#131: Bazooka Brands CMO Dave Dreyer | The Pirate Playbook for Category Disruption

Want to compete with the biggest brands? Stop playing by their rules. This week on Soul & Science, Jason Harris sits down with Dave Dreyer, CMO at Bazooka Brands, to discuss balancing nostalgia with reinvention, tapping into fandom and culture, and finding creative ways to make an impact. Informed by his past roles on both the brand and agency side and his experience co-founding CPG company Starco Brands, Dave’s approach pairs big-brand creativity with an entrepreneur’s instinct for growth. Dave shares the “pirate playbook” he’s using to bring Bazooka Brands into the cultural conversation: question the conventions of the category, find opportunities the biggest competitors might overlook, and use creativity to punch above your weight. He also explains the strategic thinking behind the company’s campaigns with Ring Pop and Bazooka Joe across fashion, sports, and reality TV, and why earning attention matters more than simply accumulating impressions. Key Takeaways ✅ Disruption isn’t a formula; it’s a mentality ✅ Consistency turns moments of attention into repeat purchases ✅ You don’t need a massive budget to succeed ✅ Impact can’t always be measured by traditional marketing metrics ✅ Marketers should think of their audience as people, not just consumers Memorable Moments 💡 “It’s about impact, not impressions.” 💡 “We need to move from candy culture to cultural candy.” 💡 “It’s more fun to be the pirate than the navy.” 💡 “I knew I had something when it was worth stealing and putting on eBay.” 💡 “Every category has a set of conventions. Our job is to disrupt them.” Brought to you by Mekanism.