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    Marketing

    Embracing Marketing Mistakes

    Welcome to Embracing Marketing Mistakes, the world’s leading irreverent podcast for senior marketers who are tired of the polished corporate b*llshit. 

    Join Chris Norton and Will Ockenden, founders of the award-winning Prohibition PR, as they sit down with industry leaders to dissect the career-ending f*ck-ups they’d rather forget. The show moves past any pretty vanity metrics to uncover the brutal, honest truths behind marketing disasters, from £30,000 SEO black holes and completely failed companies, to social media crises that went globally viral for all the wrong reasons.

    We don’t just celebrate the f*ck-ups; we extract the tactical blueprints you need to avoid them yourself. If you are a business owner, or a CMO looking for a competitive advantage that only comes from real-world experience, this is your weekly masterclass in resilience and strategy.

    • Listen for: Raw stories from top brands, ex-McKinsey strategists, and industry disruptors.
    • Learn from: The errors that cost thousands and the recoveries that saved careers.
    • Get ahead by: Turning other people’s nasty disasters into your unfair market advantage.

    If you have a story to tell and would like to appear on the show, tell us your biggest marketing mistake and drop us a line.

    Advertise

    Copyright: © 2026 Embracing Marketing Mistakes

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    Latest Episodes:
    EP 104: Why Liquid Death and Guinness Highlight Their Flaws with Phill Agnew Mar 24, 2026
    Show notes

    Behavioural tactics collapse more often than marketers admit. Phill Agnew joins us again to expose the shortcuts that fail, the ones that hold up under pressure, and the science senior marketers can actually trust.

    Phill is the creator and host of Nudge, one of the most respected behavioural science podcasts in marketing. He is known for turning academic research into practical tools used by senior marketers, founders and brand leaders. His work blends storytelling with evidence, backed by real experiments he runs on his own content to see what genuinely moves behaviour.

    This episode digs into the heuristics that influence high stakes decisions. We cover social proof, reciprocity, operational transparency, the peak end rule and why some once trusted tactics simply do not replicate. Phil takes us inside the studies that matter and calls out the ones the industry should move on from.

    There is clear value here for anyone pitching, shaping brand strategy or trying to influence complex B2B decisions. Phil makes the science accessible and gives you examples you can apply straight away.

    Send us Fan Mail

    Your competitors are being named by AI. Are you? One of our clients went from being named in 4 of 50 buyer prompts to 19 in 90 days. Book your free AI visibility check with Chris here. 👉 [Book free AI Visibility Check] 👈

    Subscribe to our newsletter
    The mistakes we see marketers make, every fortnight. 👉 [Subscribe here] 👈

    Follow Chris:
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    Follow Will:
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    Follow The Show:
    TikTok, YouTube


    We Printed 50,000 Catalogues... With the Wrong Phone Number. Mar 19, 2026
    Show notes

    Ever had that stomach-sinking moment when you realise you've made a massive, irreversible mistake? Try 50,000 glossy brochures printed with the wrong phone number. One poor marketer handed over a random pensioner’s number to the public, then had to hire temps to stick the correct digits on every single copy by hand. It only got worse from there. Mail merge cock-ups that sent rival names to customers and a sixty grand exhibition display with a typo you couldn’t cover up with gaffer tape. Brutal.

    But here’s the thing. Back in 2004 there was no AI to save you, no Google to ask, and no easy fix. If you got it wrong, you owned it. You figured it out or went under. These stories aren’t just hilarious. They’re a lesson in grit, ownership and creative panic. Fancy hearing more of these marketing horror stories? Subscribe to the podcast and get stuck in. Link in bio.

    Send us Fan Mail

    Your competitors are being named by AI. Are you? One of our clients went from being named in 4 of 50 buyer prompts to 19 in 90 days. Book your free AI visibility check with Chris here. 👉 [Book free AI Visibility Check] 👈

    Subscribe to our newsletter
    The mistakes we see marketers make, every fortnight. 👉 [Subscribe here] 👈

    Follow Chris:
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    EP 103: From Fax Nightmares to AI: Staying Future Ready with Alistair Frost Mar 17, 2026
    Show notes

    A single fax almost caused a multimillion pound pricing collapse. Yet the story is only the starting point. This episode goes much deeper into how marketers cope with relentless technological change and why so many professionals feel overwhelmed.

    Allister Frost is the former Head of Digital Marketing Strategy at Microsoft and one of the first people inside the company to shape its early digital and performance marketing approach. He now writes, teaches and speaks globally about staying future ready, building adaptable teams and avoiding the slow suffocation of the comfort zone.

    Chris and Allister's conversation explores AI hype, quantum computing, career resilience, the Frost Framework and the behaviours that help marketers stay relevant when the rules keep changing.

    Send us Fan Mail

    Your competitors are being named by AI. Are you? One of our clients went from being named in 4 of 50 buyer prompts to 19 in 90 days. Book your free AI visibility check with Chris here. 👉 [Book free AI Visibility Check] 👈

    Subscribe to our newsletter
    The mistakes we see marketers make, every fortnight. 👉 [Subscribe here] 👈

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    What happens when creativity outpaces strategy? Mar 12, 2026
    Show notes

    On this episode of Embracing Marketing Mistakes, I’m joined by Gareth Turner, founder of Big Black Door and former Head of Marketing at Weetabix. Gareth has over 23 years of experience in food and drink, having led marketing for brands like John Smith’s, Bulmers, Lurpak and Arla. From buying a racehorse for John Smith’s to launching Bulmers fruit ciders and leading the viral Beanz on Bix campaign, his career is packed with bold ideas and brilliant lessons.

    Gareth opens up about one of his biggest missteps: a bizarre PR stunt involving a coat made of human hair to promote a chocolate milkshake. The idea aimed to poke fun at over-the-top masculinity in advertising but fell flat due to a lack of strategic grounding and a weak link to the product.

    • Created a coat from barbershop hair to promote protein chocolate milk
    • Concept satirised extreme masculinity in ads
    • Missed the mark with an unclear product connection
    • Broke a key food marketing rule by undermining appetite appeal
    • Gained international attention, including CNN Japan
    • Might spark social media buzz today, but still fails on brand relevance

    Send us Fan Mail

    Your competitors are being named by AI. Are you? One of our clients went from being named in 4 of 50 buyer prompts to 19 in 90 days. Book your free AI visibility check with Chris here. 👉 [Book free AI Visibility Check] 👈

    Subscribe to our newsletter
    The mistakes we see marketers make, every fortnight. 👉 [Subscribe here] 👈

    Follow Chris:
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    Follow Will:
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    EP 102: How Kevin Chesters Helped Make Britain’s Worst Ad Mar 10, 2026
    Show notes

    One advert wiped out a supermarket product in six weeks, and Kevin Chesters was right in the middle of it. He saw the disaster coming, ignored the warning signs and watched the whole thing collapse in real time.
    Kevin Chesters is a seasoned strategist with more than twenty five years in top flight marketing, including leadership roles as Chief Strategy Officer at Wieden+Kennedy London, Dentsu McGarryBowen and Ogilvy, plus a spell as Head of Strategy at BT. His track record gives him serious authority on how strategy actually gets done inside big organisations.

    He now runs his own consultancy, lectures widely and speaks around the world on creativity, storytelling and problem solving. His book The Creative Nudge became an Amazon best seller and helped cement his reputation as someone who can turn complex thinking into practical tools for marketers.

    Kevin talks through how a simple brief for a kid's snack turned into a chaotic TV script, a flawed media plan and a campaign he openly calls the worst ad in British history. His honesty shows how experienced strategists can still get caught in groupthink and momentum.

    Chris and Will dig into how the Big Cheese Dipper fiasco unfolded, why the agency pushed ahead and how the failure shaped Kevin’s career. The conversation moves from creative misfires to pitch disasters, toxic clients, time pressure and the trouble with rushed workshops.

    Kevin also shares what thirty years in agencies have taught him about confidence, collaboration and protecting work from being watered down. His stories are brutal, funny and painfully familiar for anyone who has ever tried to get a brave idea through an organisation.

    Send us Fan Mail

    Your competitors are being named by AI. Are you? One of our clients went from being named in 4 of 50 buyer prompts to 19 in 90 days. Book your free AI visibility check with Chris here. 👉 [Book free AI Visibility Check] 👈

    Subscribe to our newsletter
    The mistakes we see marketers make, every fortnight. 👉 [Subscribe here] 👈

    Follow Chris:
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    Follow Will:
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    We almost made political history on Twitter, until they pulled the plug Mar 05, 2026
    Show notes

    I’m joined by Stuart Bruce, who is internationally recognised as the PR Futurist. He is a thinker, strategist and hands-on practitioner in modernised public relations, communications and corporate affairs. Stuart specialises in AI, communication technology (CommTech), measurement and evaluation, and crisis communications. He helps organisations embrace digital transformation and future-proof their communications in a changing world.

    In this episode, Stuart tells the story of how he tried to bring Twitter into mainstream political campaigning during Alan Johnson's 2007 Deputy Leadership bid. It was an ambitious and forward-thinking move that nearly made history, but a sudden change by Twitter threw the plan off course.

    • Joined Twitter on January 2nd, 2007 when the platform was brand new
    • Nearly became the world's first political campaign to use Twitter with a senior figure, beaten only by John Edwards by two weeks
    • Used Twitter primarily to generate media coverage through innovation, successfully getting a full page in The Guardian
    • Planned to leverage Twitter's SMS functionality to send free text messages to 200,000 Labour Party members
    • Twitter discontinued their SMS service between printing campaign leaflets and their delivery to members
    • Key lesson: don't rely on free services for important campaign communications
    • Few complaints received due to Twitter's limited adoption at the time

    Send us Fan Mail

    Your competitors are being named by AI. Are you? One of our clients went from being named in 4 of 50 buyer prompts to 19 in 90 days. Book your free AI visibility check with Chris here. 👉 [Book free AI Visibility Check] 👈

    Subscribe to our newsletter
    The mistakes we see marketers make, every fortnight. 👉 [Subscribe here] 👈

    Follow Chris:
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    EP 101: Stop Wasting Social Spend: 12 Social Media Trends That Will Make Or Break 2026 Mar 03, 2026
    Show notes

    Marketers are fighting on too many fronts. Budgets are tight, algorithms change daily and AI is flooding every feed with low grade content. This episode cuts through the noise and lays out the 2026 social landscape with absolute clarity.

    Chris and Will unpack the 12 trends shaping how brands win this year. The conversation covers AI brand bots, the rise of live shopping, the collapse of SEO into AEO, Google Lens changing buying behaviour, micro influencers outperforming big names, and the growing pressure on brands to be authentic rather than everywhere.

    Expect blunt truths, practical frameworks and a road map for where to put your time and money.

    Key takeaways
    • Where social budgets are being wasted.
    • Why micro influencers now outperform celebrity campaigns.
    • The platforms worth focusing on in 2026.
    • Why authenticity and community beat AI slop every single time.

    Ideal for marketing directors, social leads and CMOs who want a clear plan for the year ahead.

    Send us Fan Mail

    Your competitors are being named by AI. Are you? One of our clients went from being named in 4 of 50 buyer prompts to 19 in 90 days. Book your free AI visibility check with Chris here. 👉 [Book free AI Visibility Check] 👈

    Subscribe to our newsletter
    The mistakes we see marketers make, every fortnight. 👉 [Subscribe here] 👈

    Follow Chris:
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    Follow Will:
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    Follow The Show:
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    Hold My Buffalo: Samsung's Aussie Adventure Gone Wrong Feb 26, 2026
    Show notes

    Joining the conversation today is Richard Noble, Head of European Public Relations at Audible. With years of experience managing brand reputation and navigating high-pressure PR situations, Richard understands how quickly things can go wrong when communication within a company breaks down. Today, he shares a story that highlights just how chaotic things can get, complete with a touch of Australian absurdity.

    A hilarious and cautionary tale about a PR disaster at Samsung Australia when two water buffaloes escaped during an unauthorised photoshoot in Sydney. The local PR team only discovered their company's activities when a journalist called asking about the animals that were now charging through Newtown's busy streets.

    • Samsung's global team arranged a photoshoot with water buffaloes in Sydney without informing the Australian office
    • The PR representative learned about the incident from a journalist while watching helicopter footage of the escape on live TV
    • The crew members reportedly fled the scene in a golf buggy
    • Fire brigade eventually cornered the buffaloes in someone's backyard
    • Despite the chaos, no one was hurt in the incident

    Send us Fan Mail

    Your competitors are being named by AI. Are you? One of our clients went from being named in 4 of 50 buyer prompts to 19 in 90 days. Book your free AI visibility check with Chris here. 👉 [Book free AI Visibility Check] 👈

    Subscribe to our newsletter
    The mistakes we see marketers make, every fortnight. 👉 [Subscribe here] 👈

    Follow Chris:
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    Follow Will:
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    Follow The Show:
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    Ep 100: 450,000 Emails and a Waterboarded Exec: The Best of 100 Episodes Feb 24, 2026
    Show notes

    A hundred stories in, and the sharpest truths are hiding inside the worst moments. We mark our rather large milestone with a definitive countdown of six unforgettable marketing screw-ups.
    From an automation update that unleashed 450,000 emails on VIPs in under an hour to a six-figure exhibition stand misspelling “software,” we explore what really fails in campaigns: governance, proofing, and the quiet processes no one posts on LinkedIn.
    We also pull back the curtain on the risks of live media. PR veteran Greg Matusky relives a national TV interview that swerved into “walking away from the devil,” then explains why controlled transparency can neutralise future scandal.
    Then there’s the money. Futurist Tom Goodwin breaks down a £15m launch that drove 37 downloads, a painful lesson in TAM realism, conversion friction and the false comfort of a spreadsheet. We talk common-sense planning, incrementality testing, and why some search spend is just paying for credit you didn’t earn. Topping the list is a war-zone media scrum where a shaved head and a beard still added up to “David Cameron.” What followed was a masterclass in crisis poise: clear lines, steady voice, and a quick call under impossible pressure.
    If our top six resonate, follow the show, share it with a teammate who’s firefighting this week, and leave us a review with the lesson you’ll apply first.
    And if you’ve got a mistake worth learning from, email podcast@prohibitionpr.co.uk, we always love to hear them.

    Send us Fan Mail

    Your competitors are being named by AI. Are you? One of our clients went from being named in 4 of 50 buyer prompts to 19 in 90 days. Book your free AI visibility check with Chris here. 👉 [Book free AI Visibility Check] 👈

    Subscribe to our newsletter
    The mistakes we see marketers make, every fortnight. 👉 [Subscribe here] 👈

    Follow Chris:
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    When Exposing Bad Hairdressers Costs Eight Hours of Your Life Feb 17, 2026
    Show notes

    Let me introduce you to Ann Wright, a journalist, BBC producer and PRCA-approved media trainer with years of experience behind some of the UK’s biggest live events and investigations. She’s had an impressive career, but not without a few wild turns and difficult lessons along the way.

    While working on "UK's Worst Hair Disasters", Ann went undercover at a Norfolk salon with secret cameras to expose their terrible braiding service. What she uncovered was shocking: staff openly smoking marijuana and drinking whisky while working.

    • She spent eight hours in the salon chair receiving ginger-coloured braids for her brown hair
    • The stylists ran out of hair during the process and had to send someone to another salon to get more
    • Extensions were sealed with cigarette lighters instead of proper tools
    • She developed painful blisters from the poorly installed braids
    • She had to sleep with the extensions in overnight before having them professionally assessed
    • The salon eventually shut down after the investigation aired

    Another mistake in her career came when she agreed to a Huffington Post interview about producing royal weddings for the BBC without getting the proper approval. The article was never published, but BBC management were furious. That decision effectively ended her working relationship with them for good.

    Ann’s story is one of bold journalism, unforgettable undercover work and the reality that even experienced professionals can find themselves in difficult situations.

    Send us Fan Mail

    Your competitors are being named by AI. Are you? One of our clients went from being named in 4 of 50 buyer prompts to 19 in 90 days. Book your free AI visibility check with Chris here. 👉 [Book free AI Visibility Check] 👈

    Subscribe to our newsletter
    The mistakes we see marketers make, every fortnight. 👉 [Subscribe here] 👈

    Follow Chris:
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    Follow Will:
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    Follow The Show:
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