Breaking and Entering Advertising Podcast

Patrick Coffee on the Real State of Advertising

Patrick Coffee of The Wall Street Journal joins the Breaking and Entering Advertising Podcast to break down the current state of the advertising industry. We talk about why creative departments feel increasing pressure inside holding companies, how AI is changing expectations for marketers, why creator marketing still struggles with measurement, and how brands are trying to evolve into entertainment companies. Patrick also shares insights from covering the industry for more than a decade, including what today’s agency world has in common with the fallout from 2008, why marketers are obsessed with measurable outcomes, and how Gen Z’s “analog movement” is influencing brand strategy. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Patrick Coffee and His Role 01:57 Current State of Advertising 05:56 Challenges for Creative Agencies 10:12 Historical Context of Advertising Challenges 13:56 Impact of AI on Advertising 16:55 Exploring the Creator Economy 22:52 The Evolving Landscape of Creator Partnerships 25:23 The Rise of the Analog Movement 30:11 Skills for the Next Generation in Marketing 36:10 Branded Entertainment: The Future of Marketing More from Breaking and Entering Media: 💼 Follow on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/breaking-entering-media [https://www.linkedin.com/company/breaking-entering-media]  📖 Read our Publications https://www.breaking-entering.com/blog [https://www.breaking-entering.com/blog] 💬 Join our Unlocked GroupMe https://groupme.com/join_group/102437585/xg5Z5tei [https://groupme.com/join_group/102437585/xg5Z5tei] ✉️ Subscribe to The Vault https://breakingandenteringadv.substack.com/ [https://breakingandenteringadv.substack.com/] 📹 Subscribe to our :60 Advertising News Videos https://breakingandentering.beehiiv.com/ [https://breakingandentering.beehiiv.com/] 🏆 Check out the Crowbar Awards to break into advertising https://www.crowbarawards.com/ [https://www.crowbarawards.com/] 🤝 Work With Us - Email: breakingandentering@smoothmedia.co [breakingandentering@smoothmedia.co]

What Top Creative Directors Want From Entry-Level Talent

In this solo episode of the Breaking and Entering Podcast, Geno Schellenberger opens up about how AI, holding company consolidation, and changing agency structures are reshaping the path into advertising. From portfolio schools to creative partnerships to tools like Runway and ChatGPT, Geno breaks down what young creatives should actually focus on in 2026. Geno also shares advice on building a portfolio, finding mentors, standing out to recruiters, and why “nerd up, work up, cool up” still applies in today’s industry. Plus, updates on the Crowbar Awards, the B&E Mastermind Cohort, and how Breaking and Entering is continuing to help the next generation break into advertising More from Breaking and Entering Media: 💼 Follow on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/breaking-entering-media [https://www.linkedin.com/company/breaking-entering-media]  📖 Read our Publications https://www.breaking-entering.com/blog [https://www.breaking-entering.com/blog] 💬 Join our Unlocked GroupMe https://groupme.com/join_group/102437585/xg5Z5tei [https://groupme.com/join_group/102437585/xg5Z5tei] ✉️ Subscribe to The Vault https://breakingandenteringadv.substack.com/ [https://breakingandenteringadv.substack.com/] 📹 Subscribe to our :60 Advertising News Videos https://breakingandentering.beehiiv.com/ [https://breakingandentering.beehiiv.com/] 🏆 Check out the Crowbar Awards to break into advertising https://www.crowbarawards.com/ [https://www.crowbarawards.com/] 🤝 Work With Us - Email: breakingandentering@smoothmedia.co [breakingandentering@smoothmedia.co]

The Manifesto Expert Behind Apple, Meta & Nike’s Greatest Brand Writing Secrets | Lonnie Elliot

What separates memorable brands from forgettable ones? According to brand writer and manifesto expert Lonnie Elliot, it starts with belief. In this episode of Breaking and Entering Advertising, Geno Schellenberger sits down with the former Apple and Meta writer to break down the true anatomy of great manifestos, from Think Different to Nike’s Dream Crazier. Lonnie explains the structures behind powerful brand storytelling, why tension and point of view matter, how startups often get branding wrong, and why AI still can’t replicate the specificity of elite human copywriting. For copywriters, strategists, founders, and marketers, this is a masterclass in writing words that move people. More from Breaking and Entering Media:💼 Follow on LinkedIn⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/company/breaking-entering-podcast/⁠📖 Read our Publications⁠ https://www.breaking-entering.com/blog⁠💬 Join our Unlocked GroupMe⁠ https://groupme.com/join_group/102437585/xg5Z5tei⁠✉️ Subscribe to The Vault⁠ https://breakingandenteringadv.substack.com/⁠📹 Subscribe to our :60 Advertising News Videos⁠ https://breakingandentering.beehiiv.com/⁠🏆 Check out the Crowbar Awards to break into advertising⁠ https://www.crowbarawards.com/⁠🤝 Work With Us - Email: ⁠breakingandentering@smoothmedia.co⁠

Todd Condie on Leaving Law Behind for a Career in Advertising

Todd Condie could’ve stayed on the traditional path: Georgetown Law, Wall Street, big paycheck, partner track. Instead, he walked away from it all to chase creativity. In this episode, the Terri & Sandy Group Creative Director shares his unconventional rise from magazine hopeful to corporate lawyer to award-winning creative leader. Todd unpacks the mindset, risks, and relentless hustle it took to reinvent himself, why passion always beats security, and how today’s creatives need to evolve in an AI-shaped industry. This is a story about betting on yourself, breaking the safe mold, and building a career where creativity actually wins. For anyone questioning the expected path, Todd’s journey proves there’s another way. More from Breaking and Entering Media: 💼 Follow on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/breaking-entering-media [https://www.linkedin.com/company/breaking-entering-media]  📖 Read our Publications https://www.breaking-entering.com/blog [https://www.breaking-entering.com/blog] 💬 Join our Unlocked GroupMe https://groupme.com/join_group/102437585/xg5Z5tei [https://groupme.com/join_group/102437585/xg5Z5tei] ✉️ Subscribe to The Vault https://breakingandenteringadv.substack.com/ [https://breakingandenteringadv.substack.com/] 📹 Subscribe to our :60 Advertising News Videos https://breakingandentering.beehiiv.com/ [https://breakingandentering.beehiiv.com/] 🏆 Check out the Crowbar Awards to break into advertising https://www.crowbarawards.com/ [https://www.crowbarawards.com/] 🤝 Work With Us - Email: breakingandentering@smoothmedia.co [breakingandentering@smoothmedia.co]

CEO of Havas NY on Breaking In When There Are Fewer Jobs (Sarah Collinson)

Sarah Collinson, CEO of Havas New York, joins the Breaking and Entering Advertising Podcast to talk about what it takes to break into advertising at a time when there are fewer roles and higher expectations than ever. She shares how she built a high-performing agency culture, why leadership and communication matter more than process, and how her team continues to win major clients while prioritizing people. The conversation covers the reality of entry-level roles changing due to AI, what young professionals should focus on instead, and why becoming an expert in your client’s business is still the fastest way to stand out. They also get into pay gaps in the industry, the challenges around maternity leave, and what agencies need to do to better support talent long term. If you are trying to break into advertising or lead within it, this episode gives a clear view of what works now. More from Breaking and Entering Media: 💼 Follow on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/breaking-entering-media [https://www.linkedin.com/company/breaking-entering-media]  📖 Read our Publications https://www.breaking-entering.com/blog [https://www.breaking-entering.com/blog] 💬 Join our Unlocked GroupMe https://groupme.com/join_group/102437585/xg5Z5tei [https://groupme.com/join_group/102437585/xg5Z5tei] ✉️ Subscribe to The Vault https://breakingandenteringadv.substack.com/ [https://breakingandenteringadv.substack.com/] 📹 Subscribe to our :60 Advertising News Videos https://breakingandentering.beehiiv.com/ [https://breakingandentering.beehiiv.com/] 🏆 Check out the Crowbar Awards to break into advertising https://www.crowbarawards.com/ [https://www.crowbarawards.com/] 🤝 Work With Us - Email: breakingandentering@smoothmedia.co [breakingandentering@smoothmedia.co]