29: When a brand film works to shift perception: Insights from Lingokids CMO and COO Mikael Journo

2025-12-10

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Lingokids Chief Marketing and Chief Operating officer (CMO and COO) Mikael Journo shares how he skillfully blends data-driven strategies with intuitive decision-making to strike a perfect balance between brand building and performance marketing. Drawing from his extensive career experience, Mikael discusses the challenges of marketing to modern parents and highlights how Lingokids—the leading interactive app for children ages 2–8—addresses their worries. When a recent study revealed that 75% of millennial parents feel guilty about their child's screen time, Mikael and his team saw an opportunity to lean in and shift the conversation. They did so by producing "The Trial," a film that directly confronts this issue and aims to ease parental guilt. Mikael also shares the thought pr...

When a recent study revealed that 75% of millennial parents feel guilty about their child's screen time, Mikael and his team saw an opportunity to lean in and shift the conversation. They did so by producing "The Trial," a film that directly confronts this issue and aims to ease parental guilt. Mikael also shares the thought process around the risks involved in the film and launch campaign, outlines the production process, and discusses the results that exceeded the brands expectations.

In this episode, you'll learn:

The importance of balancing intuition and brand building with data and performance marketing

Challenges and strategies for marketing to modern parents

Why and how Lingokids created a brand film

Key highlights:

[00:00] Introduction

[01:30] The podcast's first shark wrestler

[02:50] Mikael's path to Lingokids

[08:30] The scope of Lingokids

[11:05] Marketing as a growth driver

[13:35] Balancing the dual roles of CMO and COO

[16:25] Marketing to modern-day parents