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Adspeak

Adweek

Love it or hate it, the advertising and marketing industry is the ultimate broker of power and influence in the world today. Adspeak, hosted by ADWEEK editor in chief Ryan Joe, brings to life stories from our top reporters, delving into the people, brands, ad agencies, and adtech giants that shape how we view the world, the products we buy, and the entertainment we enjoy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  • 22 episodes
  • a few times a week
  • Avg 23 min
  • English

Episodes 22

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  • S1 · E67
    June 9 · 19 min

    The Experience Economy of Sports Marketing with Steve Koonin

    In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, host Rich Battista, Executive Chairman at ADWEEK, sits down with Steve Koonin, CEO of the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena, to explore how marketing can transform a sports franchise into a cultural institution. Steve shares how the Hawks built one of the NBA’s most engaged fan bases by focusing on experience, community, and audience relevance rather than relying solely on wins and losses. He explains why adding “game experience” as a third business pillar creates loyalty that survives performance fluctuations, how a single piece of content can be repurposed into hundreds of platform-native assets, and why empowering creative teams leads to breakthrough campaigns. The conversation also highlights the power of focus, community investment, and place-based marketing in an increasingly fragmented media landscape. What You'll Learn: How to position game experience as an advantage when on-court performance lags Why audience denial is a business killer The three-pillar blueprint for sports marketing How to activate younger audiences through platform-native creativity Why focus is the marketer's most feared word How to build long-term brand equity through controlled risk-taking The underrated opportunity in place-based marketing How to leverage community impact as a brand platform About the Guest and Host: Steve Koonin is the CEO of the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena, where he oversees the organization's business, financial, and strategic operations. A lifelong Atlantan and accomplished marketing executive, he previously held leadership roles at The Coca-Cola Company and Turner Broadcasting. Since joining the Hawks in 2014, Koonin has transformed the franchise into a leader in fan experience, community impact, and innovation. He is a recipient of the Atlanta Sports Council Lifetime Achievement Award and SportsBusiness Journal's Sports Executive of the Year. Rich Battista is a veteran media, entertainment, and sports executive with a distinguished track record as a CEO, board chairman, and business builder. Over his career, he successfully transformed and led multi-billion-dollar public companies including Time Inc. and Gemstar-TV Guide. During an 18-year tenure at Fox, he helped create and grow several highly valuable cable network businesses across entertainment and sports. Today, Rich serves as a board member, advisor, investor, and consultant while also producing film and television projects. Guest Resources: Steve Koonin on NBA Atlanta Hawks Website Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • S1 · E66
    June 4 · 17 min

    The Strategy Behind USA Today Co.'s Big Identity Shift with Kristin Roberts and Lark-Marie Anton

    In this episode of Adspeak, host Mark Stenberg is joined by Lark-Marie Anton, Chief Communications and Brand Officer, and Kristin Roberts, President of Media at USA Today Co., to unpack the company's landmark transition from Gannett to USA Today Co. and what it signals for the future of publishing in the AI era. The conversation explores how unifying more than 200 local media brands under a single trusted identity strengthens audience recognition, advertiser value, and AI attribution. Lark-Marie and Kristin discuss the research behind the rebrand, the company's unique local-to-national reach, and how proprietary tools like Deeper Dive help keep audiences engaged within trusted publisher ecosystems. They also examine AI partnerships, evolving search behavior, and why a strong, recognizable brand may be a publisher's most valuable asset in an increasingly AI-driven media landscape. What You'll Learn: How to leverage brand consolidation as a defensive strategy against AI answer engines Why data-driven brand decisions outweigh aesthetic rebrands The "Local-to-National Platform" positioning for capturing advertiser attention How to embed proprietary AI tools (like Deeper Dive) as brand moats The negotiating leverage principle for AI partnerships Why internal narrative alignment matters as much as external branding About the Guests: Lark-Marie Anton is Chief Communications and Brand Officer at USA TODAY Co., where she leads communications and brand strategy in support of the company’s mission to strengthen local communities. With more than two decades of experience in strategic communications and integrated marketing, she has held senior leadership roles at Hertz, Verizon, Loews Hotels, and Aura, and previously served in New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s administration. A recognized communications leader, she serves on multiple nonprofit and educational boards and was named one of Ragan’s Top Women in Communications. Kristin Roberts is President of USA TODAY Media, bringing more than 20 years of leadership experience across journalism, media, and business transformation. Before joining USA TODAY, she served as Chief Content Officer at McClatchy, where she led 30 newsrooms and helped develop a new business model for local media. She previously held leadership roles at POLITICO and Reuters, overseeing major political, business, and international coverage. Roberts holds degrees from Georgetown, Columbia, and George Washington University and is actively involved in community leadership in Miami. Guest Resources: Kirsten Roberts on LinkedIn Lark-Marie Anton on LinkedIn USA Today Website Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Showing 21–22 of 22 episodes