Marketing Today With Alan Hart

“Marketing Today with Alan Hart” once again comes to you from Brooklyn, where it was recorded during the Incite Group's Brand Marketing Summit, which took place in October of 2018. This week's episode features a conversation with Kristi Argyilan, who is a senior VP with Target, where she is in charge of media, guest relations, and measurement. She also leads strategic partnerships with media companies like Google, Facebook, Pinterest, and NBCUniversal as well as with Target's agency partners Mother, Deutsch LA, GroupM's Essence, among others.During the course of the podcast, Argyilan kept returning to the importance of the relationship Target is fostering with Gen Z, which includes partnerships with influencers, the creation and use of video in social media, and members of Gen Z pitching business ideas to Target through its incubator program. “We're really leaning in on this idea of marketing becoming commerce,” says Argyilan. And we're pushing that technology in whatever way we can.” She goes on to add:

This week finds “Marketing Today” on the road again. This time the destination was Brooklyn and the Incite Group's Brand Marketing Summit, where Alan Hart moderated a track — Customer Understanding and Personalized Experiences — and took the opportunity to talk with some of the marketers there about their brands: what was top of mind for them, key insights they had about the Brand Marketing Summit, and their thoughts on the customer journey and experience. They also talked about sources they turned to for information, the best pieces of advice they've received, and even things they love and hate. The four marketers Alan spoke with are:Michael Blash, chief commercial officer at Ink BenchAlegra O'Hare, VP of global brand communications at adidasCasey Hall, former director of social media at Thompson ReutersAbinav Varma, president and CEO at UNIBEESHighlights from this week's “Marketing Today” podcast include:Michael Blash describes Ink Bench as a company that is “b

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In this week's episode of “Marketing Today,” it's déjà vu all over again. Bob Hoffman, The Ad Contrarian, returns for his third visit on the podcast. Bob and Alan can't decide if it's a case of the third time being a charm or if it's three strikes and you're out. In any case, it's a treat for the listener because Hoffman is, as always, blunt, profane, and hilarious —and he takes no prisoners.During the course of his conversation with Alan, Hoffman talks about the state of advertising as he sees it, his recent contribution to “Eat Your Greens,” published by the APG as part of their 50 Years of Planning celebration, his take on Facebook, and his new book, “Laughing@Advertising.” The book is a compilation of articles from Hoffman's blog, The Ad Contrarian, and Hoffman describes it as “the silliest, most injudicious and, perhaps, irresponsible marketing book you've ever read.”But we all know that really means the book is filled in equal measure w

In this week's episode of “Marketing Today,” Alan talks with George Hammer, chief content officer at IBM. In his conversation with Alan, Hammer discusses current trends in content creation as well as his vision for the way IBM operates in the creative realm and how it has changed “business as usual” at IBM.Hammer talks about the current trend we're seeing of so many companies bringing create in-house and how the content creation model at IBM — “IBM Originals” — is different. “I believe that we can actually do better,” says Hammer. “And so, for me, no — we're not building an in-house agency. And I think if you just simply think about that, you're missing the opportunity to do something bigger and greater. And there are all sorts of opportunities that are unlocked when you have an IBMer sitting next to an IBMer working together to make something.”At the same time, Hammer recognizes what outside talent can add to the IBM mix: “Th

This week's episode of “Marketing Today,” finds Alan talking with Kim Wijkstrom, CMO for OneMain Financial. In his role there, Wijkstrom is responsible for development and execution of the company's brand marketing, and he has overseen OneMain Financial's first-ever brand campaign: “Lending Done Human.”During the course of his discussion with Alan, Wijkstrom talks at length about what led him to join OneMain Financial, his belief that the company provides a necessary and responsible service, and the company's new brand campaign. He also revisits his time at TBWA Chiat Day, where he worked on some of the world's most iconic brands, including Apple and Absolut Vodka.Working on Apple set the tone for Wijkstrom's career. “I don't think, at the time, I realized how lucky I was to be thrown into that situation,” says Wijkstrom. “It was more trying to absorb as much as possible from the moment and roll with it and make sure that we could deliver on the relationship.” H

In this week's episode of “Marketing Today,” Alan talks with Richard Shotton, author of the book, “The Choice Factory: 25 Behavioural Biases That Influence What We Buy,” which was published earlier this year.Shotton started in advertising as a media planner, working on brands such as Coke and Lexus, before becoming inspired by the idea of applying behavioral psychology to business problems. Presently, he is head of behavioural science at Manning Gottleib OMD. In addition, he recently founded the consultancy, Astroten.During his conversation with Alan, Shotton outlines the thinking and methodology that went into writing his book. And he discusses just how much he relishes the freedom to conduct his own experiments to bear out his hypotheses. “What I have most loved is the freedom to go out and run a test to prove a point,' says Shotton, “not to have to rely on other people's findings. It's so easy to set up a psychological experiment. I find that really exciting and liberating — starting a project, not knowing

In this week's episode of “Marketing Today,” Alan talks with Dave Knox, marketer, consultant, and author. His book, “Predicting the Turn: The High Stakes Game of Business Between Startups and Blue Chips,” was an Atticus Awards Grand Prix winner in 2017.Knox has worked for Proctor & Gamble and was chief marketing officer at Rockfish. Now, he is co-founder of The Brandery, a startup accelerator, and co-founder and managing partner at Vine St. Ventures, a seed venture capital fund.During his conversation with Alan, Knox pointed out one reason why a lot of big companies struggle with innovation: “A CEO used to be rewarded for the five-year vision of how they were going to grow the company,” says Knox. “And today they're being measured whether they hit a quarterly number or not. And that's a really dangerous kind of short-term thinking that I think is stifling innovation in a lot of different ways.”Highlights from this week's “Marketing Today” podcast

This week's “Marketing Today” features a very special guest. Alan talks with Seth Godin, author of 18 best-selling books, including “Free Prize Inside,” “Purple Cow,” and “The Dip.” And now he's written a new one: “This Is Marketing: You Can't Be Seen Until You Learn to See.”In his conversation with Alan, Godin discusses his new book and what it's about: creating change and a modern way of thinking about marketing. Godin also touches on Nike and Colin Kaepernik, Brexit, and why, when trying to reach people, it's important not to try to transform them or get them to admit they're wrong, but simply to dance with them.And while he is a best-selling author and thought leader, Godin considers himself, first and foremost, a teacher. “I decided a bunch of years ago that I was a teacher,” says Godin. “And I decided that the best, most comfortable way for me to teach would be to notice things and try to explain them. And, if I do it well, pe

This week on “Marketing Today,” we revisit one of our earlier episodes. In it, Alan talks with Kim Whitler, an assistant professor in the marketing department at the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business. Prior to joining the world of academia, Whitler was head of marketing strategy at PetSmart and served as CMO for both Beazer Homes and David's Bridal. She's also written for Forbes on issues facing C-level marketing leaders today.During the course of their discussion, they talk at length about research Whitler was conducting at the time, the results of which were recently published in the Journal of Marketing in an article titled, “When and How Board Members with Marketing Experience Facilitate Firm Growth.” They also touched on how it's critical for a CMO to not only understand how their competencies should dovetail with their role, but also what their organization's expectations are for them. And lastly, she made this comment on what marketing means for companies seekin

In this week's episode of “Marketing Today,” Alan talks with Julie Eaton, vice president and general manager at Corian Design, a unit of DuPont. Eaton's 23-career at DuPont started in manufacturing and technology before evolving into roles in product leadership, first with Kevlar and now in her current position with Corian Design.During the course of her conversation with Alan, Eaton discussed the “new” DuPont, the challenges of launching a brand inside a larger company, and how she always strives to bring learning with her to every new role she takes on. And she talked about what it means for Corian Design to transition from product brand to master brand, “As we looked at where we were headed, we saw the possibility to be so much more,” said Eaton. “We are so proud to be a part of DuPont, which continues to stand for innovation and differentiated high-performing products that make a meaningful difference in the world.”And she added this about Corian Design's ne

In this week's episode of “Marketing Today,” Alan talks with Scott Mueller, president at Shopchology, a shopper marketing and insights company. During the podcast, they discuss the “retail apocalypse” and challenge the popular notion that retail is dying, (hint: it's not dying — it's evolving), what modern retail means to both brands and retailers, and Mueller provides insight into the future of retail using real-world examples to make his point. They also talk about an article they collaborated on for Adweek that examines the ways brands can thrive in the rapidly evolving retail industry.In talking about ways brands can gain traction in that rapidly evolving landscape, Mueller outlines how authenticity is key in connecting with shoppers. “Experience, storytelling — they're everything. They're so important.” says Mueller. “They've always been important, but they're so crucial now — to getting that mix correct, that vibe correct. Defining and animati

This is part of a 3-part series of episodes from “Marketing Today”.  Host Alan Hart interviews John Thies, the CEO of both Email on Acid and Cause for Awareness (a non-profit).  In this interview, Alan and John discuss how to design better email experiences (from the subscriber's perspective).  They discuss common beginner mistakes, modern personalization options and other design considerations.Let Your Voice Be Heard“Marketing Today” has a new Q&A feature! Ever wish you could ask a question on the show? Well, now you can. Just click this link and ask your question — it's that easy. And if we can, we'll answer it on the next podcast. We're looking forward to your questions!Highlights from this week's “Marketing Today” podcast include:1:07 – Introducing John Thies and Email on Acid3:27 – Discussing key elements of getting email “right” these days.5:50 – Discussing common mistakes.8:00 – What are other way

This is part of a 3-part series of episodes from “Marketing Today”.  Host Alan Hart interviews Molly Crawford, VP and Creative Director at Digitas Atlanta.  In this interview, Alan and Molly discuss strategies for conveying messaging across multiple marketing channels (email, web, social, etc.).  They discuss how to utilize modern personalization elements and ways to balance consistent messaging with the features and audience types for different channels.Let Your Voice Be Heard“Marketing Today” has a new Q&A feature! Ever wish you could ask a question on the show? Well, now you can. Just click this link and ask your question — it's that easy. And if we can, we'll answer it on the next podcast. We're looking forward to your questions!Highlights from this week's “Marketing Today” podcast include:1:03 – Introducing Molly Crawford1:20 – How do you define cross-channel design2:00 – When is it done right?2:45 – What consi

This is part of a 3-part series of episodes from “Marketing Today”.  Host Alan Hart interviews Craig Evans, Chief Creative Officer at Wunderman.  In this interview, Alan and Craig discuss the challenges related to modern creative departments as they deal with marketing across multiple, ever-changing channels and platforms.  They also discuss how AI is changing the world of marketing and the boundaries of personalization.Let Your Voice Be Heard“Marketing Today” has a new Q&A feature! Ever wish you could ask a question on the show? Well, now you can. Just click this link and ask your question — it's that easy. And if we can, we'll answer it on the next podcast. We're looking forward to your questions!Highlights from this week's “Marketing Today” podcast include:1:12 – Introducing Craig Evans1:30 – What skills are necessary for cross-channel experience design?2:32 – How are changing technologies changing creative departments

This week on “Marketing Today,” Alan hosts two guests. Carrie Bienkowski is CMO with Peapod, the online grocery ordering and delivery service. Prior to her time with Peapod, Bienkowski was based in London as head of fashion for eBay, and, previous to that, she spent 10 years in marketing with Procter & Gamble. Vic Drabicky is the founder and CEO of January Digital, a digital marketing agency, consultancy, and analytics firm working with brands ranging from David's Bridal to Diane von Furstenberg, Oscar de la Renta, and Vineyard Vines. During the course of their conversation with Alan, Bienkowski and Drabicky reveal the thinking behind the ways they operate and the ways their companies work together. And the dynamic nature of this in-tandem podcast episode leads to greater insight as the Bienkowski and Drabicky build on each other's points.Let Your Voice Be Heard“Marketing Today” has a new Q&A feature! Ever wish you could ask a question on the show? Well, now you can. Just

In this week's episode of “Marketing Today,” Alan talks with Dawn Colossi, the new chief marketing officer at FocusVision. Colossi is a transformative marketer who has experience in the tech and B2B spaces, and she has also spent time in public relations and publishing. During the podcast, Colossi and Alan discuss at length her recent LinkedIn article, “My First 90 Days as a CMO.”In talking about her article, Colossi reveals her belief that it's an organization's people who power and deliver success. “If I've learned anything in my career and as a professional, it's that the people are really the most important thing of what you do,” says Colossi. “And if you don't have good, engaged, happy people, they're not going to share your passion, and you're never going to get where you're going.”Let Your Voice Be Heard“Marketing Today” has a new Q&A feature! Ever wish you could ask a question on the show? Well, now you can. Just click this link and ask y

In this episode of “Marketing Today,” Alan speaks with Chris Moloney, chief marketing officer at TaxSlayer. Prior to joining TaxSlayer, Moloney served as CMO at CAN Capital and CEO at Gremlin Social, and he has held key roles at brands like Wells Fargo Advisors, Scottrade, and Experian.In this wide-ranging conversation, Moloney shares, among other things, how the original Apple Macintosh computer inspired a sensibility that led to his career in marketing and how the combination of his personal and business lives make him a more effective marketer.He also talks about how challenger brands can thrive in competition with more established rivals. “If you are a challenger brand,” says Moloney, “take advantage of the fact that bigger companies sometimes move a lot slower and have more bureaucracy, and it takes them a while to make decisions. If you can be nimbler and faster, you can take advantage of market trends much more quickly.”Let Your Voice Be Heard“Marketing Today&r

This week on “Marketing Today,” Alan talks with Alex Withers, chief sales and marketing officer for InMotionNow, a creative workflow software platform that powers creative and marketing collaboration in the cloud. Withers is a seasoned digital technology marketing executive with previous experience working at Pepsi, ESPN, United States Golf Association, Financial Times, Sageworks, and LexisNexis.In his conversation with Alan, Withers discusses the value InMotionNow can bring to marketers, particularly its ability to minimize the amount of time creatives spend on administrative tasks, the importance of data, and his belief that marketers should not lose sight of the power of creativity. InMotionNow recently released the 2018 In-house Creative Management Report, which highlights key trends and challenges internal teams are experiencing. Withers addresses the trend we're seeing of companies bringing creative work in-house and the reasoning behind it: “I think that CMOs are enjoying having creat

This week on “Marketing Today,” Alan talks with Jascha Kaykas-Wolff, chief marketing officer at Mozilla. Previously, Kaykas-Wolff served as CMO at BitTorrent and Mindjet, and he is the co-host of his own podcast, “This is Your Life in Silicon Valley.”In his conversation with Alan, Kaykas-Wolff touches on, among other things, trust, data and lean data practices, and what it means for a company to stand for something. Kaykas-Wolff points out that, in this age of data breaches and companies unwittingly sharing consumer information, lack of trust is at a crisis level. “In the U.S., trust is not just declining — it's crashing,” says Kaykas-Wolff. “In the last year, we've had almost a 20 percent decrease in trust, in the popularly informed public, in the U.S. alone. This is a crisis of confidence that the general population has in businesses.” Kaykas-Wolff went on to add, “We're not taking good care of our customers' data, and that impacts the trust that t