American Metamorphosis

American Metamorphosis, an original podcast series from The Atlantic produced in partnership with Boston Consulting Group, journeyed through the climate, the economy, and the American political system to report impartial stories of perseverance. Across five seasons, the series showcased how synergy between the public and private sectors can lead to meaningful progress, providing a dynamic canvas for engaging, true-to-life storytelling.

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The Ask:

BCG helps organizations navigate their most complex challenges and biggest opportunities—often in moments of transformation. But because much of that work must remain confidential, the firm needed a public-facing storytelling platform that could increase brand awareness while showcasing BCG’s expansive expertise across national security, revenue, aerospace, crisis management, and more.


The challenge: How do you reveal the breadth and depth of BCG’s impact without revealing the confidential work itself?

The Concept:

We built American Metamorphosis as a storytelling Trojan horse: a narrative podcast that feels like documentary journalism but quietly signals BCG’s role in shaping the country’s most critical systems.

Each episode opened with an unexpected anecdote; an intimate, surprising entry point that widened into a story about climate resilience, political volatility, technological risk, or societal transformation, with a BCG expert at the core.

This structure let us demonstrate expertise through narrative rather than case files, revealing BCG’s authority without exposing sensitive engagements.

My Role:

As Executive Creative Director & Head of Production I was responsible for both the big picture vision and the day-to-day machinery that made the series possible:

  • Set the creative vision and narrative architecture across five seasons

  • Led the editorial voice — tone, pacing, and narrative tension

  • Brought in external producing talent to complement our in-house roster and build a hybrid, high-performing team

  • Designed the full production workflow, from pitch to publish, so multiple episodes and seasons could run in parallel

  • Set and managed the production budget, ensuring we scaled the creative ambition without overspend

  • Oversaw talent strategy, casting ~80 guests across science, business, politics, arts, and culture

  • Partnered closely with BCG and internal stakeholders to keep episodes compelling, accurate, and legally/operationally viable

  • Developed a full ecosystem of promotional assets and partnered with media planning and audience development teams to ensure targeted placement that reached business decision-makers, policy influencers, and other high-value listeners

  • Directed the evolving aesthetic — season-specific artwork, sonic identity, and overall look and feel

Execution:

Across 30+ episodes and five seasons, the series blended documentary sensibility with narrative journalism:

  • Human-first story openings that transition into thematic explorations of risk, resilience, modernization, and collaboration

  • A dynamic visual identity that evolved with each season’s thematic shift while maintaining strong brand continuity

  • Interviews with leaders spanning Pulitzer Prize–winning journalists, CEOs, astronauts, artists, and military innovators, woven into unified narrative arcs

  • A cohesive audio experience shaped through meticulous editing, atmospheric sound design, and editorial rigor

Scaling Success:

American Metamorphosis did not only cover ongoing transformations, it changed alongside them. Initially, American Metamorphosis was created as a limited series about the transfer of power. But as our first season unfolded—and resonated with audiences—it became clear that its storytelling method could reach much further still. The podcast evolved to feature a specific theme each season, mirroring shifts in American culture from risk-taking to resilience.

Conversations between host Emmy-nominated journalist Caroline Modarressy-Tehrani and nearly 80 guests surfaced timely questions and urgent implications, from national competitiveness to institutional trust. Each episode was crafted with an eye toward what was changing in real time, making the series both reflective and adaptive. This thematic focus kept the series timely and pertinent, broadening its appeal and enhancing its impact on listeners.

Impact:

Strengthened BCG’s brand visibility and positioned them as thoughtful, future-oriented leaders across the public and private sectors.

  • 5.6M+ downloads across all seasons.

  • 90% of new Season 5 listeners went back to start at Season 1, Episode 1 — indicating long-term story retention and brand affinity.

  • 57% listener growth in cumulative downloads season over season.

  • Industry recognition including Webby Honoree, Native Advertising Awards Silver, and Publisher Podcast Awards shortlist.