The Lunchtime Series

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Aug 2026

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The Lunchtime Series with Kevin Britz is your go-to platform for inspiring, thought-provoking conversations about leadership, coaching, and marketing. Dedicated to adding value to people’s lives, Kevin dives deep into strategies, insights, and transformative ideas to empower individuals and organisations. Featuring global experts, real-world solutions, and engaging discussions, the series equips listeners with tools to thrive in a dynamic world. Discover how leadership, personal growth, and innovative marketing can drive success, all in one impactful lunchtime chat. www.kevinbritz.com

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September 2, 202634 min

Can Marketing Prove Its Value? ROI, Measurement & the CMO’s Seat at the Table

Marketing leaders are under increasing pressure to answer a deceptively simple question: What commercial value is marketing actually creating? In this episode of the LT Marketing & Leadership Show , Kevin Britz and marketing and communication expert Craig Page-Lee continue their exploration of McKinsey’s State of Marketing Europe 2026 report — this time focusing on effectiveness, measurement, ROI and C-suite credibility . The challenge is significant. While 72% of CMOs planned to increase marketing spend through 2026 , marketing leaders are simultaneously facing greater scrutiny from CFOs and CEOs about where that money goes and what it produces. The report identifies profit growth, revenue and market share as key objectives, signalling an important shift: marketing needs to speak the language of the business, not simply the language of marketing. And that creates a measurement problem. An extraordinary 90% of marketing spend is not covered by formal ROI measurement systems , while only 3% of CMOs can formally explain more than half of their marketing spend through ROI metrics. Kevin and Craig unpack why this is happening, including: Lack of sufficient data Poor data quality Measurement capability gaps The limitations of deterministic attribution Increasing privacy restrictions The difficulty of measuring long-term and upper-funnel brand investment The conversation explores why leading marketers are turning toward approaches such as Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM) and incremental lift studies to develop a more complete picture of marketing effectiveness. But measurement isn't simply a technology or analytics challenge. It's also an organisational alignment challenge . Craig introduces a three-layer measurement operating model consisting of central owners, decentralised doers and cross-functional users , and discusses how organisations can build measurement capability across the business. One statistic highlights the problem: only around 50% of European CMOs report regular, meaningful collaboration with their CFOs . That relationship matters. Synchronising metrics, planning budgets together and developing a shared understanding of the customer can fundamentally change marketing's position in the boardroom. We also examine where CMOs are investing next, with Gen AI, measurement capabilities and customer insights emerging as major priorities. And perhaps most importantly, Kevin and Craig challenge the assumption that difficult economic conditions automatically mean marketing budgets should be cut. Evidence suggests that organisations continuing to invest strategically in marketing during downturns can emerge stronger — particularly when they balance short-term performance with long-term brand equity and consistent media investment . The takeaway? Measurement isn't simply about proving that marketing worked. It's about giving marketing the commercial credibility to influence where the business goes next. #Marketing #MarketingROI #CMO #MarketingStrategy #MarketingMeasurement #MarketingMixModeling #MMM #GenAI #BrandStrategy #CFO #Leadership #BusinessGrowth #MarketingEffectiveness #CustomerInsights #LTS #LeadershipByDesign

August 24, 202643 min

Why Branding Is Back at #1: Trust, Creativity & the New Rules of Marketing

In a world dominated by AI, performance marketing and relentless pressure for measurable results, something interesting is happening: branding is back at the top of the CMO agenda. In this episode of the LT Marketing & Leadership Show , Kevin Britz and marketing and communication expert Craig Page-Lee unpack the changing role of branding, creativity and authenticity — drawing on insights from McKinsey's State of Marketing Europe 2026 report. We explore why European CMOs have ranked branding as their #1 priority for 2026 , and why trust and emotional connection are becoming increasingly important sources of long-term growth. Craig and Kevin discuss some significant shifts in marketing investment: Investment in creativity and uniqueness has risen by 14 percentage points. Spending on cultural relevance and trendiness has increased by 23 percentage points. At the same time, investment in customer experience and brand engagement has declined. But building a brand today requires more than producing better advertising. With click-through rates declining by more than 40% as consumers experience increasing ad fatigue, brands are moving from broadcasting at audiences to creating experiences with them . We look at the rapid growth of interactive formats, including AR, VR and gamification, and how brands such as Coca-Cola, Louis Vuitton and Doritos have used participation, technology and cultural storytelling to create deeper consumer engagement. We also explore the rise of the full-funnel campaign , with 71% of CMOs now using campaigns designed to achieve multiple objectives — a 30 percentage point increase. And the rules aren't only changing in B2C. B2B brands are increasingly borrowing from consumer marketing: using humour, personality and more human communication to become approachable and memorable. The conversation then turns to authenticity and employer branding . With 83% of candidates reading online reviews before applying for jobs, the brand an organisation presents to customers can no longer be disconnected from the experience it creates for employees. Finally, we examine why data privacy has become a brand issue . Ranked as the #3 priority for CMOs, privacy is increasingly being treated not simply as a compliance requirement, but as an opportunity to build competitive trust. The central question for marketers is changing: Are we simply communicating our brand — or are we creating something people genuinely want to trust, experience and participate in? #Marketing #BrandStrategy #Branding #Leadership #CMO #MarketingStrategy #CustomerExperience #EmployerBranding #Authenticity #DigitalMarketing #BrandTrust #FutureOfMarketing #LTM #LeadershipByDesign

July 19, 202633 min

Why Feedback Fails – And How Great Leaders Get It Right

Why do so many feedback conversations leave people feeling defensive, misunderstood, or even less motivated than before? In this week's episode, Kevin Britz and Craig Page-Lee unpack one of leadership's most misunderstood skills: giving feedback that actually improves performance instead of damaging it. Drawing on research from the Center for Creative Leadership, Kim Scott's Radical Candor , and the landmark Kluger & DeNisi Feedback Intervention Theory, they explore why more than a third of feedback interventions can actually reduce performance. The answer isn't simply what we say—it's where we direct people's attention . The conversation examines the difference between feedback that focuses on identity versus feedback that focuses on the task , why psychological safety matters, and how leaders can create cultures where feedback becomes a normal, productive part of everyday work rather than a stressful annual event. Craig introduces two practical frameworks every leader should know—the Situation-Behavior-Impact (SBI) model and Radical Candor —before explaining why combining the two creates a powerful balance of clarity, accountability and genuine care. Kevin and Craig also discuss: Why praise can be just as damaging as criticism when it focuses on identity. The hidden role of the Reticular Activating System (RAS) in how people receive feedback. Why frequent, small conversations outperform rare, high-stakes reviews. The importance of separating a person's value from the work they produce. How leaders build trust by actively asking for feedback themselves. Whether you lead a team of two or two thousand, this episode offers practical tools you can implement immediately to improve communication, performance and workplace culture. ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 – Welcome & business updates 03:18 – Why feedback often makes performance worse 07:12 – The research behind Feedback Intervention Theory 12:30 – Task-focused vs identity-focused feedback 17:55 – Why managers struggle to give effective feedback 23:10 – Separating people from the work they produce 27:45 – The SBI (Situation-Behavior-Impact) framework 34:20 – Understanding Radical Candor 41:18 – Combining SBI with Radical Candor 47:35 – Five practical ways to improve feedback immediately 54:10 – Structure vs connection: Does feedback become robotic? 58:20 – Final leadership reflections & Maya Angelou quote If you enjoyed this conversation, please Like, Subscribe and Share to help us continue bringing practical leadership and marketing insights every week. #Leadership #Feedback #Management #PsychologicalSafety #RadicalCandor #LeadershipDevelopment #CommunicationSkills #BusinessLeadership #ExecutiveCoaching #WorkplaceCulture #Marketing #LongTimeSoon #KevinBritz #CraigPageLee

June 23, 202640 min

The Leadership Gap: Why Human Capabilities Matter More Than Ever in the Age of AI

In this episode of LT Marketing & Leadership, Kevin Britz and Craig Page-Lee begin a new leadership series by tackling one of the most important questions facing organisations today: Are leaders being asked to do more than they have been prepared to do? The modern workplace is operating in an environment of constant disruption. Economic uncertainty, rapid technological change, shifting employee expectations, and the rise of artificial intelligence have created a business landscape that many leaders have never experienced before. While organisations continue to invest heavily in technology, many are discovering that their biggest challenge is not technological readiness but leadership readiness. Drawing on global research and current leadership trends, Kevin and Craig explore why so many leaders feel overwhelmed, stretched, and underprepared for the demands being placed on them. They discuss the growing phenomenon of "quiet cracking"—the hidden erosion of motivation, resilience, and capacity that often occurs long before performance visibly declines. The conversation highlights a concerning reality. Research suggests that only a small percentage of organisations believe their leaders are truly equipped to anticipate and respond effectively to change. At the same time, leaders are expected to manage performance, drive innovation, integrate AI, retain talent, coach teams, and maintain culture, often without additional resources, authority, or support. To address this growing leadership challenge, the episode explores six critical capabilities that will define successful leadership in the years ahead. The first is adaptability—the ability to adjust quickly and effectively as circumstances change. The second is judgment under pressure, where leaders must make sound decisions despite uncertainty and increasing reliance on technology. The third is emotional intelligence, which remains one of the strongest predictors of trust, engagement, and team performance. The discussion also examines the importance of building trust in distributed and hybrid work environments, where visibility and connection can no longer depend on physical presence alone. Learning agility is highlighted as another essential capability, enabling leaders to continuously learn, adapt, and apply new insights in unfamiliar situations. Finally, the episode emphasises the importance of clear and authentic communication, particularly during periods of uncertainty and change. A major theme throughout the discussion is the relationship between leadership and artificial intelligence. While AI is transforming the way organisations operate, Kevin and Craig argue that technology itself is not the solution. The real competitive advantage lies in leaders who can create clarity, build trust, develop people, and guide teams through complexity. As AI becomes more capable, uniquely human leadership capabilities become even more valuable. The episode concludes with practical actions organisations can take immediately, including auditing leadership capability gaps, redesigning leadership roles, investing in self-awareness, building psychological safety, and moving from event-based leadership training to continuous leadership development systems. Ultimately, this conversation serves as a reminder that while technology will continue to evolve, leadership remains a fundamentally human responsibility. The organisations that thrive will be those that intentionally develop leaders who can navigate uncertainty, adapt to change, and bring out the best in the people around them. #Leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #ArtificialIntelligence #FutureOfWork #Management #BusinessLeadership #EmotionalIntelligence #ChangeManagement #LearningAgility #PsychologicalSafety #LeadershipByDesign #LTMarketingAndLeadership

June 23, 202639 min

Brands Shifting from Short-Term Campaigns to Long-Term Brand Building

In this episode of LT Marketing & Leadership, Kevin Britz and Craig Page-Lee explore why successful brands are shifting from short-term campaigns to long-term brand building. Discover the power of the compound effect, the cost of short-termism, and what research reveals about sustainable growth in modern marketing. #Marketing #Leadership #BrandBuilding #BusinessGrowth #MarketingStrategy #LeadershipDevelopment #BrandStrategy #LongTermThinking #BusinessLeadership #LTMarketingAndLeadership

June 1, 202627 min

The Death of the Campaign: Why Always-On Brand Thinking Is Replacing Traditional Marketing

In this episode of the LT Marketing & Leadership Show, Kevin Britz and marketing strategist Craig Page-Lee explore why traditional campaign-based marketing is losing effectiveness and why the world's most successful brands are adopting an always-on approach. Using real-world examples from Red Bull, Spotify and Oreo, the discussion unpacks how modern brands build long-term relevance by becoming part of consumers' daily lives rather than relying on short bursts of promotional activity. The conversation also examines the organisational, technological and leadership shifts required to support continuous engagement in an AI-driven world. ✅ Why campaign thinking is becoming outdated ✅ The difference between campaign marketing and always-on marketing ✅ What Red Bull, Spotify and Oreo teach us about sustained brand growth ✅ The role of AI in modern marketing ✅ Why creativity remains a human advantage ✅ The growing pressure on marketers to prove ROI ✅ How organisations can build long-term brand equity ✅ Why strategy should always come before tactics Whether you're a business owner, marketer, leader or entrepreneur, this episode offers valuable insights into building brands that stay relevant, visible and trusted over time. 🌐 Learn more about Leadership By Design: Leadership By Design 👍 Like, subscribe and share if you found value in this discussion. #Leadership #MarketingStrategy #BrandBuilding #BusinessGrowth #Marketing #LeadershipDevelopment #DigitalMarketing #BrandStrategy #Entrepreneurship #AlwaysOnMarketing In this episode:

May 14, 202629 min

Leadership Under Pressure – The Reality Facing First-Time Managers

🎙️ LT Marketing and Leadership ShowEpisode: Leadership Under Pressure – The Reality Facing First-Time Managers In this episode of the LT Marketing and Leadership Show, leadership coach Kevin Britz and Marketing and Communication Expert Craig Page-Lee unpack the growing pressures facing new managers and why leadership transitions fail more often than organisations are willing to admit. Using research and practical leadership insight, the discussion explores the first 90 days of leadership and the foundations that determine long-term success. Drawing from findings by Gartner, Centre for Creative Leadership, and Harvard Business Review, the episode reveals alarming statistics around management readiness, leadership burnout, and organisational support gaps. The conversation highlights how many first-time leaders are promoted based on technical performance rather than leadership capability, often entering management roles without training, coaching, or strategic guidance. Kevin and Craig explore the warning signs of struggling leadership, including declining team morale, reduced productivity, communication breakdowns, increasing employee turnover, and the avoidance of difficult conversations. The discussion reframes these issues not as isolated failures, but as symptoms of larger organisational systems that fail to prepare people for leadership responsibility. The episode focuses heavily on what successful managers do differently during the first 90 days. Key themes include: • Listening before making changes • Establishing predictable and trustworthy leadership behaviour • Building clarity around roles, priorities, and expectations • Creating healthy operating rhythms within teams • Developing strong relationships upward and across the organisation • Assessing teams honestly while supporting growth and development The discussion also highlights the emotional reality of leadership, including stress, identity shifts, wellbeing, and the pressure new managers place on themselves to prove value too quickly. Kevin and Craig emphasise that sustainable leadership requires consistency, self-awareness, and the ability to build trust over time rather than chasing immediate authority. Additional topics explored include delegation, meaningful feedback, active listening, mentorship, leadership identity, diversity and inclusion, and the importance of protecting team wellbeing through healthy boundaries. The episode also touches on the relaunch of a redesigned leadership programme, increased business involvement in leadership development, and the importance of building stronger leadership cultures that connect organisational strategy with human performance. This conversation is essential listening for: • First-time managers • Team leaders • HR professionals • Entrepreneurs • Coaches and facilitators • Organisations developing future leadership pipelines Ultimately, this episode challenges the outdated belief that leadership is simply about authority or expertise. Instead, it positions leadership as a behavioural discipline built through trust, communication, consistency, and the ability to grow other people effectively. As the conversation closes, Kevin and Craig prepare listeners for the next phase of the leadership journey — months four to six — where expectations intensify, the grace period fades, and the deeper tests of leadership begin.

May 6, 202633 min

The First Year Decoded: Why New Managers Succeed or Fail

🎙️ LT Marketing and Leadership ShowEpisode: The First Year Decoded – Why New Managers Succeed or Fail In this episode of the LT Marketing and Leadership Show, leadership coach Kevin Britz is joined by Marketing and Communication Expert Craig Page-Lee for a powerful conversation exploring the realities facing first-time managers in today’s workplace. Building on their previous discussion around the “New Manager Guide – The Insight You Need to Succeed,” this episode takes a deeper look into what research reveals about leadership transitions, management failure, and the critical first 90 days of leadership. Drawing insights from Gartner, Wharton Executive Education, Centre for Creative Leadership, and Harvard Business Review, the discussion highlights a sobering reality: many new managers are promoted without the training, support, or preparation needed to lead effectively. Kevin and Craig unpack statistics showing: • 60% of new managers fail within their first 24 months • 75% of HR leaders believe managers are overwhelmed • Many first-time managers receive no formal management training The episode explores how leadership failure shows up through declining morale, rising employee turnover, communication breakdowns, confusion around expectations, and the avoidance of difficult conversations. A major focus centres on the first 90 days in leadership — the phase most predictive of long-term success or failure. Kevin and Craig unpack the behaviours successful managers consistently demonstrate during this period, including: • Listening before acting • Building trust through consistency • Creating clarity around roles and expectations • Developing strong relationships with teams and senior leaders • Building healthy communication rhythms • Encouraging feedback and self-awareness The conversation also explores: • Delegation and leadership growth • Meaningful feedback • Active listening • Mentorship and coaching • Diversity, equity, and inclusion • Wellbeing, stress, and burnout in leadership Throughout the episode, Kevin and Craig challenge the outdated belief that leadership is simply about authority or technical skill. Instead, they position leadership as a behavioural and human-centred discipline built on trust, communication, and intentional growth. This episode is essential listening for first-time managers, team leaders, HR professionals, entrepreneurs, and anyone wanting to understand what effective leadership truly looks like in modern organisations. As the episode closes, the conversation sets up the next phase of the leadership journey — months four to six — where expectations intensify, the grace period fades, and the real tests of leadership begin. 🎧 Quote of the Day: “Leadership is not about being in charge. It is about taking care of those in your charge.” — Simon Sinek

April 23, 202632 min

Brands At the Crossroads: From Burnout to Authentic Growth

LTS – Kevin and Craig | At the Crossroads: From Burnout to Authentic Growth This episode of the Lunchtime Series (LTS) with Kevin Britz and Craig Page-Lee explores the tension between operational burnout and strategic growth, offering a grounded and commercially relevant perspective on modern marketing and leadership. The conversation opens with a candid reflection on the strain caused by an ongoing client project that has demanded extensive time and energy with little financial return. Long hours, ongoing disagreements around scope, and a lack of accountability from stakeholders have created a sense of frustration that is both personal and professional. This operational pressure highlights a broader business challenge: when teams are consumed by delivery, they lose the capacity to focus on innovation, new business, and long-term growth. The scheduled in-person meeting at FNB’s 5 Merchant Place represents a critical step toward resolving these tensions and regaining control over priorities. It signals a shift from reactive work toward more intentional, value-driven efforts that can support sustainable progress. Building on this foundation, the conversation transitions into the core theme of authentic inclusion in marketing. Craig reframes inclusive marketing as more than representation in advertising. Instead, it is defined as a holistic business approach where products, messaging, culture, and leadership reflect and serve the full diversity of the market. This perspective moves inclusion away from a compliance mindset and positions it as a strategic growth driver. A key distinction is made between authentic and performative inclusion. Performative inclusion is described as surface-level and often inconsistent, such as campaigns that showcase diversity without internal alignment or long-term commitment. Authentic inclusion, by contrast, is embedded within the organisation. It influences product design, decision-making, and organisational structure, ensuring that inclusion is not a moment but a consistent practice. The discussion emphasises that consumers are increasingly aware of this difference. Audiences are actively assessing whether brands live their stated values, often looking beyond campaigns to examine leadership, internal culture, and sustained actions. Brands that fail to align internally risk losing credibility, while those that commit to authenticity build stronger, more trusted relationships. Importantly, the episode frames inclusion as a commercial opportunity. Underserved markets represent significant economic potential, and brands that genuinely engage these audiences can unlock new growth. This requires a shift in thinking — from viewing inclusion as an obligation to recognising it as a competitive advantage. To support this, a practical four-step framework is outlined. First, brands must audit their internal reality to ensure alignment between messaging and practice. Second, they must identify clear commercial opportunities within inclusion. Third, they need to lead with conviction, avoiding ambiguity in their values. Finally, inclusion must be measured as a business metric, with clear targets and accountability. The conversation also highlights the importance of representation behind the scenes. Authentic inclusion extends beyond visible campaigns to include who is making decisions and shaping the brand. As scrutiny increases, this internal alignment becomes essential for credibility. Ultimately, this episode positions businesses at a crossroads. One path leads to performative actions that may create short-term visibility but weaken trust. The other leads to authentic inclusion, which requires commitment but delivers long-term growth, loyalty, and relevance.

April 23, 202629 min

Evidence Supporting Inclusive Marketing

The Lunchtime Series, hosted by Kevin Britz and Craig Page-Lee continues to evolve as a sharp, real-time lens on the intersection of marketing, business pressure, and commercial growth. In this 245th episode, the conversation moves beyond theory into the tension most founders and operators feel daily: balancing overwhelming operational workload with the urgent need to build sustainable revenue streams. Against a backdrop of eighteen-hour workdays and high-pressure campaign delivery, the discussion grounds itself in a critical question — what actually drives growth when time, energy, and focus are stretched to their limits? A key thread running through the episode is the cost of operational overload. Campaign demands have consumed capacity to the point where new business development, innovation, and strategic thinking have been sidelined. Both Kevin and Craig acknowledge a shared frustration: the work they enjoy — building, creating, and shaping meaningful projects like the upcoming TV concept — is being crowded out by execution-heavy demands. This creates not just fatigue, but strategic risk. Without carving out space to focus on new revenue and scalable ideas, the business becomes trapped in a cycle of delivery without growth. From this very real operational pressure, the conversation pivots into a much broader commercial theme: **inclusive marketing as a growth engine**, not a moral checkbox. Drawing on insights from Kantar’s Marketing Trends 2026 report, the discussion reframes inclusive marketing as **“expansive marketing”** — a deliberate strategy to reach underserved, high-growth audiences. This is a critical distinction. Inclusion is not positioned as compliance or virtue signaling, but as a direct pathway to revenue, brand strength, and long-term relevance. The data is unambiguous. Global consumer demand for brands that actively promote diversity continues to rise, with 65% of consumers valuing inclusive companies. More importantly, the economic power of underrepresented groups is vast — from trillions in spending across LGBTQ+, disabled, and multicultural communities. The implication is clear: brands that fail to engage these audiences meaningfully are not just missing a cultural moment; they are leaving significant revenue on the table. The episode reinforces this with powerful case studies. Mattel’s transformation of Barbie demonstrates how embedding inclusion into product and brand strategy can unlock sustained growth, long before cultural moments like the 2023 film amplify it. Dove’s Real Beauty campaign stands as one of the most commercially successful long-term examples, doubling revenue while reshaping brand perception globally. Meanwhile, Microsoft’s Xbox Adaptive Controller shows how inclusive design at a product level can drive both innovation and purchase intent across all audiences — not just those directly represented. However, the conversation does not ignore the current backlash against Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Several major corporations have scaled back initiatives under political and legal pressure, but the commercial consequences have been severe. The example of Target is particularly stark: retreating from inclusion efforts resulted in immediate consumer backlash, reduced foot traffic, and billions lost in market value. The lesson is blunt — abandoning values does not win back critics, but it does erode trust among loyal customers. This leads to one of the most important strategic insights from the episode: brands cannot afford to be inconsistent in their values. In a polarized environment, attempting to please everyone often results in losing everyone. The brands that succeed are those that remain clear, consistent, and committed — even when external pressure mounts.