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Description
The marketing business is like an iceberg. What the public experiences in a :30 second spot on television or online is the tip of the iceberg. So too is the piece of positive publicity about a company or product that someone reads or the piece of persuasive content that lands in their computer or phone. All just the tip of the iceberg.
What’s below the proverbial tip is what this podcast is all about. It’s about the people behind the ideas and the effort that it takes to conceive and produce them. And it’s about all the blood, sweat, and tears these folks gave and the fun and laughter they had while doing it. Most important, the stories we will tell all happened right here in Kansas City.
Our idea is simple. Let’s reach out to all the people who made the Kansas City marketing community what it is today. What we are today is a city of creative powerhouses of all sizes doing work not just across the metro or region, but across the nation and the world.
Welcome to the Kansas City Marketing Legends Podcast!
Brought To You By — evolution Audio Post Production // Springboard Creative // KC Ad Club // PRSA of Kansas City
25 Episodes
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Season Three of KC Marketing Legends kicks off the way every good conversation should, by looking back before looking forward. Sam and Mike reunite to dig into the common threads that ran through Season Two: the mentors who shaped careers, the principles that held up across decades, and the moments that proved great marketing is as much about character as craft. Then they turn the page to what's ahead. Another class of legends with stories that are just as rich, just as honest, and just as KC...
Pete Kovac is an absolute legend in the advertising world and a founding partner of the iconic agency NKH&W. Pete’s been part of the Kansas City marketing scene for decades, with a career that stretches from working on the client side, to running major agencies, to co-founding one of the most successful shops in town. He’s going to share his take on how the ad industry has evolved, what it really takes to build client relationships that last, and the lessons he’s picked up while mentoring...
Up next is Jim Glynn, the co-founder of the legendary senior living agency Glynn Devins. Jim and his partner George Devins started from scratch and built one of the most respected firms in the senior living space. Jim’s story is a great ride. He takes us back to his early days doing promotions at Worlds of Fun, where he first caught the advertising bug, then to his move to John Knox Village—what would eventually become their very first client. Along the way, he shares what it takes to build a...
David Westbrook has shaped Kansas City’s marketing and communications world in a big way. He’s the founder of Corporate Communications Group, and his story is incredible. From navigating challenges as a blind student to building a powerhouse PR firm and stepping into community leadership, David has done it all. You’ll hear him share some amazing stories—like leading the national awareness campaign for NPR, something near and dear to our hearts, and helping shape the brand and reputation of th...
Harry Campbell’s name comes up a lot when you talk about marketing in Kansas City — and for good reason. He’s had a standout career that’s taken him from Procter & Gamble to Sprint, with several entrepreneurial ventures in between. Whether it was leading big-time sponsorships or driving growth as a general manager, Harry has made a lasting impact. His mix of versatility, business savvy, and genuine passion for marketing has earned him deep respect in the industry. In today’s conversation,...
Nick Vedros is a true legend in visual storytelling. Nick’s photography has taken him all over the world, from right here in Kansas City to big stages with some of the biggest brands, top publications, and creative agencies out there. Whether he’s shooting a high-energy ad campaign, an intimate portrait, or capturing the soul of a place, Nick’s sharp eye and fresh perspective have made him one of the most in-demand photographers around. But Nick’s story is about way more than just stunning ph...
If you’ve listened to this podcast before, chances are you’ve already heard his name. Matt Anthony isn’t just a Kansas City advertising legend — he’s one of the foundational forces behind it. Trace almost any thread through the local marketing community, and sooner or later, it leads straight to him. Over the years, Matt built a career full of milestones — culminating in his leadership of VML, which has grown into not just Kansas City’s largest agency, but the largest agency in the world. But...
Deb Turpin didn’t just ride the waves of change in the design world — she helped shape them. Back in 1985, Deb co-founded River City Studio and built it from the ground up into one of Kansas City’s most admired creative agencies. For 25 years, she led with guts and vision — guiding her team through industry changes, from the dawn of desktop publishing to the digital and social media boom. In this episode, Deb pulls back the curtain on what it really took to build a business that lasted — and ...
Mike Goff is someone who’s left a lasting mark not just on Kansas City, but on the national and global stage. Mike’s career spans the agency world, the corporate world, and now the fast-growing space of fractional CMO services. He’s worked with some of the most iconic names in business and culture — Hallmark, the NFL, even the Rolling Stones — and played a key role in bringing the Sprint Center to life in the heart of downtown KC. What makes Mike stand out is his relentless curiosity, his gif...
Joe Greene is a true marketing heavyweight whose career spans both the client and agency worlds. From launching groundbreaking mortgage campaigns at Dreyfus to helping American Express dig out of a $300 million-hole, Joe has been at the center of some of marketing’s biggest challenges and boldest transformations. And when he landed in Kansas City, he brought that same vision and precision to American Century Investments, where he built out powerful, data-driven strategies. What sets Joe apart...
Today, we’ll hear the inspiring journey of Siobhan Lesley — one of the forces behind the success of Valentine Radford, one of Kansas City’s legendary agencies, where she rose all the way to President. Siobhan’s story is rooted in leadership, purpose, and a deep passion for people. We’ll dive into her work on iconic accounts like Pizza Hut, and how that path eventually led her to another great KC agency — Walz Tetrick — followed by her move to Gilda’s Club, a lifeline for those impacted by can...
From the cockpit to the boardroom, Al Eidson’s career is a masterclass in leadership and reinvention. He started out flying C-141 cargo planes across the Pacific in the Air Force, then moved into the corporate world at Procter & Gamble, helping launch new products. Eventually, he brought it all together — co-founding agencies like Eidson Spear and Eidson & Partners, where he blended his military mindset with a sharp eye for business. In our conversation, Al talks about how his time in...
Season Two kicks off with the trailblazing Ann Willoughby, founder of Willoughby Design. Her story begins in the aisles of a small department store in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, where she sketched fashion illustrations that would mark the start of a remarkable career. After relocating to Kansas City, Ann didn’t just launch a design firm—she built a creative powerhouse and became a pioneer for women entrepreneurs in an era when even opening a bank account required a male co-signer. In thi...
Welcome to Season Two of Kansas City Marketing Legends! After the incredible energy and inspiring conversations of Season One, we knew we had to come back for more. This season, we’re diving even deeper into the stories and insights of the people who have helped make Kansas City a marketing powerhouse. A special shoutout to our friends at Evolution Audio — we’re thrilled to have recorded every episode live in their studios. Big thanks as well to Springboard Creative for making us look sharp, ...
As they say, it's a wrap! Season One of Kansas City Marketing Legends is in the books. We are extremely grateful to all of you who have listened to our conversations with the legends of Season One and look forward to offering up more legends when we launch Season Two in early 2025. This final episode of our first season gives us a chance to remember some of the high points of our first season and provide you with a glimpse of a few of our Season Two legends. As always, a loud shout out ...
Becky Blades is the ultimate startist. Her second book is titled Start More Than You Can Finish. That certainly describes Becky to a tee. As you will hear into this episode of Kansas City Marketing Legends, Becky not only started a lot of things, but she finished a few as well. And how well she did finish. But as you will hear, after starting her own PR Firm and then deciding to sell it, Becky was only beginning to become a true legend in Kansas City and beyond. #kcmarketinglegends
So, three ad guys are sitting around in one of their homes one summer talking about how to create a new approach in the marketing business. No this is not the start of a joke. It’s exactly how the world’s largest agency was born right here in Kansas City. Scott McCormick and his founding partners, John Valentine, and Craig Ligabel, left one firm in Kansas City and started what they hoped would be an early adaptation of a virtual agency with maybe 25 employees and lots of contractors. On this ...
Pasquale Trozzolo, without a doubt, founded one of our city’s premier agencies. Trozzolo Communications Group is an exemplary example of a family business. It also is a company that has recognized over the years how to grow through smart acquisitions and how to keep the principals of those they acquired to stay involved. On this episode of Kansas City Marketing Legends, Pasquale will tell us why his experience in the political arena prepared him for his career. Today Pasquale remains Executiv...
What’s it like to have your dad be your boss? Well, our guest today on Marketing Legends of Kansas City can tell us. Andy Fletcher worked for his dad at Fletcher Mayo and learned a thing or two there about the marketing business, especially in the agriculture arena. But Andy has stories to tell us as he became in his words, a nomad in the business, gaining experience and then running shops over the years from Kansas City to Atlanta to Lincoln, Nebraska. #kcmarketinglegends
Chances are more than a few of you have Landa Williams to thank for a job or for an employee hire in a Kansas City agency or company. And even if you didn’t, you absolutely know a few people who did. LandaJob is her company’s name, and she will tell us how that came about on this edition of the Marketing Legends of Kansas City. Plus, she might even give us some of those behind-the-scenes stories with everyone’s name protected of course. #kcmarketinglegends
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