The Brand Hunch

What does great PR actually look like in 2026, and why are so many brands still getting it wrong? Lindsay sits down with James Hutchinson, CEO of global PR powerhouse Sling & Stone, to discuss the state of modern communications. From the growing backlash against AI-generated content to the case for putting comms professionals at the executive table, James unpacks why the brands winning today aren't the loudest – they're the ones asking the right questions and saying something worth remembering, to the people who actually need to hear it.   Thanks to Tracksuit for making this episode of The Brand Hunch possible. If you're a marketer looking for an easy and affordable way to track brand performance, demonstrate ROI, and find out if your strategy is working, then head to gotracksuit.com/thebrandhunch.   

What does “good taste” actually mean, and is it something you're born with? In this episode, we chat with Zhoe Low, Marketing Director at MoveActive and former GM of Marketing & Retail at July Luggage, about why taste is an essential ingredient for building premium brands. From hiring tastemakers and setting creative standards, to giving teams the autonomy to learn by doing, Zhoe unpacks why taste compounds when paired with process, and why the best inspiration often comes from outside your category. Thanks to Tracksuit for making this episode of The Brand Hunch possible. If you're a marketer looking for an easy and affordable way to track brand performance, demonstrate ROI, and find out if your strategy is working, then head to gotracksuit.com/thebrandhunch.   

In this live episode, recorded at Content Summit Australia, Lindsay sits down with Anri Mc Hugh, Head of Marketing - Awareness & Consideration at Specsavers ANZ, to explore one of the most enduring brand platforms in advertising history. Almost 24 years on, "Should've Gone to Specsavers" shows no signs of slowing down, and does a stellar job of rolling out consistent marketing campaigns around the world while still managing to stay relevant for each individual market. That's no easy feat! Lindsay and Anri chat about the discipline of sticking with a core idea, structuring a global marketing team around the customer funnel, and where Anri finds creative inspiration. Thanks to Tracksuit for making this episode of The Brand Hunch possible. If you're a marketer looking for an easy and affordable way to track brand performance, demonstrate ROI, and find out if your strategy is working, then head to gotracksuit.com/thebrandhunch 

Having held senior marketing roles at Formula 1, World Rugby, Rugby Australia, and now Guide Dogs Australia, Marissa Pace knows a thing or two about life in the fast lane. In this episode, we chat about how she builds fan bases and communities that stick, and why loyalty programs are her secret marketing weapon. She also lifts the lid on the importance of accessibility, particularly in sports, and what she’d do differently if she went back to that world. Follow our creative agency at www.chello.com.au

In this episode, we sit down with Nick Parmar, a seasoned Brand Director who’s helped build a host of culturally-attuned brands from New York to APAC and the Middle East. Nick shares what he learnt as Head of Global Brand Experience for W Hotels Worldwide, and how those same instincts now shape dozens of hotel brands across 44 countries in his current role, VP of Brand Marketing & Management at Accor. A fun, insightful chat with someone who knows exactly how to create spaces that people never want to leave.

In this episode, we chat to Georgie Leslie, CMO at Future Group, about what it really takes to lead in a category most people tend to ignore (spoiler: it’s superannuation). We unpack the realities of nudging action in a low-interest category and the difference between good management and good leadership. It’s a grounded look at the reality behind the coveted CMO job title, delivered by someone who leads with a healthy balance of care and conviction.

In this episode, we chat with Matt Gudge about the messy, brilliant reality of marketing in high-growth businesses, from tourism during COVID to scaling complex marketplaces and jumping head-first into health tech. We get into why prioritisation beats perfectionism and how he has built teams that are smarter than him (on purpose). Matt has a real knack for championing creativity and commercial thinking in the same breath, giving anyone working in brand and marketing with plenty to chew on post-listen.

In this episode, we chat with Ainsley Pope about the side of brand most people never see: the inside. From her work at Westpac and PwC to building the employer brand function at IAG, Ainsley breaks down how culture, internal comms and a clear narrative can shift an organisation from disconnected to one of the most desirable places to work in the country. Listen to find out why employer brand is finally getting its moment in the sun.

In this episode, we sit down with Hannah Vinden to unpack how Better Beer went from a scrappy startup to one of Australia’s favourite beer brands. (Spoiler: most of it was down to gut feel, good banter and a seriously engaged community.) Hannah shares what she carried over from her time working in FMCG, what she happily left behind, and why entertainment beats traditional advertising every time. Warning, this episode *may* put you in the mood to crack a cold one…

R.M.Williams is many things; handcrafted, hard-wearing, and quintessentially Australian. But how do you keep a 1932 icon relevant for a 2025 audience? In this episode, Lindsay sits down with Victoria Taylor, Head of Brand Marketing Communications at R.M.Williams, to unpack all things brand custodianship, why collaboration is her superpower, and what happens when boots built by 80 pairs of hands meet a world that wants 8-second reels. Victoria talks UK expansion plans, the shift from LVMH to Tattarang, and the power of slow fashion in a fast fashion world.

In this episode of The Brand Hunch podcast, we chat to Raquel Bouris, Creative Director and Founder of cult fragrance brand Who Is Elijah. From a $12K investment to a $20M business, Raquel shares how a mix of obsession, delusion (her words, not ours!), and good old-fashioned hustle turned a scrappy side project into a globally-recognised brand. We talk guerilla marketing, meeting Sofia Richie, and why sometimes the best business plan is no plan at all.

This episode’s a special one, our first ever live recording at SxSW Sydney! We chat to Mark Richardson, GM of Marketing at Petbarn (and formerly of Aldi, Marley Spoon, and M&C Saatchi), about challenger brands, creative effectiveness, and the ROI of brave ideas. From building Aldi’s Good Different platform to leading well-known brands with empathy and edge, Mark shares his take on what makes marketing memorable (and why pets might just be the secret to great advertising!)

In this episode of The Brand Hunch podcast, we chat to Revlon ANZ Marketing Director Amy Kingon Smith about the fine art of keeping a 92-year-old brand feeling fresh. From protecting classics to knowing when to shake things up, she shares how product development can double as a marketing superpower. We get into makeup-themed stunts, local ambassadors (shout out Delta Goodrem), and the not-so-glam side of brand building: consistency. It’s a candid look at how to keep legacy brands bold, relevant, and very much alive.

In this episode of The Brand Hunch podcast, we chat with Francis Coady, CEO of Grand Pacific Entertainment & Advisory and king of branded entertainment. From launching Havas’ Sports & Entertainment division and scaling it into a multi-million dollar business, to producing award-winning music-led campaigns, Francis shares how he balances artistic instinct with commercial success, and why great marketing is as much about entertaining as it is about delivering results.

In this episode of The Brand Hunch podcast, we sit down with Anna Cheng, Head of Marketing at Turo. An experienced growth marketer, Anna shares her perspective on marketing with a challenger mindset; she runs weekly marketing experiments and expects the same from her team. It's an episode full of "how to" growth hacking ideas.

In this episode of The Brand Hunch podcast, we chat to Dan Robertson-Jones, Partner at Kantar. Dan's career spans research and strategy across many of the world's most well-known brands. His role now centres around culture, strategy and the future. We delve into what this means for brands and how they find their place in culture.

In this episode of The Brand Hunch podcast we chat to Robbie Brammall, ex-CMO of MONA Museum for the past eight years. Possibly one of the most coveted CMO roles in the country, MONA is known for its hedonistic, polarising approach to everything it touches. We talk about MONA's first ever brand campaign, why sliding to the middle is his biggest fear, and some of his proudest moments.

In this episode of The Brand Hunch podcast we chat to Jennifer Vandekreeke, CEO at URBNSURF. Jennifer's career has centred around experiences and tourism, launching the Carnival Cruise Line business into Australasia and now pioneering the Australian surf park culture. With less than 5% of marketers in a CEO role, she shares her journey to the boardroom, how she now interrelates with marketing and what she'd do differently if she went back into a marketing role.

In this episode of The Brand Hunch podcast, we chat to the dynamic duo; Julia Gaw, Director of Communications and Tyler House, Head of Marketing at Bellroy, the much-loved carry brand. We discuss their development of a brand atlas, what it means and how it's applied. How communications, marketing and creative are the ultimate triad, and which comes first, product or brand.

In this episode we chat to Amanda Gordon, Strategy Director at For The People. Amanda has worked both brand-side and agency side in strategic and CMO roles, bringing a thoughtful approach to growth. Amanda's definition of a successful strategy and her approach to developing brands "even at the cost of", will get you thinking about how standing for something great will, and should, come at the cost of other things.

In this episode of The Brand Hunch podcast we chat to Brony Popp, Senior Marketing Lead, Brand at Canva. Canva is one of Australia's well-known unicorns, with its largest markets in the US and Brazil. We chat about scaling a brand globally through English and non-English markets, how marketing expectations change in a landscape like the US, and how much of a brand can be codified.

In this episode of The Brand Hunch podcast we chat to Adam Ross, Senior Director of Creative Strategy at Coca Cola across Southeast Asia and the South Pacific region. Adam has been with Coca Cola for seven years and champions creative excellence across the business. We talk through how you keep legacy fresh and connected to culture in new ways, why controlling all outputs leads to failure, and how he fills his own creative juice tank.

In this episode of The Brand Hunch podcast we chat to Natalie Placko, Global Brand Director at Intrepid Travel. Natalie has been with the brand for over 16 years; we talk about the power of brand purpose underpinning growth, how the team reimagined the role of brand building during the pandemic, and how to successfully scale a global brand through the power of people.

In this episode, we sit down with Toni Westlake, Head of Brand and Marketing at Big Red Group – the powerhouse behind some of your favourite experience brands like RedBalloon and Adrenaline. Toni shares game-changing tips on how to restructure a marketing team for both quick wins and long-term success, and reveals how to make brand tracking your secret weapon in boardroom conversations. We hope you enjoy!

In this episode of The Brand Hunch podcast we chat to Tom Dusseldorp, CMO at Australian Vintage, an ASX listed wine and drinks company. Tom's career has been spent focussed on the marketing P of product, and more specifically championing new product development within Freedom Foods, Camp Australia and now at Australian Vintage. Tom has always seen brand through the lens of driving commercial growth, and brings an entrepreneurial hustle to marketing, forging new opportunities. We discuss the interrelationship between brand and growth, his process for tapping into new opportunities.

In this episode of The Brand Hunch podcast, we chat to Brian Wakabayashi at CoLab. Brian spent many years leading global strategy for big brands like Xbox on agency side, and took the jump over to CoLab, a creative studio owned by WestCap, a private equity investor based in San Francisco. CoLab was born out of a bunch of the original Airbnb team, and brings a strong product and marketing focus to the investments. We discuss how different the process is when there's no external agency pitching involved in brand building, how and when technology start ups should invest in brand, what he would do with a $0 marketing budget, and why brand consistency is key.

In this episode of The Brand Hunch podcast, we chat with Joel Connolly, Creative Director & Head of Blackbird Foundation at Blackbird Ventures. Founded in 2012, Blackbird has grown from a trio of dreamers to over 60 masterminds, with more than half being women—how's that for breaking the mold? We uncovered Joel’s creative genius at the Sunrise festival in Sydney, brilliantly curated by him and his team. Tune in to hear how Joel leans into the power of community, purpose and sparking conversations.https://www.blackbird.vc/foundationhttps://www.chello.com.au/

In this episode of The Brand Hunch podcast, we dive into the fitness-fueling world of My Muscle Chef with Tushar Menon, Co-Founder and CEO, and Dee Wescombe, Head of Marketing. Tushar and his brother Nish launched MyMC in 2013, and it's been bulking ever since. Join us as we explore the mix of marketing science, creativity, and a hefty dose of hunches that keep My Muscle Chef thriving year after year.

In this episode of The Brand Hunch, Lindsay is joined by Siobhan Hayes, Director of Marketing at Float.com, the #1-rated resource-management software. Float serves over 4,500 customers across 150 countries, with staff contributing from more than 15 countries. Based in Sydney, Australia, Siobhan manages a remote marketing team for this fully remote company. As proud users of Float.com, we look forward to learning about Siobhan's journey and how she has contributed to building such a successful brand.

In this episode of The Brand Hunch, Lindsay Rogers sits down with Toby McKinnon, former-CMO of Sapia.ai. They delve into the differences between crafting brands within a corporate marketing team, to a marketing team of one, starting from scratch in a start up. Toby talks about the importance of creative adaptability in building brands and teams.

Join Chello’s Co-founder and Managing Director Lindsay Rogers as she chats with Klaviyo’s Senior Marketing Director, Robin Marchant about building great global brands locally. Get ready for an exciting deep dive into the world of tech marketing, what it takes to build a great team, and what he’s learnt working across the Asia Pacific region.