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Inspiring Futures - Lessons from the Worlds of Marketing and Advertising

Ed Cotton
Advertising
Brand Strategy
Artificial Intelligence
Marketing
Nike
Social Media
Consumer Behavior
Creative Services
Mcdonald's
Advertising Agencies
In-House Teams
Digital Advertising
Advertising Industry
Journalism
Production Companies
Creativity
Marketing Strategy
Sustainability
Fashion Industry
Freelance Talent

Inspiring Futures pulls back the curtain on the minds reshaping advertising and marketing today. Host Ed Cotton, former Chief Strategy Officer at Butler Shine and Stern & Partners, engages industry visionaries in raw, unfiltered conversations about their career pivots, creative breakthroughs, and strategic innovations. No canned responses. No PR filters. Just honest insights about navigating the c... more

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes189Founded8 years ago
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MarketingBusinessEntrepreneurship

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Artwork for Inspiring Futures

Latest Episodes

Sheila Sitaram’s first job was at Vogue, styling for Celine, Calvin Klein, and McQueen. Then she walked away to ask a question fashion couldn’t answer: why are all these decisions of taste made with no data?

That question took her career through PwC... more

If AI can produce the consensus view in seconds, your point of view is the job.

That’s why I think this episode of Inspiring Futures with Mike Mallazzo, General Manager at Alephic, is worth your time. Mike went from investigative journalism into tec... more

The advertising agency business has changed dramatically. Agencies once relied on their reputations, relationships, and a fairly steady stream of pitch opportunities to grow. The phone rang, you got invited to pitch, and if you were good enough, you ... more

My guests on the latest Inspiring Futures podcast episode are Leslie Stone, a former Ogilvy Chief Strategy Officer who has helped giants like American Express, Walmart, and IKEA, and Gabrielle Tenaglia, a San Francisco agency strategist turned startu... more

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Recent Guests

Mike Mallazzo
General Manager at Alephic with a background in investigative journalism, technology and marketing
Alephic
Episode: Mike Mallazzo, General Manager at Alephic
Simon Wylie
Former CEO of Contagious Communications and Managing Director of Xtreme Information; agency growth adviser
Business Model Company
Episode: How to Win New Business in 2026 - Simon Wylie & Neil Mullarkey, Stop Selling, Start Solving
Neil Mullarkey
Comedy performer and improvisation and communication skills teacher for business leaders
Comedy Store Players
Episode: How to Win New Business in 2026 - Simon Wylie & Neil Mullarkey, Stop Selling, Start Solving
Leslie Stone
Former Ogilvy Chief Strategy Officer and marketing consultant
Throughline
Episode: “Do I even still like marketing? I don’t know.”
Gabrielle Tenaglia
Agency strategist and startup marketing leader
Throughline
Episode: “Do I even still like marketing? I don’t know.”
Joana Lenkova
Futurist and Director of Cultural and Futures Intelligence at LEGO Group
LEGO Group
Episode: Joana Lenkova- Why futures thinking is non-negotiable
Lior Eldan
Co-founder of Moburst
Moburst
Episode: Lior Eldan- Co-Founder- Moburst- The Agency of the Future
Ben Schott
Writer, designer, consultant; author of the Miscellany series and other language-driven works
Episode: Ben Schott
Jessie Mash
Co-Founder and President, SonderCo
Episode: Sean Akaks, Co-Founder and CEO of SonderCo, and Jessie Mash, Co-Founder and President.

Host

Ed Cotton
Host of Inspiring Futures

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 30 ratings
  • Brilliant

    Ed is insightful and has genuine conversations with fascinating people.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Barry LaBov
    United States8 months ago
  • Awesome Podcast!!!!!

    Ed, host of the Inspiring Futures podcast, highlights all aspects of people from diverse backgrounds, careers and industries and talks to them about how they think and what they think about the future and more in this can’t miss podcast! The host and expert guests offer insightful advice and information that is helpful to anyone that listens!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Clarisse Gomez
    United States6 years ago
  • Rich!

    Such rich and inspiring conversation! Thank you for the insights.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    BreeGroff
    United States7 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

High-quality insights into strategy, AI, and brand-building from experienced guests.
Thoughtful conversations with fascinating people and practical takeaways for the future of marketing.
Candid, unfiltered discussions with diverse industry leaders that offer actionable advice.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How to Win New Business in 2026 - Simon Wylie & Neil Mullarkey, Stop Selling, Start Solving
Q: How do you know whether a prospect has a problem worth solving, and how do you turn a good meeting into something that leads to work?
Wylie and Mullarkey recommend exploring the client's situation through conversation and stories, checking whether solving the problem creates meaningful value for the business, and finding out who must be involved in the decision before preparing a proposal.
How to Win New Business in 2026 - Simon Wylie & Neil Mullarkey, Stop Selling, Start Solving
Q: So, what do you think is more critical, being yourself or knowing the clients well enough to have a good conversation?
The guests say agencies need both: thorough preparation is essential, but presenters should stay open to the client's responses and prioritize human connection over rigidly following a prepared deck or script.
“Do I even still like marketing? I don’t know.”
Q: So the obvious next question is, what did you learn?
Gabrielle says senior marketing leaders often wanted to discuss how they felt before discussing work needs. They described grief over layoffs, shrinking budgets, lost trust, and the disappearance of work they once loved.
“Do I even still like marketing? I don’t know.”
Q: So, when you guys started talking, how did you get to the thought that you needed to go and talk to more people?
Gabrielle says they spoke with customers because that is a core strategy practice and because workplace conditions were changing rapidly. Leslie adds that they wanted to set aside their assumptions and hear directly about clients' unmet needs.
Mike Mallazzo, General Manager at Alephic
Q: What happens with that?
Asked how brand judgment and unwritten knowledge will carry over as agents make decisions, Mallazzo says LLMs tend toward consensus and are poor at breaking rules creatively. He argues that distinct, contrarian points of view help people remain valuable alongside AI.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Inspiring Futures

What is Inspiring Futures about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A sharp, executives-forum style show that uncovers how leaders think about marketing, branding, and agency life in a fast-evolving landscape. Episodes thread through topics like AI-enabled transformation, data-driven advertising operations, culture-led strategy, and the evolving value proposition of agencies. Guests range from founders and CMOs to independent networks and creative leaders, sharing real-world lessons, brave pivots, and practical frameworks for building resilient brands and high-performing teams. A standout throughline is the tension between traditional craft and rapid technology adoption, explored with candid anecdotes, measured caution, and a bias toward actionable takeaways for listeners who run or grow marketing organizat... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Inspiring Futures?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Inspiring Futures:

1. The Knowledge Project
2. Uncensored CMO
3. The Daily
4. 2Bobs—with David C. Baker and Blair Enns
5. On Strategy Showcase

How many episodes of Inspiring Futures are there?

Inspiring Futures launched 8 years ago and published 189 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Inspiring Futures?

Recent guests on Inspiring Futures include:

1. Mike Mallazzo
2. Simon Wylie
3. Neil Mullarkey
4. Leslie Stone
5. Gabrielle Tenaglia
6. Joana Lenkova
7. Lior Eldan
8. Ben Schott

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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