Shows
Advertising in AmericaDiscounts, Data, and Delusion: Rethinking ValpakIs Valpak a relic of desperate discounting… or a misunderstood tool hiding in plain sight?In this episode of Advertising in America, the team takes on one of the most polarizing marketing channels out there—the infamous envelope of coupons. Is it junk mail destined for the trash, or a strategic weapon when used correctly?Chris Torbay fires the first shot, dismantling Valpak as a brand-killing, bargain-bin tactic that attracts the wrong customer at the worst possible moment. But Mick Torbay pushes back hard, arguing that no media is inherently broken—only the strategy behind it.
2026-04-3037 minAdvertising in AmericaThe Quiet Power of Luxury BrandingLet’s get one thing straight: Luxury isn’t about price.It’s about patience. Identity. Emotion. And telling a story so compelling that people justify the purchase to themselves.In Episode 26 of Advertising in America, Ryan Chute, Mick Torbay, Chris Torbay, and special guests Christina Gressianu and Vi Wickam unpack the real mechanics of luxury branding and why it’s nothing like the marketing most businesses are used to.They break down the difference between internally and externally triggered purchases, explain why luxury brands must eliminate desperation at all costs, and reveal why the...
2026-02-0551 minAdvertising in AmericaAd Fraud Isn’t a Glitch. It’s a Business Model.Let’s be honest, ad fraud isn’t a glitch in the system. It is the system.In this episode of Advertising in America, Ryan Chute, Mick Torbay, Chris Torbay, Vi Wickam, and Christina Gressianu pull the curtain back on the dirty economics of digital advertising. From bot traffic and fake clicks to AI expansion that floods your campaigns with people who were never going to buy.They explain why Google and social platforms are financially incentivized to let some fraud slip through, how display networks and audience expansion quietly multiply waste, and why most dash...
2026-01-0846 min
Monday Morning RadioVeteran Strategist Monica Ballard on Why Authenticity Outperforms Polished Brand CampaignsMonica Ballard knows why so many marketing campaigns fail. It's not for lack of clever slogans, talented spokespeople, or catchy jingles. Surprisingly, the cause is trying to project "perfection" rather than authenticity, which includes acknowledging the struggles and risks inherent in running a business. Monica is a veteran marketing strategist, storyteller, and one of the elite Wizard of Ads Partners. Drawing on her background in theater, radio, and live performance, Monica explains why empathy and emotional honesty create bonds with customers and prospects that no discount or gimmick ever could.
2026-01-041h 06Advertising in AmericaRebranding: When Panic Wears a New LogoLet’s be honest, rebrands aren’t acts of courage. Most of the time, they’re acts of panic. Or worse… vanity projects dressed up as strategy.In Episode 24 of Advertising in America, Ryan Chute, Chris Torbay, and Mick Torbay take a hard look at rebranding, why it’s so often suggested, why it’s so frequently wrong, and how it quietly destroys the trust brands spend years building.They unpack the uncomfortable truth that companies don’t own their brands, the customers do. That logos don’t carry meaning, memories do. And that changing everything becau...
2025-12-1839 minAdvertising in AmericaMarketing Myths That Just Won’t Die And the Truth That Will Save YouLet’s be honest—marketing myths aren’t harmless little white lies. They’re stealthy budget-eaters, reputation-robbers, and strategy-warpers that make good brands do dumb things.In Episode 23 of Advertising in America, Ryan Chute, Chris Torbay, and Mick Torbay pull back the curtain on the most expensive misconceptions in marketing—from chasing perfect attribution to thinking cheap production is a shortcut to success—and lay bare the truth about what actually drives results.They dismantle the dangerous belief that reach beats frequency, expose why DIY media buying rarely works, and explain why excellence isn’t a luxury—it’s...
2025-12-0433 minAdvertising in AmericaHow to Ruin a Campaign in 30 Seconds or LessLet’s be honest—most marketing fails aren’t spectacular explosions. They’re slow, silent assassinations carried out by lazy writing, clueless assumptions, and business owners who think “quality, service, selection” is a personality.In this episode of Advertising in America, Ryan Chute, Chris Torbay, and Mick Torbay break open the vault of tragic (and hilarious) marketing disasters—from Chevy’s “Nova” debacle to Subway’s catastrophic Jared endorsement—and extract the lessons every smart advertiser should tattoo on their forehead.They dismantle the false belief that great ideas travel universally, warn against putting your reputation...
2025-11-2032 min
Monday Morning RadioVi Wickam's Keys to Digital Marketing Supremacy: Authenticity and AlignmentVisitors to a Vi Wickam-crafted website may not immediately see what sets it apart from an ordinary e-commerce or informational site. But they feel it. They stay longer, engage more deeply, and are far more likely to become — and remain — loyal customers. A master of the digital domain, Vi is among the elite global Wizard of Ads Partners, celebrated for more than two decades of helping business owners achieve remarkable revenue growth. Whether optimizing keywords, managing pay-per-click campaigns, or reimagining a company's web presence, Vi takes a holistic approach that goes far beyond surf...
2025-11-1057 minAdvertising in AmericaAI, The New Yellow PagesThey said AI would change everything. It did—just not the way you think.This week on Advertising in America, Ryan Chute, Chris Torbay, and Mick Torbay dissect the hysteria around AI search, SEO panic, and why your competitors are about to burn their marketing budgets chasing algorithms that don’t care about them.Because here’s the dirty little secret: AI doesn’t make people change their minds—it just helps them justify the ones they already had.Episode Highlights:Why AI is just the Yellow Pages in a shinier suitHow “fast-talking...
2025-11-0636 minAdvertising in AmericaLead Generation vs. Branding: How to Win the Marketing WarStep into the smoke-filled boardrooms of Madison Avenue with Advertising in America. Ryan Chute, Mick Torbay, and Chris Torbay pull no punches as they debate the most expensive myth in marketing: the “perfect lead.”Episode Highlights:Why chasing the “Glengarry leads” could bankrupt your business.The dangerous illusion of digital targeting and search intent.Why brand-building beats hyper-targeting every single time.The real math behind reach, frequency, and cost efficiency.How messaging, not media, is the ultimate form of targeting.👉 Question for you: Do you believe in the mythical “perfect lead,” or is mass medi...
2025-10-0237 min
Monday Morning RadioMick Torbay Will Change the Way You Think About Marketing ForeverMick Torbay has a simple verdict on most advertising campaigns: they don't work. "Most ads are rubbish," he declares. "They accomplish nothing, they waste people's time, and they waste peoples' money. When the commercial break comes on, people stand up and go to the bathroom or turn the volume down." It's harsh, but accurate nonetheless. Ads created by Mick, on the other hand, are the kind that inspire listeners and viewers to turn up the volume, talk about the spots with family and friends, and remain lodged in their brains until...
2025-09-0652 minAdvertising in AmericaChampagne Taste, Shoestring Budget: TV Ads on the CheapWhat happens when you think your TV commercial says “premium brand,” but everyone watching hears “discount furniture warehouse”?In this no-BS episode, Ryan Chute teams up with Ad Wizards Mick Torbay and Chris Torbay to tackle one of advertising’s most expensive delusions: believing you can look like Budweiser on a budget better suited for Honest Al’s Used Cars.From Apple’s minimalist “I’m a Mac” spots to Restoration Hardware’s six-figure polish, the crew pulls apart why cheap production isn’t just a bad look—it’s a bad signal. They reveal how “average” ad...
2025-08-2827 minAdvertising in AmericaDiamonds, Drains, and the Danger of Over-EducationWhat happens when you think you’re selling diamonds, but your customers are actually buying a moment?In this tell-it-like-it-is episode, Ryan Chute sits down with Ad Wizards Mick Torbay and Chris Torbay to dismantle one of the most common—and costly—mistakes in business: confusing what you do with what you really sell.From jewellers obsessed with gemology to plumbers keeping “No Poop on the Floor,” they unpack why clarity beats cleverness, why over-educating your customers is killing your ads, and how identity—n...
2025-08-1433 minAdvertising in AmericaMan vs. Machine: Should AI Write Your Ads?What happens when you pit human copywriters against AI? In this no-holds-barred episode, Ryan Chute referees as ad Wizards Mick Torbay and Chris Torbay duke it out over whether AI is the future of advertising—or just another way to make mediocre ads faster.From Budweiser frogs to Old Spice horses, they reveal why AI can only remix old ideas while humans invent the unforgettable. But they also admit: sometimes, "middlest" ads are all you need. The boys go toe-to-toe over perhaps the biggest question in modern marketing: Should AI be writing your ad copy? 🚨S...
2025-07-1742 min
Advertising in AmericaOh, But My Company is DifferentGrab your fedora and pour yourself a stiff one—this episode of Advertising in America is going to rattle your Rolodex. We’re peeling back the velvet curtain on what really separates memorable brands from the forgettable wannabes. The million-dollar question? Are you different… or are you distinctive?Episode Highlights: We’re Unique!” — Yawn: Mick calls out the copycats. Being “fun” or “caring” isn’t special—it’s expected. Real distinction means finding what only you can say.Chris Torbay’s Reality Check: Most brands mistake table stakes for selling points. Chris shows you ho...
2024-12-0528 min
Wizard of Ads Monday Morning MemoPorcupi and RhinoceriA weak ad attempts to make too many points, and none of them very powerfully.A weak ad is a bloated little porcupine.A great ad drives a single point through one side of your house and out the other with all the momentum of a freight train. A powerful ad is a charging rhinoceros.The world is covered in porcupine ads. They waddle slowly across your television screen. They crawl out of your radio like termites. Their dead carcasses are displayed on billboards along the highways. You stumble over them wherever you...
2024-01-1505 minWizard of Ads Monday Morning MemoYou Don’t Need Authority to be a LeaderAuthority can be given to a person. Leadership cannot.People with authority often have no followers.People with followers often have no authority.Leaders require no authority. They say, ‘This is what I’ve decided to do.’ And then they do it. Others see them doing it and decide to follow.On Tuesday I was on the phone to my friend Manley Miller in New Orleans when he said,“No one wants to be a leader anymore. Everyone wants to be a commentator. You want to know how to identify...
2022-12-1904 min
Let's Vent PodcastE: 65 - Michael Torbay w/ Torbay Partners - How to Create Successful Creative Strategies withSend us Fan MailIn this week’s episode, we are joined by Michael Torbay. He started his career as a musician and a jingle-writer. Today, he is the creative director of Torbay Partners and a Partner Wizard of Ads, where they abandon the traditional ad agency model and introduce the Wizard of Ads Partner model. This model states that their benefit to the client is in how well the project delivers results, not the amount of hours they spent on the project itself. Michael’s unique approach of creating copies for clients is a thing of b...
2022-03-301h 18
The Empire Builders Podcast#002: HBO MagicThe method that HBO uses to create Emmy Award winning shows and how you can apply this to have the best advertisements on the planet. I can guarantee you Ridley Scott would agree.
David Young:
Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners, the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector and, storyteller. I’m Steven’s sidekick and business partner, Dave Young. Before we get into today’s episode, a word from our sponsor, which is… well it’s us! But we’...
2021-06-2311 min
Wizard's Roundtable | Marketing Secrets from Wizard of AdsHow Businesses Survive a DownturnWizard of Ads Partners Johnny Molson, Dave Young, and Mick Torbay talking about pivots you can make right now and a look at past downturns in the economy and what we can learn from those experiences. We'll also make a quick edit on a commercial sent in by a viewer.In this episode:Johnny Molson (johnnymolson@wizardofads.com)Dave Young (daveyoung@wizardofads.com)Mick Torbay (michaeltorbay@wizardofads.com)www.wizardofads.orgwww.molsonpartners.com
2020-04-2020 min
Wizard of Ads Monday Morning MemoHow, Then, Should We Advertise?The average person is afraid of criticism.But the person who has no fear of criticism is more likely to succeed. This lack of fear is what keeps them from being average.The average business owner is afraid their ads will be criticized.Do you want to kill a great ad? Show it to the people you trust.In the words of my partner Mick Torbay,“You need to understand something: the committee is not evil. The committee doesn’t want you to fail. The committee has nothing but good i...
2019-01-0706 min
Republic Of Avalon RadioROAR-2006-01-20 - Episode 26 - The ROAR In ReviewROAR-2006-01-20 - Episode 26 - The ROAR In Revue
This week on the ROAR:
A special intro, greetings from Nancy in B.C., Bea in Baltimore, Jay in L.A. and Anne in Philly, our usual intro, a special sit-in
welcome by Eddie Mailbag, show dedication to future listeners, dodging the hotdog cart, the Guinness World Book record
for most accordians playing a tune together, greetings from Linday Ferguson, http://www.lindsayferguson.com.
Jim being asked to do a nude pose for a calandar, a ride in a 1969 Lotus with Graham Dillabough, Joke Of The Week, an
exerpt from...
2014-01-281h 58