Home Podcasts Real Creative Leadership
Real Creative Leadership

Real Creative Leadership

The Stoke Group - Adam Morgan 72 Episodes Aug 17, 2026

Real Creative Leadership is a podcast and community focused on the issues, challenges, and benefits of creative leadership. Host Adam Morgan discusses topics and shares strategies to help listeners become better creative leaders. The show is produced by The Stoke Group, a full-service digital marketing agency specializing in content marketing, video, and interactive experiences.

Episodes

The Builder Mindset: The Creative Leader’s Advantage in the Age of AI — with Jennifer Kattula, Global CMO, Microsoft Advertising
The Builder Mindset: The Creative Leader’s Advantage in the Age of AI — with Jennifer Kattula, Global CMO, Microsoft Advertising Aug 17, 2026 2213 Successful AI implementation is more than just a software download. For Microsoft’s Jennifer Kattula, it’s about creating a robust framework that gives teams the structure they need to safely test the boundaries AI is helping us expand. Together with Adam Morgan, she explains why creative leaders have the responsibility to set the standard for AI implementation and how to mitigate risk without sac
Getting to ROI with Experiences — with Jennifer Gardner, Creative Director of Event Experiences, ServiceNow
Getting to ROI with Experiences — with Jennifer Gardner, Creative Director of Event Experiences, ServiceNow Jun 26, 2026 2517 Most brand events are forgettable. Jennifer Gardner’s aren’t. As creative director at ServiceNow, she’s mastered the art of turning immersive experiences into actual ROI — and it starts with purpose, not trends. In this episode she joins Adam Morgan to share how great events become a brand’s “front door,” blending storytelling, strategy, and human-centered design into moments people remember. From
Why Brands Still Need Human Creativity — With Adam Morgan, VP of Brand, Twilio
Why Brands Still Need Human Creativity — With Adam Morgan, VP of Brand, Twilio Jun 1, 2026 1283 AI can generate content at scale — but it can’t replace good taste, clear judgment, or emotional connection. In the season 7 premiere of Real Creative Leadership, Adam Morgan explores why human creativity is becoming more valuable in the age of AI.
Arrows-Out Leadership — With Catharina Walker Eure, Director of Innovation Strategy, Nike
Arrows-Out Leadership — With Catharina Walker Eure, Director of Innovation Strategy, Nike Dec 21, 2025 2406 What if the best leaders weren’t the ones with all the answers, but the ones asking the right questions? Catharina Walker Eure, Nike’s director of innovation strategy, shares her “Arrows-Out” leadership approach: lead with empathy, build emotionally intelligent teams, and create space for people to do their best work. 
Feedback, Humility, and the Creative Ego — With John Renz, VP, Head of Creative, U.S. Businesses, Prudential
Feedback, Humility, and the Creative Ego — With John Renz, VP, Head of Creative, U.S. Businesses, Prudential Oct 31, 2025 2465 Prudential creative leader John Renz reveals why balancing ego with humility is the real key to leadership. From Bill Bernbach’s “humility card” to avoiding the ego trap, this episode of Real Creative Leadership shares lessons on building trust, giving better feedback, and leading creative teams with courage.
Branding, Bravery, and the Responsibility of Leadership— With  Debbie Millman, Host of Design Matters and Founder of SVA Masters in Branding
Branding, Bravery, and the Responsibility of Leadership— With Debbie Millman, Host of Design Matters and Founder of SVA Masters in Branding Oct 2, 2025 2406 Debbie Millman, with over 20 years of hosting Design Matters, offers insights into what creative leadership is evolving into by 2025. From brand purpose to courage, she discusses how the best leaders inspire and uplift. A must-listen for anyone in the creative field.
Building a Creative Identity, Not Just a Portfolio — with Donna Lamar, Global Head of Video Content & Entertainment, Spotify
Building a Creative Identity, Not Just a Portfolio — with Donna Lamar, Global Head of Video Content & Entertainment, Spotify Aug 22, 2025 2431 In this episode, Real Creative Leadership host Adam Morgan is joined by Spotify Global Head of Video Content & Entertainment Donna Lamar to talk about building and protecting your creative identity. Learn how to align your personal values with your work, handle feedback without losing your voice, and inspire originality in yourself and your team.
What It Really Takes to Become a Creative Director - With Adam Morgan, VP of Brand, Twilio
What It Really Takes to Become a Creative Director - With Adam Morgan, VP of Brand, Twilio May 14, 2025 1735 Season 6 kicks off with a must-listen for senior creatives ready to take the next step. Host Adam Morgan breaks down what it really takes to land a Creative Director role —  the experiences you must have, the details to leave out, and the important questions you must ask. Discover how to position yourself for this next level of creative leadership, speak the language recruiters want to hear, and s
What is the Future of Creative Leadership? — with Adam Morgan, VP of Brand, Twilio
What is the Future of Creative Leadership? — with Adam Morgan, VP of Brand, Twilio Dec 18, 2024 1668 Real Creative Leadership reaches a landmark as its fifth season draws to a close — but we’re not done just yet. In our season finale, Host Adam Morgan takes listeners on a tour of the season’s most prescient insights and suggestions from our slate of compelling guests, featuring stories from brands like Delta, Paypal, and more. The creative landscape can seem unfamiliar as rapid changes to technol
From Creative Leader to CEO — with Karan Dang
From Creative Leader to CEO — with Karan Dang Nov 8, 2024 1921 In this latest episode of Real Creative Leadership, Karan joins host Adam Morgan for a discussion about his storied career path and where he sees creative leadership headed in the future. Karan advocates for seeing youth trends as tactics to engage audiences of all ages and sharing ways to nurture your creative teams to perform their very best. He calls it finding your creative framework. Listen n
The Power of Auditory Branding — With Laura Montarroso Daher
The Power of Auditory Branding — With Laura Montarroso Daher Oct 30, 2024 2116 In this episode of Real Creative Leadership, host Adam Morgan talks with Laura Montarroso Daher, founder of Music Collective and a creative visionary when it comes to auditory branding. Laura explains why brands should be incorporating sound and music into their creative strategy (which encompasses way more than catchy jingles) and how to look for inspiration and storytelling techniques in both fa
Why creativity is a radical act — with Jod Kaftan
Why creativity is a radical act — with Jod Kaftan Sep 5, 2024 1932 In this episode of Real Creative Leadership, host Adam Morgan is joined by Jod Kaftan, head of product and research design at Oracle, for a candid conversation about the future of design in an increasingly automated world. Together, Jod and Adam talk about how creativity is intrinsically tied to the human experience, why building a community of people who challenge you can lead to better design, a

Recommended