Canned the Marketing Podcast

The End of Canned? Sort Of.
After 39 episodes, two live shows, 11 guests, countless marketing debates and more technical glitches than any podcast deserves, Steph Quantrill and Ben van Rooy are wrapping up Canned: The Marketing Podcast. But this isn’t a dramatic farewell episode, it's a debrief.  From why they started the podcast after Cannes Lions, to what actually goes into producing weekly content, the pair unpack the highs, lows, surprises and lessons from a year of talking marketing every single week. They also share what worked, what flopped, what they’d do differently, and what’s next from both of them after Canned.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
Why Canned started in the first place
The real origin story behind the podcast, the Cannes Lions inspiration, and why the pair decided to commit to recording weekly. 
What  goes into making a podcast
From spreadsheets and planning docs through to editing, promotion and platform distribution — the reality behind “just starting a podcast.” 
The episodes and topics that surprised them most
Which episodes became audience favourites, which topics flopped unexpectedly, and why marketing audiences can be hard to predict. 
The importance of consistency in content
Why showing up every week mattered more than perfection — and what marketers can learn from that discipline. 
The future of podcasting and content creation
Steph and Ben unpack where they think content is heading, the role of video, AI tools, promotion, and why simply creating content isn’t enough anymore. 
Bonus Nuggets
 Ben reveals the legally binding agreement they signed to force themselves to keep recording. 
 Steph admits some episodes required a strategic wine beforehand. 
 The pair discuss why hotel WiFi should never, ever be trusted for podcast recording. 
Why Listen?
If you’ve ever thought about starting a podcast, building a personal brand, creating content consistently, or simply wondered what happens behind the scenes of a marketing podcast — this episode is for you. It’s a candid, funny and surprisingly practical look at what it really takes to build something creative alongside full-time careers, clients and life.
Episode Chapters
 00:00 – The final episode announcement 
 04:30 – How Canned originally started after Cannes Lions 
 10:45 – Choosing the audience and podcast format 
 16:30 – Planning episodes, guests and content themes 
 23:40 – Favourite guests and standout moments 
 30:50 – Why promotion matters more than most podcasters think 
 36:20 – The reality of podcast analytics and growth 
 42:10 – Tools, platforms and production learnings 
 46:40 – What’s next for Steph and Ben 
 49:00 – Final reflections and goodbye 
Call To Action
If you’ve enjoyed Canned over the last year, this is the episode to finish on. Listen now, revisit your favourite episodes from the archive, and keep following Steph and Ben for whatever comes next.
www.cannedmarketing.com 
Stephanie Quantrill - Linkedin
Ben Van Rooy - Linkedin

Steph Quantrill and Ben van Rooy unpack the rise of food trends, cultural influence and why brands are obsessed with staying relevant. From matcha and bubble tea to Stanley Cups and Labubu, this episode explores how trends form, where they spread from, and why marketers often mistake short-term hype for long-term opportunity. Broadcasting from Japan and Melbourne, Ben and Steph compare the cultural influence of East versus West, debate whether brands should follow trends at all, and break down the commercial realities of jumping on the next big thing too early or too late. If you’ve ever wondered whether your brand should launch the next trending flavour or product, this episode is for you.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
 Why trends are increasingly moving from East to West instead of the other way around 
 How brands can tell the difference between a fad, a trend and a cultural shift 
 Why timing matters more than simply jumping on what’s popular 
 How brands like McDonald’s and Stanley balance trends with long-term positioning 
 Why marketers need curiosity, travel and cultural awareness to spot what’s next 
Bonus Nuggets
 Ben reports live from Japan on the intensity of Tokyo advertising and trend culture 
 Steph reviews The Devil Wears Prada 2 and Melbourne’s out-of-home advertising scene 
 The pair break down the biggest Met Gala fashion moments and celebrity brand power 
Call to action
If you enjoyed this episode, follow Canned, the Marketing Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube and share it with another marketer who’s trying to separate hype from real opportunity.
Resources mentioned:
 Mintel 
 NIQ (NielsenIQ) 
 Tracksuit Brand Tracking 
 McKinsey & Company 
 Uniqlo 
 Onitsuka Tiger 
Connect with the creators, and hosts mentioned:
 Ben van Rooy LinkedIn 
 Stephanie Quantrill LinkedIn 
Explore more from Canned:
 Canned, the Marketing Podcast 
 Cue Marketing 
 Human Digital 

Timestamps
 00:00 – Food trends, matcha and modern marketing culture 
 00:40 – Ben broadcasts from Japan and shares trend observations 
 01:40 – Japanese advertising, public transport and sensory overload 
 03:00 – The rise of convenience culture and Japan’s famous egg sandwiches 
 04:00 – Steph reviews The Devil Wears Prada 2 and Melbourne marketing 
 05:15 – Why Melbourne’s out-of-home advertising stands out 
 06:15 – Met Gala reactions and fashion as cultural influence 
 08:40 – Celebrity branding, shock factor and wearable art 
 13:15 – What marketers misunderstand about trends 
 14:10 – TikTok, food culture and the rise of matcha everything 
 15:30 – Why trend influence is now moving East to West 
 17:10 – How algorithms shape different trend realities for different audiences 
 18:20 – Why niche communities now drive modern trends 
 19:20 – The difference between a fad, a trend and a cultural shift 
 20:40 – How brands decide whether a trend is commercially viable 
 22:00 – The risks of entering trends too early 
 24:20 – Why New Zealand brands can be slower to adopt trends 
 26:10 – Matcha as a case study in cultural repositioning 
 29:00 – Why brands fail when they simply “make it green” 
 31:00 – Can brands actually create trends? 
 34:00 – Stanley Cups, Crocs and trend-driven brand growth 
 37:40 – Why trends should never replace long-term brand strategy 
 39:00 – McDonald’s as a masterclass in trend adaptation 
 41:00 – The rise of Asian influence on global culture and branding 
 47:45 – Practical advice for marketers on spotting trends early 
 49:00 – Why curiosity is a marketer’s greatest advantage
www.cannedmarketing.com 
Stephanie Quantrill - Linkedin
Ben Van Rooy - Linkedin

Most marketers obsess over campaigns, but forget about the battleground of the shelf. 
In this episode Steph Quantrill and Ben van Rooy sit down with Matt Grantham, Creative Director at OnFire Design, to unpack why packaging is often doing more heavy lifting than your entire media budget. From supermarket psychology to category-breaking brands, Matt brings global experience across FMCG, challenger brands, and retail design. Matt breaks down the game of retail -  survival, perception, and sales in a brutally competitive environment where you’ve got seconds to win. 
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
• Why packaging often becomes the last lever before delisting and what that reveals about brand health
 • How category codes shape consumer behaviour and when its okay to break them 
 • What drives real ROI in packaging beyond short-term sales spikes and into long-term loyalty
 • Why most packaging briefs often try to do too much and how to focus on what matters
 • How challenger brands win by owning one distinctive idea and sticking to it
Bonus Nuggets
 • The “husband test” for packaging clarity and why it’s brutally effective
 • How peanut butter went from commodity to premium through packaging and positioning
Call to Action
If your packaging had to win the sale without your marketing, would it even stand a chance?
Resources mentioned
• Stickybeak – https://www.stickybeak.co.nz

 • OnFire Design – https://www.onfiredesign.co.nz

Connect with the creators, and hosts mentioned:
• Matt Grantham – https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-grantham/

• Ben van Rooy – https://www.linkedin.com/in/benvanrooy/

• Stephanie Quantrill – https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-quantrill/

Explore more from Canned:
• Canned the Marketing Podcast: www.cannedmarketing.com

• Cue Marketing: www.cuemarketing.co.nz

• Human Digital: www.humandigital.com

Timestamps
00:00 Intro to packaging as a marketing channel
 03:30 Small budgets, big creative thinking from marketing panel
 05:00 Supermarket behaviour and unfamiliar category cues
 07:00 Meet Matt Grantham and design background
 14:00 Why brands come to designers when sales drop
 16:00 Product vs packaging and the reality of performance
 18:30 Category codes vs breaking the rules
 21:00 The ROI of packaging and loyalty effects
 23:00 The 3–5 second shelf decision
 25:00 Distinctiveness and “ugly but effective” design
 27:00 What makes a strong packaging brief
 30:00 Brand assets and visual shortcuts for consumers
 32:00 The husband test and clarity in design
 34:00 Design trends and the rise of maximalism
 36:00 Food trends shaping packaging decisions
 38:00 What marketers need to bring to the table
 41:00 Why packaging can’t do everything
 43:00 Format, structure, and physical design constraints
 45:00 FMCG vs premium packaging realities
 46:00 Closing thoughts on complexity and craft
This episode is basically a reality check for marketers. You can pour millions into media, but if the pack doesn’t earn the pick-up, you’re just funding awareness for your competitor.
www.cannedmarketing.com 
Stephanie Quantrill - Linkedin
Ben Van Rooy - Linkedin

Some brands disappear. Others just go quiet. In this episode, Steph Quantrill and Ben van Rooy unpack the real mechanics behind brand comebacks. 
From failed revivals like Georgie Pie to cultural reinventions like Old Spice and Bonds, this is a forensic look at timing, culture, and brand equity. 
The importance of knowing what to bring forward and what to leave behind.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
• Why nostalgia opens the door but doesn’t keep customers in the room
 • How dormant brand equity holds value and when it disappears
 • Where brands go wrong when they try to revive past success
 • Why relevance matters more than memory when targeting new audiences
 • How timing and culture determine whether a comeback lands or flops
Bonus Nuggets
• Why Georgie Pie proves demand doesn’t equal sustained success
 • How Bonds used Robert Irwin to engineer cultural relevance at scale
 • Why Old Spice rebuilt a category by shifting usage not just messaging
Call to Action
If your brand is fading, the question isn’t how to bring it back, it’s whether there’s anything worth bringing forward.
Resources mentioned
• Georgie Pie
 • Bonds
 • Old Spice
 • Tui
 • Allbirds
Connect with the creators, and hosts mentioned:
• Ben van Rooy – https://www.linkedin.com/in/benvanrooy/

• Stephanie Quantrill – https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-quantrill/

Explore more from Canned:
• Canned the Marketing Podcast: www.cannedmarketing.com

• Cue Marketing: www.cuemarketing.co.nz

• Human Digital: www.humandigital.com

Timestamps
00:00 Intro to comeback brands
 05:23 Coachella and brand activations
 11:33 Why comebacks are trending
 13:55 Types of brand comebacks explained
 14:34 Georgie Pie rise and failed revival
 19:14 Bonds and cultural relevance play
 23:39 Old Spice reinvention case study
 28:25 Brand equity and what actually lasts
 30:36 Why Tui struggled to revive success
 32:23 Allbirds and extreme repositioning
 35:03 Culture, timing and Y2K fashion returns
 36:32 Crocs and accidental relevance
www.cannedmarketing.com 
Stephanie Quantrill - Linkedin
Ben Van Rooy - Linkedin

Steph Quantrill and Ben van Rooy unpack one of the most overhyped and misunderstood areas in marketing, influencer marketing, or as Steph prefers, the creator economy. From Cannes trends to real-world campaigns, they explore why brands are still getting it wrong, where creators actually drive impact across the funnel, and why control is the enemy of effectiveness. If you’ve ever briefed an influencer and ended up with something painfully off-brand or overly scripted, this episode gets into the tension between creativity, trust, and results.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
 Why creators drive attention differently and what brands fail to understand about it 
 How influencer marketing works across the funnel and not just at awareness 
 Why control kills effectiveness and what marketers struggle to let go of 
 How B2B influencers and employee creators are reshaping trust 
 What separates a one-off influencer post from a real brand partnership 
Bonus Nuggets:
 Why most brands still brief influencers like TV ads and ruin the outcome 
 The rise of creators building their own brands and flipping the power dynamic 
 Why brands like Duolingo prove you can act like a creator and win 
Call to Action:
If you’re using influencers but not seeing impact, this episode will challenge whether you’re solving for control instead of trust.
Explore more from Canned:
 Canned the Marketing Podcast 
 Cue Marketing 
 Human Digital 
Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro to influencers vs creators
 02:30 – Easter recap and cultural trends
 05:00 – Nostalgia marketing and campaign examples
 10:50 – Why the creator economy matters now
 13:00 – Influencers across the funnel
 16:00 – The control vs authenticity tension
 20:00 – B2B influencers and employee creators
 23:00 – Creator examples and partnerships
 28:00 – Brand-led creator strategies
 31:00 – Long-term partnerships vs one-offs
 33:30 – Practical tips for working with creators
 37:00 – Final thoughts on trust and modern buyers
www.cannedmarketing.com 
Stephanie Quantrill - Linkedin
Ben Van Rooy - Linkedin