That's What I Call Marketing

Tesco joins Deliveroo, Subway puts its strangest orders on billboards and a sponsor gets booed at Lionel Messi’s farewell. On the November edition of The Singles, Bella Harrison and Ed Parkin from Tracksuit join Conor Byrne on That’s What I Call Marketing to look back at October’s marketing stories and ask what each brand was trying to change.
How do you tell whether a brand partnership makes sense? We use Tracksuit’s brand tracking data to look at what each partner brings, where customers already see a reason to choose them and what you’d want to measure after the campaign.
In this episode, we cover
– Tesco x Deliveroo. How Pablo London made a grocery delivery announcement worth watching, what Tesco gains from a bigger digital shelf and why trust matters to Deliveroo as it competes with Just Eat and Uber Eats.
– Just Eat’s new brand platform. Why change a familiar campaign when you lead on preference? We look at the move away from celebrity-led ads and the decision to keep the familiar sonic cue.
– Subway’s “Get Your Own Way”. How requests for more sweetcorn became outdoor ads, and why a brand with 80% awareness and 22% claimed usage is giving people a reason to order again.
– Yorkshire Tea x Tony’s Chocolonely. Why a cup of tea and a bar of chocolate make sense together, and what each brand stands to gain from the “Are You a Melt?” collaboration during National Chocolate Week.
– “What the Actual?” Why Sancor Seguros opening Lionel Messi’s farewell drone show with its own logo drew boos, and what the reaction to Martha Stewart’s Halloween costume raises for brands working with celebrities.
– How to track brand visibility in AI answers. What marketers can learn by comparing how often they appear in ChatGPT and Claude with changes in brand familiarity and consideration.
A useful listen for marketers interested in brand partnerships, creative strategy, sports sponsorship, marketing effectiveness and measuring brand visibility in AI search.
That’s What I Call Marketing is the podcast for marketers who care about brand, B2B, creativity, effectiveness and the future of the profession.
Follow the show for more conversations with CMOs, marketing leaders, agency leaders, professors, authors, thinkers and practitioners.
Find more episodes at https://www.thatswhaticallmarketing.com

CHAPTERS
00:00 The Singles with Conor, Bella and Ed
00:54 Tesco x Deliveroo and what drives delivery app preference
07:07 Why Just Eat changed its brand platform
10:36 Subway’s “Get Your Own Way” campaign
14:13 Yorkshire Tea x Tony’s Chocolonely
19:56 What the Actual? Messi’s farewell and celebrity Halloween backlash
22:54 Tracking brand visibility in ChatGPT and Claude

THE SINGLES — IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TRACKSUIT
The Singles is our monthly look at the marketing stories that got us talking, using Tracksuit’s brand tracking data to see what’s going on behind the headlines. Thanks to Tracksuit for supporting the series and to Hawksmoor for hosting us in person.
Explore Tracksuit’s always-on, affordable brand tracking at https://www.gotracksuit.com
That’s What I Call Marketing is where marketers come for real conversations about brand, B2B, creativity, effectiveness and the future of the profession.
Hosted by Conor Byrne, the show features conversations with CMOs, marketing leaders, agency leaders, authors, thinkers and practitioners about what good marketing looks like in practice.

Listen, follow and find more episodes at: https://www.thatswhaticallmarketing.com
Connect with Conor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/conorbyrneirl/
If you enjoy the show, please follow, subscribe and leave a review. It helps more marketers find the conversations.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brent Smart, former CMO of Telstra and IAG, joins That’s What I Call Marketing to discuss how creative conviction builds brands, changes businesses and makes marketing more effective.
From rebuilding NRMA Insurance around its heritage of help to changing how Australians felt about Telstra, Brent explains how to get a business behind bold creative work, protect brand investment under pressure and give it time to deliver commercial results.
In this episode, we cover:
– Why influencing people and protecting ideas are essential skills for a CMO.
– How Brent brought NRMA’s “help” positioning back to life and why employee pride matters for customer experience.
– How to balance current demand with future demand without sacrificing long-term growth for this quarter’s targets.
– How Telstra challenged corporate advertising conventions with 26 short, stop-motion films during the Olympics.
– Why craft is a strategic choice and how it can signal a premium brand.
– How holdout tests and switching activity off can help reveal what your marketing is contributing.
A useful listen for marketers interested in brand building, creativity, marketing effectiveness, CMO leadership, agency relationships and commercial impact.

That’s What I Call Marketing is the podcast for marketers who care about brand, B2B, creativity, effectiveness and the future of the profession.
Follow the show for more conversations with CMOs, marketing leaders, agency leaders, professors, authors, thinkers and practitioners.
Find more episodes at: https://www.thatswhaticallmarketing.com

Timestamps

03:13 Missing law school by one mark
05:41 What agencies teach future CMOs
10:05 Protecting creative ideas inside a corporation
16:08 Marketing science: Australia, the UK and America
18:37 Moving from agency CEO to insurance CMO
23:12 Why low-involvement categories need creativity
25:35 Rebuilding NRMA around help and heritage
30:09 Balancing current demand and future demand
35:58 Making the commercial case for brand investment
39:55 Telstra’s reputation challenge and customer research
43:18 The Olympic campaign: 26 films, one better network
46:27 Why craft is a strategic choice
48:06 Holdout tests and learning by switching things off
50:43 What Brent wants to do next

Further reading
Explore the Telstra Playbook from Future Demand:
https://community.futuredemand.com/playbooks/the-telstra-playbook
Brent also discusses Future Demand by James Hurman and its practical distinction between converting today’s buyers and building demand among the people who will buy in the future.

Episode partner: Tracksuit
This episode is brought to you in partnership with Tracksuit, the always-on brand tracking platform. Tracksuit helps marketers understand brand performance over time and bring evidence into conversations about brand investment with business leaders.
Find out more: https://www.gotracksuit.com
That’s What I Call Marketing is where marketers come for real conversations about brand, B2B, creativity, effectiveness and the future of the profession.
Hosted by Conor Byrne, the show features conversations with CMOs, marketing leaders, agency leaders, authors, thinkers and practitioners about what good marketing looks like in practice.

Listen, follow and find more episodes at: https://www.thatswhaticallmarketing.com
Connect with Conor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/conorbyrneirl/
If you enjoy the show, please follow, subscribe and leave a review. It helps more marketers find the conversations.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Georgina Leigh-Pemberton, Managing Director of Turner Duckworth London, joins That’s What I Call Marketing to discuss how design builds unmistakable brands, why restraint matters and how to make the business case for a redesign. You’ll understand how to identify the assets worth protecting, bring stakeholders with you and give a brand room to evolve while keeping what makes it recognisable. From Jim Beam’s porch to McDonald’s golden identity and Maker’s Mark’s red wax, Georgina explains how a brand’s history can provide the foundations for its future. We also explore what newer brands can learn from that approach, even when they have no archive to dig through.

In this episode, we cover:
– How distinctive brand assets support recognition, attribution and marketing effectiveness.
– Why successful redesigns need stakeholder consensus and a clear commercial case.
– The confidence it takes for established brands to resist chasing design trends.
– How global brand guidelines can protect consistency while giving local teams creative freedom.
– Why research means listening to consumers, then applying judgement to what you hear.
– Where AI can help the design process and why learning the craft still matters.

A vital listen for marketers interested in brand strategy, visual identity, distinctive brand assets, agency relationships and marketing effectiveness.

That’s What I Call Marketing is the podcast for marketers who care about brand, B2B, creativity, effectiveness and the future of the profession.
Follow the show for more conversations with CMOs, marketing leaders, agency leaders, professors, authors, thinkers and practitioners.
Find more episodes at: https://www.thatswhaticallmarketing.com

PARTNER: TRACKSUIT
This episode is supported by Tracksuit, the always-on brand tracking platform. Understand how your brand is performing, follow changes in awareness and consideration, and see how you compare with competitors.
Find out more: https://www.gotracksuit.com

CHAPTERS
03:34 From medieval history to advertising and design
06:27 Jim Beam: finding a brand world on the porch
08:22 Packaging, Yorkshire Tea and the move into design
10:53 The role of design in marketing effectiveness
13:21 Why design takes patience
14:32 Managing a redesign across complex organisations
15:49 McDonald’s: building consensus around the brand
17:46 Making the business case to CEOs and CFOs
19:09 Bringing clients into the creative process
20:10 Protecting the idea through stakeholder feedback
21:28 Why restraint takes confidence
23:24 Building a new brand without a long history
25:54 Reese’s: global consistency with room to play
27:17 Listening to consumers through research
28:35 Why the work continues after the guidelines
30:03 When brand identities become part of culture
31:09 Knowing what to preserve and what to change
33:20 AI, human craft and developing young talent
38:11 Sharing knowledge and learning from other agencies
That’s What I Call Marketing is where marketers come for real conversations about brand, B2B, creativity, effectiveness and the future of the profession.
Hosted by Conor Byrne, the show features conversations with CMOs, marketing leaders, agency leaders, authors, thinkers and practitioners about what good marketing looks like in practice.

Listen, follow and find more episodes at: https://www.thatswhaticallmarketing.com
Connect with Conor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/conorbyrneirl/
If you enjoy the show, please follow, subscribe and leave a review. It helps more marketers find the conversations.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dee Cunniam, Head of Brand Marketing and Innovation at Britvic Ireland, joins That’s What I Call Marketing to discuss growing iconic Irish brands, leading through change and building a marketing career that keeps moving forward. How do you adapt a much-loved brand without losing what people love about it? Through her work on MiWadi and Ballygowan, Dee explains how consumer insight, product innovation and commercial judgement come together and why 18 years in one business has meant many different careers.

In this episode, we cover:
– How MiWadi responded when concerns about sugar challenged perceptions of the brand, balancing functional benefits with its emotional connection to families.
– The thinking behind MiWadi’s 0% sugar range and why innovation needs to preserve a brand’s distinctiveness.
– Ballygowan’s expansion into flavoured and functional water, and what an earlier launch taught the team about consumer readiness.
– Moving shopper marketing beyond point-of-sale execution to a more strategic role across brands, customers and commercial teams.
– Building influence by understanding other functions’ priorities and demonstrating marketing’s commercial value.
– Why sideways moves, category experience and continuous learning can help marketers build broader careers.

A useful listen for marketers interested in brand strategy, FMCG marketing, consumer insight, product innovation, marketing leadership and career development.

That’s What I Call Marketing is the podcast for marketers who care about brand, B2B, creativity, effectiveness and the future of the profession.
Follow the show for more conversations with CMOs, marketing leaders, agency leaders, professors, authors, thinkers and practitioners.
Find more episodes at: https://www.thatswhaticallmarketing.com

MAKE YOUR MARK — IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MARKETING INSTITUTE OF IRELAND
This is the final episode in our three-part Make Your Mark series, exploring the different ways marketers develop their expertise, build confidence and make a meaningful contribution to their organisations. The Marketing Institute of Ireland supports marketers through its competency framework, professional assessment, certification, ongoing CPD and a network of peers. Thank you to the Marketing Institute for partnering with That’s What I Call Marketing on this series.
Find out more: https://mii.ie

TIMESTAMPS
02:51 From promotional work to agency life and FMCG
06:41 Britvic Ireland and its portfolio of brands
08:39 Eighteen years in one business, many different roles
09:17 MiWadi: protecting the brand while responding to change
13:00 Functional benefits, 0% sugar and product innovation
15:18 Making the commercial case for brand investment
16:17 Ballygowan: from mineral water to new drinking occasions
17:55 Balancing innovation with the core brand
19:37 How leadership changes as you become more senior
21:23 Giving shopper marketing a more strategic role
23:12 Building influence across the business
24:44 Making time for learning and development
28:53 Squiggly careers, sideways moves and category experience
31:13 What marketing awards mean for the whole team
32:51 The mark Dee still wants to make
34:22 Club Orange, football and having fun along the way
That’s What I Call Marketing is where marketers come for real conversations about brand, B2B, creativity, effectiveness and the future of the profession.
Hosted by Conor Byrne, the show features conversations with CMOs, marketing leaders, agency leaders, authors, thinkers and practitioners about what good marketing looks like in practice.

Listen, follow and find more episodes at: https://www.thatswhaticallmarketing.com
Connect with Conor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/conorbyrneirl/
If you enjoy the show, please follow, subscribe and leave a review. It helps more marketers find the conversations.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Make Your Mark: Stephanie Bell, Head of Marketing for Mercedes-Benz in Ireland joins That’s What I Call Marketing to discuss building commercial credibility, making a global brand relevant locally and earning support for ambitious marketing.

You’ll hear what “speaking the language of the business” actually looks like, how Stephanie secured backing for The Traitors Ireland partnership and why building relationships with future buyers matters alongside delivering sales today.

When sales fall, pausing marketing can seem like the obvious response. Stephanie shares how she challenged that thinking by starting with the revenue target, working back to the number of customers needed and explaining how marketing would help deliver them.

That commercial grounding runs through a career spanning Diageo, Heineken, FMCG, not-for-profit and automotive. It also shaped her approach to The Traitors Ireland: a partnership the business initially turned down, which went on to deliver almost 30 minutes of on-screen car exposure. Stephanie discusses the 40% year-on-year growth in GLC sales that followed, the lessons from the first series and the creation of four locally produced Irish TV ads for the second.
In this episode, we cover:
– What commercial and trade marketing roles taught Stephanie about customers, margins and making a case for investment.
– Working on Orchard Thieves and adapting lessons from Diageo and Heineken to businesses where marketing has to earn its influence.
– Securing local and global approval for The Traitors Ireland, with conviction rather than certainty.
– Why Irish creative and cultural relevance matter, even when you have a globally recognised luxury brand.
– Balancing immediate sales with future demand across Mercedes-Benz and BYD, while responding to electrification and changing buyer behaviour.
– Making professional development part of the working day and helping a team build its skills and confidence.
A useful listen for marketers interested in brand strategy, sponsorship effectiveness, commercial impact, global and local marketing, marketing leadership and career development.

That’s What I Call Marketing is the podcast for marketers who care about brand, B2B, creativity, effectiveness and the future of the profession.
Follow the show for more conversations with CMOs, marketing leaders, agency leaders, professors, authors, thinkers and practitioners.
Find more episodes at: https://www.thatswhaticallmarketing.com

MAKE YOUR MARK | IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MARKETING INSTITUTE OF IRELAND
This is episode two of our three-part Make Your Mark series, created in partnership with the Marketing Institute of Ireland. The series explores different routes through a marketing career and how marketers make their mark through expertise, confidence, continued learning and the impact of their work.
The Marketing Institute of Ireland supports marketers through its competency framework, professional assessment and certification, CPD and training.
Find out more: https://mii.ie

TIMESTAMPS

02:55 Stephanie’s path from commercial roles into marketing
04:47 Learning brand marketing at Diageo and Heineken
06:15 Orchard Thieves and challenging the cider category
07:56 Bringing big-company experience into smaller businesses
10:02 “Sales are down”: making the commercial case for marketing
12:26 Building credibility with commercial stakeholders
13:40 From FMCG and not-for-profit into automotive
15:33 Managing Mercedes-Benz in Ireland: global brand, local market
18:50 The Traitors Ireland: taking the risk and securing support
22:23 Creating Irish TV ads for the second series
23:48 Conviction rather than certainty
25:08 Balancing current sales and future buyers
27:52 Electrification and the better-informed car buyer
28:38 Developing your own skills and supporting your team
32:27 Challenging “we’ve always done it that way”
34:27 Winning Best Entertainment Sponsorship
That’s What I Call Marketing is where marketers come for real conversations about brand, B2B, creativity, effectiveness and the future of the profession.
Hosted by Conor Byrne, the show features conversations with CMOs, marketing leaders, agency leaders, authors, thinkers and practitioners about what good marketing looks like in practice.

Listen, follow and find more episodes at: https://www.thatswhaticallmarketing.com
Connect with Conor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/conorbyrneirl/
If you enjoy the show, please follow, subscribe and leave a review. It helps more marketers find the conversations.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.