How Boots stays culturally sharp at 176 years old w/ Peter Markey
Welcome back to Makes You Wonder - the podcast for marketers, creators, and optimists building at the edge of brand and AI.In this episode, Oskar is joined by Peter Markey, Chief Marketing Officer at Boots, one of the UK’s most iconic and enduring retail brands. Peter shares a refreshingly human take on how legacy brands can keep pace with culture, tech, and AI - without losing their soul.From embracing virtual production and personalization to drawing the line on AI-generated models in health and beauty, Peter is clear-eyed about the opportunities and limits of tech in creative work. He also unpacks how improv comedy helped him unlock creativity as a leader, and why soul, emotion, and human connection still matter more than ever in marketing.In the episode:👢 Why “Good old Boots” had to become “Wow Boots”👢 How to embed innovation without losing trust👢 The real job of a CMO today - and how Peter runs a 150-person team👢 Where AI helps most: from creative scaling to Co-Pilot-assisted job descriptions👢 Why marketers should watch The Mandalorian and Pixar as creative inspiration👢 Practical advice for CMOs on applying AI without losing your teamPeter also gets personal about:Why Star Wars changed his lifeHow improvisation reshaped his leadershipThe future he’s manifesting for AI in marketing
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34:35
How to tell better brand stories w/ Arthur Tindsley
Welcome, dear listeners, to Makes You Wonder!In this episode, Oskar is joined by creative technologist and POGO Agency founder Arthur Tinsley, whose work sits at the intersection of technology, storytelling, and innovation. Arthur shares a fresh, honest take on how creative tech can move beyond buzzwords—drawing on work like siren-detecting ad campaigns and personalized AI-powered content for Snickers to show how technology can create emotional resonance, utility, and meaning.In the ep:⚡ Why “innovation” isn’t just about new tools—it’s about new ways of thinking⚡ The importance of starting with insight, not tech⚡ How to avoid gimmicks and build campaigns with emotional impact⚡ The rise of “taste” and curation as creative superpowers⚡ Why democratization of tools will reshape brand storytelling in 2025Arthur also shares the behind-the-scenes stories behind some powerful work:The Ben Kinsella Foundation Campaign – Using machine learning to detect sirens in real-time and connect with audiences on the trauma of knife crime:Link: https://pogo.agency/work/ben-kinsella-foundation/Snickers x José Mourinho AI Campaign – A hyper-personalized branded experience using generative video and humor to drive reach and engagementLink: https://pogo.agency/work/snickers/Where to Find Arthur🌐 Website: https://www.pogo.agency💼 LinkedIn: Arthur TinsleyMedia ReferencesBen Kinsella Foundation CampaignSnickers AI x José Mourinho (or drop link if available)Brickit App – AI for LEGO remixesMidjourney
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35:56
How to Build a Creative Career in the AI Era w/ Nate Fox
Welcome to Makes You Wonder! On this ep, Oskar catches up with creative leader Nate Fox to talk about how process, experimentation, and technology work together to fuel creativity. With experience spanning Wells Fargo, Robinhood, and even the creator economy at Mr. Beast’s headquarters, Nate offers a unique perspective on how ideas are brought to life.
They discuss:
⚡ How side projects act as sandboxes for creative experimentation
⚡ Why limitations are essential for sparking innovation
⚡ The growing role of micro-creators and niche content in branding
⚡ Practical strategies for leveraging AI to enhance creative collaboration
⚡ Nate’s “just add value” philosophy for building a standout career
Whether you’re a creative professional, marketer, or someone curious about the future of storytelling, we’re sure you’ll love this one.
Media References
Focus (Harvard Business Review series)
The Diary of a CEO podcast
Robinhood’s “This Week in Crypto” series
Wells Fargo campaigns
Mr. Beast
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57:21
Amplified Imagination & Creative Conflict w/ Tay Guan Hin
This time on Makes You Wonder, Oskar sits down with Tay Guan Hin— award-winning creative director, speaker, and the author of Collide: Embracing Conflict to Boost Creativity. From his work with global brands to fostering creative growth in emerging markets, Tay shares how curiosity and conflict drive the most impactful ideas.
The conversation covered a lot of ground:
💚 How AI is reshaping creativity and becoming “Amplified Imagination”
💚 Why creative conflict is key to unlocking great ideas
💚 The role of curiosity and collaboration in building a standout career
💚 Insights from bringing creative innovation to markets like Mongolia
Guan’s unique perspective combines decades of hands-on creative leadership with a forward-looking optimism about the role of AI in amplifying human potential.
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1:01:19
Navigating AI’s Impact on Journalism w/ Chloé Sondervorst
In this episode, Oskar welcomes Chloé Sondervorst, a radio producer at CBC/Radio-Canada and digital media creator, to discuss the intersection of AI, storytelling, and public media. Chloé shares her journey from studying philosophy and East Asian studies to becoming a leading voice on technology and its impact on society, with a focus on younger audiences.
We explore:
• How AI can enhance journalism and storytelling
• The balance between human creativity and AI tools
• Why public media must evolve to serve diverse, modern audiences
• The role of philosophy in understanding technological change
• How creativity flourishes when we embrace imperfection
Chloé also shares her thoughts on AI’s potential to create community and meaningful experiences, her experiments with TikTok, and the challenges of fostering curiosity in a media landscape that’s constantly shifting.
If you’re fascinated by the crossroads of technology, creativity, and media—or curious about how to navigate the new age of AI-driven storytelling—this episode is for you.
Welcome to Makes You Wonder, a podcast that explores the infinite landscapes of human creativity and how it's being transformed before our very eyes. In each episode our host, Oskar Serrander, speaks to creators, storytellers, marketers, artists and entrepreneurs, uncovering the secrets behind their ability to harness creativity and bring their visions to life.In an era where AI is rapidly influencing every aspect of society, Makes You Wonder examines the relationship between human creativity and artificial intelligence, exploring the good, the bad, and how it hinders and enables our creative, human pursuits.With 20 years in media and tech, Oskar's journey from a student radio host to platforms like Spotify, IHeartMedia, and Acast has been fueled by a love for the art of storytelling. He has always yearned to recapture the creative spark that first drew him to audio. This podcast has been a long time coming.Follow the show on YouTube, Spotify, Apple or wherever you find your podcasts.Makes You Wonder is produced and published by Wondercraft, the AI-powered audio studio for brands and creative teams. Learn more and try for free at www.wondercraft.ai Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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