Greg Hahn on why the biggest risk you can take is to be ignorable

Greg Hahn on why the biggest risk you can take is to be ignorable

From Uncensored CMO by Jon Evans

June 10, 2026 · 59 min · Episode 269

About this episode

Greg Hahn discusses the importance of being memorable in marketing and shares insights on creativity and brand strategy.

Greg Hahn returns to the podcast to discuss the philosophy that has made Mischief one of the most talked-about agencies in the world. From Tubi's famous Super Bowl interruption campaign to turning around legacy brands like JCPenney, Greg explains why the biggest risk brands face today isn't failure, it's being ignored. We discuss how to create safe spaces for dangerous ideas, why AI risks making marketers more cautious, and the hidden cost of playing it safe. Greg also shares the traits of great CMOs, the future of agencies and pitching, the campaigns he's most proud of, and the advice he'd give to the next generation of creatives. Thanks for System1 for supporting the podcast: https://system1group.com Timestamps 00:00 - Start 01:43 - Who are Mischief and what do they stand for? 04:26 - What would Greg Hahn’s walk on track be? 05:05 - How to make a safe space for dangerous ideas 07:46 - Is AI making us play it safe? 10:37 - What is the real cost of playing it safe? 14:31 - The Mischief strategy behind Tubi 16:20 - Tubi’s famous Super Bowl interruption campaign 17:20 - The reward prediction error theory 22:16 - Turning around a large legacy business like JCPenney 25:55 - The…

People in this episode

Host: Jon Evans

Guest: Greg Hahn

Topics covered

  • branding
  • marketing strategy
  • creative ideas
  • AI in marketing
  • CMO traits

Keywords

  • risk
  • marketing
  • creativity
  • advertising
  • AI
  • CMO
  • branding

Sponsors

System1

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Mischief, Tubi, JCPenney

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