Shows
Sticky Note Marketing with Mary CzarneckiHow to Break Through on Social (Even If Your Brand Isn’t Magical): Expert Insights from Eric GrayIn this episode of the Sticky Note Marketing Show, host Mary Czarnecki welcomes social content expert Eric Gray. Eric shares his extensive experience in building engagement-driven brands, highlighting his journey from EA Sports to Universal Parks and Resorts, and now Maverick Content Studio. Learn how Eric developed Universal's immersive social media strategy, scaled teams, and brought magical experiences to life. He also provides actionable insights for legacy brands to create meaningful, story-led content, even in less 'sexy' industries. From discussing case studies to giving practical advice on staying current in the ever-evolving social media landscape, this episode is a...
2025-12-0924 min
Radical ContentMarriott Head of Content reveals how big travel brands scale content teamsIn this episode of Radical Content, I sit down with Annie Granatstein of Marriott International to break down how one of the world’s biggest travel brands approaches storytelling at scale. We talk about her journey from journalism to The Washington Post to overseeing massive global content programs, including award-winning Amazon Prime series that reached more than 20 million viewers. Annie shares how Marriott builds strategy, solves business problems with storytelling, and balances long-form content with fast-moving social. If you want to learn how top brands create meaningful stories that drive real results, this conversation is packed with insights you ca...
2025-12-0841 minRadical ContentHow To Keep People Watching Your Content (Every Social Pro Should Do This)In this episode, I break down the exact four-part framework I use to hold attention, increase retention, and 10x video performance across every platform. After 18 years of creating content for EA SPORTS, Universal, and major brands, I’ve learned that great content isn’t magic, it’s science. I walk you through the hook, the story, re-engagement, and the payoff, and show you how each step influences the algorithm. If you want your audience to watch longer, learn more, and take action, this episode gives you the blueprint. What You’ll Learn in This Episode:How to e...
2025-11-2405 minRadical Content3 Content Rules That Get Your Brand Millions of Views (No One’s Talking About)In this video, I'm sharing 3 content rules brands ignore that unlock millions of views, so you can grow faster without ads. Drawing on 15 years building Fortune 500 social teams at EA Sports and Universal Parks, I show you how to nail your niche, elevate ideas, and create platform-native videos that retain viewers. Ideal for brand leaders and social managers searching for content strategy, viral growth, storytelling, retention, platform tactics, and POV-led marketing. What You’ll Learn in This Episode:How to apply the content rules that reliably drive millions of viewsHow to write a Persona Mis...
2025-11-1810 minRadical ContentWe Tried & Ranked Every YouTuber ProductCreators like MrBeast, Logan Paul, Emma Chamberlain, and Ryan Trahan aren’t just influencers they are running full-blown media companies. In this episode of Radical Content, I’m ranking and taste-testing their products like Prime, Feastables, Chamberlain Coffee, and Joyride. All while breaking down what brands can learn from how these creators build connection, community, and attention online.If you lead social or brand strategy, this episode will show you why creator-led marketing is rewriting the playbook and how you can apply the same storytelling power to your own brand.What You’ll Learn in This E...
2025-10-2022 minRadical ContentAI Won't Fix Your ContentThere’s a lot of noise about AI replacing creatives, but the truth is, it’s only replacing the lazy ones. In this episode, I break down how social media and content professionals can actually use AI to get better, not worse. From research and ideation to scaling smarter (without losing your originality), this episode is part wake-up call, part playbook for what’s next.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:How to use AI as a mindset coach, creative spark, and content organizerWhy lazy prompts lead to lazy results (and how to fix them)The bigg...
2025-10-1524 minRadical ContentFrom Stranger to Superfan: The 6 Stages Every Brand Needs to Know I’ve spent 20 years helping brands figure out how to build something bigger than reach or clicks—fans. In this episode, I’m breaking down the Fan Building Blueprint: the exact stages people move through on their way from stranger to superfan.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:The 6 stages every fan goes through (and how to spot them)Why loyalty and advocacy matter more than impressionsReal examples of how brands are activating fandomHow you can take this blueprint and apply it to your own business👀 Watch this with your team.📩 Share it...
2025-10-0621 minRadical ContentTop 5 Socials | Fast Food Chicken RestaurantsIn this episode of Radical Content, Eric Gray and the crew finally settle one of the most important debates in marketing: Which fast food chicken brand rules social media?What You’ll Learn in This Episode:Which chicken chains are winning on social (and why).How Chick-fil-A plays it safe while KFC takes bold swings.The role of influencers, collabs, and cultural moments in driving reach.Why Raising Cane’s is building fandom like a startup.Lessons any brand can steal to level up their own socials👀 Watch this with your team.📩 Share it with yo...
2025-10-0319 minRadical ContentWhy the NFL Social Just Gets itFootball season is here, but I’m not just watching the games, I am watching the content. In this episode, I break down how the Minnesota Vikings and Atlanta Falcons are turning their teams into full-blown media companies. From humanizing players to giving fans behind-the-scenes access, they’re rewriting the playbook for storytelling. And trust me, every brand leader can learn something from the NFL’s approach.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:Why the NFL has become a 365-day content machineHow the Vikings use the “helmets off” strategy to humanize their starsThe Falcons’ bold move to share...
2025-09-0818 minRadical ContentI Discovered Dick’s Sporting Goods Marketing PlaybookI just discovered Dick’s Sporting Goods’ big marketing secret and it’s not what you think. They’ve built their own storytelling studio and are investing in documentaries that hit way deeper than ads. In this episode, I break down why that works and what we can learn from it. If you run social or brand strategy, this one will get you thinking bigger.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:Why Dick’s Sporting Goods launched a storytelling studio.How documentaries drive brand growth and loyalty.The power of long-form stories vs. quick ads.Common mista...
2025-09-0117 minRadical ContentHow John Deere Went Viral on Social MediaThink a tractor company can’t win on social media? Think again. In this episode of Radical Content, I dive deep into how John Deere (100-year-old brand) is creating some of the most entertaining, audience-first content online. I break down their three-part content strategy: human storytelling that puts customers at the center, “entertainment with purpose” that turns everyday posts into shareable moments, and product-as-character marketing that brings machinery to life. From The Furrow magazine in 1895 to TikTok in 2025, John Deere shows us that no matter your industry, you can tell stories people want to follow. If they can make farmin...
2025-08-1814 minRadical ContentWhy Does Buc-ees NOT have a Youtube Channel?What if Buc-ee’s launched a YouTube channel?In this episode, I walk you through exactly how I’d turn one of the most beloved (and bizarre) brands in America into a YouTube powerhouse. This isn’t just a fun “what if” exercise. It’s a blueprint any brand can adapt to build audience, drive advocacy, and own their category.Using my 3-part content framework—Craze, Experience, Fans—I break down how to:Create hero content that builds buzz and gets people talkingProduce mid-funnel videos that educate while entertainingCapture and share fan stories to spark advocacyUs...
2025-08-1119 minRadical ContentTSA Says Keep Shoes On | Unless They're CROCS?!It’s time for Content of the Month! Our roundup of the boldest, smartest, most scroll-stopping brand moves out there. From Tampa Airport roasting Crocs (and Crocs clapping back) to a billion-dollar water brand starting beef with iced tea, we break down what worked, why it worked, and what you can learn from it. These are the moments that earned attention and teach us how to create content that connects.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:Why humor and risk-tolerance are brand superpowersHow to hijack boring announcements and turn them into viral contentWhat it looks like...
2025-08-0417 minRadical ContentHere's Why Patagonia is a Billion Dollar BrandWhat happens when a brand actually knows who they are? In this episode of Radical Content, we break down how Patagonia turns purpose into powerful storytelling from high-end documentaries to everyday content that builds real loyalty. Plus, we spotlight bold moves from Heinz and Dove that prove emotional connection always wins. If you're leading brand, content, or social and want to trade performative purpose for the real thing. Hit play. What You’ll Learn:Why brand purpose is the missing piece in most content strategiesHow Patagonia uses storytelling to drive deep...
2025-07-2427 minRadical ContentHere's Why Patagonia is a Billion Dollar BrandWhat happens when a brand actually knows who they are? In this episode of Radical Content, we break down how Patagonia turns purpose into powerful storytelling from high-end documentaries to everyday content that builds real loyalty. Plus, we spotlight bold moves from Heinz and Dove that prove emotional connection always wins. If you're leading brand, content, or social and want to trade performative purpose for the real thing. Hit play. What You’ll Learn:Why brand purpose is the missing piece in most content strategiesHow Patagonia uses storytelling to drive deep...
2025-07-2138 minRadical ContentThe Best 2025 Social Hack for EVERY BrandWhat You’ll Learn in This Episode:✔ Why most content teams burn out (and how to fix it)✔ How content programming helps you scale without adding stress✔ The best way to get buy-in from executives and stakeholders✔ How to stop being seen as “just the social person” and start leading strategy This is for anyone working in social media, content marketing, or brand leadership who’s tired of doing too much with too little — and ready to lead smarter. 📬 Subscribe to the Radical Content News...
2025-07-0726 minRadical ContentDiagon Alley Launch: The Social Strategy That Won Over LeadershipIn this episode, I take you inside one of the biggest moments of my career: how I convinced leadership, built a team from scratch, and launched Universal’s first-ever social media engagement center for the opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ Diagon Alley. I share the strategies, challenges, and lessons from that experience. Its crazy how one big idea changed my career and helped prove the power of social media to a major brand. What You’ll Learn:How to build a social media engagement center for a major brand launchTips for getting...
2025-06-2331 minRadical ContentSocial Deserves a Seat at the Table (Here’s the Proof)It’s been two years since I walked away from corporate and built Maverick from the ground up — and in that time, one thing has become painfully clear: brands are still getting social media wrong.In this episode, I go off on why most corporate content strategies fail, what it really takes to earn trust and investment from leadership, and how social teams can stop being underestimated. I break down 7 reasons brands underinvest in content, share what I learned pitching execs at Universal, and explain why “just do ads” isn’t a real strategy.You will also...
2025-06-0928 min
Radical Content100M Views. No Product. Just Content. What Brands Can Learn from Visit Las VegasWhat do you get when a tourism board starts outperforming top-tier brands on social media? A masterclass in content strategy. In this episode of Radical Content, Eric breaks down how Visit Las Vegas is pulling off jaw-dropping numbers—over 100M views—without selling a product. From creator partnerships and rapid-fire content production to social-first campaigns that actually convert, we explore why this team is years ahead of the competition.You’ll also hear about:Why Diary of a CEO turned down a $100M podcast dealHow Dr. Seuss is quietly crushing meme culture on InstagramWhat NBA teams can te...
2025-05-2622 min
The Jody Maberry ShowRemaining RelevantEric Gray, the founder of Maverick Content Studio, returns to ask me a few unscripted, unexpected questions. His first one got right to the point: "What's a surprising thing you learned about Disney executives? There challenges many of us face in staying relevant, both in our personal and professional lives. The surprising yet relatable journey they go through in feeling relevant after leaving their high-impact roles. I shared an amusing anecdote about Dan Cockrell's encounter at Disney's stables that perfectly encapsulates this experience.\ Next, Eric switched gears and asked about the book I've gifted the m...
2024-10-3007 minThe Jody Maberry ShowCreating Radical Content"Create interesting valuable content and invite people in to participate. That's the community side that will build an audience. And when you build an audience you can do anything because they know, like, and trust you. Leaving a "dream job" for the unknown can be daunting, but it can also be the most fulfilling decision you'll ever make. When Eric Gray left his "dream job" as the Senior Director of Content Innovation and Fan Engagement at Universal Studios to start Maverick Content Studio, it wasn't because it was easy or an obvious choice. The decision was emotionally t...
2024-10-2334 min
Marketing Happy HourEstablishing Credibility with Your Audience | Eric Gray of Maverick Content StudioWe're excited to introduce you to Eric Gray, Founder and CEO of Maverick Content Studio. In this episode, we walk through the key elements of successful storytelling, common mistakes brands make in creating content, how to establish credibility and trust with your audience, and Eric's best advice for social media and marketing professionals looking to make a real impact in their roles.
About Eric Gray: Eric started his career behind the scenes in sports radio, but his knack for storytelling and connecting with audiences soon led him into the world of brand storytelling. He's...
2024-04-0233 min
Radical ContentHow B2B Content is CRUSHING B2C with Kari Homan | Ep 05Chapters00:00 Introduction and Background01:47 The Intersection of Digital and Content03:13 The Power of Digital and Content04:24 T-Mobile's Bold Branding07:34 Content Collaboration with the Kardashians09:06 The Role of Digital and Content in Brand Building11:28 Challenges in Embracing Digital and Content13:13 The Importance of Engagement in Marketing15:05 B2B vs. B2C in Embracing New Marketing Mechanisms17:19 Zendesk's Content Strategy21:00 Injecting Personality into the Brand23:00 The Zendesk Alternative Band25:30 Analyzing Content Performance27:54 Changing...
2024-03-1534 minRadical ContentQVC Transformed Their Brand With Content and Influencers | Ep 04In this episode of Radical Content, Heather Brinckerhoff, QVC's Head of Brand Social Media, chats with Eric Gray. They delve into QVC's brand evolution, with a focus on targeting the 50+ female audience. The discussion covers leveraging hosts as influencers, the art of storytelling in social and digital platforms, QVC's approach to TikTok and short-form content, and the intricacies of managing content production and ensuring consistency. Heather also emphasizes the importance of planning and strategy in social media, explores the potential of Pinterest as a platform, notes the shifting aesthetic preferences on social media, and shares insights on how various...
2024-01-2351 minRadical ContentNASCAR's Content and Fan-Building Playbook with Tim Clark | Ep 03In this episode of Radical Content, Eric Gray chats with Tim Clark, Senior Vice President and Chief Digital Officer for Nascar, and the head of Nascar Studios. Together they “get under the hood” of many exciting topics around how NASCAR (a mega sport, company, and studio) connects with audiences. They discuss how Nascar is creating original long-form content as well as leaning into TikTok and Youtube. This conversation will be insightful for anyone in marketing and those who are wanting to grow fandom.The importance of a digital/content role for NASCARHow NASCAR is engaging fans consistentlyThe scale of NA...
2023-09-2656 min