29: When a brand film works to shift perception: Insights from Lingokids CMO and COO Mikael Journo

29: When a brand film works to shift perception: Insights from Lingokids CMO and COO Mikael Journo

Author: Alan B. Hart December 10, 2025 Duration: 42:06

Lingokids Chief Marketing and Chief Operating officer (CMO and COO) Mikael Journo shares how he skillfully blends data-driven strategies with intuitive decision-making to strike a perfect balance between brand building and performance marketing. Drawing from his extensive career experience, Mikael discusses the challenges of marketing to modern parents and highlights how Lingokidsthe leading interactive app for children ages 28addresses their worries.  

When a recent study revealed that 75% of millennial parents feel guilty about their child's screen time, Mikael and his team saw an opportunity to lean in and shift the conversation. They did so by producing "The Trial," a film that directly confronts this issue and aims to ease parental guilt. Mikael also shares the thought process around the risks involved in the film and launch campaign, outlines the production process, and discusses the results that exceeded the brands expectations.   

 

In this episode, you'll learn: 

The importance of balancing intuition and brand building with data and performance marketing  

Challenges and strategies for marketing to modern parents 

Why and how Lingokids created a brand film 

 

Key highlights: 

[00:00] Introduction   

[01:30] The podcast's first shark wrestler  

[02:50] Mikael's path to Lingokids  

[08:30] The scope of Lingokids  

[11:05] Marketing as a growth driver  

[13:35] Balancing the dual roles of CMO and COO  

[16:25] Marketing to modern-day parents  

[18:30] "The Trial" brand film campaign   

[25:45] Navigating challenging subject matter   

[29:05] A big bet that paid off  

[31:10] An experience that defines you 

[34:00] Advice to your younger self 

[34:50] A topic marketers need to learn more about 

[36:15] Trends and subcultures to watch  

[39:40] Largest opportunity or threat to marketers today 

 

Resources mentioned:   

 

Follow the podcast:   

 

Connect with Mikael Journo and Lingokids: 

 

Connect with Alan Hart and Deloitte Digital:    


Hosted by Alan B. Hart, Marketing Beyond moves past the buzzwords and surface-level tactics to explore the real strategic decisions shaping modern business. Each episode features a candid, in-depth conversation with a chief marketing officer or a founder who has fundamentally changed how a brand connects with its audience. These aren't just success stories; Alan guides his guests into discussing the pivotal failures, the unexpected pivots, and the nuanced challenges that rarely make the keynote stage. You'll hear firsthand how leaders navigate the convergence of creativity, data, and technology in a rapidly shifting landscape. This podcast provides a rare, unfiltered look at the thinking behind major campaigns and business transformations, offering practical wisdom rather than just theory. For anyone curious about the human judgment and long-term vision required to build lasting brands, these discussions cut straight to the core. Listening feels like being a fly on the wall for a masterclass in strategic marketing, where the focus is always on what comes next.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 39

Marketing Beyond with Alan B. Hart
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