Commercial Grade Podcast

Competition amongst ad agencies has historically been fierce yet predictable. An agency's foremost competition was typically another shop with similar offerings: Integrated vs. integrated, PR vs. PR, media vs. media. Recently, the landscape has become increasingly complex with traditional consultancies (Deloitte, McKinsey, Bain & Co.) playing AND winning on agency turf. Sam Hawkins, Senior Consultant at Deloitte, joins to discuss the evolution of consultancies & their impact the agency/client relationship.

In the second part of my conversation with Erin Matts, CEO, and Anita May, MD, of Omnicom's Hearts & Science, we cover a topic high on the priority list of most agencies and corporations: Diversity, Inclusion & Allies in Advertising. From ageism to sexism, Erin and Anita share challenges they've faced and how they approach diversity internally and when hiring. Anita also takes us through the "aha" moment behind P&G's "The Talk," which details the harsh reality African American parents and children face.

In Part #1 of "Media Magic & The Road to CEO," Erin Matts, CEO, and Anita May, Managing Executive Director, of Omnicom's Hearts & Science global marketing agency, join Christie to talk about the role and power of media in advertising, evolving approaches to data insights and storytelling, and their respective roads to becoming influential female marketing executives. Anita, Heart & Science's Procter & Gamble account lead, also takes us through the media strategy and emotional creative idea behind "The Talk," one of the agency's most lauded campaigns.

Marcus Wesson, award-winning Chief Creative Officer of Dailey Advertising in LA, joins Commercial Grade to talk through the ins and outs of creative production, what it takes to makes an award-winning campaign (think: Carls Jr. burgers & bikinis!) and how he evolved from a junior art director to CCO of a major ad agency. Marcus and Christie also talk through the time they, unbeknownst to them, pitched against each other to win the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare account.

Working in advertising undoubtably results in a variety of crazy, funny, unbelievable experiences that I've dubbed, "Confessions in Advertising." Over the past 30 episodes, Commercial Grade guests have shared surreal and memorable moments from their careers that deserve to be retold. Confessions in Advertising: Volume I, is a compilation of these wild stories and can be considered a warning (or encouragement, depending on your POV!) to anyone looking to get into advertising.