Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s relationship was still only a fresh rumor in 2023, when State Farm brought together Travis’ mother, Donna Kelce, and Jake from State Farm at an NFL game. On a new episode of The Big Impression, State Farm’s Patty Morris dives into how the company quickly capitalized on the opportunity despite being risk-averse.

In this episode of The Big Impression, Kelly breaks down how Diageo is turning tequila into a global cultural force. One standout example: a six-city collaboration with DJ and fashion icon Peggy Gou that combined out-of-home, merch drops, pop-up events and hyperlocal storytelling. From a Hong Kong hot pot party to a Milan piazza activation, every detail was designed to blur the line between brand and experience.

In this episode of The Big Impression, we’re joined by James Rothwell, managing director of brand marketing at Kinective Media. Rothwell walks us through what’s changed since launch — from major brand partnerships and custom content integrations to a headline-making alliance with JetBlue. With over 110 million traveler profiles and 63 million MileagePlus members, Kinective is fast becoming one of the most compelling new players in commerce media.

This week, we’re talking to Ryu Yokoi, chief media and marketing capabilities officer for North America at Unilever, about Dove’s “Hot Seats” campaign — a bold, culture-hacking activation that shows up where the sweat is real and the stakes are surprisingly high.

B2B marketing has long been stuck with a somewhat boring reputation: rational, buttoned-up and forgettable. Tim Hoppin is on a mission to change that. As chief brand and creative officer at SAP, he’s helping one of the world’s largest software companies embrace big creative swings — and prove that business buyers are humans too.

Valnet’s Ji Heon Kim explores how the publisher encouraged users to authenticate themselves. Kim, the head of monetization, also talked about how he balances advertiser value, user experience and performance.

In this episode of The Current Podcast, hosts Damian Fowler and Ilyse Liffreing sit down with Amy Lund, VP of integrated marketing and corporate communications at E. & J. Gallo Winery, to talk about Barefoot’s bold move to become the official wine sponsor of the NFL.

In this episode of The Current Podcast, we’re joined by Rob Bradley, SVP of digital revenue, strategy and operations at CNN International Commercial. He shares how CNN has evolved far beyond its broadcast roots — and how it’s now helping brands tell more impactful stories across everything from connected TV (CTV) and free ad-supported television (FAST) channels to TikTok and LinkedIn.

Chuck E. Cheese's Melissa McLeanas joins hosts Damian Fowler and Ilyse Liffreing on The Current Podcast to discuss how Chuck E. Cheese is leveraging its iconic IP for the streaming era, what advertisers are excited about and more.

Jenna Griffith, VP of global ad operations at PayPal, shares how the fintech giant is using shopper insights to power a new kind of media network.

One year into her role as global CMO at Designer Shoe Warehouse (DSW), Sarah Crockett is reimagining how the legacy retailer shows up for today’s consumer — across 500 stores, an upgraded e-commerce experience and a newly expanded digital media mix.

Milk is back in the cultural conversation. Miranda Abney, MilkPEP’s VP of marketing joined The Current Podcast to explain how a marathon for women helped boost milk’s messaging.

Firestone Walker Brewing Company’s CMO says connected TV has made it easier to reach its sports-loving customers.

Dow Jones CMO Sherry Weiss reveals the marketing strategy behind growing subscription businesses for publications like The Wall Street Journal.

Stellantis’ CMO Raj Register talks about building consistent storytelling across channels, what she’s learning from AI and why she’s obsessed with connecting marketing action to tangible business outcomes. 

At SXSW, The Current Podcast partnered with The Female Quotient to spotlight trailblazing women in media and marketing to mark International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month. In this episode, we sit down with Andrea Gilman, chief marketing officer at Early Warning, owner of digital payments services Paze and Zelle, to discuss how she’s driving innovation in digital payments.

At SXSW, The Current Podcast partnered with The Female Quotient to spotlight trailblazing women in media and marketing to mark International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month. In this episode, we sit down with Melissa Giordano, chief client officer at CMI Media Group, to discuss how AI, data, and personalized messaging are reshaping healthcare marketing.

Rebecca Dye Yonushonis, CMO of New Belgium Brewing, discusses the brand’s bold strategy to connect with Gen Z consumers through its new launch, Lightstrike.

Genentech VP, CMO Erica Taylor joins The Current Podcast to share her unique journey from immunology to biotech marketing, and the evolving role of biotech brands in mainstream media.

PNC Bank Chief Marketing Officer Jenn Garbach joins The Current Podcast at SXSW as part of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month. Garbach shares insights on the success of the bank’s Brilliantly Boring campaign and reflects on her journey in marketing, tackling imposter syndrome, and balancing career growth with family life.