Content Disrupted: Bold Takes on Brand Marketing

Rand Fishkin, co-founder of SparkToro and Moz, dives into the upheavals in marketing caused by AI and the shift to a zero-click world. He argues that traffic is just a vanity metric and stresses the importance of brand influence instead. As platforms morph and discovery happens in fragmented spaces, Fishkin emphasizes showing up where audiences already engage—like Instagram and Reddit. He also critiques outdated attribution models, advocating for a focus on genuine audience relationships for effective modern branding.

Brendan Hufford, Founder of Growth Sprints, is shaking up the content marketing landscape with his no-nonsense strategies. He discusses the pitfalls of traditional SEO tactics and the importance of naming problems to connect with audiences authentically. Brendan encourages brands to escape checkbox marketing and create genuine relationships instead. He also dives into how storytelling can drive engagement and why addressing real consumer emotions beats mere optimization. Prepare for some bold insights that could revolutionize your marketing approach!

In a world of sameness, brand is your business’s biggest advantage. But how do you build one people believe in—and actually want to buy from?We asked Brian Garofalow—skater, marketer, and now CEO of Skullcandy. He’s spent his career turning culture into competitive advantage, helping brands like DC Shoes, Igloo, and now Skullcandy punch above their weight in crowded categories.From transforming coolers into cultural artifacts to leading Skullcandy’s disruption of a $20B market dominated by tech giants, Brian has cracked the code on turning commoditized products into can’t-live-withouts.In this episode, he shares his playbook for going from blending in to culture-forward brand: – How to move beyond surface-level segmentation to build real customer connection – Why creativity and intuition still matter—even in a data-obsessed world – How to build a brand community by aligning with the right cultural voicesBut brand love alone doesn’t pay the bills. Brian also unpacks the operational discipline required to turn bold ideas into profitable, scalable realities—and offers a glimpse into the AI-fueled future of Skullcandy.His core belief? The best brands know exactly who they are, why they matter, and who they matter to.If this episode hits, subscribe, rate, and review wherever you get your podcasts. And visit skyword.com to see what’s next in enterprise content marketing.Resources:Skullcandy announces Method 360 ANC"9 out of 10 Yetis Prefer Igloo" CampaignContent Disrupted: Bold Takes on Brand Marketing is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Does your brand marketing pass the "who cares?" test?In an age where attention is scarce and content is endless, the real challenge isn’t just telling a story—it’s telling one people actually care about. In this episode, Jessica Gioglio, author of The Laws of Brand Storytelling—unpacks the laws of story-first brand marketing, revealing what separates brands that blend in from those that lead.From REI’s culture-defining Opt Outside movement to Dunkin’s “unhinged” spider donut, Jessica shares frontline stories and timeless principles to help you connect meaningfully, scale smartly, and stay human—even in an AI-driven world.If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Does this story really matter?”—this episode is your answer.If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about Skyword and what's most relevant in enterprise content marketing at skyword.com.Content Disrupted: Bold Takes on Brand Marketing is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

When the world’s moving at warp speed, how do you stay relevant—especially with an audience that hates being marketed to?Just ask Adam Walden, VP of Brand & Corporate Marketing at GitHub. As AI rewrites the rules of software development, Walden shares how his team earns trust from skeptical developers by embedding marketing within product teams, embracing a “Possibility Mindset,” and crafting platform-native content that fits closed ecosystems.He also dives into how AI is reshaping both the developer experience and marketing execution—with AI agents poised to transform how teams build and run campaigns.What You’ll Learn:The fundamentals of authentic storytelling for technical audiencesHow AI is shifting not just development, but brand positioningWhy marketers must rethink content discovery and adapt to closed platformsHow GitHub balances grassroots loyalty with enterprise goalsWhy AI agents are the future of marketing opsGitHub’s "Possibility" mindset for brand storytelling in the AI eraIf you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about Skyword and what's most relevant in enterprise content marketing at skyword.com.Content Disrupted: Bold Takes on Brand Marketing is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

What if your brand was rated the worst company in America to work for? That's the challenge Kevin Miller faced when he became CMO of The Fresh Market grocery chain in 2020. In this episode, Kevin reveals the audacious vision and customer-centric strategy he used to transform the distressed brand into a beloved market leader in just two years.Discover how Kevin's team immersed themselves in customer insights, revamped the in-store experience to spark joy and anticipation, and leveraged AI and a new content engine to engage distinct buyer personas across touchpoints. You'll hear the creative ways they measured brand love, empowered employees as brand ambassadors, and achieved record ecommerce growth—ultimately taking the brand from worst to first.Whether you're in B2C or B2B, Kevin's fresh take on building brand love will challenge your assumptions and inspire you to reimagine what's possible when you put the customer at the center of your marketing.Episode Highlights:[00:03:18] The Power of Human Connection in Retail[00:10:17] From Worst to First: The Fresh Market Turnaround Story[00:18:57] Creating Joy and Anticipation in Customer Experiences[00:24:43] The Role of AI in Scaling Brand Love[00:31:31] How The Fresh Market’s Magazine Became a Content Engine[00:43:22] Engaging Younger Audiences with Shoppable Videos[00:52:01] Final Words of Wisdom: Embracing AI with CuriosityIf you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review on:Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/4ibgIIOSpotify: https://bit.ly/41sLLIPInstructions on how to do this are here.Learn more about Skyword and what's most relevant in enterprise content marketing at https://www.skyword.com.Content Disrupted: Bold Takes on Brand Marketing is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Marketers are betting big on AI—but are they playing a losing hand? 75% of leaders say AI is a key differentiator for their business, yet only 15% are confident they're investing in the right areas. In this episode of Content Disrupted, Skyword’s Dan Baptiste sits down with HumanX Co-founder and CEO Stefan Weitz to uncover the massive gap between AI hype and real-world execution. They dive into the illusion of AI proficiency, the dangers of treating AI as a content machine rather than a strategic tool, and the key steps and mindset shift leaders must embrace to take meaningful advantage of AI. If you think you’re leveraging AI correctly, this episode might make you think again. And don’t miss: The next HumanX conference is coming up! Check out the details https://www.humanx.co/.Episode Highlights:[04:38] The Right Approach to AI Implementation[07:22] The Power of Admitting "I Don't Know"[15:46] Why Tech-Led AI Initiatives Often Fail[24:48] The Reality of AI Fatigue in Marketing[29:45] Moving Beyond Traditional Marketing Personas[35:40] The Evolution of Search Behavior[42:38] How AI is Transforming Healthcare[47:09] What to Expect at HumanXIf you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review on:Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/4gDWhCKSpotify: https://spoti.fi/4gCH9FxInstructions on how to do this are here.Learn more about Skyword and what's most relevant in enterprise content marketing at https://www.skyword.com.Content Disrupted: Bold Takes on Brand Marketing is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Everyone’s talking about AI—why aren’t more teams actually using it to grow?In this episode, Conor Grennan, Chief AI Architect at NYU Stern School of Business and founder of AI Mindset, reveals how leaders can overcome the real barriers to AI adoption: mindset and behavior. Learn how to reimagine workflows, navigate resistance, and unlock growth opportunities by fostering an AI mindset in your organization.If you’re serious about leading your team into the next generation of content marketing, this episode is your starting point.Episode Highlights:[01:17] Conor’s Accidental Journey into AI[04:47] The Importance of Mindset Over Technology[08:52] Overcoming Fear and Resistance[12:57] Leadership’s Role in Setting AI Expectations[19:30] AI’s Potential to Transform Work Processes[24:02] Ownership of AI Innovation[34:46] A Roadmap for Organizational Change[43:10] Predicting Trends for AI in 2025 and BeyondIf you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review on:Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/40Hh0AOSpotify: https://bit.ly/3WueZ8o Instructions on how to do this are here.Learn more about Skyword and what's most relevant in enterprise content marketing at https://www.skyword.com.Content Disrupted: Bold Takes on Brand Marketing is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

In this episode, Amber Armstrong, Chief Marketing Officer at Salesforce, shares insights into driving innovation in tech marketing with a focus on AI-powered sales transformation and fostering collaboration. Amber discusses the challenges of aligning marketing and sales teams to achieve unified goals, leveraging AI to enhance sales productivity, and building a thriving community through the SalesBlazer initiative. She explores Salesforce’s efforts to integrate AI into Sales Cloud, foster community-driven content strategies, and create agile teams that excel in a rapidly evolving industry.Episode Highlights: [02:12] Thriving in Uncharted Territory [09:08] The Role of Daily Office Hours for Team Alignment [27:12] Educating the Market on AI’s Real Potential [36:26] Bridging the Gap Between Marketing and Sales [43:30] Balancing Short-Term Goals with Long-Term VisionIf you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review on: Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/40pLUgPSpotify: https://bit.ly/428GkAKInstructions on how to do this are here.Learn more about Skyword and what's most relevant in enterprise content marketing at https://www.skyword.com.Content Disrupted: Bold Takes on Brand Marketing is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

AI is a game-changing power tool for marketers, as transformative in business today as the web was decades ago. Is your marketing organization ready? Jeff Fleischman, Chief Marketing Officer at Altimetrik, shares how AI is unlocking a new era of strategic marketing leadership and uncovering opportunities no human could see. Drawing on his experience leading major digital transformations, Jeff shares lessons on strategic planning, building marketing credibility, measuring ROI, and fostering team growth.Episode Highlights:[00:01:26] Jeff’s journey: From finance and risk management to CMO[00:03:03] Driving digital transformation at American Express[00:07:25] The value of bringing a financial perspective to marketing [00:10:13] Personalization and data: The dual power of modern marketing[00:13:24] Making marketing measurable: Building business cases with ROI[00:16:22] Transforming Altimetrik’s marketing strategy[00:22:17] AI’s role in content creation and decision-making[00:29:18] Building credibility in marketing with measurable impact[00:33:09] Combining AI and insights for deeper customer relationships[00:45:59] The future of marketing and the transformative potential of AIIf you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review on: Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/4fHjDqF Spotify: https://bit.ly/3VNYrb4 Instructions on how to do this are here.Learn more about Skyword and what's most relevant in enterprise content marketing at https://www.skyword.com Content Disrupted: Bold Takes on Brand Marketing is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so