TopPodcast.com
Menu
  • Home
  • Top Charts
  • Top Networks
  • Top Apps
  • Top Independents
  • Top Podfluencers
  • Top Picks
    • Top Business Podcasts
    • Top True Crime Podcasts
    • Top Finance Podcasts
    • Top Comedy Podcasts
    • Top Music Podcasts
    • Top Womens Podcasts
    • Top Kids Podcasts
    • Top Sports Podcasts
    • Top News Podcasts
    • Top Tech Podcasts
    • Top Crypto Podcasts
    • Top Entrepreneurial Podcasts
    • Top Fantasy Sports Podcasts
    • Top Political Podcasts
    • Top Science Podcasts
    • Top Self Help Podcasts
    • Top Sports Betting Podcasts
    • Top Stocks Podcasts
  • Podcast News
  • About Us
  • Podcast Advertising
  • Contact
Not in our directory?
Add Show Here
Podcast Equipment
Center

toppodcastlogoOur TOPPODCAST Picks

  • Comedy
  • Crypto
  • Sports
  • News
  • Politics
  • True Crime
  • Business
  • Finance

Follow Us

toppodcastlogoStay Connected

    View Top 200 Chart
    Back to Rankings Page
    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

    • Apple Podcasts
    • Google Play
    • Spotify

    Latest Episodes:
    You Waited 15 Minutes for a Taxi. Now Seven Feels Rude Oct 15, 2026
    Show notes

    We return to consumer behaviouralist and CX expert Ken Hughes, first featured in episode 92, to revisit the moment that transformed how he believes brands should approach the customer. Ken explains how he spent the early part of his speaking career delivering stock, product first keynotes before realising that audiences and clients were focused on their own business challenges, not his rehearsed narrative.

    He introduces his blue dot consumer idea and shows how it reshapes everything, highlighting how customers now expect brands to move toward them in the same effortless way Uber and Lyft bring the car to you and Uber Eats or Deliveroo bring the restaurant to your door.

    Ken also explores how impatience, high speed connectivity and a world far removed from Commodore 64 loading screens have reset expectations. If you want your brand to stay relevant in an age of Gen Alpha, Gen Z and one tap convenience, this conversation will sharpen how you think about customer centricity.

    Click here for the full episode 92.

    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:
    X, TikTok, LinkedIn
    Follow Will:
    LinkedIn
    Follow The Show:
    TikTok, YouTube


    EP 132: Why LinkedIn Reach Is Down And What Still Works Oct 13, 2026
    Show notes

    John Espirian, the self-styled relentlessly helpful LinkedIn guy, joins Chris Norton and Will Ockenden on Embracing Marketing Mistakes to explain why LinkedIn reach is down for almost everyone and what still works. John is an independent LinkedIn consultant and author, runs the Espresso Plus community, and organises the UpLift Live conference.

    John covers why direct messages avoid the algorithm, why you should comment ten times for every post, how LinkedIn newsletters feed search and AI tools, which content formats to test, and why most people do not need Premium. He also shares his own mistakes, including the year he stopped marketing and had his worst financial year, and why he now reserves 20 percent of his work time for marketing.

    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:
    X, TikTok, LinkedIn
    Follow Will:
    LinkedIn
    Follow The Show:
    TikTok, YouTube


    My TEDx Talk Got 2,000 Views. Everyone Else Got 30,000 Oct 08, 2026
    Show notes

    What happens when you pour your heart into a TEDx talk, expect it to skyrocket, and… nothing? We are joined with Niraj Kapoor back in episode 95, and dive into a brutally honest story of resilience, reinvention, and why failure isn’t fatal. Our guest shares how he went from a thriving career in London to losing everything, job, income, marriage, before clawing his way back through vulnerability and persistence.

    We talk about the reality behind those glossy success stories, why some talks go viral while others barely register, and the lessons learned when life forces you to start over. If you’ve ever felt crushed by a setback or wondered why your big moment didn’t land, this conversation will give you perspective, hope, and a few laughs along the way.

    Click here to listen to the full episode 95.

    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:
    X, TikTok, LinkedIn
    Follow Will:
    LinkedIn
    Follow The Show:
    TikTok, YouTube


    EP 131: How An SEO Intern Got A Mashable Journalist To Cover Her Pitch Oct 06, 2026
    Show notes

    Britt Klontz started her career as an SEO agency intern, got a Mashable journalist to cover an infographic by following the journalist's own pitching guide, and now runs Vada Communications as a solo digital PR consultant. In this episode of Embracing Marketing Mistakes, Britt explains why so many PR pitches fail, why that is rarely the journalist's fault, and why a rejection can be the most useful reply you get.

    Britt walks through her own mistake, leading a pitch to an editor at Metal Construction News with too many stats, and how his reply turned into a template she now uses for every outlet. She also shares her 2026 coverage tips, from proprietary data and journalist-run Substacks to contributor columns that feed AI search, plus the tools she uses to track results.

    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:
    X, TikTok, LinkedIn
    Follow Will:
    LinkedIn
    Follow The Show:
    TikTok, YouTube


    I Spent 30 Years Building Everyone Else's Brand Oct 01, 2026
    Show notes

    We had Mark Terry-Lush back in episode 94 started his career in the glory days of magazines when Vogue was the size of a phone book and PR was full of big personalities. He worked with some of the most iconic names in the industry and learned how to tell and sell a story. But after 30 years, he realised his biggest mistake: confusing adaptability with focus.

    In this episode, Mark shares why chasing every opportunity can leave you feeling lost, what happens when you spend decades building everyone else’s brand instead of your own, and how to find clarity in a noisy world.
    Click here to listen to the full episode 94.

    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:
    X, TikTok, LinkedIn
    Follow Will:
    LinkedIn
    Follow The Show:
    TikTok, YouTube


    EP 130: Gerry Hopkinson Sold His Agency, Stayed Five Years, And Became A Cultural Strategist Sep 29, 2026
    Show notes

    A 20-year agency founder built his reputation turning Pizza Express back into a cult favourite, then years later made the mistake he now calls his biggest regret. Gerry Hopkinson, founder of Unity and now a cultural strategist, joins Embracing Marketing Mistakes to explain how he sold his agency, why he stayed on for five more years, and the commercial decision that cost him a loyal client.

    Gerry walks through the Pizza Express "living lab," a real restaurant handed over to customers, chefs, designers, and even an acoustics professor to redesign together, and the customer-psychology insight that made it work. Then he tells the story of Absinthe, the Pernod Ricard brand his agency grew by 300% through a platform called Think Work Play, before admitting he dropped the client to chase a bigger, more famous brand, and regretted it immediately.

    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:
    X, TikTok, LinkedIn
    Follow Will:
    LinkedIn
    Follow The Show:
    TikTok, YouTube


    Six People Trolled Me. It Felt Like Sixty Thousand Sep 25, 2026
    Show notes

    Social media can feel like the best networking tool in the world, until it throws you a curveball. We were joined by Asif Choudry back in episode 96. We talk about the early days of Twitter when it felt like a friendly space for real conversations, and how one superhero-themed event turned into a lesson in handling criticism. From swag bags to unexpected backlash, this is a story about resilience and why staying visible matters even when things get uncomfortable.

    We also dive into the reality of trolling, online pile-ons, and why ignoring negativity is often the smartest move. If you’ve ever had that sinking feeling after a public misstep or worried about what people might say, this conversation will give you practical advice and a reminder that mistakes don’t define you, they shape you.

    Click here to listen to the full episode 96.

    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:
    X, TikTok, LinkedIn
    Follow Will:
    LinkedIn
    Follow The Show:
    TikTok, YouTube


    Spending £30k on Influencers for Five Signups Sep 24, 2026
    Show notes

    We revisit Andy Lambert back in episode 93 to unpack the influencer marketing moment that changed how he thinks about influence in B2B. Andy explains how his team approached creators like a media buy, treating the partnership as a quick transaction and expecting one post to shift perception and drive signups.

    He shares the campaign that made the lesson unavoidable. They spent £30,000 on a Facebook Live with a North American influencer, stayed late to watch the registrations roll in, and saw almost nothing. The mistake was not the talent. It was confusing awareness with intent, and expecting demand capture from activity that was really demand creation.

    Andy then breaks down what he changed next. He focused on niche operators like agency owners, insisted partners genuinely use the product, and invested in relationships that build trust over time. If you are planning influencer spend in B2B, this episode will sharpen how you judge impact and choose the right value exchange.
    Click here for the full episode 93.

    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:
    X, TikTok, LinkedIn
    Follow Will:
    LinkedIn
    Follow The Show:
    TikTok, YouTube


    EP 129: Unbounce's VP Of Marketing Explains What Actually Wins AI Search Visibility Now Sep 22, 2026
    Show notes

    A VP of Marketing running two brands at once shares what's working in AI search visibility right now, and admits to one of the messiest direct mail campaigns a B2B marketer has confessed to on this show.
    Val Riley, VP of Marketing and Strategy at Unbounce and Insightly CRM, joins Embracing Marketing Mistakes to explain why she pays a dedicated contractor to represent her brand on Reddit, how a 2.5-billion-conversion research report drives both PR pickup and AI citations, and why removing one line from a signup form quadrupled trial signups overnight.

    Then Val takes us back to the "growth at all costs" era of SaaS marketing, when her team shipped root beer float kits that leaked in the office lobby, a money tree that dumped potting soil across a prospect's desk, and agency logos printed on glass that arrived in pieces. Despite the chaos, the company sold for many millions of dollars, and Val explains what she'd keep from that era of marketing and what she wouldn't touch again.

    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:
    X, TikTok, LinkedIn
    Follow Will:
    LinkedIn
    Follow The Show:
    TikTok, YouTube


    I Made the Worst Ad in British History Sep 17, 2026
    Show notes

    Kevin Chesters reveals the painful truth behind what he calls the worst advert ever made in British history. This is a forensic breakdown of ego, bad process and the lessons every marketer needs to hear.
    Back in episode 102 of Embracing Marketing Mistakes, Kevin walks us through the infamous Big Cheese Dipper campaign. From ignoring clear strategic signals to forcing a flawed creative idea onto TV, this is a masterclass in how good teams end up making terrible work.

    If you’ve ever wondered how to stop bad advertising before it happens, this conversation is essential listening.
    Listen to the full episode 102 here.

    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:
    X, TikTok, LinkedIn
    Follow Will:
    LinkedIn
    Follow The Show:
    TikTok, YouTube


    1 2 3 21 Next

    Related Podcasts

    The GaryVee Audio Experience

    1

    The GaryVee Audio Experience Business
    The Goal Digger Podcast | Top Business and Marketing Podcast for Creatives, Entrepreneurs, and Women in Business

    2

    The Goal Digger Podcast | Top Business and Marketing Podcast for Creatives, Entrepreneurs, and Women in Business Business
    Social Media Marketing Podcast

    3

    Social Media Marketing Podcast Business
    The Amy Porterfield Show

    4

    The Amy Porterfield Show Business
    Marketing School – Digital Marketing and Online Marketing Tips

    5

    Marketing School – Digital Marketing and Online Marketing Tips Business
    Build Your Tribe | Grow Your Business with Social Media

    6

    Build Your Tribe | Grow Your Business with Social Media Business
    footer-logo

    Contact Us

    Toll Free: 844-670-7747

    Links

    • Home
    • Top Charts
    • Networks
    • Apps
    • Independents Podcasts
    • Podcast Advertising
    • Podcast News
    • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • Analytics & Insights

    Stay Connected

      Privacy, Terms of Use & Our Code of Ethics Protecting Content Creators Copyrights