The Point of Connection

The Point of Connection is a new podcast series curated by Mumbrella and sponsored by Exponential that examines some of 2018’s biggest topics in media and marketing, from artificial intelligence to attribution and the future of the marketing funnel.

Hosted by Mumbrella regular Al Crawford, each episode features some of the biggest names in the industry. You can listen to episodes as they go live below or subscribe via iTunes. 

Meet our regulars

Host Al Crawford, left, is a former strategist at Clemenger BBDO, who is now a marketing consultant. Al is a regular contributor to Mumbrella’s events and previously worked for DDB Sydney after cutting his teeth in London during a seven-year stint.

Meanwhile, Tyler Greer, right, is the director of global sales strategy at Exponential. Over a twenty year career on both agency and client side, his diverse set of roles have included digital planning and buying, copywriting, publicity, media strategy and branding.

Episode 1 AI and voice – how do we separate the bluster from the opportunity?

This episode examines whether AI and voice technology will change marketing, and, if so, exactly how? Our panel blitz past the buzzwords to ask how this new wave of voice devices are different from Siri’s debut on phones year ago. We also examine which products and brands are leading the way and why artificial intelligence is crucial to making the new era of search work.

On this episode, Al and Tyler are joined by:

Douglas Nicol

Douglas, left, is a founding partner of creative agency The Works and its sister business On Msg, Australia’s first dedicated messenger agency. He’s one of the country’s top authorities on artificial intelligence and has worked with clients including Foxtel, ING and GSK.

Nick Abrahams

Nick, right, is a partner and global head of technology and innovation for global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright. He also moonlights as a speaker combining his innovation industry knowledge with his love of comedy. He’s also written books and is on the board of ASX-listed software company Integrated Research, as well as a number of government and not-for-profit boards.

Episode 2 Moving Targets – are we shooting for the right attribution model or missing the mark completely?

In 2018, there’s huge confusion with attribution models, in terms of both their accuracy but also the wealth of different metrics available. However, in a world where people are inundated with more and more marketing messages, making an actual connection is more important than ever before. In this episode, our panel debate whether one model will win out, or whether brands need to be more outgoing in tailoring their approach.

On this episode, Al and Tyler are joined by:

Virginia Hyland

Virginia, left, is the founder and principal of Hyland Communication Group and Programmatic Media. Across both media agencies, she’s worked with clients including Adidas, Rimmel, Sydney Airport, Commonwealth Bank and Sony.

Nima Yassini

Nima, right, is the chair of the ADMA’s Digital + Technology Collective, and board director of ADMA’s business network, the Australian Alliance for Data Leadership. The ADMA represents more than 600 corporate members in Australia including banks, telecoms companies, energy providers, media companies and airlines. He’s also the founder of New Republique, the experience optimisation agency.

Episode 3 Has the marketing funnel really changed?

The marketing funnel is perhaps the most famous and utilised piece of marketing theory. While models differ slightly, they all work on the basis that there is more to a purchase than walking into a store and buying a product, with stages including awareness, consideration, purchase and then loyalty. But in an always-connected world, some argue this funnel has lengthened – awareness now happens long before purchase, and an interaction with a brand continues long after. Our panel discusses what the state of play really is in 2018, and how this affects both B2B and B2C marketers.

On this episode, Al and Tyler are joined by:

Will Griffith

Will, left, is managing director for marketing automation platform Marketo across Australia and New Zealand. Previously, he worked for more than four years at rival Oracle. He’s an expert at how the customer journey works in 2018 and, in particular, the differences between marketing B2B as opposed to B2C.

Peter Wilson

Peter, right, is the founder of The Shopper Collective, a specialist shopper consultancy, which uses research to develop growth strategies for clients. He’s worked with a string of high-profile brands across FMCG, liquor, pharma, telco, banking and fashion.