AI is everywhere in email marketing… but is it actually working

In this episode of Send It, Jimmy Kim sits down with Filip Pejic, Co-Founder of Bedford & Pearly, to talk about how smart email marketers are actually embracing AI right now (and where it's still falling flat). Plus, Filip shares three real campaign ideas that are driving serious clicks and engagement for brands today.

From training entire agency teams on AI design tools, to why ChatGPT is making copywriters lazier, to the Super Bowl halftime sale that became a client's biggest revenue hour ever; this episode is full of honest takes and actionable ideas.

EP 69: How to embrace AI as an email marketer + 3 hot click tips

Here's what we're diving into:

- How Filip's agency runs weekly AI training sessions with their whole team

- Why AI copywriting is creating a "degradation of ideas" + what to do instead

- The flowchart email concept that's unlocking click engagement for brands

- How a 60-minute Super Bowl halftime sale drove record-breaking revenue

- The nostalgic Valentine's Day campaign that crushed for an apparel brand

- Why timely, unexpected promotions beat perfectly scheduled campaigns

- Jimmy and Filip's take on where email is headed as AI agents emerge

Thank you our friends at Omnisend, Inboox and eCom Email Certified for sponsoring the podcast!

Omnisend is an all in one eCommerce email and SMS marketing automation platform that enables marketers to engage customers and drive sales through personalized experiences. https://www.omnisend.com/sendit/

eCom Email Certified is a hands-on, results-driven program with a step-by-step guide to mastering retention marketing and driving serious results. Access over 25 hours of learnings and become a certified email & SMS marketer. Use code: SENDIT! for $300 OFF https://www.ecomemailcertified.com/

Explore Inboox.ai, the AI-powered database of 1M+ real ecommerce emails with full HTML, performance data, and trend insights from the fastest-growing Shopify brands. https://inboox.ai/

______

00:00 Why Most Brands Are Using AI Wrong

01:40 From Finance to Founder: How Phil Built His Edge

07:30 The 8-Figure Brand Advantage (And What Smaller Brands Miss)

10:39 Where AI Actually Saves Time (Process + Design Workflows)

12:58 The Truth About AI Copy: Brainstorming vs. Original Thinking

15:02 Why Voice, Hooks, and Angles Still Win

16:42 The Real Differentiator in 2026: Taste + Ideas

19:43 Using Gemini to Align Copy and Design Faster

20:41 The ESP Data Trap (And Why History Can Hurt You)

21:46 The Power of “In-Between” Campaigns (Beyond Sales)

24:05 Why Retention Still Needs Humans

25:11 Click Strategies That Don’t Rely on Discounts

26:24 Super Bowl SMS Drop + Valentine’s Click Case Study

33:56 Will We Be Emailing AI Agents? The 5–10 Year Outlook

37:16 Final Takeaways: What Actually Matters

______

Enjoying the pod? Subscribe to The eCom Email Marketer Newsletter for your weekly dose of retention strategy, actionable insights, & exclusive industry news! http://ecomemailmarketer.com/

______

Follow Jimmy & Chase on social!

Follow Jimmy Kim at:

https://x.com/yojimmykim

https://www.linkedin.com/in/yojimmykim/

https://www.instagram.com/yojimmykim/

https://www.tiktok.com/@yojimmykim

Follow Chase Dimond at:

https://x.com/ecomchasedimond

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chasedimond/

https://www.instagram.com/chasehunterdimond/

https://www.tiktok.com/@chasehunterdimond

Contact us at [email protected] for sponsorships, appearance requests, interviews, or general information!