Breaking and Entering Advertising Podcast

Welcome to BrandSide from Breaking and Entering Media, where we spotlight top marketing executives from innovative brands. In this episode, host Geno Schellenberger chats with Ronak Patel, VP of Marketing at MoonBrew, a sleep supplement brand focused on improving rest and recovery without melatonin. Ronak reveals the bold marketing moves that shifted MoonBrew from a daytime energy brand to a rising player in the sleep wellness market. Tune in to hear how strategic pivots and data-driven insights are helping this emerging brand gain momentum. Connect with Ronak: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronakpatel98/Check Out Breaking and Entering Media’s New Website: https://www.breaking-entering.com/

JPMorgan Chase is taking cues from fashion to redefine what a credit card can be. Chief Brand Officer Leanne Fremar joins Breaking and Entering Media to share how her background at Gucci, Ralph Lauren, and Starbucks shaped a bold new campaign that treats the Sapphire Reserve like a luxury handbag. We dive into building brands in-house, collaborating with icons like Claudia Schiffer and Hailey Bieber, and why creativity is the key to making finance feel aspirational.More from Breaking and Entering Media:💼 Follow on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/breaking-entering-podcast/📖 Read our Publications https://www.breaking-entering.com/blog💬 Join our Unlocked GroupMe https://groupme.com/join_group/102437585/xg5Z5tei✉️ Subscribe to The Vault https://breakingandenteringadv.substack.com/📹 Subscribe to our :60 Advertising News Videos https://breakingandentering.beehiiv.com/🏆 Check out the Crowbar Awards to break into advertising https://www.crowbarawards.com/🤝 Work With Us - Email: breakingandentering@smoothmedia.co

Michelle McSorley has made agencies and campaigns famous. From her time leading PR at Nike to building EM2 Communications, she has mastered the art of getting creative work in the spotlight. In this episode, she shares the secrets to turning agencies, campaigns, and even young professionals into household names. If you want to learn how to get noticed, win new business, and stand out in the industry, this is the playbook.More from Breaking and Entering Media:💼 Follow on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/breaking-entering-podcast/📖 Read our Publications https://www.breaking-entering.com/blog💬 Join our Unlocked GroupMe https://groupme.com/join_group/102437585/xg5Z5tei✉️ Subscribe to The Vault https://breakingandenteringadv.substack.com/📹 Subscribe to our :60 Advertising News Videos https://breakingandentering.beehiiv.com/🏆 Check out the Crowbar Awards to break into advertising https://www.crowbarawards.com/🤝 Work With Us - Email: breakingandentering@smoothmedia.co

Tiffany Rolfe has lived a career filled with bold bets and unforgettable moments. She tells us about leaving Oklahoma for LA with nothing but ambition, pitching a wild idea to Steve Jobs, and turning a $30 domain name into $30,000. From binge watching Love Island to leading R/GA through high pressure headlines, Tiffany proves that creativity is about risk, reinvention, and a little chaos along the way.More from Breaking and Entering Media:💼 Follow on LinkedIn⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/company/breaking-entering-podcast/⁠📖 Read our Publications⁠ https://www.breaking-entering.com/blog⁠💬 Join our Unlocked GroupMe⁠ https://groupme.com/join_group/102437585/xg5Z5tei⁠✉️ Subscribe to The Vault⁠ https://breakingandenteringadv.substack.com/⁠📹 Subscribe to our :60 Advertising News Videos⁠ https://breakingandentering.beehiiv.com/⁠🏆 Check out the Crowbar Awards to break into advertising⁠ https://www.crowbarawards.com/⁠🤝 Work With Us - Email: ⁠breakingandentering@smoothmedia.co⁠ 

Karl Lieberman, Global Chief Creative Officer of Wieden+Kennedy, joins Breaking and Entering Advertising to share the story behind his rise from struggling art director to leading one of the most iconic independent agencies in the world. He opens up about the pivotal moment that unlocked his creative voice, how the Dos Equis “Most Interesting Man” campaign was born, and why independence is everything at W+K. Karl also reveals the inside story of the Grimace Shake going viral on TikTok, what it takes to succeed in your 20s, and the programs W+K runs to help the next generation break in. This conversation is packed with lessons on creativity, resilience, and how to bend the brief to your will.More from Breaking and Entering Media:💼 Follow on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/breaking-entering-podcast/📖 Read our Publications https://www.breaking-entering.com/blog💬 Join our Unlocked GroupMe https://groupme.com/join_group/102437585/xg5Z5tei✉️ Subscribe to The Vault https://breakingandenteringadv.substack.com/📹 Subscribe to our :60 Advertising News Videos https://breakingandentering.beehiiv.com/🏆 Check out the Crowbar Awards to break into advertising https://www.crowbarawards.com/🤝 Work With Us - Email: breakingandentering@smoothmedia.co 

Jeff Kling is the mind behind some of the most legendary campaigns in advertising history. From Miller High Life to Arby’s “We Have the Meats” to the iconic Dos Equis “Most Interesting Man in the World,” Jeff has shaped culture with his words and ideas. In this episode, he opens up about the struggles of selling bold work, the truth about why most advertising misses the mark, and the lessons he learned from decades at Fallon, Wieden+Kennedy, and beyond. Hear the real story behind naming Hims, and why strategy matters more than repetition. If you want to know what it really takes to make work that changes the game, this is a conversation you cannot miss.More from Breaking and Entering Media:💼 Follow on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/breaking-entering-podcast/📖 Read our Publications https://www.breaking-entering.com/blog💬 Join our Unlocked GroupMe https://groupme.com/join_group/102437585/xg5Z5tei✉️ Subscribe to The Vault https://breakingandenteringadv.substack.com/📹 Subscribe to our :60 Advertising News Videos https://breakingandentering.beehiiv.com/🏆 Check out the Crowbar Awards to break into advertising https://www.crowbarawards.com/🤝 Work With Us - Email: breakingandentering@smoothmedia.co 

Spangler Candy just shook up the industry with Ghosted Sweethearts, a Halloween launch that flips the script on Valentine’s Day. In this episode of Breaking and Entering News, Evan Brock, VP of Marketing at Spangler Candy, reveals how the brand turned modern dating struggles into a viral product. From situationships to ghosting, discover how Sweethearts is owning the cultural conversation, why blank candy hearts might be the boldest move yet, and what it takes to keep a 100-year-old brand at the center of today’s trends.More from Breaking and Entering Media:💼 Follow on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/breaking-entering-podcast/📖 Read our Publications https://www.breaking-entering.com/blog💬 Join our Unlocked GroupMe https://groupme.com/join_group/102437585/xg5Z5tei✉️ Subscribe to The Vault https://breakingandenteringadv.substack.com/📹 Subscribe to our :60 Advertising News Videos https://breakingandentering.beehiiv.com/🏆 Check out the Crowbar Awards to break into advertising https://www.crowbarawards.com/🤝 Work With Us - Email: breakingandentering@smoothmedia.co

Senior Agencies Reporter Brian Bonilla (Ad Age) joins Geno Schellenberger (Breaking and Entering Media) for a Labor Day special covering the biggest shifts in the agency world, from AI tools to in-housing trends to indie shops scoring major wins.What you’ll learn in this episode:Why brands want agencies as in-house enablers (creative consulting + AI guidance)The latest on Dentsu’s shake-up and what it could mean for the marketWhy T-Mobile pulled creative in-house and who’s still on the rosterHow Opinionated won Shake Shack and what that pitch looked likeThe RTO model with receipts: Motion Agency’s 88 WFH daysBig people moves: Asia West exits W+K Portland after 17 yearsThe rise of pitch theater (yes, one agency built a fake White Castle)NYC culture checks: Mojo Supermarket’s new space, Mechanism at Hudson Yards⏱️ Timestamps00:00 Labor Day cold open01:05 Rapid fire: creativity, inspirations, J. Cole for a dollar, Invincible on Prime04:40 Favorite city and travel take06:10 Best recent read: robot vacuums + RoboRock Q509:10 Streetwear chat and Whatnot finds11:20 Agency model shift: enabling in-house teams + AI guidance15:20 Who’s gaining momentum: Brandtech, Known, PMG, ITG17:10 Dentsu’s bankers and international options20:05 T-Mobile in-housing and creative roster23:10 Opinionated’s Shake Shack win explained26:10 QSR round-up: White Castle, Dairy Queen, pitch theater29:15 Motion Agency’s RTO model with data33:10 Asia West exits W+K Portland35:00 NYC agency spaces: Mojo, Mechanism, Dumbo vs. Chinatown38:00 Tease of the next B&E projectMore from Breaking and Entering Media:💼 Follow on LinkedInDaily insights, creative breakdowns, and industry news.https://www.linkedin.com/company/breaking-entering-podcast/📖 Read our Publicationshttps://www.breaking-entering.com/blog💬 Join our Unlocked GroupMeFor aspiring advertising professionals and job announcements.https://groupme.com/join_group/102437585/xg5Z5tei✉️ Subscribe to The VaultOur insider newsletter with real advice and deep dives.https://breakingandenteringadv.substack.com/📹 Subscribe to our :60 Advertising News Videoshttps://breakingandentering.beehiiv.com/🏆 Check out the Crowbar Awards to break into advertisinghttps://www.crowbarawards.com/🤝 Work With UsFor sponsorships, custom content, or partnerships:jack@breakenterpod.com#Advertising #AdAge #Agencies #AI #InHousing #ShakeShack #BreakingAndEntering #Podcast

Eric Rojas went from working in a pharmacy and cutting boards at Deutsch to leading his own New York City agency. In this episode of Breaking and Entering Advertising, he shares how a high school ad class sparked his passion, why he studied psychology before switching into advertising, and how persistence helped him move from art director to creative director. Eric also reveals what he learned building brands like Vitamin Water, Pirate’s Booty, and Spectrum, and why starting Six + One was the most defining step of his career. This is a conversation about grit, growth, and the power of believing in your own path.More from Breaking and Entering Media:💼 Follow on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/breaking-entering-podcast/📖 Read our Publications https://www.breaking-entering.com/blog💬 Join our Unlocked GroupMe https://groupme.com/join_group/102437585/xg5Z5tei✉️ Subscribe to The Vault https://breakingandenteringadv.substack.com/📹 Subscribe to our :60 Advertising News Videos https://breakingandentering.beehiiv.com/🏆 Check out the Crowbar Awards to break into advertising https://www.crowbarawards.com/🤝 Work With Us - Email: breakingandentering@smoothmedia.co 

What does it take to spend your entire career at one agency and rise all the way to CEO? Tom Denari has been at Young and Laramore for 36 years, starting at half salary and working his way up to the top. In this episode of Breaking and Entering Advertising, Tom shares why he chose loyalty over job hopping, the lessons he learned from building a national agency in Indianapolis, and how long-term commitment shaped both his leadership and creativity. From the Steak ‘n Shake campaigns that put the agency on the map to evolving strategy and creative into a true team sport, Tom’s story is proof that staying in one place can be the most daring career move of all.More from Breaking and Entering Media:💼 Follow on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/breaking-entering-podcast/📖 Read our Publications https://www.breaking-entering.com/blog💬 Join our Unlocked GroupMe https://groupme.com/join_group/102437585/xg5Z5tei✉️ Subscribe to The Vault https://breakingandenteringadv.substack.com/📹 Subscribe to our :60 Advertising News Videos https://breakingandentering.beehiiv.com/🏆 Check out the Crowbar Awards to break into advertising https://www.crowbarawards.com/🤝 Work With Us - Email: breakingandentering@smoothmedia.co

Haymaker started in LA with nothing but a borrowed laptop and a big idea. Eight years later they are officially opening their doors in New York City. In this episode Jay Kamath and Matt Johnson share how a vision board turned into reality, what it really takes to expand without investors, and why Madison Avenue still matters. From scrappy beginnings to pitching Coca-Cola, this is the story of betting big on creativity and throwing haymakers in the biggest ad market in the world.More from Breaking and Entering Media:💼 Follow on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/breaking-entering-podcast/📖 Read our Publications https://www.breaking-entering.com/blog💬 Join our Unlocked GroupMe https://groupme.com/join_group/102437585/xg5Z5tei✉️ Subscribe to The Vault https://breakingandenteringadv.substack.com/📹 Subscribe to our :60 Advertising News Videos https://breakingandentering.beehiiv.com/🏆 Check out the Crowbar Awards to break into advertising https://www.crowbarawards.com/🤝 Work With Us - Email: breakingandentering@smoothmedia.co 

Malobi Dasgupta was supposed to be a chemist. Instead she wrote one email, moved to Paris, and now helps run the agency that’s been crowned Cannes Agency of the Year… twice. We get into how Publicis Conseil actually pulls it off, why spec work still matters, and the lessons every young creative can steal to make their own way in.More from Breaking and Entering Media:💼 Follow on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/breaking-entering-podcast/📖 Read our Publications https://www.breaking-entering.com/blog💬 Join our Unlocked GroupMe https://groupme.com/join_group/102437585/xg5Z5tei✉️ Subscribe to The Vault https://breakingandenteringadv.substack.com/📹 Subscribe to our :60 Advertising News Videos https://breakingandentering.beehiiv.com/🏆 Check out the Crowbar Awards to break into advertising https://www.crowbarawards.com/🤝 Work With Us - Email: breakingandentering@smoothmedia.co 

The Breaking and Entering Advertising Podcast is usually about others. But today, Geno turns the mic on himself. After interviewing hundreds of ad professionals, he’s sharing his own path into the industry. You’ll hear:How Mad Men inspired him to pursue advertisingWhy his first internships shaped, but didn’t define, his careerThe pivotal moment when persistence got him an Edelman interviewHow the pandemic sparked the launch of Breaking and EnteringThe three steps he teaches every aspiring ad pro: Nerd Up, Work Up, Cool UpIf you’re just starting out in advertising, or need a reminder that the path is never linear, this episode is for you.More from Breaking and Entering Media:💼 Follow on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/breaking-entering-podcast/📖 Read our Publications https://www.breaking-entering.com/blog💬 Join our Unlocked GroupMe https://groupme.com/join_group/102437585/xg5Z5tei✉️ Subscribe to The Vault https://breakingandenteringadv.substack.com/📹 Subscribe to our :60 Advertising News Videos https://breakingandentering.beehiiv.com/🏆 Check out the Crowbar Awards to break into advertising https://www.crowbarawards.com/🤝 Work With Us - Email: breakingandentering@smoothmedia.co

Nancy Reyes didn’t plan on advertising. In fact, she walked into her first agency job thinking she’d be a writer and walked out an account person. Now she’s the global president and CEO of BBDO, steering one of the biggest names in the game toward bigger, bolder, weirder ideas. We talk breaking in through a fifth grade scholarship program, why she loves a fixer upper agency, the problem with “advertising equals TV,” and why AI won’t replace you unless you let it. Plus, she confesses her Love Island habit. More from Breaking and Entering Media:💼 Follow on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/breaking-entering-podcast/📖 Read our Publications https://www.breaking-entering.com/blog💬 Join our Unlocked GroupMe https://groupme.com/join_group/102437585/xg5Z5tei✉️ Subscribe to The Vault https://breakingandenteringadv.substack.com/📹 Subscribe to our :60 Advertising News Videos https://breakingandentering.beehiiv.com/🏆 Check out the Crowbar Awards to break into advertising https://www.crowbarawards.com/🤝 Work With Us - Email: breakingandentering@smoothmedia.co 

Gabriel Schmitt, Global Chief Creative Officer at Grey, joins us to share his journey from getting fired at 19 to leading a global agency network. He reveals how a Sharpie campaign won his first Cannes Gold Lion and changed his career forever. Gabriel breaks down how he leads creative teams, his 20% rule for staying irreplaceable, and why he believes clarity is a creative’s superpower. This is a must-listen for anyone looking to break into advertising and stay at the top.

Brooke Brown didn’t follow a straight path to the top. From public transit marketing to agency life, to becoming SVP and Head of Brand and Creative at US Bank, her career is built on unexpected moves and smart risks. In this episode, Brooke shares how secret shopping led her to a job, why she left jobs everyone wanted, and how she built one of the highest-performing brand campaigns in the company’s history. Plus, advice for creatives, strategists, and marketers on how to collaborate with ease and lead without burning out.More from Breaking and Entering Media:💼 Follow on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/breaking-entering-podcast/📖 Read our Publicationshttps://www.breaking-entering.com/blog💬 Join our Unlocked GroupMehttps://groupme.com/join_group/102437585/xg5Z5tei✉️ Subscribe to The Vaulthttps://breakingandenteringadv.substack.com/📹 Subscribe to our :60 Advertising News Videoshttps://breakingandentering.beehiiv.com/🏆 Check out the Crowbar Awards to break into advertisinghttps://www.crowbarawards.com/🤝 Work With Usjack@breakenterpod.com

Davis Priestley knew early on he wanted to tell stories. In this episode, he unpacks his unconventional path into the industry, from early film sets to founding Revery, the global storytelling studio behind campaigns for Google Play, Delta, and Disney. He and Geno talk craft, leadership, values-driven work, and why the future belongs to creators who think beyond the brief.More from Breaking and Entering Media:💼 Follow on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/breaking-entering-podcast/📖 Read our Publicationshttps://www.breaking-entering.com/blog💬 Join our Unlocked GroupMehttps://groupme.com/join_group/102437585/xg5Z5tei✉️ Subscribe to The Vaulthttps://breakingandenteringadv.substack.com/📹 Subscribe to our :60 Advertising News Videoshttps://breakingandentering.beehiiv.com/🏆 Check out the Crowbar Awards to break into advertisinghttps://www.crowbarawards.com/🤝 Work With Usjack@breakenterpod.com

Lorenzo Costa didn’t wait for permission to build a new kind of agency. He just started. At 25, he’s already the CEO of Link Creative, a Chicago-based shop that's turning legacy brands into digital natives. In this episode, we talk about building in-house intentionally, why your own brand should be your best client, and how DJing laid the groundwork for agency leadership. It’s a crash course in content-led growth, Gen Z hustle, and rejecting the traditional agency blueprint. For anyone looking to just go for it, this one’s for you. More from Breaking and Entering Media:💼 Follow on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/breaking-entering-podcast/📖 Read our Publicationshttps://www.breaking-entering.com/blog💬 Join our Unlocked GroupMehttps://groupme.com/join_group/102437585/xg5Z5tei✉️ Subscribe to The Vaulthttps://breakingandenteringadv.substack.com/📹 Subscribe to our :60 Advertising News Videoshttps://breakingandentering.beehiiv.com/🏆 Check out the Crowbar Awards to break into advertisinghttps://www.crowbarawards.com/🤝 Work With Usjack@breakenterpod.com

Chad Waetzig, CMO of Crunch Fitness, joins us to talk scaling a fitness empire, redefining gym culture, and making serious fitness fun. From P&G finance to brand building across 500 locations, Chad shares how he broke in, leveled up, and why your abs don’t need abs to feel good here.Also covered: crashing cars, MBA myths, and why marketing isn’t just ads. More from Breaking and Entering Media:💼 Follow on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/breaking-entering-podcast/📖 Read our Publicationshttps://www.breaking-entering.com/blog💬 Join our Unlocked GroupMehttps://groupme.com/join_group/102437585/xg5Z5tei✉️ Subscribe to The Vaulthttps://breakingandenteringadv.substack.com/📹 Subscribe to our :60 Advertising News Videoshttps://breakingandentering.beehiiv.com/🏆 Check out the Crowbar Awards to break into advertisinghttps://www.crowbarawards.com/🤝 Work With Usjack@breakenterpod.com

Frances Webster co-founded Walrus, won Breeze without pitching, and invented a mint strong enough for your boss’s boss. She calls it calculated misbehavior. We call it a heist. In this episode, she talks business mints, chicken festivals, heli-skiing, and the art of getting brands to notice you. Plus, how to break into advertising with grit and a whole bunch of big ideas.More from Breaking and Entering Media:💼 Follow on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/breaking-entering-podcast/📖 Read our Publicationshttps://www.breaking-entering.com/blog💬 Join our Unlocked GroupMehttps://groupme.com/join_group/102437585/xg5Z5tei✉️ Subscribe to The Vaulthttps://breakingandenteringadv.substack.com/📹 Subscribe to our :60 Advertising News Videoshttps://breakingandentering.beehiiv.com/🏆 Check out the Crowbar Awards to break into advertisinghttps://www.crowbarawards.com/🤝 Work With Usjack@breakenterpod.com