Adspeak

In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, host Jesse Kirshbaum, Chief Executive Officer of Nue Agency, sits down with Jermaine Dupri, Songwriter Hall of Famer, Grammy Award-winning producer, and founder of the So So Def recording label, to explore the intersection of culture, creativity, and marketing. Jermaine shares how he has built iconic cultural moments by creating immersive worlds around artists, brands, and ideas, from the Kriss Kross phenomenon to innovative partnerships. He explains why authentic connections to culture and audience proximity are essential for effective marketing, and how identifying unmet needs can uncover powerful business opportunities.

The conversation also examines the role of trusted mentors and gatekeepers in an AI-driven era, emphasizing that technology should support, not replace, intentional, heartfelt creativity. Jermaine argues that unconventional thinking remains the ultimate competitive advantage.

What You'll Learn:
How to Build a "Vibe" Around Every Product
The Source-First Strategy for Brand Partnerships
Why "Doing Something New" Requires Hiring Differently
How to Identify White Space in Culture and Markets
The Peacock Effect in Marketing
Why Gatekeeping and Trusted Expertise Are Making a Comeback
AI as a Tool, Not a Replacement for Heart

About the Guest and Host:

Jermaine Dupri is a Grammy Award-winning producer, songwriter, rapper, entrepreneur, and founder of So So Def Recordings. A pioneering force in Atlanta's rise as a music powerhouse, he first gained national attention after discovering and producing Kriss Kross's chart-topping hit “Jump.” Over a career spanning four decades, Dupri has helped shape the sound of hip-hop and R&B through collaborations with artists including Mariah Carey, Usher, Janet Jackson, Bow Wow, Da Brat, and Jagged Edge. Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2018, he is widely recognized for blending creative vision, artist development, and cultural influence to build enduring brands and iconic musical moments.

Jesse Kirshbaum is the Founder and CEO of Nue Agency, operating at the intersection of music, entertainment, and brand strategy. With more than 20 years of experience, he has built a reputation as a trusted dealmaker, connecting artists, brands, and platforms to create culturally relevant partnerships and experiences. Jesse specializes in helping organizations navigate an evolving cultural landscape, translating emerging trends into meaningful business opportunities. As both a strategist and operator, he brings ideas to life through activations, events, and partnerships that drive immediate results, foster lasting audience connections, and create long-term value.

Guest Resources:
Jermaine Dupri on Instagram
So So Def Website
Jesse Kirshbaum on LinkedIn
NUE Agency Website
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In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, host Rich Battista, Executive Chairman at ADWEEK, sits down with Steve Koonin, CEO of the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena, to explore how marketing can transform a sports franchise into a cultural institution. Steve shares how the Hawks built one of the NBA’s most engaged fan bases by focusing on experience, community, and audience relevance rather than relying solely on wins and losses.

He explains why adding “game experience” as a third business pillar creates loyalty that survives performance fluctuations, how a single piece of content can be repurposed into hundreds of platform-native assets, and why empowering creative teams leads to breakthrough campaigns. The conversation also highlights the power of focus, community investment, and place-based marketing in an increasingly fragmented media landscape.

What You'll Learn:
How to position game experience as an advantage when on-court performance lags
Why audience denial is a business killer
The three-pillar blueprint for sports marketing
How to activate younger audiences through platform-native creativity
Why focus is the marketer's most feared word
How to build long-term brand equity through controlled risk-taking
The underrated opportunity in place-based marketing
How to leverage community impact as a brand platform

About the Guest and Host:
Steve Koonin is the CEO of the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena, where he oversees the organization's business, financial, and strategic operations. A lifelong Atlantan and accomplished marketing executive, he previously held leadership roles at The Coca-Cola Company and Turner Broadcasting. Since joining the Hawks in 2014, Koonin has transformed the franchise into a leader in fan experience, community impact, and innovation. He is a recipient of the Atlanta Sports Council Lifetime Achievement Award and SportsBusiness Journal's Sports Executive of the Year.

Rich Battista is a veteran media, entertainment, and sports executive with a distinguished track record as a CEO, board chairman, and business builder. Over his career, he successfully transformed and led multi-billion-dollar public companies including Time Inc. and Gemstar-TV Guide. During an 18-year tenure at Fox, he helped create and grow several highly valuable cable network businesses across entertainment and sports. Today, Rich serves as a board member, advisor, investor, and consultant while also producing film and television projects.

Guest Resources:
Steve Koonin on NBA
Atlanta Hawks Website

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In this episode of Adspeak, host Mark Stenberg is joined by Lark-Marie Anton, Chief Communications and Brand Officer, and Kristin Roberts, President of Media at USA Today Co., to unpack the company's landmark transition from Gannett to USA Today Co. and what it signals for the future of publishing in the AI era. The conversation explores how unifying more than 200 local media brands under a single trusted identity strengthens audience recognition, advertiser value, and AI attribution.
Lark-Marie and Kristin discuss the research behind the rebrand, the company's unique local-to-national reach, and how proprietary tools like Deeper Dive help keep audiences engaged within trusted publisher ecosystems. They also examine AI partnerships, evolving search behavior, and why a strong, recognizable brand may be a publisher's most valuable asset in an increasingly AI-driven media landscape.

What You'll Learn:
How to leverage brand consolidation as a defensive strategy against AI answer engines
Why data-driven brand decisions outweigh aesthetic rebrands
The "Local-to-National Platform" positioning for capturing advertiser attention
How to embed proprietary AI tools (like Deeper Dive) as brand moats
The negotiating leverage principle for AI partnerships
Why internal narrative alignment matters as much as external branding

About the Guests:
Lark-Marie Anton is Chief Communications and Brand Officer at USA TODAY Co., where she leads communications and brand strategy in support of the company’s mission to strengthen local communities. With more than two decades of experience in strategic communications and integrated marketing, she has held senior leadership roles at Hertz, Verizon, Loews Hotels, and Aura, and previously served in New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s administration. A recognized communications leader, she serves on multiple nonprofit and educational boards and was named one of Ragan’s Top Women in Communications.

Kristin Roberts is President of USA TODAY Media, bringing more than 20 years of leadership experience across journalism, media, and business transformation. Before joining USA TODAY, she served as Chief Content Officer at McClatchy, where she led 30 newsrooms and helped develop a new business model for local media. She previously held leadership roles at POLITICO and Reuters, overseeing major political, business, and international coverage. Roberts holds degrees from Georgetown, Columbia, and George Washington University and is actively involved in community leadership in Miami.

Guest Resources:
Kirsten Roberts on LinkedIn
Lark-Marie Anton on LinkedIn
USA Today Website

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On this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, host Kim Einan sits down with Jim Cowsert to unpack how AI is transforming advertising without sacrificing creativity, trust, or brand identity. Jim explains how brands can use AI to strengthen insights, improve consistency, and personalize campaigns at scale while still preserving the emotional nuance that only humans can provide.

Together, they explore the dangers of “apathy in using AI,” why generic AI-driven work weakens differentiation, and how brands can build stronger creative briefs by feeding proprietary brand DNA into AI systems. The conversation also covers bias mitigation, human review loops, audience testing, and why skeptical, curious talent will define the future of AI-powered marketing.

What You'll Learn:
How to position AI as a creative amplifier, not a replacement
Why "apathy in using AI" is the real enemy
The pattern-breaking framework for differentiation
How to audit and remediate AI bias proactively
Why brand-specific guardrails are non-negotiable
The three-to-five-year vision: balancing technology with human touch

About the Guests:
Kim Einan is a proven leader with 25 years of agency experience, known as a brave change agent who pursues opportunities with energy and rigor, and as a supportive coach who creates a safe and inclusive space for her team to grow. As Chief Strategy Officer at OMD, she is passionately dedicated to ensuring alignment between brand and media strategies across the entire marketing ecosystem and inspiring others to re-imagine what’s possible in order to unlock new sources of growth for clients.

Jim Cowsert is the VP of Enterprise Brand, Advertising, and Media at Voya Financial, bringing extensive expertise in creative strategy, AI integration, and brand differentiation within the highly regulated financial services sector. With a focus on leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance creativity while maintaining brand authenticity, Jim has pioneered approaches to AI-enabled production, brand-voice consistency, and risk mitigation within marketing workflows.

Guest Resources:
Jim Cowsert on LinkedIn
Voya Financial Website
Kim Einan on LinkedIn
OMD Website

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In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, host Madeline Nelson sits down with Wyclef Jean and Jaeson Ma for a live conversation from BrandWeek about the future of the creator economy. The discussion explores how OpenWav is helping artists break free from streaming algorithms and traditional gatekeepers by enabling direct ownership of fan relationships, data, and revenue.

Wyclef and Jaeson explain why smaller, highly engaged communities are becoming more valuable than mass audiences, and how independent creators can build sustainable businesses through exclusive content, merchandise, and direct-to-fan experiences. The episode also examines what this shift means for brands seeking more authentic partnerships with creators and niche communities in 2026.

What You'll Learn:
How the "1,000 True Fans" model generates more revenue than streaming platforms
Why direct-to-fan commerce is the antidote to platform dependency
The framework for building authentic engagement beyond clicks
How on-demand manufacturing and supply chain technology eliminate inventory barriers for independent creators
Why bigger isn't better in 2026, smaller, intentional communities drive higher monetization
How brands can partner with OpenWav for competitions, exclusive drops, and co-branded initiatives

About the Guests:
Wyclef Jean is a legendary music artist and engineer with decades of experience navigating the music industry from independent artist to Grammy-winning performer. Known for co-founding The Fugees and pioneering independent production methods, Wyclef brings an invaluable perspective on artist empowerment and creative ownership.

Jaeson Ma is the CEO at OpenWav and a tech investor and entrepreneur who founded ADA Rising, one of the fastest-growing independent digital music labels, and serves as a key architect behind OpenWav, a platform designed to empower artists through direct fan engagement and commerce. With expertise bridging technology, supply chain innovation, and creator economies, Jason has invested in transformative platforms, including early-stage investments in Musical.ly (which became TikTok).

Madeline Nelson is a music industry executive, entrepreneur, and advocate for independent artists with more than two decades of experience. She is the founder and CEO of Purple Cow Innovation, a women-led agency and consultancy focused on music, entertainment, and brand strategy. Previously, she served as U.S. Head of Independent Label Relations at Amazon Music, overseeing partnerships with hundreds of independent labels and distributors.

Guest Resources:
Wyclef Jean on Instagram
Wyclef Jean on LinkedIn
Jaeson Ma on LinkedIn
Madeline Nelson on LinkedIn
OpenWav Website

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