What happens when brands give creators room to be themselves? Recorded live at Advertising Week New York 2026, Rick Milenthal sits down with Barstool Sports’ SVP, Partnerships & Marketing, MB Gambke to explore how trusted personalities, passionate communities, and fast-moving partnerships bring brands into the conversation. From the spontaneous podcast ad read that sparked Pink Whitney to Chevy’s off-script connection with Pardon My Take fans, Gambke shares what makes these relationships work—and how overstuffed briefs can get in the way. They discuss fandom beyond the game, the draw of in-person experiences, and why earning a place in a community takes more than a one-time buy.

What happens when two advertising outsiders build one of the industry’s most recognizable media platforms by refusing to take the business quite so seriously?

In this episode of Engineering Brand Love, Rick and Josh Milenthal sit down with Geno Schellenberger and Jack Westerkamp, creators of Breaking & Entering, to talk about the people, personalities and creative energy that keep advertising interesting. They explore why joy matters in an industry increasingly defined by pressure and uncertainty, what younger generations really want from their careers and leaders, and why trust, honesty and the freedom to be yourself can produce better work.

The conversation also digs into Breaking & Entering’s approach to finding stories, why the most interesting advertising increasingly doesn’t look like advertising at all, and how brands can remain distinctive without reacting to every comment, trend or cultural shift. Plus, the group examines the rise of everyday creators and micro-influencers, and why the future of influence may be less about massive audiences and more about the people consumers already know and trust.

What does it take to change the perception of an entire state?

Rick Milenthal and David Grzelack sit down with Ryan Squire, VP of Marketing and Communications at JobsOhio to learn the back story on why CNBC just named Ohio the best state in the country for business – rising from number 31– just a decade ago.

Ryan shares the remarkable story behind JobsOhio’s privately funded economic development model, the strategy driving Ohio’s resurgence in manufacturing, aerospace, semiconductors and life sciences, and why marketing plays a critical role in decisions that can take companies years to make.

The conversation also goes inside the thinking behind the bold “Your Move” campaign and the power of putting people, rather than the state itself, at the center of the story. From talent attraction and community to affordability, innovation and the return of American manufacturing, Ryan explains why the stories we tell about places can ultimately help shape their future.