Deliciously Ella: how Ella Mills turned her personal brand into a global success
Ella Mills is the co-founder of Deliciously Ella, which began in 2012 as a simple blog sharing healthy recipes. What started online quickly grew into bestselling books, a #1 mobile app, and eventually a retail brand of healthy snacks. In 2024, Deliciously Ella was acquired for an undisclosed sum and today Ella is building her next venture, All Plants.Her journey is inspiring, and in this episode we explore every milestone: from securing her first Starbucks listing, to navigating a failure that nearly sank the business, to proving how an “average” person can create a truly global brand.Ella's podcast, The Wellness Scoop:https://open.spotify.com/show/7F6YqGJ06UEuD7qG81tFHwTimestamps00:00 - Intro01:01 - The Deliciously Ella founding story06:16 - When did the Deliciously Ella blog start to take off11:22 - Dealing with overnight attention and success13:33 - How can an average student become so successful?15:03 - How to nail a successful book launch17:16 - Scaling a personal brand21:08 - What’s it like running the business with your husband?24:00 - Going from recipe blogs to making retail products24:53 - How Deliciously Ella landed in Starbucks33:18 - Building out the product range35:04 - Behind every success is a bunch of failures41:07 - Managing risk vs return when scaling a startup45:29 - How to make products that are successful in retail49:53 - Why Ella took over a new brand after selling Deliciously Ella52:30 - Where is the plant based market headed?56:22 - Why Ella started a podcast?
3 Sep 1h
That s**t will never sell - Baileys inventor on how innovation works - David Gluckman
David Gluckman, the man who invented Baileys and author of That S**t Will Never Sell, joins us to share stories from his legendary career in brand creation. From the birth of iconic drinks (including Purdey’s, Aqua Libra, Cîroc and Tanqueray) to lessons on creativity, innovation, and risk-taking, David reflects on what it really takes to bring bold ideas to life.Timestamps00:22 - The founding story of Baileys04:32 - Naming Baileys12:18 - How Purdey’s and Aqua Libra began22:48 - Starting Cîroc and Tanqueray33:26 - Principles of innovation
1 Sep 43min
How brand can become your company’s greatest asset - Jonny Bauer
Jonny Bauer has helped transform some of the world’s biggest brands, from revitalising Axe (Lynx for UK listeners) at BBH to building strategy from the ground up at Droga5. In this episode, Jonny shares why brand can become a company’s greatest asset, what he learned moving from agencies to private equity at Blackstone, and how to bring brand to the front of the P&L. Plus, how to win CEO buy-in, build long-term strategy, and the case studies that prove the power of brand-led growth.Timestamps00:00 - Intro01:58 - Why we never celebrate the strategy behind good campaigns04:03 - What Jonny is most proud of from his time at BBH06:27 - Transforming Lynx / Axe brand09:34 - Building strategy from the ground up at Droga515:23 - Best strategy outcomes at Droga517:47 - From ad agency to private equity28:39 - Learnings from Blackstone on running a successful business32:34 - How Blackstone approaches marketing33:50 - How to bring the brand up to the front of the P&L37:06 - How to get brand buy in from your CEO40:11 - Leaving Blackstone to use this approach on other clients47:17 - Successful case studies
27 Aug 52min
Fernando Machado on turning creativity into a competitive advantage
Fernando Machado is one of the world’s most celebrated CMOs, known for game-changing campaigns like Burger King’s “Moldy Whopper.” In this episode, Fernando shares the work he’s most proud of, why surprising campaigns cut through, and how creativity drives real business growth. We also discuss the most innovative non-advertising ideas from his career, what it takes to be an influential CMO, and his advice for startups looking to scale through bold marketing.Timestamps00:00 - Intro01:30 - What campaigns has Fernando been most proud of throughout his career07:57 - The Moldy Whopper Campaign16:55 - Why surprising campaigns are effective20:52 - The most creative non-advertising things in Fernando’s career36:05 - How to be an influential CMO41:46 - Fernando’s advice to marketing startups51:39 - The Lions Growth MBA
20 Aug 1h
The entrepreneur who raised $300m for charity after cheating death - Matt Pohlson, Omaze
Matt Pohlson is the co-founder of Omaze, a platform that’s raised over £300m for charity through once-in-a-lifetime prize draws. Matt shares how a life-changing moment shaped his mission, the business model behind giving away luxury homes and cars, and why storytelling and consistent advertising have fuelled Omaze’s success. Plus, the challenges of the founder journey and his advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.Timestamps:00:00 - Intro00:32 - Matt’s near death experience03:08 - How a near death experience has changed Matt06:56 - Omaze origin story10:18 - Shifting from US celebrity to UK focused prizes13:24 - Do Omaze buy the houses, cars and luxury items?14:22 - The business model of Omaze18:09 - Why storytelling is so important for Omaze24:52 - Why Omaze make so many ads28:16 - Omaze’s advertising success through consistency31:27 - The most challenging parts of Matt’s founder journey33:59 - Matt’s advice to aspiring founders
13 Aug 39min
Jaguar relaunch - genius or marketing madness with Rawdon Glover, Jaguar MD
Is Jaguar’s bold rebrand a stroke of genius or marketing madness? We sit down with Rawdon Glover, Managing Director of Jaguar, to unpack the strategy behind one of the most dramatic relaunches in automotive history. From pausing sales to redesigning the brand from the ground up, Rawdon shares how Jaguar is reinventing itself for a younger, electric-first generation and talks about the visceral response from the launch video.Timestamps00:00 - Intro00:53 - Rawdon’s journey into the automotive industry02:34 - A challenging time to be at the helm of Jaguar04:03 - Deciding between evolution and revolution at Jaguar09:05 - Why new car buyers are getting younger12:23 - Making the decision to rebrand Jaguar15:45 - Creating differentiation in the age of electrification18:46 - Designing the new Jaguar24:43 - What the Jaguar Owners Club think of the new car27:27 - The polarising Jaguar launch video33:14 - Dealing with the visceral reaction to the rebrand36:22 - How Jaguar will launch the car39:29 - Choosing to pause selling cars41:28 - Waymo’s partnership with Jaguar45:04 - When will the new Jaguar go on sale
6 Aug 48min
Marketing the world’s most successful video games from Call of Duty to Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater - Tyler Bahl, Activision
In partnership with NBCUniversal, we sit down with Tyler Bahl, CMO of Activision, to explore what it takes to market some of the world’s most successful games, from Call of Duty to Tony Hawk Pro Skater. Tyler shares insights on launching blockbuster titles, the evolving gaming landscape in 2025, and how livestreaming, esports, and AI are transforming the industry. Plus, lessons from 23 editions of Call of Duty, surprising audience insights, and working directly with icons like Tony Hawk.Timestamps00:00 - Intro00:54 - Tyler’s time at Quibi02:33 - State of the gaming industry in 202504:14 - Tony Hawk Pro Skater Surprise05:35 - The demographics of the video game consumer08:16 - How to launch a video game10:47 - How live streaming and esports has transformed video gaming14:10 - Ratio of male vs female video game players16:28 - Is video game success due to the product or the marketing?18:00 - The success and longevity of Call of Duty19:13 - Maintaining marketing success after 23 editions of Call of Duty20:36 - “The Replacer” campaign execution and success22:21 - Measuring success23:28 - How Activision do partnerships for game launches25:35 - How Activision makes sports games27:39 - Future sports games from Activision29:42 - What impact is AI having on gaming?31:40 - Working with Tony Hawk on the launch of the new game32:46 - Lesson’s from Tyler’s career
30 Juli 43min
Marketing secret sauce with Kraft Heinz CMO Todd Kaplan
In this episode, produced in partnership with NBCUniversal, we sit down with Todd Kaplan, CMO of Kraft Heinz, to uncover the marketing “secret sauce” behind some of the world’s most iconic brands. Todd shares lessons from driving 21 quarters of growth at Pepsi, why simplicity beats complexity in marketing, and how he’s bringing an entrepreneurial spirit to Kraft Heinz. We also dive into working with agencies, building in-house creative, and what makes a truly great CMO.Timestamps00:00 - Intro00:30 - Todd’s background01:41 - How Pepsi achieved 21 consecutive quarters of growth02:36 - Pepsi’s approach to innovation04:22 - Battling short term vs long term in innovation05:20 - From 18 years at Pepsi to joining Kraft Heinz06:41 - Encouraging an entrepreneurial culture within Kraft Heinz09:10 - Having an in house agency at Kraft Heinz12:10 - Todd Kaplan’s tips for working with external agencies16:28 - Why consistency of the brand is important for Kraft Heinz18:55 - Creating marketing that actually works24:39 - The best marketing is simple27:44 - What makes a great CMO?
23 Juli 30min
