Troberman, Alberts Launch Bubbler Media As ‘Conversation Company’ Targeting Marketers.

Former iHeartMedia CMO Gayle Troberman is stepping back into the spotlight with a new venture that blends podcasting, live events and brand collaboration. She is teaming with media executive David Alberts to launch Bubbler Media — a company built around a simple premise: marketing needs more meaningful conversation.

Positioned as a “conversation company,” Bubbler Media is designed to create what its founders describe as modern-day “water cooler moments” for the marketing industry, using a mix of podcasts, in-person experiences and strategic workshops to connect executives, creators and brands.

“Why are we starting Bubbler? It's to start conversations that make us excited and interested,” Troberman says in a launch video. “We want to start the conversations we want to have.”

Alberts — who is cofounder and Chief Vision Officer for the London-based marketing consulting firm BeenThereDoneThat — says the concept is rooted in bringing people together in a way that feels fresh in an industry increasingly driven by data and efficiency. 

“That idea of Bubbler is bringing people together and getting people talking is refreshing,” he says. “A ‘bubbler’ should be refreshing.”

The launch comes at a time when many marketers are reassessing the balance between performance-driven tactics and brand-building, with Bubbler positioning itself as a counterweight to what its founders see as an overly optimized, metrics-first environment.

At the center of the effort is a slate of podcasts featuring a mix of high-profile voices from marketing, media and business. Among the initial shows are Rishad Tobaccowala and Drew Ianni’s “Unbossing,” which will feature conversations with the most fearless leaders in business and tech about what they’ve had to unlearn to succeed again in a world where the future no longer fits old rules. And “So Get This,” a series hosted by John Gerzema and Libby Rodney of the Harris Poll, who will break down new cultural insights grounded in research. On the roster is a range of additional programs hosted by executives, researchers and brand strategists. Bubbler’s co-founders will also be hosts. Troberman will be hosting a podcast called “Gay-I” while Alberts will host a show calls “Brands In The Conversation.”

Troberman says the goal is to hand the microphone to people whose ideas stick with listeners. “We’re giving the mic to some of the most provocative thinkers out there, the people who when you do have a conversation with them, you can’t stop thinking about it,” she says.

The podcasts are just one piece of a broader platform that will also include live gatherings and workshops aimed at fostering deeper engagement beyond passive listening.

“We’re going to start conversations in multiple ways. We’re going to get together in real life with events. We're going to host workshops and live conversations,” Troberman says.

Bubbler is working with iHeartMedia to build what it describes as a large-scale podcast slate designed to reach marketers and industry decision-makers. The company is also launching with brand support, including early partners State Farm and Sam’s Club.

For Troberman, the underlying mission of Bubbler Media is as much cultural as it is commercial.

“We want Bubbler Media to bring the humanity and the human conversations back to marketing,” she says. They’re also betting marketers — and the brands that want to reach them — are ready for something more participatory. “If you’re not in the conversation, you’re not in the game,” Troberman says.

Troberman was Chief Marketing Officer at iHeartMedia for a decade before transitioning to a senior advisor role in 2024. She has continued to work with the company’s clients and sales teams, and has been involved in industry and B2B events.

Before her ten years with iHeartMedia, Troberman was Chief Marketing and Ideas Officer at IPG Mediabrands from 2012-2014, preceded by 16 years at Microsoft, where she was the company’s Chief Creative Officer.