

Marketing Against The Grain
Hubspot Media
Kipp Bodnar (HubSpot’s CMO) and Kieran Flanagan (Hubspot's SVP of Marketing), lead you down the rabbit hole of marketing trends, growth tactics and innovation. On the way you’ll pick up undiscovered strategies to give you that slight edge for success. These are not your typical twitter thread regurgitated marketing tactics that everyone is doing. These are new methods, with unfiltered examination of successful fresh ideas.
Episodes
Mentioned books

105 snips
Nov 20, 2025 • 26min
Why We’re Leaving ChatGPT for Google’s Gemini 3
Discover the groundbreaking features of Gemini 3 as Kipp and Kieran explore its multimodal reasoning capabilities. They debate whether it's superior to GPT-5 and what that means for marketers. The duo dives into composable UIs, highlighting how they could revolutionize search experiences. Enjoy demos of Gemini generating marketing plans and analyzing videos for immersive insights. Gain practical tips on leveraging AI-generated content, all while brainstorming innovative micro-app ideas for the future of digital marketing!

115 snips
Nov 18, 2025 • 49min
AI Just Broke Marketing (And What You Need to Do Now)
The discussion highlights the shift in marketing from volume to value due to AI's impact. With over 74% of new web pages featuring AI content, trust is increasingly placed in individuals rather than brands. Search behaviors are changing to prioritize AI-driven answers, while personalized advertising is becoming more granular and efficient. There's also a focus on the transformative potential of AI in email engagement and the need for better data. The hosts consider future marketing strategies, emphasizing collaboration with creators and embracing AI-driven personalization.

144 snips
Nov 12, 2025 • 43min
Inside the Hidden Playbooks of Businesses That Actually Win
Join Erica Wenger, Founder and General Partner at Park Rangers Capital, as she uncovers the secrets to startup success in a fiercely competitive landscape. Discover why distribution is now the key differentiator and how building in public can drive community engagement. Erica shares her insights on underrated AI tools and emphasizes the importance of aligning founder passion with market needs. Plus, learn about the traits of 'elephant' companies that prioritize community and purpose over traditional growth narratives.

79 snips
Nov 6, 2025 • 10min
I Used Gemini Code Assist to Build a Newsletter App (for Free)
Explore how to build a newsletter app quickly using Google's AI Code Assistant without writing any code! Dive into the integration of powerful AI tools that enhance app capabilities with images, voice, and video. Discover innovative strategies to replace outdated lead generation tactics with interactive apps. Learn to leverage multiple AI assistants for precise prompts and efficient workflows, turning your ideas into actionable tools. Plus, find out how to automatically generate content for effective email sign-ups!

91 snips
Nov 4, 2025 • 36min
The AI System That Built a 1.4M Audience | Sabrina Romanov
Sabrina Romanov, an AI product builder and educator behind Blotato, skyrocketed her Instagram following to over 418,000 using AI content repurposing. She shares insights on 'vibe coding' interactive tools for marketers with no technical background. Sabrina discusses the power of AI in creating lead magnets and incremental product development. She emphasizes the importance of repurposing top-performing content and scaling distribution across multiple platforms. Her mission? To make AI literacy accessible beyond Silicon Valley for a broader audience.

56 snips
Oct 30, 2025 • 15min
How I Built a Marketing Campaign in 10 Minutes (With Claude Desktop)
Discover how to build a full marketing campaign in just 10 minutes using AI. Learn about the advantages of Claude's desktop features, including competitor analysis through screenshots and persona-driven insights. Kipp shares his experience with generating ready-to-use HTML emails in HubSpot. Explore the Loop Marketing framework for compelling storytelling and understand how to integrate insights into effective campaigns. Plus, find out how Claude evolves your data-utilization strategy for better results!

146 snips
Oct 28, 2025 • 43min
9 ChatGPT Use Cases from the Top 1% of Marketers
Kyle Poyar, a go-to-market and growth expert from Growth Unhinged, shares his insights on how AI, particularly ChatGPT, is revolutionizing marketing. He discusses using AI for persona research, creating unique product narratives, and optimizing growth experiments. Kyle also highlights a method called 'deep research mode' for generating thorough, research-driven content. The conversation dives into the potential of AI to analyze customer behavior and improve decision-making, making ChatGPT an essential tool for modern marketers.

131 snips
Oct 23, 2025 • 21min
OpenAI Just Launched a Web Browser (and It’s Smarter Than Chrome)
OpenAI's new ChatGPT Atlas is discussed as a potential game-changer in web browsing. The hosts explore its capabilities, such as agent mode and memory integration, enhancing personalized user experiences. They demonstrate Atlas's ability to autonomously conduct research tasks, like navigating Zillow listings. There's a lively debate about when an agentic browser is preferable over manual browsing. While not a direct Chrome competitor yet, Atlas shows promise for specific automated tasks that could revolutionize browsing efficiency.

56 snips
Oct 21, 2025 • 10min
Claude Skills: Build Your Own AI Experts (Full Breakdown)
Explore the innovative Claude Skills feature that allows you to turn AI into an expert with tailored prompts. Discover how to create and upload custom skills to elevate your workflow, from generating engaging content hooks to problem-solving for specific platforms. Learn practical tips for optimizing your skills, ensuring they work effectively for your needs. Plus, grab some free prompts to get started! This is the future of AI expertise at your fingertips.

80 snips
Oct 16, 2025 • 14min
Using Perplexity AI to Reverse Engineer a $500M Marketing Strategy
Discover how to reverse engineer successful marketing strategies using AI! Learn about the Perplexity Comet browser and how to analyze competitors' ad tactics in minutes. Dive into actionable insights from real campaigns, like Grooms' personalized Instagram ads. Kipp reveals the tools behind effective marketing tech stacks and shows how to extract valuable data from any brand's online presence. This method is a must for marketers wanting to understand the secrets of top brands and excel in their strategies!


