How creativity forges competitive advantages for brands with Emma Armstrong

In this episode of The Speed of Culture podcast, Matt Britton sits down with Kenny Mitchell, Global Chief Marketing Officer at Levi Strauss & Co., to unpack how Levi’s balances 170 years of history with the urgency of modern culture. Kenny shares how Levi’s marketing strategy is evolving through cultural partnerships like the Beyoncé REIMAGINE campaign, the Shaboozey Men’s Icons campaign, and the Nike Levi’s collaboration. This conversation explores how an iconic global brand stays relevant through culture-led brand growth, data, AI-powered personalization, and disciplined leadership.

In this episode of The Speed of Culture, Matt Britton sits down with Laura Desmond, CEO of Smartly, to explore how advertising is being reshaped by AI and why the next decade won’t be about producing more ads, but creating intelligent creative that adapts in real time. From her leadership philosophy to Smartly’s industry forum “Advance,” Laura shares why leading at algorithm speed requires fearless execution, a strong mission, and the courage to get things done.

In this episode of The Speed of Culture, Matt Britton sits down with Victoria Lozano, Chief Marketing Officer at Crayola, to unpack why creativity is a life skill that prepares people for whatever lies ahead. Victoria shares how Crayola has expanded beyond crayons into products, experiences, and content, why more than half of purchases now come from households without kids, and how the Campaign for Creativity is reframing creative expression as a cultural movement.