While the tools we have at our disposal to create and share stories have never been more broad and varied, the fundamentals of great storytelling remain as transcendent as ever.
Despite the headwinds our industry faces, clients and brands will always covet companies that remain steadfast — with a steady eye on culture, an understanding of the business dynamics at hand, and a commitment to the fundamentals of what makes a great story.
Join us for compelling conversations with some of today's most influential and relevant storytellers. You’ll be inspired by their journey and learn how the power of story has transformed their brands, their companies, and their careers.
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Giant Stories is a production of Medium Giant, a full-service creative marketing agency based in Dallas and Tulsa — and a sister company to The Dallas Morning News. We believe storytelling is a beacon in the static white noise and come from a 140-year-proud tradition of storytelling and connecting people. Our team includes more than 100 creative storytellers applying our sensibility to our clients’ business acumen.
If you're interested learn more about how to use storytelling to accelerate your business velocity, visit us at MediumGiant.co
Transforming the Beauty Industry from the Inside Out — with Jennifer Masie
Transforming the Beauty Industry from the Inside OutIn this episode of Giant Stories, host John Kiker sits down with Jennifer Masie, Group Vice President of Full-Service Operations at Sally Beauty Holdings, to explore the intersection of marketing, operations, leadership, and innovation. Jennifer shares her journey from Cleveland to Dallas, her experience leading marketing initiatives at 7-Eleven, and how those experiences shaped her approach to driving transformational growth at Sally Beauty. From reimagining the retail experience and supporting professional stylists to leveraging AI for smarter decision-making, Jennifer offers a candid look at what it takes to lead large-scale organizations in rapidly changing industries. Along the way, she discusses the importance of curiosity, authentic leadership, customer-centric thinking, and empowering teams to succeed. Whether you’re a marketer, operator, or business leader, Jennifer’s insights on balancing strategy, execution, and people development provide valuable lessons for navigating growth and change.
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6 Apr 2026
Leading a Beloved Brand Through Change — With Southwest Airlines’ Julia Melle
In this episode of Giant Stories, host John Kiker sits down with Julia Melle, Director of Brand and Content at Southwest Airlines, to discuss what it means to steward one of the most beloved brands in America through a moment of transformation.Julia shares her journey from agency creative to in-house brand leader — with career stops at Leo Burnett, Publicis, and The Richards Group — and explains how those experiences shaped her approach to storytelling, brand architecture, and customer insight.From helping bring Southwest’s iconic personality back to life to navigating major shifts like the airline’s move to assigned seating, Julia discusses the balance between honoring brand heritage and evolving to meet modern customer expectations. Along the way, she reflects on the evolving role of creative leaders, the power of data-informed storytelling, and why the most meaningful brand stories often come from the people behind the brand.
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2 Feb 2026
What Brain Health Can Teach Us — With Laura Bloom Gordon
In this episode of Giant Stories, seasoned marketer Laura Bloom Gordon shares how her career journey — spanning global brands, major retailers, and media organizations — has shaped the way she communicates one of the most complex subjects in the world: brain health.As the Chief Marketing Officer at Center for BrainHealth, she talks about how science becomes a story, how data becomes meaning, and how communicating brain health ultimately requires the same tools great brands use: clarity, emotional resonance, accessibility, and courage.She also breaks down — beautifully and practically — how every person can strengthen their brain, improve cognitive reserve, and rethink what’s possible at any age.Episode highlights include:How Laura’s career-long thread of innovation and transformation informs her current roleThe transformational power of brand-building — and how scrappiness can be a superpowerWhy compassion is one of the most powerful brain enhancersThe surprising, simple daily habits that measurably strengthen your brain — and how to “think about how you think”
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12 Sept 2025
Storytelling that Sells and Serves — with Natalie Yancy
From the enduring value of print to the rising role of AI in marketing, Natalie unpacks the tools, tactics, and truths behind modern media — and why authenticity, relevance, and community connection will always matter most.
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16 Aug 2025
Signs, Strategy, and Storytelling: Inside Tire Discounters’ Unique Brand Voice — with Crissy Niese
In this episode of Giant Stories, we sit down with Crissy Niese, the Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer of Tire Discounters, to explore how a Cincinnati-based, family-owned company has grown from a one-bay garage into one of the nation’s largest independent tire and automotive service chains.
Episode highlights include:
The origins of Tire Discounters and its family-owned ethos
Why storytelling is the foundation of Tire Discounters’ brand strategy
The surprising power of humor and humanity in a traditionally “unsexy” industry
Creating brand equity through cheeky signage, radio jingles, and character-driven ads
How Tire Discounters brings employees and customers into the brand narrative
Turning a transactional industry into a relationship-driven business
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14 Jul 2025
Built by Locals, Made for the World: The Heart Behind the Dallas Rebrand — with Jennifer Walker
In this episode of Giant Stories, host John Kiker sits down with Jennifer Walker, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Visit Dallas, for an honest, insightful, and energizing look at how a bold brand transformation is reshaping how the world sees Dallas — and how Dallas sees itself.
Jennifer and her team are on a mission: take Dallas from a city with strong name recognition but low tourism consideration and turn it into a top-tier global destination. This is more than a logo or a campaign — it’s a unifying story rooted in people, culture, innovation, and swagger.
You’ll hear how Visit Dallas’ “Can-Do” brand was built from the inside out, beginning with robust community input, strategic storytelling, and a vision for long-term economic and emotional impact.
From spotlighting local luminaries and telling good stories, to preparing for FIFA and shaping how international visitors experience Dallas, this episode is a must-listen for brand builders, city leaders, and anyone curious about how bold ideas can become intentional brand movements.
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25 Apr 2025
Helmets Off: How the NFL is Winning with Global Storytelling — with Marissa Solis
In this episode of Giant Stories, we sit down with one of today’s most dynamic marketing leaders, Marissa Solis, Senior Vice President of Global Brand and Consumer Marketing for the NFL.
From transforming fan engagement to expanding the NFL’s global reach, Marissa shares how one of America’s most iconic brands continues to evolve through the power of storytelling.
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26 Mar 2025
Bringing the FIFA World Cup to North Texas — with Monica Paul
Episode highlights include:
A behind-the-curtain look at the bid process for hosting the FIFA World Cup
How North Texas positioned itself as a prime location for the event — and what makes its sports culture unique
The impact of bringing global audiences to North Texas and the massive infrastructure efforts needed to prepare for the World Cup
The economic and cultural impact of hosting nine matches in the metroplex — and the collaboration required between cities
A sneak peek into the plans for FIFA World Cup fan festivals, concerts, and immersive experiences
How major sporting events leave a lasting legacy in the community and why Dallas is already thinking ahead to a future Women’s World Cup bid
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26 Feb 2025
Defining the Storytelling Edge — with Medium Giant’s Shawn Kruggel and Lizzy Bakhaus
Episode highlights include:
The Foundations of Great Storytelling: What makes a brand story compelling, and why authenticity is key.
Medium Giant’s Storytelling Framework: The unique exploration of critical context to earned ending.
The Role of AI in Creativity: When to embrace automation and when human insight matters most.
Reach vs. Resonance: How brands can balance data-driven tactics with emotional connection.
The Future of Storytelling in Marketing: Emerging trends in brand ecosystems, influencer marketing, and strategic consulting.
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23 Jan 2025
From Convenience to Pop Culture: How 7-Eleven Tells Its Story — with Marissa Jarratt
Episode highlights include:
The accidental way Marissa fell in love with brand marketing after initially pursuing a career in finance
The story framework that 7-Eleven uses in all its marketing, communications, programming, development, and partnerships
Why “conflict” is so important to brand storytelling — and how 7-Eleven activates the brand’s conflict of amusing vs. essential
How launching a Slurpee into space showcased just one way 7-Eleven contextualizes its marketing to its audiences
The role of “car culture” in 7-Eleven marketing — and what they learned from their fans
How 7-Eleven approaches sustainability for the short-term and long-term future
The three ways that 7-Eleven is navigating Generative AI
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21 Jan 2025
The Real Deal: Why Authentic Storytelling Matters for Brands — with Paige Guzman
In this episode, Paige shares her brand experience and insights with John Kiker, president of Medium Giant, including:
The origin stories behind brands like Lagunitas and Mezzetta — and why authenticity matters
How to appeal to consumers emotionally and deliver content that makes an impact
Why brands birthed in boardrooms can be more challenging to build stories around
The challenges of finding influencers who have a meaningful connection with the brand
Where she sees a huge opportunity for unfulfilled stories in the market
Her predictions for how storytelling will evolve over the next five years
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14 Dec 2024
How 105 Moons Sparked the Importance of Every Individual’s Story and Truth in Leadership — with Jackie Insinger
Jackie Insinger shares her leadership insights on leveraging diverse perspectives, psychological safety, and authenticity to drive innovation, growth, and success in today's VUCA world.
27 Nov 2024
From Pizza Coupons to PCs: How Insights Drive Stories – with Lance Hill
Lance Hill, founder of Giant Stories, explores the art and science of storytelling with Medium Giant President John Kiker, uncovering the power of authenticity and creativity in marketing.
19 Nov 2024
From The Gap to Bay Club: Why It’s Important to “Keep it Real” – with Tracy Cioffi
In this episode, Tracy sits down with John Kiker, president of Medium Giant, to discuss:
How her time at The Gap, Sur la Table, and more shaped her perception of brand story — and its importance
The specific qualities she looks for when she’s telling brand stories
How she “keeps it real” at Bay Club
ay Club’s unique approach to connecting with members of all ages — and what other brands can learn from it
How she sees storytelling evolving — why she actually hopes it slows down
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30 Oct 2024
Building Real Stories from the Ground Up – with Joan Cetera
In this episode, Joan shares with John Kiker, president of Medium Giant:
How she parlayed her experience from highly palatable food at Frito-Lay to heavy-duty machinery at Caterpillar
How Caterpillar’s brand story has built a name for itself in our culture — right down to actor Ryan Gosling’s cap in The Fall Guy
Why a compelling “story arc” is essential for good brand storytelling
Why it’s important to get employees excited about their company’s story — and how to do it
Why homing in on humor and moments of joy can be a game changer in storytelling
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17 Oct 2024
How a Newsroom Thinks About Storytelling – with Katrice Hardy
In this episode, Katrice shares with John Kiker, president of Medium Giant:
What makes a great story from the perspective of an editor
How the multifaceted nature of storytelling formats can be used to meet people where they are
The surprising correlation between journalism and advertising when it comes to storytelling
Why it’s so important to bring light to stories that would otherwise go untold
How journalistic storytelling is going to evolve over the next decade
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7 Oct 2024
Elevating the Stories of Black Creators — with Justin Adu
In this episode, Justin sits down with John Kiker, president of Medium Giant, to share:
The impact of a people-first approach and how it can bring underrepresented stories to life
Why having diverse voices across every storytelling platform is important
The elements that make for an attention-grabbing, authentic brand story
Why outside-the-box thinking and taking risks is worth it
How agency collaboration — in and out of the office — is a game changer
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6 Oct 2024
The Magic of Turning Wishes Into Stories – with Kim Elenez
In this episode, Kim sits down with John Kiker, president of Medium Giant, to share:
Why authenticity is fundamental to a brand story that has staying power
Her “bite, snack, meal” approach to storytelling
How micro-moments and unthinkable realities can create extraordinary stories
Her perspective for breaking through the clutter and noise
Powerful takeaways from wishes granted
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Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
3 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 23 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
34
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
32
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