All it took was a curly-wurly and a whiff of Hooblahoo to snare bumbling, bestselling author, Andrew Boulton, this week.  A senior lecturer on copywriting and creative advertising at the University of Lincoln, Andrew has over a decade’s scribbling experience writing for big brands, tiny brands, and even a man who carved dolphins out of cheese. Andrew talks to us on tonnes of topics, including being robbed by Roy Keane, teaching, why copywriting makes you a better creative writer, Umbongo, a cartoon toilet brush, his terrible radio play, wandering, words with no consonants, the inspiration behind Adele Writes an Ad, and a whole lot more. You’d be a fool not to let us bend your ear ‘ere. ///// Follow Andrew on Twitter and LinkedIn Get wandering with Creativity in the Wild on ISOLATED Talks  Here’s his column for The Drum His book Adele Writes an Ad might be just the thing for ad parents struggling to explain what they do to their children There’s also a free audiobook version narrated by gem Higgins And for a glimpse into what life as a copywriter is like, here’s Copywriting Is Andrew’s book recommendations are: Read Me by Gyles Lingwood   Junior by Thomas Kemeny   The Art of the Click by Glenn Fisher   /////

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73: Andrew Boulton

This week we’ve laced up our hiking boots and traversed the trails of North Carolina to track down Founder and CEO of Indie Consulting, Molly Baker, for a chinwag.  Molly is a digital marketing pro both client-side and agency-side chops, including a tasty stint at Ben & Jerry’s. Over the past 3 years she’s built a fully remote team of boffins around the world who agree that nothing is more valuable than people’s time and thoughts.   She gives us the lowdown on her first job as a “supreme babysitter”, why her mum had her filling out cost sheets at 14-years-old, studying abroad in Perugia, what she’s learnt building a remote team, how to avoid Zoom fatigue, the art and science of data driven marketing, accountability and ethics when using data, her counterargument to Byron Sharp’s POV on brand loyalty, her approach to client services, building trust and tons more. ///// Follow Molly on LinkedIn and Instagram Check out Indie Consulting and sign up for their newsletter Fight off Zoom fatigue with advice from her ISOLATED Talks donation Molly’s book recommendations are:  The Great Client Partner by Jared Belsky   The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah   The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah   The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah   /////

72: Molly Baker

This week we’ve got our longship out of dry dock and nipped North to Nyhavn to snare Danish marketing activist and author, Thomas Kolster.  Hell-bent on making businesses put people and the planet first, Thomas is a branding and sustainability professional, the founder of the global Goodvertising movement, and the author of two books, Goodvertising and The Hero Trap. He talks to us about joining the industry with dreams of helicopters and Ogilvy’s Chateau, frustration, getting brand purpose all wrong, the problem when megalomanic brands try to do good, Simon Sinek’s self-glorifying exercises, dinosaurs, what he really thinks of Patagonia, consuming Carlsberg and playing Lego (simultaneously, of course), where to get an evasive cheap pint in Copenhagen and bucket loads more. ///// Follow Thomas on Twitter and LinkedIn Here’s his website Check out his books: The Hero Trap Goodvertising And if you’re gasping for a pint in Copenhagen, but don’t fancy paying through the nose for it, Thomas recommends Det Lille Øresund, Oehlenschlægersgade 41, 1663, Copenhagen. Thomas’s book recommendation is:  Spørge-Jørgen by Kamme Laurents and Robert Storm Petersen   /////

71: Thomas Kolster

 Summer is over, so we’re migrating south (well, to Bristol) to catch a Bird not afraid to ruffle some feathers: one of the all-time greats in the world of copywriting, Drayton Bird.  A man who could fill The British Library twice-over with his stories of mayhem and misadventure, Drayton was dubbed the man who “knows more about direct marketing than anyone in the world” by David Ogilvy and, at 85 years old, still writes great copy every day.  He chirps to us on what makes a great copywriter, reading, what he learned from David Ogilvy, applying his principles to Airbus planes and Peppa Pig, living under a false name for 7 years, why despair is the route to success, skirting death (more than once) and a treasure trove more. ///// Follow Drayton on Twitter and LinkedIn Here’s his website And sign up for his mailing list (if you're brave enough) If you want to learn from the man himself, check out Ask Drayton Get a free copy of Scientific Advertising Drayton’s book recommendations are: Ogilvy on Advertising by David Ogilvy   Scientific Advertising by Claude Hopkins   Tested Advertising Methods by John Caples   How to Write Sales Letters that Sell by Drayton Bird   /////

70: Drayton Bird

This week we’ve ditched the Dolmio and danced across the pond to sniff out Brooklyn’s master meatball maker and talented designer, Victoria Rosselli.  Victoria is a freelance Art Director and Designer based in New York. She’s also a Pitch 100 Superwoman and co-founder of Our Silent Partner, a collection of crowdsourced work designed to give voice to the silent mental health struggles of creatives. We tuck into tons of topics including the benefits of an early internship at FCB, mental health in the advertising industry and why she chose to leave it altogether, hustle culture, imposter syndrome, freaky flashbacks of Gary Vaynerchuk, using ADHD as a creative advantage, Our Silent Partner, and, most importantly, the Rosselli family secrets for a winning meatball are revealed. Buon appetito. ///// You can find Victoria on Twitter and Instagram. Go support Our Silent Partner. Here’s her Campaign article on mental health and working in advertising. Watch Mental Health and Creativity by Victoria Rosselli and Laurel Stark Akman. Enjoy the Mental Health Matters Clear Channel Event.     Victoria kindly dedicates this episode to Becky Brinkerhoff. Give her some love too. And, most importantly, has Victoria finished redoing her portfolio yet? Victoria’s book recommendations are: The Secret Lives of Colour by Kassia St Clair   Fake Accounts by Lauren Oyler   /////

69: Victoria Rosselli

There’s a Freaky Friday/Trading Places film vibe to this episode, as JP Castlin puts the boot very much on the other foot to volley a tonne of tough posers to the outspoken founder and Creative Director of Gasp, and this show’s usual host, Giles Edwards.    A “wonderful overachiever”, he’s also the creator of ISOLATED Talks and has collaborated on two #1 best-selling books. He believes in “proper (timeless) Marketing” and its vital role in the boardroom and usually rants about this, and more, with esteemed guests on this podcast. But today, it is him who is in the hot seat.   He talks to us on almost becoming Comic Book Guy from The Simpsons, learning Serbo-Croat and the fundamentals of communication, what he set out to do with Gasp, media neutrality, the noose around the neck of many marketers (aka the billable hour), awards, behavioural economics, stand-up comedy, and Wu-Tang Clan. Plus, find out why the front page of an Indonesian newspaper dubbed him “Mr. Cheater” after an ill-fated spelling bee… ///// You can find Giles on Twitter and LinkedIn.   Enjoy all 67 episodes of Call to Action so far.   Check out and support ISOLATED Talks.   Don’t Be Brave, Be Right by Giles Edwards and Ryan Wallman. Here’s the Hans Brinker ads, the Party Cannon logo, and Gasp’s award-winning crumpled up letter campaign.   A huge thank you to a friend of the show JP Castlin who, not being content with being on this podcast twice already, humbly invited himself to be a guest host. You can listen to both his episodes of Call to Action here and here. Giles’s book recommendations are: Delusions of Brandeur by Ryan Wallman   Copywriting Is by Andrew Boulton   How to Make Better Advertising and Advertising Better by Vic Polkinghorne and Andy Palmer   A Smile in the Mind by Beryl McAlhone and David Stuart    Sync by Steven Strogatz   /////

68: Giles Edwards

We flogged an old, precious ad book on Amazon for three grand and just about covered a one-way ticket t’Blackpool (cheers privatisation) to nab one of the most outspoken voices in ad land: copywriter, Creative Director and author, Steve Harrison.    He’s bagged more Cannes Lions in his discipline than any other Creative Director in the world, and his book “How to do better creative work” became the most expensive ad book ever sold. His new, updated version of "Can't Sell, Won't Sell: Advertising, Politics and Culture Wars" has turned up the heat and promises to be “the most provocative advertising book in years”.    He not only shoots the breeze, but scary Birds, the big problem with big agencies, the juggernaut band-wagon of social purpose, class and the diversity conversation, and the vanity and entitlement of our industry to think we can set a cultural agenda. In fact, we had to stop and reload a few times to take aim at industry leaders, publications, Soho pub-goers, and Peter Crouch. What an episode. /////   Follow Steve on Twitter and LinkedIn  Bung the updated version of Can’t Sell, Won’t Sell in yer’ basket   Check out How To Write Better Copy  Here’s his biography on Howard Gossage   And here’s How to do better creative work (but good luck getting your mitts on it!)  Here’s his pod with Dave Dye  And the talk we mention by Hans Rosling   Steve’s book recommendations are: More Bull More by Jeremy Bullmore  Factfulness by Hans Rosling   /////

67: Steve Harrison

We’ve set tripwires to snare the Jimmy Choo’s of the freelance community’s very own Anna Wintour, the editor of Freelancer Magazine, Sophie Cross.     An OG freelancer with over 15 years’ marketing experience, Sophie launched her very own 100-pages of glossy printed freelance goodness earlier this year.    She talks to us her first cheese-related jobs, thinking she wasn’t creative enough for marketing, sausage and mash business plans, launching a magazine, her ‘Kevin from Home Alone’ moment, starting before you’re ready, the immensely supportive freelance community, how to get your first client and more. Ears this way please.  /////   Check out Sophie’s website   Follow her on Twitter   Issue 2 ‘Community’ of Freelancer Magazine is out now  Watch Start Before You’re Ready on ISOLATED Talks  Listen to the stunning rendition of Dave Harland’s poem ‘Dogs’  Sophie kindly dedicated this episode to @thatcontentshed    Sophie’s book recommendations are: The Artists Way by Julia Cameron   The Choice Factory by Richard Shotton  /////

66: Sophie Cross

This week we’ve laid bait of crisp apple strudels and schnitzel with noodles to snare Munich-based performance artist, Marcus John Henry Brown, to talk on a few of his favourite things.    Hisüber-talented creative chops have conjured up “performance hacks”, a keynote format that disrupts conference proceedings, delighting and shocking audiences across the world.    Marcus gives us the lowdown on the best (and worst) Batman, hacking business conferences, creating Blade Runner with PowerPoint, hanging in there as an artist last year, audience obsession, ideas, your left buttock, and tonnes more.    Plus, there’s an unmissable masterclass on how to do better virtual keynotes. Danke schön. ///// You can follow Marcus on Twitter Here’s his website Check out his performances and tips to make better virtual keynotes here His beloved ISOLATED Talk Hanging in There is well worth a watch too  These are his speaking terms and conditions Marcus’s book recommendations are: Anything by Mark Earls   Anything by Eaon Pritchard  Anything in the future by Vikki Ross (So keep an eye out here)  /////

65: Marcus John Henry Brown

 We’ve masqueraded as a bellboy and snuck into the G-Suite to catch freak in the (Google) Sheets and designer turned creative strategist, Izzi Hays, this week.  An awfully loud introvert, Izzi Rascal is bonkers for a tricky problem and is currently breaking industry moulds and bolstering their strategy chops at MultiAdaptor. They chinwag to us on their accidental shift from design to strategy, empathy, bullsh*t job titles, why a good craftsperson isn’t always a good manager, research in the wild, what living in 10 countries has taught them, building diverse teams, pancakes, what they’d be doing in a world without brands and tonnes more.///// You can follow Izzi on Twitter Check out MultiAdaptor Here’s One Sandbox Make your life easier with Raindrop and Notion With the subtlety of a bulldozer, we manage to plug our episodes with: Zoe Scaman, Doug Melville, Nick Ellis, Andrew Willshire and Sarah Benson. So go forth and gorge on those too.Izzi’s book recommendations are: The Art of Innovation by Tom Kelley  Real Life by Brandon Taylor   Speculative Everything: Design, Fiction, and Social Dreaming by Anthony Dunne and Fiona Raby   /////

64: Izzi Hays

This week we’re leading the frontline charge against marketing B.S. by catching and conscribing the fiery Frenchman and frère from another mère, Louis Grenier.  Quite simply one of the most maverick marketers on the planet, Louis’ mega-successful marketing podcast, Everyone Hates Marketers, has over 1 million downloads and interviews industry giants like Seth Godin and Mark Ritson.   Lend us your ears for a riotous rendezvous on why everyone really hates marketers, being radically different, how to up your Tinder game, the problem with looking at your own belly button, misquoting Richard Shotton, psychographics, and a bike shed load more.  Plus, find out what on earth Marcelo Bielsa and Daft Punk have in common. ///// You can follow Louis on Twitter  Learn to stand the f*ck out by signing up for his newsletter Listen to his podcast Everyone Hates Marketers (after this one, of course) Watch Louis’ talk for The Marketing Meetup And here’s what Russell Davies has to say about “bikeshedding”   Louis’ book recommendations are: Purple Cow by Seth Godin  ZAG by Marty Neumeier  Different by Youngme Moon   Eat Your Greens by Wiemer Snijders   How Brands Grow by Byron Sharp   Building Distinctive Brand Assets by Jenni Romaniuk   Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari  /////

63: Louis Grenier

 This week we’ve cast a spell to catch one of the most talented strategists in Middle-earth the UK, ad land’s answer to Gandalf, Richard Huntington.   A high-octane brand strategist, Richard has been leading his merry band of creatives and hobbits to the edge of The Shire for nearly 30 years. Richard is currently Chairman, Chief Strategy Officer, and part of the furniture at Saatchi & Saatchi. He talks to us on being interesting versus being right, the lost art of salesmanship, why you must join a choir, wild swimming, how buying a dog grooming magazine will make you a better strategist, and finally, if there really is one brief template to rule them all.  You’d be a fool of a Took not to fill your ear canals up. ///// Follow Richard on Twitter Here’s his blog, Adliterate Richard kindly dedicates this episode to Marie Benton so make sure to check out the wonderful work of The Choir with No Name  Richard’s book recommendation is: Waterlog by Roger Deakin /////

62: Richard Huntington

 We snuck aboard a streetcar and cruised down Castro Street to catch the Bay Area’s finest Creative Director and Pitch 100 Superwoman, Laurel Stark Akman, this week. Laurel leads creative marketing efforts for The Sims at EA and is the mind (and heart) behind “world changing” and “industry bettering” work, including mental health initiative, Our Silent Partner, and diversity boosting portfolio competition, Next Creative Leaders. She adds smarts and sass to tons of topics including going to ad school to make her right-brained parents happy, why thrashing in the undergrowth makes you a better creative, her own mental health journey, finding her voice, creating a space for the parts of her the industry didn’t celebrate, mentorship matchmaking and lots more.///// Follow Laurel on Twitter and Instagram Check out her website Sign up for Mentorship Matchmaking And go support Laurel’s brilliant initiatives, Our Silent Partner and Next Creative Leaders Laurel kindly dedicates this episode to Niki Selken  If you are interested in shadow work, have a look at:Laurel’s article for The Rosie Report This program and this bookLaurel’s book recommendations are: Pick Me by Nancy Vonk and Janet Kestin  Darling, You Can’t Do Both by Janet Kestin and Nancy Vonk   Herding Tigers by Todd Henry  Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May /////

61: Laurel Stark Akman

We’ve posed as a jester in the throne room of the Burger Kingdom to nab the recently abdicated and most influential CMO and brand genius in the industry; the mind behind the Mouldy Whopper, Fernando Machado. A global marketer with enough Lions to rival Joe Exotic, Fernando has recently tucked into a new role as CMO at Activision Blizzard. At the time of recording, Fer was CMO at Restaurant Brands International, serving up great creative work for Burger King, Popeyes and Tim Hortons.  So, pull up to the next window and pick-up Fer’s final flame-grilled interview* pre-abdicating. We chat on his obsession with creativity, how to make the case for creativity, the role of the CMO, why Mouldy Whopper was never a risk, brand heritage, cancel culture, Bill Bernbach, Dads in Briefs and the cliff divers of Acapulco. Do you want fries with that?     *probably///// Follow Fernando on Twitter  Check out The One Club for Creativity BGH Air Conditioners: Dads in Briefs    Fernando’s book recommendations are: Bill Bernbach's Book by Bob Levenson  The Copy Book by D&AD  /////

60: Fernando Machado

It’s lights out and we’re off with Red Bull Racing alumni, David Granger, in the driver’s seat, this week.  David got his wings managing the international digital and social strategy for Red Bull, its Formula One teams and for companies in aviation, fashion and music including the Wu-Tang Clan.  So protect ya neck as David brings da ruckus on reading ‘F1 for Dummies’ (twice) before joining Red Bull Racing, pissing off Fernando Alonso, owing his career to Leo Sayer, taking pole position ahead of other F1 teams on the socials and using it to deal with feuding fans…badly. Oh, and after a quick pit stop to chat AR in sports, find out what Giles really thinks of Pokémon Go.   ///// Follow David on Twitter  You can enjoy his columns for iSPORTCONNECT on Medium  And David proudly dedicates this episode to Katherine Chan   David’s book recommendation is: Ogilvy on Advertising by David Ogilvy  /////

59: David Granger

The go-to podcast for anyone trying to make sense of the world of Marketing, Advertising and beyond. In an industry that is a minefield of utter bollocks, we aim to capture our heroes and allies from the front line to have a chin-wag with. It’s like Pokémon Go, with the single but vital exception that it’s not a short-term bandwagon of shite. UK TOP 5 CHARTS | US TOP 200 CHARTS | RELEASED FORTNIGHTLY

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