Marketing in the Madness

Marketing is changing faster than most teams can keep up.

AI is now everywhere - new tools, new workflows and new expectations.

And for a lot of marketers, it’s creating more pressure… not less.

In this episode of Marketing in The Madness, Katie Street sits down with Rob Wrubel, Co-Founder of Silverside, to unpack what it actually means to become an “AI-ready marketer.”

Rob shares how some of the world’s biggest brands are already using AI to move faster, test more and rethink what marketing teams look like.

Including how Coca-Cola built a global campaign with just a handful of people and how Svedka used AI to completely turn around a declining brand.

If you’re trying to figure out where to start with AI or how to actually make it work inside a business then this episode will change how you think about it.

Chapters:
00:00 Why marketers feel overwhelmed by AI
01:18 The mindset shift: from fear to opportunity
03:13 Why most teams struggle to make time for AI
04:34 How to start (without overthinking it)
06:18 Why AI is like learning a new language
07:25 The importance of small, fast experiments
10:35 How AI is changing creative teams
11:27 What Silverside actually does
15:18 Building an “AI brand brain” (and why it matters)
17:39 The risk of everything looking the same
19:11 The Svedka case study: AI-powered growth
22:11 Why data infrastructure suddenly matters
24:24 How AI is changing search and discovery
26:48 The shift from search engines to AI advisors
29:06 The future of agents and automated buying
31:23 What’s next for AI marketing teams

Subscribe to the podcast:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2UUIgMdZ6FdSCrux5BY7PI?si=c48bdbecb5be4a6e
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-in-the-madness/id1688996981

Connect with us:
Rob Wrubel
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-wrubel-5ba8b8314/

Katie Street
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiestreet/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/streetmate/

Marketing in the Madness
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketing-in-the-madness-podcast/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marketinginthemadness/

Street Agency
https://street.agency/
https://www.instagram.com/street.agency/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/streetagency/

Most people can name a beer, gin or vodka brand.

But ask them to name a Prosecco brand… and they can’t.

In this episode, Katie Street sits down with Ali Wilson, co-founder of Midas Prosecco to reveal why one of the world’s most popular drinks has almost no real brands behind it and what it takes to change that.

From spotting the gap to building a premium product people actually want to drink, this is a conversation about brand building, quality and creating something that stands out for the right reasons.

You’ll also hear how they got their first bottles into market and why changing perception is their biggest challenge.

Chapters: 

00:00 Why no one can name a Prosecco brand
01:30 The moment Midas was born
05:00 Why Prosecco isn’t really a “brand” category
08:40 The problem with quality (and why it matters)
12:45 Building a brand vs just marketing one
14:50 The founding team and early decisions
17:15 The story behind the name “Midas”
20:25 Creating a brand around moments and experiences
25:20 Building a new category (not competing in the old one)
27:30 Why they turned down mass retail opportunities
29:20 Staying premium without chasing volume
34:25 How they sold their first 7,000 bottles
38:00 The power of people and word of mouth
40:20 Final thoughts + blind tasting teaser

If you’re building a brand, launching a product or just curious about what makes something stand out, this episode is well worth your time!

Enjoyed the episode? Click subscribe so you never miss the conversations shaping the future of marketing, tech and brand growth.

Subscribe to the podcast:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2UUIgMd...
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

Connect with us:
Ali Wilson
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliwilson19/

Midas Prosseco: https://www.midasprosecco.com/collections/prosecco?srsltid=AfmBOoohh0qxWWzGO2Yma6WhCPQZY581RsLBhtGeza55SNFuJPxH-PTi

Katie Street
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiestreet/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/streetmate/

Marketing in the Madness
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketing-in-the-madness-podcast/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marketinginthemadness/

Street Agency
https://street.agency/
https://www.instagram.com/street.agency/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/streetagency/

Marketing budgets are under pressure… but most brands still don’t know what’s actually working.

In this episode of Marketing in the Madness, Katie Street sits down with Elissa Brown, Ecommerce Lead at AppsFlyer North America, recorded in Las Vegas.

They unpack what’s really changing in ecommerce right now and why measurement has become one of the biggest competitive advantages a brand can have.

Because the way people buy has changed… fast.

From social discovery to AI validation, to mobile apps and back again, the customer journey is no longer something you can neatly track.

And most brands are still trying to.

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction & why ecommerce is changing so quickly
02:00 Elissa’s role at AppsFlyer & what brands are struggling with
05:00 Why measurement is becoming the most important capability
08:30 How consumer buying journeys have fundamentally shifted
11:30 The role of AI and LLMs in purchase decisions
15:00 Why last-click attribution is no longer enough
18:30 The reality of omnichannel behaviour today
22:00 Why mobile apps are driving higher value customers
26:00 The biggest mistakes brands are still making
30:00 What high-performing brands are doing differently
35:00 Where ecommerce and measurement are heading next

Customer journeys aren’t just multi-channel anymore. They’re unpredictable.

And if you can’t measure them properly… you can’t optimise them.

In a world where AI is reshaping discovery, and attention is fragmented across platforms, the brands that win will be the ones that understand the full picture.

Not just the last click.

Listen now to understand what’s actually driving performance in modern ecommerce.

Subscribe to the podcast:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2UUIgMdZ6FdSCrux5BY7PI?si=c48bdbecb5be4a6e
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-in-the-madness/id1688996981

Connect with us:
Elissa Brown
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elissa-brown-a099b95/

Katie Street
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiestreet/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/streetmate/

AppsFlyer
AppsFlyer for e-com: https://bit.ly/4t9nELP
Omnichannel guide: https://bit.ly/4mMxGQV

Marketing in the Madness
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketing-in-the-madness-podcast/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marketinginthemadness/

Street Agency
https://street.agency/
https://www.instagram.com/street.agency/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/streetagency/

#ecommerce #digitalmarketing #marketingstrategy #AIinmarketing #attribution

Luxury brands talk about loyalty... but what does it actually take to earn it?

In this episode of Marketing in the Madness, recorded live at Shoptalk Luxe, Katie Street sits down with Ahmed Al Derazi, VP & Head of Corporate Communications at Landmark Group, a $7B retail business operating across 15 countries with over 50 million loyalty members. 

They unpack what most brands still get wrong about loyalty, trust and customer experience and why the rules are changing fast.

Because loyalty isn’t just about points or perks anymore. It’s about how brands show up.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Landmark Group and why they’re at Shoptalk Luxe
01:00 Inside a $7B value retail empire with 2,500+ stores
03:00 Blending value with premium in-store experiences
06:30 How Landmark built a 50M+ member loyalty ecosystem
09:30 Why loyalty today is about behaviour, not just rewards
10:50 What the Edelman Trust Barometer reveals about trust today
12:30 Why CEOs and leaders are becoming the new marketing channel
15:00 The decline of trust in traditional media
17:30 What makes brand communication feel human and believable
18:30 What “reputation” really means in modern retail
20:00 Strategic priorities for 2026 and building a “tomorrow company”

The big shift?

Trust is no longer built through campaigns.

It’s built through people, consistency and experience.

And in a world of AI, content overload and declining trust in media… that matters more than ever.

And because this series is part of our partnership with Shoptalk Luxe, if conversations like this one spark ideas then you'll definitely want to be in the room next time!

Shoptalk Europe 2026 is already shaping up to be HUGE. If retail, tech and innovation sit anywhere in your world, now's the time to get your ticket and get it in the diary here: https://europe.shoptalk.com/home?utm_source=mediapartner&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=marketing-in-the-madness-podcast

Subscribe to the podcast:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2UUIgMdZ6FdSCrux5BY7PI?si=c48bdbecb5be4a6e
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-in-the-madness/id1688996981

Connect with us:
Ahmed Al Derazi
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahmedalderazi/

Katie Street 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiestreet/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/streetmate/

Marketing in the Madness 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketing-in-the-madness-podcast/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marketinginthemadness/

Street Agency
https://street.agency/
https://www.instagram.com/street.agency/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/streetagency/

#luxuryretail #customerexperience #brandtrust  #loyalty

What happens when luxury stops being reserved for special occasions… and becomes something you can wear every day?

In this episode of Marketing in the Madness, recorded live at Shoptalk Luxe in Abu Dhabi, Katie Street sits down with Colleen Conkling, SVP of Brand at Monica Vinader, to unpack how the brand helped redefine an entire category: accessible luxury.

From its beginnings in 2008, Monica Vinader challenged the idea that fine jewellery had to be expensive, gifted, or saved for “big moments.” Instead, it created something different - high-quality, beautifully crafted pieces that women could buy for themselves, wear daily and feel connected to.

But building a brand in this space isn’t just about price point.

It’s about:
Craftsmanship and responsible sourcing
Design that feels like wearable art
Creating emotional connection through personalisation
And staying culturally relevant without chasing every trend

Colleen shares how the brand balances aspiration with accessibility, why values matter more than ever in a crowded market, and how partnerships - like their recent collaboration with rising artist Sienna Spiro - are chosen with intention, not just reach.

The conversation also explores a bigger shift happening in luxury right now.

As AI accelerates content and production, brands are being pushed to stand out in more human ways - through tactility, authenticity, and meaning. Because when everything can be generated, what people value most is what feels real.

If you’re building a brand, working in marketing, or trying to stay relevant in a fast-moving industry, this episode offers a clear reminder:

And because this series is part of our partnership with Shoptalk Luxe, if conversations like this one spark ideas then you'll definitely want to be in the room next time!

Shoptalk Europe 2026 is already shaping up to be HUGE. If retail, tech and innovation sit anywhere in your world, now's the time to get your ticket and get it in the diary here: https://europe.shoptalk.com/home?utm_source=mediapartner&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=marketing-in-the-madness-podcast

Subscribe to the podcast:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2UUIgMdZ6FdSCrux5BY7PI?si=c48bdbecb5be4a6e
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-in-the-madness/id1688996981

Connect with us:
Colleen Conkling
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleengarganconkling/

Katie Street 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiestreet/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/streetmate/

Marketing in the Madness 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketing-in-the-madness-podcast/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marketinginthemadness/

Street Agency
https://street.agency/
https://www.instagram.com/street.agency/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/streetagency/