Reading, listening, and viewing tips for the holidays

5 viewing tips

Documentary: Pepsi, Where's My Jet? (Netflix)

I really enjoyed this true story. The Netflix documentary "Pepsi, Where's My Jet?" tells the story of John Leonard, a college student who tried to claim a Harrier fighter jet from PepsiCo in the 1990s. This all started with a Pepsi advertising campaign that suggested that if consumers collected seven million Pepsi points, they could claim a fighter jet. Leonard duly collected seven million points and filed a claim, which PepsiCo rejected stating that the commercial was clearly a joke. You can see how it ended in the documentary. The lesson for marketers is clear; be careful what you promise!

Movie: The Beanie Bubble (Apple TV+)

Apple TV+'s true-life movie "The Beanie Bubble" chronicles the meteoric rise of Beanie Babies toys in the '90s. The film follows the story of the billionaire toy manufacturer Ty Warner and the women who were key to his success.

Series: Mad Men (Apple TV)

"Mad Men," the classic series from 2007, is one of my all-time favourite series. The series is set in the '60s and follows the life of Don Draper, a talented but mysterious advertising executive on Madison Avenue in New York. It shows the complex world of advertising agencies in an era of social and political change, focusing on themes such as identity, ambition, and gender roles. Sounds surprisingly topical in 2023, doesn't it? It often surprises me that colleagues "in the industry" have not yet seen this iconic series, which is why it has to be on this list.

Documentary: The Pez Outlaw (Netflix)

The docuseries "The Pez Outlaw" on Netflix tells the story of Steve Glew, a retired train driver and farmer from northern Michigan who made millions of dollars in the '90s reselling Pez dispensers he imported from Europe that were not available in the United States. Taking advantage of the fact that Pez hadn’t registered their trademark with U.S. Customs, allowing him to import them legally and make a fortune.

Mini-docuseries: High score (Netflix)

Do you get a pull of nostalgia during the holidays? The urge to dig out that dusty old games console that you don't usually have time for? "High Score," a Netflix docuseries, takes you on a nostalgic journey through the history of video games in the '80s and '90s. The series features interviews and segments about the creation and development of video games from this period. The series, narrated by Charles Martinet — the voice of Mario — is a feast of gaming history and culture for every enthusiastic gamer.

6 reading tips

There are already so many lists of "best marketing books" on the internet. In the list below, I’ve tried to compile a list of my favourite (marketing or otherwise) books from a different perspective.

The Diamond in the Rough – Steven Van Belleghem

My colleague Steven Van Belleghem is an inspiring keynote speaker and authority on customer focus and customer experiences. In his latest book, "The Diamond in the Rough", he doubles down on the points he made in his previous books offering more than 100 concrete tips to build a strong customer centric culture, with the ultimate goal being to polish a company's 'diamond in the rough' into a shining jewel of customer satisfaction.

Check out this book on Goodreads

The strategic business marketer – Frank Faassen

At iO, we are committed to breaking down the silos between the marketing department and the sales department so that we can get the very best out of everyone’s efforts. This book is a deep dive into how to make a demonstrable contribution to your commercial strategy by developing a distinctive brand story and cultivating a culture of effective collaboration with sales. This approach not only strengthens the strategic role of the marketer but also increases the value of the marketing team within the organisation.

Check out this book on Goodreads

Shoe Dog – Phil Knight

"Shoe Dog", a book written several years old by Phil Knight, founder of Nike, was recently the topic of a second hype cycle on LinkedIn. In his autobiography, Knight tells the captivating story of Nike's early days, from a start-up to one of the world's most iconic and profitable brands. The book highlights the many challenges and obstacles Knight faced along the way and how his unique vision and determination helped transform Nike into a global giant in the sportswear industry. It’s a real page-turner!

Check out this book on Goodreads

Elon Musk – Walter Isaacson

Admittedly, I'm not an absolute Musk fan. Nevertheless, I have grudging respect for his achievements. So I hesitated for a moment whether I should venture into the 855-page biography, written by renowned author Walter Isaacson. I didn't regret it for a second, the book was a real page-turner, and gave me a lot of understanding and insights into how Elon Musk thinks and functions. Highly recommended (still not a fan-boy of the man ;-)).

Check out this book on Goodreads

The Ritchie Story – Jan Verlinden

Expected in April 2024, but I'm already really looking forward to it: The Ritchie Story. Telling the real story of Jan Verlinden who leaves the marketing world behind to breathe new life into an old family soft drink recipe. A very Belgian story that I have been following enthusiastically for a while.

Pre-order at the Lannoo Campus website

5 listening tips

Podcasts are more popular than ever. And everyone has their favourite podcast. I'm not going to dare to make a list of the best marketing podcasts, that's impossible. Therefore, completely personal, and subjective, the list of what my answer would be to the question "which podcasts I can recommend".

Table Talks – By iO

Admittedly, I'm somewhat biased, but I really enjoy listening to our own podcast series "Table Talks". My colleague Brian Hirman hosts business leaders and marketers from Belgian and Dutch top brands and organisations and they discuss their challenges and successes in the field of marketing and customer experience.

Listen on Spotify

Akimbo

Seth Godin may not have been on my list of reading tips (I said I'd stay away from the big clichés), but I do like to give him a place in the podcast tips with his podcast. "Akimbo" is a podcast about our culture and how we can change it, and it is characterised by Godin's insights and teachings on how our culture is formed and how we can influence this formation.

Listen on Spotify

Radar – By Nexxworks

Nexxworks' podcast "Radar" offers the latest developments in business, technology, and everything that has to do with innovation on a monthly basis. The podcast is hosted by big names such as Steven Van Belleghem, Peter Hinssen, Pascal Coppens, Julie Vens - De Vos and Laurence Van Elegem.

Listen on Spotify

Los Pitchos

When you say agency, you say pitches. This is no different for us at iO. Every week we are invited to one pitch or another to defend our top idea. Fortunately, that usually goes pretty well, but every now and then we fall flat on our faces — just like other agencies. Hurae's colleagues made a podcast about their failures, including all the bad ideas and failed pitches. A great, accessible listen.

Listen on Spotify

Whitepaper: Ontdek de kracht van branded podcasts

The Missing SS Commander

The podcast "The Missing SS Commander" is an eight-part series, produced by iO and the National Monument Camp Amersfoort. The series delves into the mysterious disappearance of Walter Heinrich, the SS camp commander of Kamp Amersfoort during World War II. Heinrich is described as a war criminal, mass murderer, and the founder of one of the most horrific concentration camps in the Netherlands. The podcast explores his disappearance and sheds light on the dark history of Kamp Amersfoort. It’s an intriguing and informative listening experience.
This podcast won several gold awards in 2023, so it's a real must-listen!

Listen on Spotify

P.S.: Also listen to our brand new fiction podcast "Het spoor bijster" that we made in collaboration with the Dutch Railways:

Listen on Spotify

Conclusion

I hope you enjoy this list. I wish you a lot of viewing, listening, and reading pleasure over the holiday period (and of course in 2024).

Got tips you would like to share? Send your favourites to mathias.vissers@iodigital.com

Mathias Vissers

Marketing Manager

Back in 2003, Mathias co-founded iO. 20 years later, he's still very much a tower of strength. As a Marketing Manager with experience in digital strategy, innovation, and cybersecurity, Mathias' mission is to make the internet a better place and help organisations of all sizes grow.