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In this episode of Building Brand Advocacy, we sit down with Emily Heath, Global Brand Director of Rexona | Sure, to unpack how one of the world’s biggest, everyday deodorant brands is building true brand awareness and community through sports partnerships. Emily shares her extensive experience working with Unilever over 17 years and provides insights into managing a global brand. Discover how sport partnerships, particularly in football, have played a crucial role in enhancing brand engagement and creating emotional connections with fans. Emily also touches on the tactical side of sports marketing, leveraging AI in brand marketing, and maintaining brand advocacy outside of major campaigns. Tune in for an in-depth conversation filled with valuable strategies and tips for marketers at any level. In this episode, we cover: How Rexona | Sure uses sport to drive authentic brand awareness What “good” looks like in global sporting partnerships, and how to maximise them The rise of female sports and how to advocate for it as a global brand The role of ambassadors and athletes for a global brand How to engage and activate community at global scale, while still feeling local and human Where AI fits into the future of brand building and how Rexona | Sure are already tapping into it CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction 01:39 The Evolution of Sports Marketing at Rexona 04:22 Expanding into Female Sports Partnerships 07:47 Maximizing the Value of Global Sports Partnerships 10:48 How To Gain Value from Brand Ambassadors 17:45 Sports Marketing Strategies for Smaller Brands 20:51 Exploring Brand Advocacy Beyond Major Campaigns 22:07 Leveraging Cultural Moments for Brand Relevance 25:01 The Impact of AI on Brand Marketing 28:56 Quick Fire Round: Personal Insights and Fun Facts 🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss an episode. CONNECT WITH EMILY LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-heath-84a20b14/ FOLLOW US Verity: www.linkedin.com/in/verityhurd/ Subscribe: www.youtube.com/@buildingbrandadvocacy Instagram: www.instagram.com/building_brand_advocacy TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@building.brand.advocacy

In this episode, we break down how SoulCycle built a community-powered content engine that keeps fans sharing, and showing up. Our guest this week is McKinley Hart, Director of Social Media at SoulCycle who shares more around the brand’s social and community storytelling, how they turn riders, instructors, and studio culture into a constant flow of authentic content and brand advocacy. We dig into the strategies, systems, and mindset that any brand, marketer, or creator can steal, even if you don’t have SoulCycle’s scale or resources. In this episode, we cover: How SoulCycle turned its community into a content engine (without making people feel “used”) The creative strategies used at SoulCycle to maxmise brand advocacy on social Turning instructors and front-line teams into on-the-ground storytellers Building internal infrastructures that benefit the content loop The difference between “posting about your brand” and “building your brand” How to measure the impact of community-driven content beyond likes and views Practical advice for brands that don’t currently have a passionate fanbase CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction to SoulCycle's Community 00:24 The Social Impact of SoulCycle 03:14 The Nomad Baddies: A Community Story 05:55 Creating Fans and Advocates 10:11 SoulCycle's Unique Social Media Strategy 12:05 The Future of Social Engagement 14:58 Balancing Real Life and Digital Presence 19:36 The Role of Employees in Brand Growth 22:40 Engagement and Commercial Results 25:34 Breaking Down Barriers to Participation 30:34 SoulCycle’s Community and Brand Advocacy 🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss a launch. CONNECT WITH MCKINLEY LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mckinleyhart/ SoulCycle Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulcycle/ SoulCycle TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soulcycle?lang=en-GB FOLLOW US Verity: www.linkedin.com/in/verityhurd/ Subscribe: www.youtube.com/@buildingbrandadvocacy Instagram: www.instagram.com/building_brand_advocacyTikTok: www.tiktok.com/@building.brand.advocacy

Most brands are still using a 20th‑century playbook for a social‑first world and it’s damaging their marketing. In this episode, we’re joined by Sean Cook, ex Global Senior Social Media Manager at Deliveroo, to unpack why the current “brand architecture” model is completely outdated for how social actually works today. Sean shares what he learned leading an in‑house social team at scale, where the system is failing brands, and what a modern brand architect needs to look like in 2026 and beyond. We dig into how social fits inside the wider business, why brand books don’t translate to TikTok, Instagram or LinkedIn, and the structural changes leaders need to make if they want social to be more than just a content factory. In this episode, we cover: Current state of the digital marketing infrastructure Introduction of brand and content architects The role of CMO’s to enable best performance  Duty of care towards social media teams The balance between strategy & experiementaiton  Why culture is key to fostering success on social media  If you’re internal infrastructure is exhausting, overwhelming and no longer working. This episode is for you. CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction 01:07 The Role and Challenges of Social Media Teams 03:40 Building Effective Social Media Strategies 05:23 The Importance of Knowing Your Audience 13:30 Wellbeing and Duty of Care in Social Media 18:41 The Evolution of Social Media Teams 24:36 The Need for a Brand and Content Architect 31:12 The Role of Culture in Social Media 35:28 Empowering Social Media Teams 37:27 The Future of Social Media Strategy 🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss a launch. CONNECT WITH SEAN LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-cook-333b52a3/ FOLLOW US Verity: www.linkedin.com/in/verityhurd/ Subscribe: www.youtube.com/@buildingbrandadvocacy Instagram: www.instagram.com/building_brand_advocacy TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@building.brand.advocacy

Daisy Kelly made 6 figures in just 12 hours on TikTok shop without spending a penny on ads. In this episode, Daisy Kelly, the founder of Glow For It reveals why the era of traditional influencer marketing is dead and how to build a cult following that buys every product you launch. If you're trying to build a brand on TikTok in 2026, the old playbook doesn't work. We sit down with Daisy to discuss the huge shift toward "Founder-Led" marketing and why your customers are your best advocates. We break down the exact strategy Glow For It used to turn followers into super fans and why you need to stop hiding behind your logo if you want to scale your DTC business. In this episode, we cover: The Power of TikTok for Business Inside a Six-Figure Live Effective DTC marketing strategies Founder led marketing  Building real community in 2026 If you’re looking to level up your TikTok strategy this year, this episode is for you! CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction and TikTok's Impact 00:55 Building a Brand from Scratch 01:46 Black Friday Preparations 04:11 The Power of TikTok for Business 08:28 Inside a Six-Figure Live 13:50 Marketing Strategies and Team Dynamics 18:01 Reflections and Lessons Learned 19:07 Navigating Business Advice and Trusting Your Gut 20:19 The Role of the Founder in Brand Building 22:03 The Impact of Live Presenters on Sales 25:31 Adapting to Potential Changes in Social Media Platforms 28:37 Engaging with Customers Through Community Events 37:33 Future Plans and Inspirations 🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss a launch. CONNECT WITH GLOW FOR IT  Glow For It TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@glowforitshop?lang=en-GB Glow For It Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glowforitshop/ FOLLOW US Verity: www.linkedin.com/in/verityhurd/ Subscribe: www.youtube.com/@buildingbrandadvocacy Instagram: www.instagram.com/building_brand_advocacy TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@building.brand.advocacy

Is Influencer Marketing officially dead in 2026? The era of paying for posts and chasing reach is breaking down. Influence hasn’t disappeared, but it has shifted, out of platforms and into people. In this episode, we unpack why the traditional digital marketing playbook is no longer fit for purpose, and how leading brands are reorganising around Brand Advocacy activating customers, creators, and communities as a measurable growth engine, not a one-off tactic. We discuss the huge shift from "buying attention" to "earning trust" and reveal the exact team roles you need to hire (and fire) to succeed in this new landscape. If you are a CMO or marketing leader still relying on 2024 tactics, you might be wasting your budget. In this episode, we cover: The "Death" of traditional influencer marketing The current state of brand advocacy in 2026 Why your digital marketing team structure is failing you How to pivot from paid reach to community led growth Actionable steps to turn customers into your best marketers Listen to the full conversation to future-proof your brand strategy. CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction to Brand Advocacy in 2026 00:46 Reflecting on 2025: The Rise of Advocacy 02:35 The Decline of Influencer Marketing 05:01 The Future of Marketing Teams 07:27 The Importance of Community Building 09:58 The Shift in Social Commerce 13:09 Unlearning Old Marketing Strategies 17:10 Effective Brand Advocacy Approaches 20:35 The Difference Between Paid Influencers and Earned Advocates 21:09 Top of Funnel vs. Bottom of Funnel Advocacy 22:04 The Importance of Culture and Commercial Creators 23:10 Brands Underutilizing Their Advocates 23:45 Understanding and Activating Advocates 26:22 Channel Strategies and Creator Engagement 29:12 The Role of CMOs in Advocacy 36:19 Building a System for Compounding Growth 🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss a launch. CONNECT WITH PAUL & VERITY Paul: www.linkedin.com/in/paulkarcher/ Verity: www.linkedin.com/in/verityhurd/ FOLLOW US Subscribe: www.youtube.com/@buildingbrandadvocacy Instagram: www.instagram.com/building_brand_advocacy TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@building.brand.advocacy

Forget “posting to social.”  According to Lindsey, we’re operating in a full-scale content ecosystem – one that’s streaming-first, storefront-powered, AI-disrupted, and driven by creators who’ve outgrown the feed. Recorded live at the Brand Advocacy Summit: New York, this keynote from Lindsey Gamble (LinkedIn Top Voice & creator economy expert) is a rapid-fire download on what’s actually next in marketing. From the collapse of old playbooks to the rise of creator storefronts, Substack strategy, and content that earns its way into DMs, this is Lindsey’s devotion-driving newsletter brought to life on stage. Tap in to understand: 📉 Why Traditional Ad Spend Is Shrinking & What That Means for Brands. 📈 How Platforms Are Handing Creators (& Marketers) the Keys. 🧠 Why Personalisation, Niche Content & Human Insight Are the Future of Performance. 🖥️ Why YouTube Is Eating Netflix – and What It Means for Your Content Strategy. 📬 Why Substack Is the Underrated Channel for Influence & Conversion. This isn’t theory. It’s strategy, backed by real shifts in attention, tech, and creator behaviour. Turn this one up for the download on what’s really reshaping marketing in 2026. Chapters 00:00 – Welcome to the Creator Economy IRL 01:00 – Why Creator Platforms Just Overtook Traditional Media 04:05 – Social-First Brands Are Now Creator-First by Default 05:00 – Everyone’s a Creator: Storefronts, Employees & CEOs 08:20 – YouTube Is Eating Netflix: What It Means for Marketers 11:55 – Substack & LinkedIn: The Next Channels for Influence 14:00 – From TikTok to TV, It’s The New Era of Creator Content 16:00 – AI, Algorithms & Why Personalization Wins Performance 18:20 – The Future Is Human: Why Connection Beats Content Rate & review Building Brand Advocacy: Apple Podcasts Spotify Connect with Lindsey: On LinkedIn Subscribe to his Newsletter

What do you get when a kindness-led skincare founder & a community-first haircare CMO sit down together? An honest & instructive conversation on Brand Advocacy. Live from the Brand Advocacy Summit: New York, Verity is joined by Dr. Brent Ridge (Co-Founder @ Beekman 1802) & Nilofer Vahora (Chief Marketing Officer @ Amika) to unpack how two very different beauty brands built lasting customer love – by making stylists, neighbours, and Advocates the centre of their businesses. This isn’t about follower counts or funnel hacks. It’s a behind-the-scenes look at the values, trade-offs, and systems that turn brand belief into million-dollar growth. If you’ve ever struggled to scale connection without losing credibility, this conversation will help. What You’ll Learn: 🏆 Why Being ‘The Favourite’ Brand Beats Being The Biggest 🎡 How Amika Built a Stylist-Led Flywheel That Drives Brand Love & Revenue 🏘️ The Power of ‘Neighbor Services’ (Not Customer Service) 🫶🏻 Why Community Systems Beat Viral Campaigns Every Time ⚙️ What Happens When You Make Kindness Your Operating System Two brands. Zero holdbacks. All Advocacy. Chapters 00:00 – Welcome to the Live Panel: What Advocacy Actually Looks Like 02:27 – The Origin Stories: Kindness, Friendship & Founding from the Margins 07:05 – When Community Becomes the Growth Plan 09:07 – Building Brand Language: “Hi Neighbor” & “I Love Amika” 11:02 – Operationalising Kindness & Loyalty 16:45 – Systems That Scale Love: Amika’s Flywheel & Beekman’s KQ Program 23:42 – From Stylists to Screens: Connecting IRL Community to Digital Growth 28:10 – Trusting the Community with the Brand (Even When It’s Hard) 32:55 – Learning in Public: Handling Missteps & Turning Them Into Advocacy 38:30 – Final Takeaways: Real Community, Real Trade-Offs, Real Growth Rate & review Building Brand Advocacy: Apple Podcasts Spotify Connect with Brent & Nilofer: On Brent’s LinkedIn On Nilofer's LinkedIn

It’s the buzzword combo every CMO wants to crack, but few actually have. Recorded live at the Brand Advocacy Summit: New York, this chat dives deep into what it really means to blend culture & performance – with two of the sharpest minds in brand today. Ana Andjelic (Global Chief Brand Officer @ Esprit) and Nathan Jun Poekert (Brand Strategist & CMO Advisor) bring radically different lenses to one big challenge: how do you grow a brand that actually means something and performs? This is a no-fluff, all-strategy conversation. Covering: 🧠 Why most marketing is stuck in reactive chaos ⭐️ What the best brands are doing differently 📊 The missing metric: cultural impact as a KPI (& how to track it across teams) 📉 Why influencer marketing fails when measured like performance media 🎯 The rise of the "social franchise” 🧩 How to structure teams that don’t kill creativity or speed in the name of metrics If you're a brand, a marketer, or a leader trying to build for the next decade – not just the next quarter – then tune in. Chapters 00:00 – Welcome to Culture x Performance (Live from NYC) 01:30 – Marketing in Chaos: What’s Really Going On 04:10 – The Story vs. The Dashboard 06:25 – Why Brand & Performance Still Don’t Work Together 08:00 – Measuring Cultural Impact: A New Index 10:15 – The Age Problem in Media Optimisation 14:30 – Forget Engagement Rates. Track This Instead. 20:40 – Virality, Creators & Brand Control 22:10 – The Social Franchise Model Explained 26:20 – Brand Safety vs. Subculture: The Trade-Off 31:45 – Why Paid & Organic Must Sit Together 36:35 – From Close Friends to Culture Clubs 39:15 – How Stanley Won Facebook Moms Rate & review Building Brand Advocacy: Apple Podcasts Spotify Connect with Ana & Nathan: On Ana’s LinkedIn On Nathan’s LinkedIn

TikTok’s not slowing down. Reddit’s rising. Creators are turning into strategists. And brands? They’re either adapting – or falling behind. Recorded live in New York at the Brand Advocacy Summit, this special episode of Building Brand Advocacy throws six sharp minds into a game show-style debate (hosted by Verity) on what’s actually next in culture, social, and the creator economy. From red flags to green flags, beige flags to bold predictions for the year ahead; this chat doesn’t hold back.  Hear from: — Madisen Theobald (Global Director of Social Creative @ M.A.C Cosmetics) — McKinley Hart (Director of Social Media @ SoulCycle) — Gabriel Gomez (Head of Social & Community @ MCoBeauty) — James Denman (Brand Strategy & Marketing Expert) — Brandon Smithwrick (Creator, Advisor & Content Strategist) — Maksim Tokarev (Senior Social Media Manager @ Loop Earplugs) For their hottest takes on why… 🧠 AI-generated UGC could get banned 🧵 Threads, Reddit & Broadcast Channels are in for discovery 📉 YouTube Shorts might not be worth the big bucks (yet) 🔑 Intimacy is the new influence & the DMs are where it’s happening … and much more. If your brand is still playing by the 2020 rulebook, stop. Listen. Learn. Chapters: 00:00 – Kicking Off 01:22 – Hot Takes Begin: Predictions for 2026 07:34 – Brand Flags: Green, Red, or Beige? 23:03 – Watch, Wait, or Walk: What Brands Should Act On, Pause, or Ditch 35:25 – Social SEO & AI Content: Future-Proofing Your Brand 38:23 – AI Content Ethics: Where Brands Go Wrong 40:45 – Closing Out & Audience Questions Rate & review Building Brand Advocacy: Apple Podcasts Spotify Connect with the Hot Takers: On Madisen’s LinkedIn On McKinley’s LinkedIn On Gabe’s LinkedIn On James’ LinkedIn On Brandon’s LinkedIn On Maksim’s LinkedIn

Most brands are looking at the wrong data.  Worse still? You don’t know what to do with it. This week, Verity sits down with Jazmin Griffith (Social Strategist, Content Creator, and Founder @ Social Listening Studio, queloque?). Jazmin pulls back the curtain on what real listening looks like today – and why it’s about far more than sentiment & mentions. From decoding niche communities to spotting Reddit-born Super Bowl ideas, Jazmin reveals how brands can shift from ‘monitoring’ to meaningful intelligence. If you’ve ever asked, "what do we actually do with this data?", this chat delivers your answers, fast. Listen to learn how to: Use The 5 Cs to Guide Listening: Jazmin’s framework covers Content, Culture, Community, Creators, and Channels; and shows how to unlock insights across all of them. Get Past Vanity Metrics: Surface-level engagement doesn’t tell the whole story. Hear how to uncover what’s really working. Spot What Creators Aren’t Saying: Jazmin explains how the most valuable signals are often hidden in broadcast channels, DMs, Substacks, and Slack groups. Build Listener-Led Briefs: Why reactive brands are losing, and what it takes to create culturally relevant, high-performing content today. Think Beyond the Grid: Why Threads, Reddit, and even Substack might be the whitespace you’re overlooking – and how to know if it’s time to pivot your channel strategy. This one’s sharp, strategic, and packed with takeaways.If you’re in social or strategy, do not skip it. Chapters 00:00 – You Think You're Listening. You're Not. 02:04 – The Reddit Insight That Sparked a Super Bowl Ad 07:46 – Why Most Social Teams Still Get This Wrong 12:35 – The 5 Cs That Should Shape Every Strategy 18:00 – What Creators Know That Brands Miss 22:00 – Listener-Led Briefs > Brand-First Briefs 27:56 – Culture Is Not Your Playground 30:02 – Community Isn’t Comments 36:17 – Where Your Brand Should Actually Show Up 41:00 – 3 Signals Smart Marketers Are Already Tracking Rate & review Building Brand Advocacy: Apple Podcasts Spotify Connect with Jazmin: On LinkedIn | On Instagram | On TikTok On queloque?’s Website Subscribe to the ‘Scroll & Tell’ Newsletter

What does a decade of building Brand Advocacy look like in practice? Back in May, Paul sat down with Luke Klein (Senior Director of Marketing Strategy & Growth @ Aerie) to unpack one of fashion’s longest-running movements: #AerieREAL. The campaign started in 2014 with a bold commitment: no more retouching. But it was more than a moment; it was a cultural stance. In the 10 years since, Aerie has evolved that stance into a living, breathing ‘brandformance’ strategy that continues to drive relevance & results. Luke shares how Aerie stays intuitive to their customer (not just reactive), balances brand consistency with performance-first cultural agility, and designs a creator strategy that feels genuinely co-owned.  If you’re looking for smart ways to evolve a brand, this episode is yours. You’ll learn: Why Brands Need a Mirror, Not a Magnet – Aerie doesn’t try to manufacture hype. They reflect real conversations their customers are already having; and that’s what earns trust. The Bow Tie vs The Funnel – A customer journey model that actually reflects how people buy and Advocate today. Why Brand Is Performance (& Vice Versa) – Luke shares why separating the two is outdated, and how Aerie uses one strategy to drive both impact and immediacy. How Culture-Driven Content Fuels Strategy – From “Coastal Grandma” to subculture playbooks, Luke breaks down how Aerie turns social listening into scalable strategy. Why Influencers Should Translate, Not Recite – Scripts are dead. Aerie’s creator strategy starts with values, then lets partners lead with their own voice. The Underrated Power of Store Associates – When you empower employees to show up authentically, they become some of your best Advocates. Whether you’re brand-side, agency-side, or founder-led – if you’re serious about scaling with Advocacy, this is one way to do it.  Chapters: 00:00 – Why #AerieREAL Was Never Just a Campaign 02:50 – Evolving the Movement for Gen Z in 2025 08:45 – How Aerie Turns Listening Into Strategy 10:30 – From SEO to Trend Spotting: The Content Nucleus Model 13:00 – Subcultures, Micro-Trends & Translating the Brand 14:00 – Scripts Are Dead: Let Creators Lead With Values 21:00 – Why Brand and Performance Aren’t Separate Anymore 23:00 – The Bow Tie vs The Funnel (and What Actually Works) 26:00 – Segmenting Advocates Beyond Purchase Frequency 30:00 – Store Associates as Advocates: The Untapped Channel 34:00 – The Myth of Message Matching Across Touchpoints 36:30 – Letting the Customer Shape the Brand, Not Just Receive It Rate & review Building Brand Advocacy: 🔗 Apple Podcasts 🔗 Spotify Connect with Luke: On Instagram On LinkedIn

Not Hot Take: Marketing shouldn’t feel like a meeting. It should move you. This week, Verity sits down with Henry Hayes – Head of Marketing @ Passionfruit and the comedic content machine reshaping how brands build attention, internally & externally. Whether you know Henry from his LinkedIn comedy bits or his unconventional marketing strategies at Passionfruit, this conversation peels back the layers on what today’s brand teams really need to nail. Think funny’s overdone, or simply isn’t for you? Think again. Press play to hear: Brand vs. Performance? That’s Old News: Henry shares why separating the two is a risk in 2025 and beyond – and what should be done differently. Behind the ‘Comedy Content Machine’: From Stan parodies to ‘The Bear for Marketers’, Henry breaks down how he ideates – and why truth always trumps polish. Why Passionfruit Doesn’t Spend on Ads: And what their founder said that changed everything. How to Unlock Employee Creators: Why leadership’s job is to get out of the way, and let their teams build personal brands that fuel business growth. D2C Brands, You’re Still Playing It Too Safe: Henry names names, shares what works, and dissects why brands still treat Instagram like a shop window. This one’s part tactical teardown, part creative permission slip. Listen in. Rethink the rulebook. And maybe… be funnier. Chapters: 00:00 – From Creator to Head of Marketing 05:10 – Building Advocacy Internally 10:20 – Marketing at the Speed of Culture 14:40 – Why Passionfruit Doesn’t Spend on Ads 20:15 – D2C Brands Are Still Playing It Safe 25:55 – Let Employees Create (Then Get Out of the Way) 31:25 – Comedy Is a Marketing Tactic 42:35 – You Are Not the Customer Rate & review Building Brand Advocacy: Apple Podcasts Spotify Connect with Henry: On LinkedIn On Instagram On TikTok Via Passionfruit’s LinkedIn

Brand budgets? Tighter. Expectations on creators? Higher. Welcome to the new era of influencer marketing; where performance matters most, platforms are merging, and brands can’t afford to get it wrong. Kicking off Season 3, Verity sits down with Lowri Evans – an influencer strategy expert with experience at VIEVE, Coco & Eve, Revive Collagen and more. Fresh from going freelance, Lowri breaks down the real rules of modern creator marketing;  from Spark Ads to affiliate programs, and why relationship-building still outperforms pay-to-play. Turn this episode on & up to learn how to: Merge Performance & Brand Marketing: It’s time to bin the silos. Lowri shares how results and relationships can (and should) work together. Get Smart About Affiliate Programs: From ShopMy to real ROI, Lowri explains how the smartest brands are tracking impact without diluting brand. Build Real Relationships with Creators: Forget transactional. Learn why taking milestones seriously might be your highest-converting move. Use Spark Ads to Supercharge Results: TikTok content that converts? Spark it. Lowri walks through the what, why, and how. Turn Customers Into Collaborators: From fans to featured creators, hear how VIEVE and others are turning everyday customers into stars. If your brand still sends mass gifting with no follow-up, this is your wake-up call.  Listen for the insight (& influencer receipts) you actually need. Chapters 00:00 – Welcome to Season 3: Why This Episode Matters 04:00 – Inside the Evolution of Influencer  07:00 – Relationship-First vs. Pay-to-Play 11:00 – Affiliate Strategy That Actually Drives Sales 15:00 – Spark Ads, TikTok Shop & Performance That Converts 20:00 – Why Brand & Performance Must Talk to Each Other 27:00 – Turning Customers Into Creators 34:00 – Building Real Community Through Real People 39:00 – The Problem With TikTok Shop (& How to Use It Right) 44:00 – Are Nano Creators Your Most Powerful Advocates? 49:00 – What Brands Still Get Wrong About Advocacy Rate & review Building Brand Advocacy: Apple Podcasts Spotify Connect with Lowri: On LinkedIn On Instagram

Engineering joy > selling stuff. It’s really that simple.  (But how do you do it?) This week, Verity sits down with Content Creator, Social Strategist, and ‘Coldest Creative’ Founder, Joel Marlinarson. Together, they unpack the intersection where fashion, food, music, and culture collide online – and what smart brands are doing about it. Joel’s built a platform decoding brand moves for his audience (over on @coldestjoel), while building for brands behind the scenes. He shares what’s working, what’s next, and what most brands are missing entirely. Turn this on & up to learn how to… Brand Like a Musician: From Cowboy Carter to Brat, musicians are leading the experiential game. Joel breaks down why brands should start thinking more like them. Win with Small Joys: The "little treat" moment is more than a trend. Discover how food, feeling, and brand identity fuse to create Advocacy-ready experiences. Track What Actually Matters: Forget followers. Joel shares why repeat commenters and micro-engagements are the real signal of brand love. Build In-Jokes & Icons: Learn how obscure memes, emoji signals, and recurring brand language can create loyalty (and drive people to comment). Cast Wider: Gen Z doesn’t have to speak to Gen Z. From retail staff to over-50s creators, Joel shares how unexpected casting builds connection. Use EGC The Right Way: From ethics to execution, this is how to make employee content fair, diverse, and seriously effective. From Loewe’s tomato hot air balloons to finding your own “Juno” moment, this chat covers what makes culture tick – and how brands can keep up. Chapters 00:00 – Why Music Marketing Works Better Than Brand Campaigns 06:00 – Brat. Cowboy Carter. Juno: What Brands Can Learn 08:00 – Food as Feel-Good Branding 10:00 – In-Jokes, Emojis & Repeat Commenters: Signals of True Community 14:00 – Is Sass Out? Why Ryanair’s TOV Might Be Tired 20:00 – Doing EGC Right (& Fair) 26:00 – Weird But Works: The Best Brand Collabs 30:00 – Silver Economy & The Power of Over-50s Influencers Rate & review Building Brand Advocacy: 🔗 Apple Podcasts 🔗 Spotify Connect with Joel: On TikTok On Instagram On LinkedIn

What do you get when you combine razor-sharp humour, social-first instincts, and a refusal to play by the rules? An equal-parts entertaining, and practical, deep dive into brand building on social today. This week, Verity sits down with Gabriel Gomez (Head of Social & Community @ MCoBeauty (US), Creator & Speaker) to explore how one of Australia’s most-followed beauty brands is winning the US market. Spoiler alert: it’s by moving fast, listening closely, and making the right kind of noise online. Turn this episode on and up to learn how to: Spot and Scale the Right Cultural Moments, Without 10 Approvals & a Deck: Gabe shares how MCoBeauty gets from idea to action in minutes, thanks to lean teams, shared instincts, and a refusal to overthink the feed. Build Campaigns with Cross-Functional Input (Without Slowing Things Down): Gabe’s approach flips the usual script: involve people early, keep ideas fluid, and trust that great strategy can come from any level of the org. Choose Creators Based on Connection, Not Clout: Whether it's scouting emerging talent or inviting creators into the concepting process, Gabe breaks down how MCoBeauty treats creators like consultants, not content machines. Balance Viral Chaos with Brand Clarity (and Still Forget the Playbook): Social’s a sprint, but that doesn’t mean strategy gets lost. Learn how MCo blends brand consistency with bold, off-script moves that actually land. Build a Fast-Moving, Emoji-Powered Social Culture that Thrives Under Pressure: From skipping the decks to celebrating team wins with emphasis, Gabe shows how to lead a social team that runs on energy and impact. Decide What’s a Green Flag (and What’s a Giant Red One): In a rapid-fire game, Gabe shares exactly how he filters pitches, rates brand behaviour, and why he’s definitely deleting your “$50 and a lipstick” offer. Plus: you’ll hear why TikTok is their #1 Advocacy driver, how Gabe spots red-flag creators, and the surprising platform he opens first every day. His advice is fast, fresh, and unapologetically honest – just like the brands that win on social now. Chapters 00:00 – Gabe Gomez & the MCoBeauty Mindset 03:00 – Why Dupes, Not Decks, Drive Beauty Culture Now 07:00 – Crashing Trends & Creating Chaos: Moving at the Speed of Social 12:00 – F*** the Playbook: Balancing Strategy with Spontaneity 17:00 – Creators as Consultants: Rethinking Influence & Partnerships 22:00 – The Green Flag / Red Flag Game: What Brands Get Wrong (and Right) 32:00 – Why TikTok’s Driving Advocacy, And Instagram Isn’t 36:00 – The Platform Breakdown: What’s Working, What’s Next 41:00 – How to Really Build Brand Advocacy (It’s Not a Coupon Code) Rate & review Building Brand Advocacy: Apple Podcasts Spotify Connect with Gabe: On LinkedIn On MCoBeauty’s Instagram (US)