Business

The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström® | What CMOs Need to Know About Marketing Technology, AI & CX

Marketing technology, AI, and customer experience, explained by the people building it. Three times a week, Greg Kihlström interviews CMOs, product leaders, and martech executives from platform companies like Adobe, Braze, Qualtrics, Salesforce, and Optimizely, and brands like Marriott, Georgia-Pacific, Nestlé, and Zoom about what is actually working inside enterprise marketing organizations.

Each episode runs 20–30 minutes: one guest, one specific problem, no filler. Recent conversations cover what changes when AI agents enter the discovery and purchase path, how to move past traditional A/B testing with reinforcement learning, closing the AI capability gap inside marketing teams, and where personalization stops paying off.

Who it’s for: CMOs, VPs of marketing, martech and marketing operations leaders, and CX practitioners at enterprise brands and the platforms that serve them.

Greg Kihlström is an AI transformation advisor to leading brands, a martech futurist, a keynote speaker, and the author of over 25 books on marketing technology, including the Agile Brand Guide series. He has hosted The Agile Brand since 2019 — 900+ episodes, and highly rated across all podcast platforms.

New episodes drop at least three times a week. Follow the show so new episodes arrive automatically.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Latest Episodes:

#750: MOO's Corin Mills on the strength of physical marketing in the digital age Oct 13, 2025

Show notes

With all the fragmentation in the media landscape, how can brands cut through the digital noise and create meaningful connections with their customers... without resorting to yet another intrusive pop-up ad?
Agility requires not only adapting to changing consumer behaviors but also proactively anticipating them. It demands a willingness to experiment with new channels and tactics, even those that might be considered “traditional"
Today, we're going to talk about the surprising resurgence of physical marketing in the digital age and how it can be a powerful tool for building brand loyalty and driving business growth. To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome Corin Mills, Brand Marketing & E-commerce Director at MOO.
About Corin Mills
Corin Mills is the Brand Marketing & E-Commerce Director at MOO, specializing in data-driven marketing strategies that revitalize brand experiences and foster meaningful organizational change. With over 15 years of extensive brand management experience driving business transformation across multiple sectors and international markets, his passion for impactful branding drives MOO’s success in bridging the gap between quality design and human connection. As former Head of Brand and Comms at Currys, his transformative approach centers on genuine collaboration and inclusive leadership at all levels of business. With previous success at major brands including EE, Tesco, Currys, Google, Orange, and AXA, Corin brings unique cross-industry perspective to discussions about e-commerce strategy and optimization. Corin holds a BSc in Product Design from Brunel University of London.
Corin Mills on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/corin-mills-a2678211/
Resources
MOO: https://www.moo.com
The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow
Register now for Sitecore Symposium, November 3-5 in Orlando Florida. Use code SYM25-2Media10 to receive 10% off. Go here for more: https://symposium.sitecore.com/
Don't Miss MAICON 2025, October 14-16 in Cleveland - the event bringing together the brights minds and leading voices in AI. Use Code AGILE150 for $150 off registration. Go here to register: https://bit.ly/agile150
Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstrom
Don't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.show
Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com
The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#749: Data Axle CEO Andrew Frawley on using identity resolution for stronger customer relationships Oct 10, 2025

Show notes

Are you building a brand that's building customer relationships—and the data behind them—to last or one that's just trying to keep up with today’s omnichannel consumer?

Agility requires not just reacting to change but anticipating it and even shaping it. It demands a deep understanding of your customer and the ability to adapt your strategies in real-time.

Today, we're going to talk about the critical role of data reliability and identity resolution in building an agile brand. To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Andrew Frawley, CEO at Data Axle.

About Andrew Frawley

Andrew (Andy) Frawley, with over 30 years of operational experience, including 25 years in senior leadership, has excelled in diverse industries such as agency, marketing services, software, and professional services. As a seasoned leader, he specializes in SaaS, Digital Marketing, CRM, Big Data, and Marketing Automation. As the CEO of Data Axle, Andy is dedicated to further developing industry-leading client solutions and delivering world-class services to Data Axle clients.

A published author of “Igniting Customer Connections” (2014), Andy is a sought-after speaker on various business and technical topics related to Digital Marketing, Product Innovation, Agency Innovation, Customer Analytics, Big Data, and Customer Value Management. During his distinguished career, he has advised many clients, ranging from small digital businesses to the largest global marketing organizations. Andy’s breakthrough thinking and methodologies, including ROE2, Cliquity, Continuous Customer Management, and Value in Play, have guided organizations in delivering tangible ROI from their customer and marketing investments.

Andrew Frawley on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andyfrawley/

Resources

Data Axle: https://www.data-axle.com/

The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow

Register now for Sitecore Symposium, November 3-5 in Orlando Florida. Use code SYM25-2Media10 to receive 10% off. Go here for more: https://symposium.sitecore.com/

Don't Miss MAICON 2025, October 14-16 in Cleveland - the event bringing together the brights minds and leading voices in AI. Use Code AGILE150 for $150 off registration. Go here to register: https://bit.ly/agile150

Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstrom

Don't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.show

Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com

The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#748: Markup AI CEO Matt Blumberg on creating a winning AI-supported content strategy Oct 09, 2025

Show notes

How can large organizations harness the power of AI for content creation while simultaneously mitigating the risks that come with exponentially scaling content volume and velocity?

Agility requires adaptation to new ways of working as well as adapting governance and oversight processes to maintain brand integrity and manage risk in the new paradigm that AI has helped to create. It also requires the ability to quickly react and adjust content strategies in response to real-time performance data and market shifts.

This episode is brought to you by Markup AI. AI can create content, but Markup AI’s Content Guardian AgentsSM perfect your content. Markup AI instantly scans, scores, and rewrites any content to enforce your standards for brand voice, terminology, and compliance, giving you the confidence you need to scale your use of AI. Learn more at www.markup.ai.

Today, we're going to talk about navigating the exciting but often treacherous landscape of AI-driven content creation. The sheer volume of content being generated presents unprecedented challenges for maintaining quality, consistency, and brand integrity.

To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Matt Blumberg, CEO at Markup AI.

About Matt Blumberg

Matt is the CEO of Markup AI and has more than 30 years of leadership in scaling global disruptive technology businesses. Matt is passionate about the power of language — being precise with it, using it to move people, and ensuring brands maintain a consistent voice with it — and he is equally passionate about the power of technology to change lives for the better.

Before launching Markup AI, Matt successfully launched and led brands and companies including Acrolinx, MovieFone.com division of 777-FILM (acquired by AOL), Return Path (#2 on Fortune Magazine’s “Best Companies to Work for” list and later acquired by PSG/Validity), the nonprofit Path Forward, and Bolster, a disruptive platform for executive search in the tech industry.

Additionally, Matt is the author of a blog (Startup CEO), a podcast (The Daily Bolster), and three acclaimed books on startup leadership (Startup CEO, Startup CXO, and Startup Boards), further underscoring his expertise and commitment to innovation. Matt is based in New York City.

Matt Blumberg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blumbergmatt/

Resources

Markup AI: https://markup.ai/

The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow

Register now for Sitecore Symposium, November 3-5 in Orlando Florida. Use code SYM25-2Media10 to receive 10% off. Go here for more: https://symposium.sitecore.com/

Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstrom

Don't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.show

Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#747: Shutterfly's Chip Lewis on building a strong content strategy by listening to customers Oct 08, 2025

Show notes

Is your content strategy guided more by hunches than data?
Agility requires being nimble enough to adapt everything from a single post to key components of your content strategy based on how real customers are interacting and engaging.
Today, we are in New York City at Contentsquare’s CX Circle and we're going to talk about listening to what your customers want and how they interact with your content to help a brand create the strongest possible content strategy.
To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Chip Lewis, Director of Web Analytics at Shutterfly.
About Chip Lewis
Chip Lewis on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ulianau/
Resources
Shutterfly: https://www.shutterfly.com
The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow
Register now for Sitecore Symposium, November 3-5 in Orlando Florida. Use code SYM25-2Media10 to receive 10% off. Go here for more: https://symposium.sitecore.com/
Don't Miss MAICON 2025, October 14-16 in Cleveland - the event bringing together the brights minds and leading voices in AI. Use Code AGILE150 for $150 off registration. Go here to register: https://bit.ly/agile150
Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstrom
Don't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.show
Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com
The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#746: Microsoft's Kelly Soligon on personalizing the DTC customer experience Oct 06, 2025

Show notes

In a world saturated with marketing messages, how can brands cut through the noise and create truly resonant experiences that go beyond transactions to create genuine, long-term customer relationships?

Agility requires a willingness to constantly adapt and evolve your strategies based on real-time data and customer feedback. It also demands a culture of experimentation and a commitment to iterating quickly on what you learn.

Today, we are in New York City at Contentsquare’s CX Circle and we're going to talk about leveraging AI and personalization to drive success in direct-to-consumer marketing. To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome Kelly Soligon, VP of Consumer Digital Direct Sales at Microsoft. Kelly, welcome to the show!
About Kelly Soligon
Kelly Soligon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ksoligon/
Resources
Microsoft: https://www.microsoft.com
The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow
Register now for Sitecore Symposium, November 3-5 in Orlando Florida. Use code SYM25-2Media10 to receive 10% off. Go here for more: https://symposium.sitecore.com/
Don't Miss MAICON 2025, October 14-16 in Cleveland - the event bringing together the brights minds and leading voices in AI. Use Code AGILE150 for $150 off registration. Go here to register: https://bit.ly/agile150
Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstrom
Don't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.show
Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com
The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#745: Digital experience analytics and VOC with Dave Anderson, Contentsquare Oct 03, 2025

Show notes

Is your brand agile enough for the changing expectations of your customers in a world increasingly driven by AI?

Agility requires more than just fast reactions; it demands proactive adaptation, continuous learning, and a willingness to embrace emerging technologies. It also requires understanding how these technologies can transform customer experience and drive business value.

Today, we are in New York City at Contentsquares CX Circle and we're going to talk about the convergence of digital experience analytics and the power of voice of the customer insights, particularly in light of the increasing impact of AI.
We'll also dive into how these insights can drive a more agile and customer-centric approach to brand building.
To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Dave Anderson, VP of Product Marketing at Contentsquare.
About Dave Anderson
Dave Anderson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveando/
Resources
Contentsquare: https://www.contentsquare.com
The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow
Register now for Sitecore Symposium, November 3-5 in Orlando Florida. Use code SYM25-2Media10 to receive 10% off. Go here for more: https://symposium.sitecore.com/
Don't Miss MAICON 2025, October 14-16 in Cleveland - the event bringing together the brights minds and leading voices in AI. Use Code AGILE150 for $150 off registration. Go here to register: https://bit.ly/agile150
Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstrom
Don't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.show
Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com
The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#744: Journey management and driving business results with Mark Smith and Raymond Gerber, Institute for Journey Management Oct 02, 2025

Show notes

The customer journey guides the lifetime value of our most important audiences, yet how do we ensure that we are planning, mapping, managing, and optimizing these journeys effectively?

Agility requires a deep understanding of your customer's journey and the ability to adapt your strategies and tactics in real-time. It also demands a willingness to experiment, learn, and iterate quickly, embracing change as an opportunity rather than a threat.

Today, we're going to talk about the exciting new Institute for Journey Management and how it's helping businesses unlock the power of customer-centricity in a complex and ever-changing world.
To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Mark Smith and Raymond Gerber from the Institute for Journey Management.
About Mark Smith and Raymond Gerber
Raymond Gerber
Raymond Gerber is Co-Founder of the Institute for Journey Management (I4JM) and Founder of JourneyCentric-CX, where he helps enterprises operationalize customer journeys to drive measurable value. With over 25 years of experience, including leadership roles at Qualtrics, Thunderhead (acquired by Medallia), Pegasystems, and Chordiant, Raymond has been at the forefront of journey orchestration, analytics, and AI-driven engagement. He holds 5 patents in journey analytics and customer experience innovation and has guided multiple SaaS organizations through successful acquisitions.
Mark Smith
Mark Smith is Co-Founder of the Institute for Journey Management (I4JM) and Founder of Journey-Smiths, a boutique consultancy helping companies drive value from journey technology. Mark has over 30 years of experience in customer analytics and engagement, including leadership roles at Kitewheel, CSG, Portrait Software and Quadstone - guiding a series of software start-ups to over $100M in exits. He has steered customer analytic products to recognized market leadership positions since the late 1990s, and became a pioneer in the new domains of journey analytics and orchestration in 2013. By training Mark is a statistician, with a PhD from the early days of AI and distributed computing. However he fights against the statistician stereotype and has focused on customer and market alignment for products throughout his career.
The Institute for Journey Management is a new industry association with a mission to unite journey management ecosystem members. It brings together business leaders, practitioners, implementers and vendors in a collaborative, non-profit initiative to develop shared knowledge of the business benefits possible from journey management.
Resources
Institute for Journey Management: https://www.i4jm.org/
This episode is brought to you by Kinetic Data. Self-service without compromise. Build powerful self-service experiences across your entire organization without sacrificing speed, flexibility, security, or control. https://kineticdata.com/
Register now for Sitecore Symposium, November 3-5 in Orlando Florida. Use code SYM25-2Media10 to receive 10% off. Go here for more: https://symposium.sitecore.com/
Don't Miss MAICON 2025, October 14-16 in Cleveland - the event bringing together the brights minds and leading voices in AI. Use Code AGILE150 for $150 off registration. Go here to register: https://bit.ly/agile150
Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstrom
Don't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.show
Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com
The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#743: Always-on collaboration between AI and marketing with Devin Kunysz, Salesforce Oct 01, 2025

Show notes

Are marketers ready to relinquish some control and embrace a future where autonomous agents handle complex tasks and act as always-on collaborators?

Agility requires adapting to change while also anticipating it, and being ready to adapt when new ways of doing things mean better outcomes for customers and the brand.
Today, we're going to talk about how marketers can bring agentic marketing to life with actionable data, cross-departmental workflows, and autonomous AI agents that handle complex tasks and act as always-on collaborators. To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome Devin Kunysz, Senior Director, Industry GTM, Consumer Goods & Retail at Salesforce. Devin, welcome to the show!
About Devin Kunysz
Devin Kunysz on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devinkunysz/
Resources
Salesforce: https://www.salesforce.com
The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow
Register now for Sitecore Symposium, November 3-5 in Orlando Florida. Use code SYM25-2Media10 to receive 10% off. Go here for more: https://symposium.sitecore.com/
Don't Miss MAICON 2025, October 14-16 in Cleveland - the event bringing together the brights minds and leading voices in AI. Use Code AGILE150 for $150 off registration. Go here to register: https://bit.ly/agile150
Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstrom
Don't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.show
Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com
The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#742: Making frictionless payments a reality with Peter Galvin, NMI Sep 29, 2025

Show notes

How do we future-proof the digital payment experience so it becomes invisible to customers—yet keep it working harder than ever for brands?
Agility requires a deep understanding of how technology can simplify the customer journey without compromising security or trust.

Today we’re going to talk about the future of secure digital payments, how in-app and frictionless experiences are redefining customer loyalty, and why platform providers need to take the in-app payment shift seriously.
To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Peter Galvin, Chief Marketing Officer at NMI.
About Peter Galvin
Peter is Chief Marketing Officer at NMI and is a 20-year veteran of global technology organizations, specializing in promoting innovative enterprise and Cloud-based software companies to leadership positions. He previously served as Chief Marketing Officer at Entrust and Proofpoint, as well as Chief Strategy & Marketing Officer for nCipher (formerly Thales e-Security). Peter has also served in senior marketing leadership roles at leading technology companies including Openwave, Inktomi (acquired by Yahoo) and Oracle. He’s passionate about skiing and travel, and enjoys cooking and spending time with his family.
Peter Galvin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petergalvin/
Resources
NMI: https://www.nmi.com
The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow
Register now for Sitecore Symposium, November 3-5 in Orlando Florida. Use code SYM25-2Media10 to receive 10% off. Go here for more: https://symposium.sitecore.com/
Don't Miss MAICON 2025, October 14-16 in Cleveland - the event bringing together the brights minds and leading voices in AI. Use Code AGILE150 for $150 off registration. Go here to register: https://bit.ly/agile150
Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstrom
Don't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.show
Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com
The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#741: Managing your brand reputation in real-time with Jeff Hahn, Hahn Agency Sep 26, 2025

Show notes

AI, real-time marketing, and influencer partnerships can be amazing ways to reach customers, but how do you manage the risk they could potentially bring to your brand and reputation—in an instant?

Agility requires a willingness to adapt quickly to changing market conditions and customer expectations. It also demands the ability to experiment, learn, and iterate on strategies in real-time.

Today, we're going to talk about navigating the evolving PR landscape and how AI is impacting communications strategies, particularly in the realm of influencer marketing and brand reputation. To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome Jeff Hahn, Principal at Hahn Agency, and author of the book Breaking Bad News: 12 Essential Crisis Communication Tools.
About Jeff Hahn
Jeff Hahn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-d-hahn/
Resources
Hahn Agency: https://hahn.agency/
The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow
Register now for Sitecore Symposium, November 3-5 in Orlando Florida. Use code SYM25-2Media10 to receive 10% off. Go here for more: https://symposium.sitecore.com/
Don't Miss MAICON 2025, October 14-16 in Cleveland - the event bringing together the brights minds and leading voices in AI. Use Code AGILE150 for $150 off registration. Go here to register: https://bit.ly/agile150
Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstrom
Don't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.show
Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com
The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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