About This Episode
How do you create advertising that people actually want to spend time watching?Zac Ryder, Co-Founder and Co-Chief Creative Officer of Modern Arts and a member of Adweek's 2026 Creative 100, joins The Last Advertising Podcast Ever to explain how brands can turn traditional advertising briefs into movies, documentaries, and entertainment that audiences actively seek out.Modern Arts has helped WhatsApp create documentaries including The Seat, which reached Netflix's Top 10 in 25 markets, and We Are Ayenda, which tells the story of the Afghan girls' national soccer team's escape from the Taliban through their real WhatsApp messages.Zac explains how his agency combines traditional advertising strategy with Hollywood screenwriters, showrunners, and journalists to create entertainment that serves both the audience and the brand.We also discuss how to turn consumer insights into compelling stories, why brands should rethink how they spend their media budgets, and how branded entertainment can drive real business results.Plus, Zac shares his predictions for the future of advertising, including why brands could soon be funding live theater, stand-up comedy, and audiobooks.Whether you're an advertising student, creative, strategist, or marketer, this conversation offers practical lessons on creating advertising that people actually want to watch.Watch the 500+ other last interviews at https://thelastadvertisingpodcast.com/
Host
Geno Schellenberger
Co-founder, Breaking and Entering Media
Geno has conducted over 600 conversations with the people shaping advertising, marketing, creativity and culture over six years.
Sponsorship
Interested in sponsoring The Last Advertising Podcast? Learn more.
Newsletter
One conversation.
Every Wednesday.
Get the next episode in your inbox the moment it drops.