Breaking and Entering Advertising Podcast

At some point, we all ask ourselves, why advertising?  What does it say about us to be an advertiser or marketer? What do our jobs do to our souls? 

Every marketer may have a different reply to these questions, and some may even struggle to answer. Ben Purkert’s debut novel, The Men Can’t Be Saved, takes you on a wild journey to truly answer them. 

We were lucky enough to sit down with him and discuss these concepts, break down the inspiration behind the book, and explore how you can balance your own creative exploits outside of the marketing and advertising world. 

The Men Can’t Be Saved releases today, and it is an absolute must-read for anyone from the marketing world. 

Here it is. Handpicked by Kellyn Blount (ECD at Preacher) herself, the Blue Crowbar award-winning campaign.

The Blue Crowbar goes to the single best campaign submitted. Best in Show.

We asked the nation of aspiring advertisers to develop a brand identity and creative marketing campaign that establishes Microsoft's BING as the undisputed pound-for-pound Champion for Generative AI in the minds of consumers.

And this team did that so beautifully.

They came up with "Mommy-to-Bing."

The winning idea: "In a partnership with Proudly, Bing will address

the disparities in maternal healthcare among black

women, providing them with accessible and

accurate information, resources, and support

throughout pregnancy and motherhood."

Congrats to Alex Dagostino, Maxwell Israels, Alexis Bradley and Hannah Biddlecome on winning the Blue Crowbar!

To win USA Today's ADmeter, which takes the general population's vote for "who had the best Super Bowl commercial," is hard.

To win it three years in a row is damn near impossible.

To do that with an agency that is six years old. It is unbelievable.

To do that with an agency with just around 100 people, well, is why we have on Megan Lally.

Megan Lally is part owner and runs all things on the business side of Highdive Advertising. Based in Chicago, Illinois.

Time to learn how to break into advertising. Time to learn how the sausage gets made at Highdive.

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This week Mark Ritson and Cooper Colvig unravel some of the intricacies and pitfalls of marketing in the United States, as well as how we can keep our focus on the fundamentals.

Mark’s message is clear. It’s time to get back to the basics and utilize all of the incredible marketing effectiveness work coming out with a grain of salt.

Client situations and objectives vary, so use the work that makes sense, and tweak it as you go! 

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This week we have a combo episode. It tells the stories of two successful women in marketing, in two different roles within marketing, united by the same graduate degree. Emilie Vicchio is the Marketing and Brand Communication Director at Client Solutions Architect, a global professional services firm. And Shannon Obrecht is her own boss. She owns her design agency, where she has dedicated her career to brand architecture and design. What I love about this episode is the dichotomy between these two; despite two different disciplines, they were both part of the University of Illinois' inaugural class for the Master's in Strategic Brand Communication Program (SBC). We dive into how the SBC program helped transform their careers and if this program or any form of higher education might help you.

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She was a skier for Italy's national team.

Now she's creating advertising, working as an art director for DDB San Francisco.

A few years and 6,000+ miles later, Beatrice did a lot in between to break into advertising.

You will learn the importance of a strong personal brand narrative, understanding your vision and how trusting the process can help you break into advertising.

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Will a Master's degree help you break into advertising?

Will it help you thrive in advertising long-term? What about portfolio school? Or what about an MBA?

These are some of the questions Shachar Meron and Richard Pieczynski answer in this episode.

I decided the Master's in Strategic Brand Communications was the perfect plan for my career. Shachar is the program's academic director, and Rich is a lecturer for the program.

I also wrote a more in-depth blog on our website, but this episode will clarify some important questions about higher education.

And to clarify upfront, this is not a one-sided conversation. A Master's might not be for you at all.

But you should be equipped with all the knowledge about furthering your career development.

Crispin Porter + Bogusky.

Is back.

Recently, Observatory and sister agencies MMI and Vitro merged under the Crispin banner to create an integrated creative powerhouse.

Brendan Shields-Shimizu is the Chief Innovation Officer at Crispin Porter + Bogusky.

We talk the new Crispin. We talk about meeting Morgan Freeman. LA Advertising. And branded entertainment.

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Rafa Donato was listed as Creative Person of The Year.

He's the Chief Creative Officer of DAVID Miami.

He would be a long-haul truck driver if he weren't making award-winning creative advertising in Miami.

Regardless, he will help steer your career direction to a place of success and fame and great ads.

He's done so for years while working on Burger King, Coca-Cola, Faber-Castell, Mondeléz, and Danone.

Including the infamous Moldy Whopper.

If you don't learn from Rafa, I don't know what else to tell you.

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Jess Clifton is the Head of Brand and Marketing Advisory Media.Monks and Founder of FemalesFWD.

Jess is an experienced executive leader who successfully navigates the complexity of modern marketing, brings order to chaos, and builds brands through culture and experiences.

That's someone who we want to learn from!

And learn you will do if you listen to this episode.

You will learn how to break into advertising and lead creativity, and you may end up creating your own agency one day, like Jess, if you listen.

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Jay Towns broke into advertising one year ago.

He is a Creative at DDB Chicago.

He learned about advertising late in his senior year of college.

Once he discovered advertising, he was able to break in only a few months.

I will let him explain how he did it so fast in this economy.

I learned a lot from Jay, and I know you will too.

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Marketing science is punk… It’s anti-establishment.
It challenges the stories marketers tell themselves and pursues the empirical truths of the craft.
Byron Sharp and the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute champion this thinking.
They carry the torch for evidence-based marketing and continue to make discoveries that push marketers to become more scientific and greater skeptics of the world around us.
If you’re unfamiliar with Byron, he’s the Director and Leading Researcher of the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, the world's largest center for marketing research. His books How Brands Grow Parts 1 and 2 are foundational tools for any marketer, and the work coming out of Adelaide, Australia, is drastically changing the world of marketing and advertising.
Tune in as we discuss the role of marketing science, concepts like test and learn, and what it takes to be evidence-based rather than “data-driven.”

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Emery Barnes is a New York City-based Brand Marketer.

He's a first-generation Liberian-American and Chicago native with an untiring passion to seed culture into brands—through music, sports, and art.

At 27, Emery has produced campaigns for brands such as DoorDash, Michelob ULTRA, Samsung Global, Coca-Cola, P&G, Trolli, Fisher-Price, and United Airlines, and has worked at some of the largest and most recognizable creative agencies in the world, such as Leo Burnett, Wieden+Kennedy Portland & New York, and MullenLowe.

Emery's work spans from Broadcast TVC, Earned Media, Social, Digital, Print, and Experiential. Although a "brand" person on paper, he's a creative at heart.

Emery is currently a Brand Supervisor in DoorDash's Creative Studio, working on the Consumer & Partnerships Businesses.

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Here it is. Handpicked by Greg Hahn himself, the Blue Crowbar award-winning campaign.

The Blue Crowbar goes to the single best campaign submitted. Best in Show.
We asked the nation of aspiring advertisers to fix the perception of Dasani Water. 

And this team did that so beautifully.
They came up with "Tap Map." 

People love to call Dasani tap water, and they’re right — it is just tap water. But that’s a good thing. Because of outdated lead service lines, many people don’t have access to clean, quality tap water, and Dasani can change that by embracing who they are. With the help of Tap Maps, more people can be proud of the water coming from their faucets.

Congrats to Sam Hamerski, Austin Lozano and Jamie Chihuan.

Use your Crowbars wisely, and congrats on this accomplishment; we are proud to be your accomplices as you break into advertising.

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Becoming a most-wanted marketer is hard as it is, let alone building a most-wanted brand. 

Josh Ingram breaks down how you accomplish both. 

At his Strategic Consultancy Most Wanted Co, Josh and his team intersect brand, innovation, and performance to do just that, build brands that are most wanted.

We discuss how finding your own formula is key and how there are more parallels between the recording studio and the board room than you’d think. 

Be sure to tune in and see what it means to be Most Wanted!

Business Insider named Gerry Graf "The Most Creative Man in Advertising," Newsweek called him one of the "New Don Drapers."

Gerry gets transparent with how long things took him to achieve his accumulated success.

Let's just say he's won every award in advertising. I don't have all day here.

He details the process he went through to get his first job and then how we can all expedite that process today.

He details his process and how long it took him to land his first great spot. Then tells us how we can expedite that process today.

There's a lot to learn from when of the best minds in the business, so let's tune in.

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Sometimes all it takes is a few Tweets to get noticed.

Robyn Frost worked incredibly hard on her portfolio and developing her craft.

Today, she is an art director with a thing for words. She is currently haunting the halls of Pereira O’Dell San Francisco.

She tells us her story and advice, including how she moved to Chicago from London to make ads and how a Tweet sparked it all.

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"Gettin' things done and makin' a difference."

That is what Professor Scott Hamula is all about.

He is a Professor and Chair of Strategic Communications at Ithaca College.

Over the past 24 years of teaching, he has earned the AAF's distinguished educator award (the MVP of ad ed) and a 1st place finish at the National Student Advertising Competition.

It's worth noting Ithaca College has less than 7,000 students. Impressive.

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A podcast host way better than us.

Colin Daniels is a digital editor at Adweek and the Host of the Young Influentials Podcast.

He is someone that will make you feel welcome and laugh and will teach you a whole lot.

He is wise beyond his years, or maybe that's just his elite skincare which he hints at on this show.

From influencers to C-suite executives, Daniel sits down with some of the most influential media, tech, and marketing voices creating real change in their fields.

He is a perfect guest to share his experiences, and I can't wait for you to listen.

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Join us as we interview top advertising lecturers and professors, sharing their tips and insights on building a successful career in advertising.

This week, we have a special guest: Ed Russell, a 25-year veteran in the advertising business and professor at Syracuse University. Ed has worked on nearly every product category in every global market and has even written Leo Burnett's international training program, "LeoSmarts."

In this episode, we'll cover everything you need to know about portfolio development, the value of a master's degree in advertising, and various tips and strategies for breaking into the field.

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Effectiveness & Inspiration. 

The currency of every brand manager, strategist, and strategically minded creative. 

This week we are lucky enough to be joined by James Hurman, Graduate of Strategic Planning, Entrepreneur, Author, Founder/Co-founder of Previously Unavailable, Tracksuit, AF Drinks, Toothcrush, and Champion of Marketing Effectiveness.

If all his accolades don’t say enough, you’ll have to tune in as he maps out the intricacies between above-the-line and below-the-line strategy, breaks down the magic of a high-functioning strategic/creative relationship, and applies the skills of strategic planning to entrepreneurship. 

You may even leave this episode wondering if Super Bowl ads are really long-term brand tactics…

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Class is in session.

Professor John H. Murphy is an Emeritus Professor of Advertising at the University of Texas at Austin.

John is the 2021 recipient of the Distinguished Advertising Educator Award. He has over 40 years of teaching experience at The University of Texas at Austin, where he has inspired a generation of advertisers and mentored many notable leaders in the industry.

In this must-hear episode, John shares his seven crucial pieces of advice for every advertiser and marketer, no matter their level of experience. He also discusses his insights into the advertising industry and the challenges facing aspiring advertisers.

Take advantage of this opportunity to learn from one of the best in the business.

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Jeff Sweat makes advertising agencies famous.

Jeff Sweat is the founder of Sweat + Co, a PR consultancy focused on advertising.

As an ex-journalist, content marketing pioneer, two-time novelist, and agency PR veteran, Jeff has learned it's not enough to tell a story—you have to create a story worth telling.

He teaches us all about the communications, PR and marketing arms at every agency, how to break into it, and how to thrive in it.

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Learn from Dr. Jason P Chambers, Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Associate Professor of Advertising at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign.

In this episode, Dr. Chambers shares his insights on the importance of diversity in the university system, within the college of media at UIUC, and in today's advertising industry. 

As an expert in advertising history, Dr. Chambers offers a unique perspective on how the industry has evolved and how we can all work towards creating more inclusive campaigns.

Whether you're an aspiring advertiser, current academic, or advertising professional, this episode is a must-listen. Dr. Chambers' expertise and experience make this a valuable resource.

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The VP of Creative at Pinterest. 

Xanthe Wells leads all creative, concepting, design, experiential, writing and content for Pinterest advertising.

Previously, Xanthe was Senior Director & Global Executive Creative Director for Google Devices & Services. At Google, she won a Grand Prix in Cannes for Real Tone on Google Pixel while leading agency partnerships with Wieden + Kennedy,  Swift, GUT, Droga5, 72andSunny in addition to overseeing the Google Devices & Services Creative Team. 

Xanthe knows a lot. A lot, a lot. 

How to make award-winning work. How to succeed in both the brand and agency side of marketing communications. And, of course, how you can break into either side. 

Tune in! It can only help you wherever you're at in your career.

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Looking to make your mark in the advertising industry? 

Today's episode of ADjunct is a must-listen.

We're joined by Jay Waters, senior instructor and advisor for the University of Alabama's top-ranked student-run advertising agency, who shares his valuable insights on how to succeed in the business. 

From building a standout portfolio to networking and staying up to date on industry trends. 

Roll Tide. 

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Gianna Prudente is all about Keeping the Balance. 

Specifically, how Gen Z can keep the balance with work and life and everything in between. 

As an Associate News Editor at LinkedIn, she helps young professionals (like you) navigate the changing world of work with her newsletter and content. 

With over 42 newsletters released, she shares what she has learned from her work experience and the hundreds of conversations she's had with other recent grads who broke into their careers. 

From the mailroom to head of account. 

Tim Hendrick has 22 years of teaching experience as a San Jose State University advertising professor. 

He also has two decades of advertising experience working at both agencies and on the brand side. 

I think he might have one or two things you might be able to learn from and apply to your advertising break-in journey. 

Cooper Colvig hosts this week's Breaking and Entering episode.

This week he interviews Harsha Gangadharbatla, Professor of Advertising and Faculty Director in the Office of Faculty Affairs

Harsha has an incredible way of inspiring his students to jump head-first into marketing and advertising. Cooper was one of them. While building the foundational critical thinking skills needed to be successful in advertising, Harsha pushes his students to find success in all aspects of life.

He is a mentor to many and an incredible mind leading his students to be compassionate, kind, and curious lifelong learners. Be sure to tune in and listen to Harsha and Cooper talk about breaking in and thriving in advertising.

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We have the boss of FCB on the show. 

Tyler Turnbull is the Global CEO of FCB. 

It took him only eight years to become a CEO in this business, starting as an intern. 

Now he's the Global CEO. Not too Shabby. 

Tyler talks with us about FCB at the international level, explaining his vision for growth, and we get granular on how to break into an FCB agency locally.

Hear his advice on how to rise the ranks or define your own creative success in advertising. 

The CMO of Saatchi & Saatchi, everyone. 

Nicole Souza is growing the historically creative and constantly innovative Saatchi & Saatchi agency brand. 

She's kind of a big deal, and that's okay.

She's able to speak our language and tells us the basics of the new business process, how she approaches it at her agency and, of course, how you can break into new business. And the rest of advertising as a career. 

This is a fantastic conversation for all aspiring advertisers and an excellent reminder for Creatives on how to get extra prestige and visibility in their roles. 

Jason LaFlore will help you break into advertising. 

From grocery store manager to creating Super Bowl Ads, we discuss Jason's career and advice. 

We learn that the world of advertising is smaller than you would expect. We learn how portfolio school was the right route for Jason. 

We learn about the big Chicago advertising agencies and the importance of putting your perspective in your portfolio. 

Give his episode a listen! We can even help you connect with him. 

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Tune in to this week's episode of ADjunct for a conversation with Professor Jay Newell. 

With over 20 years of experience in the industry, including work in network journalism, advertising, and media management, Jay shares his career journey and innovative teaching methods. 

We also discuss his meeting with THE Mr. Rodgers, the strengths of Gen Z, and his advice for advertising students. 

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Campaign Magazine strives to help beginning advertising talent. 

And Alison Weissbrot is leading the charge. 

As US Editor at Campaign, the largest global advertising trade publication, she covers ad agencies, media, ad tech/mar tech and commercial creativity.

But, we also dive into some programs designed to help beginning talent break in and thrive in advertising. 

You won't want to miss this one. 

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"Brand Patriotism" 

He defines this position as "an unflagging belief in, and defense of, the value, power and meaning of a brand."

Marshall Goldman preaches this to his students. He is a professional advertising lecturer at Depaul University in Chicago.

Marshall Goldman has been an international executive creative director and an eminent copywriter who worked at Leo Burnett in the U.S. and throughout Europe, Africa and the Middle East for over twenty years. 

Also, he's an unbelievably captivating storyteller. His episode will entertain and teach you about working at large agencies, career paths, portfolio development and other impactful advice.

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Welcome to ADjunct, where we interview the top advertising lecturers and professors across the country to lend some knowledge to your ear.

This week you will learn from Shannon Bichard, Associate Professor at Texas Tech University and Chairperson for their Advertising & Brand Strategy department. 

She is very passionate about teaching and mentoring students. At the undergraduate level, she often teaches advertising media planning, advertising campaigns, and the ad pitch course. In addition, she often teaches the pedagogy course, branding seminar, or integrated communication campaigns at the graduate level. 

He's the advertising agency expert.

Brian Bonilla is Ad Age's agency reporter. 

So he knows which shops are hot. 

And which shops are not. 

If you listen in, you will learn some tips and tricks to break in and thrive in a creative advertising agency, which we love. 

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Leo Burnett was also a pig farmer. 

We know this is true because Dave Koranda tells us how he met Leo in this episode when he was ten years old. 

Some of that Leo luck rubbed off on Dave because he's been instrumental in the advertising industry ever since. 

Dave is a Professor of Practice Emeritus at the University of Oregon.

He explains the basics of breaking into advertising and the importance of curiosity for all marketers. 

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Not many people care as much as Mark Jenson. 

Mark is an advertising Lecturer at the U of MN Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

Of 150+ interviews, he is one of the nicest guests I've had on. 

He will teach you whether or not you should pursue a Master's degree, portfolio development tips and some networking fundamentals in this episode. 

The Boss of Adweek. 

Ann Marinovich is the Chief Content Officer of Adweek. 

It's the publication that we all know and love. 

It's there with us for the best of times and the worst of (ad) times.

She leads the company's content strategy and capabilities across all content formats, including editorial, events, branded content, social, podcasts, video and community engagement. 

Ann takes time to tell us about herself, Adweek, the industry and, of course, how we can break and thrive in the world of marketing communications.

Mark Allen is one of the top advertising educators in the United States. 

Mark joined the Temerlin Advertising Institute at Southern Methodist University in 2003 to help start and build a new creative program for aspiring art directors, designers and copywriters in Dallas. 

Since then, work produced by his students has been recognized by the advertising industry's most respected venues: the American Advertising Federation, The One Club for Creativity, Lürzer's Archive, Adweek and Communication Arts. 

Whether you're a student of his or not, he takes 30 minutes to advise on how you, too, can win some advertising awards, better your portfolio and break into advertising. 

She won Texas State University President's Award for Teaching Excellence in 2017. 

It is our mission to interview the best advertising professors across the country.

This week we speak with Jenny Buschhorn, Associate Professor of Advertising at Texas State University. 

She's one of the best because she has amazing industry experience and prepares her students on how to get jobs they love. 

And she can help you too.

The Crowbar Awards: www.crowbarawards.com

Brand Strategy at Microsoft.

That's not an advertising agency. 

After double-checking, we can confirm that Microsoft is not an advertising agency, but we can confirm Christina Adranly loves her new role there as a brand strategist. 

It's the age-old discussion of client-side vs. agency side, and we are grateful for Christina's perspective on the topic. 

It's Corn! 

You have to move quickly to tap into culture as an advertiser. 

Jamie Falkowski is the Chief Creative Officer at Day One Agency, and they know how to move quickly and on strategy. 

Day One Agency is a creative communications agency built for the next 10 years (and 24 hours).

Jamie's efforts have caused nearly 50% business growth at the agency over the last year in partnership with clients including Nike, Meta, American Express, Chipotle, Walmart, Beam Suntory and more.

His break-in story includes some celebrities like Whiz Kalifa, Drake and more.