"There’s two ways to be creative: you can sing and dance, or you can create environments where singers and dancers can flourish. I’m the second," says Patrick Reynolds, CMO at BlueConic

In this episode of The Content Cocktail Hour, our guest is Patrick Reynolds, CMO of BlueConic. Patrick shares how BlueConic leverages first-party data to build tailored, empathetic customer experiences during busy shopping seasons like Black Friday. He also talks about his insights on the evolving role of AI, which helps marketers focus on creativity and strategy by automating repetitive tasks, and explains why the best marketing often works quietly in the background, enhancing customer engagement without overshadowing it.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. How to use first-party data to create personalized experiences that resonate with customers during high-stakes shopping seasons
2. The importance of balancing data-driven insights with empathy to better serve consumers
3. Why AI can be a game-changer in freeing marketers to focus on strategic, creative work

Resources:

Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-gandolf/ 

Check out The Juice HQ: https://www.thejuicehq.com/ 

Connect with Patrick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patreynolds/

Check out BlueConic: https://www.blueconic.com/

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(03:24) Black Friday and Cyber Monday strategies

(04:37) The importance of empathy in marketing

(08:29) Leveraging customer data for better marketing

(10:20) Balancing data and creativity in marketing

(17:40) Content strategy and measurement

(20:46) The role of AI in modern marketing

(23:43) Why marketing should be invisible to the consumer