How to Stay Relevant as a Marketer in the World of AI with Mark Schaefer

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Jul 3, 2025

Mark Schaefer, a marketing strategist and author of 11 books, shares his insights on navigating marketing in the AI era. He discusses why playing it safe is a major threat and how marketers should innovate rather than stick to 'best practices.' Schaefer highlights the significance of creating emotional connections through human-first marketing, and he argues that AI can enhance creativity if used wisely. Real-world B2B examples showcase how brands can break away from the mundane and truly stand out.

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INSIGHT

Boring Marketing Is the Norm

Most B2B and B2C marketing lacks emotional connection and inspires disdain or indifference.
This widespread boring marketing creates an opportunity to disrupt and stand out by being audacious and memorable.

INSIGHT

Power of Shared Experiences

Humans crave shared, live experiences that create awe and emotional contagion, which AI cannot replicate.
Fostering collective effervescence is key for memorable marketing beyond solo digital consumption.

ADVICE

Use Raw Human Content

Embrace raw, imperfect, human content to connect authentically in a world flooded with AI-generated work.
Use disruption and emotional resonance in marketing, avoiding polished ads that consumers tune out.

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#261 AI & Creativity | In this episode, Dave is joined by Mark Schaefer, marketing strategist, keynote speaker, and author of 11 books, including his latest, Audacious: How Humans Win in an AI Marketing World. Mark has spent decades studying the intersection of marketing, tech, and human behavior, and his ideas have helped reshape how B2B brands think about relevance, creativity, and differentiation in a noisy digital world.

Dave and Mark cover:

Why playing it safe is the biggest threat to B2B marketers in the AI era
How to create marketing that actually connects by disrupting the story, the channel, or the storyteller
Real examples of B2B brands ditching “best practices” and standing out with emotional, human-first marketing

You’ll come away with a fresh perspective on how to stay relevant, creative, and impactful, especially as AI becomes a bigger part of your marketing stack.

Timestamps

(00:00) - – Intro
(03:44) - – Why most marketing is boring
(08:14) - – The danger of “best practices”
(12:14) - – Why AI is amplifying bad marketing
(15:44) - – The rise of raw, lo-fi, human content
(18:44) - – What AI can’t replicate: shared experiences
(22:14) - – Fear, risk, and the big brand trap
(25:44) - – Using AI to enhance, not replace, creativity
(31:08) - – The real framework behind Audacious
(34:08) - – B2B examples that break the mold
(39:38) - – Why now is the time to stand out
(44:08) - – Making bold marketing happen inside your org
(48:38) - – Liquid Death, Nutter Butter, and brand disruption
(53:08) - – B2B doesn’t mean boring
(57:08) - – The one question every marketer should ask

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