How Boring Brands are WINNING the Internet ft Dan Salkey | Hard Corps Marketing Show | Ep 436
Can “boring” brands unlock growth through entertainment-first marketing?
In this episode of The Hard Corps Marketing Show, I sat down with Dan Salkey, Co-founder and Strategy Partner of Small World. Dan explores how brands can unlock growth by prioritizing entertainment in their marketing strategies, challenging the idea that certain industries are too “boring” to stand out.
Dan breaks down how companies can shift from traditional, product-focused messaging to content that captures attention by being genuinely entertaining. From fandom mapping to the revival of brand mascots, Dan shares practical approaches for making content more engaging, shareable, and impactful across today’s fragmented media landscape.
In this episode, we cover:
- Why no industry is too boring for creative, audience-first marketing
- How to use fandom mapping to tap into what your audience actually cares about
- The value of staying ahead of trends to create platform-native, entertaining content
- How to protect the creative process by separating it from operational constraints
- Ways to measure the real business impact of entertainment-first marketing
If you’re ready to stop blending in and start standing out, this episode is packed with creative inspiration and strategies you can put into action!
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Connect with Dan:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-salkey/
- Company website: https://meetsmallworld.com/
- Book: https://www.entertainordie.com/
- Twitter: www.x.com/SalkeyDan
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- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1vVLpNI1LssMTiL6Kdsamn
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- YouTube: https://youtu.be/1p6YZ2Sosm0
Hard Corps Marketing is produced and sponsored by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/
Creators and Guests
Host
Casey Cheshire
CEO & Founder of Ringmaster Conversational Marketing. Casey Cheshire is a marketer, serial entrepreneur, and adventurer. He has been in EO for close to 10 years and counts his relationships as a key reason for his continued success. Casey’s passion for podcasting led to him founding Ringmaster Conversational Marketing. Ringmaster helps B2B businesses launch podcasts that drive growth and revenue. Previously, Casey founded and ran Cheshire Impact for 10 years. It became the top Salesforce Pardot marketing automation solutions partner in the world before a successful exit in 2021. He is also a US Marine Corps Veteran where he served in the Infantry and deployed to some very hot climates. In his free time, Casey likes to skydive, climb mountains, and pretend to be a hungry bear for his two kids.