Kirsten Atkinson didn’t just break into advertising. She reverse-engineered it, and made it culture-forward. As SVP of Brand Partnerships at Complex Networks, she turns brands into youth culture co-conspirators. She walks us through her bi-coastal career path, how she survived 18 years in agency life, and why branded content shouldn't just feel like 30-second pre-roll. If you've ever said "we're not cool enough to work with Complex," Kirsten probably already heard you and still figured out a way...
Jul 03, 2025•31 min
Jason Apaliski has spent 17 years at the same agency, which in advertising years is practically a lifetime. In this episode, he shares how he went from aspiring art teacher to Chief Creative Officer at Pereira O’Dell, what’s kept him at the agency all this time, and how he’s helping shape the next generation of creatives. From surf shops in Virginia Beach to Super Teams at Creative Circus, Jason reflects on mentorship, ambition, and why the best ideas often come from unexpected places.
Jul 01, 2025•26 min
Fresh off the Croisette, Brian and Geno recap their week at Cannes. From lost luggage and late-night drone shows to AI anxiety and quiet dinners with execs, they break down the real takeaways from the biggest festival in advertising. What’s hype, what’s overhyped, and what actually matters if you’re trying to break into the industry. They cover the best activations, the shifting power of creators, and why Cannes is still worth it for early-career talent looking to get inspired, make connections,...
Jun 30, 2025•21 min
Anthony Sperduti is the co-founder of Mythology, the agency behind Warby Parker, Harry’s, Peloton and more. In this episode, he shares how he broke into advertising without a plan, faked his way into his first job, and ended up launching some of the most iconic DTC brands of the last two decades. He tells the story of sneaking a fashion show into the New York Public Library, what it’s like to work with brave founders, and why “just getting in the right building” can change your whole career. Thi...
Jun 24, 2025•44 min
In this episode, Jack shares how he went from working retail in Chicago to becoming an associate creative director at GSD&M. He talks about getting rejected, sending his resume in a literal bottle, and the early morning phone call he got from Gary Vaynerchuk after turning down a job. This is one of our favorite break-in stories. It’s scrappy, honest, and proof that there’s no one way into the industry.
Jun 20, 2025•40 min
Taylor Grimes, VP of Global Marketing at Goodyear, joins Breaking and Entering to talk brand reinvention at one of America’s most iconic companies. In this episode, he unpacks what it means to modernize a 125-year-old brand, lead with strategy, and create campaigns that resonate with both tire buyers and culture at large. From agency life to his role shaping Goodyear’s global narrative, Grimes shares lessons in persistence, creative leadership, and what it takes to build a brand world that actua...
Jun 12, 2025•32 min
Welcome to VML on Creativity, a special series from Breaking and Entering Advertising. Each episode pulls back the curtain on VML and explores how creativity takes shape across categories and global offices. From health to commerce to entertainment, this is how creativity pushes brands forward today. In this episode, we sit down with Allison Pierce, Chief Creative Officer of VML Kansas City, to unpack creativity in branded experiences. From playful real-time activations to purpose-driven documen...
Jun 11, 2025•31 min
Damuane “D” Journey didn’t come up in advertising, but he’s now the Global Chief Growth Officer at 72andSunny. In this episode, he shares how great branding, bold creativity, and high performance come together to win business and build culture. We explore what it’s really like inside 72, the role of strategy in creativity, and how non-endemic brands can authentically show up in sports. If you're looking to grow in this industry, D's journey will leave you smarter and more inspired. Connect with ...
Jun 10, 2025•37 min
Rob Mayhew is one of the funniest voices in advertising, and now he’s doing it full time. In this episode, he shares his wild journey from failing business school to account management, to creative director, to content creator. We talk about agency culture, burnout, comedy, viral sketches, and his love for the industry, even when he’s poking fun at it. Rob also shares advice for aspiring creatives, how to stand out with personality, and why Fridays need to be fun again. It’s honest, hilarious, a...
Jun 09, 2025•29 min
In this Brandside episode, Matt Repicky, Chief Brand Officer at Tailored Brands, shares how he’s reshaping legacy names like Men’s Wearhouse, Joseph A. Bank, and more for today’s customer. From launching humor based campaigns with Party Land to dialing up fashion credibility with “Chill Flex” suits, Matt explains how his team is updating brand perception across demographics. He also walks us through his own unconventional career journey - from Big Four consulting to Mattel, Amazon, and now leadi...
Jun 05, 2025•30 min•Season 6Ep. 40
Scott Bell is making moves. After 16 years at Droga5, the award-winning creative leader is stepping into his next chapter as Chief Creative Officer of BBDO New York, starting September 2025. In this Breaking and Entering News episode, Scott joins us just 24 hours after the announcement to reflect on his legacy at Droga5, share stories from his rise, and break down his vision for BBDO. This one’s packed with insights, laughs, and career-shaping advice you don’t want to miss. Connect with Scott to...
Jun 04, 2025•25 min
Welcome to VML on Creativity , a special series from Breaking and Entering Advertising. Each episode pulls back the curtain on VML and explores how creativity takes shape across categories and global offices. From health to commerce to entertainment, this is how creativity pushes brands forward today. In this episode, we sit down with Manuel Bordé, Global Chief Creative Officer of Commerce at VML , to explore what creativity looks like at the intersection of storytelling and selling. Manuel shar...
Jun 04, 2025•23 min
Peter Lund, Global Chief Creative Officer at AKQA , shares his rise from junior art director to leading the agency’s global creative vision. Known for opening AKQA’s Paris office early in his career, Peter now guides brand transformations for iconic clients like Nike, Volvo, and Chanel - crafting everything from digital products to service design and storytelling. He discusses how deep curiosity and hands-on craft fuel his leadership, especially when tackling unfamiliar industries. Tune in for r...
Jun 03, 2025•32 min
The Crowbar Awards are back—and this time, Rafa Rizuto , Global Chief Creative Officer at Ogilvy North America , is our guest judge. In this episode, Rafa shares what he’s looking for in winning work, how he evaluates ideas, and why creative craft still matters. We’re also joined by Charlie Goldman , the strategist behind this round’s brief for Babbel , a language-learning platform looking to connect with Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Here’s what you need to know to enter: – View the full brief at www.cr...
Jun 02, 2025•20 min
Advertisin In this special episode, Brian Bonilla, Senior Agency Reporter at Ad Age , goes head-to-head with Breaking and Entering founder Geno Schellenberger in a fast-paced advertising trivia game. From agency history to iconic campaigns, it’s a true test of industry knowledge. And it comes down to the final question. Tune in to see who takes the win. Follow Breaking and Entering Media on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/breaking-entering-podcast/...
May 30, 2025•37 min
On this BrandSide episode, Sofia Colucci, CMO of North America at Molson Coors and one of Forbes’ Top 50 Most Influential CMOs , dives deep into what it takes to lead one of the industry’s boldest and most diverse brand portfolios. From launching beer-flavored Pringles and dad-shoe koozies with New Balance to building award-winning Super Bowl campaigns, Sofia shares how Molson Coors measures creative success through both cultural impact and business results. She discusses the collaborative frame...
May 29, 2025•47 min
Doug Sweeny, Chief Marketing Officer at ŌURA, joins us to unpack the brand’s bold new global campaign, “Give Us the Finger.” In partnership with creative agency Nice&Frank, ŌURA shifts from product-focused messaging to a powerful cultural statement about health span, aging, and intentional living. The campaign challenges perfectionism and youth obsession, instead celebrating energy, presence, and resilience. From stunning visuals to clever out-of-home, this one owns the finger—and the conver...
May 28, 2025•20 min
Welcome to VML on Creativity, a special series from Breaking and Entering Advertising where we go inside the global creative powerhouse VML. In each episode, we talk to top leaders across offices, disciplines, and categories to understand how they are pushing creativity in new and unexpected ways. From health to commerce to branded entertainment and more. In this episode, we sit down with Mel Routhier, Chief Creative Officer of VML Health and VML Chicago , to explore what creativity looks like i...
May 28, 2025•34 min
In this episode, Karla Vitrone, Co-Founder and Partner at Tangerine + Revelry , shares how she built a career at the intersection of talent, culture, and creativity. From leading big pitches like Southern Comfort to helping agencies rebuild from the inside out, Karla offers a behind-the-scenes look at how great talent transforms businesses. She unpacks what makes someone stand out in today’s hiring landscape, why energy matching is more than a buzzword, and how AI is shifting what agencies look ...
May 27, 2025•37 min
In this BrandSide episode, Maria Bartolome Winans, Chief Marketing Officer at Kyndryl, takes us inside the bold journey of launching a brand and global marketing organization from scratch for the multi-billion-dollar IT infrastructure services company. From the meaning behind the name "Kyndryl" to how customer feedback shaped the company’s brand identity, Maria shares how she helped humanize a tech giant and drive global impact. She dives into the innovative "Double Your Impact" campaign, the cr...
May 22, 2025•34 min
Welcome to VML on Creativity , a special series from Breaking and Entering. Each episode pulls back the curtain on VML and explores how creativity takes shape across categories globally. From health to commerce to entertainment, this is how creativity pushes brands forward today. In this episode, we sit down with Tom Murphy, Co-Chief Creative Officer of VML US, to dive into the power of long-term brand platforms - ideas built to last. Tom shares his perspective on what makes a brand platform tru...
May 21, 2025•19 min
In this episode, Dean Hub Brown of the University of Florida's College of Journalism and Communications shares insights into the college’s innovative blend of academic rigor and hands-on experience. From a student-run ad agency to a cutting-edge social media analytics lab, Brown highlights how the college prepares students for real-world success. He reflects on his path from broadcast journalism to academia and offers advice on staying relevant and fearless in the evolving media landscape. Conne...
May 20, 2025•37 min
On the latest episode, Brian Bonilla (Ad Age) and Geno Schellenberger draft their dream creative agencies. CCOs, founding clients, agency locations, office snacks, and one wildcard pick each. 🎧 Tune in + follow Breaking & Entering .
May 19, 2025•20 min
In this episode, we sit down with Angela Vargo, VP of Marketing and Communications at Breeze Airways, to hear how she went from radio DJ to brand leader at one of the fastest-growing airlines in the U.S. Angela shares how Breeze launched in 16 cities in just six weeks and expanded to 70 cities in four years, all while building a brand around the simple, powerful promise of being "Seriously Nice." We also discuss their new creative partnership with agency Walrus and what’s ahead for Breeze’s su...
May 15, 2025•30 min
Jacques Spitzer, CEO and CCO of Raindrop Agency, joins us to share how he built one of today’s most effective creative shops from the ground up - without ever working at a traditional agency. Known for viral hits like Dr. Squatch, Native, and Manscaped, Jacques reveals how Raindrop’s unique “brand performance” model blends storytelling with measurable results. He breaks down how the team produces culturally resonant campaigns at scale, why humor and character matter in direct-to-consumer success...
May 13, 2025•39 min
When PBS funding came under threat, Mary Adam and George Apfelbach created a cultural moment, through the voice of Elmo. Elmo took to LinkedIn to apply for jobs, cheer people on, and protest the defunding of public television. The post exploded: 3 billion impressions, 5,000+ likes, and coverage from The Today Show, E! News, Variety, Rolling Stone, USA Today, and more...before LinkedIn took it down. In this episode, Mary takes us behind the scenes of the viral protest, the emotional messages that...
May 12, 2025•14 min•Season 6Ep. 1
Joe Conrad, founder and CEO of Denver-based agency Cactus, joins us to talk about building one of the first purpose-driven advertising agencies in the country. He shares how moral conflict early in his career led him to start Cactus in 1990, and how the agency became a national leader in mental and behavioral health campaigns. Joe also dives into why Denver’s ad scene rivals coastal cities, how Cactus balances hustle with employee happiness, and what aspiring advertisers need to do to break in a...
May 12, 2025•30 min
What does it take to refresh a global brand without losing its fan following? JP Bittencourt, SVP of Marketing for Sparkling Brands at PepsiCo Beverages U.S., joins BrandSide to break down Mountain Dew’s bold new visual identity, their viral Super Bowl campaign featuring SEAL (yes, the real SEAL), and how the brand is leaning into legacy, community, and sunshine-soaked vibes for a new generation of fans. From Baja Blast’s retail takeover to tattoo redos and drone shows, this episode covers it al...
May 09, 2025•23 min
In this BrandSide episode, we sit down with Trisha Goyal, Founder and CEO of Break Sports - the company behind Break the Love and Break the Birdie. Trisha shares how she built a fast-growing sports tech brand that helps Gen Z and millennials connect offline through tennis, golf, and pickleball . We dive into her journey from ESPN and GIPHY to entrepreneurship, and explore how authentic partnerships with brands like AMEX and Bumble are fueling Break Sports’ success. Connect with Trisha: https://w...
May 08, 2025•34 min
In this episode, we sit down with Dooley Tombras, President of Tombras - the independent, family-owned agency that’s gone from regional player to being named #1 on Ad Age’s A List . He shares how he transformed a third-generation family business into a cutting-edge, digital-first powerhouse. From growing up in an ad-centric household to making pivotal hires at Tombras, Dooley walks us through the agency’s evolution, its bold campaigns for brands like Steak-umm and Moon Pie, and the importance of...
May 07, 2025•51 min
