
The Marketing Companion
The world’s most entertaining marketing podcast! Mark Schaefer and a rotation of brilliant guest hosts provide new marketing insights and timely advice that help you navigate the future of digital business, The Marketing Companion is always fun, always interesting, and always on-target with ideas that will turn up your marketing intellect to an “11.”
Latest episodes

Nov 20, 2023 • 51min
The business case for Personal GPTs
Host Mark Schaefer and guest Paul Roetzer, founder of the Marketing AI Institute, discuss the potential applications of personal GPTs, advancements in chat GPT, legal considerations and the need for generative AI policies, the importance of AI literacy, the dangers of AI training itself, the use of personal GPTs for consultative businesses, and the potential AI divide and impact on the workforce.

9 snips
Nov 6, 2023 • 26min
Six pillars of our marketing future
Mark Schaefer shares his thoughts on the future of marketing, discussing the six pillars that shape it, including AI-driven content and experiences, the metaverse, personal branding, organizational structures, and community building. He explores the potential of AI to create immersive experiences and mentions the importance of personal branding as a defense against AI threats. He also emphasizes the significance of speed in marketing and the shift towards real-time marketing, using Oreo's ad during a power outage at the Super Bowl as an example.

Oct 23, 2023 • 38min
The beauty of messy marketing
Mark Schaefer and Amanda Russell explore the Pratfall Effect, a psychological model that says we gain trust and credibility through revealing our mistakes. In this fascinating episode, they look at case studies from Mark's dressing habits and a weird burger commercial, to cookies and Mark Zuckerberg's hoodie. Mistakes in marketing can work, but only within a certain context. Mark Schaefer is a strategy consultant, college educator, keynote speaker, and the author of 10 books including "KNOWN," “Belonging to the Brand,” and "Marketing Rebellion." His annual marketing retreat is The Uprising. For more of Mark’s insights every week, subcribe to his award-winning blog. Mark also offers classes in personal branding and professional speaking. Amanda Russell is the founder of the Global Center for Influence (C4In), launching (2023) at the University of Texas at Austin with a mission to help brands & people learn how to position themselves and their companies for success, bridging the gap between academia and practice. Amanda's mission is to enhance how we do 'higher education. Former Olympic-level athlete, Founder-to-sale Entrepreneur and Marketing Consultant who still loves the brain gymnastics of helping people and companies become more influential among their desired audience. Professor, Author "The Influencer Code", Speaker, Board Member and Director of C4In

Oct 9, 2023 • 34min
The generosity strategy
Can you base a marketing strategy on generosity? It's complex, exciting, and perhaps a key part of our future in business. Keith Jennings has studied the psychology and sociology of generosity and is convinced it should be a core strategy. Mark and Keith explore this idea and a multitude of angles when kindness counts most of all in this unusual episode! Mark Schaefer is a strategy consultant, college educator, keynote speaker, and the author of 10 books including "KNOWN," “Belonging to the Brand,” and "Marketing Rebellion." His annual marketing retreat is The Uprising. For more of Mark’s insights every week, subcribe to his award-winning blog. Mark also offers classes in personal branding and professional speaking. Keith Jennings is an executive and writer who equips professionals to serve with values, generosity, and social impact. He serves as vice president of community impact with Jackson Healthcare. Connect with him at https://www.linkedin.com/in/keithjennings/.

Sep 25, 2023 • 38min
Scaling human-powered marketing
Mark Schaefer and Dennis Yu explore human-centered marketing in the digital landscape. They discuss the importance of understanding customer preferences, prioritizing customer care, and leveraging technology. They also explore verticalizing and horizontalizing in marketing, the challenges of honesty, building a community, and communicating value.

Sep 11, 2023 • 36min
Gen Z Exposed
Sara Wilson and Mark Schaefer attended Z Con, the first conference fully dedicated to Gen Z -- up on by Gen Z leaders. It provided a fascinating glimpse into the minds and memes of a generation that punched above its weight when it comes to cultural influence. In this show you'll get an eye-popping look at what it takes to achieve business and brand success when it comes to this new generation of consumers. Mark Schaefer is a strategy consultant, college educator, keynote speaker, and the author of 10 books including "KNOWN," “Belonging to the Brand,” and "Marketing Rebellion." His annual marketing retreat is The Uprising. For more of Mark’s insights every week, subcribe to his award-winning blog. Mark also offers classes in personal branding and professional speaking. Sara Wilson is a journalist-turned-social-marketer (former Facebook & Instagram) who works with brands, publications, and platforms like YouTube, Nike, Bumble, the New York Times and many others find, engage and grow obsessive communities across digital channels through her consultancy SW Projects. Sara also writes frequently on the subject of digital marketing trends; she coined the term "digital campfires" in the Harvard Business Review to describe the types of spaces where young audiences are gathering online today, and often speaks and leads workshops on this and other topics related to social innovation, web3, and Gen Z consumption trends to companies around the world such as Microsoft and McKinsey.

Aug 28, 2023 • 41min
The personal impact of AI
Mark Schaefer and Mathew Sweezey discuss how the AI revolution is impacting them as business leaders, entrepreneurs, and simply individuals trying to make their way in the world. Mark and Mathew discuss their current AI priorities, hacks, and the aspects of this development keeping them up at night. Where do they see the pitfalls and opportunities? Find out in this fascinating episode! Mark Schaefer is a strategy consultant, college educator, keynote speaker, and the author of 10 books including "KNOWN," “Belonging to the Brand,” and "Marketing Rebellion." His annual marketing retreat is The Uprising. For more of Mark’s insights every week, subcribe to his award-winning blog. Mark also offers classes in personal branding and professional speaking Mathew Sweezey is the Co-Founder of Salesforces Web3 Studio where he helped Salesforce and their top customers transition into Web3. Mathew an independent consultant, a best selling author, and avid adventurer.

Aug 14, 2023 • 34min
The unified theory of content success
The podcast discusses the possibility of breakthrough success in content creation and the importance of having a defensible premise. They highlight the frustration with the lack of innovation in content marketing and the need for a philosophical approach in the era of AI. Creating viral content is explored using the RITES framework, focusing on relevance, interest, timeliness, entertainment, and superiority.

Jul 31, 2023 • 39min
The AI hierarchy of content
AI is moving quickly into every crevice of the marketing world but the impact on content has been immediate and profound. Where does AI matter, and where will humans persist and thrive? Mark Schaefer and Amanda Russell discuss a hierarchy of content in the AI world and the impact on the personal brand. Mark Schaefer is a strategy consultant, college educator, keynote speaker and the author of 10 books including "KNOWN," “Belonging to the Brand,” and "Marketing Rebellion." His annual marketing retreat is The Uprising. Amanda Russell is the founder of the Global Center for Influence (C4In), launching (2023) at the University of Texas at Austin with a mission to help brands & people learn how to position themselves and their companies for success, bridging the gap between academia and practice. Amanda's mission is to enhance how we do higher education.

Jul 17, 2023 • 53min
Master the Art of Business Narrative
Mark Schaefer and Ketih Jennings reveal the difference between story and narrative as it relates to business strategy. In this wide-ranging discussion, they unpack the role of narrative in branding and corporate influence, Eastern versus Western storytelling style, and more. This episode has special bonus content going deeper on this subject from RISE community members.