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:

#600: AI Agents in Marketing with Raj Rikhy, Microsoft Nov 11, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to today’s episode where going to talk about AI agents as well as the intersection of artificial intelligence and marketing with Raj Rikhy, Principal Product Manager at Microsoft. We’ll explore the functionalities and strategic uses of AI agents and how marketers can leverage them to enhance their initiatives.

About Raj Rikhy

As a Principal Product Manager at Microsoft, I have over six years of experience in developing and delivering innovative products that utilize Generative AI technologies, including Language Models (LLMs), to enhance data science and engineering capabilities for Microsoft Fabric. My mission is to empower customers and partners with cutting-edge AI solutions that solve complex and high-impact problems across various domains and industries.

I collaborate with engineering teams, data scientists, customers, and partners to identify customer needs and market opportunities, define product requirements and roadmaps, and manage the entire product life cycle, from conception to launch. Previously, I was a Principal Product Manager at Microsoft Project Bonsai, a cloud-based deep reinforcement learning platform for industrial control systems. I also have a strong background in Data Science and Deep Learning, having worked as a Group Technical Product Manager for the Global Chief Data Office at IBM, where I enabled the end-to-end user experience for Data Scientists and Data Engineers, and scaled the adoption of distributed deep learning frameworks and tools.

RESOURCES

Microsoft website: https://www.microsoft.com

Wix Studio is the ultimate web platform for creative, fast-paced teams at agencies and enterprises—with smart design tools, flexible dev capabilities, full-stack business solutions, multi-site management, advanced AI and fully managed infrastructure. https://www.wix.com/studio

Register now for HumanX 2025. This AI-focused event which brings some of the most forward-thinking minds in technology together. Register now with the code "HX25p_tab" for $250 off the regular price.

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

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.

#599: Increasing AI literacy to improve outcomes with Jason Lapp, Beautiful.ai Nov 08, 2024

Show notes

Are your employees afraid that AI will take their jobs, or maybe not even something as extreme as that but still uknown? As AI transforms the workplace, understanding how to make your teams feel more comfortable with these tools might be the key to your organization’s success.

Today we’re exploring how AI literacy can transform the workplace with Jason Lapp, CEO of Beautiful.ai. We’ll dive into survey findings that reveal employee fears around AI and discuss strategies for dispelling those fears while integrating AI tools effectively.

RESOURCES

Beautiful.ai website: Beautiful.ai

Register now for HumanX 2025. This AI-focused event which brings some of the most forward-thinking minds in technology together. Register now with the code "HX25p_tab" for $250 off the regular price.

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

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

#598: Keeping up with consumer payment preferences with Will Mavromichalis at Kount Nov 06, 2024

Show notes

Are you keeping up with the changing payment preferences of your customers? From Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) to digital wallets, if your payment strategy isn’t evolving, you might be missing out on where your customers want to be.

Welcome to today’s episode, where we’re exploring the rapidly changing landscape of online payments with Will Mavromichalis, Director of Sales, Identity and Fraud at Kount, an Equifax Company.

We’ll dive into the technology and generational shifts impacting payment behaviors, and discuss how retailers can stay ahead of the curve while managing fraud risks.

William Mavromichalis is a 10-year technology sales veteran and has been with Kount for the past five years. During his time at Kount, Will has held a variety of roles geared towards revenue growth and strategic partnerships. As a sales leader, Will is focused on growing the global footprint for Kount and Equifax by leading a team of seasoned account executives. While leadership is his passion, Will enjoys rolling up his sleeves with his team to solve the complex identity and fraud business challenges that merchants face on a day-to-day basis.

When he is not working you can find Will spending quality time with his wife Kathryn, and two daughters Mila, and Viola.

RESOURCES

Kount website: https://kount.com/

Register now for HumanX 2025. This AI-focused event which brings some of the most forward-thinking minds in technology together. Register now with the code "HX25p_tab" for $250 off the regular price.

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

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

#597: Engaging with Gen Z on retail with Teddy Solomon, Fizz Nov 04, 2024

Show notes

Are you prepared for the next wave of retail disruption? The rules of commerce are being rewritten as you’re listening to this show even, and if you’re still relying on traditional platforms, you may be missing out on what’s next.

Today we’re exploring the future of retail with Teddy Solomon, Co-Founder and COO of Fizz. We’ll dive into the shifting retail habits of Gen Z, the rise of peer-to-peer marketplaces, and how Fizz is building a community-centered platform for this next generation of consumers.

ABOUT TEDDY SOLOMON

Teddy Solomon is a Stanford dropout and the co-founder of Fizz, a Gen-Z platform fostering authentic connections on 240 college campuses. Fizz’s newest release, Fizz Marketplace, is satisfying Gen-Z’s hunger for peer-to-peer commerce, a space formerly occupied by eBay and Facebook Marketplace.

RESOURCES

Fizz website: https://www.fizz.social

Attend the Mid-Atlantic MarCom Summit, the region's largest marketing communications conference. Register with the code "Agile" and get 15% off.

Register now for HumanX 2025. This AI-focused event which brings some of the most forward-thinking minds in technology together. Register now with the code "HX25p_tab" for $250 off the regular price.

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

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

#596: The impact of AI on marketing and consumer expectations with Melissa Waters, CMO at Upwork Nov 01, 2024

Show notes

Today, we’re going to talk about the evolution of consumer technology and the impact of AI on marketing with Melissa Waters, Chief Marketing Officer at Upwork. Melissa has been instrumental in some of the most significant industry shifts, from digital music at Pandora to ridesharing at Lyft and more. Today, she'll share her insights on the intersection of AI, consumer expectations, and branding.

Melissa has been the driving force behind some of the most significant consumer technology behavioral shifts, from the rise of digital music at Pandora, to ridesharing at Lyft, to telehealth at hims & hers and social media at Meta. With Melissa being at the forefront of these industry shifts, she can share her expertise on how AI is reshaping consumer expectations and how the marketing and branding industry is pivoting in response.

RESOURCES

Upwork website: https://www.upwork.com

Attend the Mid-Atlantic MarCom Summit, the region's largest marketing communications conference. Register with the code "Agile" and get 15% off.

Register now for HumanX 2025. This AI-focused event which brings some of the most forward-thinking minds in technology together. Register now with the code "HX25p_tab" for $250 off the regular price.

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

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

#595 State of the marketing jobs market with Sue Keith, Landrum Talent Solutions Oct 30, 2024

Show notes

In this special episode, brought to you by Landrum Talent Solutions, a national recruiting firm specializing in marketing and HR positions, we’re going to talk about a few things today, including the state of the job market and how elections, the economy, and AI are affecting the plans that hiring managers and job seekers are making for 2025.

RESOURCES

Landrum Talent Solutions website: https://landrumtalentsolutions.com/

Attend the Mid-Atlantic MarCom Summit, the region's largest marketing communications conference. Register with the code "Agile" and get 15% off.

Register now for HumanX 2025. This AI-focused event which brings some of the most forward-thinking minds in technology together. Register now with the code "HX25p_tab" for $250 off the regular price.

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

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

#594: Designing for infinite moments of truth with Stratton Cherouny, The Office of Experience Oct 28, 2024

Show notes

How can a single “moment of truth” with your brand exist when customers are unique, their experiences personalized, and the world continually changing? What if the success of your brand depends not on a single moment, but on an unlimited number of moments you might not even be aware of?

This episode is brought to you by The Office of Experience, a design-driven, digital-first, vertically integrated, and collaborative agency that believes in the power of ideas and the strength of people.

Today we’re going to discuss how to design for infinite moments of trust with Stratton Cherouny, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of The Office of Experience. We’ll dive into how brands can manage the many "moments of truth" that define the customer experience and ultimately drive loyalty and trust.

Stratton Cherouny co-founded OX in 2014 after nearly 15 years working with digital and branding agencies in New York and Chicago. His client experience ranges from boutique brands in the lifestyle and apparel space to multinational leaders in consumer products, financial services, industrial manufacturing, and consulting. Throughout his career, Stratton has been at the forefront of innovation in brand transformation, design thinking and digital innovation.

RESOURCES

The Office of Experience website: https://www.officeofexperience.com

Attend the Mid-Atlantic MarCom Summit, the region's largest marketing communications conference. Register with the code "Agile" and get 15% off.

Register now for HumanX 2025. This AI-focused event which brings some of the most forward-thinking minds in technology together. Register now with the code "HX25p_tab" for $250 off the regular price.

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

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

#593: Integrating AI into enterprise marketing operations with Adam Brotman, Forum3 Oct 25, 2024

Show notes

AI itself isn’t a goal. In the enterprise, marketers that effectively integrate artificial intelligence into their operations in meaningful ways will start to see the tangible returns that leaders in the space are already realizing.

Today we’re going to talk about the reality of AI adoption in the enterprise, and how marketers should be thinking about a workplace where humans and AI agents are working together.

To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Adam Brotman, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Forum3.

Adam Brotman is co-founder and co-CEO of Forum3. Previously, he was president, chief experience officer, and co-CEO at J.Crew, where he launched the widely successful J.Crew Rewards program. At Starbucks, he was the inaugural chief digital officer and evp, global retail operations, developing the payment, ordering, and loyalty platform which amassed 60 million members. He has been recognized as one of Fast Company's 100 Most Creative People and CDO Club’s CDO of the Year. He serves on the boards of Ruby Tuesday and Cabi, and has held board positions at Neiman Marcus Group and Brooks Running. He is the co-author of AI First, in collaboration with Harvard Business Review, and received his bachelor’s degree from UCLA and JD from The University of Washington School of Law.

RESOURCES

Forum3 website: https://www.forum3.com/

Spok website: https://www.spok.app/

Attend the Mid-Atlantic MarCom Summit, the region's largest marketing communications conference. Register with the code "Agile" and get 15% off.

Register now for HumanX 2025. This AI-focused event which brings some of the most forward-thinking minds in technology together. Register now with the code "HX25p_tab" for $250 off the regular price.

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

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

#592: Sending the right message at the right time with John Kim, SendBird Oct 23, 2024

Show notes

Communicating with your customers is a good thing, right? Well, what about when some of your outbound communications end up repelling customers rather than attracting them?

Today we’re going to discuss advanced customer interaction strategies with John Kim, Co-Founder & CEO of Sendbird. We’ll dive into the effectiveness of in-app messaging, the rise of mobile engagement, and the evolving machine-to-machine economy.

John S. Kim is the Co-Founder and CEO of Sendbird (YC W16), the customer communications platform powering 4,000 of the world's most popular digital applications. 7 billion messages sent and received between over 320 million people every month are routed using Sendbird, whose customers include DoorDash, Match Group, Virgin Mobile, Noom and Paytm. The company has raised $220 million USD to-date, backed by reputable investors including ICONIQ Capital, SoftBank Vision Fund, Shasta Ventures, Y Combinator and more.

John is a successful serial entrepreneur and CEO. His first startup Paprika Lab (social gaming) was acquired by GREE, and he was Korea's all-time no.1 pro gamer in the Unreal Tournament.

RESOURCES

Sendbird website: https://www.sendbird.com

Attend the Mid-Atlantic MarCom Summit, the region's largest marketing communications conference. Register with the code "Agile" and get 15% off.

Register now for HumanX 2025. This AI-focused event which brings some of the most forward-thinking minds in technology together. Register now with the code "HX25p_tab" for $250 off the regular price.

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

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

#591: Building an accessible digital experience with Jennifer Griffin Smith, Acquia Oct 21, 2024

Show notes

This past May, Acquia released its 2024 Survey Report: Consumer Perspectives on Digital Accessibility, which found several common accessibility challenges with digital platforms, including an inaccessible web layout, video or audio content without transcriptions and more.

Today we’re going to talk about what it means to provide a truly accessible digital experience and the impact it can have on your customers and your brand.

To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Jennifer Griffin Smith, Chief Market Officer at Acquia.

A well-respected international marketing executive, Jennifer Griffin Smith has more than 20 years of experience managing go-to-market strategies and corporate communications for public and private technology companies. She focuses on the needs of customers and partners in the ever-changing digital world, ensuring that Acquia solutions deliver exceptional value today and in the future, and that all programs and communications are addressing the unique needs of customers.

Jennifer leads the global marketing organization, including product marketing, GTM programs for customers and new business, brand, and marketing communications. With her extensive experience as a B2B marketing practitioner, Jennifer is passionate about new ways to grow awareness, improve marketing ROI, and create high-performing, award-winning teams.

Before joining Acquia, Jennifer held CMO positions at Brightcove, Alfresco Software (acquired by Hyland), Software AG, Workhuman (formerly Globoforce), Avid Technology, and Progress Software. She has also held senior European marketing roles at Microsoft, PeopleSoft, and Information Builders.

RESOURCES

Acquia website: https://www.acquia.com

Acquia Consumer Perspectives on Digital Accessibility and Why Your Organization Needs a Digital Accessibility Strategy report:

https://streaklinks.com/CDXW05pOzrefv_EmGguRQ6AT/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.acquia.com%2Faccessibility-report-2024

Acquia Why Your Organization Needs a Digital Accessibility Strategy report: https://0a818d23.streaklinks.com/CJVgsJ1lZcdvFJePqQwSI-T-/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.acquia.com%2Fresources%2Freport%2Fwhy-your-organization-needs-digital-accessibility-strategy

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

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

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

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

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected