14: Bridging the gap between marketers and consumers: Insights from Gayle Troberman, executive advisor at iHeartMedia

Jul 30, 2025

36:44

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Are your ads landing with consumers?

According to iHeartMedia's “The New American Consumer 2.0” study, 44% of Americans feel ignored by most media and advertisers .1

In today’s episode, Alan chats with Gayle Troberman, executive advisor at iHeartMedia, about the gap between marketers and consumers, ways for marketers to bridge this gap, and the marketing principles that stay consistent despite technological advancements.

Gayle emphasizes the importance of balancing new technology with classic marketing approaches and cautions against neglecting potential customers by focusing too narrowly on the target audience. She highlights the power of evoking memories in advertising, primarily through audio, with examples of iconic jingles. She also describes why radio and podcasting are effective tools for mass reach and emotional engagement.

Gayle Troberman is a highly respected marketing industry veteran. She spent 16 years as chief creative officer at Microsoft, then as chief marketing and ideas officer at IPG Mediabrands. She then became chief marketing officer at iHeartMedia for over a decade before moving into her current role as executive advisor. Today, Gayle works across all iHeartMedia businesses to help them connect with consumers in a deeper, more meaningful way. Her “human first, outcome second” approach to life and marketing has kept her consistently in tune with consumers throughout her career.

In this episode, you'll learn:

The inspiration behind “The New American Consumer 2.0” study and insights from the research

How marketers can better understand their audience

Approaches to using AI and targeting to add value from a consumer perspective

Key quotes:

“Every time a new technology comes along... marketers think it's like the world has to change, and it really doesn't. If you know who your brand is and you know where you want to find growth, then it's about telling good stories. It's about being relevant to those consumers.” - Gayle Troberman, executive advisor at iHeartMedia

“We sometimes let innovation get in the way of growth, or we get so enamored with the technology or the opportunity that we forget any of these platforms, any of these news tools, whether it's AI or targeting, are only as good as the stories we put out there.” - Gayle Troberman, executive advisor at iHeartMedia

“The average marketer may not be as in touch with their consumers as they think they are... I think part of the problem is that we're very often talking to ourselves. Our ads are reflecting this bubble we live in. Our ads are not reflecting the values, the beliefs, the interests, or the passions of the real American consumers.” - Gayle Troberman, executive advisor at iHeartMedia

“There's genius out there everywhere if you just talk to humans.” - Gayle Troberman, executive advisor at iHeartMedia

Key highlights:

[00:32] Introduction

[01:45] A ”muppalucky” life

[02:50] Gayle’s career path

[05:50] The secret to a long CMO tenure

[07:45] Enduring truths in marketing

[13:40] “The New American Consumer Report 2.0”

[18:25] How marketers can reconnect with everyday consumers

[22:40] Who has influence?

[24:15] Using AI in a mindful way

[28:30] An experience that defines you: Developing a human-first philosophy