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Second Wind by AKA

Gully Flowers, Kerrie Finch, Jake Neske

You probably know their work. You might even know their names. But you don’t know the half of it.

On Second Wind, Kerrie Finch, Gully Flowers and Jake Neske of AKA get to know the people behind some of the most interesting ideas, businesses and creative work of our time.

Guests include Nick Law, Susan Credle, Cindy Gallop, Amazon’s Jo Shoesmith, Mischief founder Greg Hahn, digital artist GMUNK and MediaMonks co-founder Wes ter Haar.

We talk about the successes, the failures, the lucky breaks and the decisions that changed everything. The ideas that nearly didn’t happen. The careers that took unexpected turns. The things people wish they’d known sooner, and the things they’re still trying to figure out.

From creativity and culture to business, technology and AI, we’re interested in how people think, what they’ve learned and what happens when the rules change.

No rehearsed career histories. No obligatory victory laps. Just good conversations with people who’ve done interesting things and aren’t finished yet.

Second Wind by AKA. New episodes every other Tuesday.

Watch on YouTube. Listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

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  • 24 episodes
  • weekly
  • Avg 43 min
  • English

Episodes 24

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  • S1 · E30
    February 17 · 52 min

    Jason Sperling (Apple “Mac vs PC”) on Working With Steve Jobs & Leading Creativity in the AI Era

    Jason Sperling is the Chief Creative Officer at INNOCEAN ; and one of the creative leaders behind Apple’s legendary “Mac vs PC” campaign. In this episode of Second Wind, Jason shares what it was really like presenting to Steve Jobs every Wednesday, surviving brutal creative cycles at TBWA\Chiat\Day, and helping turn “I’m a Mac” into one of the most influential campaigns of the century. We also get into: • Convincing Steve Jobs to run digital banner ads • Writing body copy to land a job at Chiat • The six-month grind behind Mac vs PC • Making Honda’s Ferris Bueller Super Bowl spot • Directing Bruce Willis after he walked off set • Why taste matters more than tools in the AI era • How creative leaders survive the jump from maker to manager • The future of agencies in an AI-driven world If you care about advertising, leadership, creative resilience, or how iconic work actually gets made — this one is for you.

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E29
    February 10 · 35 min

    David Kolbusz (Orchard CCO) on Meme Ads, Mental Hooks, and Why “The Work Comes First” Is a Lie

    David Kolbusz is Chief Creative Officer at Orchard, with a career across Droga5 London, Wieden Kennedy New York, BBH London, Goodby Silverstein, Mother, and TBWA Toronto. In this episode, we talk about what actually makes advertising work stick. Mental hooks that live in your head. The difference between chasing culture and understanding it. And why David thinks the industry needs to be more honest about the myth we repeat, that “the work comes first.” We also break down recent examples David loves, including a meme-driven taco ad and KitKat’s Break Squad, as a way to talk about creative restraint, timing, and leadership in modern advertising.

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E28
    February 3 · 42 min

    Kevin Frank: Apple to LinkedIn to Paris, and the Truth About Leading Creative Teams

    Kevin Frank has lived the full arc. Apple Creative Director for nearly a decade, then Executive Creative Director at LinkedIn, where he helped turn the team into Ad Age In House Agency of the Year and a two time Best Places to Work honoree. After LinkedIn, he hit pause on the corporate grind and moved to Paris. He taught at The American University of Paris, mentored creative leaders, wrote a book on leading creative teams, and even joined an Elvis cover band, because why not. We talk about what it means to lead creatives when nobody teaches you how, how craft survives inside massive systems, how to build a team that runs like a machine without losing its soul, and what a real reset looks like when you have the courage to take one.

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E27
    January 27 · 37 min

    Simon Cook (Cannes Lions CEO): Creativity as a Growth System

    Creativity isn’t a “nice to have” - it’s infrastructure for growth. Simon Cook, CEO of Cannes Lions, shares what the world’s top leaders are learning about turning creativity into a repeatable system that drives brand building, innovation, and business growth - even when budgets tighten and AI reshapes the rules. In this episode, we cover: • From polishing trophies to leading Cannes Lions: Simon’s path (and what he learned along the way) • Why Cannes is shifting from celebrating outputs to rewarding the inputs behind great work (the new Creative Brand Lion) • What 50 global CEOs said about unlocking the next chapter of growth through creativity • How to build “conditions for success”: culture, rituals, accountability, KPIs, and creative infrastructure • Creators at Cannes: what the creator economy means for brands, platforms, and agencies • AI integrity standards: protecting trust, authenticity, and authorship in creative work If you’re a CMO, founder, agency leader, or anyone trying to make the business case for creativity, this one’s for you. Follow Second Wind for more conversations at the intersection of creativity, marketing, and growth. Chapters: 00:00 Intro 00:43 From agency to Cannes 04:55 Creativity as infrastructure 06:15 The Global CEO Forum 11:25 Reframing creativity as innovation 16:35 Creators, brands, platforms 22:15 Access, ERA, talent pipeline 28:40 AI integrity standards 34:55 Legacy: creativity as a system

    • Transcript
Showing 21–24 of 24 episodes