Sleeping Barber - A Marketing Podcast
Two Canadian marketing executives interview global experts on effectiveness, strategy, and creative impact, with a focus on evidence-based practices.
This is a practitioner's podcast on modern marketing, grounded in evidence and effectiveness research. Hosts Marc Binkley and Vassilis Douros interview senior leaders from research firms (System1), top agencies (Rethink), and major platforms (Amazon) to unpack the 'how' behind successful work. Episodes often feature on-location reporting from major industry events like Cannes Lions, blending timely analysis with deeper strategic principles from thinkers like Byron Sharp and Mark Ritson.
“The show's commitment to evidence-based marketing is its core differentiator, frequently citing and interviewing experts from institutions like the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute. Their on-the-ground reporting from Cannes provides a unique, real-time filter on what's actually driving the industry conversation, beyond the official hype.”
Who hosts this show
The Sleeping Barber podcast is hosted by Marc Binkley and Vassilis Douros, two veteran Canadian marketing professionals. Marc Binkley is the President of the Calgary Marketing Association and runs a fractional CMO consultancy called Quatical. Vassilis Douros is the head of digital and media marketing at TELUS Consumer Solutions. The show's name is a metaphor for aligning complex business systems, and they apply this lens to marketing, sales, and operations through expert interviews and analysis of current industry trends.
Credentials & credits
- Marc Binkley: President, Calgary Marketing Association
- Marc Binkley: Fractional CMO, Quatical
- Marc Binkley: MBA
- Vassilis Douros: Head of Digital and Media Marketing, TELUS Consumer Solutions
Other ventures
- Marc Binkley: Quatical (Fractional CMO consultancy)
- Marc Binkley: Calgary Marketing Association (Non-profit)
What kind of podcast
When new episodes drop
- 01SBP 213: The Cannes Cut - Dull Ads Are a System, Not a Symptom. Day 4 ReflectionsJun 26, 2026 · 53 min
- 02SBP 212: The Cannes Cut - Brand Fit Beats Follower CountJun 25, 2026 · 49 min
- 03SBP 211: The Cannes Cut - Creators, Commerce and Amazon's CanvasJun 24, 2026 · 40 min
- 04SBP 210: The Cannes Cut - Creativity That Works: Cannes Day 1 ReflectionsJun 22, 2026 · 40 min
- 05SBP 209: The Sharp Cut - Buyers Don't Move in Straight LinesJun 18, 2026 · 20 min
- 06
- 07
- 08SBP 206: Great Creative Shouldn't Feel Scary. Karen Pearce, Rethink.Jun 9, 2026 · 51 min
Notable episodes
- 01SBP 210: The Cannes Cut - Creativity That Works: Cannes Day 1 Reflections
The first in a series of on-location reports from the Cannes Lions festival, synthesizing key themes like effectiveness and AI with input from major industry thinkers.
- 02SBP 206: Great Creative Shouldn't Feel Scary. Karen Pearce, Rethink.
An interview with a partner from Rethink, one of the world's most-awarded creative agencies, detailing the process behind producing consistently famous, business-moving work.
- 03SBP 209: The Sharp Cut - Buyers Don't Move in Straight Lines
A prime example of the show's research-driven format, this episode is a deep dive into Ehrenberg-Bass findings that challenge the traditional marketing funnel.
What you'll be asked on this show
The hosts, Marc and Vassilis, employ a structured yet conversational interview style. They often open by asking the guest to define their role and the function of their team, establishing context and credibility. From there, they use broad, diagnostic questions like "Where are we at today in terms of creative?" to frame the discussion. As guests introduce concepts, the hosts pivot to ask for concrete examples or data, such as requesting the 'biggest ahas' from a new report or asking how a campaign works on a specific platform like Amazon. This approach effectively bridges high-level strategy with practical application for the listener.
The format is a conversational co-hosted interview, often recorded on-location at industry events, which gives it a timely and informal feel. The hosts typically begin with their own reflections on a topic before introducing the guest. The show features several recurring segments based on themes, such as 'The Cannes Cut' for festival coverage and 'The Sharp Cut' for dives into marketing science.
Questions the host keeps coming back to
9 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when the host reaches for it.
origin
1- Q.01
“Can you tell us about your role and what your team/lab entails?”
This is a frequent opening question used to establish the guest's expertise and the context for their insights.
industry
1- Q.01
“As a diagnosis, where are we at today in terms of creative and its maturity?”
The hosts use this high-level, diagnostic question to frame the conversation around the current state of the industry.
advice
1- Q.01
“How should brands be looking at and leveraging [content creators]?”
This question seeks actionable, strategic advice for brands on how to approach emerging marketing channels.
craft
2- Q.01
“What are some of the biggest 'ahas' you had going through the data for your new report?”
They ask this to get a sneak peek into key findings from new research the guest has published.
- Q.02
“Can [new technology, e.g., AI] be used to create great, effective advertising?”
This explores the practical application of new technologies in creative work, moving beyond hype.
process
3- Q.01
“How do you view or approach measurement for campaigns?”
This question probes into the guest's methodology for proving campaign effectiveness and ROI.
- Q.02
“Can you talk about running a campaign on [a specific platform], since it's unlike other mediums?”
This is used to ground a strategic discussion in a concrete, practical example.
- Q.03
“Is there something missing in how we measure [abstract concept, e.g., emotion]?”
This type of question challenges the status quo of industry metrics and explores gaps in current analytics.
controversy
1- Q.01
“Why is so much advertising still [dull and ineffective]?”
A provocative question used to directly address a core, persistent problem within the advertising industry.
Signature segments
- · The Cannes Cut
- · The Sharp Cut
- · The Barber's Brief
- · The PostPod
- · "Let's do this."
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are senior marketing leaders and academics, typically C-suite executives, VPs, or department heads from globally recognized research firms, creative agencies, and major technology companies like Amazon and System1.
- Orlando Woodon SBP 213: The Cannes Cut - Dull Ads Are a System, Not a Symptom. Day 4 Reflections
- Andrew Tindallon SBP 212: The Cannes Cut - Brand Fit Beats Follower Count
- Lauren Andersonon SBP 211: The Cannes Cut - Creators, Commerce and Amazon's Canvas
- Karen Pearceon SBP 206: Great Creative Shouldn't Feel Scary. Karen Pearce, Rethink.
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The podcast partners with B2B companies in the marketing and advertising space. Based on the evidence, System1, a marketing and brand effectiveness research firm, sponsored their 'Cannes Cut' series, suggesting an affinity for sponsors whose products and research align with the show's focus on effectiveness.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
Pitch this show
People also ask
- Who are the hosts of Sleeping Barber?
- The podcast is hosted by Marc Binkley, President of the Calgary Marketing Association, and Vassilis Douros, Head of Digital and Media Marketing at TELUS.
- What is the Sleeping Barber podcast about?
- It's a marketing podcast focused on strategy, creative effectiveness, and evidence-based practices, featuring interviews with senior industry leaders and academics.
- What is the format of the show?
- It is a co-hosted interview show. Episodes often include the hosts' analysis of current marketing news and on-location reporting from events like Cannes Lions.
- Is the podcast still active?
- Yes, the podcast releases episodes regularly, often multiple times a week during special event coverage.
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- The podcast is available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and other major podcast platforms.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]Official Websitemarcbinkley.com
- [02]Apple Podcasts Pagepodcasts.apple.com
- [03]Marc Binkley's Personal Websitemarcbinkley.com
- [04]Interview with Marc Binkleyinspiredinsider.com
- [05]Vassilis Douros Bio on The Currentthecurrent.com
- [06]Calgary Marketing Association - Our Teamcalgarycma.com
- [07]Ehrenberg-Bass Institute - Podcast Mentionsmarketingscience.info
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