Past Shows
Saturday, February 11th
Volkswagen and it’s agency Deutsch, Los Angeles, worked overtime on the sequel to The Force, their hit from the 2011 Super Bowl. Group Creative Director Matt Ian talks about The Dog Strikes Back, the 2012 spot created for the game, and it’s nod to the famous Cantina scene from Star Wars.
The results of The Focus Group’s post Super Bowl survey the Game In The Game survey will be revealed, and New York Times advertising columnist Stuart Elliott will weigh in on what he thinks worked, and what did not. Join the conversation at 866-305-6887.
Saturday, February 4th
Super Bowl 46 is just days away, but the Game In The Game is well underway. With an estimated audience of 112 million people, advertisers are leveraging their ads by showing them early, and engaging their customers. Jared Scott, Managing Partner at Red Tettamer + Partners, talks about the process behind creating Century 21’s first Super Bowl spot. Tim pulls a surprise Focus Group Focus Group--a taste test for all the variety’s of M&M’s.
Tim and John will be covering all the ads leading up to the big game. Join the conversation at 866-305-6887.
Saturday, January 28th
OffTo.com delivers great deals on customized LGBT getaways in the U.S. and abroad. The site’s founders are dedicated to delivering unique getaways at up to 40â€50% below retail value. Chief of Communications Brian Goldthorpe returns to discuss their recently launched new category of Same-Sex Wedding Getaways, along with some additional new travel packages.
Paul Hagen of Metrosource magazine returns from his recent travels abroad to continue his mission of putting the “culture” back in “pop culture” for our listeners on Metroscope. Join the conversation at 866-305-6887.
Saturday, January 21st
Jason Scarlatti is the Creative Director of 2(x)ist, the men’s underwear brand that is the category leader synonymous with upscale and quality product. A graduate of the Parsons School of Design, he finds underwear design extremely challenging. “There is only so much you can do. There are very few tools and tricks you can work with and I love that challenge.”
How do you smartly answer your boss if you are asked to take on another project when you already have a full plate? Shop Talk examines that question, and looks at a recent trend in advertising called comfort marketing—selling products that have stood the test of time. Join the conversation at 866-305-6887.
Saturday, January 14th
Presentations are a fact of business life. Sooner or later, you will be called upon to create and give one. Staged Right’s Ed Roland shares the key steps in creating and rehearsing a effective presentation in an installment of Express Yourself aptly named “Taking It From The Top.”
Shop Talk looks at the five hardest jobs to fill in 2012. Although the economy continues to face many challenges, the startup and tech industries are very much alive. Hiring the best of the best is an absolute must if you are going to build a successful company. Join the conversation at 866-305-6887.
Saturday, January 7th
OutQ’s Michelangelo Signorile, in a bit of a Focus Group tradition, joins Tim and John to kick off 2012 and talk about the year ahead, the current state of gay media and news reporting, and his new position as Editor-at-Large of Huffington Post Gay Voices.
Shop Talk focuses on key takeaways from Stanford business professor Jeffrey Pfeffer’s book, Power: Why Some People Have It—And Others Don’t. Pfeffer asks us to consider the more positive reasons that we reach for power in our professional lives in order to feel in control, get wealthy, and achieve our goals. Join the conversation at 866-305-6887.
Saturday, December 31st
A big thanks to everyone at The Focus Group, and to our guests and listeners for a wonderful 2011. We’ll wrap up the year with a mix of our favorite interviews, and some resolutions from Tim and John for 2012.
Jennifer M. Granholm was elected governor of Michigan in 2002 and re-elected in 2006. Her new book, A Governor’s Story: The Fight for Jobs and America’s Economic Future, co-authored with Dan Mulhern, offers insight into the challenges facing America today. A resident of Las Vegas since 1970, Mya Lake Reyes is Director of Diversity Marketing for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. Her career in travel spans many disciplines and titles, with a focus on diversity. OffTo.com is the first website devoted to providing great deals on customized LGBT getaways in the U.S. and abroad. Co-Founder Brian Goldthorpe discusses the inspiration and some of the challenges the business faced along the way.
Saturday, December 24th
The Ultimate Grand Supreme Focus Group Holiday Party will make for perfect listening this Christmas weekend. A big thank you to all our wonderful guests and listeners! Join Tim, John, Producer Katie Castellano and Metroscope’s Paul Hagen for The Focus Group’s Holiday Listening Party. Guests include New York Times columnist Stuart Elliott, True Prep author Lisa Birnbach, the Butch Bakery’s David Arrick, The Fabulous Beekman Boys Dr. Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell, along with the holiday musical stylings of singers Michael Richard Kelly, Eddie Bruce and accompanist Tom Adams.
Saturday, December 17th
This weekend join Tim, John, Producer Katie Castellano and Metroscope’s Paul Hagen for The Focus Group’s Holiday Listening Party. Guests include New York Times columnist Stuart Elliott, True Prep author Lisa Birnbach, the Butch Bakery’s David Arrick, The Fabulous Beekman Boys Dr. Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell, along with the holiday musical stylings of singers Michael Richard Kelly, Eddie Bruce and accompanist Tom Adams.
Saturday, December 10th
Las Vegas: The Strip and Beyond visits with Jim McMichael, Senior Marketing Manager at the Fashion Show. One of the nation’s largest shopping centers and Las Vegas’ premier retail destination, Fashion Show offers seven flagship department stores along with over 250 extraordinary shops and restaurants. The mall’s signature feature is the Great Hall, a multimillion dollar event area with an 80-foot retractable runway used for fashion shows.
Christian Edwards serves as the Chief Marketing and Development Officer for his 96 year old family business, Edward Marc Chocolatier. With an extensive background and career in politics, Chris oversees all PR, marketing and development efforts for Edward Marc, available at Saks Fifth Avenue. Join the conversation at 866-305-6887.