The MadMen Pod

Episode #19: Shama Hyder, Founder & CEO of Zen Media, joins the pod to talk about bad PR moves by Carta’s CEO, Chick-Fil-A is testing hamburgers, and the new Beats ad with LeBron James’ family.

Shama Hyder, a LinkedIn Top Voice and "Zen Master of Marketing" joins the discussion this week. Carta's CEO writes an open letter making the media the bad guy, and it backfires. Chick-Fil-A is testing hamburgers at a single location, and people will probably love it because Chick-Fil-A can do whatever it wants. Beats launches a campaign featuring LeBron James' family, embracing his Year 21 storyline. John Burns Research & Consulting uses LinkedIn to be the powerhouse in real estate. Hello Bello files bankruptcy, another casualty in the DTC industry. Shein making moves in the US to secure influential alies and prevent regulatory pressures.

Episode #18: Fruit Gushers are growing up. Skims launches its menswear line with superstar athletes. When theft becomes content. Asics says you chase a feeling, not a number when you work out.

General Mills rebrands its famous fruit snack brands - Fruit Gushers, Fruit Rollup and Fruit by the Foot. Skims gets in to menswear with superstar athletes as the face of the lineup. French running shoe store encourages people to steal their shoes from their store. Asics finds a deep insight about the mental impact of exercise culture.

Episode #17: How brands respond in times of crisis. Apple wants F1 streaming rights. Netflix is opening a house. How to go viral? Multiple profiles. Ja’Marr Chase is always open like 7-Eleven.

Coming off the latest developments in the unrest in Israel, Adeel and Sameer discuss how brands tend to respond during times of crisis, carefully treading the sensitivities of real issues without offending consumers. Apple is pitching $2 billion a year for exclusive streaming rights for F1. Netflix is doing something smart with all of this IP they've created with their content. Brands winning in short-form video don't just have one beautiful social profile. And if you didn't know, 7-Eleven is always open. and so is Ja'Marr Chase.

Episode #16: Captain Morgan Spiced Gold 0%. Loki X McDonald’s. Michelin Keys, still from Michelin Tires. Poppi is taking on Coke and Pepsi. Songtradr buys Bandcamp.

Captain Morgan gets in to the alcohol-free game. McDonald's in Loki is a masterclass on product placement. Michelin gives out stars for restaurants, and now keys for hotels. Poppi is doing things Coke and Pepsi can't even do. Songtradr is a beast in B2B, and make a play to buy Bandcamp to get in to DTC. Las Vegas Sphere looks like a hit... so far. RFK Jr. "re-brands."

Episode #15: Monopoly embraces the villains. The Golden Bachelor can change societal norms. Taylor Swift inspires a new sauce. Salad and Go to Grow. OpenAI will compete with Apple.

Welcome to the MadMen Pod, where we dissect the latest marketing and branding trends! In this episode, we dive headfirst into some intriguing developments across various industries. Join us as we ponder the merits of bold marketing moves and the potential impact they might have. Are they duds or studs? Let's find out!Dud or Stud #1: "All is Fair in Monopoly?"Monopoly's new campaign, "All is Fair," challenges players to embrace their inner villain. We explore the cold reality of the game – from your 8-year-old's ruthless boardwalk foreclosure to grandma's bank heist. Is this campaign a dud or a stud? Share your thoughts with us!Dud or Stud #2: "America's First Golden Bachelor"The Bachelor franchise has been struggling, and it seems they've taken a new twist. Meet Gerry Turner, America's First Golden Bachelor, where contestants are all at least 60 years old. Is this concept a dud or a stud in the world of reality TV dating shows? We dissect the drama.Dud or Stud #3: "Heinz's 'Ketchup and Seemingly Ranch'"Heinz is riding the viral wave of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's condiment mix. They've introduced 'Ketchup and Seemingly Ranch' sauce. Is this a brilliant marketing move or a dud? Tune in to our discussion on the flavor sensation taking the internet by storm.Brands to Watch: "Salad and Go: America's Healthy Fast Food Solution"We explore Salad and Go, the fast-food chain with a mission to tackle America's obesity epidemic. Offering affordable, calorie-conscious meals in a convenient 'grab and go' format, they're taking on the giants of the industry. Could Salad and Go be a serious player? We weigh in.Brands to Watch: "OpenAI's Billion-Dollar Smartphone Dream"OpenAI is making headlines with their ambitious project to create an OpenAI-powered mobile phone, teaming up with Johnny Ive and Softbank. With a valuation soaring to $80-90 billion, OpenAI is the talk of the tech world. Are they the brand to watch? We discuss their rapid evolution and groundbreaking innovations.

Episode #14: Airbnb goes on the attack. Google blames Apple for the green texts. FYRE FEST 2. Threads finding a purpose? Cisco makes a bet on security. Taylor Swift puts Travis Kelce on the map.

While local governments crack down on short term rentals, Airbnb launches a new campaign highlighting what hotels don't offer. Google points the finger at Apple for using pager-era texting technology. Fyre Fest is back for sequel - but is it going to be for real this time? The #RomanEmpire trend got brands buzzing on Threads instead of X. Cisco gets into security by acquiring Splunk for $28 billion. Kelce-Swift is a dream pairing for the NFL.

Episode #13: McDonald’s is ditching soda fountains. The Coach Prime Effect. Tom Brady X Delta Airlines. Champion - it’s a verb. The Cavier Company is making bougie accessible.

McDonald's is putting an end to self-serve fountain drinks. Coach Prime is a walking, talking, promotion machine. Tom Brady joins Delta Airlines as a strategic advisor. Champion redefines itself as a verb, not a noun. The Cavier Company brings a delicacy to your doorstep.

Kelly Helfman: Fashion Branding, Celebrity-Backed Brands, Weird Brand Collabs, and Doing Things the Right Way

Episode 12
Kelly Helfman (instagram.com/kellyhelfman), the President of the Fashion Division of Informa Markets, the parent company of Magic, Coterie, and Project sits down with Adeel (instagram.com/adeelmitha) to discuss fashion branding for consumers and wholesale. She talks Magic Trade Show, Celebrity-backed Fashion Brands like D'Amelio Footwear, Skims, and Good American. She also gives her takes on Hailey Bieber's collab with Krispy Kreme, the Premiumization of Fossil and Ralph Lauren, and Walmart growing their fashion arm.
 
Connect with Adeel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adeel-mitha/
Connect with Sameer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sbadruddin/
Connect with Salim on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamsalim/
Check out Kelly's Podcast: The Custom Made Podcasthttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-custom-made-podcast/id1704924264

The Lost Episode: Custom Funko Pops. Milk Gets Real about Dupe Milk. A Pepsi Diner. Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice. NFL embraces the ”script.” and TikTok Bans External Links.

Make your own Funko Pop figure. Milk goes on the offense against alternative dairy milk. Pepsi celebrates its 125th anniversary with the launch of a diner that makes you feel nostalgic. Pumpkin Spice season is back and bigger than ever. TikTok bans links to external sites do double-down on its own TikTok Shop. NFL script writers make an ad.

Episode #11: ”Ditch the Vape” is the next-gen Truth ad. Bud Light bounces back with football. Haagen-Dazs goes for luxury scoop shops. JCPenney’s $1 billion investment. EV is all over the place.

"Ditch the Vape" focuses on opportunity cost instead of health costs. Bud Light is trying to put the drama behind them and come out strong for football. Haagen-Dazs redesigns its storefront to make it a date night destination. JCPenney is trying to make a comeback (again) with a $1 billion investment. More celebrity-backed consumer goods - this time is D'Amelios and snacks. EV is allegedly the future of auto, but it's going through a really confusing phase.