Épisodes

  • Mini: Launching a Product in Uncertain Times

    Mini: Launching a Product in Uncertain Times
    Jun 30 2025
    Launching a new product is never easy. But doing it during economic uncertainty? That’s a whole different challenge.

    In this mini episode, we explore how today’s shifting landscape—from tariffs to market instability—requires a smarter, more agile approach.Jason shares three core principles that can help entrepreneurs and innovators not just survive, but thrive during turbulent times.

    Key Takeaways:
    • Agility beats the grand reveal
    • Focus on value without slashing prices
    • Harness power of community and brand trust
    Brought to you by Mekanism.
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    5 min
  • #90: What Marketers Can Learn from StockX (and Its Sneakerhead Hype Machine) | StockX CMO Nicholas Karrat

    #90: What Marketers Can Learn from StockX (and Its Sneakerhead Hype Machine) | StockX CMO Nicholas Karrat
    Jun 23 2025
    Not every brand explodes. Some rise slowly, and win big.

    In this episode, Jason talks with Nicholas Karrat, CMO of StockX, about the Soul & Science of marketplace models—and what it takes to build brand trust, cultural relevance, and business performance at the same time. A veteran marketer with experience across Fortune 100 companies and DTC startups, Nick has held leadership roles at AT&T, Citibank, Plated, Boll & Branch, and Tommy John. Now at the helm of marketing for StockX, he’s focused on staying true to the brand’s core while expanding its reach.

    Key Takeaways:
    ✅ Every channel is both brand and performance—the only difference is timing.
    ✅ Scarcity still drives urgency, but discovery starts earlier than ever.
    ✅ Trust and authentic storytelling beat polish when you’re building for the culture.
    ✅ For trend-driven products, TikTok fuels demand in real time.
    ✅ Great CMOs trust their instincts and adapt with the people on their team.

    Memorable Moments:
    💡 “Everything we do is brand and everything we do is performance, whether you like it or not.”
    💡 “Now you know” isn’t just a tagline. It’s how culture spreads.
    💡 “People and vision beat category and paycheck. Every time.”

    Brought to you by Mekanism.
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    36 min
  • Mini: What the Adidas Pet Collection Gets Right (and What It Misses)

    Mini: What the Adidas Pet Collection Gets Right (and What It Misses)
    Jun 16 2025
    🐶 Adidas just launched a China-exclusive pet collection—and it’s more than just cute.

    In this Soul & Science mini, Jason unpacks the marketing strategy behind Adidas Originals’ latest capsule: apparel and accessories designed for pets and their owners. Matching outfits? Yes. Global rollout? Not yet.

    For marketers, this launch raises big questions:

    🧠 Is this a clever test-market move or a missed brand moment?
    📍 Why China first—and why not global?
    📱 How could influencer strategy have amplified the rollout?

    Whether you're building brand love or exploring new categories, there's a lot to learn from this bold (and adorable) launch.

    Brought to you by Mekanism.
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    2 min
  • #89: Building Brands from the Inside Out | Bryant Brennan, Chief Creative Officer at Fi

    #89: Building Brands from the Inside Out | Bryant Brennan, Chief Creative Officer at Fi
    Jun 9 2025
    Creative teams have the most impact when they’re trusted stewards of the brand—not just executors.

    In this episode, Fi’s Chief Creative Officer Bryant Brennan joins Jason Harris to explore the Soul & Science of in-house creativity, product-first marketing, and building brands with staying power.

    From launching Nook at Barnes & Noble to scaling Peloton’s creative team into an award-winning force, Bryant shares how to align teams, collaborate with agencies, and use design to drive results. He also shares how Fi brings those lessons to pet tech—blending emotion, data, and surprising uses of AI.

    What’s Inside:
    ✅ Why internal teams need ownership to succeed
    ✅ What Peloton got right about scaling brand and performance
    ✅ How Fi turns utility into emotional connection
    ✅ The role of AI in creative concepting and brand voice
    ✅ The hallmarks of a truly collaborative agency partnership

    Memorable Moments:
    💡 “You’re building the brand in every execution, big or small.”
    💡 “The best partners care as much about the product as you do.”
    💡 “It’s not that I have to. It’s that I get to.”

    Brought to you by Mekanism.
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    38 min
  • Mini: The Return of HBO Max

    Mini: The Return of HBO Max
    Jun 2 2025
    What do you call a streaming service that can’t sit still? Apparently, HBO Max… again.

    In this Soul & Science mini-episode, Jason unpacks why the HBO brand is once again reclaiming its name, and what this says about brand equity, consumer sentiment, and the fine art of knowing when to walk it back. From Gap to Tropicana to the Twitter-that-shall-not-be-named, some branding detours are better left reversed.

    Key Takeaways:
    ✅ Don’t mess with strong brand equity—especially when it’s called “HBO.”
    ✅ A reversal doesn’t have to be a failure if you own it.
    ✅ Smart brands listen, learn, and even laugh with their customers.

    Backtracking isn’t always a step back. Sometimes, it’s just better branding.

    Brought to you by Mekanism.
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    4 min
  • #88: Why Purpose Still Matters | Bill Oberlander, Founder & Creative Chairman at OBERLAND

    #88: Why Purpose Still Matters | Bill Oberlander, Founder & Creative Chairman at OBERLAND
    May 28 2025
    Why does doing good still feel risky in the boardroom even when it’s good for business?

    In this episode, OBERLAND Founder & Creative Chairman Bill Oberlander joins Jason Harris to explore the Soul & Science of purpose-driven marketing and talk about why creativity, commerce, and consciousness can (and should) coexist.

    Bill shares his journey from Madison Avenue to launching a values-first agency that's now AdAge’s Purpose-Led Agency of the Year. He opens up about building OBERLAND from scratch, pitching campaigns like ELF’s So Many Dicks, and why he believes hustle, resilience, and unrelenting honesty are the keys to making good money, by doing good.

    What’s Inside:
    ✅ Why a purpose-driven brief matters more than a purpose-driven agency
    ✅ How “creativity, commerce, and consciousness” intersect in great marketing
    ✅The origin stories behind some of OBERLAND’s boldest work, from pitching Thinx to launching ELF’s viral “So Many Dicks” campaign
    ✅ Why brands that ignore social impact are missing their next generation of consumers

    Memorable Moments:
    💡 “You don’t need a purpose-driven agency to do purpose-driven work. You just need a purpose-driven brief.”
    💡 “The best new business department is just better creative.”
    💡 “Make good money. That’s the line.”

    Brought to you by Mekanism.
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    34 min
  • #87: B2B Marketing Shouldn’t Be Boring | Jim Lesser, Chief Brand Officer at ServiceNow

    #87: B2B Marketing Shouldn’t Be Boring | Jim Lesser, Chief Brand Officer at ServiceNow
    May 12 2025
    Just because it’s B2B doesn’t mean it has to be boring.

    This week on Soul & Science, Jason sits down with Jim Lesser, Chief Brand Officer at ServiceNow, the enterprise platform helping organizations simplify workflows and put AI to work across their business.

    Before stepping into the world of B2B tech, Jim led award-winning campaigns as CEO and Executive Creative Director at BBDO San Francisco, including the well-known "Imagine the Possibilities" campaign for Barbie. He shares how creative thinking, operational reinvention, and a people-first approach have shaped his leadership path.

    Jim talks about what it really takes to build an emotional connection in B2B marketing, why “marketing the marketing” matters more than ever, and how making yourself useful can unlock the next opportunity in your career.

    What’s Inside:
    ✅ Lessons from Jim’s rise from agency receptionist to CEO to Chief Brand Officer
    ✅ Why managing creatives is harder, and maybe more valuable, than mastering spreadsheets
    ✅ How ServiceNow is building a more human, recognizable brand in the B2B space
    ✅ The thinking behind ServiceNow University and the company’s growing community of users

    Memorable Moments:
    💡 “Make yourself useful, and your next opportunity will find you.”
    💡 “Cool sh*t with cool people. That’s the billboard.”
    💡 “If the product is innovative, the marketing should be too.”


    Brought to you by Mekanism.
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    37 min
  • Mini: Why Do Influencers Start Beverage Brands?

    Mini: Why Do Influencers Start Beverage Brands?
    May 5 2025
    From Prime to Chamberlain Coffee, influencers are making serious moves into the beverage aisle.

    In this Soul & Science mini-episode, Jason unpacks the rise of creator-led drink brands—and why the beverage industry has become the go-to playground for digital tastemakers. With built-in audiences and high margins, the formula is simple: influence + hydration = $$$.

    Key Takeaways:

    ✅ Beverages are easy to produce and offer premium profit margins.
    ✅ Built-in audiences become built-in distribution channels.
    ✅ Drinks match the lifestyle-driven narratives influencers are already selling.

    Forget merch drops. The new influencer flex? Something you can sip.

    Brought to you by Mekanism.
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    4 min