels to find it.▶ Great campaigns repeat one clear message over time. Brands often lose attention by trying to say too much.Why listen▶ Hear how a leading FMCG brand leader balances global strategy with local creativity▶ Learn how to adapt marketing strategies across different categories.▶ Get practical examples of how to use humour and reframing in brand storytelling.▶ Understand the role of AI in shaping trends, insights, and media planning (without losing the human)One final thing....If you enjoyed this episode, follow Beyond the Brand and leave us a review to help more marketers find the show.