The Bad Pod, An Advertising Podcast
We're here to talk about the bad, the ugly, and what good advertising actually is with insight from the industry’s top creative minds.
Hosts Amelia and Brian are ad agency creatives on a mission to talk to every capable creative director, copywriter extraordinaire, art directing dynamo, swiss army social strategist, ECD, CCO, PFD, and SOS about what the f&$k a good ad—and ad industry—even looks like.
The Bad Podcast seeks to answer the question that echoes through every corner of the creative world: is this good?
The Bad Pod, An Advertising Podcast
Rhonda Hiatt, Global CEO of M&C Saatchi Consulting, on Cultural Power, Crisis Navigation & Creative Leadership
This time, we sit down with Rhonda Hiatt, Global CEO of M&C Saatchi Consulting and CEO of Clear. From mowing lawns in the Midwest to helming a global consultancy and opening a restaurant on the side, Rhonda’s career is a masterclass in reinvention, resilience, and reading the cultural tea leaves. We talk navigating chaos, leading with empathy, and why clarity is the ultimate growth hack.
Our Favorite Stories
- Rhonda’s journey from Midwest entrepreneur to global CEO of M&C Saatchi Consulting.
- Starting a restaurant mid-career—and how it reshaped her view on brand marketing.
- The time a fake AI voice clone of her nearly tricked a colleague.
Big Moments from Doing the Work
- How embracing complexity has become her strategic superpower.
- The importance of cultural connection in modern brand identity.
- What she’s learned from working across massive legacy brands and DTC disruptors alike.
Career Advice We’ll Live With
- "Diversity of data” is the new creative edge.
- Embrace change, don’t fight it—it’s the only constant.
- Leading with clarity and humanity is how you weather every storm, from 2008 to AI deepfakes.
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