Episoder

  • For this new episode of the podcast I am joined by Colleen Berg, director strategic insights at The Palmerston Group.

    Colleen is a fellow strategist based in Canada, as well as a tabletop roleplaying gamer who regularly plays Dungeons & Dragons. I had the chance of being on a panel with Colleen for an episode of Mark Pollard's Sweathead podcast about freelancing (along with Lani Dourado as well), which is where I found out Colleen played Dungeons & Dragons.

    I reached out to her and asked if she'd be up for an "actual play" podcast episode, to try out the Gumshoe One-2-One game system with Cthulhu Confidential, an investigative roleplaying game designed to blend the styles of films noir and H.P. Lovecraft's cosmic horror.

    It's the first time I publish a whole episode of play (mixed in with some thoughts about strategy), I'd love to hear what you think of it! This is the first of a series to play through the story titled "The Fathomless Sleep," taking place in a fictional 1937 Los Angeles.

    In case you read this soon after publishing, Colleen is going to be speaking at the exciting Sweathead Do Together online Conference on the 22nd and 23rd September 2021, you can check it out and sign up here.

  • This is a sequel episode to the series playing the Ironsworn solo roleplaying game, if you're new to it I recommend going back to the first episode in which I create the character I am playing, Terilius the Iron Monk.

    In this series while playing Ironsworn, I’m going to bookend each episode with a topic more or less related to the game session. In this fourth part of the series, I introduce the episode with mentions of the differences between writing a story, talk, or presentation with a classic narrative structure in mind, as opposed to this type of exercise which has actually more to do with improv comedy, given it is very much improvised on the fly, and in my experience of it so far, more difficult to stick to typical storytelling structure, such as a three act narrative.

    Rough timeline:

    Beginning to 9:00 min: Intro and talking about narrative structure vs. improvising9:00 to 57:00 min: Playing Ironsworn (part 4)

    If you’re interested in working with me or being on the show don’t hesitate getting in touch - my email is [email protected], or you can find me on Twitter / Instagram @Hippowill.

    Mentioned in the episode:

    Ironsworn RPGJoseph Campbell's Monomyth / Hero's Journey / The Hero with a Thousand FacesClassic 3 act narrative structure, or Freytag's PyramidImprovisational Theatre (Wikipedia)Playing Ironsworn Part 1: Character Creation, Brand PersonalitiesPlaying Ironsworn Part 2: System & feeling embarrassedPlaying Ironsworn Part 3: Random creative inputTabletop Roleplaying Games (TTRPG)Les Voix d'Altaride (French RPG PodcastAn article about solo tabletop roleplaying games
  • Manglende episoder?

    Klik her for at forny feed.

  • For this episode of the podcast I'm joined by Andy Nairn, Chief Strategy Officer and Co-founder of Lucky Generals, an award winning creative agency based in the UK and USA.

    Andy is one of the most respected and awarded brand strategists in the world, and he is publishing a new book: Go Luck Yourself, 40 ways to stack the odds in your brand's favour. The book coming out in June 2021, and you can already pre-order it now.

    We talked about luck, Andy's life and career, and this being the podcast where play meets strategy, Andy was gracious to participate in a playful exercise we put together with a couple of examples of exercises to come up with possible ideas for Go Luck Yourself's fictional book launch event. We used inspiration from newspapers we had bought for the occasion, and I prepared a randomised table to have some inspiration to get us started. It was good fun, and I hope you enjoy listening or watching it as well.

    Mentioned in this episode

    Go Luck YourselfLucky Generals Agency
  • This is a sequel episode to the series playing the Ironsworn roleplaying game, if you're new to it I recommend going back to the first episode in which I create the character I am playing, Terilius the Iron Monk.

    In this series while playing Ironsworn, I’m going to bookend each episode with a topic more or less related to the game session. In this third part of the series, I also talk about using more or less random inputs to facilitate creativity in brainstorm and ideation sessions, and it's also a general update about the podcast given I hadn't published in quite a long time.

    I had taken time to add sound effects in the second episode, I was thinking of doing the same for this one but honestly I gave up, this has been a long time waiting and I have more in the series coming up. That said for those listening to the whole thing I'd love to hear whether the sound effects make a big difference or not (because it takes a really long time to add in).

    Rough timeline:

    Beginning to 22:00 min: Intro and talking about random creative input for inspiration22:00 to 1:00:00 min: Playing Ironsworn (part 3)

    If you’re interested in working with me or being on the show don’t hesitate getting in touch - my email is [email protected], or you can find me on Twitter / Instagram @Hippowill.

    Mentioned in the episode:

    Ironsworn RPGPlaying Ironsworn Part 1: Character Creation, Brand PersonalitiesPlaying Ironsworn Part 2: System & feeling embarrassedTabletop Roleplaying Games (TTRPG)Les Voix d'Altaride (French RPG PodcastAn article about solo tabletop roleplaying games
  • For this episode of the podcast I'm exceptionally joined by not one, but two guests, AND I hand over the reigns to Dina, who led us in playing a lovely demo of the Norwegian surreal tabletop roleplaying game Itras By.

    I happened to exchange a few tweets about roleplaying games with Dina who is based in Finland, and noticed her bio mentioned the fact she is hard of hearing. I was reminded of being in contact with Ashley last year, given she works with Rosie and Faris Yakob of Genius Steals, and I was guest writing an edition of their Strands of Genius newsletter. Ashley also happens to be deaf, and I browsed her website, as well as a few videos from the Hearing Like Me community that Ashley participates in.

    I suddenly thought that I've been publishing an audio podcast for the past five years without barely ever worrying about whether it was accessible to the deaf and hard of heard, and now I'm beginning to publish videos, I didn't really take much care of checking the automatically generated Youtube captions that they often rely on to consume content.

    I reached out to both Ashley and Dina, who were keen to have a conversation and demo a game, which was awesome!

    Ashley Derrington is a world traveler, soccer / football player, expert creative producer and project manager, published a wealth of awesome content as part of her Deaf, Tattooed, and Employed project, learning about deaf and hard of hearing communities around the world. She also actively works with the Hearing Like Me community, contributing content and sharing her experiences

    Dina Ramse is also a seasoned traveler, game designer, avid playtester, seamstress, and helps games publishers (and I believe other businesses) with their marketing, social media, and community management activities. She has been actively running games for over 15 years, and as you'll see or hear in the video, is a beautifully talented storyteller and narrator.

    Itras By is the surreal tabletop roleplaying game we demo in the episode, originally published in Norway, it is also available in a number of other languages, including English and French. I had heard a lot of great stuff about the game and had been looking forward to trying it out, so when Dina offered to lead a game demo I jumped on the occasion.

    Also mentioned in this episode:

    Ashley DerringtonDeaf, Tattooed, and EmployedHearing Like MeDina Ramse on TwitterTales of Sampo (Board Game)Itras By (Tabletop roleplaying game)Norwegian Style - An Anthology of Norwegian Roleplaying GamesSurrealism - Art Term (Tate website)Invisible Sun (Tabletop roleplaying game)
  • For this new episode of the podcast, I am joined by Marcelo Peretti Kuhn, Co-Founder of The Dojo, and among other discussion points we demo the atmospheric tabletop roleplaying game Happy Together by French game designer and photographer, Gaël Sacré (the game is available in both French and English).

    I had the chance of attending an online session of The Dojo's Full Body Thinking method with Marcelo during the GroupThink Fest event earlier this year, during the lockdown. I loved the way they mix body and mind exercises for strategy and knowledge workers, and reached out to Marcelo to both thank him and ask if he'd be up for a recording - and to ask if he'd up for a game demo too.

    I've talking about games, and talking about playing games on the podcast, and this is actually the first time a guest joins me in a short demo of a game - and this is a quirky, very little known one, but seemed like it would perfectly fit the conversation topics revolving around mental and emotional wellbeing, meditation, play, strategy, and more. I hope you enjoy it!

    Mentioned in this episode:

    The DojoMarcelo Peretti Kuhn on LinkedinTony ClementGroupThink Fest 2020BrazilPorto AlegreUruguayGauchosPampasSweatheadRock climbingMark PollardSkiBalanceTTRPGsD&DDungeon MasterRPG theoryHappy Together English and en françaisGaël SacréMy Neighbour Totoro (film trailer)Wild camomileTrevisoNorthern ItalyLondonLandmark ForumGallup Clifton Strengths(I say crickets and I meant cicadas)Hearthstone (online/video collectible card game)Magic the Gathering (collectible card game)Assassin’s Creed Origins (cinematic game trailer)Portrait of a lady on fire (film trailer)
  • I am joined by Uma Rudd Chia today. Uma is a creative director, best selling author, global keynote speaker, and founder of the Female Idea. Originally from Malaysia, Uma lived worked internationally, and is now based in Singapore.

    We had the chance of working together years ago and being desk neighbours while working at the advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi in Singapore. We kept in touch during the pandemic lockdown, and asked her if she'd be up for being on the show.

    I also asked her to pick a topic she’d be interested in chatting about, and she chose space. We exchanged a few messages, and I in turn picked Mindjammer as a game to talk about. Mindjammer is an award winning science-fiction / space opera tabletop roleplaying game by designer and author Sarah Newton.

    For the more serious gamers who might be listening, just so you know what to expect, we didn't get to play the in this particular conversation, so while I talk about the game system and the setting for a bit, we also go into other tangents pretty quickly.

    It's my first time adding a video intro and only my second episode with the full episode, any thoughts or comments will be welcome, thank you!

    Mentioned in this episode:

    Uma Rudd ChiaUma on Linkedin10 Things Brands Could do to Survive a Crisis, by Uma Rudd ChiaMindjammer RPGSarah NewtonScience-fictionStar Trek: The Next GenerationCreativityElon MuskSpaceXSpaceX StarlinkWeber ShandwickAstronomyK-popTwice, Kpop bandPaypalEbayAltered CarbonFate Core Roleplaying Game SystemShooting StarsDark MatterStar Trek DiscoveryUniversity of TokyoStrings TheoryBlack Lives MatterRacismGravityThe ExpanceAliens vs. PredatorCannes LionsThe Tampon Book / Tax (video)Carrefour Black (super)market campaign (video)Colin KaepernickSpace Force, Steve CarrellUpload (TV Series)Planned rejection
  • Hi, and welcome to another episode of the Ice Cream for Everyone podcast, where play meets strategy. And both as an edited audio file (cleaned up sound, mostly) as well as on video for the first time!

    I am joined by Eric Woning, a brand and communications strategy director based in London. Eric has extensive experience with brands and digital, media, and creative advertising agencies like Mindshare, OMD, TBWA, and more. We follow each other on Twitter and I asked him if he’s up for being on the show.

    I also asked him to pick a genre he’s be interested from a list of suggestions, he short listed horror or post-apocalypse, and I picked the award winning tabletop roleplaying game Apocalypse World as a springboard for the conversation.

    I’m sorry if post-apocalypse feels a little too close to reality these days, we talk about it, and just to make sure I mention it up front, it’s not really the reason that was selected. We had a brilliant chat, going from games, to brand archetypes, digital technologies, music, and more.

    FYI the conversation is explicit and there is some light swearing, and unfortunately have a couple of bump noises I didn’t manage to get rid of while editing the audio.

    In this episode:

    Eric Woning on LinkedinFollow Eric Woning on TwitterApocalypse WorldDungeons & DragonsRoleplaying Games "Powered by the Apocalypse"Tabletop Roleplaying gamesD. Vincent BakerCritical RoleActual Play RPG Experiences Are Having a Moment (Polygon)For Some Hollywood Players, Dungeons & Dragons is the Hottest Game in Town (LA Mag, May 2020)The X-Files (TV series)The 12 Jungian ArchetypesTBWA Disruption SessionsHow Music Works, David ByrneMad MaxA Clockwork Orange, Anthony BurgessDescent Board GameB.I.G. - Barbus In Game on Youtube (French Figurine / Wargame Channel)Ian Curtis - Century of the Self & Hypernormalization
  • This is a sequel episode to the series playing the Ironsworn roleplaying game, if you're new to it I recommend going back to the first episode in which I create the character I am playing, Terilius the Iron Monk.

    In this series while playing Ironsworn, I’m going to bookend each episode with a topic more or less related to the game session. In this episode given it is still the beginning I briefly go over what tabletop roleplaying games are, what a solo game is, the rules system for Ironsworn, play through the first session, and finish off with sharing some thoughts about feeling embarrassed.

    Rough timeline:

    Beginning to 18:00 min: Intro and system18:00 to 55:00 min: Playing Ironsworn55:00 to end: Fear and embarrassment

    If you’re interested in working with me or being on the show don’t hesitate getting in touch - my email is [email protected], or you can find me on Twitter / Instagram @ICWillem.

    Mentioned in the episode:

    Ironsworn RPGPlaying Ironsworn Part 1: Character Creation, Brand PersonalitiesTabletop Roleplaying Games (TTRPG)Dungeons & DragonsHP LovecraftCall of ChtulhuJames BondStar WarsLes Voix d'Altaride (French RPG PodcastLudology PodcastAn article about solo tabletop roleplaying games

    Sound credits: Free Sound

    https://freesound.org/people/PlatypusVA/sounds/400665/https://freesound.org/people/oontzru/sounds/101999/https://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/483308/https://freesound.org/people/fisu/sounds/181876/https://freesound.org/people/sandyrb/sounds/41458/https://freesound.org/people/Benbojangles/sounds/71266/https://freesound.org/people/toonothing/sounds/315742/https://freesound.org/people/dobroide/sounds/317419/https://freesound.org/people/Kyster/sounds/103126/https://freesound.org/people/Kyster/sounds/103130/https://freesound.org/people/hasali/sounds/474263/https://freesound.org/people/Garuda1982/sounds/418181/https://freesound.org/people/Magnesus/sounds/449652/https://freesound.org/people/EricsSoundschmiede/sounds/447813/https://freesound.org/people/JayHu/sounds/506103/https://freesound.org/people/OwlStorm/sounds/320143/https://freesound.org/people/klankbeeld/sounds/368824/https://freesound.org/people/DDmyzik/sounds/460262/https://freesound.org/people/FunWithSound/sounds/361483/https://freesound.org/people/Otakua/sounds/219930/https://freesound.org/people/arnaud%20coutancier/sounds/464332/https://freesound.org/people/Stevious42/sounds/259641/https://freesound.org/people/speedygonzo/sounds/257652/https://freesound.org/people/nemark/sounds/384591/
  • I hope you and your close ones are safe in the midst of the worldwide pandemic, take care - and don’t hesitate reaching out, whether you have any questions about your brand and marketing communication strategy, or if you want to chat about anything.

    We have a guest joining me for this new podcast episode. Rohan Kale reached out, he is a Growth Marketing Consultant, who owns and manages a business developing animation videos, particularly dedicated to demonstration and marketing purposes, and also works on generating leads for clients via LinkedIn.

    Rohan was born in India, then studied his MBA and launched his business in Germany, at the time of recording he was in Pune, India. He regularly contributes to projects like Thrive Global, The Good Men Project, and X-Factor Presentations.He has a pretty interesting story to share, and in particular, Rohan has dealt with gambling difficulties in the past - and this is an area, sort of an oftentimes dark side of play and gaming that I hadn’t discussed in any way on the show, so I thought it would be worth having a chat with Rohan about it.Before we go ahead, just a couple of warnings:

    I did my best but didn’t manage to remove all mic related noises, there are a few left - hopefully not too annoying, but sorry in advanceThis episode is explicit, there are a few swearwords - so please be warned if ever you have little ones around while listening.

    Mentioned in this episode

    Rohan Kale on LinkedinRohan Kale Bespoke Branded Animation VideosPune, IndiaStuttgartCricketCartoon NetworkFantastic FourSpidermanScooby DoCaptain PlanetTim FerrissThe 4 Hour Work WeekSam Harris & Matt Wullenweg, CEO of Automattic / WordPress: The Future of WorkAmul ice creamThe Pursuit of Happiness (Film)
  • I'm pretty excited about this new episode, I'm looking forward to hearing what you think of it. I've had plans to begin recording a tabletop roleplaying game while musing about brand strategy and a few other topics, and it's finally beginning! In this episode, I'm creating the setting and playing character for Ironsworn, a roleplaying game that friends told me about and is designed to be played in a solo format (though not only, you can also play the same game with friends).

    In this game of perilous quests, characters take vows they swear on a bit of iron leading them to adventures to fulfill on them.

    I will record the sequel soon, but otherwise if you'd like to join me in playing a game and chatting about strategy and communications some time, please keep in touch!

    In this episode I go through the creative process of the beginning of a roleplaying game, while also mentioning brand personalities a little and a few other bits, like Stephen Kings' seminal 1971 paper "What is a Brand?" and Ogilvy on Advertising.

    A few other things mentioned in the episode:

    Ironsworn RPGShawn Tomkin on TwitterQuill RPGScott MalthouseStephen King - "What is a Brand?" and the video versionA Masterclass in Brand PlanningOgilvy on AdvertisingMad MenAvis "We Try Harder" advertising campaign / underdog storyMiro.com
  • A month has gone by in a flash since the last episode I published, and the world has massively changed since - at least much of the world has, as the COVID-19 virus has been declared a global pandemic. In France we have been confined to our homes for the past two weeks, asked to stay home aside for work essential to running the country, going out for groceries, and minimal physical exercise. If you're reading I'm sure you know all this.

    Much of my world and media diet has been coronavirus related for more than two weeks now, and while there are experts talking about that side of things with more knowledge than I have, I wanted to record and share some of my thoughts of how it has been for me in the past couple of weeks, and hoping it is useful and resonates with some of your experience as well.

    It's also a way to say I am still working on my podcast, and the next episode will be back to some "normal programming" even though as I mention, I'm still exploring what normal is for my podcast.

    I think I forgot one important point in this recording, in case you read this, and that is the importance of taking care of your mind and emotions in this time of crisis. I'm even more diligent than usual about my daily meditation, and on that topic I recommend a great and short episode of Sam Harris' podcast: Meditation in an Emergency.

    That's about it for now, I'll be back with more soon, stay home stay safe in the meantime!

  • We are back to a more traditional episode of the podcast this month, it follows the episode I recently published playing Quill, a letter-writing roleplaying game for a single player - you can go back to that one first if you'd like though it's not essential to following this conversation.

    After publishing the episode playing Quill, I reached out to Scott Malthouse, the author of the game, and he graciously accepted to take some time for a recording, a mere few weeks later and voilà!

    I hope you enjoy listening as much as I did chatting with Scott about his games, if you did please take a few minutes to post a review on your favorite podcasting app, it helps me keep motivated to record and publish, and helps others find the podcast thanks to the recommendations.

    In this episode:

    Scott Malthouse on TwitterTrollish Delver GamesWe Love FolkloreQuill RPG (and more Quill in other languages too)Fighting Fantasy / Choose Your Own Adventure BooksWarhammer / Warhammer 40,000Warhammer Fantasy RoleplayD&DFiasco RPGOSR Retro clonesOsricSwords & WizardryTunnels & TrollsDungeon WorldPowered by the ApocalypseRulings not RulesApocalypse WorldUSR - Unbelievably Simple RoleplayingOsprey GamesRomance of the Perilous LandFrostgraveNookersBoggartsDe ProfundisStory Cubes / 9 diceDixitMysteriumObscurioTarot DeckOnce Upon a TimeDragonmeetPathfinderAlphonse Mucha
  • I am experimenting new types of episodes for the podcast and would love to hear what you think of this one, given it's a first time for me.

    Before Christmas, I went out one day with my Zoom H5 audio recorder and recorded my observations visiting the Louvre Museum in Paris for the first time.

    Join me for a quite ignorant but hopefully entertaining audio experience from the most visited museum in the world!

    Mentioned in this episode:

    The Louvre MuseumNintendo & The Louvre partnership for 3DS audioguidesMusée d'OrsayZoom H5 Audio RecorderMan, Play, and Games, by Roger CailloisRed Carnations on a Black Grave, tabletop roleplaying gameThe Assumption of the Virgin, painting by Giambattista PiazettaAncient Rome and Modern Rome, paintings by Giovanni Paolo PaniniLandscape with the Flight into Egypt, painting by DominichinoMona Lisa, Leonardo da VinciLe Sacre ou le Couronnement (Napoleon at Notre Dame)Leonidas at Thermopylae, DavidLiberty Guiding The People (Delacroix)...And many more.
  • Happy new year, I hope you had an amazing time over the holidays!!

    I can't believe it's 2020 already. Now I really feel old, still thinking of "the Twenties" as the 1920s now nearly twenty years into the 21st century. I'm sure people thought and said that a hundred years ago too.

    Check out Tim Urban's short post on Wait But Why about 2020 for some more of this kind of perspective in the kind of fantastic diagram he does so well - and just a little bit depressing too.

    I'm finally back with an experimental episode, it's about time! I've settled in Paris and still aiming to record playing games and having generally playful experiences with others, though in the meantime I'm beginning the experiment by myself. I'm definitely interested in hearing what you think of this one, given it's pretty different from previous episodes.

    Mentioned in this episode:

    Wait But Why: It's 2020 and you're in the futureMark Pollard's Sweathead podcastLes Voix d'Altaride, podcast rôliste (en français)Samuel Ziterman (en français, GM Tips, solo TTRPGs)Cendrones (en français, IronSworn solo TTRPG episode 1)Quill, A Letter-writing Roleplaying Game for a Single Player, on Itch.io (and Drivethru RPG) by Scott Malthouse of Trollish Delver Games.
  • Well for a change I'm kind of behind on all sorts of things (mainly the podcast, newsletter, and other similar side projects and ideas - like designing a board game, that hasn't gotten any love in a while. But I digress) I was about to fly from Chicago to Paris yesterday on the 4th July and after nearly 4 hours delay, the flight was cancelled.

    It just so happens that I'm in the middle of moving from Chicago to Paris, so they put me up in a hotel near the airport, rebooked on a flight a day later, and I've been doing my best to catch up on everything, including dealing with a few fires and emergencies to do with organizing my 40th birthday party in Spain in a couple of weeks - which I'm super excited about!

    That's about it for now, I have more news in the episode, including a week long intensive improv comedy course I took, a workshop about stand-up comedy, performed for our improv comedy student show, did a quick set at a stand-up open mic, lots going on with organizing my big vacation and party to celebrate my 40th birthday - in the villa pictured above, and lots done in Chicago to enjoy all the things I love about the city!

    That's about it for now, keep in touch and as usual please tell me if you enjoy listening to the podcast!

  • I first met Jason at GenCon in 2018, and have been meaning to have a conversation about his game designing since. We had a brilliant chat about coffee roasting, roleplaying game writing and design, some of his history, what he believes his game design is about, and some pointers for people interested in trying out tabletop roleplaying games.

    "I'm trying to make memorable, emotionally moving games that make people think about serious issues so that we can use games to teach people how to be better humans through the incredible empathy building that is available in the roleplaying game hobby."

    - Jason Pitre

    Info mentioned in this episode:

    Genesis of LegendFollow Genesis of Legend on TwitterAeroPressFrench PressChemex coffee makerOttawaAccadiansVictoria, British ColumbiaLes Voix d'Altaride Podcast (French)Magic: The GatheringRuneQuest RPG Rifts RPGBushido RPGDungeons & Dragons RPGTSR (company)Demon: The Fallen RPGWhite Wolf PublishingSpark RPG Wizards of the Coast Harlem Unbound RPGCthtulhu MythosH.P. LovecraftChaosiumSig: Manual of the Primes RPGPlanescapeRPG Design PanelcastSpire RPGGood Society RPGThe Jank CastD&D Adventurer's LeagueMicroscope RPGKingdom RPGFollow RPGSeven Wonders: A Story Games AnthologyDragonmeet Convention in LondonA Theory of Fun for Game Design, by Raph KosterMetatopia Game design conventionJeni's Ice CreamOrigins Game FairGauntlet: Red Carnation on a Black GraveOne Child's Heart (recently on KS)Quarter Share, by Nathan Lowell
  • I had a brilliant and lively conversation about the value of being helpful, enthusiasm, the craft of writing, storytelling, today's media landscape, and more with Jessica Greenwood, Chief Strategy Officer of R/GA.

    Jessica was a journalist before being hired as a strategist and advocates the importance of writing as a craft for strategists in the creative communications industry. Jess was named to Ad Age U.S. Women to Watch Class of 2019.

    "The big rub on strategists is that they prefer to be clever rather than helpful.""As we go to a more data led world, and this sort of signal to noise ratio gets a little more confusing, I think writing is something we need to talk about more. I don't think it's made clear enough to strategists entering the industry that you are a storyteller, you have to tell a story in a way that is irrefutable."

    - Jessica Greenwood

    I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did, please share with a friend and keep in touch to tell me if you enjoyed listening!

    Mentioned in this episode:

    Jessica Greenwood on TwitterR/GA SamsungVerizonNikeGooglePepsiContagious MagazineWorld 50This American Life - 'Anything can be Anything'Flat Earth TheoryPapel e caneta Andre Chaves - Papel e CanetaThe International ExchangeConversation with Philippa WhiteRummikub (board game)Billie Eilish recordGame of Thrones Leaving Neverland (documentary feature film)Sundance FestivalChristine Blasie Ford testimonyKavanaugh hearingsSweathead with Mark Pollard Podcast The Rolistes Gaming Podcast with Kalum
  • I am happy to share the inspiring and fun conversation I had with Ama McKinley a few weeks ago. I came across her Linkedin profile while browsing as I sometimes do, read her profile, some of her writing, and reached out given she seemed to have an interesting background.

    Ama is a freelance strategy consultant, poet, a griot (storyteller), writer, and more, based in Atlanta.

    Here are a couple of thoughts from her about storytelling in the marketing industry:

    "I think the word storytelling is very used but perhaps underrated in the sense of quality or passion of storytelling. As an industry, I don't thing we're aware of the power that we have, especially when we're able to tell brave stories, or dig deeper in the truths that are across cultures or the truths that are across time. Sometimes the safe bet stories, like "we're authentic, we keep it real." There is no bravery and no substance in this story, and the story fades. It's not a story carried from person to person, or generation to generation."

    - Ama McKinley

    I hope you enjoy the rest of the conversation as much as I did!

    Mentioned in this episode:

    Ama McKinley on LinkedinGriot (Wikipedia)Atlanta, GeorgiaStorytellingThe Devil's Advocate (film)Such is the Way to the Stars (Love+Radio podcast episode about Richmond, Virginia)American Gods, Neil Gaiman (Book & TV Series)The Graveyard Book, Neil Gaiman (audiobook version)Game of ThronesBorn a Crime, Trevor Noah (audio book version)Maya AngelouI know why the caged birds sing, Maya Angelou What Women Want (film)Seville, SpainAndalus: Unlocking the Secrets of Moorish Spain, Jason Webster The Alhambra, GrenadaMiami Ad School BootcampIfa Lukumi faithOrishasHer (film) Anansi, Akan tradition from GhanaBanana pudding ice cream by Blue BellTalenti sorbets2048 (mobile game)Alchemy (mobile game)Doing a TED Talk: The Full Story (Wait But Why, Tim Urban)Pecha Kucha
  • Steve reached out a couple of months ago with an interest to be on the podcast, he seemed like he was up to a lot of interesting things so we organized meeting up for chat.

    We ended up unexpectedly talking about rap and hip hop, Steve's circuitous journey to becoming a planner working in advertising and marketing, his involvement with soccer, the non-league he launched, and many other fascinating stories.

    Steve is a compelling proof that a planner can come from all sorts of different background and succeed in the creative communications industry and it was a delightful conversation, I hope you enjoy it as well.

    "If you have a vision, stick with it. Just pursue that vision and don't put so much stock in the maxims you get from industry luminaries, because I took that Jon Steel thing of 'Be interesting and be interested' to so much heart that it probably added years on to my circuitous journey."

    Steve on breaking into the advertising industry as a planner.

    Thank you to the True Star Foundation in Chicago who let us borrow a room in their facility to record this conversation, we talk about it during the podcast, it's a fantastic program supporting Chicago youth in gaining media and marketing experience through a range of after school courses, activities, programs, and job internships.

    Mentioned in this episode:

    Steve Bayley on Twitter and LinkedinNon League AmericaTruth, Lies, and Advertising, by Jon SteelUniversity South Carolina, GreensboroMaster PG CampHair bandsPoisonCinderellaBritney FoxBullet BoysBobby BrownThe ChronicDr DreEminemVCU Brand CenterMiami Ad SchoolBeasley Broadcast GroupClear ChannelBBHStratfestBBDO AtlantaMatlock Agency AtlantaNon League SoccerFox Soccer ChannelTorquayFA CupUS Open CupGround Hopper CultureDeep in the PyramidDetroit City FCCreataMcDonald's Happy MealTrue Star Foundation Chicago AdcolorLeo BurnettMoleskineThe Boy Who Harnessed The Wind