With the dust having settled on The Marketing Society Global Awards for 2025, in this podcast we are joined by Chris Dunne, Head of Marketing at Thinkbox, and the award-winning team at The AA and The Gate London, to discuss their campaign which won the award for Best Brand Communication (Large).

In this discussion, Will Harrison (Group Marketing Director, The AA) and Kit Altin (Chief Strategy Officer, The Gate London) talk us through The AA's remarkable transformation from roadside assistance provider to a brand built for every moment in your driving world. Discover how they identified the opportunity to reinvent a heritage brand, why they made the customer the hero of the story, and the creative approach behind "Always Ahead" that used humour and confidence to drive fame, emotional connection, and cultural impact.

Hear about the boldest risks they took, how the campaign transformed internal culture at The AA, and the commercial power of brand-building communications that proved effectiveness at scale.

Members can see the case study here:https://marketingsociety.com/case-studies/marketing-society-global-awards-2025-brand-communication-large-winner

Find out more about The Marketing Society Awards here https://marketingsociety.com/Global-41st-Awards

Welcome to "In my humble opinion", a podcast collaboration between The Marketing Society and Publicis Groupe UK that creates a space for marketing leaders to discuss their opinions on topics affecting our industry which they think about but may not always say out loud.

You're joining us for our next episode in the series '‘In My Humble Opinion… Gen Z aren't breaking the world, they're holding it together

Featuring Lilli English, Chief Strategy Officer at Leo UK, Joe Beveridge, Head of Strategy at Leo UK, and Hannah Pain, Head of Marketing at McDonald's.

Lilli, Joe and Hannah tackle one of the most misunderstood generations in recent history – challenging the lazy stereotypes that paint Gen Z as phone-obsessed, feckless and detached, and revealing the surprising truth hidden in Leo's latest Pop Pulse research.

Despite the media narrative, this generation isn't breaking things up from their couches. They're the sage voices emerging from the huddle – the micro influencers in every household who are shaping decisions across everything from music and tech to DIY, cooking tomato soup and booking holidays. Where wisdom used to trickle down, it's now rippling out from Gen Z, making them not a fringe cohort or future audience, but a commercial imperative today.

They explore Leo's principles for winning with this generation, including why brands need to be "magnet, not mirror" – showing up as an unfiltered, authentic version of themselves rather than desperately trying to speak Gen Z's language. From McDonald's evolution from "confidently humble" to "unashamedly McDonald's", to understanding why this generation holds the keys to the mainstream, they reveal why getting Gen Z right isn't about alienating others – it's your route to reaching everyone.

Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review our podcast!

Our industry is filled with many brilliant minds with thought provoking views, we can’t wait to bring them to you, our next episode of “In my humble opinion” will be coming soon and find our series of content of the same name over at The Marketing Society website here.

Welcome to “In my humble opinion”, a podcast collaboration between The Marketing Society and Publicis Groupe UK that creates a space for marketing leaders to discuss their opinions on topics affecting our industry which they think about but may not always say out loud.

You will hear industry leaders and experts talk about their views and opinions on deliberately provocative subjects such as the impact of technology on brands and consumers, the future of our industry, the generational divides, diversity and inclusion and more.

You’re joining us for episode 9 "In My Humble Opinion...if your commerce is disconnected, your growth is too”.

Featuring Astrid Lloyd, Managing Director at Publicis Commerce UK and Natalie James, Head of eCommerce, Brown-Forman Europe.

Astrid Lloyd and Natalie James tackle one of the most costly blind spots in commerce today – the disconnect between how consumers actually shop and how businesses are still organized to sell.

Following on from their panel discussion at The Marketing Society's "Uncomfortable Conversations" breakfast, Astrid and Natalie explore why organisational silos persist despite shoppers moving seamlessly between TikTok, Amazon, Google and physical stores. From fragmented data systems to the "trough of fragmentation" where insights are a mile wide but an inch deep, they examine the structural barriers holding brands back from capturing growth.

They discuss why the digital shelf deserves the same attention as physical point-of-sale, the challenge of justifying investment in emerging platforms like TikTok, and the capability gaps that leave digital commerce feeling like an afterthought.

Most importantly, they reveal the leadership behaviours needed to drive transformation – and why "following the money" might be the key to breaking down barriers.

Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review our podcast!

Our industry is filled with many brilliant minds with thought provoking views, we can’t wait to bring them to you, our next episode of “In my humble opinion” will be coming soon and find our series of content of the same name over at The Marketing Society website here.

With the dust having settled on The Marketing Society Global Awards for 2025, in this podcast we are joined by Chris Dunne, Head of Marketing at Thinkbox and the award-winning team at Charlie Bigham's and VCCP, to discuss their campaign which won the award for Best Brand Communication (Small)

In this discussion, Kim Gelling (Commercial & Marketing Director, Charlie Bigham's) and Max Keane (Chief Strategy Officer, VCCP) talk us through their remarkable, against-the-odds strategy of making a virtue of inconvenience in a category built on convenience. Discover how they identified the public's increasing desire for "things done properly", why they chose to target 'foodies' who wouldn't usually purchase ready meals, and the creative approach that put Charlie front and centre, featuring Richard Osman's distinctive voiceover and handmade animation style.

Members can see the case study here: https://marketingsociety.com/case-studies/marketing-society-global-awards-2025-brand-communication-small-winner

Find out more about The Marketing Society Awards here https://marketingsociety.com/Global-41st-Awards

Welcome to “In my humble opinion”, a podcast collaboration between The Marketing Society and Publicis Groupe UK that creates a space for marketing leaders to discuss their opinions on topics affecting our industry which they think about but may not always say out loud.

You will hear industry leaders and experts talk about their views and opinions on deliberately provocative subjects such as the impact of technology on brands and consumers, the future of our industry, the generational divides, diversity and inclusion and more.

You’re joining us for episode 8 'In My Humble Opinion... the news is dead.'

Featuring Jack Peat, Head of Newsroom at Taylor Herring, and Alex Goldsmith, Head of Social Video at Metro.

Jack and Alex explore how social media has fundamentally disrupted traditional news practices – and what this means for the communications industry. Drawing from Taylor Herring's report "The news is dead. Long live the news," they examine how platforms like TikTok have transformed everything from news gathering to storytelling.

From Alex's "What the F test" for content that stops the scroll, to the reality that anything over one minute is now considered long form, they discuss how journalists are becoming content creators and algorithms are taking on the role of editors. They reveal why over half of digital journalists say PRs rarely supply the multimedia assets they need, and explore the growing disconnect between traditional comms practices and social-first newsrooms.

Most importantly, they uncover the positive evolution happening – how the best PR professionals are now engaging with publishers earlier in the process, understanding individual platform needs, and working more collaboratively than ever before.

Get the report "News is Dead" here

Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review our podcast!

Our industry is filled with many brilliant minds with thought provoking views, we can’t wait to bring them to you, our next episode of “In my humble opinion” will be coming soon and find our series of content of the same name over at The Marketing Society website here.

Welcome to “In my humble opinion”, a podcast collaboration between The Marketing Society and Publicis Groupe UK that creates a space for marketing leaders to discuss their opinions on topics affecting our industry which they think about but may not always say out loud.

You will hear industry leaders and experts talk about their views and opinions on deliberately provocative subjects such as the impact of technology on brands and consumers, the future of our industry, the generational divides, diversity and inclusion and more.

You’re joining us for episode 7 'In My Humble Opinion... brands can do more to support DE&I initiatives in their advertising'.

Featuring Ben Mitchell, Partnerships Director at Publicis Media, Lily Wadsworth, Senior Brand Manager, Voltarol at Haleon, and Paige Eaton, Planning Account Director at Spark Foundry.

Ben, Lily and Paige explore why inclusive advertising isn't optional anymore – it's essential. They dive into Voltarol's award-winning six-year partnership with Gay Times and Channel 4, showcasing how authentic storytelling around LGBTQ+ communities in sport has driven both positive brand metrics and meaningful social impact.

From navigating regulatory challenges as a pharmaceutical brand to the business case for representation they examine how brands can move beyond tokenism to create genuinely inclusive content. They discuss everything from simple inclusive casting to purpose-driven campaigns that tackle stereotypes and drive social change.

Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review our podcast!

Our industry is filled with many brilliant minds with thought provoking views, we can’t wait to bring them to you, our next episode of “In my humble opinion” will be coming soon and find our series of content of the same name over at The Marketing Society website here.

Episode #150. We’re celebrating our milestone 150th episode with a technical skill that, if it hasn’t already, will impact and shape the way we work and live our lives, and the lives of our consumers.

We’re discussing AI and how to utilise the tools available today, to help you to grow the brands and businesses of tomorrow.

Returning guest and friend of the podcast joining Abby is Jeremy Connell-Waite. As IBM’s Global Communications Designer, Jeremy is a seasoned storyteller, strategist and communications leader, bringing a wealth of experience from his work at the intersection of technology, purpose and human connection.

In this episode, Jeremy shares how he uses AI to become his IA – intelligent assistant – conversing with his AI personas to collaborate; not only to provide answers but get to the root causes to help him ask the right questions too.

Jeremy also reveals why you should use voice prompt when training your AI, plus he gives many great examples of how it can be used day-to-day, with different AI platforms and resources to help you get started.

00:00:00 Welcome and Introduction to Brand Purpose

00:02:16 Jeremy’s Background & Approach to AI

00:03:33 Defining AI: Intelligent Assistant, Not Artificial Intelligence

00:05:20 How Marketers Are Using AI

00:08:49 Building Rapport with AI & Humanizing the Experience

00:15:11 How to Build Your Own AI Assistant

00:22:29 Building Custom GPTs

00:25:38 Experimenting with Different Platforms

00:27:30 The Future of AI: Adoption Not Anxiety

00:31:51 Top Five Actions for Marketers

00:38:03 AI as a Time-Saving Tool to Free You Up For What You Enjoy 

00:39:25 Final Advice For Marketers

Host: Abigail Dixon FCIM/ICF | LinkedIn

Guest: Jeremy Connell-Waite | LinkedIn

The Whole Marketer podcast is here to support and empower the people behind brands and businesses with the latest technical tools, soft and leadership skills and personal understanding for a fulfilling marketing career and life as a whole. For more info go to www.thewholemarketer.com

Welcome to “In my humble opinion”, a podcast collaboration between The Marketing Society and Publicis Groupe UK that creates a space for marketing leaders to discuss their opinions on topics affecting our industry which they think about but may not always say out loud.

You will hear industry leaders and experts talk about their views and opinions on deliberately provocative subjects such as the impact of technology on brands and consumers, the future of our industry, the generational divides, diversity and inclusion and more.

You’re joining us for episode 6 'In My Humble Opinion... Fragmented creativity is exciting’.

Featuring Ben Mooge, Chief Creative Officer, Publicis Groupe and Kelly Engstrom, Brand & Demand Generation Communications Director. BT, EE and Plusnet at BT.

Ben and Kelly explore a provocative idea that challenges traditional integrated campaign thinking. They discuss how media fragmentation has fundamentally shifted creative execution, moving away from the "matching luggage" approach to embrace channel-specific creativity that maintains brand authenticity.

Whether you're a marketer, creative, or brand strategist, this conversation offers valuable insights on embracing creative fragmentation as an opportunity rather than a threat.

Connect with our guests:

• Ben Mooge, Chief Creative Officer, Publicis Groupe - LinkedIn Profile
• Kelly Engstrom, Brand & Demand Generation Communications Director. BT, EE and Plusnet at BT - LinkedIn Profile

Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review our podcast!

Our industry is filled with many brilliant minds with thought provoking views, we can’t wait to bring them to you, our next episode of “In my humble opinion” will be coming soon and find our series of content of the same name over at The Marketing Society website here.