On Strategy Showcase

Fergus O’Carroll

Where marketers tell the stories behind the strategies that led to amazing campaigns.

  • 45 minutes 32 seconds
    On the Spot: Levis and Jeep

    It's planners talking brands they've never worked on. I'm joined this month by John Kenny, CSO at Eversana Intouch and Ashley Williams, SVP, Experience Design at Spark Foundry, NYC. We're talking two iconic American brands. You can also watch this episode and see the creative work on our YouTube channel or website. Link below. Thanks to Tracksuit and System1 for making this series possible. 

    www.onstrategyshowcase.com

    12 April 2026, 11:00 am
  • 43 minutes 28 seconds
    Planning for Effective Outcomes 2026 Ep#1: Getting to the Client Brief

    Colin Kavanagh, CMO at Pernod Ricard, Adam Craw, Global Head of Prime Marketing at Amazon and George Felix, EVP CMO at Brinker International discuss how they get to defining their objectives, challenges, strategies and audience insights. And who writes the client brief. Thanks to the Effies and to Tracksuit for supporting this 6 part 2026 effectiveness series. 

    5 April 2026, 9:00 pm
  • 49 minutes 26 seconds
    Life in the Valley live from Uber in San Francisco

    Global marketing leaders from Uber, Airbnb, Coinbase and WestCap Private Equity join me for a conversation about the culture of marketing in the valley - all four came from an agency background. It's an honest, fascinating conversation. Thanks to Tracksuit, Ipsos and The Effies for supporting our live tour. You can also watch this episode on our YouTube channel or website.

    29 March 2026, 8:00 pm
  • 46 minutes 43 seconds
    How this Grand Effie winner fought generics and held its price premium

    In a category dominated by generics (60%) and fixated on ever-faster pain relief, Nurofen escaped the category's tropes with a message that connected with women in a deeper, more meaningful way. I'm joined by McCann London's CEO, Mel Arrow and Strategy Partner, Jocelyn Major. 

    22 March 2026, 1:00 pm
  • 42 minutes
    W+K and Trainline on turning your greatest weakness into opportunity

    Trainline (a train ticket booking platform) is on a quest to own the journey, not just the ticket. W+K's CSO in Amsterdam, Nick Docherty and Trainline's VP Brand & Marketing, Jo McClintock, join me to share the thinking behind "The Way to Train." 

    15 March 2026, 4:00 pm
  • 40 minutes 28 seconds
    Dos Equis' Most Interesting Man In the World is back. We talk about why

    It should never have ended, but after a ten year break it's returning in all its epic glory. We get the backstory from Matt Saltzstein, VP Brand Marketing at Heineken and Jim Curtis, CCO at LePub, NYC. Stay Thirsty My Friends.

    8 March 2026, 5:00 pm
  • 50 minutes
    On the Spot: Rocket Mortgage and other post Super Bowl rants

    It's planners talking brands they've never worked on. I'm joined this month by Emily Garvey, Head of Strategy at Zulu Alpha Kilo, NYC, and Caitlin Cody, EVP, Group Strategy Director at BBDO, Chicago. As always, balancing our opinions with facts are Tracksuit's Matthew Herbert and System1's Vanessa Chin. 

    1 March 2026, 7:00 pm
  • 40 minutes 36 seconds
    The new book that makes the business case for creative effectiveness

    The Effies and System1 have released The Creative Dividend. The book introduces tools to help marketers defend investment, improve work, and make advertising a more dependable driver of business growth. I talk with Effie CEO, Traci Alford, Effie CMO, Juliet Haygarth and System1 SVP, Andrew Tindall. Learn how to download the book for free.

    22 February 2026, 5:00 pm
  • 40 minutes 44 seconds
    Revisiting Challenger Brand Theory with Hugh Derrick of Eat Big Fish

    Hugh Derrick is a long time partner at the Eat Big Fish consultancy in London. We talk about the principles outlined in Adam Morgan's original book and how time and shifts in social behavior have impacted its theories. A great conversation.

    16 February 2026, 4:00 am
  • 1 hour 5 minutes
    Live from Arnold in Boston: Brains, Grit and Brand Building

    Boston has been a creative powerhouse for decades. While agencies like Mullen, The Barbarian Group, Modernista, and Hill Holiday have all left their mark, Arnold continues to this day, alongside smaller agencies like Colossus, to make a mark with national work (think Progressive Insurance) that makes most of us jealous. Boston also houses many in-house agencies at companies including The LEGO Group. Shark Ninja, Staples, Liberty Mutual, New Balance, Puma, etc. We talk about all this and more with many of the people at its center. Thanks to Tracksuit, Ipsos and the Effies for supporting our live tour.

    10 February 2026, 12:00 am
  • 44 minutes 2 seconds
    Müller Rice's award-winning pivot from attempting persuasion to avoiding rejection

    After hitting a dead-end using traditional planning methods, the frustrated team discovered the true problem and pivoted to success. I'm joined by VCCP's CSO Max Keane and Planning Director Matt Hayes to talk through their Müller Rice award-winning Rice, Rice Baby campaign.

    1 February 2026, 8:00 pm
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