Welcome to The Black Box of Media with Aleisha McCall—the podcast that lifts the lid on the hidden strategies behind high-performance media advertising. Each episode features top marketing experts, media buyers, and brand leaders sharing actionable tactics, insights, and real-world case studies. No fluff, no jargon—just results-driven advice to help your business cut through the noise. Whether you're a CMO, Marketing Manager, or Business Owner, this is your backstage pass to smarter advertising. Let’s unlock the Black Box of Media—and transform the way you think about advertising.
The Black Box of Media Podcast S4 E16 | ft. Jodi Murray-Freedman, Bakers Delight
Every marketer wants to build a famous brand. But what happens when almost everyone already knows who you are? The challenge changes, and it becomes about staying relevant, increasing purchase frequency and making every marketing dollar work harder.
In Season 4 Episode 16 of The Black Box of Media, Aleisha McCall sits down with Jodi Murray-Freedman, Chief Marketing Officer at Bakers Delight, one of Australia's most recognised retail brands with more than 500 bakeries across the country.
The conversation covers how Jodi turns "latent love" for the brand into visits, why the business moved to Keep It Real, how a smaller media budget can still punch above its weight against the supermarkets, and the planning system behind every campaign, from a single shared spreadsheet to the cross-functional group that keeps product, operations, marketing and supply chain aligned.
Jodi also shares the BCNA campaign that generated over $5 million in free PR, what a failed Martech roadmap taught her about marketing leading and technology enabling, why she says "don't let FOMO drive your AI strategy", and the "how we roll" exercise that helped her team define what they expect from each other.
Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.
3 Aug 2026
The CFO Expected Payback in 12 Weeks. The Capital Needed 3 Years. ft. Tanya Marler, Taylors Wines
Tanya Marler runs marketing across Taylors Wines, a brand selling close to 8 million bottles globally and one of Australia's most recognisable family-owned wineries. She has held executive roles at Lion, Nestlé and Colgate-Palmolive, with the kind of commercial literacy most CMOs were never taught.
In Episode 15, host Aleisha McCall sits down with Tanya to take apart the boardroom dynamic that has cost senior marketing teams more credibility than almost any other. The moment marketing gets treated as the first thing to cut when the budget tightens, the conversation is already lost. Tanya makes the case for what to do instead.
She walks through the CFO conflict that nearly broke a campaign strategy, the self-funding curve that compounds investment instead of depleting it, and the sequencing decisions that buy executive confidence early so the work gets the time it needs.
The conversation also covers the 18-month Taylors Wines e-commerce overhaul, why heritage brands have to choose what to fiercely protect before they evolve, the architecture between master and sub-brands, and the AI and martech investment decisions defining the next three to five years for senior marketers.
For any CMO, marketing manager or operator working the duality of in-business and on-business delivery whilst still hitting the 12-month P&L, this episode names the tension and tells you what to do with it.
20 Jul 2026
8 in 10 Stores Didn't Need More Ads. Fix the Floor, Not the Funnel. ft. Yvette Costi, Bloom's The Chemist
Eight out of ten times when a store underperforms and operations calls for more marketing spend, the problem is not footfall.
That's the diagnostic reality Yvette Costi works from as CMO of Bloom's The Chemist, and it reframes the entire conversation about what marketing leadership is actually responsible for.
In Season 3 Episode 14 of The Black Box of Media, Aleisha McCall sits down with Yvette Costi, Chief Marketing Officer at Bloom's The Chemist, a network of 130 independent pharmacy stores across Australia. Yvette operates inside one of the most complex marketing environments in retail: balancing national brand strategy with hyper-local store needs, running B2B and B2C campaigns simultaneously, presenting attribution data to a board and 150 franchise stakeholders, and diagnosing store-level performance issues before anyone calls for more spend.
The conversation covers: the two-speed B2B and B2C strategy that saw a campaign expected to generate 50 leads deliver 180. How de-identified dispensing data combined with census information reveals store-level gaps that standard marketing reports miss entirely. The attribution approach that holds up in a boardroom full of franchise store owners. And the statement Yvette makes near the end that should be the starting point for every marketing conversation: marketing exists to make businesses more money.
Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.
6 Jul 2026
96% of CMOs Say They're Transforming With AI. Only 32% Have. ft. Katrina Campbell | BBOM S3 E13
96% of CMOs say they're transforming with AI. Fewer than a third have actually rebuilt how marketing operates. That gap is the whole subject of this episode.
Katrina Campbell led AI and data transformation across some of the most complex recruitment funnels in the market, inside a highly regulated healthcare environment.
Her starting point was the part most teams skip past. You can't switch AI on. The foundation comes first, and the foundation takes the longest.
Roughly three months unifying fragmented systems into a single customer view through Salesforce Data Cloud, before a single agent went live.
Once the foundation held, the numbers followed. Contact centre time on qualification reduced by up to 50%. Conversion lifted by up to 20%. The same team, moving far more through the funnel, because the system underneath them finally worked.
This episode covers the full picture. Why marketing has to lead the data decision rather than inherit it, where AI agents create real commercial value versus where they introduce cost risk, and how marketing moves from cost centre to the growth seat alongside the CFO and CEO.
The Black Box of Media is brought to you by Ultimate Edge Communications. Hosted by Aleisha McCall.
22 Jun 2026
The Black Box of Media Podcast S3 E13 | ft. Katrina Campbell, Nucleus Network
Nucleus Network's recruitment team was processing eligibility checks one 24-minute phone call at a time.
With a funnel running between 10,000 and 20,000 leads a month, and a team that could only operate within fixed business hours, the ceiling on output was the process itself.
Katrina Campbell, EVP of Marketing and Communications at Nucleus Network, rebuilt it.
From the data layer up. She inherited a Salesforce setup running three clouds in silos with no downstream visibility, led the full Data Cloud implementation, and deployed an AI recruitment agent that brought that 24-minute call down to under 12 minutes.
Same team. Twice the capacity.
This episode covers the full journey: why marketers must lead technology decisions rather than inherit them, how Data Cloud became the operational engine for both personalisation and media targeting, where AI agents create real efficiency versus where they introduce cost risk, and how attribution works inside a funnel this complex.
The Black Box of Media is produced by Ultimate Edge Communications. Hosted by Aleisha McCall.
8 Jun 2026
The Black Box of Media Podcast S3 E12 | ft. Lauren Drummond, Sydney Fish Market
An $830 million transformation. A 35-year-old brand. A timeline controlled by a government developer. And a business that couldn't stop trading while any of it was happening.
Aleisha McCall sits down with Lauren Drummond, CMO of the Sydney Fish Market, fresh off the opening of the new Blackwattle Bay venue, to go inside what it actually takes to rebrand a heritage institution whilst keeping the commercial operation moving.
They cover the pressure of managing stakeholders across government, board, and 40-year trading floor veterans, why the decision to move early on the rebrand drew pushback and was still the right call, and what "progress over perfection" looks like when you're accountable to a board and the goalposts keep shifting.
Lauren also maps out how a CMO builds commercial acumen from scratch, and why that skill is now non-negotiable at executive level.
Leading transformation under pressure? This is the conversation for you.
25 May 2026
The acquisition loop was burning capital. Here is the reset that kept customers coming back | ft. Bernadette Olivier, The Volte + Seamlist | BBOM S3 E11
When almost every single customer is new, every sale costs you the full acquisition price. That was the reality at The Volte before the marketing strategy reset completely.
In Season 3 Episode 11 of The Black Box of Media, Aleisha McCall sits down with Bernadette Olivier, founder of The Volte and Seamlist, two companies at the front of Australia's circular fashion economy. Bernadette has been building since 2018: through COVID, through capital raises, through agency changes, and through a period where she was spending heavily on paid marketing with no real picture of what was working or why.
The conversation covers what drove the shift from almost every customer being new to over 50% of orders coming from existing ones, the marketing mistakes that came before it, why top-of-funnel investment is non-negotiable when the category you're building doesn't have search volume yet, and why Shopify's blended CAC data for Australian consumer brands should make every founder rethink what they're actually spending.
There's also the Cotton On "Resell to be Rewarded" campaign, the Hoodoo Gurus analogy that reframes how any brand should think about its existing product range, and the moment Bernadette said out loud that her marketing felt like a black box. She said it on a podcast called The Black Box of Media. She noticed.
Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.
15 Dec 2025
Differentiating in a Saturated Market
Gavin Bell discusses brand distinctiveness in competitive markets with Aleisha McCall, sharing insights on uniting legacy brands and boosting profitability in the aesthetic space, in this interview.
1 Dec 2025
Cracking the Code on Creative Consistency and Full-Funnel Strategy
Shaun Briggs, Specsavers' Director of Marketing Planning ANZ, joins Aleisha McCall to discuss full-funnel marketing strategies, revealing insights on creative consistency and smart targeting to drive business growth in this interview.
17 Nov 2025
High-Performance Marketing in a Fast-Moving World
Sarah Myers, General Manager at REA Group, discusses high-performance marketing, platform-specific strategies, and AI innovations for growth with host Aleisha McCall, offering insights into data-driven decisions and personalization in this interview episode.
3 Nov 2025
Real Estate Marketing Decoded
Host Aleisha McCall interviews Trent Sutton, CMO of Harcourts International, about real estate marketing, including SEO, data-driven decisions, and team structures, to maximize return on ad spend and business growth.
20 Oct 2025
Unlocking Hidden Drivers of Tourism Demand
Kim McConnie, Group Executive Marketing Lead at Tourism and Events Queensland, explores the hidden drivers of tourism demand and provides actionable strategies for measurable results in destination marketing, in an interview with Aleisha McCall.
17 Oct 2025
Season 02 Trailer
Host Aleisha McCall previews Season 2 of The Black Box of Media podcast, which explores the strategies used by high-performance media advertisers to achieve measurable results, in this trailer episode.
30 Jun 2025
Master Full Funnel Marketing for 10X Results
Host Aleisha McCall interviews Liana Ling about mastering full funnel marketing, sharing expert tips and optimisation strategies to achieve tenfold results in media campaigns, which helps listeners maximise return on ad spend.
16 Jun 2025
Secrets to ROI Mastery
Host Aleisha McCall interviews marketing expert Dr. Lorel Colgin about ROI mastery, sharing strategies and insights to maximize ad budgets and drive business growth, revealing how small improvements yield significant results in this interview episode.
2 Jun 2025
Scaling Your Startup Like a Pro
Stephen Deveraux-Stanford, multi-business founder, discusses scaling a startup into a well-known brand with Aleisha McCall, revealing the importance of media investment and strategic testing in this interview.
19 May 2025
Unlock High-Performance Media Strategies
Join Aleisha McCall and marketing expert Rosie Rissetto in Episode 02 of The Black Box of Media as they unlock high-performance media strategies designed to boost profitability and drive business growth.
Discover expert tips on balancing performance, brand, and innovation while mastering continuous optimisation strategies to make your ad budget work harder. Rosie shares invaluable insights from her extensive career, touching on ROAS benchmarks, smart targeting techniques, and how to win big in the attention economy.
This episode dives into actionable strategies for navigating the messy middle of the customer journey, building impactful campaigns, and fostering a test-and-learn mindset. From maximising agency partnerships to leveraging data-driven decisions while trusting intuition, this session is packed with proven techniques to fuel growth and enhance your media funnel.Whether you're a CMO, marketing manager, or business owner, this conversation delivers the tools you need to unlock growth potential and achieve measurable results.
Don’t miss out—subscribe to The Black Box of Media Podcast for more episodes featuring industry leaders and actionable strategies.
#emailmarketing #leadgeneration #marketinganalytics #data-driventactics #digitalmarketing#emailmarketing #marketinganalytics #leadgeneration #digitalmarketing #socialmediamarketing
CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro
03:26 - Balancing Brand and Performance Strategies
07:14 - Winning the Attention Battle in Marketing
11:38 - Strategies for Success in the Messy Middle
14:44 - Data vs Instinct: Trusting Numbers and Gut Feelings
20:44 - Building a Test and Learn Culture in Business
24:34 - Maximising Agency Partnerships for Growth
27:56 - Importance of Website Optimisation for Media Performance
31:10 - The Impact of One Small Change on Marketing
34:00 - Staying Ahead of the Curve in Marketing Trends
37:30 - Key Takeaways from Rosie Risetto's Insights
38:07 - Outro
5 May 2025
Unlocking AI for Marketing Success
Discover expert tips to unlock AI for marketing success in this debut episode of "The Black Box of Media Podcast," hosted by Aleisha McCall. Featuring Liana Ling, a leading authority in online marketing, this episode dives into actionable strategies for integrating AI and automation into your business to optimise ad budgets, boost profitability, and improve ROAS. Learn how to approach AI confidently, streamline workflows, and leverage tools for smarter targeting and continuous optimisation.Liana shares her insights on creating efficient testing strategies, managing overwhelm, and setting up your CRM for seamless marketing automation.
Whether you’re a CMO, marketing manager, or business owner, this episode provides practical advice to unlock growth potential and achieve measurable results. Don’t miss Aleisha McCall’s expert guidance and Liana Ling’s cutting-edge strategies to transform your media advertising efforts.
Subscribe now for more game-changing insights and actionable strategies to drive business growth and stay ahead in the evolving world of AI and media.
#aiautomationagency #leadgeneration #emailmarketing #aiautomation #marketingautomation#mediabuying #leadgeneration #emailmarketing #marketinganalytics #aitools
CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Welcome to the Blackbox of Media
01:18 - Introducing Liana Ling
03:27 - Approaching AI and Automation Strategies
09:04 - Testing Your AI Model Effectively
13:39 - AI Tools for Media Advertising and Lead Generation
19:20 - Overcoming AI Overwhelm: Getting Started
23:15 - Setting Up Your CRM for AI Integration
27:36 - Outro
28:25 - End of the Episode
24 Mar 2025
Season 01 Trailer
Unlock the secrets to media success with The Black Box of Media Podcast, hosted by Aleisha McCall and brought to you by Ultimate Edge Communications. This powerful new podcast lifts the lid on the hidden strategies behind high-performance advertising.
Launching in May, The Black Box of Media delivers bi-weekly episodes packed with expert interviews, myth-busting insights, and real-world campaign breakdowns. No jargon, no fluff—just actionable advice to help you make media work harder for your business.
From marketing managers to business owners and CMOs, this is your backstage pass to smarter, results-driven advertising.
Watch and listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Don't miss the premiere—subscribe now and stay ahead of the curve!
First episode drops 6 May. Subscribe to the podcast and don't miss a beat: https://www.ultimateedgecommunications.com.au/the-black-box-of-media-podcast/ Questions about the podcast? Connect with us at getbetterresults@ultimateedgecommunications.com.au
Who has been a guest on The Black Box of Media
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Shaun Briggs
Sarah Myers
Trent Sutton
Kim McConnie
Liana Ling
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Spotify
5.0 / 5
3 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 32 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
51
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
32
Contact The Black Box of Media
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Questions about The Black Box of Media
Who hosts The Black Box of Media?
Aleisha McCall host the show. Published by Ultimate Edge Communications.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes bi-weekly, based on its RSS feed.
Does The Black Box of Media take guests?
Yes. Guests have been identified in episode analyses.
Host of The Black Box of Media?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
