On Strategy Showcase

Planners talk about brands they love, but never worked on. This month Depop and PlayStation. It's Joe Burns, Partner, Head of Strategy at Quality Meats, Brooklyn, and Jon Crowley, Partner, Head of Strategy at Fuse Create in Toronto. Thanks to Tracksuit and System1 for supporting our On the Spot series. We do it live at Johannes Leonardo in NYC this Wednesday, Sept 23, 2026 at 5pm. Tickets here https://luma.com/r0c474io

James talks about his new, brilliant, evidence-based Lions Learning course on advertising effectiveness and his latest book that popularizes a new mental model for marketing that better connects our role to the language of business and growth. Always great having James on the show.

Is there a scarcity of difference? Is it scarce because sameness works? And what's the case for sameness? I'm joined by Chicago Chief Creative Officers and Chief Strategy Officers in front of an invitation-only group at BBDO, Chicago. Josh Gross and Landi Day from BBDO, Mark Gross from Highdive, Preeti Nadgar from Starcom and Brian Siedband from Quality Meats. Thanks to Tracksuit, The Effies and System1 for supporting our 2026 live tour. Next stop is GSD&M in Austin, Thursday, Sept 10th.

I talk with Infinite Roar's EVP, Brad Keeling and Ipsos U.S. President, Pedr Howard about what is now capturing an even larger spend than TV and CTV combined. It's Retail Media Networks and they're a creative wasteland. Ipsos just dropped a new free report on the topic. Check it out here

This month's planners pitch campaigns from Spec Savers and Columbia Sportswear. Anibal Casso is CSO, North America for Ogilvy and Alix Toothman is Global Executive Strategy Director at W+K, NYC. See the creative work here. Thanks to Tracksuit and System1 for supporting this series.