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/

AGENCY BREAK IN: THE LARGEST AGENCY IN SAN DIEGO - THE SHIPYARDMore 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

In this episode, we sit down with Joaquín Mollá, co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of The Community. From Buenos Aires to building one of the most culturally influential agencies in the world, Joaquín shares how identity, instinct, and artistic obsession shaped his path.Recognized as a Hispanic Heritage Month Icon by The Advertising Club of New York, Joaquín reflects on what it really means to create work that resonates across cultures without diluting its soul. We talk about the power of community in creativity, the difference between trend chasing and truth telling, and why some of the industry’s biggest awards from Cannes Lions to D&AD matter less than the human impact behind the work.This is a conversation about legacy, leadership, and building ideas that move people, not just metrics.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, we are breaking into FIVE difference advertising agencies across the city of San Francisco. Today, Venables Bell and Partners, whose guiding principle is "Do right by people." We sit down with Founder and Chairman, Paul Venables, and Partner and Chief Creative Officer to talk forging successful young creatives, advancing advertising from San Fran, and more. 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, we are breaking into FIVE difference advertising agencies across the city of San Francisco. Today, BSSP. A small shop tucked away in Sausalito, the idyllic outskirts of San Francisco. We sit down with CEO Tracey Faux Pattani, Partner & Executive Strategy Director Jake Bayham, and Partner & Executive Creative Director Sinan Dagli, to talk bouncing back, winning business and a few teasers for our boat ride later on in the day. 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, we are breaking into FIVE difference advertising agencies across the city of San Francisco. Today, Barrett Hofherr, the "Makers of Momentum." We sit down with Partner and Chief Creative Officer, Jamie Barrett, Partner and Chief Strategy Officer, Matt Hofherr, and Partner and Executive Creative Director, Todd Eisner to talk San Francisco, Yellow Door, and a whole lot of advertising. 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, we are breaking into FIVE difference advertising agencies across the city of San Francisco. First up, Erich & Kallman. This independent agency is led by Eric Kallman, an ex-TBWA/Wieden+Kennedy/Goodby Silverstein & Partners creative. We sit down with Executive Creative Director, Rikesh Lal, to talk all things San Fran, advertising, and where the two intersect. 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 game ends. The ad debate begins.We recorded this the morning after the Super Bowl to capture the first real reactions while the industry was still processing what just happened on the biggest stage in advertising.Jon Evans from System1 joins to break down the early performance data, including the highest-scoring spots, the emotional patterns behind the winners, and why familiar brand assets keep outperforming. Then Ad Age’s Tim Nudd and Brian Bonilla jump in with their creative and industry takes on the standout work, the polarizing campaigns, and the themes shaping this year’s conversation.From AI’s massive presence to the brands that made people feel something, this episode is a fast post-game read on what worked, what didn’t, and what it all means for the year ahead.Find out how to win the big game here with System 1's webinar: https://system1group.com/super-bowl-lx?utm_source=Breaking-and-Entering&utm_medium=partnership&utm_campaign=Breaking-and-EnteringMore 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

Kristen Cavallo has spent decades shaping some of the most influential agency brands in advertising, and now she is building something entirely new. In this episode, former CEO of The Martin Agency and MullenLowe Global joins Breaking and Entering to talk about leaving the ad industry, walking 400 miles on the Camino de Santiago, and becoming Executive Director of Virginia’s only design museum.This episode is for anyone navigating change, questioning their career path, or looking for a more hopeful and grounded perspective on what comes next in creative industries.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

In this combo episode, we sit down with Barry Dan and Danny Weisman, co-founders of Obsessed Media, to unpack what’s actually broken in modern media buying. From trivia-fueled debates on CPMs and upfronts to a deep dive on principal-based buying, transparency, and why so many brands are over-investing in the wrong channels, this conversation pulls back the curtain on how media really works today. Barry and Danny share why context matters more than hyper-targeting, how challenger brands can escape being “imprisoned by the algorithm,” and what it takes to build a modern media agency built around trust, attention, and impact.More from Breaking and Entering Media:💼 Follow on LinkedIn⁠   / ⁠  📖 Read our Publications⁠ https://www.breaking-entering.com/blog⁠💬 Join our Unlocked GroupMe⁠ https://groupme.com/join_group/102437...✉️ Subscribe to The Vault⁠ https://breakingandenteringadv.substa...📹 Subscribe to our :60 Advertising News Videos⁠ https://breakingandentering.beehiiv.c...🏆 Check out the Crowbar Awards to break into advertising⁠ https://www.crowbarawards.com/⁠🤝 Work With Us - Email: ⁠breakingandentering@smoothmedia.co⁠

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