Claim OwnershipIn Clear Focus
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IN CLEAR FOCUS is a weekly podcast offering fresh perspectives on marketing and advertising from experienced practitioners and notable thought leaders. With topics relevant to B2C and B2B marketers, we discuss strategy, branding, media, creative, and analytics. And there's a monthly book club featuring exclusive interviews with authors and discounts on featured titles. Level up your marketing with IN CLEAR FOCUS. New episodes every Tuesday, wherever you listen to podcasts.
311 Episodes
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IN CLEAR FOCUS: Jon-Stephen Stansel, the author of the Bigeye Book Club selection, "The 10 Principles of Social Media Management," explains why human judgment remains essential: "AI can do a lot, but it doesn't have taste." Jon also discusses timeless principles for effective social media, drawn from his work on franchises such as "The Lord of the Rings." Learn why social media is not a one-person job, how to create a consistent brand voice, and why there's no such thing as a boring brand.
IN CLEAR FOCUS: Forget chasing big-name podcasts. This week's guest, publicist Christina Lenkowski, reveals why the real money is in guesting on niche shows packed with your ideal audience. She explains how to use podcast guesting as powerful earned media to be someone prospects "know, like, and trust." Learn the secrets to a successful pitch, the importance of service over self-promotion, how to avoid common mistakes, and why this strategy is a long-game for generating warm, qualified leads.
IN CLEAR FOCUS: Thom Mozloom of The M Network discusses why brands like Bud Light and Cracker Barrel face backlash. He argues their marketers don't understand, or even like, their core audience. Thom explains how to navigate controversy with honesty and why values-driven marketing, not just purpose-led, is key to building loyalty. He also shares fresh research on news consumption and why he believes attention spans haven't shrunk but tolerance for bad content has.
IN CLEAR FOCUS: Jessica Gillingham, author of "Tech-Enabled Hospitality," explores how tech is reshaping hospitality marketing and the guest journey. She discusses the challenge of marketing to digital natives who expect a seamless journey from search to booking. Jessica explains how data silos and reliance on OTAs prevent true personalization and building direct guest relationships. Learn how marketers can create loyalty beyond points and shift from per-night transactions to customer LTV.
IN CLEAR FOCUS: For our 300th episode, strategist Ulli Appelbaum, author of "The Science of Brand Associations," reveals why brand associations are the operating system of marketing. He explains how brands exist as memory networks, and why their strength predicts 80% of future purchases. Ulli also discusses his evidence-based framework, grounded in neuroscience, for building stronger associations that drive growth and command premium prices. Hear why advertising should reinforce brand memory through associations.
IN CLEAR FOCUS: Guest Amanda Patterson, founder of Rocket Fuel Labs, discusses the rise of fractional CMOs and shares practical tips on developing effective marketing for startups and scaleups. Drawing from her experience scaling MINDBODY from $30M to $200M, Amanda details a data-driven "bottoms-up" plan for efficient growth. She explains why "brand builds demand," the underrated power of customer journey mapping, and how to de-risk marketing spend for quick wins in a high-stakes environment.
IN CLEAR FOCUS: Veteran copywriter Nick Usborne explains how to combat "brand drift" with a story-first, AI-powered content strategy. Nick introduces his Story Aligned framework, arguing that a brand's unique story is its only defensible moat against the "sameness trap." He reveals why marketers must lead with story when prompting AI. Learn how to use structured prompts to scale content while preserving the human touch and authentic brand communication that builds lasting trust.
IN CLEAR FOCUS: To mark Hispanic Heritage Month, strategists Kathy Guzmán Galloway and Alex Santiago join host Karen Jimenez to explore how brands can authentically connect with Hispanic consumers. They discuss why cultural context matters more than literal translation, the importance of diverse teams, and how consumer immersions uncover deep insights. Learn why "multicultural is mainstream" and how to move beyond superficial tactics to build genuine relationships with this influential audience.
IN CLEAR FOCUS: Sorin Patilinet of PepsiCo and author of "Marketing Effectiveness" shares his scientific approach to brand growth. Sorin explains why marketers must look beyond just advertising to all levers of effectiveness, from pricing to packaging. He introduces his Engineering Marketing Framework, discusses why brands grow through penetration, not loyalty, and explores the balance between creativity and analytics. Hear Sorin's evidence-based principles for creating sustainable brand growth.
IN CLEAR FOCUS: Jen Moss of JAR Podcast Solutions explains how brands can create podcasts audiences love. Jen reveals why most branded podcasts fail—they're boring and too promotional—and shares her "JAR" (Job, Audience, Result) system for success. Using case studies from clients like Amazon, she details how to offer true value instead of a sales pitch. Learn how to choose between audio and video, engage specific audiences, and achieve measurable business results through strategic storytelling.
IN CLEAR FOCUS: Hollywood executive turned tech CEO Steven Puri of The Sukha Co shares his playbook for leading remote creative teams. Drawing lessons from producing special effects for blockbuster films like Independence Day, Steven reveals the science behind "flow states" and how to create conditions for deep, meaningful work. He discusses overcoming procrastination, the creative power of working on "the other thing," and why leaders must protect uninterrupted time for their teams to thrive.
IN CLEAR FOCUS: Kristen Sweeney, founder of B2B content agency Every Little Word, joins us to explore common content strategy challenges and how brands can overcome internal roadblocks. She shares how to identify and empower internal subject matter experts, extract authentic thought leadership, and repurpose content effectively. Kristen also offers practical insights for marketing teams seeking to scale their content efforts without compromising quality.
IN CLEAR FOCUS: Author and ad tech veteran Ari Paparo joins the podcast to discuss his new book, "Yield: How Google Bought, Built and Bullied Its Way to Advertising Dominance." Hear how Google became the center of the digital ad ecosystem by controlling the publisher ad server, ad exchange, and ad network. Ari also reveals how the company leveraged its power with secret initiatives like 'Project Bernanke' and what the ongoing antitrust trial and a potential breakup could mean for the industry.
IN CLEAR FOCUS: Kevin Perlmutter, author of the new book, "Brand Desire," returns to discuss emotional insights in brand strategy. Kevin shares his Limbic Sparks methodology, emphasizing a shift from "about us" to "for you" thinking. Learn how brands can uncover shared emotional motivations, craft compelling benefits, and design experiences that truly resonate. Discover how to avoid clichés, apply emotional intelligence, and lead with a customer-centric mindset for lasting brand evolution.
IN CLEAR FOCUS: Richard White, CEO of AI meeting assistant Fathom, discusses his counterintuitive marketing strategy that generated 70% of signups via word-of-mouth. Richard explains why he waited nearly five years to hire a marketer, focusing instead on creating "superfans" through a robust free product and exceptional customer delight. He shares why marketing is "rocket fuel" that can be disastrous without product-market fit and details the future of AI in transforming meeting productivity.
IN CLEAR FOCUS: Nicole Powell, founder of Halcon Marketing Solutions, reveals how neuromarketing uncovers the subconscious drivers behind purchasing decisions. Nicole explains how to create "magnetic" brand messaging by focusing on emotion over logic. She contrasts neuromarketing with traditional research, discusses common marketing mistakes, and details the cyclical relationship between brand strategy and marketing tactics. Learn how to build a strategically relevant brand that resonates.
IN CLEAR FOCUS: Shane H. Tepper, co-founder of AI Friendly, details how generative AI impacts brand discoverability and why now is a "peak ideas person" moment for creative professionals. He outlines the shift from traditional SEO to Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), where AI synthesizes real-time responses. Shane also highlights the importance of adapting content for AI platforms, leveraging third-party validation, and prioritizing continuous relevance for brands in an evolving landscape.
IN CLEAR FOCUS: Kate Hardcastle MBE, aka "The Customer Whisperer," is the author of "The Science of Shopping," exploring how consumer psychology and innovation are reshaping retail. Kate discusses "The Buyerarchy of Needs," emotional drivers, digital transformation, personalization, and the theatrical evolution of brick-and-mortar stores. Learn key pricing strategies and the biggest mistakes brands make in consumer engagement, emphasizing the importance of listening and building authentic trust.
IN CLEAR FOCUS: Jay Mandel, founder of the Marketing Accountability Council, makes a return appearance to address the erosion of consumer trust in today's marketing landscape. Jay explains why the traditional playbook is dead, sharing outdated tactics for the "marketing graveyard." He discusses strategic restraint, using examples from Nike and Lush, and warns of the "Great Attention Heist" in the AI era. Learn how accountability, transparency, and value can build sincere, lasting brands.
IN CLEAR FOCUS: Guests Shanté Micah and Joshua Moody, co-founders of Good News, reveal how earned media builds unmatched credibility in today's fragmented attention landscape. They discuss the Good News Blueprint for systematic PR success, outdated practices to avoid, data-driven audience targeting, and creating compelling pitches under 200 words. Listen now to discover strategies for turning earned media coverage into lasting business assets.
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