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Soul & Science: Fast Forward Your Marketing Mind

Soul & Science: Fast Forward Your Marketing Mind

Hosted by Mekanism and Jason Harris

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Episodes

162

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

EN

About the show

Soul & Science is an award-winning podcast where marketing’s brightest minds reveal what it takes to build breakthrough brands. Hosted by Jason Harris, each episode explores the balance between brand building (Soul) and business performance (Science). From legacy brands to emerging disruptors, we delve into the insights, culture, and vision behind the most successful brand stories.Soul & Science is a Mekanism podcast produced by Maggie Boles, Ryan Tillotson, and Lily Jablonski. The show is edited by Daniel Ferreira, with theme music by Kyle Merritt.Brought to you by Mekanism.

Listen to episodes

60 recent
June 15, 202659 min

#127: Soul & Science LIVE @ White Castle HQ | Born Again Brands

How does a brand stay relevant for generations? In this special episode of Soul & Science recorded live at White Castle headquarters, Jason Harris sits down with White Castle CMO Jamie Richardson, Tripadvisor Head of Media Kristin Tormey, and Lands' End CMO Sarah Sylvester for a conversation about modernizing legacy brands without losing what you stand for. The panelists share how White Castle, Tripadvisor, and Lands’ End balance heritage with innovation, why authenticity matters more than ever, and how marketers can connect with younger generations without alienating loyal customers. They discuss the tension between performance marketing and brand building, the role of AI and emerging technologies in their work, and the importance of evolving without losing sight of who they are Key Takeaways ✅ Heritage is an asset when paired with innovation ✅ Just because it’s trending doesn’t mean it has sticking power ✅ Don’t be afraid to make mistakes ✅ Building community and connection within teams is essential ✅ Great marketing starts with listening to consumers Memorable Moments 💡 “People want experiences” 💡 “Keep it real, keep it relevant, and keep it resonant.” 💡 “The more honest brands are, the more trust there will be.” 💡 “If you always got it right, you’d never learn.” 💡 “There’s a great big world outside of your brand—get out there.” Brought to you by Mekanism.

June 8, 202639 min

#126: Klarna CMO David Sandstrom | Consistency in the Age of Over-Personalization

Has marketing become too personalized? This week on Soul & Science, Jason Harris sits down with Klarna CMO David Sandstrom to discuss how one of the world’s fastest-growing fintech brands maintains a consistent narrative across a wide range of industries and audiences. With a background in consumer insights, agency leadership, and nearly a decade leading marketing at Klarna, David brings a nuanced understanding of consumer psychology and how brands earn attention, trust, and preference. David shares why Klarna has intentionally positioned itself as the alternative to male-coded fintech and credit card companies, how AI has unlocked new opportunities for creative production across dozens of markets, and why he believes hyper-personalization may actually weaken brands over time. They also discuss the importance of building shared brand experiences, the power of simple “zero-calorie ideas,” and why the seemingly minor details that don’t drive efficiency are actually the key to building consumer trust and humanizing your brand. Key Takeaways ✅ Relevancy is more important than personalization ✅ Strong brands are built through shared experiences ✅ AI should expand creative possibilities, not just improve efficiency ✅ Consistent storytelling matters more as organizations scale ✅ The smallest details often have the biggest impact on trust Memorable Moments 💡 “Personalization can only take you so far” 💡 “Super Bowl ads works because we’ve all seen the same thing.” 💡 “Quantity leads to quality.” 💡 “A lot of people don’t actually know what they want.” 💡 “I believe in zero-calorie ideas.” Brought to you by Mekanism.

June 1, 202638 min

#125: Mastercard EVP and Head of Marketing & Communications Rustom Dastoor | How to Make a Global Brand Feel Local

How does a brand stay culturally relevant across 200 countries? This week on Soul & Science, Jason Harris talks to Rustom Dastoor, EVP and Head of Marketing & Communications at Mastercard, about building a brand that resonates across cultures, markets, and generations. Born and raised in India amid the country’s surge towards consumerism, Rustom has lived and worked across four continents and brings a uniquely international perspective to branding, consumer behavior, and the evolving relationship between creativity and technology. Rustom shares how Mastercard balances global consistency with local relevance across hundreds of markets, the growing importance of regulation and data governance, and why the best brands integrate into local culture instead of simply extracting value from it. They also discuss the future of marketing, why successful marketing will increasingly need to put data at the center of strategy, and why AI and data are most powerful when they’re used to guide thinking—not replace it. Key Takeaways ✅ Global brands succeed when they integrate into local culture ✅ Data should inform decisions, not dictate them ✅ AI adds real value in data analysis, not automation ✅ Consistency builds trust, but relevance drives connection Memorable Moments 💡 “To gain something new, you have to give up something old.” 💡 “People are more similar than they are different.” 💡 “Use data for illumination, not support.” 💡 “If you’re comfortable, you’re stagnating.” 💡 “A global brand needs to be seen as a contributor, not an extractor.” Brought to you by Mekanism.

May 18, 202637 min

#124: Building Trust in Marketplace Marketing | Llibert Argerich, CMO of Thumbtack

How do you make a digital marketplace feel human? This week on Soul & Science, Jason Harris talks to Llibert Argerich, CMO of Thumbtack, about the unique challenges of marketplace marketing and why trust can’t just be built through brand—it has to be built into the platform itself. From Expedia to eBay, Llibert has spent his career building businesses that connect people through technology and studying both the supply and demand sides of the marketplace. Llibert shares how Thumbtack approaches marketing as a profit center tied directly to business growth, the challenge of scaling hyperlocal trust between homeowners and maintenance professionals to a national market, and how AI is improving the platform’s matching engine. They also discuss why differentiating “brand” and “performance” marketing is counterproductive, the critical role of data in successful outcomes, and why the strongest marketplace brands are built through consistent customer experience. Key Takeaways ✅ Build trust into the product—not just the brand ✅ Successful marketplace marketing considers both supply and demand ✅ Brand and performance marketing are intertwined ✅ CMOs must be able to speak the same language as CEOs & CFOs ✅ Hyperlocal marketplaces require hyperlocal thinking at scale Memorable Moments 💡 “Marketing is not a cost center, it’s a profit center.” 💡 “The brand is the product, and the product is the brand.” 💡 “Awareness is not a business metric.” 💡 “Every ad must both build the brand and drive performance.” 💡 “There’s no manual that comes with buying a home.” Brought to you by Mekanism.

May 11, 202639 min

#123: Twilio CMO Chris Koehler | Marketing in an AI World

Most marketers see AI as a tool. What if it’s also the audience? This week on Soul & Science, Jason Harris sits down with Chris Koehler, CMO of Twilio, to discuss B2B marketing and how AI is fundamentally changing the way brands communicate with consumers. From a 10-year stint at Adobe to navigating AI adoption at Box and now Twillo, Chris brings a deep understanding of how technology transforms both marketing strategy and customer behavior. Chris shares how Twilio is rethinking marketing from the inside out, from creating dedicated AI innovation roles to rebuilding workflows around speed, experimentation, and parallel collaboration. He explains how AI is changing discovery as consumers shift from search engines to AI agents—and why marketers now need to optimize for both humans and machines. They also discuss the increasing importance of brand awareness, the evolving roles of specialists and generalists, and why less is more in a market oversaturated with AI-generated content. Key Takeaways ✅ AI is both tool and a means of discovery ✅ Generalists work faster, but specialists are the gut-check ✅ Brands awareness is critical in an AI-driven world ✅ Adapting to AI means rethinking entire workflows ✅ The future of marketing is knowing how to say less Memorable Moments 💡 “B2B doesn’t have to suck.” 💡 “Everyone wants to feel like they’re building something.” 💡 “Content used to be the bottleneck; now it’s ubiquitous.” 💡 “How do you convince AI agents to recommend your brand to humans?” 💡 “The best teams are the ones brave enough to say less.” Brought to you by Mekanism.

May 4, 202638 min

#122: Reimagining an Iconic Brand | Victoria Lozano, C-Suite Marketing Leader & Former CMO at Crayola

What does it take to turn a legacy brand into something bigger? This week on Soul & Science, Jason Harris sits down with Victoria Lozano, former CMO and EVP at Crayola, to discuss how she helped evolve one of the world’s most recognizable brands into a multi-platform growth engine. Drawing on her experience in both marketing and finance, Victoria’s approach ties brand strategy directly to business results. In their conversation, Victoria shares how redefining Crayola as a “creativity brand” unlocked new revenue streams, from in-person attractions to entertainment and digital platforms. She explains why the most effective brands know what they stand for: they’re built on clear, simple ideas that extend beyond a single product. They also discuss the realities of modern marketing, from navigating ambiguity and complexity to managing large teams that can execute with both creativity and discipline. Key Takeaways ✅ Knowing what your brand stands for can unlock growth ✅ Successful ideas need time, iteration, and refinement ✅ Simplicity makes it easier to understand and execute the vision ✅ Focusing on what matters most increases your chances of success ✅ Innovation isn’t just products; it’s how the business evolves Memorable Moments 💡 “Don’t get distracted by shiny objects.” 💡 “What difference do you make in their life?” 💡 “There’s no business you’ll ever be in where you don’t fail.” 💡 “Most successful businesses take a little bit of nurturing.” 💡 “You have to be comfortable living with ambiguity.” Brought to you by Mekanism.

April 27, 202639 min

#121: “André is an Idiot” Director Tony Benna & Producer Lee Einhorn | The Last Laugh

What if your last idea was the one that mattered most? This week on Soul & Science, Jason Harris sits down with Mekanism alums Tony Benna and Lee Einhorn, the director and producer behind André Is an Idiot: a documentary that follows their friend André Ricciardi as he faces stage four colon cancer with a sense of humor. What began as an outrageous pitch from André—that if he was going to die, they should film it—became a three-and-a-half-year journey documenting the final years of his life through laughter, tears, and honest, irreverent storytelling. Tony and Lee share how the film came together, the challenge of balancing comedy and grief, and why staying true to André’s voice meant refusing to make the “sad cancer film” the world expected. They also look back on the film’s whirlwind path to success, from getting picked up by A24 to winning the Audience Award at Sundance and finally securing distribution, and how it has evolved into something more than just a documentary: it’s sparking conversations, encouraging people to get screened for cancer, and ultimately saving lives. Key Takeaways ✅ Humor can help us face the hardest truths ✅ Being invited in is an honor and a responsibility ✅ Sharing your story can make a difference ✅ Always stay true to your voice ✅ Great stories start with real relationships Memorable Moments 💡 “To be invited into those last years of his life was a huge honor.” 💡 “André’s like, ‘I’ve got stage four cancer, let’s make a comedy." 💡 “The bigger goal the whole time was to save lives.” 💡 “It was one of the best times of my life, as horrible as that sounds.” 💡 “Laughter was the best medicine—not just for André, but for all of us” Brought to you by Mekanism.

April 20, 202638 min

#120: Major League Soccer SVP & CMO Radhika Duggal | Turning Casual Viewers Into Lifelong Fans

The World Cup will get Americans talking about soccer. Can MLS keep the conversation going? This week on Soul & Science, Jason Harris is joined by Radhika Duggal, SVP and CMO of Major League Soccer, to discuss what it takes to grow a league when your competition isn’t just other sports—it’s everything people do for fun. With a background in consulting, fintech, and pharma, Radhika brings an outsider’s perspective to MLS, using data to understand how to turn first-time viewers into diehard fans. They discuss how mapping the full fan journey reveals that consumers stay in the “awareness and consideration” phase much longer than you might expect, and why the most important step for growth is understanding what your consumer is looking for. Radhika also shares why focus is her most important leadership tool, what it means to market a product that’s shared across clubs and platforms, and how she’s preparing MLS for a once-in-a-generation opportunity as the World Cup heads to the U.S. Key Takeaways ✅ Moments don’t build fandom—habits do ✅ Understand what the consumer is looking for ✅ Fewer, bigger bets drive stronger results ✅ Always take time to say “thank you”✅ Big events need a long-term plan Memorable Moments 💡 “It takes time to build interest and passion.” 💡 “Confidence will make you successful.” 💡 “Pick three things and make the outcomes as big as possible.” 💡 “Our job is to turn World Cup fever into MLS fever.” 💡 “Keep the main thing the main thing.” Brought to you by Mekanism.

April 13, 202639 min

#119: Ziggy Marley | Changing the World’s Frequency

What does it mean to create something that people don’t just hear, but feel? This week on Soul & Science, Jason Harris sits down with Ziggy Marley, the eight-time Grammy Award winning musician, philanthropist, and entrepreneur, for a conversation about identity, creativity, and his upcoming album, Brightside. Born into one music’s most iconic legacies, Ziggy shares how he’s found his own voice by learning from his parents, being authentic to himself, and always searching for more. In their conversation, Ziggy tells Jason about his lifelong search for music that “speaks to angels” and how the recording frequency of his new album (432 Hz instead of 440 Hz) changes how people hear it — and how it makes them feel. He also explains why he sees love as a powerful armor that protects and grounds everything he does, from writing songs to putting them out into the world. For him, marketing his music isn’t about selling something: It’s about creating something honest and trusting that people will feel the vibe. ✅ Stay true to what you feel ✅ Sound and frequency can shape emotion ✅ Love as both guide and protection ✅ Make something real, not something to sell ✅ Creativity has the power to heal 💡 “We’re trying to heal people through sound.” 💡 “Love is a very powerful armor.” 💡 “The whole planet needs a change of frequency.” 💡 “I need to find this music that speaks to angels.” 💡 “Love is my religion.” Key TakeawaysMemorable MomentsBrought to you by Mekanism.

April 6, 202638 min

#118: Turning Mystery Into Momentum | Ben Whitla, Head of Brand & Marketing at Slate Auto

Big brand breakthroughs don’t come from playing it safe. This week on Soul & Science, Jason Harris sits down with Ben Whitla, Head of Brand and Marketing at Slate Auto, to explore how bold creativity and disciplined measurement come together to build something truly different. From his beginning as a self-taught graphic designer, to helping companies like Great Big Story and launching an EV brand, Ben shares how he’s learned to trust his instinct but not lose sight of his results. In their conversation, Ben breaks down how Slate Auto carved out its own space in a crowded automotive market with a radically simple, customizable vehicle and an unconventional launch. He also explains why building the right team is the foundation of great marketing, how brands can scale without losing their edge, and why the best marketers operate on “gut with guardrails”—taking risks, then measuring everything that follows. ✅ Why great marketing starts with people, not just ideas ✅ Do things that make you uncomfortable ✅ The smartest marketers engineer buzz instead of hoping for it ✅ Why brand and performance marketing must work hand in hand ✅ How simplicity can become a powerful competitive advantage 💡 “You’ve gotta try some stuff that’s pure gut, but if you don’t learn from it…afterwards, then it wasn’t worth it.” 💡 “Before you make a single creative decision, nothing matters more than the people.” 💡 “The internet loves to solve a mystery, and they figured it out. They figured out that that weird everyday changing vehicle on the curb was slate.” 💡 “How do we break every rule? How do we do something that any other auto brand would say…That's unacceptable.” Brought to you by Mekanism. Key TakeawaysMemorable Moments

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