Advertise on podcast: Embracing Marketing Mistakes

Katie Tucker is a marketing strategist who helps teams truly understand their customers so they can build products that sell. She works with companies of all sizes, offering practical support, training, and discovery sprints that cut through the noise and get results. But even she’s made the kind of mistake she warns others about. Despite her expertise in customer discovery, she once created a family travel course without doing proper market research, assuming her personal experience and enthusiasm would be enough. It wasn’t. The course never launched, and COVID-19 ended up saving her from what would have been a costly flop. It was a sharp reminder that even seasoned pros can forget the basics when emotion gets in the way of evidence. • Built a social media following while on a family gap year travel adventure • Created a comprehensive course teaching others how to travel with children • Secured prominent media coverage in The Times with a link to the course • Made the classic mistake of only getting feedback from friends and family • Felt immense pressure for the venture to succeed after quitting a regular job • COVID-19 halted all travel plans, inadvertently preventing a potential business failure • Learned that professional expertise doesn't make you immune to marketing blind spots Is your strategy still right in 2026? Book a free 15-min no obligation discovery call with our host: 👉 [Book your call with Chris now] 👈 We need your help: 👋 Tell us your view on the status of Social Media in 2026. Click here. Subscribe to our newsletter 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter here. 👈 Follow Chris: X, TikTok, LinkedIn Follow Will: LinkedIn Follow The Show: TikTok, YouTube

Chris Norton and Will Ockenden of Prohibition PR unpack what modern media interviews really feel like for leaders today. They move past the old PR textbook and talk frankly about hot mic blunders, off‑record comments that never stayed off the record and the way journalists now hunt for viral moments. Their stories make the risks feel real, but the tone stays grounded rather than dramatic. Let them take you through a practical approach to landing messages with confidence in a digital‑first environment. Chris and Will explain how to prepare properly, handle awkward questions and speak with the kind of clarity that holds up on camera. The advice is direct, usable and built for anyone who represents a brand when the stakes are high and the margin for error is tiny. Is your strategy still right in 2026? Book a free 15-min no obligation discovery call with our host: 👉 [Book your call with Chris now] 👈 We need your help: 👋 Tell us your view on the status of Social Media in 2026. Click here. Subscribe to our newsletter 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter here. 👈 Follow Chris: X, TikTok, LinkedIn Follow Will: LinkedIn Follow The Show: TikTok, YouTube

Rich Mullholland, Founder of Missing Link and a presentation company leader, shares how his eloquence led to convincing himself of incorrect strategies that nearly cost him their business after the pandemic.  His decision to permanently close their unique office space following initial online success eliminated their word-of-mouth marketing engine and created significant challenges. • Being skilled at persuasion can lead to convincing yourself of incorrect ideas • During lockdown, the presentation company initially went to zero revenue • By August, they achieved their best month in 18 months with no live events • September became their best month in 24 years as presenters needed online training • They permanently closed their unique office with distinctive features • The office closure unknowingly destroyed their word-of-mouth marketing engine • Staff became distributed across multiple locations, making office reopening difficult • By the time they realised the mistake, they lacked the resources to create a new remarkable space • The experience taught them about the importance of recognising when a pivot is just a "swinging door" Is your strategy still right in 2026? Book a free 15-min no obligation discovery call with our host: 👉 [Book your call with Chris now] 👈 We need your help: 👋 Tell us your view on the status of Social Media in 2026. Click here. Subscribe to our newsletter 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter here. 👈 Follow Chris: X, TikTok, LinkedIn Follow Will: LinkedIn Follow The Show: TikTok, YouTube

A brilliant strategy doesn’t fail because it’s wrong. It fails because people don’t own it and leaders won’t focus. That’s the energising premise of our conversation with Faris Aranki, founder of Shear Ghetto Consulting and former McKinsey advisor, who breaks down why IQ without EQ and FQ leaves great plans to die at sign‑off. We unpack Faris’s simple but powerful multiplier: IQ × EQ × FQ. IQ is the sharp idea. EQ is your ability to read the room, adapt your message, and turn passive stakeholders into active owners. FQ is focused prioritisation that protects momentum when the calendar floods and politics bite. Faris shares the story of opening a C‑suite presentation with jokes, losing credibility in seconds, and the rewiring that followed. From auditing talk‑time to flipping monologues into questions, he shows how to win trust by designing for receive, not broadcast. The episode gets practical fast. Learn how to personalise the same strategy for a CFO’s numbers lens and a CMO’s vision lens. Steal the “five degrees askew” technique to make leaders touch the plan so they claim it. See how Faris turns 200 pet projects into Pokémon‑style cards and uses gameplay to help boards cut down to the vital few. We explore ethical influence, feedback that lands, and why live conversations beat email chains for unblocking gnarly problems. On focus, we separate disciplined pivots from magpie syndrome and explain how compounding assets outperform constant novelty, especially in brand‑building and marketing. If you’ve ever watched a good idea stall in the boardroom, this is a field guide to making strategy stick. Subscribe for more candid lessons from the front lines of marketing and leadership, share this episode with a colleague who needs sharper buy‑in, and leave a quick review to help others find the show. Is your strategy still right in 2026? Book a free 15-min no obligation discovery call with our host: 👉 [Book your call with Chris now] 👈 We need your help: 👋 Tell us your view on the status of Social Media in 2026. Click here. Subscribe to our newsletter 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter here. 👈 Follow Chris: X, TikTok, LinkedIn Follow Will: LinkedIn Follow The Show: TikTok, YouTube

Melanie Parker, a university recruitment professional, shares a hilarious mishap when student hospitality staff abandoned their posts at a high-profile university event to get drunk behind a skip. Eight students helping themselves to champagne and wine during a Vice-Chancellor's gathering led to a mortifying call from security and a scramble to manage the fallout. • Worked at Leeds Becker University running a recruitment business placing hospitality students as event staff • Students were supposed to be catering and waitressing at an important gathering with the Vice-Chancellor • The student workers played "mind sweeping" (collecting drinks) "at a whole new level" • Security called to report that eight students were "mortal" (hammered) behind a skip surrounded by empty bottles • Had to pick each student up and remind them they were representing the university • Managed to handle the situation without the Vice-Chancellor finding out • Reflects that while mortifying, it wasn't as bad as it could have been if it had happened with external clients Is your strategy still right in 2026? Book a free 15-min no obligation discovery call with our host: 👉 [Book your call with Chris now] 👈 We need your help: 👋 Tell us your view on the status of Social Media in 2026. Click here. Subscribe to our newsletter 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter here. 👈 Follow Chris: X, TikTok, LinkedIn Follow Will: LinkedIn Follow The Show: TikTok, YouTube

What does it take to turn a simple hashtag into a thriving community of 15,000 marketing and comms professionals? In this episode, Chris Norton sits down with Asif Choudry, founder of Comms Hero, to unpack the journey from a one-off event in Manchester to a nationwide movement. They dive into the early days of superhero-themed conferences, the backlash that almost derailed everything, and why treating a community as a long-term commitment, not a short-term campaign, is the secret to success. Expect candid stories about embracing marketing mistakes, surviving Twitter trolls, and why authenticity matters more than perfection. From handwritten notes that sparked viral moments to the philosophy behind “Dare to Fail,” this conversation is packed with insights for anyone building a brand, running events, or navigating the ever-changing world of social media. If you’ve ever wondered how to create real connections in a digital age, this episode is for you. Is your strategy still right in 2026? Book a free 15-min no obligation discovery call with our host: 👉 [Book your call with Chris now] 👈 We need your help: 👋 Tell us your view on the status of Social Media in 2026. Click here. Subscribe to our newsletter 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter here. 👈 Follow Chris: X, TikTok, LinkedIn Follow Will: LinkedIn Follow The Show: TikTok, YouTube

Ken Robertson, Paddy Power’s former Head of Mischief, was given one job: grab attention by any means necessary. Known for outrageous campaigns and a flair for chaos, he built a career out of toeing the line. But one particular stunt, his most ambitious yet, pushed things further than even he expected. It all began when Ken Robertson staged a marketing stunt at the Vatican. He had Paddy Power set up betting odds at St Peter's Square during the 2007 papal conclave, which earned hourly coverage on Sky News. When Pope Benedict XVI resigned in 2014, he returned to the scene with a new and provocative promotion: “Money Back if the Pope is Black.” Then came the curveball. When Dennis Rodman announced a visit to North Korea with the Harlem Globetrotters, Ken saw a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to blend spectacle with scandal. He arranged for Paddy Power to sponsor a basketball match between the United States and North Korea, set to coincide with Kim Jong-un’s 30th birthday. What followed was a diplomatic headache. • Kim Jong-un’s regime carried out a brutal government purge just weeks before the event  • The stunt drew scrutiny from institutional investors and even the United Nations  • Paddy Power was forced to pull out at the last minute  • The match went ahead without branding, and surprisingly, may have contributed to the eventual release of American prisoners  • The campaign drew inspiration from the “ping pong diplomacy” that once thawed tensions between the United States and China What started as a cheeky Vatican stunt nearly became an international crisis. This is the story of how Ken Robertson's wildest idea flirted with disaster and might have done some unexpected good. Is your strategy still right in 2026? Book a free 15-min no obligation discovery call with our host: 👉 [Book your call with Chris now] 👈 We need your help: 👋 Tell us your view on the status of Social Media in 2026. Click here. Subscribe to our newsletter 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter here. 👈 Follow Chris: X, TikTok, LinkedIn Follow Will: LinkedIn Follow The Show: TikTok, YouTube

Ever sunk thousands into SEO with zero return? Or been ghosted after a pitch you poured your soul into? In this episode, LinkedIn Top Voice and sales trainer Niraj Kapur joins Chris Norton to unpack the brutal truths of modern selling. From reducing ghosting and building trust on LinkedIn to coping with rejection and learning from failure, this conversation is packed with practical advice and raw honesty. Niraj shares his journey from starting in sales with nothing to becoming a TEDx speaker and bestselling author, plus the painful lessons learned along the way. If you want to stand out in an AI-driven world, sell without sounding desperate, and avoid costly mistakes, this episode is your playbook. Tune in for strategies, stories, and a reminder that being human is still the ultimate competitive edge. Is your strategy still right in 2026? Book a free 15-min no obligation discovery call with our host: 👉 [Book your call with Chris now] 👈 We need your help: 👋 Tell us your view on the status of Social Media in 2026. Click here. Subscribe to our newsletter 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter here. 👈 Follow Chris: X, TikTok, LinkedIn Follow Will: LinkedIn Follow The Show: TikTok, YouTube

Former marketing manager at Prolific North, Natalie Davidson, once accidentally invited 100 people to the wrong day of an event due to a rogue automatic reminder. She discovered the mistake while in the middle of briefing a speaker and was unable to access her laptop for an hour, causing major stress. Miraculously, no one showed up early. Either attendees remembered the correct date or no one had read the email. I did my best to reassure her it was probably the former. In this episode, we explore professional mistakes and failures that marketing professionals can learn from, offering listeners real-world examples of blunders and recoveries. Natalie shares two honest and revealing stories from her career in events management, showing how even the most organised professionals can make serious errors and still recover with integrity and resilience. • Forgetting to book an afternoon session for 30 people during a nationwide roadshow of events • Successfully recovering from the booking error by being honest with the venue and leveraging a good professional relationship • Setting up automatic event reminders for the wrong day, sending incorrect information to around 100 attendees • Managing crisis situations while actively engaged in other critical tasks • Finding humor in professional mistakes and using them as learning opportunities Is your strategy still right in 2026? Book a free 15-min no obligation discovery call with our host: 👉 [Book your call with Chris now] 👈 We need your help: 👋 Tell us your view on the status of Social Media in 2026. Click here. Subscribe to our newsletter 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter here. 👈 Follow Chris: X, TikTok, LinkedIn Follow Will: LinkedIn Follow The Show: TikTok, YouTube

Mark Terry Lush spent thirty years chasing every opportunity. Big brands, wild projects, new cultures, he said yes to them all. The problem was that adaptability started to feel like progress, and it cost him focus on his own brand. In this episode, Mark shares what he learned from building everyone else’s success while neglecting his own. We talk about why versatility without direction can derail your career, how brands fall into the sea of sameness, and why personality matters more than features. He also tells a flying story that will make you rethink risk and resilience. If you’ve ever felt like you’re busy but not moving forward, this conversation will help you find clarity and build something that lasts. Is your strategy still right in 2026? Book a free 15-min no obligation discovery call with our host: 👉 [Book your call with Chris now] 👈 We need your help: 👋 Tell us your view on the status of Social Media in 2026. Click here. Subscribe to our newsletter 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter here. 👈 Follow Chris: X, TikTok, LinkedIn Follow Will: LinkedIn Follow The Show: TikTok, YouTube

Writer and freelance marketing expert Sarah Townsend joined the show on episode 43; she shared a set of moments from her career that are equal parts chaotic and unforgettable  She talks about shouting “Look, a heron!” in the middle of a live training session and leaving her suitcase on the wrong train while travelling to a major conference. The most painful moment arrives when she reveals the mistake that cost her twenty thousand pounds after forgetting to invoice a client for ten full months. Sarah explains how ADHD influenced many of these chaotic moments and reflects on what each incident taught her about staying organised, keeping communication clear, and maintaining reliable systems.  If you have ever felt embarrassed by an oversight or worried that you are the only one dropping the ball, this episode shows that every marketer makes mistakes and that each fail comes with a valuable lesson.  Click on the link to listen to the full episode 43: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2206375/episodes/15707196 Is your strategy still right in 2026? Book a free 15-min no obligation discovery call with our host: 👉 [Book your call with Chris now] 👈 We need your help: 👋 Tell us your view on the status of Social Media in 2026. Click here. Subscribe to our newsletter 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter here. 👈 Follow Chris: X, TikTok, LinkedIn Follow Will: LinkedIn Follow The Show: TikTok, YouTube

A single missing gesture can set the internet alight. We open up about a day when Royal Mail faced a fast-moving backlash over Paralympics stamps and how a quiet policy gap looked like a loud value judgment on social media. From the first surge of tweets to the uncomfortable hours stuck in monitoring mode, we walk through what happens when your team lacks the tools, approvals, and scripts to respond at the speed of the timeline. You’ll hear how the narrative formed in real time: honour given to Olympians, absence for Paralympians, and a rush of anger that framed the issue as dignity denied. We unpack why silence isn’t neutral, why a clear holding statement can stabilise a story, and how early Twitter’s velocity made every minute count. Along the way, we get practical about social listening, crisis playbooks, and the small operational choices, like pre-approved templates and escalation paths that create big advantages when things go sideways. We also talk about brand symbolism and equity. Commemorative stamps seem simple, but they carry cultural weight, and unequal treatment reads as exclusion. That’s why policy stress testing matters: diverse eyes, scenario planning, and checks for unintentional bias before a campaign goes live. If you work in comms, marketing, or customer care, you’ll find clear takeaways you can implement today: set up the tech stack, define who can speak when, rehearse the response flow, and protect your team with debriefs that turn chaos into learning. If this conversation helps sharpen your crisis plan, follow the show, share it with a teammate, and leave a quick review telling us the one change you’ll make this week. Is your strategy still right in 2026? Book a free 15-min no obligation discovery call with our host: 👉 [Book your call with Chris now] 👈 We need your help: 👋 Tell us your view on the status of Social Media in 2026. Click here. Subscribe to our newsletter 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter here. 👈 Follow Chris: X, TikTok, LinkedIn Follow Will: LinkedIn Follow The Show: TikTok, YouTube

When Lisa, co-founder of Common People and strategist at Wavemaker Manchester, accidentally misbooked an out-of-home campaign linked to a BBC event, it was more than an embarrassing blunder back in episode 41. It became the moment she started questioning who really gets to thrive in advertising and media. In this episode, Lisa recounts that campaign mishap, a chaotic run of travel mix-ups, a painful pitch-room tumble, and the day she ended up crying at her desk. She then connects those experiences to a bigger issue: how class, confidence and unspoken office rules quietly shut working-class people out of the industry. Lisa shares practical ideas for change, from dropping unnecessary degree requirements and paying real living wages to simplifying recruitment tasks and making workplace norms explicit.  This is a candid, funny and insightful conversation for marketers who want more relatable teams, smarter campaigns and fewer people feeling like they don’t belong. Click here to listen to the full episode 41. Is your strategy still right in 2026? Book a free 15-min no obligation discovery call with our host: 👉 [Book your call with Chris now] 👈 We need your help: 👋 Tell us your view on the status of Social Media in 2026. Click here. Subscribe to our newsletter 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter here. 👈 Follow Chris: X, TikTok, LinkedIn Follow Will: LinkedIn Follow The Show: TikTok, YouTube

What happens when you drop £30,000 on an influencer and the sign-ups never show? In this episode of Embracing Marketing Mistakes, Andy Lambert, co-founder of ContentCal, author of Spheres of Influence and now Principal Manager of Product at Adobe Express, unpacks two costly growth errors: overinvesting in performance ads and running a transactional influencer campaign that barely moved the needle. Andy explains why demand capture can look like growth until it suddenly stops, and how “pilot” influencer tests often fail because trust is not built in a week. He shares the practical reset that followed: tighter audience focus, creators who genuinely use the product, stronger community signals, and personality-led brand building that supports revenue over time. If your paid media efficiency is slipping, your influencer spend feels underwhelming, or you are trying to rebalance brand and demand, this episode will help you avoid the same expensive mistakes.  Is your strategy still right in 2026? Book a free 15-min no obligation discovery call with our host: 👉 [Book your call with Chris now] 👈 We need your help: 👋 Tell us your view on the status of Social Media in 2026. Click here. Subscribe to our newsletter 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter here. 👈 Follow Chris: X, TikTok, LinkedIn Follow Will: LinkedIn Follow The Show: TikTok, YouTube

When Director of Thinking and Creative PR Specialist Peter Freedman joined us for this episode 39, he unpacked the unusual marketing mistake he made while working with Craigslist. Tasked with satirising the rise of in-your-face shirt sponsorships, Peter sponsored a women’s football team in Battersea Park and put them in full advertising sandwich boards. The stunt was pretty clever, photogenic and completely impractical, yet it barely registered with any journalists. One even called it the most peculiar idea they had ever seen. Peter explains why the campaign fell flat, how it was simply too weird and not familiar enough, and what he learned from books like The Creative Curve and Contagious about the sweet spot between novelty and recognition.  Marketers will hear a candid breakdown of why some ideas stay niche, why moderate innovation works better than pure shock value, and how to judge whether your next PR concept is different in the right way.  Click here to listen to the full episode. Is your strategy still right in 2026? Book a free 15-min no obligation discovery call with our host: 👉 [Book your call with Chris now] 👈 We need your help: 👋 Tell us your view on the status of Social Media in 2026. Click here. Subscribe to our newsletter 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter here. 👈 Follow Chris: X, TikTok, LinkedIn Follow Will: LinkedIn Follow The Show: TikTok, YouTube