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/

Ben Levy is the presentation coach of the ad industry and the person agencies call when they want their ideas to actually land in the room. In this episode, Ben breaks down why most decks are working against you, how to stop killing your own ideas with overbuilt slides, and the simple framework he uses to make presentations clearer, tighter, and more persuasive. He also shares his unconventional path into advertising, what today’s creatives should really focus on when trying to break in, and why learning to present early can completely change your career trajectory. If you have ever sat through a painful pitch or felt your best idea fall flat, 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

This quarter’s Blue Crowbar episode brings together future creatives and one of the most respected leaders in advertising. Fallon CEO, Nikki Baker joins the show to judge the winning campaign from Marisa Brown and Megan Sharpe, two juniors at Marist University who took home Best in Show for their holiday brief for Dollar Tree.The conversation breaks down their insight-driven campaign built around surviving chaotic family holidays, from out-of-home and social to a fully gamified digital experience and a modern twist on the holiday catalog. Nikki shares what made the work stand out, how she would push it further in a real agency setting, and what young creatives should focus on as they prepare to break into the industry.It is a masterclass in turning human truths into a fully realized campaign, plus an inside look at how real creative leaders evaluate student work at the highest level.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

Today, Breaking and Entering heads to CALLEN to explore how one of Austin’s fastest growing agencies is redefining what modern brand building looks like. The team breaks down why clarity beats clutter, how CALLEN blends data with instinct, and what it takes to build work that actually drives growth. From challenger brands to category leaders, this episode is a look at an agency focused on results, not noise.This episode was produced in partnership with CALLEN. 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

This week, Breaking and Entering steps inside Preacher’s Austin headquarters to explore an agency built on belief, hospitality, and a deep connection to its creative community. Co founders Krystle Loyland and Rob Baird unpack how Austin’s generosity, maker culture, and collaborative spirit shaped the way Preacher works, hires, and builds brands. From in house galleries to intentional client experiences, this episode is a look at what happens when an agency decides it is cool to careThis episode was produced in partnership with Preacher. 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

Today, Breaking and Entering heads to McGarrah Jessee in Austin to unpack why the city has become one of advertising’s most creatively alive markets. Strategy lead Jen Hruska and CEO Britton Upham dig into how Austin’s laid back culture fuels better work, why individuality matters more than trying too hard, and what it really means to build brands with integrity. From "advertising athletes" to "in demand and choosy" partnerships, this episode is a look inside an agency that believes good can still be good business.This episode was produced in partnership with McGarrah Jessee 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

This week, Breaking and Entering breaks into Bakery’s Austin HQ where the lobby is a bar, the agency has a spirit animal, and the work is built by people who are hungry to make things that actually matter. Founders and creative leaders unpack why Austin has become one of advertising’s most magnetic cities, how indie agencies are reshaping the culture, and what it really takes to build work without layers, gimmicks, or bureaucracy. From custom Nike sneakers to 3D-printed prototypes, this episode is a look inside an agency that does not just launch brands but helps invent them.This episode was produced in partnership with Bakery.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

Breaking And Entering's 2025 Ad Agency Of The Year.03:10 - Recap of the year in advertising 06:10 - Breakout agency of the year 17:00 - Agency of the year 46:00 - Campaign of the year 01:09:30 - Looking ahead to 2026 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

Breaking into advertising has changed.In this solo episode, host Geno Schellenberger shares an updated framework for breaking into the industry in 2026 as entry-level roles shrink and expectations shift.He walks through Nerd Up, Work Up, and Cool Up, then introduces a new fourth pillar that now matters more than ever.If you are a student, recent grad, or early-career professional trying to break into advertising, this episode is for you.Follow B&E on IG for fast and fun advertising content that will help you break in or thrive in the industry: https://www.instagram.com/breakingandenteringmedia/

Jeff Goodby joins Breaking and Entering to unpack how a career built on curiosity, risk, and a little vandalism reshaped modern advertising. From breaking into the industry with a homemade portfolio to co-founding Goodby Silverstein & Partners, Jeff shares hard-earned lessons on ideas, leadership, and why the best work should feel a little dangerous. He dives into the thinking behind iconic campaigns, the power of noticing what others overlook, and what the next generation needs to survive and stand out. A masterclass, if you will, in doing the work your mom definitely wouldn’t think of.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

Disclosure: Travel and accommodations for this visit were provided by the agency.Breaking and Entering breaks into Tombras, setting up inside the agency’s real-time social and data bunker in Knoxville. Geno and Jack sit down with Tombras CCO Paul Caiozzo and ECD Nathan Frank to unpack how data, AI, and cultural listening actually fuel breakthrough creative work. They get into fast-turn social moments, unapologetically being an ad agency, and why building world-class work far from New York might be the advantage. A behind-the-scenes look at what happens when creativity, analytics, and independence collide.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

Geoffrey Goldberg went from Broadway performer to Co-Founder of Movers+Shakers, one of the most influential social first agencies today. We talk about how he built the agency, what makes content go viral, the culture behind their creative process, and how he thinks the next generation can break into advertising. He also shares his path from the stage to the industry, the lessons that shaped him, and what it takes to make work that moves culture.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

Omid Farhang joins the show to talk about how he built Majority from the ground up, and why being tapped into culture gives creative work a competitive edge. He breaks down the early days of pitching the idea to Shaquille O’Neal and the pressure of proving the agency through real work. We get into his rise from Crispin intern to industry leader and why persistence matters more than talent. This episode is a blueprint for anyone trying to make an impact in advertising today.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

PayPal Ads is one of the most interesting new ad platforms in the market. We sat down with Dr. Mark Grether, SVP and General Manager of PayPal Ads, to break down how PayPal collects first party commerce data from PayPal, Venmo, and Honey, how 30 percent of global commerce passes through its products, and why they believe the future of advertising is buying directly inside the ad. We also did a mock job interview for a PayPal Ads sales role live on the show.Topics:• 400 million users and 30 percent of global commerce• How PayPal makes ads shoppable with checkout and trust built in• Using first party data to build a new ad platform• Working with agencies and brands• Mark’s career at Amazon, Uber, GroupM, and now PayPalListen to the full episode and learn away! 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

Andrea Gilman, CMO of Early Warning (Zelle and Paze), joins Breaking and Entering Brandside to share three rules for building a marketing career you actually enjoy. She traces her path from economic consulting in Excel to Time Inc, IBM, startup life, more than 20 years at Mastercard, and now leading products used by millions, explaining how an MBA, empathy, and trust shaped each move. Her three rules: define your current North Star, build real skills and relationships, and lead with empathy for partners and consumers.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

Liz Taylor is one of the most awarded creatives alive and the Global Chief Creative Officer of Ogilvy. In this episode, she breaks down how she almost became a lawyer, the cold call to Leo Burnett that changed everything, and the path that led her to running Ogilvy’s creative work across 83 countries. She also shares her philosophy on leadership, resilience, and the advice she gives every young creative trying to break 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

Joe Burns, Strategy Lead at Quality Meats, joins Breaking & Entering to unpack how real strategy isn’t about data hoarding or 150 slide decks. It’s about edge. He shares why PowerPoint might be worse than the Black Death, how AI is reshaping the strategist’s role, and why the best ideas come from breaking rules everyone else thinks are real.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

Tourism Australia CMO Susan Coghill joins Geno to share how “Come and Say G’day” became one of the most recognizable destination campaigns in the world. She reveals how consistency beats constant reinvention, what happened when Robert Irwin suddenly became a global sensation, and how Australia’s marketing team turned a kangaroo into a worldwide icon.More from Breaking and Entering Media:💼 Follow on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/breaking-entering-media 📖 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 

André Toledo, CCO of DAVID New York, joins Breaking & Entering to talk about creating ads that actually entertain. From Lima to Madrid to New York, André’s built his career on passion over pedigree and ideas over ego. He shares how to sell risky work like Burger King’s “Stevenage Challenge,” why obsession with your book matters, and how hiring people better than you keeps an agency’s soul alive. Plus, the funniest reason anyone’s ever worked this hard for a free Whopper.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

Erica Roberts sits down with Brian and Geno to talk about what it really takes to stay on top in advertising today. She shares how fear fuels her creativity, why she fights boredom by choosing the hard problems, and how hands-on leadership keeps BBH USA winning big. From falling asleep at concerts to relaunching iconic brands with swagger, Erica brings honesty, humor, and practical advice for anyone chasing a career that keeps them excited to show up every day.Subscribe and listen to Working Smarter — A podcast about AI and modern work: https://workingsmarter.ai/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