Radical Content

Hosted by Eric Gray

Business Marketing

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Aug 2026

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About the show

Welcome to Radical Content a new content and social marketing show where our mission is to help brands stop interrupting and start connecting. Eric Gray, former head of Fortune 500 Social and Content teams, now the founder of Maverick Content Studio, highlights how content & engagement is the brand-building superpower you are missing. On this podcast we talk to the brand leaders, creators, and storytellers who have built rabid fans, to help us learn how marketing can shift from transactional selling to a brand that entertains, connects, and creates raving fans. Radical Content is a Maverick Content Studio production. Maverick Content Studio is a social and digital-first content agency helping the biggest brands engage the next generation of fans. If you need help with social media, YouTube, podcasting, or building a fan-first content strategy email us at hello@maverickcontentstudio.com.

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55 recent

August 17, 202636 min

6 Things the Best Social Teams in Sports Do Differently (with NASCAR's Jess Smith)

In this episode of Radical Content, I sat down with Jess Smith, VP of Brand at NASCAR (formerly of Stewart-Haas Racing, the New York Rangers, and Under Armour), to unpack how she's helped build a personality-driven content machine around NASCAR's drivers, why "planning is a superpower," and how she made the leap from social media manager to brand executive without losing her social instincts along the way. We talked about aligning social and brand under one roof, why emotion beats X's and O's every time, and the six things the best social teams in sports do differently. If you're trying to build a content team, elevate your career from tactician to strategist, or figure out how to make your brand impossible to ignore, this conversation is packed with real, tactical takeaways. What You'll Learn in This Episode 🏁 Why "social and brand should live under one roof" and how that changes everything 🏁 How NASCAR blends entertainment and sport to reach NASCAR-curious fans 🏁 Why planning is a superpower, even in a fast-moving, reactive industry 🏁 How to give drivers (or any personality) room to be human on camera 🏁 Career advice for social pros trying to graduate from the channels into leadership 👀 Watch this with your team. 📩 Share it with your boss. 📬 Subscribe to the Radical Content Newsletter and get The Content of the Week! MaverickcontentstudioMAVERICK CONTENT STUDIO 💬 Connect with me on LinkedIn: Linkedinlinkedin.com/in/ericgray 📲 Follow me on Instagram: Instagraminstagram.com/theericgray 🎥Subscribe to my Youtube Channel: YoutubeEric Gray Episode #54

August 3, 202654 min

50 Minutes with the Guy Behind the Empire State Building's Social Media (Tyler O'Day)

In this episode of Radical Content, I sat down with Tyler O'Day, former Social Media Manager at the Empire State Building and current Director of Communications for the Manhattan Borough President's Office, to unpack how he built one of the most recognizable brand voices on the internet and why the same playbook works whether you're selling observation deck tickets or informing New Yorkers about their government. We talked about giving the Empire State Building a personality, the lessons he carried over from four years at Barstool Sports, and why he's now using the same social strategy to make city government content actually shareable. If you're building a brand, growing a social team, or trying to make "boring" institutional content people actually want to watch, this conversation is loaded with real, tactical takeaways. What You'll Learn in This Episode 🏙️ How to give a brand (even a 95-year-old building) a distinct, ownable personality 🏙️ Why real-time cultural moments beat expensive planned campaigns 🏙️ How to build and empower an on-camera content creator team without becoming the face yourself 🏙️ Why Facebook still delivers massive organic reach for the right audience 🏙️ How social media strategy translates from Barstool Sports to city government 🏙️ Career advice for social professionals trying to move from "social media manager" to strategist 👀 Watch this with your team. 📩 Share it with your boss. 📬 Subscribe to the Radical Content Newsletter and get The Content of the Week! MaverickcontentstudioMAVERICK CONTENT STUDIO 💬 Connect with me on LinkedIn: LinkedinEric Gray - Maverick Content Studio | LinkedIn 📲 Follow me on Instagram: Instagraminstagram.com/theericgray 🎥Subscribe to my Youtube Channel: YoutubeEric Gray Episode #53

July 14, 202634 min

The Social Media Strategy Behind SweetGreen's Most Viral Campaigns (with Bari Tippett)

We talked about developing creative taste, building distinct brand personalities, creating social-first campaigns that resonate, and why follower count isn't the metric marketers should be obsessing over. Bari shares lessons from leading social at some of the most recognizable brands in food and explains how the best marketing comes from understanding culture, not just reacting to it. If you're building a brand, leading social, or trying to create better content, this conversation is packed with practical insights you can put to work. What You’ll Learn in This Episode Why strong brand personalities outperform trend chasing How to build content people actually want to engage with Why creative taste is becoming a marketer's biggest advantage The future of creator partnerships and community building Career advice for anyone looking to grow in social media marketing 👀 Watch this with your team. 📩 Share it with your boss. 📬 Subscribe to the Radical Content Newsletter and get The Content of the Week! MaverickcontentstudioMAVERICK CONTENT STUDIO 💬 Connect with me on LinkedIn: Linkedinlinkedin.com/in/ericgray 📲 Follow me on Instagram: Instagraminstagram.com/theericgray 🎥Subscribe to my Youtube Channel: YoutubeEric Gray

June 16, 202630 min

The Content Framework Behind Every Bold Brand (ft. Erin Balsa)

What separates memorable brands from forgettable ones? In Episode 51 of Radical Content, Eric Gray sits down with content strategist, researcher, and House of Bold founder Erin Balsa to unpack the framework behind bold, differentiated content in an era flooded with AI-generated noise. From building trust through transparency to creating original thought leadership that actually stands out, Erin shares the principles she uses to help B2B brands, founders, and marketing leaders create content that drives connection, credibility, and growth. Whether you're a marketer, founder, content creator, agency leader, or brand strategist, this conversation is packed with practical insights on how to create content people remember... and trust. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why trust is the most valuable asset in modern marketing The difference between content that performs and content that builds authority Erin's framework for creating bold content Why originality matters more than ever The role of transparency in building brand trust Why most brands struggle to stand out The dangers of "AI slop" and generic content How research can become a powerful content engine What founders and executives get wrong about personal branding Where B2B content marketing is headed next 👀 Watch this with your team. 📩 Share it with your boss. 📬 Subscribe to the Radical Content Newsletter and get The Content of the Week! MaverickcontentstudioMAVERICK CONTENT STUDIO 💬 Connect with me on LinkedIn: Linkedinlinkedin.com/in/ericgray 📲 Follow me on Instagram: Instagraminstagram.com/theericgray 🎥Subscribe to my Youtube Channel: YoutubeEric Gray Episode #51

June 2, 202627 min

Why LinkedIn Is the Most Underutilized Platform in Marketing (ft. Melissa Dawson)

In this episode of Radical Content, I sit down with Melissa Dawson, Global Social Lead at WD (formerly Western Digital), to break down how B2B brands can actually win on social media by leaning into storytelling, thought leadership, and audience-first content. Melissa shares how she helped transform WD’s social strategy from a broad B2C/B2B mix into a focused LinkedIn growth engine that generated millions of impressions, massive engagement, and real business impact. From viral LinkedIn posts to the future of B2B marketing, this episode is packed with insights for marketers, creators, and social media professionals trying to stand out in an increasingly crowded digital landscape. What You’ll Learn in This Episode Why LinkedIn is massively underrated for both B2B and B2C brands How WD shifted from product marketing to audience-first storytelling The LinkedIn content formats driving the most growth right now The psychology behind Melissa’s viral “social media manager” post Why relatable content often outperforms polished expertise How LinkedIn’s algorithm differs from TikTok and Instagram Why social media managers are becoming the future CMOs Melissa’s hot take on brands using creator content for free exposure 👀 Watch this with your team. 📩 Share it with your boss. 📬 Subscribe to the Radical Content Newsletter and get The Content of the Week! MaverickcontentstudioMAVERICK CONTENT STUDIO 💬 Connect with me on LinkedIn: Linkedinlinkedin.com/in/ericgray 📲 Follow me on Instagram: Instagraminstagram.com/theericgray 🎥Subscribe to my Youtube Channel: YoutubeEric Gray

May 18, 202629 min

How EA Sports Uses NFL Players to Build One of the Best Social Media Brands

From Super Bowl activations and NFL Draft content to athlete creator partnerships and the return of EA Sports College Football, Tiffany shares how EA Sports used social media to create cultural moments, deepen fan loyalty, and turn NFL players into creators and influencers. They also unpack why sports brands consistently outperform other industries on social media, how gaming audiences shaped modern creator culture long before TikTok, and what marketers can learn from brands that truly understand fandom. If you care about sports marketing, creator strategy, social storytelling, or audience building, this episode is packed with insights from one of the people helping shape the future of fan engagement behind the scenes. 👀 Watch this with your team. 📩 Share it with your boss. 📬 Subscribe to the Radical Content Newsletter and get The Content of the Week! MaverickcontentstudioMAVERICK CONTENT STUDIO 💬 Connect with me on LinkedIn: Linkedinlinkedin.com/in/ericgray 📲 Follow me on Instagram: InstagramEric Gray - The Content Coach! (@theericgray) • Instagram photos and videos 🎥Subscribe to my Youtube Channel: YoutubeEric Gray Episode #49

April 27, 202634 min

How The North Face Turned a Viral Complaint Into a Helicopter Marketing Stunt

In this episode of Radical Content, Eric sits down with Maren Hamilton (former social lead at The North Face, now at Popfly) to break down the full behind-the-scenes story of how a single customer complaint turned into one of the most memorable brand moments in recent social media history. From spotting the opportunity to convincing leadership, coordinating a real-time response, and ultimately delivering a jacket via helicopter: this is a masterclass in modern brand storytelling. This conversation goes far beyond one viral moment. Maren shares how brands can build trust internally, create space for real creativity, and move from reactive content to intentional storytelling that actually connects with audiences. If you’re trying to figure out how to stand out in a sea of trend-chasing content, this episode will completely reset how you think about social. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: The full breakdown of The North Face’s viral helicopter stunt and how it came together How to turn a negative customer moment into a brand win Why trust from leadership is critical to executing bold ideas The importance of resilience and problem-solving in real-time social moment The problem with trend-chasing content and what to do instead How to create social content that feels like a story How to build internal alignment and credibility as a social leader 👀 Watch this with your team. 📩 Share it with your boss. 📬 Subscribe to the Radical Content Newsletter and get The Content of the Week! MaverickcontentstudioMAVERICK CONTENT STUDIO 💬 Connect with me on LinkedIn: Linkedinlinkedin.com/in/ericgray 📲 Follow me on Instagram: http://instagram.com/theericgray 🎥Subscribe to my Youtube Channel: YoutubeEric Gray Episode #48

April 13, 202638 min

Former Ryanair Head of Social Tells Us Why Social Media Impressions Don't Matter...

Drawing from his experience building one of the most disruptive and talked-about brand voices in the world, Michael Corcoran breaks down how Ryanair used bold strategy, irreverent storytelling, and relentless experimentation to shift perception. This conversation goes beyond tactics and trends, diving into the real role of social media in modern marketing: building memorability, influencing decisions, and driving real business results in an algorithm-driven world. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: Why impressions and reach are no longer the metrics that matter How Ryanair used social to change brand perception at scale The difference between vanity metrics vs. meaningful impact Why most brands don’t actually have a social media strategy How to shift from trend-chasing to brand-building content The importance of memorability over visibility How to build a clear, actionable social strategy framework 👀 Watch this with your team. 📩 Share it with your boss. 📬 Subscribe to the Radical Content Newsletter and get The Content of the Week! MaverickcontentstudioMAVERICK CONTENT STUDIO 💬 Connect with me on LinkedIn: LinkedinEric Gray - Maverick Content Studio | LinkedIn 📲 Follow me on Instagram: Instagraminstagram.com/theericgray 🎥Subscribe to my Youtube Channel: YoutubeEric Gray Episode #47

March 30, 202635 min

The Truth About Viral Content (From a Red Bull Creative Director)

What does it actually take to create 500 pieces of content in a single weekend (and more importantly, why would you?). In this episode of Radical Content, I sit down with Mike Aransky (Creative Director at Grey NY) to break down the strategy, systems, and mindset behind high-volume, high-impact content production. From his early days in digital media at NBC and IGN to building content ecosystems at 100 Thieves, Red Bull, and now Las Vegas, Mike shares how the best brands are evolving from marketers into full-scale media companies. We go deep on what most brands still get wrong about social, why “best practices” are quietly killing creativity, and how teams can actually operate at the speed of culture without sacrificing quality. If you’ve ever felt stuck between “we need more content” and “we need better content”… this episode will reset how you think about both. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: Why volume + quality is the new standard—and how to actually execute both The real story behind producing 500+ pieces of content during F1 in Vegas Why most brands fail on social (hint: they think like advertisers, not media companies) How to build systems for rapid content production without burnout Why experimentation and iteration are non-negotiable in today’s algorithm-driven world The role of community and audience-first thinking in winning on social Why breaking “best practices” is often the key to breakthrough creative 📬 Subscribe to the Radical Content Newsletter and get The Content of the Week! MaverickcontentstudioMAVERICK CONTENT STUDIO 💬 Connect with me on LinkedIn: Linkedinlinkedin.com/in/ericgray 📲 Follow me on Instagram: Instagraminstagram.com/theericgray 🎥Subscribe to my Youtube Channel: YoutubeEric Gray

March 16, 202637 min

How Cava is Connecting Culture and Content.

Andrew is leading one of the most creative brand social programs right now, including the launch of “Bowlmates,” CAVA’s social-first dating show that turns the restaurant into the backdrop for culture-driven content. It’s a great example of what happens when brands stop thinking like advertisers and start thinking like creators. We talk about how social media has fundamentally changed. From the rise of the For You Page to the reality that most of your content is now reaching non-followers first. That shift forces brands to rethink everything: how ideas are developed, how creativity is structured, and how brands earn attention in feeds that are more competitive than ever. If you lead social, content, or brand marketing, this episode is packed with practical insights on how to build content systems that break through the algorithm and actually connect with people. What You’ll Learn in This Episode Why most social content now reaches non-followers first and what brands must do differently Andrew’s “Idea Ring” framework for expanding content beyond your core audience How CAVA created the Bowlmates social dating show Why formats are more powerful than chasing trends How brands can create social shows without huge production budgets The importance of creative culture inside social teams Why modern social strategy is really about building fandom, not just followers 👀 Watch this with your team. 📩 Share it with your boss. 📬 Subscribe to the Radical Content Newsletter and get The Content of the Week! 💬 Connect with Me on LinkedIn 📲 Follow Me on Instagram 🎥Subscribe to my Youtube Channel: Episode #45