Episodes
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We are all always on the lookout for what's hot and what's not. In this Baltic Brand Talks podcast episode, we return to the "What's trending" segment, where our core teamâCEO of Magic Andris Rubins, Strategy director Rihards Ginters, and Head of Strategy Lelde DÄlmaneâdive into ... .... what's trending. We touch on current topics like US elections and Halloween as well as wider trends like the booming pet market and brands going from "make the logo bigger" to "guess the logo".
Links to some stuff mentioned in the episode:
Behind the Curtain: The big media era is over:https://www.axios.com/2024/10/28/election-news-media-trump-harris Tesco loses logo in new outdoor campaign: https://www.thedrum.com/news/2024/10/21/ad-the-day-tesco-loses-logo-new-outdoor-campaign Mark Ritson on Zeigarnik effect: https://www.marketingweek.com/ritson-zeigarnik-effect-ads-more/ Coca-Cola "Recycle me": https://www.ogilvy.com/work/recycle-me McDonald's "Follow the arches": https://www.media-marketing.com/en/news/mcdonalds-creates-new-traffic-signs-restaurants-using-crops-logo/ British Airways "A British Original": https://www.dandad.org/awards/professional/2024/238696/windows/ Crocs for dogs: https://eu.usatoday.com/story/money/2024/10/23/crocs-for-dogs-sold-out/75790136007/ Bird Buddy: https://www.amazon.com/Bird-Feeder-Resolution-Beautiful-Experience/dp/B0C8TJTBMR IKEA pet collection: https://www.ikea.com/global/en/newsroom/retail/utsadd-collection-240321/ BARK Air: https://air.bark.co/ Target "The Cuddle Collab": https://www.supermarketnews.com/center-store/target-launches-cuddle-collab-for-pets-and-pet-owners Dolce & Gabbana dog perfume: https://www.dolcegabbana.com/en-ro/beauty/dog-perfume-fefe/ Halloweenâs MVP is a 12-foot-tall (3,5m) skeleton:https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-10-23/home-depot-12-foot-skeleton-line-adds-dog-for-halloween-2024 Toyota "Monster": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Va1axzdBbM&list=TLGGFUj1Uzfas2IyOTEwMjAyNA&t=1s Bolt scary pumpkins: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/bolt-eu_spooky-season-is-here-but-what-makes-it-activity-7256637963327946752-RM0F?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_deskto Burger King Estonia: https://www.instagram.com/p/DBqcuI1qpXj/?hl=en -
Weâre standing by our âirregularly regularâ podcast tagline. This episode once again is a bit different, weâre going back to our local roots and local brands - KÄrums, Pols and more. Weâre also switching the language to Latvian in this episode. Our podcast co-host and CEO of Magic Andris Rubins sat down with Ieva Lejniece, Head of Marketing at Food Union. The episode dives into loads of local and global endeavours relates to several brands underneath the Food Union.Key takeaways from the conversation:
a brand has itâs own personality, consistency in it might be the key to being on of the most loved brands in Baltic (according to Brand Capital data). never underestimate listening to whatâs important to your audience - they are your most valuable asset. there are times when you need to get legal part in line in order to protect your brand distinctiveness. when people use your brand in memes, embrace them! Itâs a clear indicator that a brand is relevant and beloved. audience, especially the younger audience, highly value when they have this feeling that a brand is talking with them, not to them. Humour also helps. even when you brand has a mishap, thereâs tons to learn and improve. when working with multiple brands, itâs super important to keep the boundaries on-brand inside the team foremost and only then in communication. And some fresh tends in food industry to keep your sights on.Links to some stuff mentioned in the episode:
Pols and political ads: https://www.instagram.com/p/C7hQ6wPKSOE/ LimbaĆŸu piens catch song in an ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCZpnS5z0OU Oatly as a great brand example. Listen to our episode with Sara Hansson who told us the Oatly story: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1dBXtK3i4SnmDERLw5XW3m?si=07829be62c2e4e06 -
Episodes manquant?
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This is a special episode. As you might know we the Baltic Brand Talks podcast are a part of the Baltic Brand family and the recording of the episode is from the main event - Baltic Brand Forum. This episode is a combination of 4 separate talks we had at the site, so youâre about to hear take on humour and working with Baltic market from from Eha Talvist-Reinsalu from SEB and Elina Baranovska from Rimi. The epiosode also dives into a case of DimdiĆi and how their mascot is doing on Tinder told by Kristine Murjane. And youâre also about to hear what a comedian Ann Vaida is to say about jokes in advertising.
Some stuff mentioned in episode:
Ann Vaida on workplaces being escape rooms: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/W2oAm73oxnHmAGUT/
Ryanair on X: https://x.com/Ryanair
Iceland case study from Baltic Brand Forum: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/yCVfukfqaMuRsYFj/
DimdiĆi on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dimdinilv?lang=en -
Join the newest episode with Aleksandra Kostyukovich, Head of marketing and communications at Volkswagen Baltics, and Andris Rubins. In this discussion, Aleksandra shares her experience working at Volkswagen, how consumers are adapting to electric vehicles, and the incentives made for the adoption process in the Baltic society. Both Andris and Aleksandra discuss the myths and misconceptions we have about electric cars and electric charging. The marketing legacy of VW creates immediate emotions. They discuss other topics such as AI, Gen Z habits, and the perception of buying cars and touch on the upcoming Baltic Brand Forum & Awards happening September 20th!
The campaigns mentioned in the talk:
Never Say Never:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81N8Rawo1v4
Tiguan 2024 launch: https://www.volkswagen.lv/lv/chose-your-volkswagen/models/new-tiguan.html
Porsche âThe all electric Macanâ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccqn7r9WUHI
NIKE âWinning isnât for everyoneâ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwLergHG81c
You can still grab your tickets to Baltic Brand Forum: https://balticbrands.eu/
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In this episode of Baltic Brand Talks, Hando Sinisalu, founder of Best Marketing and Marketing Parrot, joins Andris Rubins on a discussion on the creative world of advertising and marketing in the Baltics. Drawing from Handoâs great deal of experience in journalism, advertising, radio and media, the conversation provides practical insights on how brands can shake up their marketing strategies to attract potential clients. They also explore the differences in advertising styles between Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. And of course, humor takes center stage, as they break down the rules for using it effectively in campaigns.
You can connect with Hando via Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/b2bcontentexpert/
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Content is king. That is what we could all agree with. But, how can we get a brandâs message across different platforms and daily content? Arta Uma Upmale, Head of Content at airBaltic sat down with Andris Rubins to dive deep into creating content that aligns with a brandâs strategy. The conversation covers how to adapt trends & real-time events to fit the industry in the storyline, what role humor plays in content creation and how teamwork is everything. Whatâs more, Arta shares how other aviation companies, such as Ryanair communicate their brand through their content.
Clickable stuff mentioned in the episode:
airBalticâs TikTok account: https://www.tiktok.com/@airbaltic?lang=en
Baltic Brand Forum & Awards, September 20th: https://balticbrands.eu/en
âCarpoolâ karaoke (airplane version) with Dons: https://www.tiktok.com/@airbaltic/video/7365789341710355744?lang=en
Lex Fridman Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/2MAi0BvDc6GTFvKFPXnkCL?si=81f9540ddec64ddb
Acquired Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/7Fj0XEuUQLUqoMZQdsLXqp?si=b6cae527348d46c6
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Have you ever heard about humor consultancies? Now you have and now you can learn more about what a humor consultant does as Paddy Gilmore sits down with Andris Rubins and dives deep into brand relationships with fun. The conversation covers the nuanced shades of comedy and how brands can find their fit, use it to their advantage and get the most out of it. Moreover, Paddy shares practical and systematic ways a brand can find their shade of funny and put that into brand guidelines.
Clickable stuff mentioned in the episode:
Studio Gilmore weekly newsletter: https://brandsandhumour.substack.com/
Volvo Trucks â A Love Story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufye-txv1AY
Dumb Ways to Die: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJNR2EpS0jw
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In this Baltic Brand Talks episode, KristiÄna Valbe-Uzrauga Head of Marketing & Group Brand Lead at Balcia joins conversation with brand strategist Lelde DÄlmane. This is was a true Baltic Brand Talks since Balcia is a brand that covers all three Baltic countries and beyond. Balcia is true challenger brand in the purest form. In 2023 Balcia was the bravest insurance brand according to Brand Capital data and bravery is something was talked a lot about - in a personal sense and in a brand context. Conversation also touched on the mazes of the insurance category and both needs and ways to be ahead of other brands.
Fun fact: Balcia is the main partner of the upcoming Baltic Brand Forum. Grab your tickets: https://balticbrands.eu/en
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The podcast host team Andris Rubins, Rihards Ginters and Lelde Dalmane sat down together to see whatâs trending. It seems like the search for humor in advertising is a really hot topic. This episode is a bit different - our team has gathered their top picks from Cannes Lions-awarded campaigns and shared their take on why these campaigns are worth exploring. Whatâs trending closer to the Baltics? Baltic Brand Forum, of course. Weâve launched this yearâs web, revealed some of the speakers and tickets are up for grabs!
Most of the stuff mentioned in the episode:
Cemento Sol/ SightWalks: https://www.contagious.com/news-and-views/cannes-lions-2024-design-winner
Hainz Ketchup/ It Has To Be Heinz: https://www.contagious.com/news-and-views/cannes-lions-2024-creative-effectiveness
Magnum / Find Your Summer: https://lola-mullenlowe.com/work/find-your-summer/
JCDecaux / Meet Marina Prieto: https://www.contagious.com/news-and-views/cannes-lions-2024-creative-b2b-winners
Pedigree/ Tail Orchestra: https://www.lovethework.com/work-awards/entries/tail-orchestra-722865
Coca-Cola / Recycle Me: https://www.ogilvy.com/work/recycle-me
Michael CeraVe - CeraVe: https://www.ogilvy.com/work/michael-ceraveBaltic Brand Forum 2024: https://balticbrands.eu/
Tickets: https://fienta.com/baltic-brand-forum-awards-2024 -
In this Baltic Brand Talks episode, the CEO of Magic, Andris Rubins, dives deep into conversation with Sara Hannson, Brand Strategist & Partner at KIOSK and ex-Global Social Media Manager at Oatly. The conversation follows Saraâs career - 10 years at Oatly where she shares how to translate data and human insight into advertising, how to keep the brand consistent without being expected and the power of transparency and surprise. Whatâs more, it taps into the importance of the team - in-house creative team, involved CEO and more. This deep dive also explores the transition from Oatly to KIOSK and all the joys and challenges that come along.
Some stuff mentioned in the episode:
Oatly Super Bowl ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5q9KrSffIrs
Oatly marketing activities and loads of billboards: https://www.oatly.com/en-gb/things-we-do -
In this Baltic Brand Talks episode, the CEO of Magic, Andris Rubins, dives deep into conversation with Liisa Ennuste, Creative Director at Bolt. They cover the latest Bolt activities, approaches and challenges. Building a distinctive brand that provides several services across multiple countries is one of the toughest challenges any creative could have. Liisa shares how she and Boltâs team tackle it.
Activities mentioned in the episode:
Kids imagine future cities - https://bolt.eu/en/blog/bolt-little-big-think-tank/
Living Vroom - https://bolt.eu/en/blog/living-vroom/
Bolt scooter hero - https://www.instagram.com/p/C6Y-nmUCrPX/ -
We have a very tasty and pink deep dive. We uncover what happened behind the scenes of one of the greatest rap battles of the century. Thatâs right - the one between Riga and Vilnius. in the conversation weâre joined by Vasara Visockaite, Go Vilnius Digital Marketing Manager and Madara Oga, Senior Project Manager in Marketing division at Riga Investment and Tourism agency. Pink runs in both their veins and the conversation is as refreshing as the first sip of the cold pink soup in the summer.Whatâs more, we untangle what it means to work with a city as a brand, how each Baltic country can benefit from working together and the power of humor.
Things we mentioned in the conversation:
The meme that started it all: https://www.instagram.com/p/C7EdGZ5Nr33/
Response from Riga: https://www.instagram.com/p/C7n3a0yIZy2/
Comeback from Vilnius: https://www.instagram.com/p/C7rrSPftM0d/
Love Train: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3UmDr6o1l_/ -
Tune in for the first episode featuring an interview with ANDY PEARSON, VP of Creative at Liquid Death â one of the fastest-growing non-alcoholic beverage brands in the world with a hell of a story to tell.
ANDY PEARSON is pioneering a radical approach in crafting a brand that challenges boundaries and revolutionizes the traditional water market.
In this episode, ANDRIS and ANDY delve into the disruptive journey of Liquid Death. How did humor and authenticity propel the brandâs success over big-budget competitors? Whatâs their perception of competitors and copycats? Liquid Death's story reveals invaluable lessons in brand building for us all.
Hit play and get ready to soak up some fresh branding knowledge from the man and the legend himself.
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Welcome to Baltic Brand Talks! An irregularly regular podcast about all things creative and trending. Created and hosted by MAGIC & Wit Consulting as a part of the Baltic Brands eco-system.
In this intro get a sneak listen of what to expect in the upcoming episodes, and what current trends Lelde, Rihards and Andris have up their sleeves.
Trends covered in this episode:
Mona Lisa moved to the Louvre's basement: https://www.euronews.com/culture/2024/04/24/a-room-of-her-own-louvre-to-give-disappointing-mona-lisa-new-digs McDonald's Happy Meal Box Upgrade: https://www.campaignasia.com/article/mcdonalds-removes-smile-from-happy-meal-boxes-to-spotlight-mental-health/496031 Dog First Airline: Bark Air: https://www.axios.com/2024/05/24/bark-air-dogs-airline-charter-jet-pet Amazon has ruined the name "Alexa" for many parents: https://sherwood.news/world/amazon-ruined-the-name-alexa-for-many-us-parents/ A jet for free, why not? Look into Liquid Death's new giveaway: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWjU9re-qdoSubscribe here to receive Wit Consulting's newsletter on weekly recaps of everything thatâs happening in the world right now.
