Business Of Social

David Brickley

The Business of Social Podcast examines the digital advertising industry and analyzes how brands successfully increase their ad revenue and brand affinity through cutting edge content on social. Host David Brickley owns STN Digital, a digital marketing firm that focuses on digital monetization and original content.

  • 38 minutes 3 seconds
    The #1 WNBA Team on Social is...

    This WNBA season was historic…and the data proves it.

    STN teamed up with Zoomph to analyze 20,000+ posts from every WNBA team, tracking engagement, growth, and earned media value.

    David Brickley is joined by Zoomph's James Ho to reveal the biggest takeaways from the 2025 WNBA Social Rankings, including the teams, formats, and content types driving massive impact.

    This episode covers: • How the Fever delivered $55M+ in social value • Why the Wings saw a 5x spike in engagement • The NBA crossover content outperforming everything else • What Facebook is still getting right • Where brands and sponsors can actually stand out

    Download the full WNBA 2025 Season Social Ranking Data: https://www.stndigital.com/wnba-social-media-rankings/

    📬 Sign up for David's monthly newsletter—Real insights, bold strategies, and the smartest plays in social delivered to your inbox 👉 https://www.stndigital.com/db/

    Interested in becoming a guest on the podcast? Reach out to our team at [email protected]

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    STN Digital is a social-first marketing agency that specializes in launching brands and building highly engaged audiences.

    ➡Check us out: https://www.stndigital.com/

    ➡Get in touch with our team: https://www.stndigital.com/contact/

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Want more insights? Follow David:

    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@davidbrickley

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/DavidjBrickley

    LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/brickley

    Instagram: http://instagram.com/davidjbrickley

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davidjamesbrickley

    12 November 2025, 7:42 pm
  • 1 hour 10 minutes
    Relationships, Boundaries & the Science of Feeling Safe ft. Sabrina Zohar

    Sabrina Zohar, host of The Sabrina Zohar Show (7M+ downloads, top 0.1% globally), joins David Brickley for a raw, honest conversation about mental health, dating, relationships, and childhood trauma—and how all of it ties into the patterns we carry as adults.

    They unpack the psychology behind anxious vs avoidant attachments, the neuroscience of texting anxiety, the truth about boundaries (hint: it's not about telling people what to do), and how to actually rewire old beliefs instead of projecting them onto your partner.

    From real talk about her own healing journey to the patterns she sees in thousands of clients, this episode is packed with insight, self-awareness, and the kind of honesty that makes you feel seen.

    🎧 Listen to her podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sabrina-zohar-show/id1668235178

    📬 Sign up for David's monthly newsletter—Real insights, bold strategies, and the smartest plays in social delivered to your inbox 👉 https://www.stndigital.com/db/

    Interested in becoming a guest on the podcast? Reach out to our team at [email protected]

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    STN Digital is a social-first marketing agency that specializes in launching brands and building highly engaged audiences.

    ➡Check us out: https://www.stndigital.com/

    ➡Get in touch with our team: https://www.stndigital.com/contact/

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Want more insights? Follow David:

    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@davidbrickley

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/DavidjBrickley

    LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/brickley

    Instagram: http://instagram.com/davidjbrickley

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davidjamesbrickley

    12 November 2025, 3:22 pm
  • 1 hour 3 minutes
    StubHub's Secret To Breaking The Internet

    Caity Bransby, Head of Global Social - Growth, Strategy, Analytics at StubHub, joins David Brickley to break down how her team built a content engine that taps into real-time trends, drives massive earned reach, and keeps StubHub top-of-mind across sports and entertainment.

    They walk through the exact moments that broke the internet—from the Kendrick Lamar tower edit to Coldplay's HR scandal to the Jalen voodoo doll—and break down the real strategy, approvals, and creative instincts behind them.

    📍 StubHub social links and campaigns mentioned in this episode:

    • Kendrick Lamar vs. Drake / Toronto Tower: https://x.com/StubHub/status/1933210064976031791

    • Jalen Brunson voodoo doll TikTok fan: https://www.tiktok.com/@darmiikim/video/7504911161129930030

    • Coldplay HR cheating scandal: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMOer8VsIt_/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    • Chapel Roan tour moment: https://www.tiktok.com/@stubhub/video/7552546603509288247

    • Billie Eilish "Red Bandana Girl": https://www.tiktok.com/@stubhub/video/7559747224914152759

    • Bad Bunny Super Bowl reaction: https://www.instagram.com/p/DPNCRNxDWR-/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    📬 Sign up for David's monthly newsletter—Real insights, bold strategies, and the smartest plays in social delivered to your inbox 👉 https://www.stndigital.com/db/

    Interested in becoming a guest on the podcast? Reach out to our team at [email protected]

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    STN Digital is a social-first marketing agency that specializes in launching brands and building highly engaged audiences.

    ➡Check us out: https://www.stndigital.com/

    ➡Get in touch with our team: https://www.stndigital.com/contact/

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Want more insights? Follow David:

    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@davidbrickley

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/DavidjBrickley

    LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/brickley

    Instagram: http://instagram.com/davidjbrickley

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davidjamesbrickley

    30 October 2025, 5:09 pm
  • 26 minutes 23 seconds
    7 Sports Sponsorships that Sports Fans Loved

    Too many brands still try to hijack the culture instead of creating with it. In this episode, David Brickley breaks down seven sports sponsorships that actually worked—each one built trust, earned credibility, and showed how to add to the conversation instead of interrupting it.

    From LeBron's viral Prime Day tease to Nike's emotional Asia Wilson campaign, these are the moments that didn't just check the brand box—they created real fan connection.

    David walks through each one, explains why it worked, and gives you the playbook to create campaigns that sports fans actually want to share.

    🎥 Also discussed:

    Casey Hurbis (CMO of BetMGM) on why some campaigns flop: https://youtu.be/FGGDk5hddY4

    LeBron's Paid Sponsorship Post Went VIRAL. I Explain Why…: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pn1Jro1newo

    📌 Clips referenced in this episode:

    Amazon Prime Day × LeBron James: "What's Next"

    Nike: "Winning Isn't for Everyone"

    Nike IG: Scotty Scheffler "Guilty" Post

    State Farm × Caitlin Clark: "From the Logo"

    Nike × A'ja Wilson: "One of a Kind"

    Royal Kingdom × LeBron James

    Gatorade × Cooper Flagg: "Mic Drop"

    Bonus Spec Ad:

    Converse × SGA (creator: @carstensen_)

    Tyrese Haliburton × Pacers (vs. Knicks) — "In New York"

    📬 Sign up for David's monthly newsletter—Real insights, bold strategies, and the smartest plays in social delivered to your inbox 👉 https://www.stndigital.com/db/

    Interested in becoming a guest on the podcast? Reach out to our team at [email protected]

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    STN Digital is a social-first marketing agency that specializes in launching brands and building highly engaged audiences.

    ➡Check us out: https://www.stndigital.com/

    ➡Get in touch with our team: https://www.stndigital.com/contact/

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Want more insights? Follow David:

    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@davidbrickley

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/DavidjBrickley

    LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/brickley

    Instagram: http://instagram.com/davidjbrickley

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davidjamesbrickley

    22 October 2025, 2:31 pm
  • 4 minutes 30 seconds
    The New US Only TikTok App

    It's official: TikTok is getting a U.S.-based spinoff. Trump signed an executive order valuing the U.S. portion at $14 billion, shifting control of the algorithm, data, and oversight into U.S. hands—likely via Oracle.

    But here's what's still unclear: Will you still be able to search for global content? Will your For You Page feel like a walled garden? Will brands and sports teams need regional accounts to stay visible?

    In this episode, David Brickley breaks down what's actually changing, what remains unknown, and what it means for creators, marketers, and sports orgs that rely on TikTok for discovery and reach.

    READ: SBJ Article: https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2025/10/15/tiktoks-us-only-split-could-shake-up-sports-and-entertainment-marketing/

    📬 Sign up for David's monthly newsletter—Real insights, bold strategies, and the smartest plays in social delivered to your inbox 👉 https://www.stndigital.com/db/

    Interested in becoming a guest on the podcast? Reach out to our team at [email protected]

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    STN Digital is a social-first marketing agency that specializes in launching brands and building highly engaged audiences.

    ➡Check us out: https://www.stndigital.com/

    ➡Get in touch with our team: https://www.stndigital.com/contact/

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Want more insights? Follow David:

    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@davidbrickley

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/DavidjBrickley

    LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/brickley

    Instagram: http://instagram.com/davidjbrickley

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davidjamesbrickley

    21 October 2025, 2:44 pm
  • 52 minutes 48 seconds
    How BetMGM Is Winning the Sports Betting War

    In this episode, David Brickley sits down with Casey Hurbis, Chief Marketing Officer at BetMGM, to talk about brand-building in crowded markets, the evolution of betting, and how smart marketers earn attention.

    They cover:

    - Why a great customer experience still beats a great offer

    - The biggest challenge in regulated markets—and how BetMGM navigates 29 states

    - The power of loyalty programs in a world of app-switching bettors

    - How Casey approached rebranding BetMGM (and why Jon Hamm was the right call)

    - The biggest mistake marketers make when jumping into new spaces

    Casey also opens up about what he looks for in brand ambassadors, the tools that help him do his job, and what advice he gives to rising marketers trying to make it to the CMO seat.

    #BetMGM #SportsMarketing #DigitalMarketing #CMO #BusinessOfSocial #BrandStrategy #SportsBetting #MarketingLeadership

    📬 Sign up for David's monthly newsletter—Real insights, bold strategies, and the smartest plays in social delivered to your inbox 👉 https://www.stndigital.com/db/

    Interested in becoming a guest on the podcast? Reach out to our team at [email protected]

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    STN Digital is a social-first marketing agency that specializes in launching brands and building highly engaged audiences.

    ➡Check us out: https://www.stndigital.com/

    ➡Get in touch with our team: https://www.stndigital.com/contact/

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Want more insights? Follow David:

    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@davidbrickley

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/DavidjBrickley

    LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/brickley

    Instagram: http://instagram.com/davidjbrickley

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davidjamesbrickley

    22 September 2025, 3:00 pm
  • 1 hour 7 minutes
    The Marketing Powerhouse Behind Caitlin Clark, Fever & the Pacers' Rise

    🔥 The Indiana Fever and Pacers are out-engaging major brands—and they're doing it without relying on follower count.

    David Brickley sits down with Tyler Beadlecomb, SVP of Marketing Content at Pacers Sports & Entertainment, to break down how his team builds shareable content, taps into cultural moments like Stranger Things, and turns viral spikes into long-term fan growth.

    📱 This episode covers:

    - Why the Fever's draft-day animation became a full content franchise

    - How to create branded content fans actually want to engage with

    - The shift from follower-based goals to recommendation-based success

    - What TikTok's algorithm changes could mean for global reach

    - How to build marketing that wins—regardless of your team's record

    #WNBA #IndianaFever #Pacers #CaitlinClark #TikTokStrategy #SportsMarketing #StrangerThings #BusinessOfSocial

    📬 Sign up for David's monthly newsletter—Real insights, bold strategies, and the smartest plays in social delivered to your inbox 👉 https://www.stndigital.com/db/

    Interested in becoming a guest on the podcast? Reach out to our team at [email protected]

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    STN Digital is a social-first marketing agency that specializes in launching brands and building highly engaged audiences.

    ➡Check us out: https://www.stndigital.com/

    ➡Get in touch with our team: https://www.stndigital.com/contact/

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Want more insights? Follow David:

    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@davidbrickley

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/DavidjBrickley

    LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/brickley

    Instagram: http://instagram.com/davidjbrickley

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davidjamesbrickley

    3 September 2025, 3:30 pm
  • 8 minutes 2 seconds
    How Social Has Changed in the Last Decade

    🎙️🌴 Recorded at Sport Beach during the Cannes Lions Festival

    In this special edition of the Business of Social, David Brickley sits down with Theresa LeBlanc, VP of Client Services at STN Digital, for her first on-the-record interview.

    They dive into:

    • How agency life has evolved—from hero graphics to real-time shareable content

    • Why embracing change is non-negotiable for anyone in social

    • The mindset that separates thriving marketers from the ones who burn out

    • Radical candor as a superpower in leadership and client relationships

    • Why community and shareability are at the center of where social is heading next

    Theresa also breaks down the traits of people built for agency life—and why you should run toward the deep end if you're serious about growing fast.

    #VoicesOfSportBeach #CannesLions #SportBeach #AgencyLife #SocialMediaStrategy #DigitalMarketing #MarketingLeadership #BusinessOfSocial

    📬 Sign up for David's monthly newsletter—Real insights, bold strategies, and the smartest plays in social delivered to your inbox 👉 https://www.stndigital.com/db/

    Interested in becoming a guest on the podcast? Reach out to our team at [email protected]

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    STN Digital is a social-first marketing agency that specializes in launching brands and building highly engaged audiences.

    ➡Check us out: https://www.stndigital.com/

    ➡Get in touch with our team: https://www.stndigital.com/contact/

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Want more insights? Follow David:

    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@davidbrickley

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/DavidjBrickley

    LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/brickley

    Instagram: http://instagram.com/davidjbrickley

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davidjamesbrickley

    31 July 2025, 3:00 pm
  • 16 minutes 23 seconds
    Why Every Fortune 500 Seems to Be Investing in Sports Culture

    🎙️🌴 Recorded at Sport Beach during the Cannes Lions Festival

    David Brickley sits down with TJ Adeshola (Operating Partner at Arctos and former Global Head of Sports at Twitter) to talk about everything—from the evolution of social, to athlete-led storytelling, to why sports remains the most undervalued asset in media.

    👀 Highlights:

    • How lived experience—not just information—is the new marketing advantage

    • Why creator economy infrastructure matters more than ever

    • The power of distribution and what most athletes still get wrong

    • What TJ learned from advising some of the biggest brands in sports

    • Why sports is still the best investment in media

    This is a front-row masterclass on career longevity, relationship building, and staying ahead of the curve in sports and media.

    #VoicesOfSportBeach #CannesLions #SportBeach #SportsMarketing #CreatorEconomy #DigitalStrategy #BusinessOfSocial #AthleteMarketing

    📬 Sign up for David's monthly newsletter—Real insights, bold strategies, and the smartest plays in social delivered to your inbox 👉 https://www.stndigital.com/db/

    Interested in becoming a guest on the podcast? Reach out to our team at [email protected]

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    STN Digital is a social-first marketing agency that specializes in launching brands and building highly engaged audiences.

    ➡Check us out: https://www.stndigital.com/

    ➡Get in touch with our team: https://www.stndigital.com/contact/

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Want more insights? Follow David:

    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@davidbrickley

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/DavidjBrickley

    LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/brickley

    Instagram: http://instagram.com/davidjbrickley

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davidjamesbrickley

    29 July 2025, 3:00 pm
  • 13 minutes 56 seconds
    The #1 Mistake Brands Make on Social Media

    🎙️🌴 Recorded at Sport Beach during the Cannes Lions Festival

    David Brickley reunites with long-time industry friend and Fresh Tape Media GM Danny Halpren for a real-time pulse check on social, agencies, platforms, and where things are headed next.

    🧠 In this episode:

    • Why small agencies are thriving (and what big agencies still don't get)

    • The rise—and over-saturation—of lo-fi content

    • How creators are becoming distribution rocket fuel

    • What metrics actually matter in 2025 (spoiler: not followers)

    • A candid look at what the OGs of social are still learning

    If you've ever had to explain to leadership why views > followers or why TikTok Shop is changing consumer behavior—this one's for you.

    📬 Sign up for David's monthly newsletter—Real insights, bold strategies, and the smartest plays in social delivered to your inbox 👉 https://www.stndigital.com/db/

    Interested in becoming a guest on the podcast? Reach out to our team at [email protected]

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    STN Digital is a social-first marketing agency that specializes in launching brands and building highly engaged audiences.

    ➡Check us out: https://www.stndigital.com/

    ➡Get in touch with our team: https://www.stndigital.com/contact/

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Want more insights? Follow David:

    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@davidbrickley

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/DavidjBrickley

    LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/brickley

    Instagram: http://instagram.com/davidjbrickley

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davidjamesbrickley

    24 July 2025, 3:00 pm
  • 16 minutes 49 seconds
    Why Most Brands Fail With Athletes

    🎙️🌴 Recorded at Sport Beach during the Cannes Lions Festival

    David Brickley sits down with Cassie Kennedy, Director of Player Marketing at the NFLPA, for a wide-ranging conversation on athlete partnerships, storytelling, and how brands can stop missing the mark.

    🔥 Topics include:

    • The real reason some athlete-brand deals fall flat

    • Why followers are a distraction—and what actually drives engagement

    • How fandom powers everything from Chipotle orders to Madden covers

    • The future of creator x athlete content

    • dWhy brands need to think beyond social and into experiences

    If you're a marketer, brand lead, or agency working with athletes, this is a must-watch playbook on what actually works.

    #NFLPA #AthleteMarketing #VoicesOfSportBeach #BusinessOfSocial #SportsMarketing #CannesLions #SportBeach

    📬 Sign up for David's monthly newsletter—Real insights, bold strategies, and the smartest plays in social delivered to your inbox 👉 https://www.stndigital.com/db/

    Interested in becoming a guest on the podcast? Reach out to our team at [email protected]

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    STN Digital is a social-first marketing agency that specializes in launching brands and building highly engaged audiences.

    ➡Check us out: https://www.stndigital.com/

    ➡Get in touch with our team: https://www.stndigital.com/contact/

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Want more insights? Follow David:

    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@davidbrickley

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/DavidjBrickley

    LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/brickley

    Instagram: http://instagram.com/davidjbrickley

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davidjamesbrickley

    22 July 2025, 3:00 pm
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