The Big Impression
Editors and co-hosts Damian Fowler and Ilyse Liffreing uncover insights and inspiration from leaders at the world's most influential brands.
Latest Episodes
Twelve years into his career, Mike Law took a self-described “sabbatical” from advertising holding company Dentsu when he moved client side to be Director of Media at Pfizer. In the third season of The Current Podcast, Law describes how he’s using the lessons he learned at Pfizer in his second go-around with Dentsu, where he now serves as CEO of the award-winning agency, Carat U.S.
Law also touches on the recent work he’s most proud of (hint: it has to do with the Covid-19 pandemic), why former college student-athletes can thrive in advertising even if they don’t have any experience, the value of working for an agency today, and why he loves working in advertising.
“Everything that happens in the world, whether it be Hollywood or real geopolitical issues, has an impact on us and for us,” Law says. “We watch TV kind of cautiously, because we are like, okay, whatever happens next I'm going to have to think about what that means for my clients and my brands, but it also makes it a really exciting business.”
July 6, 202219 mins
Twelve years into his career, Mike Law took a self-described “sabbatical” from advertising holding company Dentsu when he moved client side to be Director of Media at Pfizer. In the third season of The Current Podcast, Law describes how he’s using the lessons he learned at Pfizer in his second go-around with Dentsu, where he now serves as CEO of the award-winning agency, Carat U.S. Law also touches on the recent work he’s most proud of (hint: it has to do with the Covid-19 pandemic), why former college student-athletes can thrive in advertising even if they don’t have any experience, the value of working for an agency today, and why he loves working in advertising. “Everything that happens in the world, whether it be Hollywood or real geopolitical issues, has an impact on us and for us,” Law says. “We watch TV kind of cautiously, because we are like, okay, whatever happens next I'm going to have to think about what that means for my clients and my brands, but it also makes it a really exciting business.” Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
To L’Oréal executive Shenan Reed, advertising is part art and part science. Reed went from working with the beauty brand on the agency side to taking over as L’Oréal’s senior VP and head of media in 2020. During that time, she has emphasized approaching customers as people instead of targets and making sure the consumer experience is the best it can be.
“It’s inspiring to be inside and understand how an organization like ours is dedicated to the science and to the quality of the products we put forward,” Reed says in our debut episode of the third season of The Current Podcast. “I absolutely love being in the position to help make the decisions on the media side.”
Reed, who previously served as president and chief client officer at Publicis Groupe, discusses how L’Oréal has deep roots in technology, why marketing across a variety of channels is critical to scale messaging, and why she thinks the advertising industry will be better without third-party cookies.
Since 2020, Reed has been bringing her unique vision to the timeless L’Oréal brand. The 112-year-old French personal care company, which owns brands like Lancôme, Maybelline, Prada, Ralph Lauren, and CeraVe, is evolving by offering skin diagnostics and more sustainable product options. This shift led to record sales last year. “The opportunity for us to lean into technology allows us to help create products that bring the experience of the products to life on behalf of the consumer,” she says. “It’s definitely a very proud part of our heritage.”
June 29, 202218 mins
To L’Oréal executive Shenan Reed, advertising is part art and part science. Reed went from working with the beauty brand on the agency side to taking over as L’Oréal’s senior VP and head of media in 2020. During that time, she has emphasized approaching customers as people instead of targets and making sure the consumer experience is the best it can be. “It’s inspiring to be inside and understand how an organization like ours is dedicated to the science and to the quality of the products we put forward,” Reed says in our debut episode of the third season of The Current Podcast. “I absolutely love being in the position to help make the decisions on the media side.” Reed, who previously served as president and chief client officer at Publicis Groupe, discusses how L’Oréal has deep roots in technology, why marketing across a variety of channels is critical to scale messaging, and why she thinks the advertising industry will be better without third-party cookies. Since 2020, Reed has been bringing her unique vision to the timeless L’Oréal brand. The 112-year-old French personal care company, which owns brands like Lancôme, Maybelline, Prada, Ralph Lauren, and CeraVe, is evolving by offering skin diagnostics and more sustainable product options. This shift led to record sales last year. “The opportunity for us to lean into technology allows us to help create products that bring the experience of the products to life on behalf of the consumer,” she says. “It’s definitely a very proud part of our heritage.” Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Parents with children over ten will likely know Roblox as a gaming platform, which bills itself as the ultimate virtual universe that allows create and share experiences with friends. But as the concept of the metaverse has gone mainstream, Roblox is already positioned as a metaverse — a universe of millions of immersive experiences that attracts over 47 million users a day — half of which are now older than 13 years old. Within Roblox, people interact as avatars and purchase in-game currency called Roblox to acquire digital items that they then collect or dress up their avatars. The marketing opportunities of this new space are not lost on major brands like Warner Bros., Gucci, Netflix and others who have partnered with Roblox to bring virtual experiences, concerts, and launch parties to its users. Joining us on The Current Podcast is Christina Wootton, vice president of global brand partnerships at Roblox, who discusses the power of the metaverse, how the platform is on the frontlines innovating and driving its development, and how brands can interact on the platform.
February 23, 202221 mins
Parents with children over ten will likely know Roblox as a gaming platform, which bills itself as the ultimate virtual universe that allows create and share experiences with friends. But as the concept of the metaverse has gone mainstream, Roblox is already positioned as a metaverse — a universe of millions of immersive experiences that attracts over 47 million users a day — half of which are now older than 13 years old. Within Roblox, people interact as avatars and purchase in-game currency called Roblox to acquire digital items that they then collect or dress up their avatars. The marketing opportunities of this new space are not lost on major brands like Warner Bros., Gucci, Netflix and others who have partnered with Roblox to bring virtual experiences, concerts, and launch parties to its users. Joining us on The Current Podcast is Christina Wootton, vice president of global brand partnerships at Roblox, who discusses the power of the metaverse, how the platform is on the frontlines innovating and driving its development, and how brands can interact on the platform. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Dubbing itself “the world’s most global bank,” Citi is evolving its approach to be on the frontlines of marketing, as it strives to set the brand apart from others in the competitive financial services category. Leading with a sharp, data-driven digital marketing strategy, Citi relies on its brand efforts to connect with customers and differentiate the banking experience. In this episode, we speak with Mike Venables, the head of media, managing director at Citi — a longtime agency leader who recently made the switch to his first client-side gig — to understand his media strategy and how his background of leading media efforts across clients like AT&T, IBM and Merck is helping him drive better outcomes and accelerate growth during a moment of transformation for this iconic brand.
February 16, 202222 mins
Dubbing itself “the world’s most global bank,” Citi is evolving its approach to be on the frontlines of marketing, as it strives to set the brand apart from others in the competitive financial services category. Leading with a sharp, data-driven digital marketing strategy, Citi relies on its brand efforts to connect with customers and differentiate the banking experience. In this episode, we speak with Mike Venables, the head of media, managing director at Citi — a longtime agency leader who recently made the switch to his first client-side gig — to understand his media strategy and how his background of leading media efforts across clients like AT&T, IBM and Merck is helping him drive better outcomes and accelerate growth during a moment of transformation for this iconic brand. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Marriott’s Nicolette Harper on how the brand built up consumer confidence during the pandemic
Marriott is synonymous with travel. With its extensive portfolio of hotel brands and styles and services that suit every type of traveler, it’s no wonder it is leading the way in reengaging travelers. In this episode, we speak with Nicolette Harper, VP of Media at Marriott to hear how the company planned its global relaunch after more than a year of travel restrictions. As wanderlust builds amongst consumers around the world — even as travel remains in flux because of the pandemic — we dive deep into how Marriott is inspiring travelers to book their next trip. We also learn about an exciting future Marriott destination — the world’s first metaverse hotel.
February 9, 202221 mins
Marriott is synonymous with travel. With its extensive portfolio of hotel brands and styles and services that suit every type of traveler, it’s no wonder it is leading the way in reengaging travelers. In this episode, we speak with Nicolette Harper, VP of Media at Marriott to hear how the company planned its global relaunch after more than a year of travel restrictions. As wanderlust builds amongst consumers around the world — even as travel remains in flux because of the pandemic — we dive deep into how Marriott is inspiring travelers to book their next trip. We also learn about an exciting future Marriott destination — the world’s first metaverse hotel. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
As a top-five automaker, and recently ranked #1 in the U.S. by Reputation, Nissan is no stranger to staying ahead of opportunities around the bend. This is especially true under the leadership of U.S. CMO, Allyson Witherspoon. Whether it’s debuting a new e-commerce platform to meet customer demand during a time when dealership visits were impossible, or reimagining launches for 10 new models this year, Allyson leads Nissan’s marketing efforts with creativity and compassion. In this episode, we get a chance to learn how she navigated a transformative year for auto, from semiconductor chip shortages affecting inventory to a massive industry shift toward electrification, all while maintaining a sharp focus on what drives her: building life-long bonds with customers.
February 2, 202223 mins
As a top-five automaker, and recently ranked #1 in the U.S. by Reputation, Nissan is no stranger to staying ahead of opportunities around the bend. This is especially true under the leadership of U.S. CMO, Allyson Witherspoon. Whether it’s debuting a new e-commerce platform to meet customer demand during a time when dealership visits were impossible, or reimagining launches for 10 new models this year, Allyson leads Nissan’s marketing efforts with creativity and compassion. In this episode, we get a chance to learn how she navigated a transformative year for auto, from semiconductor chip shortages affecting inventory to a massive industry shift toward electrification, all while maintaining a sharp focus on what drives her: building life-long bonds with customers. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.