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© Gully Flowers, Kerrie Finch, Jake Neske
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Candid conversations with the people shaping brands and culture. Inside how world-class creatives think, work and build lasting careers.
29 Episodes
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Jason Sperling is the Chief Creative Officer at INNOCEAN ; and one of the creative leaders behind Apple’s legendary “Mac vs PC” campaign.In this episode of Second Wind, Jason shares what it was really like presenting to Steve Jobs every Wednesday, surviving brutal creative cycles at TBWA\Chiat\Day, and helping turn “I’m a Mac” into one of the most influential campaigns of the century.We also get into:• Convincing Steve Jobs to run digital banner ads• Writing body copy to land a job at Chiat• The six-month grind behind Mac vs PC• Making Honda’s Ferris Bueller Super Bowl spot• Directing Bruce Willis after he walked off set• Why taste matters more than tools in the AI era• How creative leaders survive the jump from maker to manager• The future of agencies in an AI-driven worldIf you care about advertising, leadership, creative resilience, or how iconic work actually gets made — this one is for you.
David Kolbusz is Chief Creative Officer at Orchard, with a career across Droga5 London, Wieden Kennedy New York, BBH London, Goodby Silverstein, Mother, and TBWA Toronto.In this episode, we talk about what actually makes advertising work stick. Mental hooks that live in your head. The difference between chasing culture and understanding it. And why David thinks the industry needs to be more honest about the myth we repeat, that “the work comes first.”We also break down recent examples David loves, including a meme-driven taco ad and KitKat’s Break Squad, as a way to talk about creative restraint, timing, and leadership in modern advertising.
Kevin Frank has lived the full arc. Apple Creative Director for nearly a decade, then Executive Creative Director at LinkedIn, where he helped turn the team into Ad Age In House Agency of the Year and a two time Best Places to Work honoree.After LinkedIn, he hit pause on the corporate grind and moved to Paris. He taught at The American University of Paris, mentored creative leaders, wrote a book on leading creative teams, and even joined an Elvis cover band, because why not.We talk about what it means to lead creatives when nobody teaches you how, how craft survives inside massive systems, how to build a team that runs like a machine without losing its soul, and what a real reset looks like when you have the courage to take one.
Creativity isn’t a “nice to have” - it’s infrastructure for growth.Simon Cook, CEO of Cannes Lions, shares what the world’s top leaders are learning about turning creativity into a repeatable system that drives brand building, innovation, and business growth - even when budgets tighten and AI reshapes the rules.In this episode, we cover:• From polishing trophies to leading Cannes Lions: Simon’s path (and what he learned along the way)• Why Cannes is shifting from celebrating outputs to rewarding the inputs behind great work (the new Creative Brand Lion)• What 50 global CEOs said about unlocking the next chapter of growth through creativity• How to build “conditions for success”: culture, rituals, accountability, KPIs, and creative infrastructure• Creators at Cannes: what the creator economy means for brands, platforms, and agencies• AI integrity standards: protecting trust, authenticity, and authorship in creative workIf you’re a CMO, founder, agency leader, or anyone trying to make the business case for creativity, this one’s for you.Follow Second Wind for more conversations at the intersection of creativity, marketing, and growth.Chapters:00:00 Intro00:43 From agency to Cannes04:55 Creativity as infrastructure06:15 The Global CEO Forum11:25 Reframing creativity as innovation16:35 Creators, brands, platforms22:15 Access, ERA, talent pipeline28:40 AI integrity standards34:55 Legacy: creativity as a system
Kelly Knapp has helped shape some of the most ambitious experiential work in the world; from the $2 billion Sphere in Las Vegas to Netflix’s first permanent venues and the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.In this episode of Second Wind, Kelly shares how a background in ballet, music, landscape architecture, and extreme outdoor exploration informs her belief that creative work is choreography; the careful layering of elements to create meaning at scale.We talk about immersive audio, designing for empathy, why she’s skeptical of AI in the creative process, and what it takes to build experiences that feel human even when the technology is anything but.
Diane McArter is the founder of Furlined, one of the most respected production companies in the industry.In this episode, Diane reflects on leadership, power, and what it really means to build a culture where people can do their best work.She shares her journey from early leadership at Ridley Scott Associates to founding Furlined, navigating fear, responsibility, and reinvention along the way. We talk about women in leadership, servant leadership, the role of trust, and why a company’s culture is shaped by everyone who enters it.Diane also discusses Manifest Works, her nonprofit creating career pathways for people impacted by foster care, homelessness, and incarceration, and why leadership at its best is an act of service.This is a conversation about growth, empathy, creative courage, and building something that lasts.
Carmen Rodriguez didn’t get her first job in advertising by talking about advertising.She got it by talking about soccer.In this episode of Second Wind, Gully Flowers and Kerrie Finch sit down with Carmen Rodriguez, Global Chief Growth Officer at GUT, to unpack a career built on passion, trust, and a deep belief in the power of creativity.Born in São Paulo and now based in Amsterdam, Carmen shares how growing up in Brazil shaped her view of advertising as part of popular culture, why bravery isn’t a personality trait but a practice, and how GUT has grown from a bold idea into one of the most talked-about agencies in the world.They cover:The interview that launched her career at Leo Burnett at age 17Why GUT “interviews” clients before pitchingThe “bravery gap” between people and brandsHow long-term client relationships outperform short-term winsWhy “the best advertising for an agency is still the work”What hybrid work, diversity, and trust actually look like inside a modern creative companyAnd why Carmen’s definition of success is simple: work that works, and work your aunt would share on WhatsAppA conversation about growth without cynicism, creativity without ego, and why conviction still compounds.
This episode of Second Wind breaks from our usual interviews to reflect on 2025 and the people who actually built reputation in the advertising industry.We introduce a set of intentionally made-up awards to recognize the agencies and marketers who stood out this year. The slow burns. The breakout hits. The teams that thrived in chaos. The ones who made invisible work visible.Along the way, we talk about what reputation really compounds today.Point of view. Taste. Talent. Timing.And why memorability is no longer accidental.If you care about where advertising is headed, and what actually lasts, this episode is for you.
Xanthe Wells is VP of Global Creative at Pinterest, where she leads the House of Creative, recently named In-House Agency of the Year at the Gerety Awards. Before Pinterest, she led global creative for Google’s Pixel and Nest brands, earning a Cannes Grand Prix, a D&AD Black Pencil, and multiple Agency of the Year honors. Earlier in her career, she worked on Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, and Monsters, Inc., and spent formative years at TBWA\Chiat\Day with Lee Clow.In this episode of Second Wind, Xanthe shares a philosophy of creative leadership that runs counter to most playbooks. Pressure feels productive, but it narrows thinking. Relaxation isn’t a luxury. It’s a creative requirement.We talk about building psychologically safe teams, why lowering the stakes leads to better work, and how to protect creativity inside high-pressure organizations. Xanthe also shares lessons from Pixar, Google, and Pinterest, her perspective on AI as a creative tool, and why human taste, humor, and empathy still matter more than ever.This is a conversation about leading creatives with generosity, clarity, and trust, even when millions of dollars are on the line.
Cindy Gallop built BBH US from a room with a phone. She became one of the most influential voices in advertising and then walked away with no job to go to. It was the best decision she ever made. In this episode, Cindy talks about why a job is not the safe option and why placing your future in the hands of a corporation is more dangerous than betting on yourself. She explains the daily drip of microaggressions that kill confidence, why most women never get the support they deserve, and why her advice is simple: get the f*ck out and build something that gives you agency. We also talk about BBH, MakeLoveNotPorn, pitch culture, leadership, sex education, and why the future is female and founder-led. This is Cindy at her most direct and most generous.
Billy Bohan Chinique, VP of Marketing and Digital Innovation at Virgin Voyages, joins us to talk about the future of travel, fashion, AI, and brand storytelling.He shares how he went from call-center sales to designing digital experiences, how he ended up styling Sir Richard Branson, and why showing up as your real self became an accelerant for his career.We get into Jen.AI, the Jennifer Lopez campaign that pushed AI before it was cool, the making of Virgin’s AI-powered mermaids, the shift toward creators, and why “brand as operating system” is the only approach that still makes sense.If you care about creativity, travel, leadership, or the next frontier of marketing, this is a conversation worth hearing.Chapters:00:00 Styling Richard Branson02:10 Fashion and authenticity03:55 Breaking into travel06:50 Building Virgin Voyages’ digital platform11:05 The origin of Jen.AI with J.Lo16:00 AI-powered mermaids19:50 Brand as operating system26:20 The new creator economy32:00 Talent, hiring, and AI literacy36:20 Becoming an AI-native company39:40 Billy’s legacy
John Schoolcraft helped turn Oatly from a quiet Swedish oat drink into one of the most talked-about brands on the planet. No marketing department. No traditional briefs. No safety nets. Just creativity, rebellion, and a CEO who let the work lead.In this conversation, John breaks down how he:• Killed the CMO role and replaced it with makers• Turned lawsuits into creative fuel• Used packaging as media when there was no budget• Made baristas the launch strategy that cracked the US market• Built a fearless culture that treated creativity as a business engineIt’s a masterclass in brand building from one of the most influential creative leaders alive.Listen for the story behind the Super Bowl ad, the behind-the-scenes battles with the dairy industry, and why trust inside a company beats process every time.
Nick Law explains the split that defines modern creativity. Inventive thinking and expressive thinking. How they collide, how they fail, and how the best teams make them work together. We cover his path from Australia to Pentagram to RGA to Accenture Song, the collapse of the old agency model, how platform culture reshapes craft, and what AI means for the next generation. A grounded conversation about what it takes to make work that matters now.
Emmy-winning creative leader Danielle Hawley, Global Head of Creative and Brand at Uber, joins hosts Gully Flowers and Kerrie Finch to talk about leadership, trust, and creative evolution.From redefining Uber’s global voice to mentoring women in a male-dominated industry, Danielle shares how earning respect starts with generosity, not ego. She reflects on lessons from Microsoft’s Iron Man prosthetic project, how collaboration built her confidence, and why the best creative relationships begin with trust.In this episode:How great clients make great workWhat “sharp elbows” teach you early in your careerWhen to lead with empathy instead of egoThe creative culture shift inside UberWhat it takes to build respect in tech and advertising
What if every great idea started with a song?Before writing a word or pitching a concept, Emmy-winning creative Jaime Robinson (Co-Founder and CCO of JOAN) finds a song that makes her feel exactly what she wants others to feel.In this episode, Jaime joins Gully Flowers and Kerrie Finch to talk about:Building JOAN into one of the most admired independent agencies in the worldHow emotion (not strategy decks) powers the best creative workThe story behind the Womanikin — a life-saving design that changed CPR training foreverThe future of creativity in the age of AI, and what it really means to “win for humanity”Why the next generation of creatives deserves new ways inA conversation about feeling first, leading boldly, and building work that actually matters.🎙️ Second Wind — candid conversations with the most creative minds in business.
He’s the mind behind Taste the Rainbow.The man who convinced Mars, Unilever, and half of Madison Avenue to take creative risks — and made the weirdest, funniest, most unforgettable ads in history.In this episode of Second Wind, Gully Flowers and Jake Neske sit down with Gerry Graf - founder of Barton F. Graf and SLAP Global, and the creative force behind Skittles Pinata, Starburst Little Lad, You’re Not You When You’re Hungry, and Ragu: Long Day of Childhood.They unpack how Gerry made it all happen:– How Skittles went from safe to surreal– How “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry” was launched– What it takes to sell bold work inside giant corporations– The secret to making brands funny and effective– How one brief, one risk, and one rule changed advertising foreverA 39-minute masterclass in creative conviction — and a reminder that great ads aren’t written, they’re fought for.🎙️ Second Wind is known for candid conversations with the biggest names in the business.#GerryGraf #Advertising #Creativity #SecondWind #Marketing #Skittles #Snickers #Starburst #Ragu
Chapin Clark has seen the creative industry evolve from Flash microsites to AI-driven campaigns - and somehow, he’s kept the soul of it intact.In this conversation, the legendary voice behind R/GA’s Twitter talks about surviving 25 years inside one of the world’s most influential agencies, mentoring creatives like Paulie Dery, and finding the balance between craft and chaos in the digital age.It’s a masterclass in creative endurance, reinvention, and remembering what actually makes ideas stick.
Jean Batthany led creative at two of the world’s biggest brands.In this episode, she talks about the tension between structure and imagination, and what it takes to keep creativity alive inside corporate systems.From navigating layers of approval to protecting the spark that makes ideas matter, Jean shares how she built cultures of trust, risk-taking, and empathy inside the world’s most complex organizations.This is a conversation about the clash between process and possibility - and how great leaders make space for magic inside the machine.
Sadira Furlow’s career is a study in reinvention, from Pepsi’s viral Super Bowl moments (Puppy Monkey Baby, anyone?) to leading global brand and communications at Tony’s Chocolonely. In this conversation, she joins Gully Flowers and Kerrie Finch to talk about trading scale for soul, humor as activism, and what it takes to make ethical storytelling irresistible.She opens up about:Her journey from aspiring orthopedic surgeon to Adweek Brand Genius.How Tony’s turned a chocolate bar into a global protest.Why discomfort is a compass for growth.The line between AI as a tool and AI as a crutch.And what “radical transparency” really looks like in business.A vivid, funny, deeply human look at how creativity, conscience, and curiosity collide.
Fabio Ruffet leads some of the world’s most loved brands — including Twix, Snickers, and Mars’ global gum portfolio — but his creative journey started with a bold move: spending all he had on the fanciest envelopes in Argentina to land his first job.In this Second Wind conversation with Gully Flowers and Jake Neske, Fabio reflects on his path from agencies like Ogilvy and Havas to leading brand experience across Europe and beyond. He shares:Why consistency is the most powerful tool for long-term brand building.How Mars is using AI and technology to expand creativity in unexpected ways.Lessons from iconic campaigns like Snickers x Mourinho AI persona and Twix Harmonizer.The role of curiosity, tenacity, and collaboration in building a resilient career.Why rejection, like auditions for actors, is essential for creative growth.This is a candid look at the craft of brand building from someone shaping how billions experience some of the world’s most iconic products.
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