1 00:00:01,760 --> 00:00:05,280 Speaker 1: You're listening to Math and Magic production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:10,840 Speaker 1: I think it's a really important behavior. If people realize 3 00:00:10,840 --> 00:00:12,960 Speaker 1: I think it's okay to fail, comes out a silking 4 00:00:13,000 --> 00:00:15,960 Speaker 1: valid and fail fast, get smarter quick. We don't want 5 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:18,840 Speaker 1: to be a traditional player in the space. We want 6 00:00:18,840 --> 00:00:25,200 Speaker 1: to be the provocatur Hi. I'm Bob Pittman. Welcome back 7 00:00:25,239 --> 00:00:28,120 Speaker 1: to Math and Magic. Stories from the Frontiers and Marketing. 8 00:00:28,440 --> 00:00:31,000 Speaker 1: On each episode, we explored the interaction of the two 9 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:34,880 Speaker 1: keys to successful marketing and business, the analytics, the math, 10 00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:38,760 Speaker 1: the data, and the creative and the magical ideas created 11 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:42,519 Speaker 1: to respond to identified needs or opportunities. Today we have 12 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:45,879 Speaker 1: someone in the middle of the transformation of the advertising 13 00:00:45,880 --> 00:00:49,680 Speaker 1: and media business to reflect the possibilities and full potential 14 00:00:49,840 --> 00:00:53,840 Speaker 1: unleashed by technology. He's a pioneer of digital advertising and 15 00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:56,720 Speaker 1: sits a top Group M at w PP, the world's 16 00:00:56,800 --> 00:01:01,080 Speaker 1: largest advertising and marketing holding company. He's Richtian Jewel, the 17 00:01:01,120 --> 00:01:04,880 Speaker 1: global CEO of Group M. Christian was born in Guam, 18 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:07,480 Speaker 1: a military family kid who moved a lot from New 19 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:10,440 Speaker 1: Hampshire to California. He wanted to be a pilot, but 20 00:01:10,480 --> 00:01:13,120 Speaker 1: his dad told him he was too tall. As a 21 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:15,600 Speaker 1: young man. He had a great curiosity that opened the 22 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:19,080 Speaker 1: world to him. He was a digital pioneer who survived 23 00:01:19,120 --> 00:01:22,000 Speaker 1: the dot com bust and emerged as a senior leader 24 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:24,600 Speaker 1: of razor Fish, including its time as a part of 25 00:01:24,640 --> 00:01:27,240 Speaker 1: Microsoft and then Publicists. He went on to be the 26 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:31,399 Speaker 1: global CEO for Essence before his current mission. He's been 27 00:01:31,400 --> 00:01:34,080 Speaker 1: in small and entrepreneurial and he's been at the largest 28 00:01:34,240 --> 00:01:37,560 Speaker 1: and has a unique perspectives as a result. He's known 29 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:41,240 Speaker 1: for being a keen strategist, a transformation expert, and a 30 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:46,120 Speaker 1: strong culture builder. He mountain bikes, plays golf skis and 31 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:49,720 Speaker 1: is still tall. Christian Welcome, Thanks for having me. Before 32 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:52,760 Speaker 1: we get started, I'd like to give everybody a quick 33 00:01:52,880 --> 00:01:57,400 Speaker 1: view of you in sixty seconds. Ready. Do you prefer 34 00:01:57,560 --> 00:02:01,360 Speaker 1: cats or dogs? Thoughts or early riser or night owl? 35 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:06,040 Speaker 1: Early riser? The wire or the crown? The wire? T 36 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:09,959 Speaker 1: shirt or tie T shirt? Hiking or fishing, Hiking to 37 00:02:10,040 --> 00:02:14,560 Speaker 1: a good fishing spot, Michigan or Alaska? Alaska? Trombone or 38 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:21,720 Speaker 1: trumpet trumpet? Work life balance or work life integration? Favorite band? 39 00:02:21,880 --> 00:02:24,160 Speaker 1: What have I've been listening to? Billy Strings? If you 40 00:02:24,200 --> 00:02:27,160 Speaker 1: weren't working in marketing, what would you be doing teaching 41 00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:32,880 Speaker 1: childhood hero my dad favorite brand from your childhood, Alexander 42 00:02:32,919 --> 00:02:35,000 Speaker 1: Colure has made these great sweaters and I thought they 43 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:38,280 Speaker 1: were so cool. Never had one pretty expensive back in 44 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:41,960 Speaker 1: the day marketing campaign you're most proud of. I love 45 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:45,600 Speaker 1: the Nike work that we did. Guilty Pleasure Pringles ideal 46 00:02:45,680 --> 00:02:49,480 Speaker 1: Sunday afternoon, walking the dog with my son. First concert 47 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:51,920 Speaker 1: Paul Sign and Rhythm of the Saints. My mother took 48 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:58,160 Speaker 1: me first job washing dishes at Pasta Fresco outside Sacramento, California. Okay, 49 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:00,840 Speaker 1: the last one. If you could time trap, would you 50 00:03:00,880 --> 00:03:04,480 Speaker 1: go back to the past or go to the future future. 51 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:09,320 Speaker 1: Let's get started way back in one we launched MTV, 52 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:11,640 Speaker 1: one of the first cable only networks, and at that 53 00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:15,320 Speaker 1: time Nielsen just measured viewing a broadcast TV. You can 54 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:18,800 Speaker 1: imagine the advertiser's reaction. Great idea, come back to me 55 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:21,079 Speaker 1: when you've got some numbers. But a couple of folks 56 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:23,799 Speaker 1: saw this as an opportunity to get a jump on competitors. 57 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:26,680 Speaker 1: Roger and Rico was running Pepsi at the time and 58 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:29,320 Speaker 1: was hell bent on moving his share against Coke. He 59 00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:31,919 Speaker 1: saw these young people watching MTV so in the absence 60 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:34,800 Speaker 1: of any ratings, he buys us. Coke, on the other hand, 61 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:37,800 Speaker 1: said we have no interest until you have measurement, and 62 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:40,680 Speaker 1: Coke sat on the sidelines for over five years. In 63 00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:43,960 Speaker 1: that time, Roger moved the market share of Pepsi against 64 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:47,160 Speaker 1: Coke the most it's ever been moved before or after. 65 00:03:47,560 --> 00:03:51,240 Speaker 1: And this example, Pepsi picked performance, even though it's harder 66 00:03:51,240 --> 00:03:55,400 Speaker 1: to quantify. Coke chose measurement. In the next decade, when 67 00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:57,360 Speaker 1: we took the Internet to the mass market, I was 68 00:03:57,400 --> 00:03:58,960 Speaker 1: at a o L at the time in the nineteen 69 00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:02,160 Speaker 1: nineties and is reminded over half the traffic of the 70 00:04:02,160 --> 00:04:03,840 Speaker 1: Internet in the US came through a o L in 71 00:04:03,880 --> 00:04:07,280 Speaker 1: those days, and we did have the data, metrics and performance. 72 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:11,360 Speaker 1: Yet the major agencies at that time ignored digital l abvertizing. 73 00:04:11,760 --> 00:04:13,760 Speaker 1: Even though a o L had gone from few million 74 00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:16,520 Speaker 1: dollars in advertising to billions of dollars in that five 75 00:04:16,600 --> 00:04:19,400 Speaker 1: year period, eight percent of the ad revenue did not 76 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:23,640 Speaker 1: come through agencies. This lack of adoption really opened the 77 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:26,880 Speaker 1: door for all those digital only agencies that sprung up. 78 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:29,000 Speaker 1: You are part of that and later had to be 79 00:04:29,080 --> 00:04:32,360 Speaker 1: acquired at much bigger prices. When it became obvious how 80 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:35,920 Speaker 1: huge the digital tam was becoming. So two decades later 81 00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:39,480 Speaker 1: and two examples of dislocation at a time of change, 82 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:44,839 Speaker 1: and here we are in You're now not the new guard. 83 00:04:45,240 --> 00:04:49,279 Speaker 1: You are the establishment. You're the global CEO of Group M, 84 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:53,880 Speaker 1: though we're fifty billion billings thirty five thousand employees worldwide, 85 00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:57,159 Speaker 1: and you're evolving Group M to continue to be a 86 00:04:57,200 --> 00:05:01,359 Speaker 1: major leader. So here's the question. How are you evolving 87 00:05:01,360 --> 00:05:05,680 Speaker 1: the business, the structure and the culture to take advantage 88 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:09,520 Speaker 1: of your unique data and enormous scale, and how do 89 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:12,920 Speaker 1: you avoid the pitfalls like the ones I just mentioned 90 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:19,279 Speaker 1: to make uncomfortable change acceptable to your organization. You know, 91 00:05:19,279 --> 00:05:22,040 Speaker 1: I talked about the early days of people taking risks 92 00:05:22,040 --> 00:05:26,320 Speaker 1: without actually understanding the full metrics or measurement or the 93 00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:28,160 Speaker 1: things that today we would take for granted. In terms 94 00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:30,640 Speaker 1: of putting a media deal together. I think there's always 95 00:05:30,640 --> 00:05:33,000 Speaker 1: an element in advertising and marketing about, you know, early 96 00:05:33,080 --> 00:05:35,680 Speaker 1: movers and those who are willing to take a chance 97 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:38,360 Speaker 1: in the reward that can pay off with that. Early 98 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:40,200 Speaker 1: days of the Internet, there were a lot of failures. 99 00:05:40,560 --> 00:05:42,359 Speaker 1: You know, I lived through a lot of it. I 100 00:05:42,360 --> 00:05:46,640 Speaker 1: mean I started on the Internet in company called us 101 00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:50,240 Speaker 1: Web and tragically bought my first house on my first 102 00:05:50,279 --> 00:05:53,360 Speaker 1: commission check I think in two thousand one, roughly five 103 00:05:53,440 --> 00:05:55,960 Speaker 1: days before the company filed for bankruptcy as March first, 104 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:58,280 Speaker 1: and which was a rather trying moment for myself. When 105 00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:00,360 Speaker 1: you look at that, it's not even just about two 106 00:06:00,400 --> 00:06:02,560 Speaker 1: thousand one. If you look at even more recently, I'm 107 00:06:02,560 --> 00:06:06,559 Speaker 1: like women in Jeff Katzenberg doing Queeby and the amount 108 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:10,080 Speaker 1: of money they're able to raise and then subsequent decline 109 00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:12,040 Speaker 1: to that business. So you're always in this place where 110 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:14,200 Speaker 1: you're trying to make the right decisions about which media 111 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:17,560 Speaker 1: partners to work with and which sort of creative outlets 112 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:20,440 Speaker 1: are going to bring the most connection between brands and consumers, 113 00:06:20,839 --> 00:06:22,680 Speaker 1: and I think there's never a perfect formula for it. 114 00:06:22,920 --> 00:06:25,120 Speaker 1: Relative to home structuring group them, you talk about structure 115 00:06:25,160 --> 00:06:27,320 Speaker 1: and culture and let's stay culture first, actually, because I 116 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:29,440 Speaker 1: think that's one of the biggest things coming out of 117 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:33,479 Speaker 1: Microsoft and publicists and going in to run Essence, which 118 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:35,680 Speaker 1: the time is about three people mostly in the UK, 119 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:40,400 Speaker 1: founder led organization, really shaped my view on culture and 120 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:43,760 Speaker 1: the power of culture as a true economic differentiator for 121 00:06:43,800 --> 00:06:46,200 Speaker 1: a business. Tell then people talk about culture. They put 122 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:48,159 Speaker 1: mission revision on the walls and you see them around 123 00:06:48,160 --> 00:06:51,400 Speaker 1: your office and like, okay, great. But the very first 124 00:06:51,440 --> 00:06:54,760 Speaker 1: management meeting I had with the three founders of Essence, 125 00:06:54,960 --> 00:06:56,400 Speaker 1: we run it out of the little room and soho 126 00:06:56,440 --> 00:06:59,960 Speaker 1: LOFs in New York. And I was already for the job. 127 00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:02,359 Speaker 1: I started as a us CEO only, so I built 128 00:07:02,400 --> 00:07:06,600 Speaker 1: these plans and growth targets and key accounts and management 129 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:08,560 Speaker 1: team structures and what we were going to do and 130 00:07:08,560 --> 00:07:12,680 Speaker 1: technology implementations. And I walk into this room and they're 131 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:17,040 Speaker 1: already there, and there are four chairs facing each other 132 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:21,120 Speaker 1: with no table in between, no screens, a little coffee bar, 133 00:07:21,640 --> 00:07:23,800 Speaker 1: and Matt Isaac's who was to see you at the Times, 134 00:07:23,840 --> 00:07:26,040 Speaker 1: has had a seat and before you can even know, 135 00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:27,640 Speaker 1: stending okay, I'm ready to show you, guys what I 136 00:07:27,640 --> 00:07:29,400 Speaker 1: think the North American plan should be. And he goes, no, 137 00:07:29,400 --> 00:07:31,760 Speaker 1: no, no no, We've got three hours just to talk about 138 00:07:31,760 --> 00:07:34,080 Speaker 1: how you're doing, what we think this thing might look 139 00:07:34,080 --> 00:07:36,520 Speaker 1: like and feel like over time. I don't know if 140 00:07:36,520 --> 00:07:38,400 Speaker 1: you've ever done that, really, just sit there with no 141 00:07:38,560 --> 00:07:41,080 Speaker 1: table in a square with four people that you don't 142 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:44,200 Speaker 1: really know that well well you're trying to impress them 143 00:07:44,240 --> 00:07:45,880 Speaker 1: about your knowledge of the business or what have you. 144 00:07:46,280 --> 00:07:49,000 Speaker 1: But it's extremely uncomfortable. There's no barriers and there was 145 00:07:49,040 --> 00:07:51,240 Speaker 1: no preconceived notion. And we sat there and sort of 146 00:07:51,240 --> 00:07:54,680 Speaker 1: hashed out an understanding of what Essence was and how 147 00:07:54,680 --> 00:07:57,320 Speaker 1: we wanted to treat each other as a management team, 148 00:07:57,360 --> 00:07:59,600 Speaker 1: and how we wanted that to show up in our people. 149 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:02,360 Speaker 1: And I sum it up now and I've brought it 150 00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:05,080 Speaker 1: to group. I'm as well. It's assuming positive intent at 151 00:08:05,080 --> 00:08:07,360 Speaker 1: every turn, and I want everybody Group Time to feel 152 00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:10,400 Speaker 1: like this is the place where their expression is welcome, 153 00:08:10,800 --> 00:08:14,320 Speaker 1: where creative ideas are welcome, where they can disagree with management, 154 00:08:14,320 --> 00:08:16,440 Speaker 1: where they can speak up, and where they're trusted, and 155 00:08:16,440 --> 00:08:19,600 Speaker 1: where it's an environment of positive intent. When you took over, 156 00:08:20,080 --> 00:08:23,560 Speaker 1: you flew something like over two hundred thousand miles to 157 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:26,760 Speaker 1: meet people all across group him. Were you doing those 158 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:29,400 Speaker 1: kinds of meetings like you did with the founders of 159 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:32,440 Speaker 1: Essence where you just sat and talked as opposed to 160 00:08:32,480 --> 00:08:36,199 Speaker 1: show me your presentation. Yeah, I have an odd entrance 161 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:39,120 Speaker 1: point in the group them, right, we sold Essence into it. 162 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:42,400 Speaker 1: So I was a turnout CEO. So I was sort 163 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:44,520 Speaker 1: of a witness to the management team for three years. 164 00:08:44,640 --> 00:08:47,360 Speaker 1: When I took over the job about three years ago. Now, 165 00:08:48,360 --> 00:08:50,080 Speaker 1: one of the first things I did was just get 166 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:51,679 Speaker 1: the management teams together, and I said, we're gonna do 167 00:08:51,720 --> 00:08:55,040 Speaker 1: things differently. We're gonna trust each other, we're gonna listen 168 00:08:55,040 --> 00:08:58,880 Speaker 1: to each other. We're going to build a strategy together, 169 00:08:59,160 --> 00:09:03,240 Speaker 1: and we're going to share that strategy with all thousand 170 00:09:03,280 --> 00:09:06,160 Speaker 1: employees so that they know what the purpose of Group 171 00:09:06,280 --> 00:09:08,160 Speaker 1: M is, what the purpose of the agencies are, how 172 00:09:08,160 --> 00:09:11,680 Speaker 1: we can count our technology division. Up until that point, 173 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:14,400 Speaker 1: Group M was a collection of companies, and so trying 174 00:09:14,440 --> 00:09:16,560 Speaker 1: to sit down and talk about the future of this 175 00:09:16,760 --> 00:09:20,200 Speaker 1: industry and media is becoming technology driven. It looks more 176 00:09:20,360 --> 00:09:24,640 Speaker 1: like software than it looks like manual planning in media deals, 177 00:09:24,920 --> 00:09:27,200 Speaker 1: and we're going to get really good at automation and 178 00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:30,160 Speaker 1: and understanding technology. And that means investing hundreds of mens 179 00:09:30,160 --> 00:09:32,480 Speaker 1: and dollars and doing it once, not doing it in 180 00:09:32,679 --> 00:09:35,920 Speaker 1: sixty different methods with different partners in every market around 181 00:09:35,960 --> 00:09:38,959 Speaker 1: the world, and getting people aligned to that type of thinking. 182 00:09:39,080 --> 00:09:42,040 Speaker 1: It requires a singularity of culture and understanding of how 183 00:09:42,040 --> 00:09:47,200 Speaker 1: we're going to hold each other to account. In Even 184 00:09:47,280 --> 00:09:51,440 Speaker 1: during the lockdown, you hosted a video series called The Regroup. 185 00:09:51,600 --> 00:09:55,920 Speaker 1: What was that tool for in this cultural transformation? It 186 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:57,360 Speaker 1: was the way to stay connected, in a way to 187 00:09:57,400 --> 00:09:59,679 Speaker 1: burn forward a lot of diverse voices from around the 188 00:09:59,720 --> 00:10:01,360 Speaker 1: world with us, and I was talking to people in 189 00:10:01,400 --> 00:10:05,080 Speaker 1: Pakistan and in India and in Europe, across the US, 190 00:10:05,160 --> 00:10:07,960 Speaker 1: and to remind people of who's on the other end 191 00:10:08,000 --> 00:10:10,000 Speaker 1: of the phone or the team's call. In this case, 192 00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:12,440 Speaker 1: we really want to go wide and deep into the organization. 193 00:10:12,720 --> 00:10:14,480 Speaker 1: We want to hear employee stories, We want to hear 194 00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:17,960 Speaker 1: about the client work they were excited about. Between the 195 00:10:17,960 --> 00:10:21,320 Speaker 1: reaction to that and your two hundred thousand miles of 196 00:10:21,440 --> 00:10:25,440 Speaker 1: traveling and the listening tour, what revelations came out of 197 00:10:25,440 --> 00:10:28,120 Speaker 1: it that you probably wouldn't have gotten had you not 198 00:10:28,280 --> 00:10:31,199 Speaker 1: done those. I would say the amount of strength and 199 00:10:31,280 --> 00:10:33,079 Speaker 1: some of our markets around the world, the amount of 200 00:10:33,160 --> 00:10:36,400 Speaker 1: relationships with you know, the publisher's side and the client side. 201 00:10:36,559 --> 00:10:38,480 Speaker 1: You know, when you go to market like India and 202 00:10:38,600 --> 00:10:42,120 Speaker 1: we're close to market share, it's just a massive market 203 00:10:42,320 --> 00:10:45,800 Speaker 1: with incredible strength from Group M and w PP there 204 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:48,240 Speaker 1: and it's just really really impressive to see the kind 205 00:10:48,240 --> 00:10:51,320 Speaker 1: of clients that they work with and the programs they 206 00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:53,440 Speaker 1: are able to put in place. And then when you 207 00:10:53,480 --> 00:10:56,240 Speaker 1: go to other markets where we're still growing and learning, 208 00:10:56,600 --> 00:10:58,960 Speaker 1: you know, just incredibly diverse business. You know, I think 209 00:10:59,040 --> 00:11:01,280 Speaker 1: our on was forty two as and employees and eighty 210 00:11:01,360 --> 00:11:04,840 Speaker 1: two different countries. I mean, it's just continues to grow 211 00:11:05,200 --> 00:11:08,560 Speaker 1: in the strength even at that scale is really really impressive. 212 00:11:08,880 --> 00:11:11,640 Speaker 1: You talked about some elements of corporate culture here and 213 00:11:11,720 --> 00:11:16,320 Speaker 1: your values positive intent, trust, listen to each other, accountability, 214 00:11:16,800 --> 00:11:19,640 Speaker 1: what else is important to you and that value system 215 00:11:19,679 --> 00:11:23,040 Speaker 1: that builds up the corporate culture. Risk taking. I think 216 00:11:23,080 --> 00:11:25,920 Speaker 1: that we really have to be willing to change ourselves 217 00:11:26,240 --> 00:11:27,920 Speaker 1: and to realize that the way we've been doing things 218 00:11:27,920 --> 00:11:29,880 Speaker 1: is not the way that will be successful doing things 219 00:11:29,880 --> 00:11:34,520 Speaker 1: going forward. The migration in the digital, migration into programmatic 220 00:11:34,559 --> 00:11:38,280 Speaker 1: I mean I really rapidly accelerated our investment in programmatic channels, 221 00:11:38,679 --> 00:11:42,160 Speaker 1: pushing out a home into digital formats, looking what we're 222 00:11:42,160 --> 00:11:46,400 Speaker 1: doing connected television, new partnerships like the Netflix Microsoft partnership. 223 00:11:47,280 --> 00:11:49,520 Speaker 1: How do we embrace those in a way that we're 224 00:11:49,520 --> 00:11:51,480 Speaker 1: not scared of holding onto things in the past that 225 00:11:51,480 --> 00:11:54,320 Speaker 1: we're really successful with, but realizing you know, will find 226 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:56,199 Speaker 1: ways to be successful in these new markets, and our 227 00:11:56,240 --> 00:11:59,359 Speaker 1: clients count on us to lead them into these new opportunities. 228 00:12:00,360 --> 00:12:02,440 Speaker 1: And I think it's a really important behavior of people 229 00:12:02,440 --> 00:12:04,480 Speaker 1: who realize that it's okay to fail, you know, and 230 00:12:04,520 --> 00:12:06,839 Speaker 1: it comes out of silicon value and fail fast, get 231 00:12:06,880 --> 00:12:09,360 Speaker 1: smarter quick, And we don't want to be a traditional 232 00:12:09,520 --> 00:12:12,400 Speaker 1: player in the space. We want to be the provocateur. 233 00:12:13,360 --> 00:12:17,720 Speaker 1: I suspect coming into your job, you found that probably 234 00:12:18,160 --> 00:12:21,360 Speaker 1: the appetite for that risk taking and the fear of 235 00:12:21,440 --> 00:12:25,679 Speaker 1: failure probably was at another level than you needed. How 236 00:12:25,720 --> 00:12:27,840 Speaker 1: did you change that? How did you get people comfortable 237 00:12:27,840 --> 00:12:31,520 Speaker 1: with that? What's really important? And the key thing that 238 00:12:31,559 --> 00:12:33,800 Speaker 1: I did was I did that tour around the world 239 00:12:34,480 --> 00:12:37,720 Speaker 1: and we formed something called our our Synergy Strategy, which 240 00:12:37,760 --> 00:12:41,400 Speaker 1: was really just defining Group M as a global organization, 241 00:12:41,480 --> 00:12:47,000 Speaker 1: the accountabilities between management agencies and ambition to build a 242 00:12:47,120 --> 00:12:51,959 Speaker 1: large global shared services and media delivery organization. And we're 243 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:54,040 Speaker 1: making great progress on it. I mean, it's showing up 244 00:12:54,040 --> 00:12:56,080 Speaker 1: in our new business wins, it's showing up in client 245 00:12:56,120 --> 00:12:58,880 Speaker 1: satisfaction scores and the other piece. And I would just 246 00:12:59,040 --> 00:13:01,599 Speaker 1: give a credit to Mark even us, you know, he 247 00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:03,719 Speaker 1: asked me to take over group them three and a 248 00:13:03,720 --> 00:13:06,000 Speaker 1: half years ago. I mean I never saw coming, and 249 00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:08,040 Speaker 1: I literally said, you would not want me to do 250 00:13:08,080 --> 00:13:10,800 Speaker 1: what I want to do to group them. That's the CEO. 251 00:13:10,960 --> 00:13:13,280 Speaker 1: I just said, I can't imagine what I want to 252 00:13:13,320 --> 00:13:14,959 Speaker 1: do with something that's attractive to you. I write a 253 00:13:14,960 --> 00:13:17,439 Speaker 1: whole new blueprint and I sketched out for im on 254 00:13:17,480 --> 00:13:18,679 Speaker 1: a piece of paper, and he goes go to it. 255 00:13:19,280 --> 00:13:20,960 Speaker 1: You have a complete, total authority to do ever you 256 00:13:21,040 --> 00:13:23,240 Speaker 1: need to do to make those changes. I think that's 257 00:13:23,240 --> 00:13:26,720 Speaker 1: what needs to do. Also more on math and magic 258 00:13:26,880 --> 00:13:35,200 Speaker 1: right after this quick break. Welcome back to math and magic. 259 00:13:35,360 --> 00:13:40,400 Speaker 1: Let's hear more from my conversation with Christian Jewel. I 260 00:13:40,480 --> 00:13:42,560 Speaker 1: want to go back in time just a little bit 261 00:13:42,600 --> 00:13:45,320 Speaker 1: to get some more context on you. You were born 262 00:13:45,320 --> 00:13:47,520 Speaker 1: in the early seventies, grew up moving around as a 263 00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:50,160 Speaker 1: kid in the eighties and nineties. Can you paint the 264 00:13:50,240 --> 00:13:53,960 Speaker 1: picture of those times and your life? Then? My families 265 00:13:53,960 --> 00:13:57,360 Speaker 1: from Michigan, sort of Midwestern cultures and values to family. 266 00:13:57,600 --> 00:14:00,720 Speaker 1: My mom's school teacher. My dad join the military out 267 00:14:00,720 --> 00:14:02,439 Speaker 1: of Vietnam and shows the Air Force. You know, his 268 00:14:02,520 --> 00:14:04,199 Speaker 1: first station was in Guam, and you know, I don't 269 00:14:04,240 --> 00:14:06,840 Speaker 1: remember much about it, but when they were moved to 270 00:14:07,040 --> 00:14:08,959 Speaker 1: New Atwer and kind of spend some time there, and 271 00:14:09,080 --> 00:14:11,719 Speaker 1: I remember a pretty traditional family, you know, my dad 272 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:14,319 Speaker 1: it's kind of home by five, and my mom's a 273 00:14:14,440 --> 00:14:17,080 Speaker 1: teacher and be home and we dump dinner together, an 274 00:14:17,120 --> 00:14:19,800 Speaker 1: older sister and a younger brother. And we moved to Alaska. 275 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:21,880 Speaker 1: You know, Alaska was great. We're outside a lot. We 276 00:14:21,920 --> 00:14:24,360 Speaker 1: had a camper trailer, and we spent almost all summer 277 00:14:24,360 --> 00:14:27,360 Speaker 1: out at the river fishing and pike in picking blueberries. 278 00:14:27,400 --> 00:14:29,720 Speaker 1: And we had a family car game called Cutthroat, which 279 00:14:29,720 --> 00:14:32,280 Speaker 1: is sort of a lot like gym and we don't 280 00:14:32,280 --> 00:14:35,280 Speaker 1: play that and pretty simple and very very nice. And 281 00:14:35,280 --> 00:14:37,440 Speaker 1: then we moved down to California. Talk a little bit 282 00:14:37,440 --> 00:14:39,840 Speaker 1: about that moving. How did all this moving affect you. 283 00:14:40,480 --> 00:14:42,600 Speaker 1: It's only in recent years I've actually come to think 284 00:14:42,600 --> 00:14:44,440 Speaker 1: about that, to tell the truth, I've seen my own 285 00:14:44,440 --> 00:14:46,560 Speaker 1: son and grow up, and I've seen the friendships that 286 00:14:46,600 --> 00:14:49,880 Speaker 1: he's developed and how close they are. You know, I 287 00:14:49,920 --> 00:14:52,720 Speaker 1: kind of realized the challenges and moving around so much 288 00:14:52,720 --> 00:14:54,840 Speaker 1: gring and I look back and I see some people 289 00:14:54,880 --> 00:14:57,440 Speaker 1: now that I'm close with who have friendships from kindergarten 290 00:14:58,080 --> 00:15:00,760 Speaker 1: or beyond, and I'm jealous about looks amazing to be 291 00:15:00,800 --> 00:15:02,280 Speaker 1: able to have that, And I think that's something you 292 00:15:02,320 --> 00:15:04,080 Speaker 1: don't get, you know, when you're in a family that 293 00:15:04,120 --> 00:15:09,520 Speaker 1: moves every four years, and relationships or something that probably 294 00:15:09,520 --> 00:15:11,600 Speaker 1: the most important thing in your life, and to be 295 00:15:11,640 --> 00:15:14,400 Speaker 1: able to maintain and sustain those It's something I've worked 296 00:15:14,400 --> 00:15:17,440 Speaker 1: on a harder at in the last fifteen years of 297 00:15:17,440 --> 00:15:19,800 Speaker 1: my life than I did before. What kind of kid 298 00:15:19,840 --> 00:15:22,480 Speaker 1: were you? How did you define yourself and what was 299 00:15:22,520 --> 00:15:24,360 Speaker 1: your own self image? I don't think I any kind 300 00:15:24,360 --> 00:15:26,280 Speaker 1: of a weirdness to try and define myself. I think 301 00:15:26,320 --> 00:15:27,880 Speaker 1: I was trying to get from point at a point 302 00:15:27,920 --> 00:15:30,400 Speaker 1: the most of the time to my childhood. You know, 303 00:15:30,440 --> 00:15:33,320 Speaker 1: part of the challenge moving out of different schools and 304 00:15:33,800 --> 00:15:37,120 Speaker 1: being different, you know, moving to California from Alaska, I 305 00:15:37,160 --> 00:15:39,000 Speaker 1: remember kids walking to me and you know, deep live 306 00:15:39,040 --> 00:15:42,840 Speaker 1: in a very, very different and I think, you know, 307 00:15:42,880 --> 00:15:45,400 Speaker 1: struggling with being different was the real thing. And then 308 00:15:45,760 --> 00:15:48,440 Speaker 1: you know, my parents believe along in classical music, and 309 00:15:48,480 --> 00:15:50,560 Speaker 1: I had to pick up traditional instrument and then end 310 00:15:50,640 --> 00:15:53,920 Speaker 1: up in the jazz band. And I assure you, being 311 00:15:53,960 --> 00:15:58,120 Speaker 1: in the marching band in California, wearing a buttoned coat 312 00:15:58,240 --> 00:16:00,960 Speaker 1: and top hat and leading the band out onto the 313 00:16:01,000 --> 00:16:04,200 Speaker 1: football field was no cooler then than it is today. 314 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:09,120 Speaker 1: Probably I was sponsors and academic and you know, probably 315 00:16:09,160 --> 00:16:11,560 Speaker 1: a very awkward teenager, which is amazing. Now I see 316 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:13,640 Speaker 1: my son in the same age group. You just joined 317 00:16:13,720 --> 00:16:15,760 Speaker 1: high school this year and he plays his guitar and 318 00:16:15,800 --> 00:16:17,920 Speaker 1: it's in this rock band program where they had to 319 00:16:17,920 --> 00:16:20,440 Speaker 1: play two hours a day with some amazing musicians and teachers, 320 00:16:21,480 --> 00:16:23,480 Speaker 1: and his first day of school, I was ten times 321 00:16:23,520 --> 00:16:27,720 Speaker 1: more scared for him than he was. And I'm realizing 322 00:16:27,720 --> 00:16:29,600 Speaker 1: he has so many more tools than I had at 323 00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:31,960 Speaker 1: the time, and you know, ultimately it's just loving high 324 00:16:31,960 --> 00:16:34,240 Speaker 1: school and it's wonderful to see him out slightly different 325 00:16:34,240 --> 00:16:37,760 Speaker 1: experience than I had. That's amazing. I heard a story 326 00:16:37,800 --> 00:16:39,960 Speaker 1: about you as an early entrepreneur. I heard that you 327 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:43,120 Speaker 1: had one business where you picked up reptiles and sold 328 00:16:43,160 --> 00:16:45,880 Speaker 1: them to kids at school. Yeah. I've always been under 329 00:16:45,920 --> 00:16:48,480 Speaker 1: the salesperson. I like having a little bit of money 330 00:16:48,480 --> 00:16:51,760 Speaker 1: in my pocket with it outside of Sacramento, and there 331 00:16:51,800 --> 00:16:54,320 Speaker 1: was a time in the bacon field between us and school, 332 00:16:54,960 --> 00:16:58,360 Speaker 1: and obviously see lizards all over the place on the 333 00:16:58,400 --> 00:16:59,760 Speaker 1: way on the way to school, and so I started 334 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:02,680 Speaker 1: to them, I doing little shoe box and then sell 335 00:17:02,720 --> 00:17:05,000 Speaker 1: them in school until I got in troubled for selling 336 00:17:05,000 --> 00:17:07,840 Speaker 1: lizards at school, and then I would stop that. In 337 00:17:07,840 --> 00:17:09,840 Speaker 1: oh which case, at that point, I think Costco had 338 00:17:09,880 --> 00:17:11,879 Speaker 1: just started coming out and they talked to my dad 339 00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:14,359 Speaker 1: who buying those hundred packs of fitsy pops, And I 340 00:17:14,359 --> 00:17:16,600 Speaker 1: started breaking down hundred packs and selling to the pops 341 00:17:16,600 --> 00:17:19,040 Speaker 1: at school next. So it's kind of a catch me. 342 00:17:19,119 --> 00:17:21,840 Speaker 1: If you can't situation with the administration of the school, 343 00:17:22,080 --> 00:17:25,520 Speaker 1: what lessons from that child do you still use today? 344 00:17:26,040 --> 00:17:28,520 Speaker 1: I think the importance of family. I think the importance 345 00:17:28,520 --> 00:17:31,399 Speaker 1: of sitting down together. My dad actually started a computer 346 00:17:31,600 --> 00:17:36,679 Speaker 1: technology company in the late nineties and we started his 347 00:17:36,680 --> 00:17:38,879 Speaker 1: own copy've never gone before in the Air Force. Retired 348 00:17:40,000 --> 00:17:42,800 Speaker 1: twenty seven years there. The courage took him to start 349 00:17:42,800 --> 00:17:45,679 Speaker 1: his own company. It's still something like, you know, respect deeply, 350 00:17:46,800 --> 00:17:49,760 Speaker 1: but the transition from family sitting down and dinner every 351 00:17:49,840 --> 00:17:52,359 Speaker 1: night to my dad working until midnight or wanting it 352 00:17:52,440 --> 00:17:55,360 Speaker 1: was profound and thinking about, you know, my own life 353 00:17:55,359 --> 00:17:57,399 Speaker 1: now and I'm traveling so much for work, and how 354 00:17:57,400 --> 00:18:01,159 Speaker 1: I tried to stay connected to my son and my family, 355 00:18:01,200 --> 00:18:03,399 Speaker 1: you know, as my parents get older, and how you 356 00:18:03,440 --> 00:18:05,360 Speaker 1: prioritize those types of things that you're gonna be there 357 00:18:05,359 --> 00:18:07,280 Speaker 1: for each other. And you can get really tied up 358 00:18:07,320 --> 00:18:10,879 Speaker 1: and work or making money or promotion or even just 359 00:18:10,920 --> 00:18:13,159 Speaker 1: great ideas, but ultimately coming back to the family and 360 00:18:13,200 --> 00:18:15,760 Speaker 1: relationships and making sure that you know that's not strong. 361 00:18:15,840 --> 00:18:17,280 Speaker 1: Nothing else in your life is going to be strong. 362 00:18:17,680 --> 00:18:20,359 Speaker 1: You took a gap here between high school and college. 363 00:18:20,400 --> 00:18:23,120 Speaker 1: You went on do you see San Diego? You decided 364 00:18:23,160 --> 00:18:24,920 Speaker 1: you did not want to be a doctor, you did 365 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:27,560 Speaker 1: not want to be a lawyer. Who was there any 366 00:18:27,760 --> 00:18:32,159 Speaker 1: guiding light that that made college exciting for you? I 367 00:18:32,200 --> 00:18:34,240 Speaker 1: grew up a lot in college. When I got to college, 368 00:18:34,280 --> 00:18:38,359 Speaker 1: I really just realized I like learning a lot collect economics, 369 00:18:38,480 --> 00:18:43,119 Speaker 1: about local science, aspects of biology and science just really 370 00:18:43,240 --> 00:18:45,679 Speaker 1: became very comfortable with myself, and you know, that allowed 371 00:18:45,720 --> 00:18:47,760 Speaker 1: me to start thinking about things that you know, I 372 00:18:47,800 --> 00:18:50,240 Speaker 1: hadn't really done a spouse to people before. I knew 373 00:18:50,240 --> 00:18:53,000 Speaker 1: about dad being a military and my mom school teacher, 374 00:18:53,040 --> 00:18:55,560 Speaker 1: and had a lot of exposure to the business world 375 00:18:55,560 --> 00:18:59,280 Speaker 1: and what was happening, and certainly the booming opportunities of 376 00:18:59,320 --> 00:19:02,320 Speaker 1: the Internet, oology and what that was bringing, and to 377 00:19:02,359 --> 00:19:04,560 Speaker 1: meet professors who would talk about those types of things 378 00:19:04,600 --> 00:19:07,639 Speaker 1: and how corporations were structured, and you know, it's just 379 00:19:07,680 --> 00:19:10,679 Speaker 1: really an amazing time in my life. After school, you 380 00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:14,200 Speaker 1: went to Japan taught English. What lessons did you pick 381 00:19:14,280 --> 00:19:18,680 Speaker 1: up from that that that are still with you today? Empathy? 382 00:19:18,720 --> 00:19:22,400 Speaker 1: I mean I applied to the Japanese English Teaching Programs 383 00:19:22,920 --> 00:19:26,000 Speaker 1: JET programs, what they call it pretty competitive program that 384 00:19:26,040 --> 00:19:28,440 Speaker 1: the Japanese government puts out over for a year or 385 00:19:28,480 --> 00:19:31,879 Speaker 1: two years. I want to fully pay program where they 386 00:19:31,960 --> 00:19:33,800 Speaker 1: put you up in housing and they kind of see 387 00:19:33,840 --> 00:19:37,840 Speaker 1: these English teachers all through the country of Japan to 388 00:19:38,000 --> 00:19:40,720 Speaker 1: really just teach. In my case of well middle school kids. 389 00:19:40,960 --> 00:19:43,320 Speaker 1: I ended up up in the north place called Yonazawa, 390 00:19:43,600 --> 00:19:46,000 Speaker 1: which is about a hundred thousand people. I was one 391 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:48,320 Speaker 1: of three English speakers in town. I lived in one 392 00:19:48,359 --> 00:19:52,280 Speaker 1: of the thatched roof places. It was incredibly difficult to 393 00:19:52,280 --> 00:19:55,119 Speaker 1: get around. An amount of kindness that I was shown, 394 00:19:55,520 --> 00:19:57,960 Speaker 1: and the amount of people that would as I was lost, 395 00:19:58,200 --> 00:20:01,080 Speaker 1: not just point me in the direction, but walk me there. 396 00:20:01,520 --> 00:20:03,119 Speaker 1: I think about it when I see tourists all the 397 00:20:03,160 --> 00:20:04,760 Speaker 1: time now, whether it's you know, anywhere I'm at in 398 00:20:04,800 --> 00:20:07,959 Speaker 1: the world, but New York or San Francisco. You know 399 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:09,639 Speaker 1: that just that a little bit of after trying to 400 00:20:09,680 --> 00:20:12,280 Speaker 1: help somebody feel like you're looking out for and that 401 00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:14,159 Speaker 1: you know you care and that you want them to 402 00:20:14,200 --> 00:20:16,800 Speaker 1: have good experience when they're in your country doing math 403 00:20:16,840 --> 00:20:18,480 Speaker 1: and magic. I talked to a lot of people, and 404 00:20:18,520 --> 00:20:22,639 Speaker 1: there's always something in the research that goes, wow, that's unexpected. 405 00:20:22,840 --> 00:20:26,040 Speaker 1: And the unexpected in your case was you began your 406 00:20:26,040 --> 00:20:29,800 Speaker 1: career ge Capital, and knowing you and thinking about you 407 00:20:29,840 --> 00:20:33,280 Speaker 1: at G Capital seems so out of place. Tell us 408 00:20:33,480 --> 00:20:36,000 Speaker 1: how you wound up there and what that was in 409 00:20:36,080 --> 00:20:38,479 Speaker 1: terms of the stage of your career building. Yeah, so 410 00:20:38,520 --> 00:20:40,920 Speaker 1: I came back. My dad at the time, like I said, 411 00:20:40,960 --> 00:20:43,080 Speaker 1: he started a computer networking company and they's sold in 412 00:20:43,080 --> 00:20:46,440 Speaker 1: a lot of computers and technology to corporations and offices 413 00:20:46,480 --> 00:20:49,320 Speaker 1: and things like that. He knew someone Compact. They introduced 414 00:20:49,320 --> 00:20:52,480 Speaker 1: me to the general manager in San Francisco. I was 415 00:20:52,640 --> 00:20:54,880 Speaker 1: sleeping on my college roomates floor trying to figure out 416 00:20:55,080 --> 00:20:56,439 Speaker 1: what kind of job I was gonna get when I 417 00:20:56,440 --> 00:21:00,520 Speaker 1: came back. They have Capital I T Solutions and they 418 00:21:00,560 --> 00:21:03,840 Speaker 1: were a big computer and services reseller, and so I 419 00:21:03,880 --> 00:21:06,600 Speaker 1: went in, got a job. There's customer service, and I 420 00:21:06,720 --> 00:21:09,679 Speaker 1: rode the Jade church down every morning and six an't 421 00:21:09,680 --> 00:21:13,200 Speaker 1: a suit and time and got to know the technology 422 00:21:13,240 --> 00:21:16,280 Speaker 1: side of the business. And then after about a year 423 00:21:16,640 --> 00:21:19,639 Speaker 1: they launched a big services group, and the services group 424 00:21:20,160 --> 00:21:22,840 Speaker 1: sort of the first thing was accountable or anything remotely 425 00:21:23,040 --> 00:21:25,399 Speaker 1: you know, to Internet. And that's when things were just starting. 426 00:21:25,600 --> 00:21:27,360 Speaker 1: It's one of those weird things that happened to Levi. 427 00:21:27,440 --> 00:21:30,760 Speaker 1: Strouss company went into a review to outsource all their 428 00:21:30,840 --> 00:21:34,439 Speaker 1: services and we're going to their restructuring and I got 429 00:21:34,520 --> 00:21:38,240 Speaker 1: to know the guy there, and g had just launched 430 00:21:38,240 --> 00:21:42,639 Speaker 1: the service, and you know, we're probably not particularly prepaired 431 00:21:42,640 --> 00:21:45,000 Speaker 1: to take on anything of Levi size. And I sold 432 00:21:45,040 --> 00:21:50,399 Speaker 1: this account for thirty seats across the United States and 433 00:21:50,560 --> 00:21:52,680 Speaker 1: started working out of Levi for the next two years. 434 00:21:53,119 --> 00:21:55,560 Speaker 1: And you know, at the time, then after I really 435 00:21:55,560 --> 00:21:57,439 Speaker 1: started following low the coding and the Internet, that a 436 00:21:57,480 --> 00:22:00,920 Speaker 1: company called us Web, somebody from company went over there 437 00:22:01,480 --> 00:22:03,520 Speaker 1: and come over and look at these guys. I mean, 438 00:22:03,520 --> 00:22:06,400 Speaker 1: I couldn't believe it. Bob, I walked Hadler, there's free 439 00:22:06,440 --> 00:22:09,639 Speaker 1: coffee there's free food you guys are giving away. Harley 440 00:22:09,720 --> 00:22:13,040 Speaker 1: Davidsons during the Christmas party, like, what is happening here 441 00:22:13,160 --> 00:22:15,720 Speaker 1: that I'm not a part of? And I went over 442 00:22:15,760 --> 00:22:19,199 Speaker 1: there is a strategy account leg and that kind of 443 00:22:19,440 --> 00:22:22,560 Speaker 1: kicked off the next fifteen years of my career. You 444 00:22:22,680 --> 00:22:27,119 Speaker 1: survived the dot com bust, You went through various iterations 445 00:22:27,119 --> 00:22:29,439 Speaker 1: of the company until it became Razor Fish and was 446 00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:34,680 Speaker 1: eventually acquired by publicists. What surprised you most about how 447 00:22:34,760 --> 00:22:37,520 Speaker 1: digital laboratizing evolved? I mean you were there really at 448 00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:41,159 Speaker 1: is practically the beginning. How did the reality contrast with 449 00:22:41,240 --> 00:22:43,920 Speaker 1: your early view? I mean it's not all from Silicon Valley, 450 00:22:44,320 --> 00:22:47,800 Speaker 1: just the boom the bus stories when they continue to repeat, 451 00:22:47,880 --> 00:22:51,000 Speaker 1: when you see how things can get so big so 452 00:22:51,119 --> 00:22:53,639 Speaker 1: quick and then gets so small so quick. I'll never forget. 453 00:22:53,640 --> 00:22:55,880 Speaker 1: One of the iterations of the name was March First 454 00:22:55,960 --> 00:22:58,960 Speaker 1: after Us, which was kind of the biggest internet consultancy 455 00:22:58,960 --> 00:23:02,159 Speaker 1: at the time. Bob or Ours remember as we were 456 00:23:02,160 --> 00:23:03,880 Speaker 1: going through it, I think Francisco Partners are just put 457 00:23:03,880 --> 00:23:05,440 Speaker 1: in a hundred and fifty million dollars to keep the 458 00:23:05,480 --> 00:23:08,080 Speaker 1: company afloat. And I saw Bob in the hallway and 459 00:23:08,119 --> 00:23:10,760 Speaker 1: said the boy the way you know just about this house, 460 00:23:10,840 --> 00:23:13,400 Speaker 1: like should I be concerned? It's like everybody else seems 461 00:23:13,440 --> 00:23:17,679 Speaker 1: to be concerned. And he goes, don't worry, Christian ships, 462 00:23:17,680 --> 00:23:20,000 Speaker 1: this big don't go down. Well there forget that quote. 463 00:23:21,040 --> 00:23:25,280 Speaker 1: And two days later we filed for bankruptcy and people's 464 00:23:25,280 --> 00:23:28,600 Speaker 1: paychecks started pat saying there were people who were having babies, 465 00:23:28,720 --> 00:23:31,240 Speaker 1: and it turns out that Bob had stopped paying the 466 00:23:31,240 --> 00:23:35,080 Speaker 1: premiums on our health insurance, so they were getting bills 467 00:23:35,119 --> 00:23:38,280 Speaker 1: handed to them for twenty plus thousand dollars thinking the 468 00:23:38,400 --> 00:23:41,280 Speaker 1: insurance when the in fact didn't have insurance. Disciples that 469 00:23:41,280 --> 00:23:45,960 Speaker 1: we've gone through are just really tremendous, and the uncertainty 470 00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:48,359 Speaker 1: that you deal with in some of those moments are 471 00:23:48,680 --> 00:23:50,840 Speaker 1: something else could really comfortable with. I mean, I'm not 472 00:23:50,880 --> 00:23:52,359 Speaker 1: kidding when I said, remember we used to take our 473 00:23:52,359 --> 00:23:55,800 Speaker 1: paychecks and we'd go on those check cashing places to 474 00:23:55,840 --> 00:23:58,000 Speaker 1: see if we could get them cashed, to see where 475 00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:00,200 Speaker 1: you could get paid during those soume periods. I think 476 00:24:00,320 --> 00:24:03,480 Speaker 1: fast forwarding today's workplace, you know, it's evolved so much. 477 00:24:03,800 --> 00:24:06,280 Speaker 1: I think the role of government has changed so much. 478 00:24:06,960 --> 00:24:09,040 Speaker 1: Sadly for the worst. I mean, people have really started 479 00:24:09,080 --> 00:24:10,879 Speaker 1: looking at their companies is one of the most stable 480 00:24:10,880 --> 00:24:14,400 Speaker 1: things in their lives and the responsibilities that come without. 481 00:24:14,400 --> 00:24:18,360 Speaker 1: When we think about equality, opportunity, the way we treat 482 00:24:18,359 --> 00:24:20,320 Speaker 1: each other, and the way we think about values and 483 00:24:20,320 --> 00:24:24,119 Speaker 1: the way we hold each other accountable, is accountable and 484 00:24:24,160 --> 00:24:26,480 Speaker 1: I contrast, that's when I started run, really was just 485 00:24:26,480 --> 00:24:29,200 Speaker 1: talking my paycheck would cash. And it's a whole different 486 00:24:29,240 --> 00:24:31,040 Speaker 1: world right now. I'm going to jump into it a 487 00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:32,960 Speaker 1: little bit. Let's start with the first and which is 488 00:24:33,280 --> 00:24:35,919 Speaker 1: the dot com bust, the beginning of the century, the 489 00:24:35,920 --> 00:24:37,960 Speaker 1: big recession of O E O nine. You live through 490 00:24:38,000 --> 00:24:42,840 Speaker 1: both of them, the pandemic, business downturn, and now we 491 00:24:42,880 --> 00:24:45,600 Speaker 1: are in a period of some uncertainty. How do the 492 00:24:45,680 --> 00:24:49,560 Speaker 1: learnings from those three help us navigate this and what 493 00:24:49,640 --> 00:24:52,120 Speaker 1: do you see as a result of that. I still 494 00:24:52,160 --> 00:24:55,320 Speaker 1: believe my primary job is to provide employment for our 495 00:24:55,359 --> 00:24:57,679 Speaker 1: people in a sense of safety and security, so that 496 00:24:57,720 --> 00:25:00,879 Speaker 1: they can make plans for their lives with mind. I 497 00:25:00,960 --> 00:25:02,720 Speaker 1: think that what we have to do is make sure 498 00:25:02,800 --> 00:25:04,680 Speaker 1: that we plan for the uncertainty. Who no one knows 499 00:25:04,720 --> 00:25:06,320 Speaker 1: what's really coming. I don't know if China's going to 500 00:25:06,359 --> 00:25:08,320 Speaker 1: open backed up next year. We have to make sure 501 00:25:08,400 --> 00:25:10,800 Speaker 1: that we're listening to our clients and well provide them 502 00:25:10,800 --> 00:25:14,199 Speaker 1: the flexibility that they need. And ultimately, you know, I 503 00:25:14,240 --> 00:25:17,600 Speaker 1: have to predict the future just slightly better than everybody 504 00:25:17,600 --> 00:25:20,199 Speaker 1: else so that I can do the right things for 505 00:25:20,280 --> 00:25:23,480 Speaker 1: employees and our clients. Will say, every one of those downturns, 506 00:25:23,760 --> 00:25:26,119 Speaker 1: you don't realize when you're coming out of it. It 507 00:25:26,200 --> 00:25:30,520 Speaker 1: gets better much more slowly than it gets worse. And 508 00:25:30,560 --> 00:25:33,719 Speaker 1: I think that one day you wake up and you realize, well, 509 00:25:33,760 --> 00:25:37,480 Speaker 1: actually everything's okay. You rise up out of challenging times 510 00:25:37,960 --> 00:25:39,480 Speaker 1: kind of inch by inch. I don't find it ever 511 00:25:39,480 --> 00:25:42,280 Speaker 1: happens overnight. And I think just making sure that you know, 512 00:25:42,320 --> 00:25:44,520 Speaker 1: you investment in things during these time periods that are 513 00:25:44,520 --> 00:25:46,760 Speaker 1: really important to you. Maybe you postpone a couple of 514 00:25:46,800 --> 00:25:49,320 Speaker 1: things that are nice to have, and you communicate. You know, 515 00:25:49,320 --> 00:25:52,480 Speaker 1: I've been very front of our employees about it. Would 516 00:25:52,480 --> 00:25:54,360 Speaker 1: you be really careful right now? It's not the time 517 00:25:54,359 --> 00:25:57,280 Speaker 1: to make big bets. Let's stay close to our clients. 518 00:25:57,320 --> 00:25:59,639 Speaker 1: Let to make sure we understand what's happening. You know, 519 00:25:59,720 --> 00:26:01,560 Speaker 1: let's forecast a little more often than we used to 520 00:26:02,840 --> 00:26:05,399 Speaker 1: they're really trying to ensure you know what's coming. You 521 00:26:05,480 --> 00:26:08,479 Speaker 1: are a strong advocate of diversity, how do you make 522 00:26:08,480 --> 00:26:10,800 Speaker 1: it a priority and make inclusion a part of your 523 00:26:10,840 --> 00:26:14,439 Speaker 1: culture and operations? And what are the hurdles to making 524 00:26:14,640 --> 00:26:17,560 Speaker 1: all of our not just your company, our senior management 525 00:26:17,640 --> 00:26:21,280 Speaker 1: ranks in American business reflect the diversity of the communities 526 00:26:21,359 --> 00:26:24,720 Speaker 1: we serve. Well, would you never do enough? That's simple. 527 00:26:24,720 --> 00:26:26,679 Speaker 1: Truth is you have to believe in diversity. You know, 528 00:26:26,720 --> 00:26:30,200 Speaker 1: it's not a target or goal. You know, the best 529 00:26:30,280 --> 00:26:34,160 Speaker 1: leaders they're building really diverse and inclusive teams are those 530 00:26:34,200 --> 00:26:38,359 Speaker 1: that understand ever seeing inclusion is good for you and 531 00:26:38,440 --> 00:26:40,920 Speaker 1: never see it comes from a lot of different formats. 532 00:26:40,920 --> 00:26:43,399 Speaker 1: I mean people who have come from different backgrounds, who 533 00:26:43,400 --> 00:26:46,600 Speaker 1: weren't growing on Madison Avenue, whose parents didn't work in 534 00:26:46,600 --> 00:26:50,320 Speaker 1: the industry. Those interesting people to bring into the business. 535 00:26:50,520 --> 00:26:54,000 Speaker 1: People are experiencing the way marketing and advertising works around 536 00:26:54,040 --> 00:26:56,000 Speaker 1: the world right now, and you bring them in, you 537 00:26:56,000 --> 00:26:58,520 Speaker 1: put them in leadership positions, and you start having different conversations. 538 00:26:59,119 --> 00:27:03,000 Speaker 1: Let's talk about the media for a minute. You probably 539 00:27:03,040 --> 00:27:06,160 Speaker 1: are the biggest supporter of media with your add dollars, 540 00:27:06,760 --> 00:27:10,480 Speaker 1: and it's changed enormously we've seen the biggest TV network 541 00:27:10,520 --> 00:27:14,399 Speaker 1: today has dropped below reach for the month. I'm in 542 00:27:14,400 --> 00:27:17,160 Speaker 1: the audio sector here we are on a podcast the 543 00:27:17,240 --> 00:27:19,960 Speaker 1: Death of Peace and Quiet, meaning people are filling up 544 00:27:20,000 --> 00:27:23,920 Speaker 1: all those open spots now with audio, radio, playlist, podcasting 545 00:27:24,040 --> 00:27:27,439 Speaker 1: or exploding. But that has shifted in the mix. I 546 00:27:27,440 --> 00:27:29,199 Speaker 1: mean when I got into the business, TV was the 547 00:27:29,200 --> 00:27:32,720 Speaker 1: big reach medium radio was second, and newspapers and magazines 548 00:27:32,760 --> 00:27:37,040 Speaker 1: have big reach. How do you change your outlook on media? 549 00:27:37,520 --> 00:27:40,480 Speaker 1: You know, you were there when people thought digital meant nothing, 550 00:27:40,520 --> 00:27:43,280 Speaker 1: and now here it's number one in terms of media choices. 551 00:27:43,840 --> 00:27:46,000 Speaker 1: How do you change those allocations? How do you get 552 00:27:46,040 --> 00:27:51,000 Speaker 1: people to constantly watch and move things. One of the 553 00:27:51,000 --> 00:27:54,000 Speaker 1: things that I'm most excited about running Group down is 554 00:27:54,040 --> 00:27:57,560 Speaker 1: that you know, we are the biggest and you know, 555 00:27:57,560 --> 00:27:59,359 Speaker 1: when I looked at about that, man, I didn't want 556 00:27:59,359 --> 00:28:02,560 Speaker 1: to about this known as big, big is not always good, 557 00:28:02,560 --> 00:28:06,639 Speaker 1: as we know, so you know when I largest opportunity 558 00:28:06,680 --> 00:28:11,560 Speaker 1: about our size is to actually force the industry to 559 00:28:11,600 --> 00:28:14,879 Speaker 1: take responsibility and to actually be better than we are. 560 00:28:15,119 --> 00:28:17,200 Speaker 1: And we came out with a mission statement about making 561 00:28:17,200 --> 00:28:19,480 Speaker 1: advertising we're better for people around the world, and I 562 00:28:19,480 --> 00:28:21,439 Speaker 1: think that is the opportunity for media right now. I 563 00:28:21,440 --> 00:28:23,880 Speaker 1: think we can make it less interus of I think 564 00:28:23,920 --> 00:28:26,600 Speaker 1: we can be more respectful and how we run personalization. 565 00:28:27,160 --> 00:28:28,719 Speaker 1: I think we have to really look at ethical use 566 00:28:28,760 --> 00:28:31,040 Speaker 1: of data. We've got to look at the platforms when 567 00:28:31,119 --> 00:28:34,400 Speaker 1: the best in and ultimately we talk about shifting dollars, 568 00:28:34,920 --> 00:28:36,800 Speaker 1: you know, I think it's up to us to represent 569 00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:40,280 Speaker 1: the real cost of media to our clients. It's not 570 00:28:40,360 --> 00:28:43,720 Speaker 1: just a reach and frequency the equestion, right, you gotta 571 00:28:43,760 --> 00:28:46,440 Speaker 1: look at what is the management's commitment to d E 572 00:28:46,560 --> 00:28:50,680 Speaker 1: and I what is our commitment to responsible journalism? And 573 00:28:50,680 --> 00:28:52,560 Speaker 1: how do we score all these types of things in 574 00:28:52,600 --> 00:28:55,120 Speaker 1: a way that we can tell a client, Okay, this 575 00:28:55,200 --> 00:28:57,640 Speaker 1: is what you say that you care about these things, 576 00:28:57,880 --> 00:29:01,360 Speaker 1: then this is the real score. It's you know, their 577 00:29:01,400 --> 00:29:05,480 Speaker 1: prices of twelve, but they actually cost sixteen, right Or 578 00:29:05,480 --> 00:29:07,120 Speaker 1: on the flip side, hey, here's a company that deeply 579 00:29:07,160 --> 00:29:09,840 Speaker 1: cares about these types of things and they're charging a 580 00:29:09,840 --> 00:29:12,800 Speaker 1: little more for that, but you're getting something that really 581 00:29:12,840 --> 00:29:16,040 Speaker 1: represents who your company values are. Now you can kind 582 00:29:16,040 --> 00:29:18,920 Speaker 1: of walk the walk. And so in terms of shifting dynamics, 583 00:29:18,920 --> 00:29:22,000 Speaker 1: whether digital or mobile or audio, I mean obviously we're 584 00:29:22,000 --> 00:29:24,920 Speaker 1: talking on a podcast today. There's always new formats coming 585 00:29:24,960 --> 00:29:27,000 Speaker 1: and going, and it's up to us to help our 586 00:29:27,080 --> 00:29:30,040 Speaker 1: clients kind of guide that a complicated ecosystem, and I 587 00:29:30,080 --> 00:29:33,240 Speaker 1: think ultimately, you know, we've shown the willingness to move 588 00:29:33,320 --> 00:29:36,360 Speaker 1: dollars away from those that won't take responsibility for their 589 00:29:36,360 --> 00:29:40,120 Speaker 1: actions in the world and to reward independent journalism or 590 00:29:40,280 --> 00:29:43,640 Speaker 1: other partners, and they do stuff up and take that responsibility. 591 00:29:43,680 --> 00:29:45,120 Speaker 1: If you could go back in time and give your 592 00:29:45,160 --> 00:29:47,760 Speaker 1: twenty one year old self some advice, what would that 593 00:29:47,800 --> 00:29:50,920 Speaker 1: advice be. I listened to your pen Horror. It's podcast. 594 00:29:51,240 --> 00:29:52,920 Speaker 1: Take my advice. It is somewhat similar. I wish I're 595 00:29:52,920 --> 00:29:56,320 Speaker 1: worried less so worried about everything. I do feel like 596 00:29:56,640 --> 00:29:59,360 Speaker 1: worrying about all the small things along the way has 597 00:29:59,680 --> 00:30:03,040 Speaker 1: over the taxed me in some capacity, and the things 598 00:30:03,080 --> 00:30:08,080 Speaker 1: that way working out and maintaining positivity, continuing to learn, 599 00:30:08,600 --> 00:30:13,000 Speaker 1: continue to be curious, and putting yourself around interesting people 600 00:30:13,000 --> 00:30:16,880 Speaker 1: and opportunities. It's a good formula for things to kind of, 601 00:30:17,400 --> 00:30:20,400 Speaker 1: let's say, take care of themselves, but good things generally happen. 602 00:30:20,760 --> 00:30:23,160 Speaker 1: How do you deal with that in your work today? 603 00:30:23,720 --> 00:30:27,280 Speaker 1: How do you encourage people to be aware but not 604 00:30:27,360 --> 00:30:29,440 Speaker 1: to let it get into worry or do you think 605 00:30:29,520 --> 00:30:32,880 Speaker 1: worry is a positive attribute for them? I think an 606 00:30:32,960 --> 00:30:37,520 Speaker 1: aspect of worrying is good. I mean healthy paranoia. Competitors 607 00:30:37,520 --> 00:30:41,200 Speaker 1: would love to have our clients most of the time irrational. 608 00:30:41,320 --> 00:30:43,880 Speaker 1: Sometimes you're irrational, and you know, what does that look like? 609 00:30:43,960 --> 00:30:46,040 Speaker 1: And how do we defend our our business and how 610 00:30:46,120 --> 00:30:48,200 Speaker 1: we make sure our clients are growing and feel appreciated. 611 00:30:49,440 --> 00:30:51,800 Speaker 1: That's always a fear, you know. I think we're minding 612 00:30:51,840 --> 00:30:54,000 Speaker 1: people about what we've come through in the last three 613 00:30:54,080 --> 00:30:57,760 Speaker 1: years and the strength and the resilience in the business 614 00:30:57,840 --> 00:31:00,440 Speaker 1: and our global leadership and the relations ships we have 615 00:31:00,480 --> 00:31:04,920 Speaker 1: a clients and foundations and technology and are incredible partnerships 616 00:31:04,920 --> 00:31:07,080 Speaker 1: and media and I trust them all come together again 617 00:31:07,120 --> 00:31:09,880 Speaker 1: to figure things out when the next top time gets 618 00:31:09,880 --> 00:31:12,720 Speaker 1: to us. We in each episode by giving a shout 619 00:31:12,720 --> 00:31:16,760 Speaker 1: out to our influences. This podcast is about both sides, 620 00:31:17,280 --> 00:31:20,360 Speaker 1: about those who see the world with numbers, analytics, and data, 621 00:31:20,480 --> 00:31:23,240 Speaker 1: the math side, and about those who have the magic, 622 00:31:23,360 --> 00:31:27,800 Speaker 1: the creativity, intuition, showmanship. As you think about it, who 623 00:31:27,880 --> 00:31:30,240 Speaker 1: gets the shout out for the math side and who 624 00:31:30,240 --> 00:31:33,680 Speaker 1: gets the shout out for the magic side. Well, I 625 00:31:33,720 --> 00:31:37,760 Speaker 1: started saying, I believe the tour intrinsically intertwined. Any great 626 00:31:37,880 --> 00:31:40,280 Speaker 1: artist has a good basis and math, And if you 627 00:31:40,320 --> 00:31:42,640 Speaker 1: look at great musicians, as you know, are generally pretty 628 00:31:42,640 --> 00:31:44,800 Speaker 1: good at math. But in terms of the two, you 629 00:31:44,840 --> 00:31:47,040 Speaker 1: know Andrew Shaver, who was one of the founders of Essence, 630 00:31:47,560 --> 00:31:50,520 Speaker 1: It is one of the sharpest minds that I've ever met. 631 00:31:50,760 --> 00:31:53,280 Speaker 1: He's gone on he's fighting climate change at at a 632 00:31:53,320 --> 00:31:56,360 Speaker 1: company called Counteract now or they're looking at carbon removal 633 00:31:56,440 --> 00:31:59,920 Speaker 1: and investing in small companies there. But Andrew was one 634 00:32:00,080 --> 00:32:02,160 Speaker 1: sort of taught me when we come to the problem, 635 00:32:02,240 --> 00:32:04,440 Speaker 1: let's see if software can do it first. Let's see 636 00:32:04,440 --> 00:32:07,040 Speaker 1: if we can automate something first, Let's build something first. 637 00:32:07,240 --> 00:32:09,920 Speaker 1: And just an incredibly brilliant guy, and I have every 638 00:32:09,920 --> 00:32:12,000 Speaker 1: confidence in the world that he'll be making a positive 639 00:32:12,040 --> 00:32:15,160 Speaker 1: change on our climate in the coming years. In terms 640 00:32:15,200 --> 00:32:16,920 Speaker 1: of the creatives, I have to give a shout out 641 00:32:16,920 --> 00:32:20,000 Speaker 1: to Lorraine to at Google for many, many reasons, but 642 00:32:20,600 --> 00:32:23,160 Speaker 1: not the least of which she's been a steadfast supporter 643 00:32:23,320 --> 00:32:25,920 Speaker 1: of of me and Essence and our growth with them 644 00:32:25,960 --> 00:32:28,240 Speaker 1: as their primary marketing partner over the years. But also 645 00:32:28,280 --> 00:32:31,880 Speaker 1: someone who always makes time for creativity, always talks about 646 00:32:31,880 --> 00:32:35,960 Speaker 1: the bigger ideas, always pushes for getting out of the 647 00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:40,000 Speaker 1: optimization loop that can just drive you into micro conversations. 648 00:32:40,760 --> 00:32:42,960 Speaker 1: And it's always reminded me about you know, hey, we 649 00:32:43,000 --> 00:32:44,520 Speaker 1: want to be famous, we want to be good, we 650 00:32:44,560 --> 00:32:46,959 Speaker 1: want to push for better things in the world. And 651 00:32:47,000 --> 00:32:49,320 Speaker 1: lives it and talks it and delivers it and continue 652 00:32:49,320 --> 00:32:51,920 Speaker 1: to believe they'll push for for positive impact in the world. 653 00:32:51,960 --> 00:32:54,160 Speaker 1: And I think that Lorraine is a great voice for that, 654 00:32:54,200 --> 00:32:56,920 Speaker 1: and it does it in a very creative, elegant and 655 00:32:57,160 --> 00:33:01,520 Speaker 1: amazing way. You been a pioneer in digital advertising marketing. 656 00:33:01,680 --> 00:33:04,680 Speaker 1: Your proven c HEO can can navigate and even harness 657 00:33:04,840 --> 00:33:08,080 Speaker 1: change and our evolving a company, and I would argue 658 00:33:08,120 --> 00:33:12,000 Speaker 1: in an industry at enormous scale. Christian, thanks for sharing 659 00:33:12,040 --> 00:33:15,360 Speaker 1: your valuable lessons and insights today. Thank you for having me. 660 00:33:27,600 --> 00:33:29,080 Speaker 1: Here are a few things I picked up in my 661 00:33:29,160 --> 00:33:34,080 Speaker 1: conversation with Christian. One take risks, as Christian says, you 662 00:33:34,200 --> 00:33:36,720 Speaker 1: don't want to be the status quote. You want to 663 00:33:36,760 --> 00:33:40,080 Speaker 1: be the change maker. Even if the path feels uncertain, 664 00:33:40,400 --> 00:33:45,040 Speaker 1: keep pushing to create something new, to trust and positive intent, 665 00:33:45,840 --> 00:33:49,080 Speaker 1: set high standards and no matter what happens, assume that 666 00:33:49,120 --> 00:33:52,480 Speaker 1: your team wants to do their best. This assumption builds 667 00:33:52,520 --> 00:33:57,600 Speaker 1: trust among colleagues and strengthens corporate culture. Three Plan for 668 00:33:57,920 --> 00:34:01,880 Speaker 1: uncertain Christians or Vibe the dot com bust and came 669 00:34:01,920 --> 00:34:05,320 Speaker 1: out the other side as a stronger leader. He's realized 670 00:34:05,360 --> 00:34:08,760 Speaker 1: that uncertainty is inevitable, so it's important to pay attention 671 00:34:08,760 --> 00:34:11,680 Speaker 1: to the world around you and lean into your strengths 672 00:34:11,840 --> 00:34:24,400 Speaker 1: during challenges. I'm Bob Pittman, Thanks for listening. That's it 673 00:34:24,440 --> 00:34:27,120 Speaker 1: for today's episode. Thanks so much for listening to Math 674 00:34:27,200 --> 00:34:29,920 Speaker 1: and Magic, a production of I Heart Radio Show is 675 00:34:29,960 --> 00:34:33,239 Speaker 1: hosted by Bob Pittman. Special thanks to Susan Ward for 676 00:34:33,280 --> 00:34:36,800 Speaker 1: booking and wrangling our wonderful talent, which is no small feel. 677 00:34:38,080 --> 00:34:42,200 Speaker 1: Our editors are Derek Clements and Emily Mariott, our producer, 678 00:34:42,400 --> 00:34:47,240 Speaker 1: Morgan Leavoy, our executive producer Nicky Eator and of course 679 00:34:47,360 --> 00:34:51,600 Speaker 1: Gayle Raoul, Eric Angel Noel and everyone who helped bring 680 00:34:51,680 --> 00:34:54,560 Speaker 1: this show to your ears. Until next time,