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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons hosts the most downloaded sports podcast of all time, with a rotating crew of celebrities, athletes, and media staples, as well as mainstays like Cousin Sal, Joe House, and a slew of other friends and family members who always happen to be suspiciously available.
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What happens when you combine a gorilla, Phil Collins, and chocolate marketing genius?
Phil Rumbol joins us to share the story behind one of advertising's most memorable campaigns. With an impressive career spanning from InBev's award-winning Stella Artois work to his groundbreaking tenure at Cadbury, Phil knows what it takes to build brands that stick. At Cadbury, he faced a critical challenge: the iconic chocolate brand had lost an entire generation of consumers, with anyone under 40 showing less affinity for the brand than their older counterparts. His solution? A seemingly random but strategically brilliant advert featuring a gorilla playing drums to Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight" – a campaign that would become a cultural phenomenon and demonstrate the power of emotional marketing over rational messaging.
Key topics you'll explore in this episode:
• Learn why brands live in consumers' minds, not in company boardrooms, and how this fundamental truth shapes successful marketing strategies
• Discover the six-month internal battle Phil fought to get the gorilla advert approved, including how he convinced risk-averse executives after a major product recall
• Understand how to measure brand building ROI using econometrics – a statistical modeling approach that only 20% of marketers use but can prove marketing impact over time
• Explore the balance between staying authentic while remaining relevant, and why brands need to work harder than ever to earn consumer attention in today's crowded marketplace
• Uncover practical advice for startup CMOs on building charismatic brands from scratch, including when to use agencies versus building internal marketing capabilities
Phil doesn't just tell war stories – he breaks down the strategic thinking behind seemingly creative decisions. From understanding that chocolate triggers actual endorphin releases to recognizing Cadbury's "Willy Wonka" brand essence, every choice was rooted in consumer psychology and business logic. He reveals why the song choice was everything, how early social media shaped their viral strategy, and what it really takes to shift from short-term sales activation to long-term brand building. Plus, he shares his current brand crush and explains why mathematical modeling should be every marketer's secret weapon.
Tune in to discover how one of advertising's most talked-about campaigns came together, and walk away with practical frameworks for building brands that people actually care about.
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