Sarah Oyungu is the Principal Alchemist and Founder of The MRKTing Alchemist, a marketing consultancy that empowers visionary founders and business leaders with bespoke strategies to drive revenue growth and elevate brand authority. Drawing from her extensive experience across global teams and industries, she specializes in making enterprise-level marketing accessible to small- and medium-sized businesses. Her firm offers a range of services, including campaign strategy, social media campaigns, AI marketing optimization, business profiling, content and creative development, branding, sales and content development, upskilling and training, and coaching. Sarah's mission is to unlock the inner magic of each client, guiding them toward transformative growth through creativity, insight, and strategic execution.

In an era where attention is scarce and trust is fragile, many companies struggle to reach the right people with the right message. How can businesses create marketing that feels personal, strategic, and actually works — without getting lost in the noise?

According to Sarah Oyungu, a seasoned global marketing strategist, the key lies in deeply understanding your audience’s emotional drivers and daily decision-making context. She highlights the importance of crafting messaging that fits within the “matrix of their life,” rather than chasing one-size-fits-all trends or every new digital tool. When businesses focus on what truly matters to their target customer, they unlock more meaningful engagement and better results. Sarah also stresses the value of blending digital and offline tactics, strategic testing, and maintaining clarity on what you want to achieve before choosing the tools to get there.

In this episode of the Response Drivers Podcast, host Rick Rappe sits down with Sarah Oyungu, Principal Alchemist and Founder of The MRKTing Alchemist, to talk about building strategic, human-centered marketing that resonates. They dive into audience-first thinking, avoiding the “spray and pray” trap, and how to align messaging with human motivation. Sarah also shares how AI and direct mail fit into a modern marketer’s toolkit.

Rick Cesari is the Chief Marketing Officer at Direct Branding, a marketing agency specializing in direct-to-consumer strategies and video marketing to help consumer brands scale and drive measurable sales growth. A pioneer in direct response advertising since the early 1990s, Rick has played a pivotal role in building iconic brands such as Juiceman, Sonicare, The George Foreman Grill, OxiClean, and GoPro, contributing to several companies achieving over a billion dollars in sales. He is also the author of multiple marketing books, including Buy Now and Video Persuasion, which offer insights into leveraging video to boost customer engagement and conversions.

How do you take a product no one’s heard of and turn it into a household name? In a crowded marketplace, cutting through the noise requires more than flashy ads or clever slogans. What if the key to building billion-dollar brands lies in the power of education and storytelling?

According to Rick Cesari, a pioneer in direct response television marketing, educating consumers is essential to driving product adoption. He highlights the importance of communicating clear, relatable benefits rather than overwhelming audiences with technical features. By focusing on how a product solves a problem, brands can connect emotionally with buyers and inspire action. This approach not only differentiates products but also builds long-term trust and loyalty. Throughout his career, Rick has proven this formula across multiple iconic brands.

In this episode of the Response Drivers podcast, host Rick Rappe sits down with Rick Cesari, Chief Marketing Officer at Direct Branding, to discuss using DRTV to build billion-dollar brands. They explore how to transform product features into benefits, why educating consumers boosts sales, and the role of storytelling in direct response campaigns. Rick also shares insights on adapting direct response principles to today’s digital platforms.

Josh Gold is the Vice President of Client Services at RPM Direct Marketing, a Seattle-based agency specializing in performance-driven direct mail campaigns that help clients increase response rates and sales. In his role, Josh oversees client relationships and ensures the successful execution of tailored direct marketing solutions. He also contributes to the company's blog, offering insights on industry trends and strategies for effective direct mail marketing.

We’re living in a time of unprecedented digital saturation. From constant social media scrolling to endless streams of emails and banner ads, the average consumer is bombarded with thousands of messages every single day. With attention so fragmented and trust in digital channels waning, how can marketers break through the noise and truly connect?

According to Josh Gold, a seasoned direct marketing strategist, the answer lies in the tangible power of direct mail. He highlights that physical mail not only earns more trust from consumers but also commands deeper engagement — activating different parts of the brain and leaving a lasting impression. With cluttered inboxes and fading faith in digital ads, direct mail stands out as a more credible and effective medium. Josh also emphasizes the critical role of targeting and testing in crafting campaigns that are both strategic and scalable.

In this episode of the Response Drivers podcast, host Rick Rappe is joined by Josh Gold, Vice President of Client Services at RPM Direct Marketing, to talk about how direct mail can break through digital overload. They explore why consumers trust print more than pixels, how targeting and testing improve ROI, and why physical engagement still matters. Josh also shares how to turn direct mail into a predictable, high-performing sales channel.