#Hashtags, The Gartner Marketing & Communications Podcast

In this episode, Gartner Director Analyst Amber Boyes discusses the reputation management challenges CCOs face and why it's more important than ever to shift away from a reactive approach to long-term, proactive strategy. The discussion includes typical misconceptions, guidance around reputation measurement and advice on adjusting for the impacts of AI.Amber Gallihar Boyes is a director analyst helping equip CCOs with reputation and brand management, crisis communications, PR and social media best practices. As a former practitioner, Amber is highly skilled at navigating complex external organizations to drive communication effectiveness across various audiences and channels. Amber's experience spans social media, influencer and content marketing, media relations and integrated creative brand campaigns as a former lead counselor at an integrated marketing communications agency.Disclaimer: Gartner is an impartial, independent analyst of the Information Technology industry. All content provided by other speakers is expressly the views of those speakers and their enterprises. The information should not be construed as a Gartner endorsement of said enterprise’s products or services.

In this episode of #Hashtags, Gartner analyst Kate Muhl and Gartner researcher Emily Weiss discuss evolving consumer perceptions of GenAI, breaking down the demographics and drivers behind four key groups: enthusiasts, pragmatists, passives, and rejectors. They also cover what GenAI use cases consumers are most receptive to and which ones they are most wary of — and how that translates into risk to your brand.Kate Muhl is a Gartner analyst specializing in cultural and consumer insights. She has been researching and advising on the consumer and U.S. culture for nearly two decades.Emily Weiss is a Gartner senior principal researcher supporting the consumers and culture team; she covers marketing channels, content and campaigns. Emily works collaboratively with analysts and other researchers to identify and track consumer trends, produce syndicated content about generational cohorts, and translate the implications of those trends for marketers.

Iliyana Hadjistoyanova, a Gartner Analyst specializing in communications leadership, shares insights from the 2025 Gartner CCO Spend Survey. She discusses the rising budget pressures CCOs face, emphasizing the need for strategic advocacy amidst rapid tech changes. The conversation highlights the growing investment in generative AI, the challenges of aligning tech with business goals, and the shifting focus towards public relations. Iliyana also underscores the importance of balancing internal and external communication efforts to enhance organizational trust and visibility.

In this episode, Gartner experts Sharon Cantor Ceurvorst and Alexandra Bellis discuss how successful B2B CMOs expand their focus from helping buyers buy to helping buyers manage change. This approach breaks through customers’ uncertainty and builds their confidence to buy and change with you. The discussion includes how to segment your buyers using Gartner’s change readiness profiles.Sharon Cantor Ceurvorst is a VP of research in the Gartner Marketing practice, finding new ways of solving B2B and B2C strategic marketing challenges. Her role involves setting annual research agendas and harnessing the collective expertise of marketing analysts and research methodologists to generate actionable insights.Alexandra Bellis, Ph.D. is a director of quantitative analytics and data science on the Gartner for Marketing Leaders' Quantitative Innovation Advanced Analytics team. In this role, she primarily focuses on survey data collection and analysis for the Marketing and Communications Peer and Practitioner Research teams.Disclaimer: Gartner is an impartial, independent analyst of the Information Technology industry. All content provided by other speakers is expressly the views of those speakers and their enterprises. The information should not be construed as a Gartner endorsement of said enterprise’s products or services.

Michelyne Chavez, a principal on Gartner’s Communications research team, and Brianna Lux, director of advisory for Gartner, dive into essential skills for future communicators. They discuss a new Toolkit designed for Chief Communications Officers to assess team competencies vital for success. Key topics include the evolution of communication roles in the age of AI, the importance of ethical reasoning, and balancing creative and analytical skills. They also explore team dynamics using improv metaphors and the necessity of digital acumen in today's landscape.

In this discussion, Matt Moorut and Leah Leachman, Gartner analysts with expertise in channel marketing and customer experience, dive into what makes 'genius brands' stand out. They provide insights on how to build strong, customer-centric strategies that foster loyalty and retention. The conversation emphasizes the importance of understanding customer needs, personalized messaging, and long-term planning in achieving digital marketing excellence. They also discuss the surprising stability of top brands and the strategies emerging brands should adopt to compete.

Nicole Greene, VP Analyst at Gartner for Marketers, and Alexandra Bellis, Director of Quantitative Analytics at Gartner, dive into the transformation of AI from experimentation to strategic asset in marketing. They discuss the gap between AI spending and actual benefits, the evolving stages of AI in enhancing productivity and personalizing experiences, and the importance of aligning AI initiatives with business goals. The duo emphasizes the necessity for a balanced investment in AI tools versus human resources and the proactive approach needed to tackle AI-related challenges in communications.

CMOs and CCOs dealing with a social media landscape that’s more fluid than ever are asking themselves and their teams: “What’s the big picture, and how do we prioritize our social media efforts?” On this episode of #Hashtags, Gartner social media expert Claudia Ratterman unpacks the complexities of the social media landscape, focusing on consumer insights and shifting behaviors. She also goes into potential TikTok ban, its impact on influencer marketing, and changes to Meta's policies that could affect brand safety.CMOs and digital marketing leaders will hear about strategies to future-proof their efforts by staying agile and informed, as well as gain actionable insights to maintain a strong social media presence and keep their marketing strategies effective.Claudia Ratterman is a director analyst for Gartner for marketers, based in Los Angeles, California. For the last 16 years, Claudia has been helping brands achieve business results by providing actionable, objective insight around social media marketing.

In this episode of #Hashtags, Gartner analyst Brianna Lux discusses how ongoing change in organizations is requiring chief communications officers (CCOs) and chief marketing officers (CMOs) to constantly re-establish themselves, disrupting their ability to influence within their networks. The discussion includes how to use best practices from the world of corporate brand and reputation management and apply them to interpersonal relationships.Brianna Lux is a Director of Advisory for Gartner. Brianna partners with CCOs and communications leaders to identify, understand, and advise on their challenges related to leadership and functional management, including strategy, org structure, budget, measurement, and team development, as well as internal communications, including leader and manager comms, change comms, and strategy comms. Her unique experience of having a certificate in Leadership Coaching for Organizational Performance, along with her 10+ years of performing improv comedy outside of Gartner, allow her to bring her empathetic listening skills, collaboration, and creative energy to every client interaction.

In this episode, Gartner VP Distinguished Analyst, Andrew Frank, discusses how comms and marketing leaders can adapt generative AI (GenAI) models to reflect their brands, both stylistically and substantively. The discussion includes how organizations can use various tools and techniques to create unique, proprietary models and realize the benefits of increased scale and efficiency, consistency of voice and messages, and better support for creative thinking.Andrew Frank is a VP distinguished analyst with Gartner for Marketing Leaders. Mr. Frank specializes in best practices for data-driven marketing, including how organizations can use data to drive sales, loyalty, innovation, brand value and other business goals. He also focuses on emerging marketing technology and trends, including marketing applications of AI and machine learning, algorithmic marketing and marketing in emerging environments, such as metaverse and Web3.