Nick Tran, is the CMO and President of First Round, leading Diageo’s new joint venture with Main Street Advisors to oversee two of the world’s most culturally driven spirits brands: Ciroc and Lobos 1707. Nick shares how he’s approaching brand reinvention vs continuation, why product innovation and cultural relevance are key, and what goes into long-term brand growth. We also touch on the future of social media, AI’s role in marketing, and what it takes to build a truly modern CMO career.

00:00 - Intro
00:36 - How the Diageo and Main Street Advisors partnership happened?
02:49 - The long term view for Ciroc and Lobos 1707
06:10 - The plan for Ciroc
08:57 - Reinvention vs continuation when transforming a brand
11:31 - Focusing on product innovation and serve for Ciroc and Lobos 1707
14:14 - Is alcohol drinking trending down?
19:00 - How do you become culturally relevant?
22:07 - Using the Liquid Death challenger mindset
24:08 - The role of celebrities and influencers for drinks brands
27:16 - Why Nick is investing in his personal brand
31:53 - What does it take to become a successful CMO?
37:04 - How Nick invests in other companies
41:59 - Nick Tran’s thoughts on AI
45:47 - Have we reached peak social media?
50:39 - Bonus Question

Nils Leonard, Uncommon Studio's co-founder and Creative Director is back, and the mic is hotter than ever. We're tackling why Uncommon is pushing the boundaries of out of home, including the divisive BA "Reflections" campaign, what Nils thinks of the energy in the US vs the UK, and why we have a lot of work to do if we want creativity to thrive in this country.

Timestamps

00:00 - Start
00:52 - How did Uncensored CMO end up at Uncommon Studios
02:33 - What just Jon want to happen as a result of this episode?
04:45 - What does Nils want to happen as a result of this podcast?
06:10 - Nils' advice to founders wanting to start an agency
07:51 - Uncommon’s work with The Ordinary
13:38 - Why Uncommon loves out of home
15:31 - Uncommon’s out of home work with British Airways
22:20 - Uncommon's B&Q out of home
26:51 - Uncommon's Hiscox work
29:55 - Uncommon’s EA work
32:51 - Uncommon’s JD Sports work turning the lens on the community
37:45 - British Airway’s safety video
43:40 - The culture of creativity in the UK vs US
46:40 - Why Campaign’s"Turkey of the Week" is a terrifying reflection on the UK
48:52 - WPP and creativity
51:28 - Who killed creativity?
53:53 - What Brits can learn from Americans to bring creativity back

Entrepreneur, investor, and VaynerMedia CEO Gary Vaynerchuk joins us from Wine Library to share his unfiltered take on marketing in 2025. We cover everything from spotting consumer trends to staying authentic in the age of AI. Gary explains why generosity is his most powerful growth strategy, why the customer is always right, and which media channels are over or undervalued in 2025.

Timestamps

00:00 - Intro
01:03 - Being back at Wine Library
02:38 - Why the customer is always right according to Gary Vee
07:17 - Why Gary Vee doesn’t believe in luck
09:28 - How Gary Vee has managed to have so much reach
13:14 - The power of generosity
17:51 - Gary Vee’s advice on spotting trends
19:31 - Why you need to pay attention to the consumer
21:18 - What does good marketing look like according to Gary Vee
22:01 - Why social media is better than all other media channels
24:08 - Is TV advertising dead?
28:26 - Undervalued or overvalued: media channel edition
29:26 - Undervalued or overvalued: podcasts
31:34 - Undervalued or overvalued: LinkedIn
32:24 - Undervalued or overvalued: Email
33:26 - Undervalued or overvalued: sms/text
34:03 - Undervalued or overvalued: YouTube
35:29 - Undervalued or overvalued: search
38:39 - Undervalued or overvalued: TikTok
40:16 - Undervalued or overvalued: Twitter/X
42:29 - Undervalued or overvalued: New York Jets
44:54 - How do we maintain authenticity in the age of AI
49:00 - Gary Vee’s advice on how to execute on ideas