Giant Stories

Episode highlights include:

• The accidental way Marissa fell in love with brand marketing after initially pursuing a career in finance
• The story framework that 7-Eleven uses in all their marketing, communications, programming, development, and partnerships
• Why “conflict” is so important to brand storytelling — and how 7-Eleven activates the brand’s conflict of amusing vs. essential
• How launching a Slurpee into space showcased just one way 7-Eleven contextualizes its marketing to its audiences
• The role of “car culture” in 7-Eleven marketing — and what they learned from their fans
• How 7-Eleven approaches sustainability for the short-term and long-term future
• The three ways that 7-Eleven is navigating Generative AI

In this episode, Paige shares her brand experience and insights with John Kiker, president of Medium Giant, including:

• The origin stories behind brands like Lagunitas and Mezzetta — and why authenticity matters
• How to appeal to consumers emotionally and deliver content that makes an impact
• Why brands birthed in boardrooms can be more challenging to build stories around
• The challenges of finding influencers who have a meaningful connection with the brand
• Where she sees a huge opportunity for unfulfilled stories in the market
• Her predictions for how storytelling will evolve over the next five years

In this episode, Jackie shares her own sparks of leadership inspiration with John Kiker, president of Medium Giant, including:

• Why having a rich diversity of perspectives — individual stories — can influence better decision-making, greater innovation, and bigger outputs
• Why we can’t manage through change in today’s VUCA world — and what to do instead
• The critical impact of psychological safety — and why encouraging courage is necessary for innovation, growth, and success
• What “Ted Lasso leadership” can show us about the intersection of transparency, authenticity, and positivity
• How the “power lead” technique can help set a positive tone
• Why creating smaller finish lines is a game-changer for maintaining momentum 

In this episode, Lance sits down with John Kiker, president of Medium Giant, to discuss:

• How building content around tater tots and milkshakes laid an early foundation for Lance’s career journey
• Why it takes art and science to fuel storytelling
• The integral role and appeal of authenticity in marketing — and how nuance can be a game-changer
• Why playing it safe is clamping down on creativity
• The role of technology in our current world and how it has changed how we work — and create content

In this episode, Tracy sits down with John Kiker, president of Medium Giant, to discuss:

• How her time at The Gap, Sur la Table, and more shaped her perception of brand story — and its importance
• The specific qualities she looks for when she’s telling brand stories
• How she “keeps it real” at Bay Club
• Bay Club’s unique approach to connecting with members of all ages — and what other brands can learn from it
• How she sees storytelling evolving — why she actually hopes it slows down

In this episode, Joan shares with John Kiker, president of Medium Giant:

• How she parlayed her experience from highly palatable food at Frito-Lay to heavy-duty machinery at Caterpillar
• How Caterpillar’s brand story has built a name for itself in our culture — right down to actor Ryan Gosling’s cap in The Fall Guy
• Why a compelling “story arc” is essential for good brand storytelling
• Why it’s important to get employees excited about their company’s story — and how to do it
• Why homing in on humor and moments of joy can be a game changer in storytelling

In this episode, Katrice shares with John Kiker, president of Medium Giant:

• What makes a great story from the perspective of an editor
• How the multifaceted nature of storytelling formats can be used to meet people where they are
• The surprising correlation between journalism and advertising when it comes to storytelling
• Why it’s so important to bring light to stories that would otherwise go untold
• How journalistic storytelling is going to evolve over the next decade

In this episode, Justin sits down with John Kiker, president of Medium Giant, to share:

• The impact of a people-first approach and how it can bring underrepresented stories to life
• Why having diverse voices across every storytelling platform is important
• The elements that make for an attention-grabbing, authentic brand story
• Why outside-the-box thinking and taking risks are worth it
• How agency collaboration — in and out of the office — is a game changer

In this episode, Kim sits down with John Kiker, president of Medium Giant, to share:

• Why authenticity is fundamental to a brand story that has staying power
• Her “bite, snack, meal” approach to storytelling
• How micro moments and unthinkable realities can create extraordinary stories
• Her perspective for breaking through the clutter and noise
• Powerful takeaways from wishes granted