Podcasts

Empowering Gen Z through Sustainability and Innovation with Michelle Crossan-Matos

Aug 10, 2023
Feb 27, 2025
 • 
 min read

“I would say in my DNA, I'm a marketer. I love consumers. I love to understand their dreams, their hopes, their pains, and how we brands can really help them live their best lives.”
— Michelle Crossan-Matos

Hailing from humble beginnings in Scotland, Michelle Crossan-Matos has discipline. In fact, it’s one of the things she credits with allowing her to fully harness her creativity and take Samsung Electronics America’s marketing team to the next level.

Whether she’s studying leadership at the crack of dawn or finding new ways to engage with customers at the 837X experience (an interactive space where consumers can see the latest Samsung innovations), she’s always taking steps to learn more about emerging audiences–especially Gen Z—and she doesn’t stop.

On this throwback episode of The Speed of Culture podcast, hear from the inspiring Michelle Crossan-Matos about Samsung's consumer marketing transformation, which focuses on Gen Z, innovation, sustainability, the metaverse, Web3, and AI.

Check out the key takeaways of this episode or the transcript below to learn more about Michelle’s inspiring initiatives:

  • Empowering Gen Z: From her earliest days, Michelle has been influenced by legacy brands that have transformed her world through their inspirational content. She passionately believes that these brands serve as catalysts for young minds to dream big.
  • Sustainability Matters: Discover how legacy brands bear the vital responsibility of making a positive impact on our environment. Learn how conscious consumerism resonates with Gen Z, and see how Samsung is leading the way, seamlessly integrating sustainability with personalized technology.
  • Discipline for Creativity: Whether it’s her 5am wakeup call each morning, or insisting on utilizing data to drive creativity, Michelle believes that working within a framework produces innovative and trustworthy results.
  • Future-Forward Insights: Delve into the intriguing realm of Web3, The Metaverse, and AI. Explore how the gamification and socialization of these innovations could hold the key for legacy brands to connect deeply with the generations of tomorrow.
See Suzy in Action
Book a Demo today
See Suzy in action. Learn how Suzy can boost your business.

Receive the most up-to-date resources and strategies

Thank you for subscribing!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Related resources

Podcasts
Color theory: Crayola’s Victoria Lozano believes creativity is our greatest skill in an AI-driven world

In this episode of The Speed of Culture, Matt Britton sits down with Victoria Lozano, Chief Marketing Officer at Crayola, to unpack why creativity is a life skill that prepares people for whatever lies ahead. Victoria shares how Crayola has expanded beyond crayons into products, experiences, and content, why more than half of purchases now come from households without kids, and how the Campaign for Creativity is reframing creative expression as a cultural movement.

CPG
Speed of Culture
Sep 11, 2025
Sep 15, 2025
 • 
 min read
Podcasts
Winning serve: Grey Goose's US Open playbook for maximizing cultural impact

In this episode of The Speed of Culture, Matt Britton sits down with Aleco Azqueta, Global VP of Marketing at Grey Goose Vodka, to explore how a brand rooted in French luxury has built cultural currency at the US Open, created enduring consumer rituals, and reframed time itself as modern luxury. Aleco explains why brand fit matters more than fame, how experiential activations beat passive impressions, and why young marketers need to stop “chopping wood” and start “sharpening the axe.”

Food & Beverage
Speed of Culture
Sep 9, 2025
Sep 9, 2025
 • 
 min read
Podcasts
Why BBDO’s Andrew Robertson believes AI will unleash, not replace, true creative talent

In this episode of The Speed of Culture, Matt Britton sits down with Andrew Robertson, Chairman at BBDO Worldwide, to unpack what makes great work, how AI is transforming creativity, and why managing risk, not chasing certainty, is key to bold brand storytelling. From emotional resonance to strategic simplicity, Andrew shares hard-won insights from his decades leading one of the world’s most decorated creative agencies.

Advertising
Speed of Culture
Sep 2, 2025
Sep 9, 2025
 • 
 min read
View all