More of us are living longer and what it means to be an ageing consumer is changing. So how will brands market themselves to tomorrow’s older population? This is a generation that is used to shopping online, holds authenticity in high regard, and has issues like sustainability top of mind. The old advertising tropes of an elderly couple walking on a beach probably won’t cut through, so how will brands talk to these consumers in a relevant and engaging way? It is a huge opportunity. As Jen Whyte,...
Jul 15, 2025•26 min•Season 1Ep. 21
Operating in a declining category can often feel difficult - where’s the opportunity? What’s the point of investing in a market that’s declining? But for Grant McKenzie, former-CMO of Asahi, it’s exactly because a category is declining, that brands should be excited. His view: “It might be easier to make money in a declining market than it is in a growing one.” Grant has a huge amount of experience working in declining categories, most notably beer, turning brands from regular players to categor...
Jul 01, 2025•29 min•Season 1Ep. 20
This episode of The Persuasion Game podcast is about the three things you have to do as a brand to get your portfolio strategy right. Our guest this week is Steven Melford, who co-founded The Forge 12 years ago. Steven, Adam and Laura discuss the art and science of great portfolio management, why all branding decisions need to be anchored in value, and the importance of having an eye on the future. We also reflect on the importance of sometimes saying no to a new opportunity, and why more brands...
Jun 17, 2025•30 min•Season 1Ep. 19
“The core is the heartbeat of your business. If the core is 85% of your business and it declines by 1%, you need your innovation to grow by an incremental 10-to-15% to make up for that.” The core is the backbone of any brand’s success, but too often it is forgotten about in favour of new innovations or the latest trends. In this episode of the Persuasion Game podcast, Adam and Simon discuss the importance of the core and how innovation can actually support it, with Amit Singh, former Marketing D...
Jun 03, 2025•29 min•Season 1Ep. 18
In this episode of the Persuasion Game podcast, Adam and Laura sit down with Dan Quinn from The Forge to discuss the strategies and mindsets that underpin successful innovation. Dan is The Forge’s Head of Innovation, and throughout his career has worked with some of the world’s biggest consumer brands. This episode pulls together some key takeaways from leading figures at major FMCG brands, focussing on some of the biggest innovation themes, including (re)framing the opportunity, understanding c...
May 20, 2025•30 min•Season 1Ep. 17
What is the ‘secret sauce’ to managing a portfolio of category-leading brands? Who better to ask than Sally Smallman, the Global Consumer Planning Director for Whiskies at Diageo? In this episode of the Persuasion Game podcast, Adam and Laura sit down with Sally to do just that, exploring the challenges and opportunities managing multiple brands presents. Diageo owns some of the most famous whisky brands in the world, and at various price points. Sally shares her experiences of protecting herita...
May 06, 2025•29 min•Season 1Ep. 16
In this episode, Adam and Laura reflect on their recent experiences at Advertising Week Europe. At AWE, Laura interviewed previous podcast guest Katie Evans, CMO of Burger King UK, about the Bundles of Joy campaign before Adam and Laura attended talks with brands including Jaguar and Vaseline. The podcast draws together the big themes from the conference including: the growing prevalence of brands adopting a challenger mindset, meeting consumers at their level with authenticity, and thinking abo...
Apr 22, 2025•27 min•Season 1Ep. 15
In this episode, Adam and Laura welcome back Julian Gomez to the podcast to discuss portfolio strategy, focusing on his extensive experience as CMO of Unilever's beauty and personal care business. The conversation deep dives into the importance of creativity and passion in building successful brands, how internal politics and emotions affect strategy, and the critical balance between logic and magic in decision-making. For further reading on brand portfolio, check out: Why your portfolio could b...
Apr 01, 2025•36 min•Season 1Ep. 14
In this episode of The Persuasion Game, hosts Simon and Adam sit down with Julian Gomez, a highly experienced senior marketer, to discuss the crucial topic of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in marketing. They explore Julian's wealth of experience with DEI marketing initiatives from his role as CMO for Unilever's beauty and personal care brands across 40 markets in EMEA and ANZ. They discuss the business case for representing diverse consumers, why DEI initiatives are under threat, and th...
Mar 18, 2025•30 min•Season 1Ep. 13
In this thought-provoking episode, hosts Laura and Simon sit down with Poppy Mardall, founder of Poppy's Funerals, a company redefining funeral care with empathy, individuality, and transparency. Funeral care is an industry with some of the most deeply entrenched traditions, but Poppy’s Funerals is doing things differently. Poppy shares her approach to empowering grieving families, her dedication to offering personalised and respectful experiences, and the importance of breaking societal taboos ...
Mar 04, 2025•32 min•Season 1Ep. 12
In this episode of The Persuasion Game, Laura talks with Nick Manning, co-founder of Manning Gottlieb, and Caroline Marshall, former editor of Campaign, about the rapidly changing advertising landscape and discusses their pioneering 'Advertising: Who Cares?' initiative. This wide-ranging conversation explores the evolution of digital platforms, the impact on traditional media, and the importance of creativity in advertising. CREDIT Advertising: Who Cares? Website for information and sign up: www...
Feb 18, 2025•39 min•Season 1Ep. 11
In this insightful episode, hosts Adam and Laura sit down with Selina Sykes , Global Lead for Digital, Media, and Commerce at Unilever. They delve into the essence of partnerships, storytelling, and leadership in the modern business landscape. Selina shares her journey from a psychology student to a leader in digital marketing and discusses the importance of empathy and compassion when driving successful partnerships and brand transformations. Episodes are released bi-weekly. Follow us on Linked...
Feb 04, 2025•34 min•Season 1Ep. 10
In this podcast episode, hosts Adam and Laura engage in a lively conversation with Imme Ermgassen, co-founder of Botivo, a non-alcoholic, “big sipping” aperitivo. They discuss Imme’s unique approach to brand building including breaking the non-alc category rules by creating a pleasure-focused product. She discusses the challenges in educating consumers and category buyers and the tactics she has used to create awareness and drive trial. This is a fascinating discussion with a visionary entrepren...
Jan 21, 2025•36 min•Season 1Ep. 9
In this insightful episode, hosts Laura and Simon discuss sustainability with Joss Ford, founder of Enviral, a communications agency dedicated to combatting boring sustainability stories. Joss shares his journey into sustainability, the challenges of effectively communicating it, and the importance of integrating it into business strategies. They explore the dynamics within NGOs and corporations, the balance between progress and perfection, and the impact of engaging creative approaches. The con...
Jan 07, 2025•36 min•Season 1Ep. 8
In this festive episode of The Persuasion Game, hosts Laura and Adam embark on a Christmas special where they tackle some common festive dilemmas but with a twist - they’ll be using marketing insights from past guests. Drawing on their discussions with previous pod guests Jane Buck, Grant Mckenzie, Paul Thomas, Katie Evans, Nick Graham and Alex O’Rourke they explore family traditions, gifting, creating an inclusive holiday atmosphere and more. Packed with practical advice, heartwarming stories, ...
Dec 17, 2024•27 min•Season 1Ep. 7
In this episode of The Persuasion Game, Laura Halliday and co-host Adam Rowles interview Jane Buck , Global Head of Innovation at Cadbury. Jane is a seasoned expert in innovation with an extensive background at major brands including Mondelez and Unilever where she launched and scaled the €1BN+ personal care brand Love Beauty & Planet Jane discusses her unique approach to brand development, explaining how she integrates consumer insights with visionary thinking to drive innovation, how she s...
Dec 03, 2024•33 min•Season 1Ep. 6
In this episode, Laura Halliday and co-host Adam Rowles are joined by Nick Graham , an esteemed leader with senior roles at PepsiCo North America and Mondelēz. Nick shares his expertise on how iconic brands like Pepsi and Cadbury have adapted their strategies to stay relevant in a fast-changing world. They explore the power of nostalgia, storytelling, and emotional connection in creating meaningful campaigns that resonate with audiences. Hear how Nick helped Pepsi rediscover its “timeless spirit...
Nov 19, 2024•34 min•Season 1Ep. 5
In this episode, Laura Halliday and co-host Adam Rowles discuss some of Burger King’s most impactful marketing campaigns with Katie Evans, Chief Marketing Officer of Burger King UK. Operating in the highly competitive UK quick service restaurant sector, Katie shares how Burger King behaves like a challenger brand to create maximum impact with its communications versus its competitors with much larger media budgets. She talks about the roles of authenticity, agility and insight in starting meanin...
Nov 05, 2024•36 min•Season 1Ep. 4
In this episode, Simon and Laura are joined by marketing professional Grant McKenzie to explore the evolution and innovation in the world of alcohol-free beverages. The conversation covers overcoming market skepticism, strategic rebranding, and positioning non-alcoholic beers as positive lifestyle choices linked to sports and health benefits. They also delve into future trends, including regional successes, flavour experimentation, and the growth of adult soft drinks like kombucha. Tune in for a...
Oct 22, 2024•35 min•Season 1Ep. 3
In this episode, Simon and Laura are joined by Alex O'Rourke , co-founder of Locksmith and experienced marketer. Together, they explore the challenges and strategies of self-promotion and navigating societal barriers as a woman in the workplace. Alex shares her knowledge as a transformational life coach and delves into issues including the importance of creating a personal narrative. With insights into the DISC profiling tool and personal anecdotes about overcoming professional hurdles, she offe...
Oct 08, 2024•31 min•Season 1Ep. 2
In this episode, Simon and Laura dive into the evolving premium spirits category to learn about the consumer motivations behind alcohol purchasing decisions. They are joined by Paul Thomas, International Insight Director and Global Head of Shopper Insight at Suntory, who shares insights on consumer planning, luxury goods spending, and brand marketing strategies. Paul discusses how consumer behaviour is shifting towards quality over quantity, the role of effective storytelling in brand marketing ...
Sep 24, 2024•33 min
Coming soon, a brand new podcast all about the secrets of persuasion and how it shapes consumer behaviour, fuels business growth, and sharpens marketing skills. Hosts Laura Halliday and Simon Garnett from The Forge chat with those who have mastered the art of influence. Learn the tactics, stories, and strategies that will help you become a more effective marketer and business leader.
Sep 19, 2024•1 min
