Rocket Fuel: Youth Marketing

WE ARE SO BACK! That is right your favourite podcast about youth culture, youth audience and youth marketing is back on your feeds! In the 1st episode of season 6 we talk to maybe one of the biggest household names there has been in the world of publishing. Guinness World Records is a company that in 2025 will be celebrating its 70th year and we are talking to Nicholas Brookes who is the Marketing Director behind the brand. We talk with him about his journey and how he ended up marketing a book about some of the craziest things that happen around the world. We talk about the history of the brand and where it is going. And then most importantly James asks Nicholas Brookes for his rocket fuel!———————Follow James @JamesErskine (x.com/jameserskine)Follow Rocket @WeAreRocketHQ (instagram.com/wearerockethq)Follow James on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/jameserskine)Follow Rocket on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/company/thebigshot)wearerocket.co.uk/Contact Nicholas on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/nicholasbrookes)https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/Rocket Fuel is the industry podcast bought to you by Rocket Audio and the team at the award winning Rocket Youth & Parent Marketing ExpertsIt is Hosted and Produced by James ErskineProduced and Edited by Jake Aspey (linkedin.com/in/jakeaspey/)Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In our 1st of something a bit new we are launching a yearly bonus episode between seasons. This is what we are calling Retro Rocket Fuel! It will feature an episode from the back long followed by James's take on how thing may or may not have changed in the world since then and if the our guests rocket fuel stands the test of time or not.In our retro episode we take you back to 2019/20 just before the world changed dramatically. James (the host) Erskine spoke to James (the guest) O'Malley!James O’Malley is a technology and politics freelance journalist.At the time of broadcast this is what we wrote about James and the episode:“The problem with being a technology journalist is, these days, you’re basically an everything journalist.”Technology has become so ubiquitous throughout modern society that it now pervades every nook and cranny of our lives. Of course it has afforded us amazing benefits, but luxuries are not without their costs; we use technology, but it, in turn, uses us. As such, James O’Malley has made it his mission to report and document on how technology catalyses change in the world.Having been the editor for Gizmodo UK for two years, as well as having written for publications such as WIRED and The Spectator, James has become an expert at discussing technology and culture. He has reported on how TfL breaches privacy, the horrors of China’s social credit system, and even coded a free-to-use Trump notification bot.Our discussion includes: how technology and politics affect our society, the importance of data, healthy skepticism, and TikTok confusion.This is James O’Malley’s Rocket Fuel.Don't for get to stick around after to hear thoughts from James (the host) as he reflects on his discussion with James (the guest) and what can we learn and still apply to today.Follow James @JamesErskine (twitter.com/jameserskine)Follow Rocket @WeAreRocketHQ (twitter.com/wearerockethq)Follow James on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/jameserskine)Follow Rocket on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/company/thebigshot)wearerocket.co.uk/Contact James O'Malley on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/james-o-malley-5a83164)James's Substack https://takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/Rocket Fuel is the industry podcast bought to you by Rocket Audio and the team at the award winning Rocket Youth & Parent Marketing ExpertsIt is Hosted and Produced by James ErskineProduced and Edited by Jake Aspey (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakeaspey)Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special bonus episode of Rocket Fuel James is taking a back seat and we have the amazing Managing Partner of Rocket Sophie Thirwell hitting the mic and being our host for this International Womens Day special. Sophie will be talking with 3 members of the Rocket Team about their experiences in their specialist fields. 1st we will have Chelsea Baldwin who is one of our Campaign Managers who also works in making content too. She will be talking you through how audiences today view IWD and how brands are reacting to the conversation. Next we are chatting with Olwyn our Paid Media Specialist. She will be telling us all about herself and her 10 year long experience in the industry whilst also being a mother and how this has influenced her thoughts on how we should be talking to women in campaigns. Then we go to one of our latest hires here at Rocket, Denise Louise Barzey Riley who is one of our Senior Campaign Managers and heads up our Publishing clients. She will be talking about her experiences as a self professed people manager and how the talk of diversity has changed in industries that talk to a female audience. We will be back with Season 6 of Rocket Fuel later in the year! Don't forget if you liked this to give it a review and a rating on your podcatcher of choice it really does make a difference. And if you would like to be a guest reach out———————Follow Sophie on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiethirlwell/)Follow Chelsea on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelseabaldwin58/)Follow Olwyn on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/olwynwalsh/)Follow Denise on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/denise-louise-barzey-riley-a85b99b1/)Follow Rocket @WeAreRocketHQ (twitter.com/wearerockethq) Follow Rocket on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/company/thebigshot) wearerocket.co.uk/Rocket Fuel is the industry podcast bought to you by Rocket Audio the team at the award winning Rocket Youth & Parent Marketing Experts.It is Hosted and Produced by James Erskine (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameserskine/)And Produced and Edited by Jake Aspey (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakeaspey/)Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In our final episode James get to be the radio geek we know him for with our guest George Butler who is not just a radio presenter on Fun Kids Radio breakfast show which is a station serving not just the latest tunes to an audience of 8-15 year olds but is ALSO the Head of Commercial Marketing at Bauer Media Group! James and George discuss his history of radio industry and where its going. They also chat about how commercial radio and the BBC compliment and provide together a fantastic audio eco system. They then get into how children today want to be talked too and why its important to makes sure you do. Then for the final time this season we here George’s rocket fuel!Follow James @JamesErskine (twitter.com/jameserskine)Follow Rocket @WeAreRocketHQ (twitter.com/wearerockethq)Follow James on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/jameserskine)Follow Rocket on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/company/thebigshot)wearerocket.co.uk/Follow George @GeorgeCButler https://twitter.com/georgecbutlerContact George on LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/georgecbutlerHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this penultimate (I know so sad) episode for this season of rocket fuel we chat with the Chief Fun Officer over at Griddly Kids… Yes that is their official title! James chats all things Griddly… who are they… where did they come from and why they think its so important to have education be fun for children! They also chat about STEM and how implementing activities in the category of can help children have a head start on learning with out realising that they are. Then we talk Reisa’s all important rocket fuel! ———————Follow James @JamesErskine (twitter.com/jameserskine)Follow Rocket @WeAreRocketHQ (twitter.com/wearerockethq)Follow James on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/jameserskine)Follow Rocket on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/company/thebigshot)wearerocket.co.uk/Contact Reisa on Linkedin (linkedin.com/in/reisa-schwartzman-883059a) Check out Griddly Kids at https://griddlykids.ca/Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Uju Asika is a writer, blogger and creative consultant. She is the author of Raising Boys Who Do Better: A Hopeful Guide for a New Generation (DK/Penguin Random House), Bringing Up Race: How to Raise a Kind Child in a Prejudiced World (Yellow Kite/Hachette UK) and the delightful picture book A World for Me and You, illustrated by Jennie Poh (Hachette Children's Group). She is also our latest guest on the rocket fuel podcast! James and Uju chat all things kids, parents, parenting and all things needed for being a modern parent content creator. We also chat the landscape of responsible content and her journey into being a successful author. Then talk about raising children and if dads are as good as mums or are they just a bit pants and why? Then we hear Uju give us their all important rocket fuel!———————Follow James @JamesErskine (twitter.com/jameserskine)Follow Rocket @WeAreRocketHQ (twitter.com/wearerockethq)Follow James on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/jameserskine)Follow Rocket on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/company/thebigshot)wearerocket.co.uk/Follow Uju @babesabouttown (https://twitter.com/babesabouttown)Uju's books are available at Bookshop.org, Amazon, Waterstones and other good bookshops.Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nathaniel Hunter is someone who is taking play into the future. His company D1srupt1ve (no the 1’s are supposed to be there) partnered up with the toy giants Mego to bring back a classic some of our listeners may recognise. The 2-XL robot. It has had many forms over the years but this time its pushing the world just a little bit further with the thanks to AI. We talk with Nathaniel about AI ethics and the future of it. How it works in a family setting to improve mental health in a semi-screen free way to blend in to every part of a day from brushing your teeth to telling a joke. We talk about Mego and its history of pushing out innovative toys and always betting on the future of play. 2-XL even chimes in to have a chat with James as they go on a little adventure and James tries to see what the limits are… all in the name of research and children's safety. Then Nathaniel gives us their rocket fuel for todays episode.———————Follow James @JamesErskine (twitter.com/jameserskine)Follow Rocket @WeAreRocketHQ (twitter.com/wearerockethq)Follow James on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/jameserskine)Follow Rocket on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/company/thebigshot)wearerocket.co.uk/Contact Nathaniel on Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nahunter/)https://d1srupt1ve.wpenginepowered.com/Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are on location! Yes how exciting we were at one of the most interesting events in the calendar year The Toy Fair in London. We went along and were very kindly guests of the kind people at Precise TV and we got chatting with them about what they do and how they help their clients reach audiences more effectively in a growing digital world. We then hit the floor and met up with Casdon the people behind your child's favourite real world role play activity be it Henry Vacuums, Dyson, DeLonghi espresso machines all made for children to learn about the world around them via play. We also met up with Craft Buddy a brand that is getting kids off screens and making art instead... more specifically crystal art and we learn about how they are talking to children today. Then in our final section of this incredibly special episode we talk with Xootz who are the people behind the kids getting out and about on all kinds of ride on toys from skateboards, scooters, electric vehicles and more and they along with all our other guests this episode of course give us their incredible insights and more importantly their rocket fuels!———————Follow James @JamesErskine (twitter.com/jameserskine)Follow Rocket @WeAreRocketHQ (twitter.com/wearerockethq)Follow James on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/jameserskine)Follow Rocket on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/company/thebigshot)wearerocket.co.uk/Check out Precise TV https://www.precise.tv/Check out Casdon https://www.casdon.com/Check out Craft Buddy https://www.craftbuddyshop.com/Check out Xootz https://www.xootz.co.uk/Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.