Adspeak

In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, host Ryan Joe sits down with Stacey Hartnett, SVP of Brand and Marketing at Chomps, for a conversation recorded live at Brandweek. They explore the strategic journey of how a "scrappy startup" moved from a purely direct-to-consumer performance marketing play into a powerhouse brand that competes with industry giants. Stacey details how Chomps successfully shifted the perception of meat sticks from "mystery meat" to a high-quality protein staple by obsessing over their community and finding an unexpected primary audience: Zillennial moms.

The discussion dives deep into the mechanics of scaling, including the evolution from functional messaging to emotional storytelling, the role of retail media networks like Amazon, and the brand's bold testing of high-impact cultural moments like Thursday Night Football. Packed with practical insights on research-led pivots and maintaining "social currency," this episode provides a blueprint for any brand looking to expand its reach without losing its core identity.

What You'll Learn:
How to transition from ROI-focused performance media to long-term branding.
The strategy behind identifying and leaning into a surprising 70% female audience.
How to evolve messaging from functional product attributes to emotional connection.
The role of "experiential" marketing in taking tasks off your consumer’s to-do list.
Testing high-impact media like the NFL and Dancing with the Stars.
How to build brand loyalty that withstands the threat of private label competitors.

About the Guests:
Stacey Hartnett is the SVP of Brand and Marketing at Chomps, where she has spent over six years helping scale the brand from a niche D2C player to a major retail presence. With a background starting on the media side, she has been instrumental in navigating Chomps' disciplined growth, overseeing its transition into emotional storytelling and high-impact brand awareness campaigns. Under her leadership, Chomps has cultivated a dedicated community known as the "Champions".
Ryan Joe is the Editor in Chief at ADWEEK and the host of the Adspeak podcast. In his role, he leads the editorial direction of the publication and facilitates high-level conversations focused on the mechanics of power and influence within the advertising and marketing industries. As a seasoned reporter and host, he specializes in reporter-led storytelling, providing listeners with practical "masterclasses" through interviews with the industry's most influential leaders.

Guest Resources:
Stacey Hartnett LinkedIn
Chomps Official Website
Ryan Joe LinkedIn
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In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, Jennifer Meehan joins 55+ creators Stewart Reynolds (Brittlestar) and Granny Guns for a sharp conversation on one of marketing’s biggest blind spots: older audiences. Despite controlling nearly half of global spending power, the 55+ demographic receives only a fraction of advertising investment. The discussion explores why older creators consistently outperform younger influencers in authenticity, trust, and cross-generational appeal.
Stewart and Granny Guns explain how genuine creator-brand alignment drives stronger engagement and purchase intent, while Jennifer highlights the industry’s outdated assumptions around aging consumers. The episode also examines how poor representation of older adults in advertising erodes trust and limits brand relevance. From redefining “aging” as “longevity” to embracing intergenerational influence, the conversation offers marketers a practical roadmap for connecting with audiences that brands have underestimated for far too long.

What You'll Learn:
Why 55+ audiences control nearly 50% of global spending power but receive only 5-10% of marketing budget allocation
How to leverage older creators for intergenerational influence
The trust multiplier effect
How to identify brand-creator alignment as the foundation of influencer marketing
Why representation in advertising directly impacts brand trust erosion
The strategic repositioning framework

About the Guests:
Jennifer Meehan is an EVP of Brand Marketing at Edelman, specializing in demographic trends, consumer behavior, and inclusive marketing practices. With expertise in trust research and generational marketing, she has identified critical blind spots in how brands approach older audiences.
Granny Guns is a fitness influencer and sponsored athlete, recognized as the most followed older female athlete in fitness and the oldest sponsored female athlete globally. With 4.5 million followers across platforms, she transformed her fitness journey, starting at age 58 into a powerful multi-generational movement that resonates with audiences from teens to retirees.
Stewart Reynolds (Brittlestar) is a content creator and digital entertainer who has built a multi-generational audience of millions through humor, family-centric storytelling, and universal entertainment across platforms like Vine, TikTok, and Instagram. Launching his career at age 43, he pioneered the "pub joke" approach to content, humor accessible to grandparents, kids, and everyone in between, proving that age is no barrier to viral influence and cross-demographic reach.

Guest Resources:
Granny Guns on Instagram
Stewart Reynolds on LinkedIn
Jennifer Meehan on LinkedIn
Edelman Website

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In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, host Jenny Rooney speaks with Jason White (Board Member at Caldera Arts), Lina Polimeni (SVP and CMO at Eli Lilly and Company), and Nita Danielle (Content Creator and Influencer) about how health brands can earn trust in a skeptical, consumer-driven world. The conversation explores why pharmaceutical marketing must move beyond clinical messaging toward authentic storytelling, cultural relevance, and human-centered brand building.

The guests discuss how AI can support personalization and operational efficiency without sacrificing authenticity, and why brands should participate in unexpected cultural spaces like sports, fashion, and entertainment to make health conversations feel more natural. They also examine the growing role of creators in destigmatizing wellness topics through honest, relatable storytelling. Packed with insights on positioning, personalization, and purpose-driven branding, this episode offers a modern blueprint for building health brands that consumers genuinely connect with.

What You'll Learn:
How to position your health brand beyond category limitations
Why AI should enhance authenticity, not replace it
The "Unexpected but Necessary" cultural placement strategy
How to use creators and influencers to destigmatize health conversations
The first-party data and personalization framework for pharma
How 21 years of brand consistency reveals sustainable competitive advantage

About the Guests:
Lina Polimeni is the SVP and Chief Marketing Officer for Eli Lilly Consumer Division, bringing over 21 years of expertise in pharmaceutical marketing and brand transformation. With a background spanning from sales to digital marketing innovation, she has pioneered patient-centric strategies that reposition Lilly as a medicine company focused on human wellness rather than product transactions.
Jason White is a Board Member at Caldera Arts, and he specializes in transformative brand strategy and creative campaigns that spark cultural conversations. Jason has also served as the President at Wieden + Kennedy. With a career built on redefining consumer relationships, from his early work on Pepsi to acclaimed campaigns like "Thank You Mom" for P&G, he brings a consumer-centric lens to the pharmaceutical industry.
Nita Danielle is a full-time content creator and influencer focused on style, fashion, confidence, motherhood, and health and wellness storytelling. With a dedicated audience that values her authentic, non-linear approach to personal journeys, she brings creator credibility to healthcare brand partnerships.

Guest Resources:
Nita Danielle on Instagram
Lina Polimeni on LinkedIn
Eli Lilly and Company Website
Jason White on LinkedIn
Caldera Arts Website

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In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, host Jenny Rooney sits down with Josh Dean, Founder of Dean and Daughters, and former Global VP of Johnnie Walker at Diageo, to unpack how Johnnie Walker has remained culturally relevant for more than two centuries while attracting a new generation of consumers. Josh explains how the iconic “Keep Walking” platform serves as a creative north star, enabling authentic collaborations across music, fashion, entertainment, and sports without diluting brand equity.

From partnerships with Squid Game and Olivier Rousteing to campaigns featuring Sabrina Carpenter, the conversation explores culture-first marketing, selective brand partnerships, and how legacy brands can balance heritage with innovation to drive long-term growth and consumer connection.

What You'll Learn:
How to position heritage as momentum, not nostalgia
The culture-first partnership framework
Why the product should take a backseat in culture-driven campaigns
How to turn cultural moments into commercial runways
The role of internal alignment in executing ambitious collaborations
How to turn down opportunities strategically

About the Guest:
Josh Dean is the Founder of Dean and Daughters and a former Global VP of Johnnie Walker at Diageo. He brings over a decade of brand-building expertise from his tenure at Unilever and subsequent roles at Tommy John and S'well. Known for his strategic approach to brand culture and creative innovation, Josh specializes in driving long-term sustainable growth through purposeful storytelling and authentic partnerships.

Guest Resources:
Josh Dean on LinkedIn
Dean and Daughters on LinkedIn

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In this solo episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, host Richelle Batuigas challenges one of marketing’s biggest assumptions: that likes, views, and impressions reflect real success. Drawing on her work as EVP at Viral Nation, she introduces the Cultural Relevance Score, a practical framework designed to measure what actually drives business outcomes.

Richelle breaks down how marketers can move beyond vanity metrics by tracking awareness, affinity, and velocity in a competitive context. She explains why legacy measures like earned media value fall short and how cultural alignment directly influences revenue and conversion.
The episode also explores how AI-powered insights and structured data systems can transform social strategy into a repeatable, performance-driven engine. With a clear, actionable playbook, Richelle shows how brands can diagnose what resonates, optimize in real time, and finally connect social media efforts to measurable ROI.

What You'll Learn:
How to replace vanity metrics with the Culture Quotient Score
Why impressions, views, and reach don't predict business impact
The direct link between cultural relevance and revenue
How to build a diagnostic data foundation using AI and historical content
The tactical playbook approach to social strategy, using real-time dashboards, daily tracking, and attribute analysis
How to integrate social measurement into advanced analytics

About the Host:
Richelle Batuigas is the EVP of Business Intelligence and Data Strategy at Viral Nation. She is recognized for her expertise in social media measurement and performance optimization. With a 12-year background in measuring complex marketing challenges, she has pioneered the Culture Quotient Score, a proprietary metric designed to move beyond vanity metrics and align social media performance with meaningful business outcomes.

Guest Resources:
Richelle Batuigas on LinkedIn
Viral Nation Website

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