That's What I Call Marketing

Cannes Lions 2026 Day 1: Young Lions Kickoff, AI Takes Over the Croisette & Early WinnersOn day one of Cannes Lions 2026, host Conor Byrne covers the Young Lions competition as teams prepare for a 24-hour brief, and shares highlights from meetings and sessions across the festival. He recaps a coffee catch-up with Karen Nelson-Field and plans to feature her on the podcast, then reports recurring Cannes themes around AI, including agentic AI in ad tech and the importance of transparency and human-in-the-loop control discussed by Limelight leaders. From Adweek House, he notes talks on moving at “the speed of now,” AI enabling human connection (including Grindr and TD Bank), and sponsorship as a marketing lever. He also shares early Lions winners across Creative B2B and health categories, and summarizes research from WARC, Jellyfish, and Inseed on how creativity performs differently for humans versus LLMs.00:39 Young Lions Kickoff01:24 Coffee With Karen Nelson-Field02:19 Limelight on AI Transparency04:48 Adweek House Highlights06:31 Early Lions Winners Roundup07:59 Creativity in an LLM World12:21 Oshri on Limelight US Growth14:46 Ritson vs Sharp Debrief with Marc & V from the Sleeping Barber Podcast

“I will defend brand to the death.” Ty Heath, Global Director of Thought Leadership at LinkedIn and Jury President for the B2B Creative category at Cannes Lions 2026, joins Conor Byrne on That’s What I Call Marketing for a conversation about B2B marketing, brand building, AI search, thought leadership, creativity and the future of buying decisions.Ty has helped shape some of the most influential thinking in modern B2B marketing through The B2B Institute at LinkedIn, including work on the 95/5 rule, brand and demand, buying committees, B2B creativity and the emotional nature of business decision-making.In this episode, Ty shares her journey from high-performance athletics to Google, Nestlé, IBM and LinkedIn, and explains why the lessons of elite sport still shape how she thinks about leadership, resilience and long-term practice. The conversation then moves into some of the biggest questions facing marketers today. What changes when buyers use AI tools and LLMs to build their shortlists? How should brands think about visibility, authority and credibility in an AI-assisted search world? Does gated content still make sense? Why does brand still matter when algorithms and AI tools are influencing discovery? And what will Ty be looking for as Jury President of the B2B Creative Lions at Cannes Lions 2026?This episode is part of the Cannes Sessions, sponsored by The Digital Voice, the amplification agency working with leading ad tech and martech companies globally. The Digital Voice helps brands show up across the full mix, from global press and thought leadership to content, social, events and creative, including major moments like Cannes Lions.What you will learn:Why Ty Heath says she will “defend brand to the death”How B2B marketing moved beyond rational messaging into emotional decision-makingWhy The B2B Institute focused on what does not change, not just what is changingHow the 95/5 rule helped reframe long-term B2B growthWhy buying committees need to feel safe before they say yesWhat AI search and LLMs mean for B2B discoverabilityWhy authority, credibility and reputation now matter moreHow brands can be visible to buyers and surfaced by AI toolsWhy gated content can create a trade-off between lead capture and reachHow employee and executive voices can build trust at scaleWhat Ty will be looking for in B2B creative work at Cannes Lions 2026Why B2B creativity is finally getting the attention it deservesTimestamps:03:03 – From elite athletics to marketing leadership10:51 – Google, Nestlé, IBM and finding a path into marketing15:20 – Why words, language and communication carry responsibility17:52 – The emotional reality of B2B decision-making18:57 – Building The B2B Institute and changing B2B marketing21:55 – Brand and demand, the 95/5 rule and long-term growth23:18 – AI, LLMs and the changing future of discoverability27:42 – Buying committees, buyability and making decisions feel safer30:36 – The gated content debate35:14 – Why brand still matters in an AI-assisted world38:58 – Employee voices, executive presence and B2B credibility43:23 – Cannes Lions 2026 and the rise of B2B creativityListen to more episodes of That’s What I Call Marketing for conversations with leading marketers, CMOs, founders, strategists and creative thinkers on brand, effectiveness, creativity, marketing leadership and the future of the industry.#B2BMarketing #BrandBuilding #TyHeath #LinkedIn #TheB2BInstitute #CannesLions #B2BCreativity #MarketingEffectiveness #ThoughtLeadership #AIsearch #LLMSEO #GEO #BrandAndDemand #MarketingLeadership #ThatsWhatICallMarketing

Former Dove CMO Alessandro Manfredi joins That’s What I Call Marketing to discuss Dove Real Beauty, brand fundamentals, AI, creative effectiveness and why marketing may be losing some of its professionalism. Alessandro spent 28 years at Unilever and played a major role in the growth of Dove, one of the most famous examples of long-term brand building in modern marketing. In this conversation, he explains why Dove’s success was not built on purpose alone, but on product quality, emotional connection, research, innovation, communication architecture and strategic rigour. Thanks to the Marketing Society of Ireland for organising this event. Tracksuit cares deeply about marketing professionalism and have introduced Tracksuit University to close the gap between Marketing and the C Suite and you can get 20% Off with an exclusive TWICM Discout - use the code thatswhaticallmarketing at https://university.gotracksuit.com/This episode is for marketers, CMOs, brand leaders, strategists and agency teams who want to understand what it really takes to build brands that last.What you will learn:Why marketing is losing some of its professionalism and trainingHow Dove Real Beauty moved the brand from product love to emotional connectionWhy “people don’t buy beautiful ideas” without strong products behind themWhat Alessandro means by brand fundamentalsWhy AI is powerful for execution, but not a replacement for strategyHow CMOs can reclaim strategic influence without making it a power grabWhy brands need to shape culture rather than chase trendsHow purpose can work when it is grounded in a real human tensionWhat smaller marketing teams can learn from Dove’s approach to creativity, insight and rigourChapters:03:35 From academia to Unilever and Dove06:22 The origins of Dove Real Beauty09:37 Why marketing is losing strategic discipline12:03 How Dove grew over 20 years14:23 Research, insight and emotional connection19:30 Why people do not buy beautiful ideas alone20:41 Brand fundamentals and communication architecture22:54 Why AI is not strategy24:32 Working with agencies and strategic planners25:48 The three elements of bulletproof brand fundamentals29:34 Purpose, North Star and shaping culture33:09 Creative effectiveness: culture, talent and rigour36:50 What smaller marketing teams can learn from Dove37:26 Handling criticism of Real Beauty39:04 Social media, mental health and marketers’ responsibility41:23 Life after Dove and Unilever44:37 Where to find Alessandro ManfrediGuest: Alessandro ManfrediHost: Conor ByrnePodcast: That’s What I Call MarketingFind out more about Alessandro Manfredi: aleikigai.comLearn more about Tracksuit: gotracksuit.comSubscribe for more conversations with leading marketers, CMOs, brand builders, strategists and creative leaders. https://www.thatswhaticallmarketing.com/#Marketing #BrandBuilding #Dove #RealBeauty #CMO #BrandStrategy #CreativeEffectiveness #AIInMarketing #Unilever #MarketingLeadership #PurposeMarketing #BrandFundamentals #ThatsWhatICallMarketing

Tourism marketing often gets reduced to beautiful beaches, drone shots and generic aspiration. Susan Coghill has spent years proving that isn’t enough.In this episode of That’s What I Call Marketing, Conor sits down with the CMO of Tourism Australia to explore how one of the world’s most recognisable destination brands thinks about salience, creativity, distinctive assets and long-term brand building in an increasingly competitive global market.Susan shares the story behind Tourism Australia’s hugely successful “Come and Say G’Day” platform, why Ruby the Kangaroo became such a powerful brand asset, and how the organisation balances consistency with freshness across markets including the US, UK and China.The conversation also explores Susan’s fascinating career journey from working at Apple during the “Think Different” era, including delivering creative work directly to Steve Jobs in Hawaii, through to leading one of the most admired tourism brands in the world.Along the way, they discuss:Why Australian marketers consistently punch above their weight globallyThe role of salience and mental availability in destination marketingWhy tourism brands often fall into category samenessThe importance of distinctive assets like Ruby the KangarooHow Tourism Australia approaches talent partnerships with figures like Nigella Lawson and Robert IrwinWhat modern tourism marketing can learn from entertainment and social mediaHow AI discoverability is changing brand strategy and search behaviourWhy consistency compounds in marketingThis is a conversation about much more than tourism. It is really about how brands stay memorable in a crowded world.07:40 – Working during Apple’s “Think Different” era & meeting Steve Jobs14:05 – Moving from agency life to brand side16:20 – Why Tourism Australia is “the best job in the world”18:00 – Why Australian marketers punch above their weight20:15 – Escaping tourism marketing clichés22:10 – Building the “Come and Say G’Day” platform24:45 – Talent strategy, Robert Irwin and Nigella Lawson29:30 – How Tourism Australia thinks about salience and consideration32:10 – Competing without the biggest budget35:00 – Social media, TikTok and destination storytelling38:20 – The creation of Ruby the Kangaroo42:40 – AI discoverability and the future of search45:20 – Why tourism marketing matters economically and culturallyA huge thank you to our partners at Tracksuit for supporting the podcast.You can listen to more episodes of That’s What I Call Marketing here:That’s What I Call Marketing

Jessica Jensen is the CMO of LinkedIn, but this conversation goes far beyond platform strategy or social media trends.In this episode of That’s What I Call Marketing, Jessica joins Conor Byrne for a deep conversation about what modern marketing leadership actually looks like inside one of the world’s biggest technology companies.From studying Japanese and living in Tokyo, to starting a business during the 2008 financial crisis, to leading global marketing teams across Silicon Valley, Jessica shares the experiences that shaped her approach to marketing, creativity, leadership and growth.They explore why marketers need a GM mindset, how LinkedIn thinks about trust and brand building, why AI is changing career development, and what separates marketers who stay relevant from those who get left behind.Jessica also explains:– Why most marketing messaging is forgettable– Why marketers should learn finance, product and sales– How LinkedIn manages global marketing across multiple business units– Why human networks matter even more in the AI era– The real tension between global scale and local market needs– What CMOs actually measure internally– Why humour and humanity matter in B2B marketingIf you’re a CMO, marketing leader, brand strategist, or someone trying to build a long-term marketing career in the age of AI, this episode is packed with practical insight.Timestamps00:00 Intro02:25 How Jessica accidentally inspired the podcast03:40 Learning Japanese & living in Tokyo05:45 Startup failure & “Mama had to go get a job”07:00 Discovering marketing at Facebook08:40 Bringing humour into LinkedIn marketing10:55 The difference between LinkedIn & Indeed12:30 Why personal brands matter more in AI13:40 Is organic reach on LinkedIn getting harder?15:05 Managing complexity as LinkedIn’s CMO18:00 Running global marketing across 20+ markets22:05 Breaking down silos inside large organisations26:20 What Jessica actually measures as a CMO28:15 Why marketers need a GM mindset30:20 Why marketers should “wear lots of sweaters”32:00 Jessica’s warning for marketers ignoring AI35:20 The skills marketers need in 202637:45 What prepared Jessica to become LinkedIn’s CMO39:00 Final reflections on leadership & humanitySubscribe for more conversations with the world’s leading CMOs, founders, strategists and creative leaders.Listen to the podcast:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7MXhujDpTzbSRRbyQFgdWpAcast: https://shows.acast.com/thats-what-i-call-marketingFollow Conor Byrne on LinkedIn for more marketing analysis and commentary.Brought to you by TracksuitTracksuit is the always-on brand tracking platform helping marketers understand brand health, measure impact, and make better decisions over time.👉 https://gotracksuit.com#Marketing #CMO #LinkedIn #ArtificialIntelligence #BrandStrategy #B2BMarketing #MarketingLeadership #PersonalBrand #FutureOfWork #DigitalMarketing

Banking is one of the hardest categories in marketing.Trust is fragile. Customer expectations are shaped by every app on their phone, not just other banks. And every interaction has the potential to redefine the relationship.In this episode of That’s What I Call Marketing, Conor Byrne sits down with Laura Lynch, CMO of Bank of Ireland, to explore what it actually means to build a modern banking brand in 2026.Laura takes us inside Bank of Ireland’s recent brand transformation, including the thinking behind the new “Right With You” platform, the role of customer experience in shaping strategy, and why the bank deliberately avoided category clichés in its latest advertising work.The conversation also explores:Why Laura stepped out of traditional marketing roles before becoming CMOHow customer trust is rebuilt after the banking crisisThe balance between AI, personalisation and human connectionWhy marketers can become too focused on attribution and performance metricsThe challenge of creating distinctive advertising in regulated categoriesHow Bank of Ireland uses customer insight, segmentation and CX to shape growthThe role of leadership, resilience and timing in building a marketing careerLaura also shares the inside story behind Bank of Ireland’s latest campaigns, including the strategic use of humour, movie references, and why every line, casting decision and creative choice was intentionally designed to create distinction.For marketers working in financial services, regulated industries, or legacy brands navigating change, this is a fascinating look at how modern brand building actually works inside one of Ireland’s most important organisations.Timestamps:00:00 – Why trust in banking has to be earned every day02:00 – Laura Lynch’s path to becoming CMO of Bank of Ireland06:30 – Leaving traditional marketing to build customer experience capability10:00 – Going “all in” to land the CMO role13:00 – Leadership, intensity and avoiding groupthink16:30 – The reality of leading marketing inside a major bank18:00 – Rebuilding customer trust after the banking crisis20:00 – Why banking competition has fundamentally changed21:30 – Inside Bank of Ireland’s new brand strategy24:00 – Building “Right With You” with customers and colleagues27:00 – Why the strategy had to stretch the organisation29:00 – The making of the new Bank of Ireland advertising32:00 – Using humour to talk about fraud and financial confidence35:00 – Creating distinctive work in a regulated category37:00 – AI, personalisation and the future of marketing teams39:00 – Why performance marketing alone is not enoughBrought to you by TracksuitTracksuit is the always-on brand tracking platform helping marketers understand brand health, measure impact, and make better decisions over time.👉 https://gotracksuit.comListen / Follow That’s What I Call Marketing:🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7MXhujDpTzbSRRbyQFgdWp📩 Email: thatwhatswhatIcallmarketing@gmail.comSubscribe for weekly conversations with leading marketers.