Partners in Possibility Podcast
2023.06.06

On this show we look behind the curtain to learn how the most successful marketing campaigns were created - and we also hear from thought leaders in the industry. From the initial brief to the follow-through, teamwork, and final execution, we always ask: Where can we go next? Which path can we take to make this campaign a true success? Brett Marchand, CEO of Plus Company, hosts the discussion.
We’re a unique partnership of forward-thinking creative agencies. By harnessing the power of collaboration, we make the choices that drive brands forward. At Plus Company, we’re the entrepreneurial network and we unabashedly believe that anything is possible. This is the Partners in Possibility podcast.

Episode 12: The Human Element in Prediction Technology
We continue our conversation about AI and prediction technology with Avi Goldfarb, the Rotman Chair in AI and Healthcare at the University of Toronto, Chief Data Scientist at the Creative Destruction Lab, and co-author of the best-selling book “Prediction Machines” and its follow-up “Power and Prediction.” We look at how AI will change our industry, and the vital role human judgment plays in using this technology most effectively, and how we here at Plus Company are unlocking what’s possible in the consumer journey with our newest innovation, Plus AIOS.

Episode 11: In the ‘Between Times’ and Embracing Opportunities of AI
At this moment in time, we sit in a striking phase in the development of AI: we have witnessed its potential, but have not yet seen its widespread impact. Avi Goldfarb, Rotman Chair in Artificial Intelligence and Healthcare at the University of Toronto and Chief Data Scientist at the Creative Destruction Lab, calls this phase “Between Times.” In part one of their conversation, Plus Company CEO Brett Marchand and Avi talk some of the trade offs between privacy and innovation, and what it means to be living in the “Between Times”.

Episode 10: The AI Powered ROMI Revolution
Predictive Intelligence can maximize ROMI! In our 10th episode of the podcast, Kristin Wozniak, SVP of Customer Success at Plus Company, and Andrew Rusk, VP Marketing at Coast Capital Savings, dig into the pivotal role played by AI and how it assists in better understanding the consumer journey, affording marketers more time and resources to concentrate on quantifying and measuring the brand's impact.

Episode 9: Best of Partners in Possibility Season 1
This season, we've taken a journey through the realms of marketing, exploring everything from the ingenious Superbowl Pregrain series to the unforgettable, award winning Cheetle in Cheadle campaign. We've also delved into the exciting world of AI integrations that are reshaping our daily lives, at work and at home. From game-changing strategies to innovative ideas, here are some of the most inspiring and insightful moments of the season.

Episode 8: SickKids - When Sick Fights Back
One simple idea forever changed the face of charity: Sickness doesn’t mean weakness. SickKids’ VS brand launched in 2016 with the ambitious target of raising $1.5 billion – making it the largest fundraiser in Canadian healthcare history. By March of 2023, that $1.5 billion target had been met. In Episode 8 of Partners in Possibility, former SickKids CEO Ted Garrard sat down with Plus Company CEO and our host Brett Marchand to take a look back at where it all began.

Episode 7: Are You Ready For It? How Data & AI Will Change Marketing Forever
Joining Brett this week are two members of the Plus Company team – Kristin Wozniak, Global Lead Customer Success and Michael Cohen, Global Chief Data & Analytics Officer. They go beyond ChatGPT and Midjourney to examine how Data and generative AI can improve marketing business operations and increase ROI. They talk about how marketers can leverage AI to better allocate targeted ad spends, define a composable CDP, and how it and data-centric AI will change the way we work.

Episode 6: Human+ Creativity - How AI has Changed the Game (Part 2)
This week we return for the second part of our conversation centered around Artificial Intelligence. We’ll discuss how Chat GPT has democratized AI and become an accessible AI tool that anyone can use. The ease of use also lends itself to being able to work more efficiently individually and across teams. Speaking of teams-we also explore which department AI tools are destined to be a part of. Joining our host Brett Marchand is Jason Harris, co-founder and CEO of the award-winning creative agency Mekanism, and Jeff MacDonald, an AI thought leader, and the Director of Social Strategy at Mekanism. He's been named one to watch in this space by Ad-Age.com.

Episode 5: Human+ Creativity - How AI has Changed the Game (Part 1)
In part one of our two-part exploration into Artificial Intelligence usage in marketing, Plus Company CEO Brett Marchand speaks with Jason Harris, Mekanism's co-founder and CEO, and Jeff MacDonald, an AI thought leader and Mekanism's Director of Social Strategy. They discuss why AI is so hot, and how ChatGPT made generative AI something anyone could use. They also talk about how marketers should be using AI to not only work faster but smarter, and whether AI is coming for your job.

Episode 4: Cheetle in Cheadle
Here’s a fun fact: You know when you eat Cheetos, and you get that orange dust on your fingers? That dust actually has a name: Cheetle. So when Cheetos discovered a small Albertan village called Cheadle, they saw an opportunity to connect the two. Plus Company CEO Brett Marchand speaks with Jess Spaulding, CMO at PepsiCo Foods Canada and Josh Budd, Chief Creative Officer at Citizen Relations. about their Cheetle in Cheadle campaign, a 17-foot-tall monument to the Cheetos Puff and its famous orange dust. Brett, Jess and Josh talk about how the campaign came to be, the strategies behind viral marketing, and the impact it has had on the brand.

Episode 3: AI for the Elderly - Meet ElliQ
Brett Marchand speaks with Dor Skuler, CEO and co-founder of Intuition Robotics, and Qin Li, VP of Design at fuseproject, about ElliQ, the first AI robot specifically designed to enrich the lives of elderly adults living alone. They discuss the development strategy behind the AI and machine learning aspects of ElliQ, how they settled on its physical design, and the unique challenges in bringing ElliQ to market, making it attractive and accessible to elderly adults.

Episode 2: Diversity Drives Innovation
Brett speaks with Frans Johansson, entrepreneur, author, and thought leader in diversity, equity, and inclusion. His best-selling book, The Medici Effect, argues that innovation happens at the intersection of diverse industries, cultures, and disciplines. Over the last 15 years, Frans has shared his methods and tools for diversity and innovation with over 5,000 teams worldwide. He has put DEI on the CEO agenda. They look at how campaigns from Nike, McDonalds and the NFL have met the moment we’re in, and what that tells us about the future.

Episode 1: See You at the Pregrain
Kristin Kroepfl and Ian Kovalik speak to Brett about the viral Quaker Oats “Pregraining” TikTok campaign leading up to Superbowl 57. Kristin is Vice President and CMO of PepsiCo’s Quaker brand and has decades of experience managing campaigns for several major brands.Ian is co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of Mekanism, an award-winning creative agency in the Plus Company network. Together, they talk about what it takes to get in the game, boost engagement, and make gains in a viral Super Bowl campaign. The help of Eli Manning doesn’t hurt.