In Clear Focus

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Lisa Avvocato, VP at Sama, explores AI in retail and how it's reshaping customer experiences. She outlines five key areas where AI drives revenue and cuts costs: personalized recommendations, search relevance, virtual fitting rooms, inventory management, and AI agents. Lisa contrasts luxury retailers Nordstrom and Bloomingdale's with Amazon, emphasizing brand-aligned implementation. Hear why Lisa advises marketers to prioritize solving specific problems over chasing AI trends.

IN CLEAR FOCUS: This week's guest, Corey Morris, the CEO of Voltage and author of "The Digital Marketing Success Plan," discusses his START planning framework for effective digital marketing. Corey explains why strategy must precede tactics, the dangers of "checklist SEO," and how to connect marketing metrics to business outcomes. He shares insights on AI's impact on search marketing, the importance of brand foundation, and a case study where an investment of $80K generated $1.2M in revenue.

IN CLEAR FOCUS: William Beutler, founder of Beutler Ink, explores the role of Wikipedia for brands. He explains why brands must approach Wikipedia ethically, how to navigate its guidelines, and best practices for managing a company's presence. Bill shares insights on WikiWatch, AI's impact on Wikipedia, and the risks of misinformation. Learn why Wikipedia remains a critical, yet challenging, platform for brand reputation management.

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Nick Bennett, co-founder of TACK and author of "B2B Influencer Marketing," discusses the evolution of creator partnerships in B2B marketing. Nick shares insights on building authentic relationships, measuring ROI, and leveraging LinkedIn effectively. He emphasizes the growing importance of micro-influencers, video content, and maintaining authenticity in an AI-driven landscape. Learn how B2B brands can develop successful influencer strategies and foster a creator-first mindset.

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Guest Shaheen Samavati, CEO of VeraContent, discusses multilingual content marketing. She shares insights on the challenges brands face managing global content, the importance of cultural adaptation, SEO considerations, and AI's impact on the industry. Our conversation also covers quality control, influencer marketing, and how best to measure campaign success. Learn how Shaheen's team at VeraContent helps brands navigate the complexities of international content.

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Jeff Greenfield, co-founder and CEO of Provalytics, discusses AI-driven marketing attribution in a privacy-first world. As third-party cookies and user-level tracking decline, Jeff explains how the Provalytics platform combines marketing mix modeling with the granularity of multi-touch attribution. Learn how marketers can measure effectiveness across channels, including "no-click" media like CTV and podcasts, while maintaining privacy compliance and gaining actionable insights.

Rohit Bhargava, a three-time best-selling author and marketing expert, returns to explore his latest insights on non-obvious thinking. He introduces the innovative SIFT framework, offering strategies to uncover hidden opportunities in business. The conversation highlights the importance of effective questioning and storytelling in fostering deeper connections. Rohit also discusses accessible business literature, the rationale behind fair audiobook distribution, and shares fascinating insights from CES 2025, including groundbreaking technological advances.

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Jordan Morrow, SVP of Data and AI Transformation at AgileOne and the "Godfather of data literacy," discusses the intersection of AI and data literacy. Jordan shares insights on the four levels of analytics, the "three C's" of data literacy, and practical steps for organizations to build data confidence. As the author of "Be Data Literate," Jordan emphasizes that while not everyone needs to be a data scientist, understanding data is crucial in today's AI-driven business world.

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Ron Levac, Chief Innovation Officer at Spectrio, explores the transformation of retail through digital signage and Retail Media Networks (RMNs). As brick-and-mortar stores influence 80 percent of purchases, Ron reveals how retailers can leverage digital displays, AI, and data analytics to enhance customer experiences. Learn how emerging technologies like MicroLED are revolutionizing in-store advertising, and why RMNs are projected to capture over 20% of media spend by 2027.

IN CLEAR FOCUS: Peter Benei, remote work expert and AI marketing practice lead at Intercept Scale, explores the evolution of marketing leadership. Benei shares frameworks from his book "Leadership Anywhere," including the Transparent Leadership Triangle and Asynchronous Communication Matrix. He discusses AI adoption in marketing, highlighting implementation challenges and opportunities. Learn how transparency, remote leadership strategies, and AI are transforming modern marketing teams.