The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström®: Expert Mode Marketing Technology, AI, & CX

Expert mode marketing technology, AI, and CX insights from top brands and Martech platforms fill every episode, focusing on what leaders need to know to build customer lifetime value and long-term business value. The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström® features executives and thought leaders from top brands and tech platforms discussing the industry's trends, like AI adoption, first-party data strategies, artificial intelligence in the consumer journey, consumer data privacy, omnichannel customer experience, and more.The Agile Brand is hosted by Greg Kihlström, martech and artificial intelligence transformation advisor and consultant to leading brands, speaker, entrepreneur, and best-selling author. It provides a fresh perspective on the continually evolving dynamic between brands and the audiences they serve.

Latest episodes

Dec 11, 2024 • 29min

#613: Building brands through collaboration, innovation, and sustainability with Eric Liedtke, Under Armour

Today we’re going to talk about the power of collaboration, innovation, and sustainability in building brands that make a huge impact on consumers while leaving a smaller impression on the Earth. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Eric Liedtke, Executive Vice President of Brand Strategy, Under Armour, formerly of Adidas and Unless Collective. Eric Liedtke has served as Executive Vice President, Brand Strategy since August 2024. Before joining Under Armour, Mr. Liedtke was the Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of UNLESS COLLECTIVE, INC, a zero-plastic regenerative fashion brand acquired by Under Armour in August 2024. Before that, Mr. Liedtke spent 26 years at Adidas Group, holding senior positions in footwear marketing and executive roles as VP of Brand Marketing, SVP of Sports Performance Brand Marketing, and Head of Sports Performance, culminating in his roles as Brand President and Executive Board Member from 2014 to 2019.RESOURCESUnder Armour website: https://www.underarmour.com UNLESS Collective: https://unlesscollective.com/Wix Studio is the ultimate web platform for creative, fast-paced teams at agencies and enterprises—with smart design tools, flexible dev capabilities, full-stack business solutions, multi-site management, advanced AI and fully managed infrastructure. https://www.wix.com/studio Register now for HumanX 2025. This AI-focused event which brings some of the most forward-thinking minds in technology together. Register now with the code "HX25p_tab" for $250 off the regular price.Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.showCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnowThe Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

Dec 9, 2024 • 31min

#609: AI-powered DXPs and brand-aware personalized CX with Kathie Johnson, CMO at Sitecore

How much time does your marketing team spend on repetitive tasks that could be automated? Imagine if AI could free up that time by creating brand-aware content, letting your team focus on what matters most—creating impactful customer experiences.Today, we’re exploring the future of Digital Experience Platforms and AI with Kathie Johnson, Chief Marketing Officer at Sitecore. We’re going to look at what an AI-Powered DXP is, and how it helps marketers achieve their goals and overcome some of their biggest challenges.RESOURCESSitecore website: https://www.sitecore.com Wix Studio is the ultimate web platform for creative, fast-paced teams at agencies and enterprises—with smart design tools, flexible dev capabilities, full-stack business solutions, multi-site management, advanced AI and fully managed infrastructure. https://www.wix.com/studio Register now for HumanX 2025. This AI-focused event which brings some of the most forward-thinking minds in technology together. Register now with the code "HX25p_tab" for $250 off the regular price.Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.showCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnowThe Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

Nov 29, 2024 • 29min

#608: Why the C-Suite needs to pay more attention to social media, with Dr. Antonis Papatsaras, Hootsuite

Are outdated views on social media holding your brand back? With over 5 billion active users, neglecting social channels might be costing you more than you think—in revenue, reputation, and even stock price stability.Today we’re exploring the C-suite’s perspective on social media with Dr. Antonis Papatsaras, CTO of Hootsuite, the social media performance engine powering the content of brands and organizations across platforms worldwide since 2008. We’ll discuss the misconceptions surrounding social platforms, the untapped potential for ROI, and the consequences of neglecting social media in today’s digital landscape.About Dr. Antonis Papatsaras, CTO, HootsuiteDr. Antonis Papatsaras joined Hootsuite as Chief Technology Officer in November 2022, bringing over 25 years of expertise in Computer Science and Software Engineering. As a veteran in the technology space, his strategic vision and leadership has significantly elevated Hootsuite’s product organization, both driving efficiencies internally and building a scalable product that enhances our user experience.More recently, he was a driving force in our acquisition of Talkwalker, the leading AI-powered social listening solution, sparking a transformative shift from social media management (the category Hootsuite pioneered) to social media performance. Through this innovative move, he has piloted the world’s first social media performance engine where customers can convert insights into actionable business impact and revenue.Throughout his career, Antonis has consistently driven customer value with cutting edge products and scalable cloud-based architectures. Prior to joining Hootsuite, Antonis served as Chief Technology Officer and lead for the Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) product suite at DocuSign. He has also driven innovation by building strong, diverse and distributed teams in both small and large organizations, including SpringCM, Hewlett Packard Autonomy, Interwoven and DiscoveryMining.RESOURCESHootsuite website: https://www.hootsuite.comHootsuite's Social Media Trends Report: https://www.hootsuite.com/research/social-trends?srsltid=AfmBOoouMJXarIYf8O8QuA1A9Jdowv0eIHeNTbGrhYIereq13cEdWV4S%5CWix Studio is the ultimate web platform for creative, fast-paced teams at agencies and enterprises—with smart design tools, flexible dev capabilities, full-stack business solutions, multi-site management, advanced AI and fully managed infrastructure. https://www.wix.com/studioDon't miss Medallia Experience 2025, March 24-26 in Las Vegas: Registration is now available: https://cvent.me/AmO1k0 - Use code MEDEXP25 for $200 off registrationRegister now for HumanX 2025. This AI-focused event which brings some of the most forward-thinking minds in technology together. Register now with the code "HX25p_tab" for $250 off the regular price.Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.showCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.comThe Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnowThe Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

Nov 27, 2024 • 28min

#607: Preparing for tiktokified journeys and the search generative experience with Izabela Misiorny, Siteimprove

Is your marketing team ready for the future? As the lines between physical and digital blur, and buyer journeys become more non-linear than ever, those who fail to adapt may find themselves left behind.I am here at Opticon 2024 in San Antonio Texas and getting the opportunity to see a lot of inspiring ideas from some of the world’s leading brands and hearing all about Optimizely’s platform and how it enables 1:1 personalization, streamlined content operations, and incorporates the latest generative AI features.Today we’re diving into the future of marketing with Izabela Misiorny, Chief Marketing Officer at Siteimprove. We’ll explore how marketing strategies must evolve to stay ahead, from upgrading the funnel to mastering AI tools and creating quality-first content.RESOURCESSiteimprove website: https://www.siteimprove.comOptimizely website: https://www.optimizely.comWix Studio is the ultimate web platform for creative, fast-paced teams at agencies and enterprises—with smart design tools, flexible dev capabilities, full-stack business solutions, multi-site management, advanced AI and fully managed infrastructure. https://www.wix.com/studioDon't miss Medallia Experience 2025, March 24-26 in Las Vegas: Registration is now available: https://cvent.me/AmO1k0Use code MEDEXP25 for $200 off registrationRegister now for HumanX 2025. This AI-focused event which brings some of the most forward-thinking minds in technology together. Register now with the code "HX25p_tab" for $250 off the regular price.Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.showCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.comThe Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnowThe Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

Nov 25, 2024 • 21min

#606: Connecting experimentation to business outcomes across the journey with Vijay Ganesan, Optimizely

How do you know if your marketing efforts are actually driving real business outcomes? Imagine being able to tie every experiment, campaign, and variant to metrics that truly matter.I am here at Opticon 2024 in San Antonio Texas and getting the opportunity to see a lot of inspiring ideas from some of the world’s leading brands and hearing all about Optimizely’s platform and how it enables 1:1 personalization, streamlined content operations, and incorporates the latest generative AI features.Today, we’re exploring the power of connecting marketing and experimentation to business outcomes with Vijay Ganesan, Co-Founder and CEO of NetSpring, now part of Optimizely. We’ll dive into how this integration enables marketers and digital leaders to measure what matters most and unlock new levels of insight and accountability.Vijay - welcome to the show and congrats on the acquisition of NetSpring - Why don’t you start by telling us a little bit about your background and your current role?RESOURCESNetSpring website: https://www.netspring.ioOptimizely website: https://www.optimizely.com Wix Studio is the ultimate web platform for creative, fast-paced teams at agencies and enterprises—with smart design tools, flexible dev capabilities, full-stack business solutions, multi-site management, advanced AI and fully managed infrastructure. https://www.wix.com/studioDon't miss Medallia Experience 2025, March 24-26 in Las Vegas: Registration is now available: https://cvent.me/AmO1k0Use code MEDEXP25 for $200 off registrationRegister now for HumanX 2025. This AI-focused event which brings some of the most forward-thinking minds in technology together. Register now with the code "HX25p_tab" for $250 off the regular price.Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.showCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.comThe Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnowThe Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

Nov 22, 2024 • 30min

#605: AI agents working across the marketing workflow with Kevin Li, Optimizely

What if your AI assistant could do more than just generate content? Imagine an AI agent that works across your entire marketing workflow, enhancing both creativity and productivity—are you ready to transform your marketing team?I am here at Opticon 2024 in San Antonio Texas and getting the opportunity to see a lot of inspiring ideas from some of the world’s leading brands and hearing all about Optimizely’s platform and how it enables 1:1 personalization, streamlined content operations, and incorporates the latest generative AI features.Today we’re discussing how AI agents are revolutionizing the marketing workflow with Kevin Li, SVP of Product Strategy & Operations at Optimizely. We’ll explore the concept of AI agents, their role in enhancing creativity and productivity, and why marketers should be excited about them.RESOURCESWix Studio is the ultimate web platform for creative, fast-paced teams at agencies and enterprises—with smart design tools, flexible dev capabilities, full-stack business solutions, multi-site management, advanced AI and fully managed infrastructure. https://www.wix.com/studio Don't miss Medallia Experience 2025, March 24-26 in Las Vegas: Registration is now available: https://cvent.me/AmO1k0Use code MEDEXP25 for $200 off registrationRegister now for HumanX 2025. This AI-focused event which brings some of the most forward-thinking minds in technology together. Register now with the code "HX25p_tab" for $250 off the regular price.Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.showCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnowThe Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

Nov 20, 2024 • 27min

#604: Creating a great post-purchase customer experience with Colleen Coulter, Route

While there is much focus on the overall customer experience, the post purchase experience doesn’t always get the attention it needs—and deserves—as retailers focus heavily on customer acquisition and getting the sale, but post purchase is the key to building lifelong customer relationships.Today we’re going to talk about how to create a great post-purchase experience, what some of the key elements are, and what retailers need to be thinking about next.To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Colleen Coulter, SVP, Customer Success and Experience at Route.Colleen Coulter leads Route’s Customer Success and Experience teams. She’s focused on helping brands and shoppers generate significant value from Route’s post-purchase e-commerce solutions. Prior to Route, Colleen led the travel advertising business at Meta, partnering with the world’s largest travel brands to grow their business and helping to architect travel solutions across Facebook and Instagram. She previously worked at the Boston Consulting Group, working across industries on growth strategies and profitability improvement. Colleen earned her master's in business administration from Stanford's Graduate School of Business and a bachelor's degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from the University of Pennsylvania. She is based in New York with her husband and two sons.RESOURCESRoute website: https://route.com/Don't miss Medallia Experience 2025, March 24-26 in Las Vegas: Registration is now available: https://cvent.me/AmO1k0Use code MEDEXP25 for $200 off registrationWix Studio is the ultimate web platform for creative, fast-paced teams at agencies and enterprises—with smart design tools, flexible dev capabilities, full-stack business solutions, multi-site management, advanced AI and fully managed infrastructure. https://www.wix.com/studioRegister now for HumanX 2025. This AI-focused event which brings some of the most forward-thinking minds in technology together. Register now with the code "HX25p_tab" for $250 off the regular price.Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.showCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.comThe Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnowThe Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

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