Call To Action 158: Paul Dervan on a marketing future that embraces mistakes and machines
Feb 28, 2025
56:09
This week we released AI from the punishment cupboard in which we’ve been keeping it in order to win the approval of author, marketing super-brain and AI believer Paul Dervan.
As the Head of Brand Marketing at Miro, Paul has been busy bolstering his reputation as one of the industry’s smartiest pant-wearers when it comes to marketing effectiveness. Miro is just the latest stop in a marketing career you could only possibly describe as both distinguished and glittering (glittinguished?) and has seen Paul tackle the marketing challenges on behalf of everyone from O2 to Telefonica to the National Lottery in Ireland (scooping, along the way, the title of Ireland’s Marketer of the Year in 2022.) He’s also the author of Run With The Foxes, a superb book about marketing, mistakes and making much better decisions.
This episode is very proudly dedicated to Peter Field. Peter has had a huge influence on Paul’s career both as a mentor and advisor.
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Follow Paul on LinkedIn.
Timestamps:
03:45 - First Job and Proper Job
05:10 - Early Career in Marketing
07:34 - Career Path and Focus
09:30 - Paul's Sweet Spot in Marketing
11:00 - Writing the Book: Run with Foxes
13:27 - Learning from Mistakes
15:51 - Mistakes and AI in Marketing
18:08 - Decision-Making Process
20:40 - Classical vs. Modern Marketing
22:22 - AI's Impact on Marketing
25:06 - Practical Applications of AI
30:05 - Advanced Uses of AI
33:08 - Synthetic Research
34:28 - Skepticism vs. Cynicism
36:42 - Curiosity and Experimentation
39:27 - Admitting Mistakes
43:27 - Listener Questions: Embedding Chapter One
Paul's Book Recommendations are:
Ogilvy on Advertising – David Ogilvy
The Anatomy of Humbug – Paul Feldwick
Decoded: The Science Behind Why We Buy – Phil Barden
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As the Head of Brand Marketing at Miro, Paul has been busy bolstering his reputation as one of the industry’s smartiest pant-wearers when it comes to marketing effectiveness. Miro is just the latest stop in a marketing career you could only possibly describe as both distinguished and glittering (glittinguished?) and has seen Paul tackle the marketing challenges on behalf of everyone from O2 to Telefonica to the National Lottery in Ireland (scooping, along the way, the title of Ireland’s Marketer of the Year in 2022.) He’s also the author of Run With The Foxes, a superb book about marketing, mistakes and making much better decisions.
This episode is very proudly dedicated to Peter Field. Peter has had a huge influence on Paul’s career both as a mentor and advisor.
/////
Follow Paul on LinkedIn.
Timestamps:
03:45 - First Job and Proper Job
05:10 - Early Career in Marketing
07:34 - Career Path and Focus
09:30 - Paul's Sweet Spot in Marketing
11:00 - Writing the Book: Run with Foxes
13:27 - Learning from Mistakes
15:51 - Mistakes and AI in Marketing
18:08 - Decision-Making Process
20:40 - Classical vs. Modern Marketing
22:22 - AI's Impact on Marketing
25:06 - Practical Applications of AI
30:05 - Advanced Uses of AI
33:08 - Synthetic Research
34:28 - Skepticism vs. Cynicism
36:42 - Curiosity and Experimentation
39:27 - Admitting Mistakes
43:27 - Listener Questions: Embedding Chapter One
Paul's Book Recommendations are:
Ogilvy on Advertising – David Ogilvy
The Anatomy of Humbug – Paul Feldwick
Decoded: The Science Behind Why We Buy – Phil Barden
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