Ever wondered what it’s like to be a luxury hotel marketer? In this episode of the DMI Podcast, host ⁠⁠Will Francis⁠⁠ speaks with Mary Beth O’Connor, an experienced hospitality marketing professional whose career has taken her from international sales to Director of Sales & Marketing at the legendary Pierre Hotel in New York City.

Mary Beth shares insider perspectives on how hotels and resorts can maintain their identity and customer loyalty in an age dominated by online travel agents, why “people are the product,” and what all businesses can learn from the hospitality mindset.

She also explores the rise of wellness travel, the power of partnerships, and how authenticity, curiosity, and personalization drive success in hospitality marketing.
Mary Beth’s Top 3 Tips

1. Stay curious and keep learning: The marketing industry changes constantly — adapt with it.
   

2. Keep it personal: Hospitality is built on relationships and genuine connection.
   

3. Build partnerships: Creative collaborations can amplify reach without huge budgets.
   

The Ahead of the Game podcast is brought to you by the Digital Marketing Institute and is available on ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube, Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠all other podcast platforms.

And if you enjoyed this episode please leave a review so others can find us. If you have other feedback for or would like to be a guest on the show, email the podcast team!

Timestamps

• 3:23 – How online travel agents changed hotel marketing

• 6:04 – Selling experience, not just rooms: the people-first approach

• 8:09 – Retention, culture, and leadership in hotels

• 10:27 – Human stories that build brand loyalty

• 12:03 – Bringing hotel staff personalities into marketing

• 13:41 – What makes hospitality marketing unique

• 14:59 – Digital marketing, events, and local partnerships

• 18:43 – How travel audiences changed after the pandemic

• 21:13 – Global markets and U.S. traveler demand

• 23:32 – Marketing multiple offerings (rooms, restaurants, spa)

• 26:19 – Branding luxury properties and using heritage wisely

• 29:24 – Benchmarking top hotel brands

• 31:21 – Marketing inside the property and guest personalization

• 33:00 – Balancing technology and human touch in luxury

• 34:07 – Why arrival experience defines customer loyalty

• 36:44 – Lessons all businesses can learn from hospitality

• 38:11 – Emerging trends: wellness, sustainability, and women’s travel

• 40:28 – Using digital and webinars for B2B marketing

• 43:26 – Influencer marketing in hospitality: challenges and best fits

• 47:24 – Advice for aspiring hospitality marketers

How often do innovators ask themselves if someone really needs their products? In this episode of the DMI podcast, host Will Francis speaks with Laurier Mandin, founder of Graphos Product and author of I Need That. With over 30 years helping innovators bring ideas to life, Laurier reveals how brands can turn customer wants into needs by focusing on empathy, validation, and true problem-solving. 

Laurier shares lessons from working with sustainable B2B products like recycled wind-turbine materials and explains why many innovators still skip the crucial step of validating whether anyone needs what they’re building. He also discusses the psychology behind purchase decisions, our “dog brain” versus “tank brain”, and why clarity and simplicity in messaging always win.

Laurier’s Top 3 Tips for Marketers

1. Validate properly: Test your product with real money or real commitment, not just surveys.
   

2. Go beyond MVP to “MWP” (Minimum Wow Product): Build something that makes people say wow, not just it works.
   

3. Focus on empathy and clarity: Cut the clutter, connect emotionally, and make the need unmistakable.

   
   

The Ahead of the Game podcast is brought to you by the Digital Marketing Institute and is available on ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube, Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠all other podcast platforms.

And if you enjoyed this episode please leave a review so others can find us. If you have other feedback for or would like to be a guest on the show, email the podcast team!

• 1:00 – Why “need” trumps “want” in marketing psychology

• 4:40 – Pain points and empathy: How to connect like Steve Jobs

• 9:00 – Building trust and shared purpose with customers

• 11:00 – Inside Laurier’s work: guiding innovators and building go-to-market roadmaps

• 13:00 – Case study: Recycling wind-turbine blades into building materials

• 16:00 – How to persuade risk-averse buyers to adopt innovation

• 20:00 – Getting involved early: linking product development and marketing

• 24:00 – Finding the original need behind every innovation

• 27:00 – Why simplicity beats features (and what Apple teaches us)

• 33:00 – Positioning for your tribe: how similar products can coexist

• 34:00 – Lessons from I Need That: validation, emotion, and the “dog brain”

• 38:00 – How to run validation that actually works

• 44:00 – Laurier’s “Innovative Product Go-to-Market Roadmap” explained

• 48:00 – Using AI to accelerate, but not replace, expertise

• 49:00 – Which marketing channels work best today

• 55:00 – Balancing paid and organic: why SEO still matters

• 57:30 – Laurier’s top advice for innovators

What’s the key to turning research into lasting brand growth? In this episode of the DMI podcast, host ⁠Will Francis⁠ speaks with ⁠Heather O’Shea⁠, Chief Research Officer at Alter Agents. With a career spanning Snapchat, Twitter, and Kantar, Heather shares her expertise on consumer insights, research methods, and how brands can better understand their audiences.

She explores how qualitative and quantitative research work together, how AI is transforming the speed of insights, and how neuroscience reveals subconscious behaviors. Heather also discusses shifting consumer values, particularly among Gen Zers, the pitfalls of obsessing over clicks, and why marketers should focus on long-term brand growth. She also reflects on her move from client-side to agency-side research and offers practical advice for marketers looking to get closer to their audiences.

What You'll Learn:

• How leading brands use insights to tackle tough business challenges

• The difference between qualitative and quantitative research, and when to use each

• Why AI is transforming qualitative analysis and speeding up research

• The role of neuroscience in uncovering subconscious consumer behaviors

• How platforms like Snapchat use research to guide marketers on effective activation
• The shift from client-side to agency-side research, and what that means for insights work

1. Give people space — During research, step back and let conversations flow naturally to reveal unexpected insights

2. Look past your assumptions — Keep an open mind to discover what you weren’t looking for.

3. Move beyond clicks — Prioritize meaningful metrics that show true impact and support long-term brand growth

   
   

The Ahead of the Game podcast is brought to you by the Digital Marketing Institute and is available on ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube, Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠all other podcast platforms.

And if you enjoyed this episode please leave a review so others can find us. If you have other feedback for or would like to be a guest on the show, email the podcast team!

• 0:03:38 – What keeps brands up at night: premium, value, and video influence

• 0:07:09 – Why Gen Z expects brands to take a stand

• 0:09:32 – Research methods: qualitative, quantitative & mobile ethnographies

• 0:14:19 – Using neuroscience and immersion to uncover true behavior

• 0:16:55 – Strengths and drawbacks of qualitative vs. quantitative research

• 0:21:11 – How AI helps analyze unstructured qualitative data

• 0:25:50 – Partnering with platforms like Snapchat for trend insights

• 0:31:42 – Moving from client-side to agency-side research

• 0:35:16 – Heather’s career lessons & finding the right fit

• 0:44:14 – The future of market research & role of AI

• 0:47:40 – Practical tips to better understand your audience

• 0:50:22 – The one metric Heather would scrap: clicks
  

Looking for a new role and disheartened by the job market? In this episode of the DMI podcast, host ⁠⁠Will Francis⁠⁠ chats with ⁠Terry Payne⁠⁠ of Aspire Recruitment and Executive Edge about the findings from Aspire’s recent report on digital marketing salaries across 5 different territories. They get stuck into how the job market has shifted at every level, from the decline in entry-level roles to the boom in senior positions. Terry shares insights on regional hiring trends, salary expectations across markets, and how AI is actually reshaping recruitment. He also gives practical advice for job seekers navigating today’s highly competitive, candidate-driven market. 

You can view and download the 2025 Salary Guides on the DMI website. They cover four key regions: the UK, the US, MENA, and APAC.

What You'll Learn:

• How AI is impacting entry-level, mid-level, and senior marketing roles

• The regions and industries driving growth in marketing jobs

• Salary trends across the UK, US, Dubai, and Asia in 2025

• How hybrid work is replacing remote-first opportunities
• Practical strategies for standing out as a candidate in a crowded job market

The Ahead of the Game podcast is brought to you by the Digital Marketing Institute and is available on ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube, Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠all other podcast platforms.

And if you enjoyed this episode please leave a review so others can find us. If you have other feedback for or would like to be a guest on the show, email the podcast team!

Timestamps & Key Sections

• 0:00:51 – Overview of the job market shifts in 2025

• 0:04:23 – How AI is reshaping entry-level opportunities

• 0:08:14 – Growth in senior roles and startup demand for CMOs

• 0:11:51 – Rising demand for SEO, social media, and data roles

• 0:13:27 – Regional differences: Middle East growth, US recovery, UK resilience

• 0:16:51 – The decline of remote roles and rise of hybrid work

• 0:19:34 – 2025 Salary Guide: key trends and rising pay gaps

• 0:24:10 – Which sectors are driving salary increases

• 0:30:05 – Managing unrealistic workloads and setting expectations

• 0:32:55 – How to stand out when applying for jobs

• 0:37:35 – Building a strong LinkedIn profile and showing your “sizzle”

• 0:43:32 – Preparing for interviews and presentations

• 0:46:49 – The importance of communication and leadership “power skills”
• 0:50:43 – Terry’s three top tips for job seekers

In this episode of the DMI podcast, host Will Francis speaks with Faisal Laljee, entrepreneur and growth strategist, about the intersection of entrepreneurship and marketing. Faisal shares his insights on risk-taking, growth hacking, customer acquisition, and building brands that last. From the importance of testing ideas early to the realities of startup funding, he explains how marketers and entrepreneurs can think like an entrepreneur to drive meaningful growth.

What You’ll Learn

• Why entrepreneurs need to focus less on perfection and more on getting products in front of customers.
• How early customers can become your most valuable advocates and growth drivers.
• Is SEO overrated?
• Why brand is inseparable from early business strategy.
• Why not all investor money is good money.

Top 3 Tips from Faisal

1. Know your co-founders – Think of it as an “entrepreneurial prenup.” Shared values, commitment levels, and expectations matter more than complementary skills.

2. Double your marketing budget – Customer acquisition costs are always higher than you think. Planning conservatively helps you build a sustainable business.

3. Be selective with funding – Not all investment is good investment. Take money from the right sources, not just anyone willing to offer it.

Timestamps & Key Sections

• 01:28 – From corporate marketing to startups
• 02:54 – The big shift: traditional marketing to digital
• 05:13 – The #1 problem startups face: finding the right customer
• 06:57 – Why entrepreneurs need to test ideas early and avoid perfectionism
• 09:01 – Applying entrepreneurial thinking to marketing
• 11:10 – Are personas outdated? How to approach customer profiling
• 13:42 – Building trust through community engagement
• 15:32 – Overcoming rejection and embracing failure in marketing
• 16:57 – Growth hacking: experiment, measure, adapt
• 19:08 – Paid ads vs. organic growth for startups
• 22:33 – Turning early customers into advocates
• 24:29 – Overrated and underrated digital channels
• 29:33 – Why brand = business strategy
• 33:54 – The importance of mentors and career planning
• 39:03 – Faisal’s top 3 tips for new founders

In this episode of the DMI podcast, host ⁠⁠Will Francis⁠⁠ speaks with ⁠⁠Maurice Wheeler⁠⁠, CEO of We Are Family, a specialist agency focused on research, strategy, and creative work for brands that market to children, teens, and families. Maurice shares how his agency helps household-name brands like Nickelodeon, Hasbro, and Moonbug understand rapidly shifting youth trends – from meme culture to Roblox – while staying legally compliant and ethically sound.

This episode digs into how marketing to under-18s must balance creativity with a deep understanding of cognitive development, parental expectations, and platform dynamics. Maurice also explains how his agency conducts global research with thousands of children annually and why “marketing without manipulation” is their north star.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why audience insight matters more than ever in youth marketing

• How to ethically and legally engage under-18s

• The importance of cognitive development in content design

• What platforms kids really use – and how

• Why screen time post-COVID is evolving again

• How to balance messaging across kids, parents, and platforms

• Where influencer marketing fits – and where it doesn’t

• Why creativity must thrive inside tight guardrails
  

Top 3 Tips from Maurice:

1. Talk to kids constantly: Research can't be replaced by reports. Direct conversations reveal the truth.

2. Learn the rules: Global youth marketing demands obsessive knowledge of local legal and ethical guidelines.

3. Immerse yourself in their world: Play Roblox, scroll YouTube Shorts, and understand meme culture. You can’t market what you don’t experience.
   

Timestamps

• 01:00 – How brands stay in touch with kids’ realities

• 02:30 – Meme trends, masculinity, and parenting shifts post-COVID

• 05:15 – How brands act on research and insights

• 07:44 – The challenge of ethical creativity in marketing to kids

• 11:30 – Why guardrails make for better creativity

• 13:49 – Breaking down under-18s into real audience cohorts

• 16:38 – Running global research with very young children

• 19:14 – Sharing vs. owning insights: what gets published

• 20:50 – Developmental personas vs. traditional marketing personas

• 23:00 – The Venn diagram of kids, parents, and platforms

• 26:43 – Creating immersive brand experiences in Roblox

• 30:07 – Influencer marketing and where to draw the line

• 32:10 – Marketing ethics in YouTube content for kids

• 34:04 – How Maurice parented with a marketer’s mindset

• 36:25 – What metrics really matter in this space

• 39:48 – The rise of co-viewing and why it’s good news

• 41:55 – Maurice’s early career from Leo Burnett to Disney

• 47:51 – What’s changed most in 20+ years of marketing

  53:39 – AI in research and creativity: risks and realities

In this episode of the DMI podcast, host ⁠⁠Will Francis⁠⁠ chats with ⁠⁠Dikshant Dave⁠⁠, CEO of Zigment, about the fast-evolving world of agentic AI — autonomous AI agents that execute multi-step marketing and sales tasks. Dikshant shares how agentic AI goes beyond basic automation to adapt, personalize, and optimize customer engagement in real time. He explains how this shift is affecting marketers today, how companies can start adopting it, and what roles are most impacted.

Dikshant brings deep insights from building Zigment, a platform designed to help brands move from patchwork automations to intelligent, contextual customer journeys — especially in industries with long buying cycles like healthcare, finance, and real estate.

What You’ll Learn:

• What agentic AI really is (and what it isn’t)

• The difference between traditional automation and AI agents

• How agentic AI can help marketers handle unstructured, real-time data

• Why personalization over long buying journeys is the killer use case

• Where AI fits into customer interactions — and where it doesn’t

• Practical advice for marketers looking to experiment with AI
  

Top 3 Tips from Dikshant 

1. Start small but do start – pick low-risk workflows like unmanned channels to test AI agents.

2. Keep cold outreach human – use AI only where context is already established.

3. Don’t try to control every step – let agents figure out the best path to your goal using LLMs.
   

Timestamps & Key Sections:

• 00:00 – Intro to agentic AI and why it matters now

• 02:39 – Dikshant’s journey from a supplements startup to AI-powered sales

• 05:11 – Why personalization beats automation in complex sales

• 07:23 – Tackling hallucinations: reliability and transparency of agents

• 11:58 – The shift from structured to unstructured marketing data

• 15:30 – Real-time decision-making and customer intent detection

• 18:12 – Automation vs. agents: what’s the real difference?

• 21:18 – How Zigment builds agentic customer journeys

• 24:47 – Why long buying cycles are ideal for AI agents

• 26:16 – What parts of marketing to keep human

• 28:08 – Which roles are most at risk of being replaced

• 29:38 – How to stay relevant as a marketer in the AI era

• 32:27 – The “duct tape” problem in marketing stacks

• 35:24 – Why AI is a multiplier, not a workforce reducer

• 38:28 – How to start: small, smart use cases and tools to try

• 40:19 – Sneak peek: Zigment’s upcoming agent builder platform

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The Ahead of the Game podcast is brought to you by the Digital Marketing Institute and is available on our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Check out the DMI’s extensive digital marketing library of ebooks, toolkits, webinars, guides, templates, and more! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join for free today⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review so others can find us!

In this episode of the DMI podcast, host ⁠⁠Will Francis⁠⁠ speaks with ⁠Jim Lecinski⁠⁠, marketing professor at Northwestern University, Kellogg and co-author of The AI Marketing Canvas. Together, they explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping marketing — from reducing cycle times and boosting productivity to transforming how marketers plan, execute, and measure campaigns. Jim demystifies emerging tools like AI agents, custom GPTs, and reasoning engines, and shares why marketers need to lead AI strategy rather than passively adopt it. He also offers great advice for how marketers can make the most of AI at junior, middle, and senior levels of a career.Jim's Top 3 Tips

• Nominate an AI Champion
• Focus on Today’s Practical Use Cases
• Upskill with Free Tools

Timestamps

• 00:00 – Intro & State of Marketing Today

• 01:08 – The AI Adoption Curve

• 03:30 – How AI Is Actually Used Today

• 05:01 – 4 Common Approaches to AI in Enterprises

• 08:42 – Creating an AI Strategy in Marketing

• 10:27 – Understanding AI Agents vs. Assistants

• 13:27 – What Marketers Should (and Shouldn’t) Focus On

• 16:15 – The Human Side of Marketing & Creativity

• 20:12 – AI-Generated Ads & the NBCU-Waymark Deal

• 24:33 – “We’re an AI-first company”: Why Leaders Say This

• 27:02 – How AI Will Affect Marketing Jobs

• 32:31 – Career Advice by Level

• 36:12 – What’s New in The AI Marketing Canvas (2nd Edition)

• 40:17 – How Jim Used AI to Build His Course

• 45:02 – Reframing AI as a Reasoning Engine, Not a Chatbot

• 46:12 – Job Hunting with AI

• 48:33 – Where to Upskill in AI for Marketing

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The Ahead of the Game podcast is brought to you by the Digital Marketing Institute and is available on our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Check out the DMI’s extensive digital marketing library of ebooks, toolkits, webinars, guides, templates, and more! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join for free today⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review so others can find us!

In the second part of our influencer marketing series, we shift focus from the marketer to the creator. Host ⁠⁠⁠Will Francis⁠⁠⁠ chats with ⁠Ben Kaluza⁠, a former Twitch ad ops professional turned full-time content creator. Ben shares his candid journey into content creation—from gaming streams and OBS tutorials to building a trusted multi-platform presence across TikTok, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

Ben gets into what creators really need to succeed, how to balance authenticity with monetization, and how marketers can partner with them successfully. With honest takes on influencer compensation, content production, and building trust in a noisy digital space, this episode is a must-listen for anyone working with—or aspiring to become—a creator today.

Listen to Part 1 with Sarah Adam who directs the B2B influencer marketing team at Wix Studio.   

Ben's top 3 tips for content creators:

1. Prioritize ideas over everything
2. Don't fuss over the details like hashtags or captions
3. Keep experimenting with formats

Ben's top 3 tips for marketers:

1. Match the content with your product, not just your audience
2. Build great affiliate programs
3. Use creators for unique insights and strategy

Timestamps:

• 03:00 – What Ben learned about value and CPM from Twitch and healthcare display ads
• 06:30 – Starting content creation and streaming on Twitch
• 08:45 – Discoverability struggles on Twitch and why TikTok became his growth engine
• 11:00 – How monetization culture differs across Twitch and TikTok
• 14:10 – Creator fatigue and why streaming isn't sustainable for most
• 16:30 – Pivoting to TikTok tutorials: from opinion to practical value
• 20:15 – High vs. low production content and platform fit
• 28:00 – Creator vs. influencer: defining the roles
• 30:00 – Making a living: how brand deals, pricing, and scheduling actually work
• 38:15 – What marketers should understand when working with creators
• 41:30 – Why paid media should back creator content
• 46:00 – Smart strategies for gifting vs. paid partnerships
• 51:00 – Ranking platforms: TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn
• 58:30 – Tailoring content by platform for trust and reach
• 1:05:00 – Top 3 tips for aspiring creators and top 3 tips for marketers working with them

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The Ahead of the Game podcast is brought to you by the Digital Marketing Institute and is available on our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Check out the DMI’s extensive digital marketing library of ebooks, toolkits, webinars, guides, templates, and more! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join for free today⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review so others can find us!

On the DMI podcast, we're devoting the next 2 episodes to going deep into influencer marketing. First from the marketer's viewpoint and then from the creator's.

In this first episode host ⁠Will Francis⁠ chats with ⁠Sarah Adam⁠, Head of Partnerships and Influencer Marketing at ⁠Wix⁠. Sarah shares a behind-the-scenes look at how Wix has navigated the branding challenge of launching its B2B solution, ⁠Wix Studio⁠, in a market that traditionally sees Wix as a consumer-first platform. From influencer strategy to performance metrics and the role of AI, Sarah offers an unique view into B2B influencer marketing in today’s creator economy.

Listen to part 2 with content creator Ben Kaluza.

Key tips from Sarah:

1. Pick influencers for their professional relevance, not follower count
2. Focus on organic discovery over so-called influencer tools
3. Invest in long-term relationships, not just one-off campaigns

Timestamps:

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The Ahead of the Game podcast is brought to you by the Digital Marketing Institute and is available on our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Check out the DMI’s extensive digital marketing library of ebooks, toolkits, webinars, guides, templates, and more! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join for free today⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review so others can find us!