MarTech Podcast ™ // Marketing + Technology = Business Growth

Marketing technology strategy faces unprecedented complexity as AI transforms customer behavior. Scott Brinker, VP of Platform Ecosystem at HubSpot and founder of chiefmartec.com, explains how 2026 will shift power from marketers to AI-empowered buyers. He covers context engineering as the evolution beyond prompt engineering, combining deterministic workflows with adaptive LLM capabilities for better data analysis and cust...

MarTech faces an 8.6% vendor churn rate despite AI expansion. Scott Brinker, VP of Platform Ecosystem at HubSpot and founder of chiefmartec.com, shares insights on navigating the evolving landscape where AI didn't consolidate MarTech but fragmented it further. He discusses context engineering as the evolution beyond prompt engineering, combining deterministic workflows with LLM capabilities for better data analysis and cus...

MarTech stack complexity is exploding despite consolidation predictions. Scott Brinker, VP of Platform Ecosystem at HubSpot and founder of chiefmartec.com, reveals why AI added 1,200 new vendors while eliminating just as many in 2025. He explains how agentic AI is shifting power from marketers to customers, breaking traditional sales playbooks as buyers use AI agents to research pricing and bypass controlled journeys. Brin...

AI personalization crosses the line when customers can't understand why they're receiving specific treatments. Kathryn Rathje, Partner at McKinsey, explains how marketers often expose too much data instead of focusing on relevance. She discusses the value exchange principle for ethical personalization and why context matters more than data volume. The conversation covers dynamic billboard targeting, spectrum-based personal...

Marketing leadership faces a critical skills gap in data-driven strategy execution. Kathryn Rathje, Partner at McKinsey's Growth, Marketing & Sales Practice, specializes in sustainable growth transformations for consumer brands. She discusses combining quantitative analytics with creative marketing approaches to deliver personalized customer value. The conversation covers data-driven marketing evolution since 2009 and ...

Marketing leaders are falling into shiny object syndrome instead of building systematic growth strategies. Kathryn Rathje, Partner at McKinsey's Growth, Marketing & Sales Practice, explains how to escape the pilot trap that's plaguing marketing organizations. She outlines a framework for rewiring marketing functions around data and AI fundamentals, distinguishes between one-way and two-way strategic decisions, and shar...

Marketing leadership struggles to bridge analytical and creative capabilities. Kathryn Rathje, partner at McKinsey's Growth, Marketing & Sales Practice, specializes in data-driven marketing transformations for consumer brands. She outlines how organizations can integrate quantitative analytics with creative strategy to deliver personalized customer value. The discussion covers practical frameworks for combining left-br...

Marketing's leadership gap is widening across Fortune 500 companies. Kathryn Rathje, partner at McKinsey, reveals why only 66% of Fortune 500 companies retained CMOs last year and how marketing budgets dropped to 7.7% of revenue. She explains how CMOs can rebuild credibility by aligning metrics with CEO priorities, establishing clear ROI definitions with CFOs, and implementing full-funnel marketing measurement systems that...

New creators struggle to choose the right platform for monetization. Danielle Pederson, CMO at Amaze, explains how authenticity-first content strategy drives revenue generation. She outlines building genuine audience connections before platform selection, then leveraging merchandise sales through custom product design and direct fan engagement to convert followers into paying customers.

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Roblox represents an untapped communication platform where virtual merchandise drives real emotional value. Danielle Pederson, CMO at Amaze, explains how her company bridges digital and physical brand experiences through avatar customization. She discusses launching Amaze Digital Fits on Roblox, creating avatar clothing that can be printed as matching physical products, and leveraging gaming platforms as social connection ...

CMOs face fragmented marketing spend across multiple brand portfolios. Danielle Pederson, CMO of Amaze, unified five creator-focused brands under one umbrella without losing individual brand equity. She implemented a phased taxonomy approach using "by Amaze" modifiers, consolidated three separate CRMs into HubSpot, and built a scalable architecture that allows new acquisitions to integrate immediately into the unified bran...

MarTech platforms fail when brands can't bridge digital and physical experiences. Danielle Pederson, CMO at Amaze, explains how virtual merchandise creates real emotional connections with younger audiences. She discusses launching Amaze Digital Fits on Roblox to let users dress avatars and purchase matching physical products. The strategy treats gaming platforms as communication channels rather than just entertainment, rec...

Combining five creator brands into one unified platform creates customer confusion and fragmented marketing spend. Danielle Pederson, CMO of Amaze, led the consolidation of five distinct creator commerce solutions under one corporate umbrella without losing individual brand equity. She implemented a phased taxonomy approach using "by Amaze" modifiers, unified three separate CRMs into HubSpot, and created a scalable framewo...

Content strategy success hinges on three measurable outcomes. Benji Block, founder of Signature Series and former Executive Producer of B2B Growth podcast, breaks down the metrics that matter for B2B brands. He outlines a framework measuring click-through rates on thumbnails and titles, average view duration for consumption quality, and downstream engagement including comments, website visits, and real-world conversations ...

B2B companies struggle to create content that actually drives business results. Benji Block, founder of Signature Series, has launched 50+ podcasts and generated millions of views helping brands build content strategies that work. He breaks down the three critical metrics that prove content effectiveness: meaningful comment engagement, high average view duration, and optimized click-through rates through A/B tested thumbna...

B2B executives struggle to deliver quotable content in their first recording sessions. Benji Block, founder of Signature Series, shares proven techniques from launching 50+ podcasts and coaching 80+ leaders to become standout hosts. He recommends multiple takes to overcome initial nerves, identifying the strongest statement from the first attempt, then having executives lead with that hook in subsequent recordings. Block e...

B2B content creators struggle to measure real impact beyond vanity metrics. Benji Block, founder of Signature Series and former host of B2B Growth podcast, shares his framework for evaluating content performance. He recommends tracking meaningful comments that spark conversations, monitoring average view duration to gauge content quality, and optimizing click-through rates through systematic thumbnail testing. The discussi...

B2B content creators struggle to measure real impact beyond vanity metrics. Benji Block, founder of Signature Series, shares his framework for building content that drives business results. He reveals his 11-question assessment for evaluating content effectiveness, explains how to optimize YouTube thumbnails through A/B testing, and outlines three core metrics that prove content strategy success: meaningful engagement thro...

Marketers rely too heavily on first-party data for AI strategy. Charlie Grinnell is Co-CEO of RightMetric, a strategic research firm specializing in external data intelligence for brands like Meta and Red Bull. His team built a video analyzer that maps frame-by-frame content against performance data to identify what keeps viewers engaged. The discussion covers automated networking agents and the critical importance of visu...