The Marketing Meeting with Itir Eraslan

The State of the Sports Industry: Consumer, Retail, and Brand Dynamics

How is the global sports industry evolving after the extraordinary growth of the pandemic years? In this episode, we look at the sportswear market through the lens of long-time retail analyst Matt Powell. We discuss how consumer behavior is shifting away from hype-driven drops toward more inclusive, consumer-led trends, and why smaller brands are finding new opportunities in today's market. Matt explains why the industry is returning to a more normal growth cycle, how pricing and inventory discipline shape brand success, and what the rise of brands like On, Hoka, and emerging running labels reveals about the current state of the category. We also explore the changing role of retail, from consolidation among major players to the ongoing rationalization of physical stores. My guest is Matt Powell, one of the most respected voices in the sports industry. He spent many years at The NPD Group as a senior advisor and today runs his own consulting firm, Spurwink River, while also serving as a senior advisor at BCE Consulting. For more than 25 years, Matt has analyzed the sportswear market, helping brands, retailers, and investors understand the forces shaping the industry. Connect with Matt Powell on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattpowellanalyst/ If you have any questions about brands and marketing, connect with the host of this channel, Itir Eraslan, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itireraslan/ or connect through https://www.ie-brand.com/connect

How Brands Grow With Capital-B Brand Thinking

How do brands actually grow beyond performance marketing and short-term tactics? In this episode, we talk about brand-led growth in practice: the difference between marketing and branding, what "Capital-B Brand" really means, and why strong brand foundations matter. We explore how brand-led organizations operate, the role of a brand muse, and why growth is often an outcome of brand rather than a goal on its own. My guest is Pierre-Laurent Baudey, a marketing leader with over two decades of experience driving major transformations at Nike, including Nike Football, Nike Women, and membership. Today, based in New York City, Pierre works independently with leadership teams, advising brands on brand-led growth, brand foundations, and marketing leadership. We also discuss his transition from a long corporate career to building his own advisory practice. Connect with Pierre-Laurent Baudey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pierre-laurent-baudey/ If you have any questions about brands and marketing, connect with the host of this channel, Itir Eraslan, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itireraslan/ or connect through https://www.ie-brand.com/connect  

Why Brand Positioning Matters More Than Ever with Clay Ostrom

It's 2026, and Clay Ostrom joins the show to kick things off with a great conversation about the importance of brand positioning in an age of copycats and technological parity. If you want to stand out this year and beyond, you need to look past product features and get to the heart of what drives your customers. Clay and Itir cover a lot of ground, including: how AI and increased competition are making brand relationships more valuable, how Clay uses the Jobs To Be Done framework to connect product features to customer jobs, the distinction between internal strategic messaging and copywriting, whether project-based work beats retainers, and much more! Clay Ostrom is the founder of branding and customer research agency Map & Fire and the brand positioning strategy and analysis platform SmokeLadder. He uses a mix of research, positioning, and messaging to help founders and marketing leaders connect with more customers and grow with confidence. Clay's writing on strategy and research has been featured in Foundr Magazine and AdWeek. He's spent the last 20 years dreaming up and then bringing to life multiple startups as well as a wide range of digital projects. He's collaborated with countless passionate small businesses along with several Fortune 500 brands including Google, Sony, Universal Pictures, Mattel, FOX, Dreamworks, CBS, A&E, Home Depot, Roland Keyboards, G4 TV, and the LA Times. Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/-9mRE66f0Ds Connect with Clay Ostrom on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clayostrom/ If you have any questions about brands and marketing, connect with the host of this channel, Itir Eraslan, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itireraslan/

Brand Builders: Sixteen Mill Bakeshop with Talia Tutak

In this special episode on brand building, Itir sits down with Talia Tutak, founder and head baker of Sixteen Mill Bakeshop, a beloved Brooklyn bakery that's completely vegan, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free. Talia shares her journey from baking sourdough bread in a tiny Midwood apartment to building a recognizable brand in New York's competitive bakery scene—all without formal baking training or significant financial backing. Talia opens up about the personal health crisis that led her to gluten-free baking, and how a farmer's market booth became the testing ground for her recipes and business model. She discusses the decision to focus solely on gluten-free products, and why that ultimately drove her success. They also explore the practical realities of running a small bakery—from sourcing ingredients directly from mills and maple syrup producers, to why Talia handles all social media herself, to the emotional challenge of reading Google reviews. Talia explains why she pulled out of opening a second location in the East Village, based on her belief that "less is more"—even when it comes to investment offers—when it comes to scaling her food business. She also shares the advice that's deeply influenced how she thinks about building her brand: "When you listen closely to your customers, they will always lead the way." Talia Tutak is the owner and head baker of Sixteen Mill Bakeshop, a 100% vegan, gluten-free, and refined-sugar-free bakery in Brooklyn. She's dedicated to reimagining classic baked goods with a modern, nourishing twist—focusing on sustainability, seasonality, and supporting small farms and local businesses. Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/GuF3rq5QWJE Learn more about Sixteen Mill Bakeshop: https://sixteenmill.com Connect with Talia Tak on Instagram: @sixteen.mill If you have any questions about brands and marketing, connect with the host of this channel, Itir Eraslan, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itireraslan/

A Conversation with a Branding Master with Marty Neumeier

The Marketing Meeting is back! In her return to the podcast after a brief layoff, Itir is joined by Marty Neumeyer, to discuss the core principles of branding. Marty is the branding expert who famously said, "Your brand isn't what you say it is. It's what they say it is." Marty and Itir dissect common misconceptions about branding, emphasizing that a brand is fundamentally the customer's perception, rather than a logo or product. Marty explains how to start branding with a targeted niche audience and the importance of aligning a company's purpose beyond mere profit. They also cover the distinction between branding and marketing, noting how branding is a long-term strategy while marketing tends to be short-term and tactical. Marty shares insights on how companies can stay original in the AI era. Last but not least, they discuss Marty's exciting new novel, Octavo, and the intriguing design and formatting choices he made to set the book apart from the pack. Marty started as a graphic designer and copywriter in the 1970s. In 1984, when the Macintosh launched, he moved to Silicon Valley to help companies like Apple, Netscape, HP, Adobe, and Google build their brands. In 1996 he started Critique, the first magazine about design thinking. He then launched Neutron, a design think tank focused on brand-building processes that drive organizational change. He later merged Neutron with Liquid Agency. As Director of CEO Branding at Liquid, he consults with leaders and executives of some of the world's most exciting companies, while writing and speaking on the topics of business strategy, design, and innovation. He takes his coffee at home in Mexico. Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/iloWbgN8_VE Learn more about Marty's newest book, Octavo: https://www.amazon.com/Octavo-Novel-Marty-Neumeier-ebook/dp/B0DRLNPGZJ Connect with Marty Neumeier on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinindig If you have any questions about brands and marketing, connect with the host of this channel, Itir Eraslan, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itireraslan/