PODCAST · business
TRENDSETTERS
by Deborah Malone
TRENDSETTERS lives at the heart of the Internationalist mission as it spotlights a person and an idea in international marketing. Over the last decade, we have amassed hundreds of profiles of extraordinary individuals and their groundbreaking work on our website. We’ve learned that there’s interest in hearing the voices of these marketers directly, which has now given life to our TRENDSETTERS podcast series.
Episodes
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TONY RILEY: WHAT IF THE ANSWER ISN'T ANOTHER CAMPAIGN?
As global B2B marketing becomes more complex, are traditional agency structures keeping pace? Tony Riley, President and CEO of MX and a founding member of GlobalAgility, joins The Internationalist's Trendsetters to discuss the changing meaning of global scale, the importance of local market...
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Joanne Davis: Walk in the Other Guy's Shoes
Is the client-agency relationship really a relationship between just two sides? In her new book-- Walk in the Other Guy’s Shoes: 25 Lessons for the Marketing, Procurement, and Agency Triangle-- longtime agency search and relationship expert Joanne Davis argues that we've been overlooking an...
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Joanne Davis: Walk in the Other Guy's Shoes
Is the client-agency relationship really a relationship between just two sides? In her new book, Walk in the Other Guy's Shoes, longtime agency search and relationship expert Joanne Davis argues that we've been overlooking an essential third perspective: procurement. Joanne joins Deborah Malone…
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Patrick McLean: Highway Hospitality and the Next Stage of Growth
What does marketing add to a highly successful company after more than six decades of growth? Patrick McLean, the first Chief Marketing Officer of Love’s Travel Stops, joins Deborah Malone to discuss how one of America’s largest family-owned businesses is approaching its next stage of growth. He...
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International Marketing Debt: The Hidden Cost of Global Brand Drift
Small decisions can have big consequences when they accumulate across markets, channels and campaigns. Kevin Freedman, Founder & CEO of Freedman International, calls this “international marketing debt”—the gradual brand drift that can occur as global marketing becomes more complex. He talks with...
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Cause Marketing Grows Up: From Campaign to Collaboration with Mollye Rhea
Cause marketing has been around for decades, but it's changing in some fascinating ways. What was once largely viewed as fundraising has evolved into something much broader—bringing together marketing, communications, corporate leadership, employees and nonprofit partners to create long-term...
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Scott Goodson: From Purpose to Participation. Building Brands People Want to Join.
What happens when a brand stops simply communicating what it stands for—and gives people something they genuinely want to join? Deborah Malone talks with Scott Goodson, Founder and Chairman of StrawberryFrog and creator of Movement Thinking, about the shift from purpose to participation—and why…
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Mike Nelson: The Delicate Art of Brand Evolution
How do iconic brands remain relevant without losing the authenticity that made people care in the first place? In this episode of Trendsetters, Deborah Malone speaks with Mike Nelson, Vice President of Marketing at Martin Guitar, about one of marketing's most difficult leadership challenges:...
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Jared Belsky: Why Marketing's Best Days May Still Be Ahead
Today, I'm joined by Jared Belsky, CEO and Co-Founder of Acadia, former CEO of 360i, and author of You Get the Agency You Deserve. Jared recently made headlines by returning media rebates directly to clients—a decision that sparked an important conversation about trust and transparency in the...
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Alexander Augustesen Discusses The Missing Layer in Modern Marketing
As brands invest heavily in creative excellence and AI-powered content creation, a new challenge is emerging: how do great ideas survive the journey from headquarters to market? In this episode of Trendsetter, Deborah Malone speaks with Alexander Augustesen, CEO and Co-Founder of Zuuvi, about…
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Costas Papaikonomou, The Grumpy Innovator: Why Good Ideas Don't Always Win
Innovation is one of the most celebrated—and misunderstood—concepts in business. In this episode, Deborah Malone speaks with Costas Papaikonomou, product innovation veteran, entrepreneur, investor, and author of The Grumpy Innovator series and The Disruption Fallacy. Drawing on decades of...
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Danone’s MK Woltz: When Media Becomes the Marketplace ...
In this episode of Trendsetters, Deborah Malone speaks with Mary Katherine “MK” Woltz of Danone about how retail media is evolving from a channel into a core driver of business outcomes. They explore the shift toward connected commerce, the changing role of retailers as media partners, and how...
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Mirella Vitale of ROCKWOOL: From Performance to Protection— and What Matters Most ...
Mirella Amalia Vitale of ROCKWOOL — a global leader in sustainable stone wool insulation that improves building safety, energy efficiency, and comfort — discusses the company’s new platform, “If It’s Worth Building,” and how marketing is evolving from product performance to human impact. A timely...
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Habitat for Humanity at 50: Opening the Door to What Comes Next ...
As Habitat for Humanity marks its 50th anniversary, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer Amy Dunham reflects on how the organization is evolving to meet a growing global housing crisis. In conversation with Deborah Malone, she discusses Habitat’s new Let’s Open the Door campaign, the…
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Adam Benaroya on Media Excellence, Simplified ...
In a marketing industry increasingly defined by dashboards, data layers, and expanding channel choices, Adam Benaroya has been advocating something refreshingly counterintuitive: strategic simplification. He believes that complexity itself rarely creates value. In many cases, it quietly drains...
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FujiFilm's Anthony Farina on Reinventing a Brand People Think They Already Understand
When Anthony Farina talks about joining Fujifilm, he doesn’t describe it as a career move. He describes it as stepping into one of the most compelling transformation stories in modern business. For decades, Fujifilm was synonymous with photography. Today, it is a diversified global company…
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Sonsoles Gonzalez on Reinventing Beauty — and Marketing — for an Age-Inclusive Future ...
What if one of marketing’s biggest growth opportunities is also one of its most persistent blind spots? On today’s Internationalist Trendsetters, I’m speaking with Sonsoles Gonzalez, Founder of Better Not Younger, about the realities of marketing in today's "longevity society"—and why the…
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ANA's Bob Liodice Discusses What Marketers Must Relearn in 2026...
In a wide-ranging Trendsetters conversation, Bob Liodice, President & CEO of ANA (Association of National Advertisers), explains why the organization chose Agentic AI and Authenticity as its Words of the Year—and why they are inseparable. This conversation offers signals for every kind of...
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Jon Lee on What Nonprofit Marketing Signals About the Future of Brand Trust
Today's edition of Trendsetters explores one of the most complex—and consequential—areas of modern marketing: how nonprofit organizations build brands, inspire belief, and raise critical funds in a world where every dollar must work harder than ever. My guest is Jon Lee, Principal and Head of…
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Luke Stillman of Madison & Wall Unpacks the Hidden Engines of Ad Growth
Despite soft consumer confidence and uneven economic signals, ad spending continues to grow faster than consumer spending—breaking a historical relationship marketers have relied on for decades. So what’s driving the disconnect? Luke Stillman, Managing Director at Madison & Wall, unpacks what he...
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Why Deloitte’s Geoff Tuff and Steven Goldbach Say Leaders Must Hone, Not Transform
In a world obsessed with disruption, Deloitte Principals Geoff Tuff and Steven Goldbach argue that the real danger facing organizations today isn’t moving too slowly—it’s drift. In their new book, HONE: How Purposeful Leaders Defy Drift, they make the case for a different kind of leadership: one...
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Susan Schramm on The Hidden Reason Marketing Strategies Stall — And How to Fix It …
If you’ve ever had a Big Idea that deserved to move faster — this episode is for you. I’m speaking with Susan Schramm, author of Fast Track Your Big Idea!, about why so many marketing strategies stall, and what leaders can do to turn vision into velocity. Susan reveals why the biggest threat to...
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HATCH CEO Jen Harrington on the New Menu for Modern Marketing
In today’s episode, we’re stepping into the kitchen with Jen Harrington, CEO and founder of HATCH, the independent, women-owned agency that’s redefining what it means to build creative partnerships. Jen recently launched Eat In or Dine Out, a sharp new YouTube series for CMOs that uses food as a...
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London AI: Where Human Creativity Meets Machine Clarity
When an ad agency launches an AI division with a campaign that begins by declaring how bad AI can be, you know it’s not business as usual. Michael Moszynski, Chairman and Co-Founder of London AI, isn’t interested in selling artificial intelligence as the next miracle cure for marketing. Instead,...
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Rewriting the Rules of Retail Marketing: Dr. Jan Flemming on Innovation at PENNY & REWE
Today we’re joined by Dr. Jan Flemming, one of The Internationalists of the Year and a true innovator in European retail marketing. As CMO at PENNY and Media Director of REWE Group, he has redefined how top German grocery retailers connect with millions of customers. His story is an inspiration…
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When Media Becomes the Mirror: Truth, Trust, and Responsibility in the Digital Age
What happens when media no longer just delivers messages—but reflects what we already believe? Former Omnicom Vice Chairman Tim Love and former Speaker of the House Richard Gephardt tackle that question in The Medium is the Mirror, exploring how algorithms, advertising, and politics collide to...
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Breaking Barriers: Bridget Sponsky on Ally’s Bold Play for Equity and Innovation…
Bridget Sponsky, Executive Director of Brand Marketing at Ally Financial has become one of today’s most innovative marketers by blending bold actions with measurable results. When speaking with Bridget, you immediately sense why Ally feels different from most financial institutions. Its purpose…
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EACA’s Charley Stoney on #Campaign4Good: Protecting Children Online and Redefining Purpose
Children’s online safety is one of the defining tests of how advertising can live its purpose. In my latest Trendsetters podcast, I speak with Charley Stoney, CEO of EACA, about #Campaign4Good—a pan-European competition created with 5Rights Foundation that invites young creatives to design...
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The Science of Brand Associations: Ulli Appelbaum on the Hidden Operating System of Marketing
Most CMOs obsess over purpose, storytelling, or benefits. But what if the real driver of growth is something simpler—and more powerful? In my new conversation with Ulli Appelbaum, author of The Science of Brand Associations, we dig into the evidence, the frameworks, and the discipline needed to...
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From Blimps to AI Artistry, SuperHeroes Keeps Breaking the Rules. Rogier Vijverberg Reveals Why….
Today, we’re joined by Rogier Vijverberg, founder of SuperHeroes—the independent agency with a mission to save the world from boring advertising. From flying blimps over football stadiums for Netflix to transforming Buicks into modern art, SuperHeroes has mastered breaking through the clutter....
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From AI Horror Stories to Fossil-Free Ski Slopes: Nils Persson’s Unconventional Path to Building Sweden’s Brand
Sweden’s CMO doesn’t just market a country—he makes it impossible to forget. From letting the world call a random Swede to co-writing a horror story with AI, Nils Persson has turned Visit Sweden into a masterclass in bold, creative, and sustainable destination marketing. In our conversation, he...
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Trendsetters: Joe Prota on Blending Legacy, Innovation, and AI at IBM
How do you keep a 110-year-old brand at the forefront of technology and trust? Joe Prota, Director of Brand Marketing at IBM and a recent Internationalist of the Year honoree, is answering that question daily— by reimagining how brand marketing can blend storytelling, purpose, and AI-powered...
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From Agency Leader & Marketing Pioneer to Substack Sage: Rishad Tobaccowala on Thinking Forward
Rishad Tobaccowala’s marketing roots run deep, but his ideas go far beyond the boardroom. He recently marked 250+ published editions of his brilliant "The Future Does Not Fit in the Containers of the Past," a weekly Substack that blends strategy, philosophy, and personal reflection. I had the...
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Undifferentiated and Under Pressure: Robin Bonn on Redefining Agency Advantage
According to Robin Bonn, CEO & Founder of Co:definery, the ad agency market is not oversupplied but rather under-differentiated. In an industry where agencies often work harder while margins decrease and talent experiences burnout, he presents a thought-provoking analysis in his new book entitled...
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Khalid El Khatib, CMO of Consumer Reports, Discusses Attracting New Audiences to a Legacy Brand
Khalid El Khatib is the CMO of Consumer Reports, the nonprofit advocacy organization and one of the most popular publishing platforms in the country. He oversees CR’s revenue-generating teams, including member acquisition and fundraising, and works to elevate the organization’s profile among new,...
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Marriott’s Terri da Silva Discusses Bonvoy’s New Initiative and Travel’s Transformative Power
Marriott Bonvoy, the hotel loyalty program of Marriott International, which rewards members at over 7000 locations globally across its brand portfolio, has introduced a new marketing campaign and brand platform. In this initiative, Bonvoy has moved away from traditional hotel advertising clichés,...
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Molson Coors’ Brad Feinberg Shares the Significance of “Doing Things Worth Talking About”…
Few people have a role that combines media, creative, and analytics. However, Brad Feinberg, VP of Media, Digital, and eCommerce at the Molson Coors Beverage Company, is one of those rare individuals. And if that’s not enough, he’s also part of the company’s Americas Commercial Accelerator...
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For Momentum’s Mollye Rhea Discusses Shifts in Corporate and Nonprofit Collaborations
When Mollye Rhea founded For Momentum in 2003, she pioneered one of the first cause marketing agencies to foster partnerships between brands and nonprofits. She characterizes her work as “bringing causes and companies together to multiply good.” For Momentum is now one of the leading…
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Trendsetters: Habitat’s Amy Dunham Offers Insights on Refreshing a Much-Loved Brand
Ask Amy Dunham, Habitat for Humanity International's Chief Communications Officer, about her latest initiative, and she'll enthusiastically discuss encouraging the Habitat organization to take a fresh look at a much-loved brand. Whether reacting to changing market conditions, new leaders, or an...
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David Aaker, Hailed as the Father of Modern Branding, Releases New Book Responding to Today’s Marketing Challenges
David Aaker is prolific. He has published over 120 articles and 18 books that have sold more than 1 million copies and have been translated into 18 languages. Among them are Managing Brand Equity, Building Strong Brands, Aaker on Branding, Creating Signature Stories, and The Future of...
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TRENDSETTERS: Hershey’s Charlie Chappell Discusses Innovation & Anticipating What’s Next…
Many associate marketing with innovation, but it is also about anticipating what’s next. If anyone can look around corners as a strategic and transformational leader focused on driving growth, it’s Charlie Chappell of The Hershey Company. Few people have held such a diverse range of marketing...
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Trendsetters: Amy Williams, CEO of Good-Loop, is on a Mission to Make Online Ads More Positive
Not all visionaries are people of action. Amy Williams is both. She recognized the need to redesign online advertising, making annoying internet ads a force for good. In 2016, she co-founded Good-Loop as a simple and profitable way for major brands to do good through their advertising. So far…
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TRENDSETTERS: Mike Nichols of Gainbridge Outlines the Strategic Partnerships of a Values-Based Organization
Mike Nichols’ career has been at the intersection of business, sports, and philanthropy—an inspiring but not typical combination. As Chief of Sponsorship and Activation at Group 1001, an Indiana-based financial and insurance collective that includes brands like Gainbridge®, Delaware Life, and…
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Sunny Sky’s Manos Spanos Discusses Innovation & Technology Amid Marketing’s Many Business Objectives…
Throughout his career, Manos Spanos has been consistently motivated by the intersection of marketing, innovation and technology—whether working for large multinationals or startups. Now, as the Chief Commercial Officer of Sunny Sky Products, a leading producer of beverage solutions, he talks…
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TRENDSETTERS: Prophet’s Kate Price Discusses How an Integrated “Brand and Demand” Marketing Strategy Outperforms Competition
According to Kate Price, “High-performance marketing means integrating the drivers of brand and demand – long-term customer perceptions and short-term sales. Kate, a partner at Prophet's New York office specializing in marketing transformation, shared findings from a recent report by the...
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TRENDSETTERS: Parity Reveals a “Silver Lining” for Brands in Support of Women Athletes
TRENDSETTERS: Parity Reveals a “Silver Lining” for Brands in Support of Women Athletes Parity, the sports marketing and sponsorship platform that’s revolutionizing the financial model for women athletes and creating impactful opportunities for brands, released some new research quantifying the...
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4As Marla Kaplowitz Discusses the Agency Business Amid Constant Change
Ask Marla Kaplowitz about her outlook for the agency business in 2025, and she’ll begin by reminding you that ad agencies operate in a constantly evolving environment. In fact, they often do their best work and deliver their greatest value during periods of significant change. She does have…
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ANA’s Bob Liodice Anticipates 2025’s Top Marketing Issues, While Discussing AI’s “Clarifying Moment” and “Choice-Making”…
Bob Liodice, the ANA's chief executive officer, is bullish on AI. Not only has the term been chosen three times as the "Marketing Word of the Year" through voting by the ANA membership, but he believes that GenAI has the capability to help his members become better marketers. "AI," he says, "will...
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Madison and Wall’s Brian Wieser Discusses Pros & Cons of a Merged Omnicom-IPG and the Industry Outlook for 2025
Brian Wieser is one of the few people who can outline a career with such roles as investment banker, equity research analyst, long-time agency executive, and developer of two of the global advertising industry's most widely relied upon data sets. His firm, Madison and Wall, operates at the...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
TRENDSETTERS lives at the heart of the Internationalist mission as it spotlights a person and an idea in international marketing. Over the last decade, we have amassed hundreds of profiles of extraordinary individuals and their groundbreaking work on our website.
We’ve learned that there’s interest in hearing the voices of these marketers directly, which has now given life to our TRENDSETTERS podcast series.
HOSTED BY
Deborah Malone
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does TRENDSETTERS have?
TRENDSETTERS currently has 160 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is TRENDSETTERS about?
TRENDSETTERS lives at the heart of the Internationalist mission as it spotlights a person and an idea in international marketing. Over the last decade, we have amassed hundreds of profiles of extraordinary individuals and their groundbreaking work on our website. We’ve learned that there’s interest...
How often does TRENDSETTERS release new episodes?
TRENDSETTERS publishes regularly with 160 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to TRENDSETTERS?
You can listen to TRENDSETTERS on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts TRENDSETTERS?
TRENDSETTERS is created and hosted by Deborah Malone.
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