Ad Infinitum S4E05: Folgers & Forgers with Claude Buttery on AI, Authenticity & Ads That Work

Ad Infinitum S4E05: Folgers & Forgers with Claude Buttery on AI, Authenticity & Ads That Work

What does a coffee jingle, a museum forgery, a puppet, and AI have to do with podcast advertising? In this episode, Claude “Buttery” returns to Ad Infinitum — but this time, he has a body. Brought to life in puppet form by Brian Michael Jones, Claude joins Stew Redwine for a conversation about Folgers, forgery, AI, authenticity, and what actually makes creative work feel real. The episode starts with Folgers’ new “Best Part of Waking Up” campaign, which pairs the brand’s iconic sonic logo with real songs that already carry decades of emotional weight. From there, Stew and Claude unpack the bigger question facing advertising, podcasting, and creative work right now: If something sounds real, feels real, and lands emotionally… does it matter how it was made? Together they explore AI as a tool, the danger of outsourcing the actual thinking, why honesty matters more than the medium, and why the “signature” behind a piece of work still matters. Then they get back to what Ad Infinitum does best: breaking down real podcast ads. This week, Stew and Claude review and score ads from Aura Frames, Hims, Progressive, and Red Bull, using Audiolytics® to explore why some ads convert and others leave too much on the table. In this episode: • Claude “Buttery” returns — this time as a puppet • Brian Michael Jones brings Claude to life • Folgers, nostalgia, sonic branding, and emotional memory • AI, authenticity, forgery, and creative honesty • Why the tool matters less than the intent behind it • The difference between using AI and outsourcing your thinking • What Aura Frames gets right with host-read performance audio • Why Hims succeeds with clarity, structure, and specificity • Where Progressive plays it safe • Why Red Bull’s vibe is not enough • What Audiolytics® reveals about substance, urgency, offers, and conversion • Why facts, specifics, and reasons to act still matter • Why the show creates the feeling — and the ad has to make the case The takeaway: Don’t sacrifice substance for vibe. The listener is already emotionally primed by the show. The ad’s job is to give them a reason to believe, a reason to care, and a reason to act now. Ad Infinitum is the podcast devoted to audio ads, the creatives who make them, the thinking behind them, and how to make them work better. Hosted by Stew Redwine. Ad Infinitum is presented by Oxford Road and produced by Angela Hunter, Caitlyn Spring, and Ezra Fox, written and hosted by Stew Redwine, and sound designed by John Mattaliano, with audio production by Zach Hahn. Remember: have fun making the ads work.

Ad Infinitum S4E04: Femfinitum with Team Oxford Road on Women, Work, & Ads That Actually Work

In this episode, Stew Redwine is joined by Miranda Romano, Charisse Miller, Jillian Garner, and Angela Hunter for a conversation that starts with making audio ads work—and ends up somewhere much bigger. Together, they unpack what it actually takes to manage campaigns, steward client dollars, develop creative, navigate personalities, and earn trust in an industry where business is always personal. The conversation then shifts into a candid discussion about women in advertising, confidence, emotional intelligence, leadership, the boys' club, and the realities of navigating modern business. Then the team puts theory into practice by reviewing and scoring ads from America Cures, Lowe's, State Farm, and Pepsi Prebiotic Cola, exploring what separates effective audio advertising from forgettable messaging, why host-read ads continue to outperform, and what brands can do to make their media dollars work harder. In this episode: • What media, account management, and creative teams actually do to make ads work • Why business is always personal • Women in advertising, leadership, and confidence • Emotional intelligence as a competitive advantage • Why host-read ads continue to outperform • Why many podcast ads still sound like radio spots • Reviews of America Cures, Lowe's, State Farm, and Pepsi Prebiotic Cola • Why advertisers need to trust their hosts more • How brand guidelines can get in the way of effective messaging • Why audio requires a different creative approach than TV, CTV, or display • What Audiolytics® reveals about structure, authenticity, and performance The takeaway: Trust the medium. Trust the host. Care more about the listener experience. The brands winning in audio are the ones creating ads for humans, not just checking boxes on a creative brief.

Ad Infinitum S4E03 : Buttery Claude

What happens when you invite AI onto a podcast about podcast advertising? In this episode Claude “Buttery” joins Stew Redwine to break down ads from McDonald’s, Chumba Casino, ISSA, and Meta, exploring why so many podcast ads are starting to sound like radio. Together they unpack host reads, authenticity, Audiolytics™ scores, and the difference between brand advertising and direct response. In this episode: • Why some podcast ads still sound like radio • Why host-read ads still work • Brand ads vs direct response ads • What Audiolytics® scores actually measure • Why authenticity matters in podcast advertising

Ad Infinitum S4E02: Guaranteed Human with Rahul Sabnis on AI, Trust & the Future of Audio

Audio is different. Not better. Not worse. Different.In this episode, Rahul Sabnis (President & Chief Creative Officer at iHeartMedia) breaks down the idea of “Guaranteed Human”, and why, in a world of AI-generated everything, audio might be the last place where trust still lives.We get into what makes podcasts fundamentally different from video, why attention in audio works the way it does, and how the industry is thinking about AI, voice cloning, and the future of creative.This isn’t theory. It’s how one of the largest audio companies in the world is choosing to move forward.In this episode: * Why podcasts ≠ video (and why that matters) * The “Guaranteed Human” stance and what’s behind it * AI, voice cloning, and where to draw the line * Why audio builds trust differently than any other medium * What most brands still get wrong about podcast advertising

Ad Infinitum S4E01: Two Circles | Dallas Taylor on Podcasting, YouTube, and Creative Identity

Ad Infinitum returns for Season 4, and for the first time, we’re on video. To kick things off, I brought back the very first guest ever on the show: Dallas Taylor, host of Twenty Thousand Hertz, founder of Defacto Sound, and now creator of the fast-growing video channel DallasTaylor.mp3. In this episode, Dallas shares the moment he almost quit podcasting entirely, and the simple insight that changed everything. Two circles. * One for podcast audiences. * One for YouTube. That realization led to a completely new way of thinking about media: podcasts, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram working together as a discovery engine rather than competing formats. Along the way we discuss: • Why creators shouldn’t think of themselves as “podcasters” or “YouTubers” • The psychology of creativity in the age of algorithms • Why the audience sometimes comes last in the creative process • How Dallas built a solo production workflow that unlocks impossible access • Why vertical video and audio storytelling can coexist • The difference between client work and self-expression If you care about podcasting, creative work, or the future of media, this conversation is a masterclass in how the landscape is changing, and how creators can adapt without losing the craft. Ad Infinitum is the podcast devoted to audio ads, the creatives who make them, the thinking behind them, and how to make them work better. Hosted by Stew Redwine. Ad Infinitum is Presented by Oxford Road and Produced by Angela Hunter, Caitlyn Spring, & Ezra Fox, written & hosted by Stew Redwine, and sound designed by John Mattaliano, with audio production by Zach Hahn. Remember: have fun making the ads work.