Strange Coordinates

Recent episodes

1. Happy Accidents (ep 20) from Strange Coordinates

   Jul 16, 20261 hr 6 min

   In this episode of Strange Coordinates, Topher Burns is joined by special guest host (and creator, academic, and parent-marketing strategist) Sean Szeps to go behind the leak-proof seams of the multi-billion-dollar war between Huggies and Pampers. They trace the origin story of fierce 1980s patent battles, the effects of duopoly, and the environmental and sociological impacts of the diaper category and its marketing efforts over the past several decades. --- Find Sean Szeps on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seanszeps/ --- territorial is an advertising agency that helps brands find their place in the world. To see our work and learn more about what we do, visit weareterritorial.com. Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/weareterritorial --- Show art & design by Chris Allen Editing & Video editing by Patrick Elmore: https://www.patrickelmore.co/ Marketing by Billy Silverman Episode music by Blue Dot Sessions

2. Seeing Green (ep 19) from Strange Coordinates

   Jun 26, 20261 hr 8 min

   In this episode, we trace the strategic history of fintech giant Chime to expose how design, psychology, and color theory fuel modern banking. We break down Chime’s calculated play for the underserved gig economy, the ethical entanglements of their early Doctor Phil daytime TV endorsement, and the catastrophic Covid-era algorithm errors that left paycheck-to-paycheck users locked out of their accounts for months. We also examine the 2026 liquidity landscape as Chime clashes with Venmo and Cash App , the structural similarities to our own Webby-winning campaign for healthcare disruptor Centivo , and why a tech company’s sudden choice of a serif font is the ultimate sign of a corporate identity crisis. --- territorial is an advertising agency that helps brands find their place in the world. To see our work and learn more about what we do, visit weareterritorial.com. Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/weareterritorial --- Show art & design by Chris Allen Editing & Video editing by Patrick Elmore: https://www.patrickelmore.co/ Marketing by Billy Silverman Episode music by Blue Dot Sessions

3. Strange(r) Coordinates: NBZ from Strange Coordinates

   Jun 17, 202652 min

   The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity (or just Cannes if you’re normal) is coming up, and we’ve got the perfect tour guides. Rachel Segall and Simone Mandel of the growth platform and consultancy NBZ take us behind the festival facades and endless flows of rosé they experienced last year to give us a sense of what to expect next week. We talk about the shifting ecosystem of advertising, hyper-commercialization of the festival beaches, and how lean indie shops are successfully crashing a party historically dominated by legacy holding companies. Learn more about NBZ: https://www.nbzpartner.com/ --- territorial is an advertising agency that helps brands find their place in the world. To see our work and learn more about what we do, visit weareterritorial.com Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/weareterritorial Follow us on TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@strangecoordinates Want to see our faces while we talk? Find Strange Coordinates on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@strangecoordinates --- Show art & design by Chris Allen Editing & Video editing by Patrick Elmore: https://www.patrickelmore.co/ Marketing by Billy Silverman Episode music by Blue Dot Sessions

4. Strange(r) Coordinates: Decyd from Strange Coordinates

   Jun 9, 202654 min

   In our newest episode of Strange Coordinates, we’re diving into the pharmaceutical industry with Michelle Nguyen and Barbara Salami of Decyd to explore how AI is transforming how new drugs are brought to market. They break down why so many brilliant medical innovations flop on launch, how their platform acts as "genetic testing" for drug assets, and why the near-term financial payoff for commercial AI outpaces R&D by over a decade. Learn more about Decyd: https://decyd.ai/ --- territorial is an advertising agency that helps brands find their place in the world. To see our work and learn more about what we do, visit weareterritorial.com Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/weareterritorial Follow us on TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@strangecoordinates Want to see our faces while we talk? You can also find Strange Coordinates on YouTube: --- Show art & design by Chris Allen Editing & Video editing by Patrick Elmore: https://www.patrickelmore.co/ Marketing by Billy Silverman Episode music by Blue Dot Sessions

5. Strange(r) Coordinates: Laura Kaye from Strange Coordinates

   May 27, 202642 min

   In our latest episode of Strange Coordinates, we dive into the fast-moving world of consumer electronics with Laura Kaye, Global Social Media Director at Booking.com. Drawing from her years at Samsung Mobile, Laura breaks down how tech giants engineer brand love, while navigating the rising consumer craving for digital detoxes. --- Show notes: Find Laura Kaye on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauraaokaye/ Find Laura Kaye on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraaokaye/ Ingenius - Samsung makes fun of iPhone X: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kr37mJ37WOY Samsung - Ostrich (2017): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arpbDsa8IRU --- territorial is an advertising agency that helps brands find their place in the world. To see our work and learn more about what we do, visit weareterritorial.com Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/weareterritorial Follow us on TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@strangecoordinates Want to see our faces while we talk? You can also find Strange Coordinates on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@strangecoordinates --- Show art & design by Chris Allen Editing & Video editing by Patrick Elmore: https://www.patrickelmore.co/ Marketing by Billy Silverman Episode music by Blue Dot Sessions

6. Thumb Kind of Wonderful (ep 18) from Strange Coordinates

   May 6, 202659 min

   In our newest episode of Strange Coordinates, we’re going back to 2009: the year of Kanye at the VMAs, the Miracle on the Hudson, and the 56% market share peak of the BlackBerry. But this isn't just a nostalgia trip. We’re digging into how a tactile email machine reshaped global politics, contributed to the 2008 financial crisis, and turned us all into rats in a digital Skinner Box. Are you using your phone, or is it using you? ------ Show notes: A brief, ignoble history of the BlackBerry on Wall Street: https://www.marketplace.org/story/2011/12/13/brief-ignoble-history-blackberry-wall-street Wall Street’s ‘CrackBerry’ Withdrawal (Published 2011): https://archive.nytimes.com/dealbook.nytimes.com/2011/10/12/wall-streets-crackberry-withdrawal/ A Romance With Risk That Brought On a Panic (Published 2011): https://archive.nytimes.com/dealbook.nytimes.com/2011/12/11/a-romance-with-risk-that-brought-on-a-panic/ Clinton BlackBerry photo led to State official’s query about email account: https://www.politico.com/blogs/under-the-radar/2016/06/hillary-clinton-emails-probe-blackberry-224154 What's Behind BlackBerry Addiction: https://www.inc.com/hardware/articles/200610/blackberryaddict.html --- territorial is an advertising agency that helps brands find their place in the world. To see our work and learn more about what we do, visit weareterritorial.com Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/weareterritorial Follow us on TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@strangecoordinates Want to see our faces while we talk? You can also find Strange Coordinates on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@StrangeCoordinates --- Show art & design by Chris Allen Marketing by Billy Silverman Episode music by Blue Dot Sessions Editing by Patrick Elmore: https://www.patrickelmore.co/

7. Strange(r) Coordinates: Zesty Paws Shoot BTS from Strange Coordinates

   Mar 26, 202623 min

   Usually on Strange Coordinates , we use brands as roadmaps to arrive at surprising places. Today, we’re arriving somewhere literal: a production set. We’ve pulled back the curtain on our latest collaboration with Zesty Paws to explore the friction, the "hot lights," and the specific magic that happens when creative intuition meets analytical rigor. We’re interviewing the makers and the marketers from both the territorial and Zesty Paws teams to find out what actually happens behind the monitor. --- Learn more about Zesty Paws: https://zestypaws.com/ --- territorial is an advertising agency that helps brands find their place in the world. To see our work and learn more about what we do, visit weareterritorial.com Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/weareterritorial Follow us on TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@strangecoordinates Want to see our faces while we talk? You can also find Strange Coordinates on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@StrangeCoordinates Subscribe to our newsletter: https://forms.gle/YH9y99y1d9ZVKNm28 Learn about our approach to Bot-Friendly Branding: https://www.weareterritorial.com/bot-friendly-branding --- Credits Show art & design by Chris Allen Editing by Topher Burns Marketing by Billy Silverman Episode music by Blue Dot Sessions

8. Branded Little Pill (ep 17) from Strange Coordinates

   Feb 18, 202656 min

   In our newest episode of Strange Coordinates, we dive into Eli Lilly and the fine line between being a "pharmaceutical company" and "a medicine company." We track their journey from standardizing doses in the 1800s to navigating the cultural minefield of GLP-1s and a $15 billion Twitter crisis. Everyone wants to be a hero… but do they have the history to back it up? --- territorial is an advertising agency that helps brands find their place in the world. To see our work and learn more about what we do, visit weareterritorial.com Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/weareterritorial Follow us on TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@strangecoordinates Want to see our faces while we talk? You can also find Strange Coordinates on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@StrangeCoordinates --- Show art & design by Chris Allen Marketing by Billy Silverman Episode music by Blue Dot Sessions Video editing by Patrick Elmore: https://www.patrickelmore.co/

9. Do Robots Dream of Brands? (ep 16) from Strange Coordinates

   Dec 11, 20251 hr 12 min

   In our newest episode of Strange Coordinates , we dive into OpenAI and the identity crisis happening across the landscape. Everyone’s racing to make emotional, cinematic ads… but do they know what they stand for? --- territorial is an advertising agency that helps brands find their place in the world. To see our work and learn more about what we do, visit weareterritorial.com Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/weareterritorial Follow us on TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@strangecoordinates Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@StrangeCoordinates --- Show art & design by Chris Allen Editing by Steph George Marketing by Billy Silverman Episode music by Blue Dot Sessions Video editing by Patrick Elmore: https://www.patrickelmore.co/

10. Strange(r) Coordinates: Kelly Colbert from Strange Coordinates

    Oct 30, 202545 min

    In our latest Strange(r) Coordinates interview, we sat down with Kelly Colbert , fractional CMO for the Humane Society, to explore how brand strategy works when your goal is purpose, not profit. From her days at Anthem to leading communications for one of the world’s top animal welfare organizations, Kelly shares insights on authenticity, empathy, and storytelling that connects hearts as much as minds. --- https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellycolbert/ --- 📌 Subscribe on YouTube for more Strange(r) Coordinates: https://www.youtube.com/@StrangeCoordinates?sub_confirmation=1 --- Subscribe to our mailing list: https://forms.gle/YH9y99y1d9ZVKNm28 Learn about our approach to Bot-Friendly Branding: https://www.weareterritorial.com/bot-friendly-branding --- Credits Show art & design by Chris Allen Editing by Steph George Marketing by Billy Silverman Episode music by Blue Dot Sessions Video editing by Patrick Elmore: https://www.patrickelmore.co/

11. In For A Treat (ep 15) from Strange Coordinates

    Oct 1, 20251 hr 12 min

    How did a simple dog biscuit become a cultural icon? 🦴 In this episode of Strange Coordinates, Topher Burns and Robert Balog explore the surprising story of Milk-Bone — a brand that turned an everyday pet treat into a ritual, a household name, and even a piece of advertising history. You’ll learn: 🐾 How Milk-Bone went from functional snack to cultural symbol 🐾 Why advertising shaped not just what dogs eat, but how people relate to them 🐾 The role of play, absurdity, and memory in building lasting brands If you’ve ever given your dog a treat without thinking twice, you’ve been part of Milk-Bone’s story. --- territorial is an advertising agency that helps brands find their place in the world. To see our work and learn more about what we do, visit weareterritorial.com and follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/weareterritorial Subscribe to our mailing list: https://forms.gle/YH9y99y1d9ZVKNm28 Learn about our approach to Bot-Friendly Branding: https://www.weareterritorial.com/bot-friendly-branding --- Show art & design by Chris Allen Editing by Steph George Marketing by Billy Silverman Episode music by Blue Dot Sessions Video editing by Patrick Elmore: https://www.patrickelmore.co/

12. Strange(r) Coordinates: Ben Jenkins from Strange Coordinates

    Sep 9, 202552 min

    In this episode of Strange(r) Coordinates , Aydan Sarikaya and Robert Balog talk with Ben Jenkins about the signals, impressions, and contexts that drive creative work and shape how people experience brands. From the way we read meaning before we hear messages, to the role of culture in creativity, this conversation explores the messy, human side of brand building. We discuss: Why brands are interpreted faster than they’re understood How ambiguity and creativity go hand in hand What it means to make meaning in a world of noise and speed If branding is about stories, this episode shows why you don’t always get to hold the pen. --- Ben Jenkins on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bensjenkins/ Okay Human on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/okayhuman/ --- Subscribe to our mailing list: https://forms.gle/YH9y99y1d9ZVKNm28 Learn about our approach to Bot-Friendly Branding: https://www.weareterritorial.com/bot-friendly-branding --- Credits Show art & design by Chris Allen Editing by Steph George Marketing by Billy Silverman Episode music by Blue Dot Sessions Video editing by Patrick Elmore: https://www.patrickelmore.co/

13. Paper Brain (ep 14) from Strange Coordinates

    Aug 21, 202558 min

    The history of Post-It Notes begins with a glue that didn’t work. What started as a failed aerospace adhesive at 3M became one of the most unlikely and influential inventions in creative culture. From agency war rooms to startup whiteboards to digital tools like Miro and Figma, sticky notes have shaped how we think, collaborate, and build ideas. In this episode of Strange Coordinates , Topher Burns and Robert Balog unpack: How Post-It Notes were accidentally invented Why they became the universal language of brainstorming What their survival in the digital era tells us about branding and innovation If you’ve ever stuck an idea on the wall, you’re already part of this story. Subscribe to our mailing list: https://forms.gle/YH9y99y1d9ZVKNm28 Learn about our approach to Bot-Friendly Branding: https://www.weareterritorial.com/bot-friendly-branding Check out our YouTube channel to look at our faces while you listen: https://www.youtube.com/@StrangeCoordinates Credits Show art & design by Chris Allen Editing by Steph George Marketing by Billy Silverman Episode music by Blue Dot Sessions Video editing by Patrick Elmore: https://www.patrickelmore.co/

14. Strange(r) Coordinates: Andrea Buccilla from Strange Coordinates

    Jul 30, 202544 min

    In this episode of Strange(r) Coordinates, we're diving into the explosive growth of women’s sports—and the powerful branding and storytelling opportunities that come with it. Co-host Aydan Sarikaya is joined by territorial colleague Julie Sullivan and special guest Andrea Buccilla , a documentary and commercial director known for her work on Shattered Glass and Power Forward, a Delta x WNBA series. From WNBA valuations and brand sponsorships to why women’s sports are finally getting their spotlight, we explore: • Why now is a breakthrough moment for women’s leagues • How Andrea crafts authentic stories in a space often overlooked • What smart brands are doing right when entering this space • The power of product placement, athlete-driven content, and fandom as cultural currency If you're into branding, sports media, or the future of advertising in culture—you’ll want to hit play. 👇 Drop a comment if you’ve been to a WNBA game—or want to.And don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share. - Andrea Buccilla on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-buccilla/ Veteran Made: https://www.linkedin.com/company/veteranmadeproductions/ - territorial is an advertising agency that helps brands find their place in the world. To see our work and learn more about what we do, visit weareterritorial.com and follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/weareterritorial Subscribe to our mailing list: https://forms.gle/YH9y99y1d9ZVKNm28 - Show art & design by Chris Allen Editing by Steph George Marketing by Billy Silverman Episode music by Blue Dot Sessions Video editing by Patrick Elmore

15. Fast Fashion (ep 13) from Strange Coordinates

    Jul 10, 20251 hr 1 min

    How did a nondescript running shoe like New Balance become a millennial fashion statement? Topher Burns and Robert Balog explore the surprising intersections of atheltics, fashion, inequality, and barnyard animals. - Subscribe to our mailing list: https://forms.gle/YH9y99y1d9ZVKNm28 - Learn about our approach to Bot-Friendly Branding: https://www.weareterritorial.com/bot-friendly-branding - territorial is an advertising agency that helps brands find their place in the world. To see our work and learn more about what we do, visit weareterritorial.com and follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/weareterritorial - Want to see our faces while we talk? You can also find Strange Coordinates wherever you get your podcasts. - Show art & design by Chris Allen Editing by Steph George Marketing by Billy Silverman Episode music by Blue Dot Sessions Video editing by Patrick Elmore: https://www.patrickelmore.co/

16. Strange(r) Coordinates: Eli Altman from Strange Coordinates

    Jun 17, 202546 min

    In our latest Strange(r) Coordinates interview, Eli Altman of A Hundred Monkeys gives us insight into the world of naming. Also, we explore how he thinks of sustainable growth and why the least-tenured person at his company has been there for six years. It’s the best of interviews, it’s the… blurst of interviews? Eli Altman on LinkedIn A Hundred Monkeys on LinkedIn Subscribe to our mailing list Learn about our approach to Bot-Friendly Branding - territorial is an advertising agency that helps brands find their place in the world. To see our work and learn more about what we do, visit weareterritorial.com and follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/weareterritorial - Want to see our faces while we talk? You can also find Strange Coordinates on YouTube . - Show art & design by Chris Allen Editing by Steph George Marketing by Billy Silverman Episode music by Blue Dot Sessions Video editing by Patrick Elmore: https://www.patrickelmore.co/

17. BONUS: How AI Can Learn To Love Your Brand from Strange Coordinates

    Jun 4, 202535 min

    Watch the full webinar here Subscribe to our mailing list AI comes up a lot on Strange Coordinates, and it comes up a lot in our ad agency’s work as well. You might have a brand people love, but if you can make AI love it too, you can tap into a whole new world of growth. We recently held a webinar with our co-founder Topher Burns and Brian Stempeck of Evertune AI for a conversation about what it means for a brand to be ready for the AI revolution; we’re including it here as a bonus episode for our podcast listeners / watchers. - territorial is an advertising agency that helps brands find their place in the world. To see our work and learn more about what we do, visit weareterritorial.com and follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/weareterritorial Learn more about Evertune at https://www.evertune.ai/ - Show art & design by Chris Allen Editing by Steph George Marketing by Billy Silverman Episode music by Blue Dot Sessions Video editing by Patrick Elmore: https://www.patrickelmore.co/

18. Low Hanging Fruit (ep 12) from Strange Coordinates

    May 15, 202559 min

    Register for our upcoming webinar on the intersection of AI and brand design Our Chiquita episode bounces between anthropomorphic fruit mascots and Columbian death squads, with a lot of thoughtful criticism of greenwashing and cultural insensitivity in between. Classic #StrangeCoordinates. - territorial is an advertising agency that helps brands find their place in the world. To see our work and learn more about what we do, visit weareterritorial.com and follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/weareterritorial Subscribe to our mailing list - Want to see our faces while we talk? You can also find Strange Coordinates on YouTube. - Show art & design by Chris Allen Editing by Steph George Marketing by Billy Silverman Episode music by Blue Dot Sessions Video editing by Patrick Elmore: https://www.patrickelmore.co/ -

19. Strange(r) Coordinates: Sree Sreenivasan from Strange Coordinates

    Apr 24, 202536 min

    On our latest Strange(r) Coordinates, we talk to Sree Sreenivasan , digital mentor and expert in training people to adopt generative AI. Aydan and Topher chat with Sree about how this disruption might compare with the social media revolution of the 2010s, and how we can collectively envision a better future for this nascent technology. Find out more about Digimentors : https://www.digimentors.group/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/digimentors/ Check out Sree’s NYT Readalong series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEB5yMzF2sQ&list=PLpcj64uXCCR-TTeP4RrCnF9pAYutl4iuL&index=2 - territorial is an advertising agency that helps brands find their place in the world. To see our work and learn more about what we do, visit weareterritorial.com and follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/weareterritorial - Want to see our faces while we talk? Watch instead! You can find Strange Coordinates on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@StrangeCoordinates - Show art & design by Chris Allen Editing by Steph George Marketing by Billy Silverman Episode music by Blue Dot Sessions Video editing by Patrick Elmore: https://www.patrickelmore.co/ - Follow territorial on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/weareterritorial Follow Aydan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sreenivasan/ Subscribe to our mailing list: https://forms.gle/YH9y99y1d9ZVKNm28

20. Beauty Secrets (ep 11) from Strange Coordinates

    Mar 25, 202551 min

    Eleven episodes in, and it feels like our podcast is aging gracefully. That’s why it feels like a perfect time to twist the cap on Oil of Olay , also known as Olay — depending on how old you are. Topher and Robert explore the various ways Olay has been ahead of its time and unfortunately very much of its time throughout its storied history. - territorial is an advertising agency that helps brands find their place in the world. To see our work and learn more about what we do, visit weareterritorial.com and follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/weareterritorial - Show art & design by Chris Allen Editing by Steph George Marketing by Billy Silverman Episode music by Blue Dot Sessions Video editing by Patrick Elmore: https://www.patrickelmore.co/ - Subscribe to our mailing list: https://forms.gle/YH9y99y1d9ZVKNm28