Adventures in Advertising

About Adventures in Advertising

Adventures in Advertising is hosted by brothers Dan and Sam Billen of Primary Color Music, a custom music house based in Kansas City. This podcast showcases various interesting characters from the ad world, and asks them hard-hitting questions, like “What was your most embarrassing moment on the job?” and “How did you get your start in advertising?” and “Tell us about some of your most hilarious moments in the ad world!” to name a few. Now that you’re here, sit back, grab a cup of coffee, and get ready for ADVENTURES IN ADVERTISING!

Publisher

Primary Color Music & The Post Haus

Category

business · comedy

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

2 Dec 2024

Latest episode

3 Mar 2025

Latest episodes

10 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   3 Mar 2025

   Episode 10: Ryan Stephens - ‘Keep on Truckin’ - or don’t’

   Fresh out of the corporate ad world (putting some serious time in with Crispin Porter + Bogusky, Leo Burnett, Ogilvy & Mather, Barkley, Vitro, SapientRazorfish, Publicis, VMLY&R) Ryan Stephens visits the Billen brothers and contemplates a new life - on the wide open road behind the wheel of a big rig. But will this really bring fulfillment after building campaigns with clients like Napster, Volcom, …lost, Matix, Oakley, RVCA, DVS, DC Shoes, és Skateboarding, Broadcast Wheels, Wend Waxworks, Ghostly International, Old Navy, Domino's Pizza, Allstate, Hallmark, DeVry University, Coca-Cola, Kellogg’s, McDonald’s, Windex, Glade, Raid, Huggies, The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, Jimmy Dean, Goodwill, Hershey’s, Cargill, Spirit Airlines, Missouri Lottery, Children’s Hospital, Applebee’s, USAA, Facebook, Vans, Alteryx, Oscar Mayer, Kraft-Heinz, Quiksilver, and The North Face? Only time will tell.

2. 

   17 Feb 2025

   Episode 9: Jon Bazata - ‘Flicks ‘n’ Disks’

   There are few video/film editors like former Flicks ‘n’ Disks employee Jon Bazata. Working on projects for big hitters like Wendy’s, New Balance, and Gatorade; Jon always makes a little extra time to do his own personal ‘creepy edit’ to be hidden away in his secret archives to one day be unleashed on the world. And when that day comes we will add the link here in the show notes.

3. 

   3 Feb 2025

   Episode 8: Kris Kennedy - ‘Reddit or Forget It’

   Kris Kennedy, Manager of Creative Strategy at Reddit, talks with brothers Sam and Dan about trips to the zoo, ‘Public Freakouts,’ and never being allowed to write a single greeting card for Hallmark. And everyone offers their hot take on the blockbuster movie Shallow Hal.

4. 

   21 Jan 2025

   Episode 7: Max Kreutzer - ‘That’s Showbiz (Pizza), Baby!’’

   Max Kreutzer, Creative Director at JNA Advertising, talks about his grandfather’s affinity for Showbiz Pizza Place and the time he lived in a retirement home in Topeka with his grandmother. Dan razzes Max for having his 40th birthday party in his suburban basement, in spite of advertising it as a ‘night out at the Comedy Club.’

5. 

   6 Jan 2025

   Episode 6: Hayato Ando - ‘Tokyo’s Got Talent’

   Hayato Ando (AKA ‘Andy’) is a Director at Tokyo-based production company P.I.C.S.. Listen to the story of Sam and Andy’s time on America’s Got Talent, and some explicit stories detailing extreme restroom mishaps and first-time gorging on Mexican food.

6. 

   16 Dec 2024

   Episode 5: Morgan Bortka (Hunter) - ‘Moped nightmare’

   A Producer at VML, Morgan brings a fresh perspective on what it takes to make it in the industry these days, and reminds us to always wear a helmet when riding a moped down a hill into a blind intersection after dark.

7. 

   2 Dec 2024

   Episode 4: Joe DeSalvo - ‘It’s all Greek to me’

   Joe DeSalvo is a Creative Director at BarkleyOKRP in Kansas City. Beyond this, Joe has shot hundreds of commercials and over 21 independent films that have screened all the way from Cannes to Sundance as a Cinematographer and Director. Maybe we can get him to share an embarrassing story if we try hard enough.

8. 

   2 Dec 2024

   Episode 3: Maggie Wasserman - ‘2 cold 2 pee’

   Maggie Wasserman holds the title of Global Executive Producer at Garmin International, but don’t let that title fool you. Maggie is as down-to-earth as it comes and has no problem sharing embarrassing stories from her travels abroad. How long could YOU hold the urge to pee in the Norwegian wilderness?

9. 

   2 Dec 2024

   Episode 2: Tom Demetriou - ‘Hot Eats, Cool Deets’

   Once the legendary voice of DQ, affectionately known to Brothers Billen as “Tommy D,” drops by the studio to share awkward tales from decades in the biz. Tom is currently Executive Creative Director at BarkleyOKRP, and oversees their Creative Accelerator program for aspiring ad world hopefuls.

10. 

    2 Dec 2024

    Episode 1: Bill Billen - 'A man so nice, they named him twice'

    Hosts Dan and Sam’s father, Bill Billen, has been in advertising since the late 70s. Bill has several patents to his name, including the one-slice pizza box and the Classic Cruiser (cardboard kids-meal container that looks like a classic car). But Bill’s career wasn’t always this glamorous, and actually began with an unbelievable tragedy. Hash tag SAF-T-SCAPE

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

3 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 20 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

27

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

32

Contact Adventures in Advertising

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.