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Published by Forbes
A Different Take is the marketing case study podcast that unpacks the biggest brand, product, and advertising launches of our time. Each season spotlights one iconic company or breakthrough innovation, seen from every angle—strategy, creative, timing, risk, cultural resonance, and the lessons that shaped the outcome. Season Two goes inside the remarkable transformation of New Balance—from the quintessential “dad shoe” to one of the hottest brands in sports and culture. We unpack the strategy behind the reinvention: how New Balance embraced its heritage instead of running from it, built credibility through athletes and collaborators, and found a way to become culturally relevant without compromising their values. If you want to understand why campaigns succeed—not just that they do—this is your insider’s playbook. Big launches. Bold bets. Real lessons. Linda Boff is one of the marketing industry’s most influential leaders. After a distinguished 20-year career at GE, including a decade as Global CMO, she now serves as President of the Forbes CMO Network and CEO of Said Differently, an award-winning agency recognized for its innovative, scalable approach to creative and digital marketing. Throughout her career, Linda has led global marketing, communications, culture, learning, and philanthropy initiatives, played a key role in GE’s transformation into three publicly traded companies, and earned some of the industry’s highest honors, including induction into the AAF Hall of Fame, the Forbes CMO Hall of Fame, and Adweek’s B2B Innovation Lifetime Achievement Award.
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What makes an athlete choose one brand over another? In Episode 2, Linda Boff goes inside New Balance’s approach to athlete partnerships with Rich Paul, Chris Davis, Gabby Thomas, and a leading sneaker journalist. From moving beyond traditional endorsements to building long-term relationships and authentic athlete stories, we explore why New Balance chose to play the game differently—and why athletes noticed. Because today, the biggest partnership might not be about the biggest paycheck. 0:00 Introduction 0:54 Endorsement vs. Partnership 4:46 The Big First Example: Darius Bazley 7:36 Not A Numbers Game 11:36 Why It Works Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A Different Take — Season 2 launches with the story of New Balance’s remarkable transformation from “dad shoe” to one of the hottest brands in sports and culture. Hosted by Linda Boff, this episode goes behind the strategy that changed how the world saw New Balance. Chris Davis, Chief Marketing Officer & Brand President of New Balance, and Matt Welty, Complex Associate Editor and longtime sneaker journalist, unpack the pivotal moments—from limited-edition collaborations and the rise of sneaker culture to New Balance’s decision to embrace its heritage rather than imitate its competitors. How do you make an “uncool” brand cool without losing what made it authentic in the first place? Welcome to Season 2 of A Different Take. 0:00 Intro & Background 2:56 The Reputation 6:17 The Turning Point 7:45 What Actually Changed? 12:58 Surprise: They Didn't Hide The Dad Shoe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Episode 2: Coca-Cola's holiday advertising has long-signaled the unofficial start of the season so their seminal use of AI caught a great deal of attention. But this wasn’t an overnight experiment rather the result of years of exploration, raising questions about how legacy brands can thoughtfully adopt emerging technology while navigating public skepticism. The conversation with Coca-Cola CMO Manolo Arroyo examines whether audience reactions were driven by the technology itself or its execution, when AI genuinely unlocks creatively, and how brands and creators can balance innovation, cultural relevance, and concerns about the future of creative work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Episode 3: Veteran storyhunter and filmmaker Josh Davis helps unpack a broader shift in marketing, where AI is making high-quality storytelling faster, more accessible, and increasingly scalable for brands of all sizes. Questions explored are whether society is moving from skepticism to acceptance of AI, how audiences define authenticity, and what marketers can learn as technology evolves faster than cultural norms and expectations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Episode 4: Did Coca-Cola’s AI campaign herald a new golden age of marketing? We talk with Silverside founder PJ Periera about how brands can use AI to reimagine iconic assets and blend nostalgia with new forms of storytelling, while navigating the risks that come with touching deeply familiar cultural symbols. The conversation explores whether this marks a true turning point for marketing, how AI is redefining creative excellence, and what separates meaningful brand reinvention from content that is merely faster and cheaper to produce. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Episode 2: Was Coca-Cola's campaign a defining test case for whether AI can serve as a creative collaborator rather than a replacement for human talent? Secret Level founder Jason Zada explores how one of the world’s most iconic brands balanced innovation with consumer expectations, what it means to introduce AI at scale, and how creative leadership evaluates when emerging technology enhances—not diminishes—the craft of storytelling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
“A Different Take” is the marketing case study podcast that unpacks the biggest brand, product, and advertising launches of our time. Each season spotlights one iconic company or breakthrough innovation, seen from every angle—strategy, creative, timing, risk, cultural resonance, and the lessons that shaped the outcome. Season One goes deep on Coca-Cola and the evolving role of AI in advertising—revealing how one of the world’s most recognizable brands balances legacy with reinvention. From daring creative experiments to tech-fueled storytelling, we break down what soared, what stumbled, and what marketers can learn. If you want to understand why campaigns succeed—not just that they do—this is your insider’s playbook. Big launches. Bold bets. Real lessons. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Apple Podcasts rankings via the Mato Topic Intelligence Platform.
Observed September 20, 2026.
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