Why Brands Need To Start Entertaining Customers and Stop Advertising to Them
In this episode of Marketing vs The World, host Abbie Dando sits down with Ash Pollak, founder of Teodophobes, to explore the art of storytelling in marketing. Ash explains why brands, particularly in B2B, must move away from traditional advertising and instead focus on entertaining their customers to build authentic connections. Ash also shares his insights on living and working remotely in Ibiza and the importance of community in both business and life.
In this episode, Abbie and Ash discuss:
Ash Pollak’s Background
Ash’s career journey from running a production company to founding Teodophobes.
His pivot from the creative world to startups during COVID, and how this experience shaped his storytelling expertise.
Why Storytelling Matters
The human instinct for storytelling and why it’s crucial for modern marketing.
B2B’s missed opportunity: Why B2B companies are competing with entertainment, not just other brands, and how they can stand out by focusing on storytelling rather than dry, feature-based messaging.
Entertaining vs. Advertising
The growing distaste for traditional marketing.
The importance of entertainment in connecting with customers on a deeper level, rather than simply bombarding them with ads.
Insights from Liquid Death’s marketing approach: Why no one wants to be "marketed to" anymore.
Bringing Storytelling into Business
How brands can start integrating storytelling into their strategies.
Ash’s approach to problem-solving workshops, involving diverse teams from sales to HR, to identify content opportunities that truly resonate with customers.
The process of creating a customer journey that focuses on building relationships rather than hard selling.
Challenging B2B Norms
How B2B brands can break away from boring, sales-driven campaigns and embrace entertaining cultural content that engages their audience.
Success stories: How sales teams can use storytelling content to engage with hard-to-reach customers and turn cold leads into deals.
Remote Work and Community
Ash’s personal journey of moving from London to Ibiza, and how remote work has changed his business model.
The importance of building a strong community, whether working remotely or in-person, and how this fuels creativity and business growth.
Practical tips for those thinking about making the move abroad and how to balance virtual and in-person work.
Key Takeaways From This Episode
Entertainment is key: Don’t just sell to your customers, engage and entertain them to build lasting relationships.
Human connection: Both customers and colleagues are humans first—embrace their real-world experiences and challenges when creating content and strategies.
Be bold, not reckless: When it comes to marketing, doing the same thing over and over is a bigger risk than trying something new and creative.
Embrace process: Storytelling and creative thinking are part of a process, not a quick fix. Be patient, dig deep, and look at the bigger picture.
What You’ll Get From This Episode
This episode will help you rethink your approach to marketing, especially if you’re in B2B. Ash’s insights on storytelling, community building, and embracing creativity will inspire you to stop selling and start connecting with your audience in a more meaningful way. You’ll also learn practical tips on working remotely, building strong professional relationships, and managing a balanced lifestyle.
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