Untrended Podcast

From John Lewis to Coca-Cola, Christmas ads have become a cultural event—part entertainment, part national sport, and occasionally the trigger for a heated debate about the true meaning of festive storytelling. In this special holiday episode of UnTrended, Nicole Jones is joined by Jamie Fewery, Louise Brooks, and Billy Hamilton-Stent to unwrap the history, nostalgia, and creative madness behind Christmas advertising, including the ones that make us cry, the ones that make us cringe, and the ones that make us immediately donate £50 to charity. The team also sits down with Franki Goodwin, Chief Creative Officer at Saatchi & Saatchi, to talk about taking the reins on the iconic John Lewis Christmas advert, the pressure that comes with it, and how you build a festive film that becomes not just a campaign but a cultural moment. Plus: stuffing discourse, office party confessions, Christmas jumper controversies, and the eternal question… will B2B brands ever make a truly great Christmas ad? Subscribe to The UnTrended Podcast wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode. Chapter Markers: (01:00) How Christmas Ads Became a Cultural Phenomenon A whistle-stop tour from Coca-Cola Santa to John Lewis’ “The Shadow” and the birth of the Christmas ad as an annual national event. (09:00) This Year’s Standout Christmas Ads Shelter’s hard-hitting realism. Tesco’s painfully relatable family vignettes. Morrisons’ behind-the-scenes take on working Christmas. What lands and what doesn’t? (13:30) The Shift in Christmas Storytelling Why brands are moving from sweeping universal emotion to more specific, lived-in stories and why that might be the smartest path forward. (19:00) Will B2B Ever Make a Christmas Ad? The team explores seasonality, budget realities, category constraints, and whether a B2B brand will eventually take the leap. (Spoiler: it’s “inevitable” according to Jamie.) (22:00) If We Could Make One: Our B2B Christmas Ad Pitches Twilio emotional storytelling. Aviation rom-coms. Santa supply chain logistics. Red-and-white Caterpillar diggers. Genuinely good ideas? You decide. (31:00) What We’re Looking Forward to This Christmas Family reunions, young kids’ excitement, Boxing Day bubble & squeak, home cooking, and a rare chance to do absolutely nothing. (32:00) Making the John Lewis Christmas Ad Franki reveals how the team builds the brief, the early inspiration, and how music shaped this year’s story. (36:00) How the Process Really Works From open briefs to agency-wide idea generation and why everyone wants to work on the John Lewis Christmas ad. (44:00) Story First, Product Second Why John Lewis will always lead with emotion, not product, and how that shapes the creative process. Useful Links Get to know Franki Goodwin on LinkedIn Follow Nicole Jones on LinkedIn Touch base with Louise Brooks on LinkedIn Connect with Billy Hamilton-Stent Learn more from Jamie Fewery For more information visit the Publicis Pro Website

From Formula 1 to football, B2B brands are spending big on sports sponsorships, but what’s the real return? Is it about audience reach, storytelling, or simply the glamour of the hospitality suite? In this episode of UnTrended, Nicole Jones is joined by Jamie Fewery and Billy Hamilton-Stent to explore B2B’s growing fascination with sports sponsorship and why so many brands are racing to the pitch, track, and beyond. Plus, Jamie sits down with Joel Seymour-Hyde, Head of Partnership Management at Formula 1, for an insider’s look at what makes a smart sponsorship work (and why sticking your logo on a car isn’t enough anymore). From the logistics of moving F1 around the world to the cultural resonance of Sharp’s 90s Man United kit, the team uncovers the strategy, storytelling, and spectacle behind today’s biggest brand plays. Subscribe to the UnTrended Podcast wherever you get your podcasts and never miss an episode. Chapter Markers: (01:10) Inside the World of Formula 1 Jamie interviews Joel Seymour-Hyde, Head of Partnership Management at F1, about the evolution of sponsorships, global brand partnerships, and how B2B brands fit into the sport’s ecosystem. (09:00) The Hallmarks of a Great Partnership How successful B2B sponsors connect their business objectives with the right platform and why clarity of purpose is everything. (18:00) Passion vs. Pragmatism Joel reveals why being a fan of a sport can actually make sponsorship decisions worse and why objectivity wins every time. (21:00) Panel Chat: The Rise of the B2B Fanboy Nicole, Jamie, and Billy dig into why B2B brands are flooding into sports, from the power of pre-made audiences to the pull of data-driven fanbases. (28:00) The Value of Activation Why the best sports partnerships are now multi-channel, creative, and experiential, not just a logo on a shirt. (35:00) From Cigarettes to CRM How sports sponsorship has evolved from nostalgia to nuance and what modern brands can learn from iconic partnerships like Marlboro McLaren and IBM Wimbledon. (39:00) Cultural Resonance in Sport The team explores how great sponsorships transcend marketing and become part of cultural memory, from Sharp and Man United to Rolex and golf. Useful Links: Get to know Joel Seymour-Hyde on LinkedIn Follow Nicole Jones on LinkedIn Connect with Billy Hamilton-Stent Learn more from Jamie Fewery For more information visit the Publicis Pro Website

B2B marketing is having its creator moment. From relatable LinkedIn sketches to tongue-in-cheek takes on agency life, creator-led content is proving that humour, personality, and authenticity aren’t just for B2C. In this episode of UnTrended, host Nicole Jones sits down with Heather Barnett, the LinkedIn comedy creator and freelance copywriter who’s bringing “LOL”s to lead generation, to talk about the business of B2B humour. Heather shares how she got started, what makes content resonate, and how brands can collaborate with creators without losing their authenticity (or their nerve). Later, Nicole is joined by Billy Hamilton-Stent, Jamie Fewery, and Louise Brooks from Publicis Pro to unpack the creator-led content boom, from the Pope’s hot take on influencers to the risks and rewards of letting go of control. If you’ve ever wondered how to make B2B content less cringe and more human, this one’s for you. Subscribe to The UnTrended Podcast wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode. Chapter Markers: (02:45) Falling Into Creation Nicole kicks off Season 2 with Heather Barnett, diving into the world of B2B humour and why creator-led content is taking off. (07:30) LinkedIn’s New Era of Humour How COVID reshaped LinkedIn into a social space and why laughter has become the new engagement metric. (12:00) Working with Brands What happens when a creator’s authentic voice meets a marketing brief and how to keep it funny without turning it into an ad. (18:45) Panel Chat: The Creator Capital C Nicole, Billy, Jamie and Louise discuss the history of influencer marketing, from gladiators to the Pope and what “trust” really means in 2025. (25:10) Creators Without the Cringe How to balance entertainment and professionalism and why letting go of control might be the smartest move. (34:20) Agency Challenges and Platform Fluency The team reflects on the tricky business of finding the right creators and the rise of “vibe-based briefing.” (39:00) Best in Class: Creator Campaigns From freight jokes to female coders, the team shares favourite examples of creative partnerships done right. Useful Links: Get to know Heather Barnett on LinkedIn Follow Nicole Jones on LinkedIn Connect with Billy Hamilton-Stent Learn more from Jamie Fewery Touch base with Louise Brooks on LinkedIn For more information visit the Publicis Pro Website

Feedback — two syllables that can make even the toughest marketer squirm. In today’s episode of UnTrended, host Nicole Jones sits down with Jon Lonsdale (CEO), Louise Brooks (Senior Copywriter), and Lottie Hutchins (Senior Account Director) from Publicis Pro to dive deep into the messy world of feedback: how we give it, how we take it, and how it’s evolving in modern workplaces. From why Gen Z lawyers are apparently running to HR when told they're wrong to why agency creatives dread the words “make it punchy,” this episode strips back the layers on a topic that’s often sugar-coated — or worse, ignored. Plus, we hear some of the most memorable (and brutally honest) pieces of feedback our team has ever received—from law professors with sharp pens to pitch rooms that ended in standing ovations. Stick around to the end for our mailbag segment, where we tackle how early-career agency folks can figure out when to push back versus when to pick their battles. Subscribe to The Untrended Podcast wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode. Chapter Markers: (01:42) Gen Z, Gentle Parenting & Taking Criticism From law firms hiring support workers for young staff to how upbringing shapes feedback tolerance. (07:08) Have We Gotten Too Nice? Is modern working culture too polite to be clear — and what’s the hidden cost? (14:49) The Case for Course Correction Are we heading for a swing back to tougher, more direct feedback cultures? (19:44) Why Client Feedback Is So Hard Pressure, feedback committees, and why clients often can’t articulate what they want. (23:08) Beyond Track Changes Why Jon hates markup, Lottie loves voice notes, and how to keep feedback human. (24:58) Helping Clients Help Us Why creatives should meet clients early, ask better questions, and build trust. (26:39) The Most Memorable Feedback We’ve Ever Gotten From university essays marked “learn to plagiarise better” to standing ovations in a pitch. (30:52) Mailbag: Push Back or Pick Your Battles? Advice for early-career marketers on when to stand firm and when to let it go. Useful Links: Follow Nicole Jones on LinkedIn Connect with Jon Lonsdale Learn more from Louise Brooks Touch base with Lottie Hutchins on LinkedIn For more information, visit the Publicis Pro Website

From poetic oddities to corporate rebrands, names wield more power than we give them credit for. In this episode of UnTrended, Nicole Jones sits down with Publicis Pro’s Billy Hamilton-Stent, Jamie Fewery, and Jon Lonsdale to unravel the strategic, emotional, and sometimes hilarious stories behind naming a brand. Together, they explore the identity crisis behind sudden rebrands, the subtle signals names send to customers, and why some names flop while others become fixtures in our cultural vocabulary. Whether it’s deciding between “Octopus” and “Snow Leopard,” or pitching names like “Almond” to stony-faced execs, this episode dives into the high-stakes (and highly subjective) world of brand naming—especially in B2B. Find out what makes a name memorable, what makes it miserable, and why sometimes the best naming strategy is just to avoid anything ending in “AI.” Subscribe to the UnTrended Podcast wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode. Chapter Markers: (05:29) Are Names the Heart of the Brand? Jon and Billy explain why names matter—and how executives often get the final say. (07:25) What Makes a Name ‘Good’? Emotion, alchemy, and strategy: dissecting the building blocks of strong brand names. (12:30) From Octopus to Publicis Pro: A Rebrand Journey The team recounts how Publicis Pro got its name and why clarity beat cool. (17:04) Finding Your Extraordinary The story behind the tagline and how “extraordinary” became Publicis Pro’s north star. (24:14) The B2B Naming Hall of Fame (and Shame) From MailChimp to Monzo, the team shares names that nailed it—and those that didn’t. (31:28) Mailbag: Naming Mistakes to Avoid From cultural missteps to overused buzzwords, the crew gives rapid-fire advice on how not to name your next product. Useful Links: Follow Nicole Jones on LinkedIn Connect with Billy Hamilton-Stent Learn more from Jamie Fewery Touch base with Jon Lonsdale on LinkedIn For more information visit the Publicis Pro Website

Social media platforms have evolved into more than just communication tools —they’re now global power players shaping public discourse and influencing elections. So where does that leave brands, especially B2B brands, when it comes to placing ads or building communities on platforms with complicated reputations? In this episode of UnTrended, Nicole Jones is joined by Publicis Pro’s Billy Hamilton-Stent, Jamie Fewery, and Zoe Hadsley for a lively and nuanced conversation on platform politics, advertising ethics, and whether brands should (or even can) be truly principled in their platform choices. From Elon Musk’s X to Meta’s Threads, from the rise of absurdist “s**tposting” to the realities of brand risk in B2B marketing — it’s all on the table. Subscribe to The Untrended Podcast wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode. Chapter Markers: (04:39) Platform Vibes: Is X Still Worth It? The team reflects on the user experience, bot takeovers, and whether engagement is dead on Elon’s watch. (08:39) Are Platforms the New Nation States? If social platforms have more power than governments, should we expect more from them — or just log off? (14:40) Ethics vs. Exposure Zoe breaks down brand safety, platform choices, and what it really means to be “responsible” in digital advertising. (19:06) Why B2B Brands Don’t Like Risk B2B companies love strategy but fear chaos — so how do they handle platforms that are unpredictable by design? (23:41) Rethinking Social in B2B Is it time to build social-first strategies instead of treating social like a dumping ground for campaign leftovers? (24:32) S**tposting 101 What it is, why it works, and how it’s changing the way B2B voices show up on platforms like LinkedIn and TikTok. (29:54) Mailbag: Do Brands Need to Be Good? Do consumers really care about ethics — or just say they do in surveys? Useful Links: Follow Nicole Jones on LinkedIn Connect with Billy Hamilton-Stent Learn more from Jamie Fewery Touch base with Zoe Hadsley on LinkedIn For more information visit the Publicis Pro Website

Welcome to The Untrended Podcast, where we lift the lid on extraordinary ideas about business and culture. In this episode, we are exploring the changing relationship between alcohol and creativity. From the legendary drinking culture of advertising’s past to today’s more sober-curious workforce, we ask: Does the hangover have any creative currency left? The team tackles the myths and realities of alcohol-fueled inspiration, the shift away from pub culture, and what actually sparks great ideas. Is there any truth to the stereotype of the tortured creative genius, or have we all just been romanticising bad habits? We also dive into alternative ways to build workplace culture, the surprising link between sorting LEGO and creativity, and the modern office’s obsession with plants over pints. Packed with witty observations, generational perspectives, and a healthy dose of self-reflection, this episode takes a fresh look at an age-old industry tradition. Subscribe to The Untrended Podcast wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode. Have a question or an idea for us to explore? Use the link in the episode description to send it our way. Chapter Markers: (01:11) Trend or Trash: Tough Mudders vs. Pub Crawls Are agencies ditching the bar for extreme team-building challenges? (03:27) Plants Not Pubs Why companies are prioritising office design over work socials. (06:22) Do Hangovers Ever Spark Good Ideas? The team debates the link between alcohol and creativity. (14:10) How Work Cultures Are Changing Is the traditional agency drinking culture fading away? (24:00) What Fuels Creativity? The surprising science behind what helps (and hurts) creative thinking. (26:50) Mailbag: The B2B Brands That Stood Out This Year A listener question sparks a discussion on the most memorable brand campaigns. Useful Links: Nicole Jones Billy Hamilton-Stent Louise Brooks Aditi Kulkarni Publicis Pro Website

Welcome to The Untrended Podcast, where we lift the lid on extraordinary ideas about business and culture. In this episode, we tackle a familiar struggle for creative professionals: Why don’t our parents understand what we do? From job titles that defy explanation to the way work shapes our identity, we explore the challenges of defining creative careers in a way that makes sense—both to family and the wider world. The team also dives into the role of humor in B2B marketing, breaking down the Workbooks No BS CRM campaign. Is shock value the key to standing out, or is there a fine line between bold and too far? Packed with witty observations, relatable struggles, and real-world examples, this episode explores the complexities of creative careers—why they’re so hard to explain, how they shape our identity, and what it really means to push boundaries in marketing. Subscribe to The Untrended Podcast wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode.  Have a question or an idea for us to explore? Use the link in the episode description to send it our way. Chapter Markers: (01:09) Trend or Trash: Is Social Media Essential for Career Success?  The team debates the necessity of personal branding on platforms like LinkedIn. (10:02) Why Don’t Our Parents Understand What We Do? The challenge of explaining creative jobs to family and friends. (17:37) The Definition of a Creative How the word “creative” has evolved and its different interpretations. (18:57) The ‘Mad Men’ Comparison Is marketing today anything like the world of Don Draper? (20:19) Work, Identity & Purpose The team discusses work-life balance and personal fulfillment. (26:51) Mailbag: The No BS CRM Campaign A listener question sparks a discussion on how far is too far in B2B marketing. Useful Links: Nicole Jones Billy Hamilton-Stent Alastair Kirk Carly Auletta  Publicis Pro Website

Welcome to the Untrended Podcast, where we lift the lid on extraordinary ideas about business and culture. In this episode, Nicole Jones sits down with members of the Publicis Pro team, including Billy Hamilton-Stent, Jamie Fewery, and Shiri Wolff, to explore the transformative - yet contentious! - role of AI in the world of B2B marketing.   The team dives into how tools like ChatGPT are influencing creativity, productivity, and critical thinking. Are these advancements pushing humanity forward - or are we simply heading toward cognitive decline? This is a watercooler-type chat packed with insights, analogies, and real-world examples of how to think about AI in creative work - challenging the conventional view of how we use artificial intelligence in our everyday day and what it means for the future of work. Subscribe to the Untrended Podcast wherever you get your podcasts, never to miss an episode. Chapter Markers (01:01) Trend or Trash: Fully AI-Generated Ads The team debates the future of AI-generated ads. (07:20) Brainstorming with AI The panel discusses whether AI can truly enhance creativity or if it limits originality. (15:21) Productivity Booster or Crutch? We explore how reliance on AI affects daily tasks and decision-making. (19:10) AI in PR and Creativity The conversation then turns to the role of AI in content creation and its reception by professionals. (21:53) The Long-Term Cognitive Impact of AI The group shares their predictions about how AI could reshape human thinking over time. (32:01) Mailbag! Rebrands and Bold Moves in B2B Audience question on the Jaguar rebrand and its implications for B2B marketing. Useful Links Nicole JonesBilly Hamilton-StentShiri WolffJamie FeweryPublicis Pro WebsiteMcKinsey’s Report on AI AdoptionGoogle Cloud’s AI Research

Tired of business podcasts that promise silver bullets and spoon-feed you cookie-cutter advice? Well, this isn’t one of them. Welcome to the Untrended Podcast, where we uncover extraordinary stories about business and culture. Brought to you by Publicis Pro, this show isn’t about “growth hacks” or corporate fluff. It’s about raw, honest, and sometimes ridiculous tales from the world of marketing and business. From unexpected challenges to out-of-the-box ideas, we’re here to talk about the truths you won’t find in a handbook—the ones that truly shape creativity, strategy, and success. Be sure to tune into episode one, where we sit down with Nicole Jones, Billy Hamilton-Stent, Jamie Fewery, and Shiri Wolff to explore the all-important question of what AI is doing to our brains. The Untrended Podcast. Real stories. Real laughs. Nothing held back.  Subscribe now wherever you get your podcasts.