In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, host Alison Weisbrott, Executive Editor at ADWEEK, speaks with Sarah Choi, Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer at CorePower Yoga. Sarah shares how CorePower Yoga is redefining modern wellness, and how the brand reframes yoga as a physically intensive, results-driven workout grounded in mindfulness, while scaling community through 5,000+ teacher ambassadors. The conversation explores blending digital tools with in-studio experiences, using science-backed mental health research to strengthen brand credibility, and building loyalty through inclusive, Gen Z-focused strategies. It’s a practical look at turning a fitness brand into a community-led movement that extends far beyond the mat.

What You'll Learn:

• How to drive conversion through free trial funneling
• Why teacher spotlighting outperforms traditional influencer partnerships
• The dual-role technology strategy that strengthens the in-studio community
• How to ground wellness claims in Harvard-backed research for competitive positioning
• The Gen Z wellness opportunity beyond the fitness category
• How to balance product expansion while maintaining brand clarity

About the Guest:

Sarah Choi is Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer at CorePower Yoga, where she leads the brand's strategic initiatives in wellness marketing and consumer engagement. With expertise in omnichannel marketing, brand accessibility, and community-driven loyalty programs, Choi has pioneered CorePower's evolution from traditional yoga positioning to an intensively physical, science-backed wellness experience.

Guest Resources: 

• Sarah Choi on LinkedIn
• CorePower Yoga Website

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In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, Mina Park, CEO and co-founder of Crispy Chicken Social Media Agency, and Alyson Stoner, Founder and CEO at Movement Genius, explore how celebrities can balance authenticity with strategy on social media. They discuss calculated transparency, using trends without losing originality, and building values-driven narratives that outlast algorithms. The conversation also highlights team-based content creation, thoughtful brand partnerships, and structuring content to deepen audience connection. Together, they reveal how intentional storytelling, not constant virality, is key to creating sustainable, meaningful personal brands in today's fast-moving digital landscape and culture shifts.

What You'll Learn:

• How to reframe "authenticity" as calculated transparency
• The anti-marketing marketing approach.
• How to inject originality into viral trends without sacrificing reach
• The grid management strategy for audience development
• Why celebrity social media requires a team-based infrastructure, not solo management 
• The vetting framework for brand partnerships

About the Guests:

Mina Park is the CEO of Crispy Chicken Social Media Agency, a social-first agency specializing in organic content creation for brands, entertainment studios, and talent accounts. With over five years of experience managing high-profile celebrity social media presence, including clients like Chelsea Handler and Awkwafina, Mina brings strategic expertise in building authentic digital narratives.

Alyson Stoner is a certified mental health practitioner and author who brings 25 years of entertainment industry experience to her work at the intersection of child safety, mental health, and media. As a New York Times bestselling author and long-term collaborator with Crispy Chicken, Alyson provides insights into navigating brand collaborations with integrity while maintaining an authentic public presence.

Guest Resources: 

• Mina Park on LinkedIn
• Crispy Chicken Social Media Agency Website
• Alyson Stoner on LinkedIn
• Movement Genius Website

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In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, host Alison Weissbrot speaks with Tim Clark, EVP and Chief Brand Officer at NASCAR, and Jimmie Johnson, seven-time champion, about how NASCAR is reinventing itself for a fragmented media landscape. They explore staging races in unconventional venues, expanding through gaming and digital platforms, and turning motorsport into a broader lifestyle brand. The conversation highlights how legacy organizations can evolve culturally, reshape audience perception, and stay authentic while engaging new generations of fans.

What You'll Learn:

• How to overcome the "barrier to entry" problem in motorsports 
• The critical difference between brand awareness and brand perception
• Why authentic brand integration generates 10x more loyalty than logo placement
• How to use gaming and simulation as legitimate talent pipelines 
• The Formula 1 brand playbook lesson for legacy sports 
• How to build athlete-driven brands that transcend competition

About the Guests

Tim Clark is the Chief Brand Officer at NASCAR, leading the organization's strategic positioning and modernization efforts. With expertise in brand perception management and legacy brand transformation, Clark oversees NASCAR's expansion into new markets, digital platforms, and lifestyle categories.

Jimmie Johnson is a seven-time NASCAR champion and owner of Legacy Motor Club, bringing both competitive racing expertise and entrepreneurial business acumen to the motorsports industry. With a career spanning two decades as a professional driver and recent expansion into team ownership and brand building, Johnson represents the modern athlete-entrepreneur model.

Guest Resources: 

• Tim Clark on LinkedIn
• Jimmie Johnson on LinkedIn
• NASCAR Website

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This week on Adspeak by ADWEEK, host Will Lee speaks with Jeff Greenspoon, CEO of The Americas at Kantar, on the sidelines of BrandWeek, about why brand tension fuels growth. From meaningfulness versus differentiation to short-term performance versus long-term investment, Jeff shares Kantar’s framework for predicting brand success. With examples like Nespresso and Barbie, he explains how CMOs protect their North Star while experimenting boldly, and why sustained brand investment drives stronger ROI, resilience, and lasting enterprise value.

What You'll Learn:

• The "Meaningful and Different" Framework
• How to Protect Your Brand's North Star While Experimenting
• Why Cutting Brand Spend During Budget Constraints Sacrifices 3-5 Years of Growth
• The Four-to-One ROI Ratio of Brand Salience
• Nespresso and Barbie as Case Studies in Navigating Competing Tensions)
• How to Translate Brand Metrics into CFO Language in B2B Organizations

About the Guest and Host:

Jeff Greenspoon is CEO of The Americas at Kantar, a global leader in brand measurement and marketing effectiveness backed by 50 years of proprietary research. Previously with Dentsu, he brings deep expertise in brand strategy and marketing transformation. Jeff partners with organisations to navigate the tensions between consistency and innovation, and short-term performance and long-term growth, helping brands unlock sustainable, measurable impact.

Will Lee is CEO of ADWEEK, the leading media platform serving the marketing and advertising industry. Previously, he was Chief Operating Officer of NPR, where he oversaw strategy, transformation, and growth across its national network of member stations. He has also led digital businesses for PEOPLE, Entertainment Weekly, Sports Illustrated, and The Hollywood Reporter. With two decades in content, audience growth, and brand development, Will is based in New York City with his family.

Guest Resources: 

• Jeff Greenspoon on LinkedIn
• Kantar Website

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In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, recorded live at Brandweek, Dr. Sanjay Gupta sits down with Brianna Burtman to explore how trusted communication becomes a competitive advantage. Gupta reflects on 25 years at CNN, sharing how to translate complex medical information into accessible, actionable knowledge. The conversation examines authentic storytelling, combating misinformation without amplifying it, and using multi-platform formats intentionally to deepen audience trust and create lasting cultural impact in a fragmented media landscape.

What You'll Learn:

• How to distill complex medical information into actionable insights
• Why isolation is your audience's biggest health threat, and how to make it relatable
• The difference between information and knowledge in health storytelling
• How to maintain trust when audiences already know the story before you report it
•  The strategic approach to combating misinformation without playing whack-a-mole
• Why multi-platform storytelling requires intentional format selection

About the Guests:

Dr. Sanjay Gupta is Chief Medical Correspondent at CNN and a practicing neurosurgeon, bringing 25 years of experience translating complex health and medical stories for public audiences. With a unique background spanning both clinical medicine and broadcast journalism, Dr. Gupta has covered major global health crises, conflicts, and natural disasters while simultaneously practicing medicine in crisis zones, including Haiti, Iraq, and beyond.

Brianna Burtman is currently the VP of CNN Digital Strategy and Network Partnerships at CNN, where she has worked since August 2008. Brianna holds a Bachelor's degree in Public Policy Studies, Economics, and Women's Studies from Hobart and William Smith Colleges, and a Master's degree in Public Administration from Baruch College.

Guest Resources: 

• Dr. Sanjay Gupta at CNN 
• Brianna Burtman on LinkedIn

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This week on Adspeak by ADWEEK, host Rebecca Stewart speaks with Netflix CMO Marian Lee about building culture-first marketing that fuels fandom and organic conversation. From flexible campaign planning to live events and immersive brand experiences, Lee shares how Netflix balances authentic partnerships, IP protection, and ad-supported growth, positioning the brand as a cultural force, not just a streaming platform.

What You'll Learn:

• How to build a marketing strategy around culture, not campaigns
• The "Flexibility-First" marketing framework 
• Why authentic brand partnerships require custodianship of storytelling
• How to translate digital fandom into measurable real-world experiences 
• The dual-role advantage: buying media as a marketer teaches you how to sell it 
• How to develop appointment viewing behavior for streaming platforms

About the Guest:

Marian Lee is Chief Marketing Officer at Netflix, appointed in 2022 after serving as VP of UCAN Marketing. She leads a global team driving culture-shaping campaigns that connect audiences worldwide. Previously, she was VP & Co-Head of Music at Spotify, spearheading artist marketing and partnerships. Her career spans Condé Nast, J.Crew and PwC. She holds a BA from Barnard College.

Guest Resources: 

• Marian Lee on LinkedIn
• Netflix Website

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In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, host Will Lee sits down with Tony Ressler, Co-founder and Executive Chairman of Ares Management Corporation, and Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, a Grammy-Winning Artist, Entrepreneur, and Philanthropist, for a fast-moving conversation on culture, community, and the business mechanics behind Atlanta’s rise.

What You'll Learn:

• How to identify and leverage your city's unique creative assets
• Why diversification across entertainment, tech, and philanthropy protects long-term brand value
• How to transform real estate into a brand catalyst
• The strategic importance of non-core revenue streams in sports venues
• Why community investment and brand building are inseparable business strategies

About the Guests:

Chris "Ludacris" Bridges is a Grammy-winning artist, entrepreneur, and cultural innovator with over 25 years of industry experience spanning music, film, and technology. Known for defining Atlanta's cultural landscape through his influence on hip-hop, film production, and emerging trends, Ludacris has successfully diversified his portfolio into philanthropy, brand partnerships, and tech startups focused on the next generation.

Tony Ressler is the Principal Owner of the Atlanta Hawks, a prominent sports executive and real estate developer driving transformative urban development across the Southeast. With expertise in sports franchise management, community investment, and large-scale real estate projects, Ressler has spearheaded initiatives including the revitalization of downtown Atlanta and the expansion of youth education and opportunity programs throughout the region.

Guest Resources: 

• Tony Ressler’s Profile
• The Ludacris Foundation Website
• Ares Management Corporation Website
• Atlanta Hawks Website

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In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, host Will Lee speaks with Sharon Price John, President and CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop, about engineering one of retail’s most unlikely turnarounds. Recorded live at BrandWeek, the conversation explores how Build-A-Bear reinvented its business model, leveraged nostalgia and emotional connection, and reshaped investor storytelling to fuel a 2000% stock surge. Sharon shares lessons on distinguishing brand problems from business problems, balancing data with creativity, and expanding into multi-generational audiences while opening new stores as competitors retrenched. A must-listen for marketers navigating reinvention, resilience, and profitable growth.

What You'll Learn:

• How to distinguish between a brand problem and a business problem
• The "Stretchable Brand" framework
• Why 40% of Build-A-Bear's revenue now comes from teens and adults
• The art of strategic storytelling for different audiences
• How to manufacture tradition in retail
• Why financial literacy is non-negotiable for modern CMOs and creative leaders
• How to renegotiate your way out of a structural crisis 
• The operational flywheel in action

About the Guest:

Sharon Price John is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Build-A-Bear Workshop, where she has led the company for nearly 13 years through a remarkable turnaround that saw stock prices increase 2,000% over five years, outpacing NVIDIA, Microsoft, and Oracle. With a background spanning global advertising agencies, brand leadership at Mattel and Disney, and executive roles at Hasbro and Stride Rite Children's Group, Sharon brings deep expertise in brand strategy, vertical retail operations, and consumer-centric marketing.

Guest Resources: 

• Sharon Price John on LinkedIn
• Build-A-Bear Workshop Website

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In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, host Jenny Rooney speaks with Pratik Thakar, Global VP and Head of Generative AI at The Coca-Cola Company, about the brand’s bold, AI-generated holiday campaign unveiled at Brand Week. Thakar explains why Coca-Cola prioritised creative ambition and speed over cost-cutting, and how a human-first approach to AI is reshaping modern marketing. The conversation explores legal and ethical considerations, new agency collaboration models, and how to embed AI expertise across organisations without silos. It’s a clear-eyed look at why AI marks an inflection point CMOs can’t afford to ignore.

What You'll Learn:

• How to position AI as a creative superpower, not a replacement tool
• The "Human First, AI-Amplified" production framework
• Why you cannot treat your biggest business opportunity as a cost-cutting experiment
• How to create organizational velocity through distributed AI adoption
• The legal and IP infrastructure required to scale AI responsibly
• Why iteration speed and re-rendering flexibility are competitive advantages 

About the Guest:

Pratik Thakar is Global Vice President and Head of Generative AI at The Coca-Cola Company, where he leads the development of scalable AI platforms that enhance consumer and brand experiences across Coca-Cola’s global portfolio. With more than 25 years of experience in creative marketing, design, media, and communications, he has delivered award-winning work for some of the world’s most iconic brands. A passionate advocate for human-first AI, Pratik is also an industry leader, educator, and advisor focused on sustainability, equality, and responsible technology.

Guest Resources: 

• Pratik Thakar on LinkedIn
• Coca-Cola Website

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In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, host Ryan Joe speaks with Craig Brommers, CMO of American Eagle, about how bold and polarizing marketing can translate into real business growth. Brommers breaks down the strategy behind American Eagle’s headline-grabbing celebrity campaigns, including how the brand gained over a million new customers by refusing to retreat amid social media backlash. The conversation explores risk-taking and crisis management, while exploring why data and not online noise should guide decision-making. From building momentum like a serialized show to tapping into cultural moments that resonate with Gen Z, this episode offers a clear playbook for modern retail marketers.

What You'll Learn:

• How to Build a Year-Round Holiday Marketing Engine by launching campaigns in August 
• The "Don't Blink" Principle for Crisis Management
• Why Social Media Noise Is Often Just Noise
• Reserving 20-30% "Open-to-Buy" Marketing Capacity to react to cultural moments 
• The Competitive Advantage of Leaning Into Americana Without Politics
• How to Sustain Momentum Post-Viral Campaigns

About the Guest:

Craig Brommers is the Chief Marketing Officer at American Eagle, with deep experience building iconic fashion and apparel brands. His career spans senior leadership roles at Calvin Klein, Gap, and Abercrombie & Fitch, where he became known for bold, culture-defining campaigns. A global, metrics-driven marketing executive, Craig blends creativity with commercial rigour to drive P&L growth, global consistency, and local relevance. He is passionate about purpose-driven brands, digital expansion, and building high-performing teams. Craig holds an MBA from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management.

Guest Resources: 

• Craig Brommers on LinkedIn
• American Eagle Website

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Recorded on the sidelines of Brandweek, this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK features Jenny Rooney in conversation with AG1 CEO Kat Cole. Kat shares her journey from a Hooters hostess to leading a global wellness brand, unpacking how resilience and intuition shape bold leadership decisions. She explains AG1’s evolution from a single-product DTC business to a multi-product, multi-channel brand, including its first global “Good Morning Moon” campaign created in-house with Rick Rubin. Cole also reveals why AG1 redirected marketing spend into $20M of clinical research, upgraded its core formula, and positioned a new sleep product to compete with Netflix, not supplements.

What You'll Learn:

• How to involve your CEO in creative development from concept to launch
• Why rebranding at $160M in revenue is worth the risk
• The power of listening to customers closest to the transaction
• How to redirect marketing spend toward clinical credibility in saturated categories
• Why reformulating a bestselling product is a calculated courage play
• The importance of knowing who you actually compete against

About the Guest:

Kat Cole is Chief Executive Officer of AG1, the leading daily health drink brand. With a distinctive career trajectory spanning restaurant franchising, brand turnarounds, and large-scale portfolio management at Focus Brands (overseeing $4B+ in annual revenue across nine brands), Kat brings operational excellence and entrepreneurial thinking to the health and wellness space. She transformed Cinnabon from a $300 million struggling brand to over $1 billion in revenue within two years and spearheaded the evolution of Carvel, Jamba Juice, and other iconic franchises.

Guest Resources: 

• Kat Cole on LinkedIn
• AG 1 Website

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