Creative Swings, Not Cracker Barrel

What do Hot Wheels, Disney, Burton, and WWE have in common? They’ve all had Mark Michaylira driving their brand forward. With two decades of creative leadership behind some of the world’s most beloved names, Mark knows how to make work that’s not just bold and joyful but rooted in culture—and powerful enough to move business. What You’ll Learn in This Episode - How to build authentic brands by starting with humanity and understanding your audience - Why taking creative risks—and even failing—can move brands forward - What it means to create joy and edge in storytelling across very different industries - How Friends Everywhere is rethinking the agency model with cultural insiders and seasoned creators - The role of AI as a creative tool and why transparency matters in its use Episode Chapters (00:00) Intro (00:35) Starting with humanity in brand building (03:15) Lessons from Cracker Barrel and Gap missteps (05:55) Leading creative teams through swings and misses (09:30) Creating joy and edge across brands like Hot Wheels, Disney, Burton, and WWE (12:18) The Friends Everywhere model of cultural insiders and seasoned creators (16:38) The role of AI as a creative tool, not a replacement (22:12) Advice for emerging creatives (24:31) The brand that’s made Mark smile About Mark Michaylira Mark Michaylira is Creative Director at Friends Everywhere, where he also leads agency growth for the independent partner to visionary teams building beloved brands. He previously led Global Brand Creative for Mattel’s vehicle portfolio, including Hot Wheels, Matchbox, and Disney Pixar Cars, overseeing disruptive, culture-driven campaigns for some of the world’s biggest toy brands. Earlier in his career, he built creative for Burton Snowboards, Disney, WWE, DreamWorks, Warner Bros., and Levi’s. With more than two decades of experience across creative direction, brand strategy, experience design, and integrated campaigns, Michaylira has shaped work that blends bold ideas with business impact. He is based in Long Beach, California. What Brand Has Made Mark Smile Recently? Mark shared Bug Assault, a quirky brand that sells salt-powered fly blasters. What made him smile wasn’t just the product—it was how the brand solved a real problem with humor, storytelling, and an unexpected creative twist. Their branding struck the right balance of playful and educational, proving that even pest control can be memorable when approached with imagination. Resources & Links Connect with Mark on LinkedIn → Friends Everywhere website → Bug Assault website → Listen & Support the Show Watch or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon/Audible, TuneIn, and iHeart. Rate and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to help others find the show. Share this episode — email a friend or colleague this episode. Sign up for my free Story Strategies newsletter for branding and storytelling tips. On Brand is a part of the Marketing Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices