Ready to rethink business strategy and supercharge your marketing game? Join hosts Marc Binkley and Vassilis Douros as they break down big questions at the crossroads of strategy, marketing effectiveness, and creative impact. From real-world case studies to hot-off-the-press business news, each episode dives deep into how modern companies navigate complexity. Plus, interviews with global thought leaders bring you fresh insights and actionable strategies to drive growth and build unforgettable customer experiences. This is your backstage pass to smarter thinking and better business results.
Brand awareness is one of the most reported metrics in marketing. It's in almost every board deck. Almost every brand tracker. Almost every agency review. But what if it's measuring the wrong thing? In this Sharp Cut, Marc and V explore why mental availability matters more than awareness, why Category Entry Points (CEPs) outperform personas as a planning framework, and why marketers should stop asking "Who is our customer?" and start asking "What buying situations do we need to own?" Topics include: Mental availability vs brand awareness Why awareness often fails to predict growth The power of Category Entry Points Creative as a targeting system Why Meta is moving away from hyper-targeting The measurement framework marketers should actually use If you've ever presented a rising awareness score alongside a flat business result, this episode is for you. Chapters: 00:00 - Welcome to Sharp Cuts 00:35 - Why Brand Awareness Is Misleading 02:00 - Mental Availability vs Awareness 03:45 - What Should We Measure Instead? 05:15 - Category Entry Points Explained 07:10 - The Seven Whys Framework 08:00 - Why CEPs Changed the Conversation 09:00 - Creative Becomes the Targeting Tool 11:00 - Why Meta Is Broadening Audiences 12:30 - Two Performance Marketers Confess 15:30 - Where CEPs Go Wrong 16:30 - The Three Cs of Prioritization 17:30 - Distinctive Assets & Memory 18:30 - Bailey's Case Study 19:00 - Stop Measuring Brand Love 20:30 - The New Measurement Framework 21:30 - Final Takeaways
What actually mattered at Cannes? More importantly... What should marketers do differently because of it? In this special collaboration between The Sleeping Barber , That's What I Call Marketing , and System1 , we unpack the biggest lessons from Cannes Lions and turn them into practical advice for the second half of the year. Topics include: Mark Ritson & Byron Sharp's rare appearance together Why creativity still beats optimization AI's real role in advertising The rise of creators Why memory—not impressions—is becoming the metric that matters Why audio may be marketing's biggest opportunity The Q4 creative playbook If you're planning campaigns for the second half of the year, this conversation is your roadmap. Chapters: 00:00 - Welcome & Why This Conversation Matters 01:20 - What Really Happened Between Byron Sharp & Mark Ritson 05:35 - Where They Still Disagree 06:15 - Why Consistency Is Marketing's Biggest Weakness 09:20 - What Marketers Often Misunderstand 11:45 - AI After Cannes: Hype vs Reality 17:15 - Are We Already Bored of AI? 18:35 - Brand Characters, Consistency & Memory 23:40 - Why Audio Could Be Marketing's Next Big Opportunity 31:30 - Why Radio Still Works 37:20 - Creators: What Most Brands Get Wrong 43:30 - Memory Is Becoming Marketing's Most Important Metric 51:50 - The Q4 Playbook 54:00 - Feels vs Deals 59:00 - Why Great Christmas Ads Return Every Year 1:00:30 - Final Advice for Marketers
Ty Heath has a way of making complex marketing ideas feel deceptively simple. After our latest conversation with the former LinkedIn B2B Institute leader, we sat down to unpack the biggest ideas that stayed with us—from why B2B is simply "marketing on hard mode," to why confidence may be the true outcome of great B2B marketing. Along the way we explore: Why the same marketing principles apply across B2B and B2C Buying committees and why complexity changes execution—not human behaviour Why the best B2B brands build ecosystems instead of campaigns The power of contrarian thinking Why strategy should outlast trends Confidence, memory and long-term brand building If you've ever wondered whether B2B marketing really plays by different rules, this conversation may change your mind. 00:00 - Welcome Back & First Reactions 01:15 - Why B2B Is "Marketing on Hard Mode" 02:15 - The B2B Institute as a Marketing Cheat Code 03:30 - Buying Committees and What Makes B2B Different 06:10 - Are B2B and B2C Actually That Different? 07:15 - Has B2B Creativity Finally Matured? 09:35 - Campaigns vs. Ecosystems 12:00 - Why Event Marketing Builds Memory 13:30 - The Contrarian Marketer 15:10 - Chasing Trends vs. Building Strategy 17:30 - Objectives Before Tactics 18:10 ⚡ Quick Fire Begins 18:35 - Best Quote 19:15 - Most Surprising Insight 20:20 - Biggest Missed Question 21:45 - Most Practical Takeaway 22:15 - Challenge for Marketers 23:10 - Closing Thoughts
B2B marketing isn't playing a different game. It's playing the same game on hard mode. In this episode, we're joined by Ty Heath, Global Director of Thought Leadership Go-to-Market at LinkedIn and co-founder of the B2B Institute. Fresh off serving as Jury President for the Creative B2B Lions at Cannes, Ty shares what separated the best work from the rest—and why B2B creativity is entering a new era. We discuss: What won at Cannes B2B Lions Why B2B creativity has matured The role of emotion in B2B Buying committees and "viability" Why ecosystems beat campaigns The origin story of the B2B Institute Long-term thinking inside LinkedIn Why B2B marketers are playing the game on "hard mode" Whether you work in B2B, B2C, media, or brand strategy, this conversation offers practical lessons on creativity, leadership and marketing effectiveness. Chapters: 00:00 - Welcome Back, Tyronna Heath 00:38 - Tyronna’s New Role at LinkedIn 01:11 - Winning an Effie for “Only on LinkedIn” 02:58 - Becoming Jury President for the Creative B2B Lions 05:24 - Reviewing 355 Cannes Entries 07:20 - Has B2B Creativity Finally Matured? 09:14 - What Effective B2B Creativity Looks Like 12:00 - Why the Best Ideas Can Be Explained in One Sentence 13:24 - What Is Still Missing from B2B Creative? 16:01 - Why Ecosystems Can Be More Powerful Than Campaigns 18:09 - The Role of Emotion in B2B Decision-Making 18:23 - Cannes as a B2B Brand Experience 21:37 - The Origin Story of the B2B Institute 25:25 - How the B2B Institute Built Its Influence 28:05 - Thought Leadership and Betting on What Won’t Change 31:09 - Human Behaviour as the Enduring Marketing Truth 32:43 - Where B2B Creativity Goes Next 34:15 - Why B2B Marketing Is “Hard Mode” 37:07 - LinkedIn’s Long-Term B2B Playbook 38:01 - Building Authority, Credibility and Confidence 39:10 - The B2B Institute as a Marketing Cheat Code 40:05 - Where to Follow Tyronna and the B2B Institute
What if almost everything we've been taught about advertising is built on a sales model from 1904? In this Sharp Cut, we unpack six of marketing's most persistent myths—from "digital has no waste" to "last-click attribution tells us what works"—before rebuilding a simpler, evidence-based explanation of how advertising actually works. Rather than relying on theory, we challenge these ideas using our own careers, practical examples, and decades of marketing science from Byron Sharp, Les Binet, James Hurman, Orlando Wood and others. In this episode Why digital isn't actually waste-free Why targeting isn't enough Why advertising isn't sales Why creative matters more than many marketers believe Why personalization has been oversold Why ROAS isn't telling the full story Why advertising is better understood as planting and harvesting If you've ever struggled to explain marketing to your CFO—or even to yourself—this episode is for you. Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to Sharp Cut 00:15 Why Most Companies Misunderstand Advertising 02:13 Myth #1: Digital Has No Waste 06:36 Myth #2: Target High-Intent Audiences 09:36 Myth #3: Advertising Is Sales Done Over Media 11:03 Myth #4: Creative Is Just Decoration 12:34 Myth #5: Personalization Is The Future 14:29 Myth #6: Last-Click Attribution Tells Us What Works 17:10 How Advertising Actually Works 18:04 Why We're Still Using a Sales Model from 1904 19:55 Advertising Is a Weak Force 20:47 The Two Jobs of Advertising 21:39 Plant vs. Harvest: A Better Mental Model 22:04 The McCain Case Study 23:59 Why Most Companies Still Think Like Salespeople 25:12 Becoming Experts in Our Own Trade 26:20 Les Binet's One-Slide Explanation 27:29 Final Thoughts: Start Planting Supporting Links: Binkley, M., & Douros, V. (Hosts). (n.d.). What marketers still get wrong with Prof. Byron Sharp (No. 215) [Audio podcast episode]. The Sleeping Barber Podcast. Hurman, J. (2026). Future demand. https://futuredemand.com Iwamoto, A. (2024). The origin of AIDA: Who invented and formulated the AIDA model? Japan Marketing History Review, 3(2), 150-166. https://doi.org/10.51102/jmhr.3.2_53 Mulroney, R. (2024). McCain: When the chips are down, margins matter. How a focus on long-term emotional brand-building reduced price elasticity and increased profits for McCain [IPA Effectiveness Awards case study]. WARC. https://www.warc.com/content/article/mccain-when-the-chips-are-down-margins-matter-how-a-focus-on-long-term-emotional-brand-building-reduced-price-elasticity-and-increased-profits-for-mccain/156769 WARC. (2026). The multiplier playbook: The CMO's guide to integrating brand and performance. WARC. Foundational sources (optional, for show notes) Binet, L., & Field, P. (2013). The long and the short of it: Balancing short and long-term marketing strategies. Institute of Practitioners in Advertising. Sharp, B. (2010). How brands grow: What marketers don't know. Oxford University Press. To confirm before air: Hurman subtitle and publisher; the exact platform and date of Binet's How Advertising Really Works video (candidate: the Cannes Lions Advertising 101 course); the publication date of SBP episode 215; and a direct URL for the WARC Multiplier Playbook (produced with Analytic Partners, BERA.ai, Prophet, System1 and the ANA).
What do Netflix, Reddit, AI, M&M's and Lyft have in common? More than you might think. In this episode of The Barber's Brief, Marc Binkley and Vassilis Douros unpack one of the biggest strategic lessons in modern marketing: competitive advantages don't last forever. From Netflix reconsidering binge watching, to Reddit fighting AI generated spam, to the explosion of Martech tools and one of the year's smartest advertising campaigns from Lyft, this episode explores why the brands that continue to grow are the ones willing to challenge yesterday's assumptions. Topics include: Netflix's changing release strategy AI spam and Reddit's response Are marketers buying too many AI tools? Why one M&M mascot was banned Lyft's brilliant "Save the Money" campaign Why great advertising dramatizes problems instead of explaining benefits If you enjoy evidence-based marketing, creative effectiveness and challenging conventional wisdom, subscribe for new episodes every week. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:00 Netflix and the Innovator's Dilemma 05:30 Reddit vs AI Spam 10:05 AI Tool Overload 15:30 The M&M Mascot Ban 19:45 Ad of the Week — Lyft 23:20 Coming Next: How Advertising Really Works News Links: Did Netflix Break the Habit It Created? - https://techcrunch.com/2026/07/06/netflix-invented-binge-watching-now-it-may-have-outgrown-it/ Reddit Is Cracking Down on AI Marketing Slop - https://finance.yahoo.com/technology/ai/articles/reddit-cracking-down-ai-marketing-115000368.html 5 questions to ask AI vendors before buying a tool -https://searchengineland.com/ai-vendor-questions-481765 M&M’s brand character gets ad banned under unhealthy food rules - https://www.marketingweek.com/mms-brand-character-lhf-ad-rules/ Lyft. Save the Money - https://youtu.be/7KARBlOzx8E?si=a4ummQl8NvYFmPO8
What if marketing's biggest challenge isn't proving its value—but explaining it? Following our conversation with James Hurman, we reflect on one of the most practical frameworks we've encountered in years: Future Demand. Rather than revisiting every topic from the interview, this Post-Pod explores what the ideas actually mean for marketers trying to influence leadership, defend budgets, and build long-term growth inside their organizations. In this episode: Why "future demand" may be better language than "brand awareness" Why leadership teams naturally prioritize demand capture The role of marketing during recessions - Why great campaigns wear in—not out Why dashboards often tell an incomplete story Objective truth vs. personal truth in marketing How evidence-based marketing becomes repeatable inside organizations If you've already listened to our interview with James Hurman, this conversation helps connect the dots between marketing theory and day-to-day practice. Enjoy the show! Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to the Post-Pod 00:45 James Hurman’s Core Idea: Advertising Creates Future Demand 01:40 Demand Creation vs. Demand Capture 03:55 Future Demand as a Leadership Conversation 05:00 The Smartphone Example and the 95/5 Rule 07:55 Market Dynamics and Performance Marketing Bias 08:50 Why Brand Matters Most in Recessions 11:05 Campaigns Wear In, Not Out 12:40 The Problem with Platform Metrics 15:15 Objective Truth vs. Personal and Political Truth 17:20 Why Future Demand Is Easier to Sell Internally 19:15 Evidence-Based Marketing and Organizational Buy-In 21:50 Why Repeatability Matters 24:20 Final Reflections on James Hurman’s Book
Advertising doesn't work by persuading people to buy. It works by creating future demand. James Hurman returns to unpack his new book: why the funnel is the wrong model, how the biggest group of buyers isn't in the market yet, why green dashboards can hide a dying brand, and how to make the case for brand spend to a CFO who only sees this year. There are two types of demand in any market: the small group ready to buy now, and the much larger group who will come in later. Most advertising pours everything into the first group, watches the dashboards turn green, and wonders why the business numbers stay red. James Hurman returns to The Sleeping Barber to explain the fix at the heart of his new book, Future Demand. Marc, V, and James work through the two-part funnel that replaces the old model, the myth that great companies don't advertise, why Volvo's Epic Split kept paying off for a decade, and why ads wear in rather than wear out. They get practical on the boardroom case: share of voice, the five to ten percent rule, and how to reframe brand as future cash flow for a finance team. They close on AI: the book's Pocket Advisor app, and how language models lean on brand signals when they choose what to recommend. Enjoy the show. Show note links: Future Demand (book, ebook, audiobook, Pocket Advisor app, community): https://futuredemand.com Future Demand community: https://community.futuredemand.com James Hurman (website): https://www.jameshurman.com Tracksuit (brand tracking): https://www.gotracksuit.com The Creative Effectiveness Ladder (Hurman & Peter Field, WARC / Cannes Lions): https://www.warc.com Volvo Trucks: Epic Split feat. Jean-Claude Van Damme (2013): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7FIvfx5J10 Guest Social: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameshurman/ Substack: https://substack.com/@jameshurman Website: https://www.jameshurman.com Book / app / community: https://futuredemand.com Chapters: 00:00 - The two types of demand, and why James rewrote the book 06:25 - Brand isn't a big-company luxury: the 18-month payoff 09:42 - Two types of demand, made visual 14:14 - Why the funnel is the wrong model 16:03 - The great-companies-don't-advertise myth 22:30 - Target tight for now, broad for later 26:32 - Volvo's Epic Split and the milk paradox 31:35 - Ads wear in, they don't wear out 37:21 - Boats and tides: why green dashboards lie 43:30 - The boardroom case: share of voice, budgets, and the CFO 52:51 - Recessions: cut performance, protect brand 56:40 - AI: the Pocket Advisor and how models pick brands
Byron Sharp — Professor of Marketing Science, Director of the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute at the University of Adelaide, and author of How Brands Grow — joins us at Cannes fresh off his sold-out Bassey Theatre session with Mark Ritson (a thousand people queued to get in). We dig into the five fundamentals he and Ritson agreed on and, more usefully, where the industry keeps getting them wrong. Byron explains why mental availability is not the same as brand awareness, why “search advertising” was a branding con that confuses purchase availability with memory-building, and why your media metrics are lying to you about reach. Along the way: the retail-media gold rush (sorry, Marriott Media), the AI hype bubble he expects to pop, why Elsa buried every other Disney princess, and the “non-artificial intelligence” agent Ehrenberg-Bass is building to stop corporate AI from breaking marketing’s laws of physics. A masterclass in thinking clearly about what your marketing money is actually supposed to do. Chapters: 00:00 - Welcome: Byron Sharp at Cannes, and why impact (not academic prestige) drives Ehrenberg-Bass 01:39 - The “two festivals” of Cannes: creativity awards vs. the serious fringe; the sold-out Ritson session 04:03 - What’s being sold to marketers on the Croisette — and the retail-media land grab (Marriott Media) 05:26 - Fragmentation, monetizing inventory, and why ~80% of this year’s AI vendors will be gone 07:02 -The five things Byron agreed with Ritson on 10:21 - #1 Mental availability — and the critical mistake of confusing it with awareness 12:27 - “You overestimate your reach”: fleeting exposures and inflated media metrics 14:19 - Why calling it “search advertising” was a disservice: purchase vs. mental availability 15:27 - #2 Distinctive brand assets — why a logo checkbox isn’t enough 17:46 - #3 Consistency — everyone agrees, nobody does it 18:50 - The “big idea,” category entry points, and the Frozen/Elsa problem 21:42 - Inside the How Brands Grow executive program 23:46 - “Non-artificial intelligence”: the AI agent Ehrenberg-Bass is building 25:20 - Wrap Links: Ehrenberg-Bass Institute: https://marketingscience.info/ Professor Byron Sharp: https://www.linkedin.com/in/professorbyronsharp/ How Brands Grow Live: https://marketingscience.info/learn-with-us/learning-opportunities/how-brands-grow-live-for-executives
After five days, dozens of interviews, countless presentations, and conversations with some of marketing's brightest minds, one thing became clear: The future of marketing isn't about more technology. It's about better thinking. Throughout Cannes Lions 2026, we spoke with leaders from System1, WARC, Ehrenberg-Bass, Amazon Ads, Pinterest, and many of the industry's leading creative and effectiveness thinkers. In this final Cannes Cut, we reflect on the biggest themes that emerged throughout the week, including: Why simplicity continues to outperform complexity How AI is settling into its rightful role as a tool—not a strategy The growing danger of the efficiency trap Why creativity remains one of the strongest commercial advantages a brand can build The return of long-term thinking, brand building, and strategic discipline We also sit down with David Tiltman (WARC) to discuss the Multiplier Effect Playbook, organisational barriers to effectiveness, why strategy is becoming more important than ever, and how marketers can bridge the gap between knowing what works and actually doing it. To close out the series, we head back onto the Croisette for one final edition of The Buzz Cut, featuring conversations with: Aaron Starkman (Rethink) Brendan Christie (Strategy Magazine) Ruxandra Papuc (AIN'T) Presented by System1. If you've enjoyed following our Cannes journey, thank you for joining us throughout the week. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction 02:15 - Reflecting on an Incredible Week 06:30 - Simplicity Wins 11:05 - AI Finds Its Place 16:10 - The Efficiency Trap 21:45 - Why Brand Experience Matters 26:10 - Is This the Best Time to Be a Marketer? 30:30 - Interview: David Tiltman 52:30 - Final Buzz Cut 58:15 - Wrapping Up Cannes
Day 4 on the Croisette, and the Cannes Festival of Creativity is in full swing. The Cannes Cut series is proudly presented by System1. Vanessa Chin, VP Marketing at System1, opens with a live field dispatch: which campaigns are actually scoring at Cannes, what the new Creator Effectiveness Playbook says about briefing for emotional impact, and why Dunkin' took gold while Kit Kat posted one of the highest out-of-home scores System1 has ever recorded. She also tackles the question the industry keeps circling - is AI the creative revolution everyone promised, or just a better production tool? Then the feature interview. Orlando Wood, Chief Creative Officer at System1, argues that dull advertising is structural, not incidental. Media fragmentation, measurement frameworks calibrated for the wrong school of advertising, and rules-based creative thinking all work against artistry before a single brief is written. Drawing on advertising history from Toulouse-Lautrec to Bernbach, and neuroscience from Ian McGilchrist, Orlando maps the war between showmanship and salesmanship - and explains why applying one school's measurement philosophy to the other destroys the work. The episode closes with the Buzz Cut: the sights and sounds from the attendees. Ty Heath from LinkedIn shared her perspective on life inside the B2B Lions jury room, WARC APAC's Rica Facundo on the three ceilings of social, Hannah Riberdhal from Brand Marketing Sweden on what this year's Cannes sounds like compared to four years ago, and two Young Lions competitors fresh off a 24-hour brief. Timestamps 0:00 Opening - Vanessa Chin (System1) on Cannes testing, AI, and the Creator Effectiveness Playbook 12:23 Feature interview - Orlando Wood on why dull advertising is structural, not a talent problem 23:06 Fluent devices, coherence vs consistency, and the living brand 33:08 The history of showmanship and salesmanship - and why creators may be bringing artistry back 37:11 Measuring creative: why salesmanship measurement destroys showmanship work 40:10 Post Pod debrief 41:18 Buzz Cut - Ty Heath (LinkedIn B2B Institute), Rica Facundo (WARC APAC), Hannah (Brand Marketing Sweden), Young Lions References System1 https://system1group.com/ Advertising Principles Explained (course with Sir John Hegarty) https://advertisingprinciplesexplained.com/ System1 Creative Dividend Report https://system1group.com/the-creative-dividend System1 Creator Effectiveness Playbook https://system1group.com/the-creator-effectiveness-playbook Lemon: How the Advertising Brain Turned Sour - Orlando Wood (book) https://system1group.com/lemon Thanks for keeping us in your ears, stay sharp everyone.
Day three at Cannes Lions revealed something unexpected. Coming into the festival, many predicted AI would dominate every conversation. Instead, another topic has quietly taken centre stage: Creators. Not creator hype. Not influencer marketing. Creator effectiveness. Presented by System1 , today's Cannes Cut explores one of the biggest conversations happening across the Croisette. Marc and Vassilis reflect on another packed day at Cannes, including the System1 Stars of the Show event featuring Andrew Tindall, Orlando Wood, Mark Ritson, Les Binet, Adam Morgan and many of the industry's leading thinkers. The featured interview is with Andrew Tindall, Chief Growth Officer at System1, who joins us to discuss the new Creator Effectiveness Playbook, developed in partnership with WPP and TikTok. One insight stood above the rest: Most creator campaigns aren't driving meaningful brand growth. A small "brilliant minority" are responsible for the majority of the impact. The conversation has evolved beyond follower counts and engagement rates. Instead, marketers are asking better questions: Does this creator genuinely fit the brand? How do creators build memory, not just engagement? Why does emotion still outperform optimisation? What role do distinctive brand assets play in creator content? And how do we stop treating creator marketing like a casino? We also bring back another edition of The Buzz Cut, hearing directly from marketers around the world, including Lauren Anderson (Amazon Ads), David Tiltman (WARC), Reno from Nikkei, and Vinnie from Leo São Paulo, sharing what's capturing their attention halfway through Cannes. In this episode: Highlights from System1's Stars of the Show Andrew Tindall on the Creator Effectiveness Playbook Why only a small minority of creator campaigns drive real growth Why brand fit matters more than follower count Pinterest's positioning around quality engagement Why AI feels more like infrastructure than the headline story The latest perspectives from marketers across the Croisette The rosé can wait. Our questions can't. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 03:04 Insights from System1's Baoli Event 05:54 The Role of Creators in Sports 09:01 Pinterest's Marketing Strategy and Insights 11:50 The Current State of Creative Effectiveness 14:55 The Importance of Emotion in Advertising 18:11 The Evolving Role of Content Creators 21:03 Key Findings from the Creator Effectiveness Playbook 25:21 The Role of Emotion in Branding 29:08 Effective Briefing for Creators 30:34 Understanding Distinctive Brand Assets 32:17 Leveraging Social Devices in Marketing 35:08 Insights from Amazon's Brand Activation 38:35 The Evolution of Cannes Lions Festival 43:11 Creative Impact and Effectiveness 47:13 The Value of Attending Cannes Lions
This episode has been presented by System1. Everyone talks about the full funnel. Amazon has actually built it. Day 2 of the Sleeping Barber's Cannes Cut takes Marc and V from the Amazon port activation, a full marina-length brand experience housing a cafe, a speakeasy, 30 meeting rooms, and a stage headlined by Shaquille O'Neal and Oprah, to a sit-down interview with Lauren Anderson, US Head of the Brand Innovation Lab. Lauren explains what the 'canvas' framing actually means for advertisers: not a menu of placements to check, but a working-backwards discipline from brand objectives through to seamless customer handoffs. The Hellman's 'Mayo for a Melody' campaign, extending the Andy Sandberg Super Bowl spot into a Fire TV karaoke experience with QR-enabled purchase, is the clearest case study of how awareness converts to action without the usual clunky hand-off between platform teams. The conversation also covers creator partnerships (co-collaborators, not billboards), the messy middle of measurement (experiential value is real but long-horizon), and why the Brand Innovation Lab's ethos is restraint: not throwing every part of the canvas at a brief, but identifying what's most fit for purpose. Buzz Cut guests from the catamaran round out the episode: Esther Benzi (CMA President), Zach Grossman (Director of Sales, TikTok Canada), Neil Mohan of ClickHealth, and Jeanette from Hashtag Paid, all weighing in on creativity, measurement, and what it actually feels like when AI takes the backseat at Cannes. Chapters 00:00 - Cannes 2025, another look 05:13 - Amazon's Brand Activation at Cannes 10:03 - bInsights from the Boat: Networking and Learning 11:43 - Lauren Anderson and The Role of the Brand Innovation Lab 19:59 - Campaigns that Connect: Hellman's and More 31:36 - Esther Benzie 32:52 - Zack Grossman 34:26 - Neil Mohan 37:17 - Jeanette Rees
This episode has been presented by System1. What happens when Byron Sharp, Mark Ritson, System1, creators, AI, and Cannes Lions all collide on Day One? In the first edition of our Cannes Cut series, presented by System1, Marc and V unpack the biggest themes emerging from Cannes Lions 2026, including why creativity is increasingly being judged through the lens of effectiveness, why marketers may be spreading budgets too thin, and why some of the industry's biggest thinkers are converging on a surprisingly small set of principles. Along the way, the guys sit down with Vanessa Chin (SVP Marketing, System1) to discuss creativity, creators, celebrities, emotional advertising, AI-generated campaigns, and why happiness and humour continue to outperform serious purpose-driven work. They also hit the Croisette to capture perspectives from attendees, founders, creators, publishers, and marketers about the trends shaping Cannes this year. In this episode: Why effectiveness has become the dominant conversation at Cannes David Tiltman's "Fewer, Bigger, Better" framework The five things Byron Sharp and Mark Ritson agree on Mental availability and why awareness isn't enough Distinctive brand assets and why logos alone don't cut it Why sophisticated mass marketing still matters The case against purpose-led marketing How creators are becoming marketing "super touchpoints" Why funny advertising continues to outperform serious advertising The role AI is actually playing in modern creative development Sights and sounds from the Croisette Plus: exclusive insights from Vanessa Chin and conversations with marketers attending Cannes from around the world. The Rosé can wait. The questions can't. In this episode: Why effectiveness has become the dominant conversation at Cannes David Tiltman and WARC's "Fewer, Bigger, Better" framework The five things Byron Sharp and Mark Ritson agree on Mental availability and why awareness isn't enough Distinctive brand assets and why logos alone don't cut it Why sophisticated mass marketing still matters The case against purpose-led marketing How creators are becoming marketing "super touchpoints" Why funny advertising continues to outperform serious advertising The role AI is actually playing in modern creative development Sights and sounds from the Croisette The Rosé can wait. The questions can't. Chapters 00:00 - Welcome to Cannes: The Excitement Begins 02:53 - Insights from Industry Leaders 06:06 - The Importance of Mental Availability 08:52 - Distinctive Brand Assets and Their Impact 12:09 - The Shift from Purpose to Emotion in Advertising 14:59 - The Role of Celebrities in Marketing 17:58 - The Power of Humour in Campaigns 20:52 - The Future of Creators in Advertising 23:48 - Final Thoughts and Key Takeaways 27:25 - Conor Byrne, Exploring AI's Human Element 30:03 - Alex, Insights from AI Central Media 32:49 - Rachel Higgins, Connecting and Gaining Inspiration 35:38 - Mariam Bebiashvili, Marketing Strategies and AI Integration
What if the biggest problem in marketing isn't your message, your targeting, or your budget? What if it's the map you're using? For more than a century, marketers have relied on funnels, customer journeys, and pipeline stages to explain how people buy. The problem? People don't move in straight lines. In this Sharp Cut, Marc and Vassilis unpack why buying behaviour looks far more like a messy search pattern than a carefully planned journey. Drawing on research from Ehrenberg-Bass, Google, WPP, Oxford, James Hankins, Gartner, Bain, and the LinkedIn B2B Institute, they explore why most consumer decisions are made before shopping begins and why so many B2B deals stall after the buying process has already started. Along the way, they tackle the real purpose of the funnel, the limits of customer journey mapping, the hidden role of buying committees, and why the pipeline may be better at reporting decisions than helping people make them. In this episode: Why the traditional funnel continues to survive What the Consumer Decision Journey got right—and wrong The surprising finding that 84% of purchases favor brands consumers already lean toward Why "good enough" beats "best" more often than marketers realize The difference between consumer and B2B buying behavior How buying committees create friction inside organizations Why 40-60% of qualified B2B deals end in no decision The pipeline's real purpose Why probability may be a better model than journeys The funnel is a useful reporting tool. It just isn't a very good theory of human behaviour. Takeaways: Success in marketing is often misrepresented as a straight line. The consumer decision journey is more complex than traditional models suggest. Buyers often choose brands they are already leaning towards before shopping. The funnel oversimplifies the buying process, leading to ineffective strategies. Fear of making the wrong decision can paralyze B2B buyers. Satisficing is a common behavior where buyers settle for 'good enough'. Mental and physical availability are crucial for influencing buyer decisions. The traditional funnel model is outdated and needs to be rethought. Understanding buyer behavior requires acknowledging the chaos of the decision-making process. Marketers should focus on building frameworks based on real consumer behavior rather than idealized models. Chapters: Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 02:48 - The Complexity of the Consumer Decision Journey 06:06 - The Limitations of Traditional Marketing Models 08:49 - Understanding Buyer Behavior and Decision-Making 11:59 - Rethinking the Marketing Funnel 14:57 - The Role of Fear in B2B Buying Decisions 17:53 - Building a Better Marketing Framework
For years, Cannes Lions has been the home of creativity. This year, it feels like effectiveness is taking center stage. In this special Cannes preview edition of The Barber's Brief, Marc and Vassilis discuss what they're most excited to explore at Cannes Lions 2026. From the surprising reunion of Mark Ritson and Byron Sharp, to the growing influence of effectiveness research, creator marketing, AI, and measurement, this conversation explores the biggest questions facing modern marketers. The duo also shares details about their partnership with System1 and previews the conversations they'll be recording throughout the week with Orlando Wood, Andrew Tindall, Vanessa Chin, and many others. Plus, they break down one of last year's most creative Cannes winners: Hyundai's Night Fishing. In this episode: Why the Ritson & Sharp reunion matters Can creativity still drive disproportionate growth? What happens to creativity in an AI-driven world? Are marketers measuring the wrong things? The difference between Cannes' Palais and the Fringe What System1 is teaching marketers about effectiveness Hyundai's Cannes-winning film experiment, Night Fishing Oh and our theme this year? The rosé can wait. The questions can't. Enjoy the episode. Chapters 00:00 - The Excitement of Cannes Lions 2023 02:57 - The Power of Effectiveness in Marketing 05:55 - Creativity vs. AI in Advertising 09:10 - The Importance of Measurement in Marketing 11:59 - Exploring the Cannes Fringe Festival 15:07 - Ad of the week: Hyundai's Night Fishing Campaign 20:07 - Looking Ahead: Customer Journeys Ad of the week Title: Night Fishing Hyundai - 2025 Cannes Lions Grand Prix Winner Entertainment Link: https://www.innocean.com/ww-en/work/recent/944
Most marketers think great creative comes from better talent. Karen Pearce made a different case. In this Post Pod discussion, Marc and Vassilis reflect on their conversation with Karen Pearce, Partner at Rethink and one of the leaders behind some of the most awarded creative work in the world. The discussion explores why creativity often dies inside organizations before it ever reaches the market, how criticism can become a cultural trap, and why the best creative teams focus on finding sparks rather than flaws. They unpack Rethink's CRAFTS framework, the importance of psychological safety, the role of strong client-agency relationships, and why great ideas should start with human truths rather than channels. If you've ever wondered why some organizations consistently produce breakthrough work while others struggle to move beyond safe ideas, this conversation is for you. In this episode: Why creativity shouldn't feel scary The danger of rewarding criticism over contribution How Rethink's CRAFTS framework shapes better ideas Why relationships matter more than process alone The importance of psychological safety in creative teams Why ideas should come before channels The hidden systems behind award-winning creative work Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 01:42 - Rethinking Marketing Culture 04:21 - The Role of Creativity in Marketing 06:58 - The Importance of Effective Creative 09:53 - Expanding Creative Horizons 11:33 - The Value of Independence in Agencies 13:39 - Building Strong Client Relationships 16:40 - Harnessing Human Truths for Creativity 19:24 - Frameworks for Creative Success 22:30 The Significance of Briefs in Marketing 24:46 Consistency and Success in Creative Work
Most people assume award-winning creative work is a high-wire act: brilliant, risky, and impossible to repeat. Karen Pearce of Rethink makes the opposite case. Fresh off Ad Age's 2026 Agency of the Year and ADWEEK's 2025 Independent Agency of the Year, and as the most-awarded independent agency in the world last year, Rethink keeps producing famous, business-moving work on purpose. Recorded as a Cannes Lions lead-up, this conversation gets into the machinery behind the run. Karen explains why independence lets Rethink protect creative standards instead of chasing scale, why the client's real job is finding sparks rather than poking holes, and how the CRAFTS framework gives a whole agency a shared language for what good looks like. Karen walks us through the Heinz philosophy that every ad is a product ad, the go-then-grow approach that turns big swings into low-risk reps, and why, going into Cannes, she expects a reclaiming of human craft in an AI-flooded market. The through-line: bold creative shouldn't feel scary. Build the right system and the right partnership, and the work that wins awards is the same work that drives the business. Timestamps 00:00 Find the sparks, not the holes 02:08 What's behind the run: independence and the receipts 05:48 Why great creative shouldn't feel scary 09:12 Builders vs hole-pokers: the client's real job 14:27 Famous brands outperform business metrics 19:17 AI, human craft, and the IKEA sleep talkers 22:42 CRAFTS: a shared language for great work 30:57 Heinz: every ad is a product ad 36:24 Go then grow: getting your reps in 44:17 Idea first: when media becomes the creative References Rethink: rethinkideas.com Karen Pearce: LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/karengpearce/ Rethink's Book: The Business of Creativity Referenced campaigns: IKEA “ U Up ” and IKEA organizer / Skittles out-of-home ; Heinz “ Looks Familiar ” and the keystone ketchup pouch ; Destination Canada ; Coinbase craft-led film ; Epitaph “ garbage media” dumpster billboards Anthropic “ Keep Thinking ” campaign for Claude, by Mother Awards context: Ad Age 2026 Agency of the Year
What if the biggest threat to your strategy isn't a competitor, a budget cut, or AI? What if it's busyness? In this Sharp Cut, Marc Binkley and Vassilis Douros tackle one of marketing and leadership's biggest comfort blankets: the belief that activity equals progress. Drawing on the work of Roger Martin, Richard Rumelt, Michael Porter, Henry Mintzberg, and decades of research in strategy, psychology, and organizational behaviour, they explore why so many companies mistake plans, initiatives, and corporate buzzwords for actual strategy. The conversation unpacks: Why strategy is fundamentally a series of choices How organizations become trapped in the illusion of progress Why indecision is often the most common strategic outcome The hidden cost of strategic ambiguity What B2B buying behaviour can teach us about leadership Why marketing departments produce more content than ever while achieving less impact How AI accelerates both good strategy and bad strategy Three practical actions leaders can take immediately to make better strategic decisions This episode is ultimately about one uncomfortable truth: Most organizations don't have a strategy problem. They have a choice problem. And until they're willing to make difficult choices, strategy remains little more than activity wearing a strategy costume. Takeaways Most strategies presented are often just lists of initiatives. Real strategy involves making explicit choices and trade-offs. Indecision can be a strategy, but it's not an effective one. Ambiguity can be useful short-term but harmful long-term. Fluffy language often indicates a lack of real strategy. Marketing and strategy should be aligned for effectiveness. The say-do gap reflects a disconnect in organizational goals. AI can exacerbate existing strategic issues if not managed properly. Effective strategy requires clear, actionable frameworks. Leaders must be willing to make specific, falsifiable choices. Chapters 00:00 - The Illusion of Strategy 03:13 - Defining Real Strategy 05:49 - The Challenge of Decision-Making 08:49 - Indecision as a Strategy 11:59 - The Role of Ambiguity in Strategy 14:50 - The Cost of Fluffy Language 17:48 - Marketing and Strategy Alignment 21:04 - The Say-Do Gap in Organizations 23:52 - The Impact of AI on Strategy 27:03 - Practical Steps for Effective Strategy References Cappellaro, G., Compagni, A., & Vaara, E. (2021). Maintaining strategic ambiguity for protection: Struggles over opacity, equivocality, and absurdity around the Sicilian Mafia. Academy of Management Journal, 64(1), 1–37. Dixon, M., & McKenna, T. (2022). The JOLT effect: How high performers overcome customer indecision. Portfolio. Drucker, P. F. (1967). The effective executive. Harper & Row. Eisenberg, E. M. (1984). Ambiguity as strategy in organizational communication. Communication Monographs, 51(3), 227–242. Hurman, J. (2024). The case for creative effectiveness. Cannes Lions / WARC. Kantar. (2024). How optimized touchpoint planning drives brand growth. Kantar Insights. Kapero. (2024). Channels and content: The state of the marketing department. Kapero Management Consultants. Kim, W. C., & Mauborgne, R. (2005). Blue ocean strategy: How to create uncontested market space and make the competition irrelevant. Harvard Business Review Press. Lafley, A. G., & Martin, R. L. (2013). Playing to win: How strategy really works. Harvard Business Review Press. Martin, R. L. (2020, October 5). The role of management systems in strategy. Roger Martin Substack. https://rogerlmartin.substack.com Martin, R. L. (2021, April 19). It's time to accept that marketing and strategy are one discipline. Medium. https://rogermartin.medium.com Martin, R. L. (2023, January 23). Being ‘too busy’ means your personal strategy sucks. Roger Martin Substack. https://rogerlmartin.substack.com Martin, R. L. (2026, March 16). Becoming an AI-augmented enterprise. Roger Martin Substack. https://rogerlmartin.substack.com Mintzberg, H. (1973). The nature of managerial work. Harper & Row. Mintzberg, H. (1987). The strategy concept I: Five Ps for strategy. California Management Review, 30(1), 11–24. Morgan, A. (2024). The cost of dull. Cannes Lions / System1 Research. Porter, M. E. (1996). What is strategy? Harvard Business Review, 74(6), 61–78. PwC. (2025). 28th annual global CEO survey: Reinvention on the edge of tomorrow. PricewaterhouseCoopers. Rush. (1980). Freewill [Song]. On Permanent Waves. Anthem / Mercury Records. (Lyrics by Neil Peart.) Rumelt, R. P. (2011). Good strategy, bad strategy: The difference and why it matters. Crown Business. Strategic ambiguity systematic review (Authors, 2025). Strategic ambiguity: A systematic review, a typology and a dynamic capability view. Management Decision, 63(13), 123–xx. [Full citation TK once confirmed] Turner, M. (2024). How buyable B2B emotions unlock $19 trillion in category growth. LinkedIn / The B2B Institute. WARC. (2026). The Multiplier Playbook. WARC. Waytz, A. (2023, March-April). Beware a culture of busyness. Harvard Business Review. Wilson, T. D., Reinhard, D. A., Westgate, E. C., Gilbert, D. T., Ellerbeck, N., Hahn, C., Brown, C. L., & Shaked, A. (2014). Just think: The challenges of the disengaged mind. Science, 345(6192), 75–77.
Everyone is talking about AI replacing marketers. But what if the bigger problem isn't AI at all? In this episode of The Barber's Brief, Marc Binkley and Vassilis Douros explore a series of stories that challenge some of marketing's biggest assumptions. They unpack new research showing that most CMOs aren't worried about AI replacing jobs. They're worried about whether their teams have the skills to use it effectively. The conversation quickly expands into a deeper question: is marketing facing an AI skills gap, or are we simply exposing a fundamentals gap that has existed all along? The discussion also covers: Why only 40% of marketers believe advertising is understood in the C-suite The eight barriers preventing organizations from integrating brand and performance What H&R Block learned when its marketing mix model became too slow to be useful Why marketers continue to retreat to last-click attribution during moments of uncertainty The rise of AI as an "Iron Man suit" that amplifies marketers rather than replaces them Plus, Ad of the Week goes to Brazilian beer brand Brahma for a brilliant World Cup campaign that transforms 24 years of disappointment into hope by reminding Brazilians not what happened, but who they are. This episode is ultimately about one question: Are we optimizing for the dashboard, or are we optimizing for the business? Key Takeaway Three-quarters of CMOs are concerned about the AI skills gap. AI is transforming marketing into a talent transformation. Understanding marketing fundamentals is crucial in the age of AI. The effectiveness say-do gap highlights a disconnect in marketing. Dynamic marketing mix modeling can enhance decision-making. Measurement should build confidence, not just justify spending. Less than half of marketing decisions are evidence-based. AI should be seen as a tool to enhance human capabilities. Brahma's campaign focuses on identity and belief, not just sales. Nostalgia can be a powerful motivator for consumer engagement. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 01:12 - The AI Skills Gap in Marketing 04:21 - Understanding Marketing Fundamentals 07:47 - The Effectiveness Say-Do Gap 11:54 - Dynamic Marketing Mix Modelling 18:52 - The Future of AI in Marketing 24:18 - Ad of the Week: Brahma's World Cup Campaign News Links Three-quarters of CMOs are grappling with AI skills gap Link: https://www.marketingweek.com/cmos-grappling-ai-skills-gap/ WARC - The Multiplier Playbook for CMO’s looking to integrate brand & performance Link: https://www.warc.com/en/the-multiplier-playbook-2026 How H&R Block rethought attribution and modelling – and found more confidence in brand and business outcomes Link: https://www.mi-3.com.au/01-06-2026/when-marketing-mix-modelling-isnt-working-how-hr-block-rethought-attribution-and Robo-dogs, driverless cabs, AI perfume & the GTM singularity: Forrester B2B Summit 2026 Link: https://www.thedrum.com/news/robo-dogs-driverless-cabs-ai-perfume-and-the-gtm-singularity-forrester-b2b-summit-2026
