Lochhead on Marketing 210 Is Agentic AI the End of SaaS as We Know It? | DisrupTV
The podcast dives into the transformative effects of AI on marketing and business strategies. It challenges traditional competition and emphasizes creating new market categories instead of chasing existing ones. The need for an AI-native approach is highlighted, advocating for innovation over imitation. Success stories illustrate the value of niche strategies in tech markets. The episode also explores the evolution of the workforce in the age of AI, stressing the rise of 'creator capitalists' and the importance of customer-centric development.
46:05
Make AI The Core, Not A Sidecar
- AI is not an add-on; it must be the core of new companies and careers.
- Treat AI as a co-founder and design products and markets from that starting point.
The $13 Trillion Existing Market Trap
- Many AI vendors fall into the 'existing market trap' by chasing established AI names and demand.
- Companies that create new categories with AI will capture disproportionate value versus those who merely improve old markets.
Watch The Words You Use About AI
- Listen to the words vendors use; metaphors like 'assistant' reveal incremental thinking.
- Reframe language toward radical difference to change customer beliefs and behavior.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app 1 chevron_right 2 chevron_right 3 chevron_right 4 chevron_right 5 chevron_right 6 chevron_right 7 chevron_right
Intro
00:00 • 2min
AI-Native Marketing Transformation
01:42 • 7min
Reimagining AI: Innovations Beyond Emulation
09:02 • 16min
Navigating the Horizontal Tool Trap in Tech
25:11 • 2min
Niche Strategy: The Key to Success in Tech Markets
26:55 • 4min
Navigating AI and Workforce Transformation
30:38 • 11min
Unlocking Business Potential Through Category Design and Support Services
42:05 • 4min
#12578
• Mentioned in 3 episodes
The Land of Tomorrow
Peter Drucker
#3499
• Mentioned in 11 episodes
Snow Leopard
How Legendary Writers Create A Category Of One
Category Pirates
Snow Leopard is the first writing advice book written through a Category Design lens.
It guides writers on how to frame their ideas, stories, and insights to resonate with the most people possible.
The book, written by the Category Pirates (Christopher Lochhead, Eddie Yoon, and Nicolas Cole), focuses on creating a category of one, mastering Obvious and Non-Obvious content, and monetizing writing in new ways.
It includes frameworks such as the 5 levels of content creation (Consumption, Curation, Obvious Connection, Non-Obvious Connection, and Category Creation) and how to apply these to achieve independence, creative freedom, and exponential financial upside.
#24702
• Mentioned in 2 episodes
Boundless, A New Mindset for an Unlimited Business Success
Vala Afshar
#13674
• Mentioned in 3 episodes
Everybody Wants to Rule the World
Surviving And Thriving In A World Of Digital Giants
Ray Wang
Ray Wang's "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" delves into the strategies employed by digital giants to achieve dominance.
The book explores how these companies leverage data-driven networks, extreme consolidation, and innovative business models to reshape the global landscape.
It also examines the challenges faced by traditional businesses in competing with these giants and offers insights into how to adapt and thrive in this new reality.
Furthermore, the book discusses the need for smart regulations to balance innovation with anti-trust concerns.
Finally, it provides a framework for businesses to transition from the status quo to market leadership.
#1520
• Mentioned in 22 episodes
Pattern Breakers
Why Some Start-Ups Change the Future
Mike Maples Jr.
Peter Ziebelman
Pattern Breakers, written by Mike Maples Jr. and Peter Ziebelman, challenges traditional startup wisdom by revealing the hidden forces that drive extraordinary success.
The book is based on extensive research and real-world examples from transformative startups like Twitter, Twitch, and Lyft.
It emphasizes the importance of a different mindset and actions to harness developments that others might miss or initially see as crazy.
The authors provide practical advice on how to transcend ordinary thinking, capitalize on market opportunities, and build a community of true believers to revolutionize industries.
#1016
• Mentioned in 30 episodes
Play Bigger
Pirates, Dreamers, and the Power of Decisive Action
Christopher Lochhead
Play Bigger, co-authored by Christopher Lochhead and several others, provides a framework for businesses to dominate their markets by creating new categories.
The book emphasizes the importance of defining a unique market space, crafting a compelling narrative, and building a strong brand identity.
It offers practical strategies for businesses to differentiate themselves from competitors and establish themselves as category leaders.
The book's insights on category design, brand building, and market leadership have made it a valuable resource for entrepreneurs and business leaders.
Its practical advice and real-world examples make it accessible and applicable to a wide range of businesses.
#10535
• Mentioned in 4 episodes
The Existing Market Trap
A Marketer’s Guide To Category DesignHow To Escape The "Better" Trap, Dam The Demand, And Launch A Lightning Strike Strategy.
Mary Grace
Jason Welcome
Al Ramadan
This book focuses on overcoming challenges of the existing market.
It is a practical guide for entrepreneurs and business leaders to get out of the existing market trap and build a new market.
This book emphasizes the power of challenging conventional wisdom and embracing innovative approaches.
It encourages a shift in mindset, urging readers to question established norms and explore uncharted territories.
Also, this provides actionable strategies and frameworks for identifying opportunities, disrupting industries, and creating lasting value.
#16569
• Mentioned in 3 episodes
The 22 Laws of Category Design
Name & Claim Your Niche, Share Your POV, And Move The World From Where It Is To Somewhere Different
Christopher Lochhead
The 22 Laws of Category Design provides a roadmap for entrepreneurs and marketers to create new categories, redefine existing ones, and build lasting companies.
It offers practical advice and case studies on how to apply Category Design principles to achieve exponential growth and market dominance.
#7132
• Mentioned in 6 episodes
Niche Down
Hal, Austin Elrod
Heather Clancy
Christopher Lockhead
Niche Down, co-authored by Christopher Lochhead and Heather Hansen, provides a practical framework for businesses to achieve remarkable success by focusing on a specific target market.
The book emphasizes the importance of identifying a niche and tailoring your marketing and product development efforts to meet the unique needs of that audience.
It offers a step-by-step guide to defining your ideal customer, crafting a compelling value proposition, and building a strong brand identity.
Niche Down provides valuable insights and actionable strategies for businesses of all sizes.
The book's clear and concise approach makes it a valuable resource for entrepreneurs and marketers alike.
In a special episode from the DisrupTV studios, marketing visionaries Christopher Lochhead, Ray Wang, Vala Afshar, and guest Sunil Karkera dive deep into the themes of Christopher Lochhead’s latest book, The Existing Market Trap.
The conversation is a masterclass in modern marketing strategy, category design, and the seismic impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on business. If you’re a marketer, entrepreneur, or executive looking to future-proof your company and career, this episode is a must-listen.
Welcome to Lochhead on Marketing. The number one charting marketing podcast for marketers, category designers, and entrepreneurs with a different mind.
Understanding the Existing Market Trap
Most companies fail not because their products are bad, but because they compare their innovations to old market standards. This “existing market trap” forces them to compete in crowded, established categories, dooming them to incremental improvements and eventual irrelevance.
Lochhead warns that trillions in investment will be lost if companies keep chasing existing markets instead of creating new ones, and much of the 90%+ startup failure rate is due to the trap of incrementalism, trying to be “better” rather than “different.” The key is to stop benchmarking new products against legacy solutions and instead ask: What new problem are we solving, and how can we define a new category around it?
The Power of Category Design
Category design is the discipline of creating and dominating new market categories. It’s not just a marketing tactic, it’s a strategic mindset shift. Markets are groups of people with a shared problem, while categories are defined by what people believe can solve that problem. Companies like OpenAI and Nvidia didn’t chase existing demand, they created it. Legendary category designers start with a vision of a radically different future and work backward, understanding that the language used to describe a product and category shapes what people believe is possible.
Ultimately, the most powerful thing you can “ship” is a new belief about what’s possible. Rather than out-featuring competitors, the goal is to redefine the game and build the aisle, not just fight for shelf space.
AI as a Co-Founder, Not a Copilot
Treating AI as a mere “assistant” or “copilot” is a massive missed opportunity. AI should be the core foundation of your business and career. When AI is just an add-on, it leads to incremental change, but when it is treated as a co-founder, it enables exponential, net-new value creation.
The next generation will be “native AI”; they’ll expect AI to be at the center of everything. To take advantage of this, businesses should integrate AI deeply, building processes, products, and even company culture around AI from the ground up, and reimagine roles so that AI is seen as a creative partner, not just a tool.
To hear more of this amazing dialogue between marketing geniuses, download and listen to this episode.
Links
If you wish to check out more episodes from DisrupTV, you can do so on these links:
LinkedIn | X (formerly Twitter) | Youtube | Apple Podcast | Website
We hope you enjoyed this episode of Lochhead on Marketing™! Christopher loves hearing from his listeners. Feel free to email him, connect on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and subscribe on iTunes!