The Marketing & AI Podcast: The MAP

IKEA didn't use AI to cut headcount. It used AI to unlock €1.3 billion in new revenue. So why are so many businesses still getting this wrong? In this episode, Hal and Nick are joined by Guy Meisl, Operations Director at Radley, to ask some uncomfortable questions about AI's impact in the real engine room of business: operations, logistics, and supply chain. Why did Uber burn through its entire 20...

PR used to shape what humans read. Is it now about shaping what AI LLMs summarise? In this episode, we speak to Jackson Wightman, founder of Proper Propaganda, about one of the biggest shifts happening in marketing today: the rise of AI search. By mid-2025, Jackson noticed that AI search engines were becoming a key discovery channel for both his clients and his own agency. Rather than simply advis...

How do you take your AI skills to Expert Level? In this episode we speak to Charlie Hills, a London-based entrepreneur who left his 9-to-5 in September 2024 to become a full-time AI-focussed creator. Today Charlie's LinkedIn posts, his Substack and now YouTube channel on using AI for content creation have become the gold standard for those seeking to build their brands, their businesses and their...

The Human Challenge of AI Transformation Successful AI adoption is not just a technology challenge — it is a human one too, shaped by culture, diversity of perspective, governance and trust. In this episode, Deepak Patel joins us to discuss the human responsibilities that come with AI transformation. Deepak is an experienced transformation leader and Managing Director of DSP Consulting Ltd, and ha...

More than 35% of product discovery is already happening inside AI-driven search experiences rather than on retailer websites. In this episode of The MAP , Hal Kimber and Nick Darby speak with Raj Balasundaram , Founder and CEO of Bayezon AI, about what this shift means for marketers, retailers, and the future of e-commerce. Hal first heard Raj speak at the Digital Leaders Summit , where he describ...

What is really happening with AI adoption in the US? In this episode, Hal Kimber and Nick Darby speak to San Francisco–based Mark Fallows - an experienced digital strategist, creative leader and consultant - about what AI transformation actually looks like inside businesses today. While many assume American companies are racing ahead with AI, the reality is more nuanced. Experimentation is widespr...

Can a UK based AI Start-up Take Businesses to the Next Level? Many organisations are now experimenting with AI tools across different functions, but what does a true enterprise AI solution actually look like? In this episode of The Marketing & AI Podcast , we speak to the founders of Nimbus AI about their vision for AI operating at the very heart of the enterprise, not just as a collection of...

Over the last year on The MAP , we’ve explored how AI is being adopted by marketers — but what impact is it having on our colleagues in Product? In this episode, we speak to Dave Martin , an experienced product leader, consultant, advisor, mentor, and fractional CPO. Dave shares his perspective on how AI is changing the way product teams process customer insight, prototype ideas, and move from con...

From Policy to Practice: Building the UK's AI Advantage Every week we talk about how marketers are adapting to AI. But behind the scenes, there’s also a policy process shaping the rules, skills, and investment environment that will decide how fast UK businesses can really move. In this episode, we speak with Tim Flagg , CEO of UKAI , the new trade body helping accelerate responsible AI adoption ac...

How is AI impacting the world of HR — and what do we all need to know to be ready? In this episode, we speak to  Sarah Harris , Managing Director at  HR People Support , to understand how the workplace itself is being reshaped from the inside out as we step further into this AI-led future — and the pitfalls to avoid, whether you’re a recruiter, candidate, employer, or employee. Is your HR team rea...

AI video tools are exploding, but can they make creative production faster without stripping out the human touch? In this episode we speak to  John Gargiulo , founder and CEO of  Airpost , an “expert-led” video ad platform. John shares how he’s aiming to democratise and automate video ad production, turning high-volume social video creation into a genuine game changer for brands of all sizes. All...

How do we move beyond the hype and use AI to genuinely amplify talent and growth? In this episode, we speak with  Dino Gane-Palmer , founder and CEO of innovation consultancy  PreScouter , and author of  Do More With Less: The AI Playbook for Amplifying Talent and Output . Dino shares how businesses can avoid common pitfalls and build an AI playbook that delivers real results — in as little as eig...

What does a dead shark have to do with the future of branding? In this episode of The MAP , brand expert Bob Sheard, Co-Founder of FreshBritain and author of The Brand New Future: How Brands Can Save the World, shares the story of his “shark epiphany” — and how it reshaped his perspective on using AI for brands. We explore how FreshBritain is using AI to help brands swim faster and grow bigger — w...

Will AI unleash a new wave of human creativity? In this episode, we speak with  Philip Marshall, Executive Creative Director, consultant, and lecturer on culture at the University of West London. Philip explains why he sees AI as a golden opportunity for creatives to refocus on the inspiring, original, and brave work that builds brands — while leaving AI to handle the day-to-day, run-of-the-mill o...

When AI Overviews slash your organic traffic, what do you do next? In this episode, we speak with  Alex Brown  — a consultant in the fiercely competitive world of business school admissions, and course leader in Digital Marketing and Digital Strategy at both Emeritus and London Business School. Alex shares how the  GEO shockwave  hit his marketing efforts at Clear Admit — and the smart, practical...

With AI overviews slashing organic traffic, how do brands win share of voice in the age of GEO? In this episode we speak to Michael Hermon, founder of Spotlight - https://www.get-spotlight.com - the first share of voice tool built for LLMs. He takes us through the how fast this shift is happening, what risks businesses face if they ignore this, and the strategies you need to adopt to get AI talkin...

If not all followers are equal, should total follower count really be your KPI? In today’s social-media-driven economy, around 10% of your audience typically generates 70% of your value. In this episode, we speak with Ethan Monkhouse, Founder & CTO of Naviro.ai, about how Precision AI helps brands and creators identify and nurture the signals, content, and followers that truly matter. We explo...

Should we be more optimistic about our future with AI? In this inspiring episode, Jason Thomson, Senior Vice President at Mintel, explains how he is not only leading AI innovation at global market intelligence giant Mintel, but also why he believes the future for our jobs with AI is not nearly as stark as some have been predicting.

How should marketers work with their tech colleagues in the age of AI? In this episode, we speak with Sandeep Seeripat, Global Business Transformation and Technology Officer at TwiningsOvo, to explore how tech and marketing teams must work hand-in-hand to seize AI opportunities without losing control. From strategic alignment to risk mitigation, Sandeep shares how Twinings is navigating the AI rev...

To what extent should businesses consider the ethical implications of AI transformation? In this highly stimulating episode McKinley Hyden, Director of Data Value and Strategy at the Financial Times, shares the work she has been doing on AI transformation that led to the FT recently winning "Generative AI Initiative of the Year" at the 2025 British Data Awards. She is utterly compelling in her vie...

Can AI make us better leaders? Leadership isn’t a job. It’s a privilege — because one conversation can change someone’s future.  In this episode, Brett Engeman, founder of Aspirational Leaders Co., shares how he’s using AI to augment leadership — helping leaders lead with insight, set smarter goals, and build stronger teams.

How is AI helping advertisers radically improve on the limits of programmatic advertising? In this latest episode to look at how AI is rapidly transforming the world of media we speak to Tom Quick, CEO and founder of Entity X, about how his company is using AI to quantify cultural intelligence and enable cultural activation for brands, helping agencies and clients create more relevant, impactful c...

What does Agentic AI mean for the future of Consumer Insight teams? In this episode, we speak with Justin Ibbett, founder and CEO of Focaldata, the world's first AI co-worker for consumer insight. In the near term, Justin believes Agentic AI will "give researchers superpowers." But he's also clear-eyed about the long-term. Consumer Insight has traditionally been about predicting the future to spot...

AI is fundamentally disrupting both content marketing and SEO.  By 2026,  90% of all online content is projected to be AI-generated , according to Europol. So what opportunities does this create for marketers? In this episode, we speak to  Erik Wikander , co-founder and CEO of  Wilgot.ai , a start-up redefining how high-quality content is created and scaled in the era of AI search. He gives his in...

Does AI spell the end of SEO as we know it? 2024 was a landmark year for AI in search — and if Google & Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai’s latest insights are anything to go by, 2025 will be even bigger. In this episode, we speak to Nathan Mzumara, Head of SEO at OneAdvanced Software Solutions, about how he and his peers are adapting to the rapidly evolving SEO landscape.