In Clear Focus

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Marketing expert and futurist Rohit Bhargava makes a return appearance to discuss his latest book, " Non-Obvious Thinking: How to See What Others Miss ." Discover how Rohit's SIFT framework (Space, Insights, Focus, Twist) uncovers hidden opportunities and innovative solutions. Rohit shares compelling examples of non-obvious thinking in action, from questioning map accuracy to lever...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Jordan Morrow, SVP of Data and AI Transformation at AgileOne and the "Godfather of data literacy," discusses the intersection of AI and data literacy. Jordan shares insights on the four levels of analytics, the "three C's" of data literacy, and practical steps for organizations to build data confidence. As the author of " Be Data Literate ," Jordan emphasizes that while not everyon...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Ron Levac, Chief Innovation Officer at  Spectrio , explores the transformation of retail through digital signage and Retail Media Networks (RMNs). As brick-and-mortar stores influence 80 percent of purchases, Ron reveals how retailers can leverage digital displays, AI, and data analytics to enhance customer experiences. Learn how emerging technologies like MicroLED are revolutioniz...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Peter Benei, remote work expert and AI marketing practice lead at Intercept Scale, explores the evolution of marketing leadership. Benei shares frameworks from his book " Leadership Anywhere ," including the Transparent Leadership Triangle and Asynchronous Communication Matrix. He discusses AI adoption in marketing, highlighting implementation challenges and opportunities. Learn ho...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Rich Kahn, co-founder and CEO of Anura.io , delves into ad fraud, projected to cost businesses $100B this year. Rich shares insights on identifying fraudulent traffic, including Sophisticated Invalid Traffic (SIVT), using advanced detection techniques. He emphasizes third-party certification, cohesive fraud prevention strategies, and why marketers must reject fraud as a business co...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Lynn Daniel, founder and CEO of The Daniel Group , shares insights on differentiating B2B customer experiences. He discusses building trust through communication, leveraging feedback with phone surveys and AI tools, and improving frontline engagement. Learn how understanding the 'why' behind customer satisfaction and responding promptly can transform business success. Lynn describe...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Cairo Kenan Marsh, founder of Tokyo-based marketing consultancy relativ* , explores evolving consumer loyalty trends and relationship-driven marketing strategies. Drawing from his experience with Fortune 500 companies and independent brands, Cairo discusses the shift from transactional marketing to authentic brand relationships. He shares insights on balancing data science with cre...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: In this week's episode, Carolyn Lowe, the founder and CEO of ROI Swift , shares practical Amazon marketplace strategies for brand success. Drawing from her own experience managing a $2B division at Dell and advising established e-commerce businesses and startups, Carolyn discusses profitability tactics, advertising approaches, and emerging opportunities on the platform. Learn how b...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Kian Bakhtiari, the author of December's Bigeye Book Club selection, " Marketing for Social Change ," discusses how brands can drive meaningful social impact. Kian explores moving beyond performative activism to authentic change, strategies for maintaining momentum, and the evolution of marketing from driving consumption to creating positive social outcomes. He shares practical ins...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: A conversation with Simon Kingsnorth, the author of November's Bigeye Book Club selection, " Marketing in Web 3.0 ." Discover how AI, the metaverse, and Web 3.0 are reshaping marketing strategies. Simon shares insights on effective AI implementation, community building in decentralized platforms, and practical steps for brands entering virtual environments. Hear why human creativit...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Northwestern University professor and former Baxter International Chairman and CEO Harry M. Kramer, Jr. discusses his new book " Your Values-Based Legacy ," examining how legacy building is a lifelong journey. Drawing from executive and academic experience, Harry shares how connections, community, and choices shape meaningful impact. The conversation explores generational approache...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Benjamin Johnson, CEO of Particle41 , discusses technology optimization for business growth. From a periodic table of business tools to application modernization, Ben shares insights from his 20+ years of experience, including tech stack assessment, custom solutions versus off-the-shelf software, fractional CTO services, and practical approaches to legacy system updates. The conver...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Kyle Roof, noted SEO expert and creator of Page Optimizer Pro , discusses the science of SEO. We hear his journey from attorney to SEO innovator, including his "Lorem Ipsum" experiment. Kyle discusses insights from 400+ tests, emphasizing SEO's mathematical nature and balancing technical optimization with quality content. We examine his testing methods, findings on grammar and link...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Swag.com co-founder Jeremy Parker has transformed the promotional products industry. We explore his entrepreneurial journey, Swag.com's growth strategies, and insights on market research and product curation. Jeremy shares how he adapted his marketing approaches and used customer feedback. We also discuss how Swag.com grew to $40 million in sales and his new venture, Swag. Space. J...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: In the first episode of our seventeenth season, guest Stefan F. Dieffenbacher discusses innovation strategies for business growth. With 90 percent of innovation initiatives failing, Stefan shares insights from his book, " How To Create Innovation " and introduces us to the UNITE framework. We learn why Stefan favors the Jobs To Be Done approach over traditional Buyer Personas, how...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Jason Greenwood of Greenwood Consulting discusses B2B e-commerce, highlighting its complexities compared to B2C. He notes many B2B brands lag behind in digital capabilities, facing challenges like outdated data management and internal resistance. Jason shares a case study that illustrates how streamlining processes can improve efficiency. Hear why Jason predicts rapid B2B e-commerc...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Tom Burgess, president of SnippMedia , discusses how financial media networks (FMNs) leverage banks' first-party data to present targeted offers within banking apps, creating unique advertising opportunities. Tom explains SnippMedia's campaign process and performance metrics, sharing insights on targeting capabilities and A/B testing. He also explores the future of FMNs, encouragin...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Brett Townsend, SVP of Strategy at Quester and co-author of " Insights on the Brink ," discusses today's consumer research. He emphasizes the need to evolve beyond academic approaches, improve storytelling, and leverage emotional data. Brett advocates for better collaboration between insights professionals and agency teams, and shares strategies for capturing consumer narratives, i...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Xenia Muntean, CEO of Planable , discusses effective strategies for streamlining content review and marketing collaboration. She explores common challenges in social media management, the importance of accurate content previews, and effective workflow solutions. Xenia shares insights on entrepreneurship and the integration of AI in marketing tools. Fresh perspectives for marketers,...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Michael Begg, CEO of AMZ Advisers , discusses effective strategies for launching and scaling brands on Amazon. He explores common challenges brands face, the importance of setting appropriate budgets for advertising, and effective pricing strategies. Mike shares insights on international expansion, particularly into Latin American markets, and the complexities of multi-platform e-c...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Greg Brooks, CMO at SearchTides , explores SEO's future in the AI era. He discusses evolving strategies, AI's impact on content and search, and the importance of expert-driven material. We examine e-commerce SEO challenges, social search trends, and the rise of AI-powered small firms. Greg also offers fresh insights on adapting to algorithm changes and using AI to stay competitive....

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Gordon Glenister, the author of " Influencer Marketing Strategy ," discusses the evolution of this dynamic field. He shares effective campaign development tactics, success stories, and legal considerations. Gordon examines employee advocacy as an emerging trend and offers insights on leveraging internal talent as influencers. Learn how brands can navigate the influencer landscape,...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Barbara Wardell and Ernesto Cullari discuss geofencing advertising for small and medium-sized businesses. They explain practical applications, benefits, and misconceptions of GPS-based targeting. Barbara and Ernesto share their insights on foot traffic studies, ad creative importance, and effectiveness metrics - offering tips for successful pilot projects. Expert perspectives on le...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Jeff Umbro, CEO of The Podglomerate , discusses podcast marketing for brands and businesses. He explores advertising strategies, host-read ads, and branded podcasts. Jeff shares insights on audience growth, measuring success, and cross-promotion. He also addresses common mistakes, thought leadership, and AI's impact on podcasting. Listen for fresh perspectives on maximizing podcast...

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Michael Beach, CEO of Cross Screen Media and author of " Screen Wars ," discusses the evolution of convergent TV advertising. He explains the shift from linear to streaming, audience-based planning, and the role data analytics plays in convergent TV. Michael also shares practical advice for maximizing reach and data-driven insights that point to the future of TV consumption. Valuab...