OhHello Ep. 137 Building Brands That Feel Human with Josh Rangel of Ogilvy

Josh Rangel, Senior Director of Social Strategy at Ogilvy, joins host Jeremy Bloom to discuss his journey from traditional PR to leading social strategy for some of the world’s most recognizable brands. Josh shares how authenticity, mentorship, calculated risks, and a people-first leadership style shaped his career. He also explains why brands should stop overengineering content and start communicating in ways that genuinely connect with their audiences.

Takeaways:

- How Josh transitioned from traditional PR to social media strategy

- Why developing an authentic professional voice can create new opportunities

- The mentors who helped shape Josh’s career and leadership approach

- Why brands often overthink and overproduce social content

- How Ogilvy refreshed Mastercard’s Priceless message for Gen Z

- Lessons Josh learned after being laid off following an 18-year tenure

- Why leaders should focus on what they can control and lead with empathy

Chapters:

00:00 Meet Josh Rangel of Ogilvy

02:12 From Traditional PR to Social Media

03:08 Launching Klondike on Twitter

04:44 Leading Social Strategy for Major Brands

05:51 How PR Shaped an Earned-First Mindset

07:23 Finding an Authentic Professional Voice

10:33 Mentors Who Shaped Josh’s Career

13:15 Leadership Through Confidence and Empathy

15:21 Why Brands Overcomplicate Social Content

18:29 Taking Creative Risks with Mastercard

21:44 Recovering and Rebuilding After a Layoff

24:53 Career and Leadership Advice

27:04 Final Thoughts and Closing