Two years. One million doughnut samples. And a masterclass in brand stewardship.
For National Donut Day, the Talking Marketing podcast goes behind the scenes of one of the most anticipated sweet-treat collaborations in recent history. In this exclusive episode, we sit down with Charlie Hodges(Krispy Kreme) and Shannon Salzano (Milk Bar) to unpack the strategic, messy, and brilliant realities of bringing two iconic culinary giants into the same room.
From non-traditional career pivots to the intense operational pressure of a global rollout, this conversation moves past the standard marketing playbook to look at the real tension between creative nuance and massive scale.
What you’ll learn from this episode:
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The Non-Linear Path to Brand Love: How Charlie’s journey (Chick-fil-A, J&J, Krispy Kreme) and Shannon’s path (Editor to Milk Bar Creative Director) shaped their philosophies on building consumer devotion.
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The Anatomy of a 2-Year Collaboration: A candid look at where the partnership nearly fell apart, who blinked first, and the unexpected lessons learned from managing high-stakes brand equity.
