The Marketing Scientists

In this episode of the Marketing Scientists Podcast, Ian Martins, Managing Director of Zenith, joins us for a no-filter look at the modern agency world. Ian unpacks why the creative/media divide is still costing brands big money, how the traditional agency model is ripe for reinvention, and why the current obsession with AI-driven cost savings is missing the point.We explore the rise of "Power of One" models, why media teams need a seat at the creative table, and how smart brands are blending brand + performance thinking. Ian also shares practical insights on creative testing, algorithmic buying, and why most media metrics are still chasing the wrong goals.About the guest: Ian Martens is the Managing Director of Zenith , part of the Publicis Groupe. With a career that spans scrappy independents to global HoldCos, Ian brings a uniquely candid perspective on what’s broken — and what’s possible — in media, creative, and marketing leadership today.

In this episode of the Marketing Scientists Podcast, Keith Putnam-Delaney, CEO of Primer, reveals how his company is reinventing B2B audience targeting across channels like TikTok, Instagram, and even Amazon. He unpacks the limitations of traditional ad targeting, the misconceptions around "dead" channels, and why marketers need to rethink attribution and incrementality. Keith also dives into the evolving role of AI in advertising, shares a spicy take on LinkedIn ads, and explains how creative and audience experimentation is still the ultimate unlock.About the guest: Keith Putnam-Delaney is the co-founder and CEO of Primer, a fast-growing startup transforming how B2B marketers activate audiences across social and programmatic platforms. With a background in data and growth strategy, Keith brings a sharp and opinionated view on what’s broken in modern marketing—and what’s coming next. From holdout tests to AI-driven targeting, he's helping companies navigate the future of ad performance with clarity and precision.

In this episode of the Marketing Scientists Podcast, Kerry Cunningham, former Forrester analyst and now Head of Research at 6sense, unpacks the broken state of B2B marketing. He explains why most MQLs are a dead-end, how the concept of “buying groups” is transforming the demand funnel, and how third-party intent data—when combined with AI—can actually deliver real insight. Kerry also shares the backstory behind the famous Demand Unit Waterfall, reveals what most marketers get wrong about in-market signals, and offers a data-backed strategy for winning more high-intent buyers.About the Guest:Kerry Cunningham is a leading B2B marketing strategist and researcher, currently serving as Head of Research at 6sense. Previously, he helped design the Demand Unit Waterfall during his time at SiriusDecisions and Forrester. With decades of experience in B2B marketing innovation, Kerry brings unmatched insight into intent data, marketing measurement, and the science of modern revenue generation.

In this episode of the Marketing Scientist Podcast, Pranav Piyush, CEO of Paramark, breaks down the flaws of traditional marketing attribution and why Incrementality Testing is the key to smarter budget decisions. He explains why Multi-Touch Attribution (MTA) often misleads marketers, how Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM) compares, and why most brands are wasting money on ad spend without realizing it.Pranav shares insights on why marketers should rethink their brand search ad spend, how to run effective marketing experiments, and the role of causality in measurement. He also discusses how top brands are using incrementality testing to prove real ROI, optimize budgets, and drive efficient growth.

Matt Bahr, CEO and co-founder of Fairing, shares his expertise on optimizing marketing spend through post-purchase surveys. He reveals how brands can decode marketing attribution and extract hidden customer insights. Bahr discusses the challenges of data accuracy in fragmented markets and emphasizes the need for first-party data. The conversation also covers innovative methodologies for tracking marketing effectiveness, including touch-based attribution and the value of customer feedback in decision-making.

In this episode of the Marketing Scientist Podcast, Neha Mittal, CEO of Just Words and former Head of Growth at Twitter and Pinterest, explores how AI-powered experimentation is transforming lifecycle marketing. She discusses the challenges of traditional A/B testing, the importance of high-velocity experimentation, and how generative AI is unlocking new opportunities for growth teams. Neha also shares insights on messaging fatigue, the impact of micro-copy changes, and the future of real-time optimization.About the Guest:Neha Mittal is the CEO and co-founder of Just Words, an AI-driven experimentation platform for lifecycle teams. Previously, she led growth and retention at Twitter and Pinterest, where she pioneered large-scale messaging optimization strategies. With deep expertise in user engagement and AI-driven marketing, Neha is at the forefront of innovation in the growth space.

In this episode of the Marketing Scientists Podcast, David Herrmann discusses the importance of community building in e-commerce marketing, the evolving role of organic marketing, and how to effectively leverage AI in media buying without losing the human touch. He also shares his insights on creative diversity, the future of measurement in a privacy-first world, and the delicate balance between brand and performance marketing.  About the guest:David Herrmann, President of Herrmann Digital, has managed billions of dollars in ad spend across various platforms like Facebook, Google, TikTok, and more. David shares his incredible journey from the music industry to becoming a seasoned media buying expert.

Kyle Poyar, a former VC at OpenView and author of Growth Unhinged, shares vital insights on SaaS growth. He critiques traditional attribution models for their limitations and promotes a focus on incrementality for revenue boost. Kyle also discusses the shift to usage-based pricing and how companies must adapt their strategies. He emphasizes the crucial role of customer success and early adoption in enhancing retention and driving sustainable growth for SaaS businesses.

Today's guest is Bill Macaitis, the former CMO of Slack and Zendesk. Here are three things that I think you'll enjoy learning about in this episode: - A great debate on the role of marketing in B2B orgs.- Setting clear priorities with the V2MOM framework. - How CEOs should hold their CMO or marketing leader accountable.

Today's guest is Ashley Haus. Ashley leads Lifecycle Marketing at Atlassian. Here are three things that I think you'll enjoy learning about in this episode: - The art of storytelling and persuasive communication. - How Ashley thinks about measuring the impact of her Lifecycle team's work- How Lifecycle is embedded in everything that Atlassian does.