Content Disrupted: Bold Takes on Brand Marketing

Creating more content won’t help your business, if it doesn’t resonate with your target audience. In this episode, public speaking and messaging consultant Jay Acunzo, joins @dbaptiste to unpack a major challenge in the AI-driven marketing world: Shifting from chasing search clicks to becoming a brand people actively seek out and choose. Jay reveals why the “reach for reach’s sake” strategy doesn’...

In this episode, Rand Fishkin (co-founder of SparkToro and Moz) joins @Dan Baptiste to unpack major shifts in search-driven discovery, the rise of “zero-click” content, and the hard truths marketers must face in the process: traffic is a vanity metric and attribution is a dead-end.

Why is content marketing broken—and what no‑bull strategies will actually drive results today? You can’t avoid the truth bombs in this episode with Brendan Hufford, founder of Growth Sprints, as he breaks down where most content marketing is going wrong and how teams can cut through by naming the right problem, building around their content IP, and investing in strategies that might seem counterin...

How do you build a culture-led brand that stands out in an oversaturated market? Skullcandy CEO Brian Garofalow shares how brands like Igloo and Skullcandy thrive by merging counterculture with commerce, balancing operational discipline with creativity, and leaning into brand identity to punch above their weight in crowded market categories.

Does your brand marketing pass the "who cares?" test? In an age where attention is scarce and content is endless, the real challenge isn’t just telling a story—it’s telling one people actually care about. In this episode, Jessica Gioglio, author of The Laws of Brand Storytelling—unpacks the laws of story-first brand marketing, revealing what separates brands that blend in from those that...

When the world’s moving at warp speed, how do you stay relevant—especially with an audience that hates being marketed to? Just ask Adam Walden, VP of Brand & Corporate Marketing at GitHub. As AI rewrites the rules of software development, Walden shares how his team earns trust from skeptical developers by embedding marketing within product teams, embracing a “Possibility Mindset,” and crafting...

What if your brand was rated the worst company in America to work for? That's the challenge Kevin Miller faced when he became CMO of The Fresh Market grocery chain in 2020. In this episode, Kevin reveals the audacious vision and customer-centric strategy he used to transform the distressed brand into a beloved market leader in just two years. Discover how Kevin's team immersed themselves...

Marketers are betting big on AI—but are they playing a losing hand? 75% of leaders say AI is a key differentiator for their business, yet only 15% are confident they're investing in the right areas. In this episode of Content Disrupted, Skyword’s Dan Baptiste sits down with HumanX Co-founder and CEO Stefan Weitz to uncover the massive gap between AI hype and real-world execution. They dive in...

Everyone’s talking about AI—why aren’t more teams actually using it to grow? In this episode, Conor Grennan, Chief AI Architect at NYU Stern School of Business and founder of AI Mindset, reveals how leaders can overcome the real barriers to AI adoption: mindset and behavior. Learn how to reimagine workflows, navigate resistance, and unlock growth opportunities by fostering an AI mindset in your or...

What does it take to shape marketing for a tech giant like Salesforce? Amber Armstrong, CMO of Salesforce’s Sales Cloud division, shares insights into the company’s unique culture of speed and innovation. Learn how her team is driving sales and educating customers on the brand’s recent Agentforce technology, while building dynamic content and community platforms like the award-winning Salesblazer...

AI is a game-changing power tool for marketers, as transformative in business today as the web was decades ago. Is your marketing organization ready? Jeff Fleischman, Chief Marketing Officer at Altimetrik, shares how AI is unlocking a new era of strategic marketing leadership and uncovering opportunities no human could see. Drawing on his experience leading major digital transformations, Jeff shar...

In this episode, Kris Rudeegraap, co-founder and co-CEO at Sendoso, shares how businesses can foster meaningful customer connections in today’s hybrid and AI-driven landscape. He touches on leveraging data for hyper-personalization, bridging gaps in customer engagement, and leveraging gifting as a strategic tool. Kris also delves into how Sendoso evolved from a manual concept to a scalable solutio...

In this episode, Brett Hannath, Chief Marketing Officer at Intel, shares insights into leading marketing transformation during a critical period in tech, with a focus on leveraging AI innovation to drive growth. Brett discusses the complexities of balancing immediate business needs with long-term goals, building strategic partnerships, and creating agile marketing teams in a rapidly changing indus...

In this episode, Raj Venkatesan, a leading expert in marketing analytics and AI and the Roland Trzcinski Professor at the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia, delves into the intersection of AI and marketing. Raj shares his insights on blending AI with traditional marketing values, focusing on personalization, customer trust, and the ethical implications of using AI in branding...

In this episode, Madhukar Kumar, Chief Marketing Officer at SingleStore, shares his expertise on effectively integrating AI into marketing strategies. He discusses the challenges marketers face in an increasingly complex digital landscape and how to overcome fatigue from the rapid influx of new tools. Madhukar emphasizes the importance of understanding customer needs and leveraging AI to enhance c...

In this episode, Michael Smith, Chief Marketing Officer at NPR, offers invaluable insights into the art of audience-centric marketing in the digital age. This seasoned marketing veteran discusses crafting a compelling brand voice, building passionate audiences, and leveraging human insight alongside data for effective marketing. He also emphasizes the importance of understanding consumer behavior...

In this episode, Jessica Gilmartin, CMO of Calendly, explores the challenges and benefits of transitioning from startups to larger organizations, as well as her advocacy for a product-led growth strategy and the importance of segmentation and prioritization. Jessica also discusses the constant evolution of marketing strategies.

In this episode, David Aaker, hailed the “Father of Modern Branding” and Vice Chairman at Prophet, unveils the secrets to successful brand building, the power of purpose-driven marketing, and the importance of storytelling in a fast-paced business world. David also discusses AI in marketing, the challenges of message distribution, and how to humanize a brand.

Dive into the art of brand storytelling with Maxx Delaney, Creative Director at Quality Meats Creative, as he unpacks strategies for standing out in saturated markets. Drawing from his work with brands like Jefferson's Bourbon, Delaney reveals how to craft compelling brand narratives that resonate across channels and drive demand. Learn to balance heritage with innovation, maintain brand cons...

In this episode, Amanda Todorovich, Executive Director of Digital Marketing at Cleveland Clinic, unveils the strategies behind the brand’s top-tier content marketing program. Amanda shares insights on building high-performing teams, proving ROI, and responsibly integrating AI into your content marketing practice. Overall, this episode is packed with valuable lessons on scaling content excellence a...

How do you, as a marketer, gain the trust of your customers in a society that is rife with misinformation and misbelief? In this episode of Content Disrupted, esteemed behavioral economist Dan Ariely, explains the psychological and social drivers behind misbelief and how it is perpetuated in today’s low-resilience, high-stress society. Discover the secrets to nurturing brand trust at scale through...

How is generative AI disrupting Google search and what does that mean for brands and content creators? In this episode of Content Disrupted, Clearscope Founder Bernard Huang sits down with Skyword EVP Dan Baptiste to discuss the current and future state of SEO and AI-powered search. They delve into the cannibalization of search traffic, the new way to approach topical authority, and how to use con...

For marketers, it’s essential to step out from behind the screen and reconnect with what really matters—your customers. In this episode of Content Disrupted, Natalie Adis, VP of Digital Marketing and Social Media at Marquis Health Consulting Services, shares how prioritizing empathy over automation through boots-on-the-ground interactions transformed her team’s healthcare marketing. Discover simpl...

Is your brand chasing tactics or shaping the market? In this episode of Content Disrupted, Jessica McCarthy, veteran marketer and current CMO at Care New England, reveals how refocusing your brand on its core purpose, redefining corporate social responsibility, and embracing AI responsibly can create bigger marketing impact and help brands build relationships with the next generation of consumers...

Forget marketing to traditional demographics! Today's consumers are chameleons, blending identities and buying based on the situation. How can your brand keep up? In this episode of Content Disrupted, Dr. Michael Solomon, consumer behavior expert and professor of marketing at Saint Joseph’s University, delves into the complexities of modern consumer identities and their impact on marketing st...