Lay of the Brand

When AI puts out generic surface level content, it doesn't build credibility and it doesn't sound like an actual person. And it absolutely doesn't deliver fresh ideas. So it's not really thought leadership. It's just more words.

So what can marketers do? Well, that's why we're talking with Raj Khera, CEO of Make Media, to talk about why thought leadership, especially AI-generated content, misses the mark way too often, and what trust and discoverability look like now, and especially how you can show up with ideas that actually break through. 

A new Sapio Research report finds that 92 percent of decision-makers say analysts directly shape their opinions on vendors and solutions. So how do you make analyst relations an effective part of your strategy? And what do they really want from you?

To find out the secrets to powerful analyst relations, host Peter Jacobs talks with

• Melinda Marks, Practice Director for Cybersecurity at Omdia;
• Ashley Vandiver, who’s led Analyst Relations at Cisco, Palo Alto Networks, and Secureworks; and
• Oliver Cowley, of Merritt Group's cybersecurity public relations team.

Download the Saprio Research report here.

Continuing our two-part series, last time we talked about getting started with influencer marketing and how to find the right influencers for your campaign goals. Now we're uncovering how to measure, maximize, and maintain an influencer program that actually gives you the results you're looking for.

Once again, our guests are Michelle Schafer, a Merritt Group partner who heads the agency's security practice. Robin Campbell-Burt, the CEO of a Merritt Group's global PR agency partner, Code Red Communications, and John Hammond, principal security researcher at Huntress and content creator and founder of Just Hacking Training, and also one of the top influencers in cybersecurity. 

We'll pick up the conversation from where we left off.

Influencers are having a huge impact on marketing and PR. But if there’s any discipline that runs on trust, it’s cybersecurity. So, working with influencers could create terrific results, but that’s not guaranteed.

It's a strategy that's so big, we've made this discussion a two-part series. And we're talking  with 3 experts in cyber influencer marketing and PR: 

* Michelle Schafer, a Merritt Group partner who heads the agency’s security practice
* Robin Campbell-Burt, the CEO of Merritt Group’s global PR agency partner, Code Red Communications
* John Hammond, Principal Security Researcher at Huntress, and Content Creator & Founder of Just Hacking Training — and also one of the top influencers in cybersecurity

Check out our show notes page at www.LayoftheBrand.com to download the Merritt Group/Code Red survey report.

Today's buyers jump around throughout the decision process, loop in new stakeholders midstream, and often do months of research before ever speaking to sales. So why are so many marketing strategies still built around a linear sales funnel? 

That's why we're talking with Unison's Pat Barrett to unpack the messy reality of the modern buyer journey and uncover how you can navigate the new, fractured customer journey.

In this episode of Lay of the Brand, host Peter Jacobs is joined by Brian Chidester, Head of Global Strategy and Innovation for Public Sector at Adobe and host of The Government Huddle podcast. With government agencies facing mounting pressure to operate more efficiently while staying mission-aligned, they uncover steps B2G companies can take right now to stay relevant. This conversation highlights the urgent need for strategic marketing, proactive positioning, and meaningful engagement to ensure that GovCons remain essential partners in an evolving landscape.

Reaching CISOs has never been easy, but with different channels coming to the forefront and a barrage of AI-powered threats (and solutions) to contend with, how to engage that audience is trickier than ever. 

On this episode, Gianna Whitver, CEO of the Cybersecurity Marketing Society, and Merritt Group's cybersecurity lead Michelle Shafer, spell out where to focus your efforts now and in the year ahead.

In this episode of Lay of the Brand, host Peter Jacobs talks with Nidhi Mehta, the Social and Influencer Lead at Samsung Electronics America, to unravel how influencer marketing is no longer just for B2C brands.

Nidhi shares actionable insights into how B2B brands can use influencer partnerships to tell more compelling stories, create emotional connections, and drive awareness and sales—even in highly technical fields.

Listen to learn how to:

• Choose the right influencers for your B2B campaign
• How to use micro-influencers for better targeting
• Use emotion and storytelling to go beyond product specs and features
• Build effective programs for nurturing leads
• Get ready for what's coming in 2025 for influencer marketing

The end of the federal government's FY gets everyone scrambling to deliver proposals, but marketing still has a lot to do. That's why we asked Mark Amtower, the godfather of federal marketing, for his insights on what to do now -- and what to focus on going forward. Not that he has an opinion.

Over 90% of professionals surveyed say their organizations will use AI more frequently this year than last year.  AI providers need to learn what their target audiences really think about AI, both good and bad, who’s making the buying decisions, and the best ways to reach them.

Merritt Group's just-released B2B survey report answers those questions and more, and MG's Shahed Ahmed and Kelly Finneran are here to share the findings and what they mean for marketers looking to connect with AI buyers.

Download the full report here and check out the Merritt Group blog for more AI insights, tips, and recommendations.