On this week's episode of Little Talks, we return to favorite topic: AI. In marketing, AI isn’t just moving fast, it can also be unstable. Tools launch, raise funding, and pivot in the same week. The hype cycle that once took years now takes months, and sometimes just weeks. That pace can create some real fatigue for those of us in the AI trenches. A lot of new platforms are simply wrappers on some other foundation's models, meaning one native feature release from a major player like Google or OpenAI could erase an entire product or start-up overnight.

And not every impressive AI-driven demo deserves your time. Shiny tools are often only solving narrow problems in flashy ways. More strategic AI solutions integrate into core systems like your CRM, business platforms, and workflows, driving measurable results. The solutions that last reduce cost, increase speed, and connect to revenue. The ones built on novelty or “better prompting” alone likely won’t.

Our takeaway this week? Don’t chase tools, instead build AI literacy. And remember, good strategy will always outlast the latest software. In a noisy AI market, steady thinking is your human advantage.

See you next week for more Little Talks!

— Sam, Roop, Claudia, and Chelsea

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Likes and views feel good, but they don’t pay the bills. Vanity metrics are easy to report and look great in a slide deck, but they’re tough to connect to revenue. On this episode of Little Talks, Sam and Roop discuss the real shift marketing teams need to make, no longer chasing attention but instead measuring impact.

If marketing is working, you’ll see it in the pipeline. Are we generating real sales-qualified leads, or just form fills? And if marketing disappeared tomorrow, would revenue take a hit? Are we spending $1 to make $3 or just to get applause?

So join the gang as they talk about what really matters to your business, ROI.

See you next week!

—Sam, Roop, Claudia and Chelsea

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It's Monday morning quarterback time! After the biggest football game in the world is over, it's time to discuss the marketing world's big game—the commercials.

Roop, Sam and Claudia go through the highs and lows of this year's Big Game ads, ranking their favorites and least favorites once again. Who did it right and who wasted their money? The game itself may have been a snoozer, but we think there were some spots worth staying awake for.

So grab your leftover buffalo wings and cheese dip, and join the gang as they cover the biggest Sunday of the year.

And be sure to let us know which ads moved YOU and which fell flat.

See you next week!

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Fresh off their new website launch, Grasshopper Mower's, Michael Simmon, joins Sam and Roop to discuss some of the things to consider when developing a new website for your brand. It's not all pretty pictures, designing a new site involves a lot of planning and strategy to ensure your investment returns dividends for you and your business.

From SEO and AI SEO considerations, to user experience and measurement plans it can be overwhelming. Mike's takeaway? Give yourself enough time to do it right, and put your customer at the forefront of most every decision. Think about how they would react to what they are experiencing, and remove any roadblocks or icky features. After all, if done right and with an eye toward generating leads and sales, it's all about them.

So grab a cup of coffee and join our discussion on the do's and don'ts of website creation. See you next week with Sam and Roop's "big game" commercials review!

— Chelsea, Sam, Claudia and Roop (and Mike!)

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We touched on them last week with Chris Kizer, but in this episode, Sam and Roop dive a bit deeper into the specifics of what we know about OpenAI’s new ChatGPT ads. When are they rolling out? Who will see them? How much do they cost advertisers? What sort of analytics can we expect?

Lots of questions, and a handful of answers that aren’t all that great. But some promising new formats from the tech giant look like they’re coming down the line.

 So join us as we geek out (and temper expectations) over something brand new in the marketing world.

— Chelsea, Claudia, Sam and Roop

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All healed up and feeling great, our Media & Analytics Director, Chris Kizer, finally joins Sam and Roop to recap his stellar presentation (and learnings) from a MAGNET retreat that started the new year. Chris is a human calculator that brings next level media performance and reporting to our clients. Give this episode a listen to get some insight into what's happening now and what's coming up for the marketing media landscape, including some notes on the newly announced OpenAI ad platform rolling out to ChatGPT.

Chris shares practical takeaways agencies and in-house teams can use, from evolving attribution models to how AI is reshaping media planning, optimization, and client reporting. He also covers where performance marketing is gaining efficiency, where expectations need to reset, and how smart teams can stay ahead without chasing every shiny new tool. If you’re responsible for media dollars in 2026, this episode offers a grounded look at what matters next, and what doesn’t.

—Chris, Sam, Roop and Claudia

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Our scheduled guest had to take a rain check, but fear not! Chris Kizer will be our guest next week as we discuss all things media heading into 2026. This week? You’re stuck with Roop and Sam again, but they have a topic we think most of you can relate to—hating all the AI slop flooding your social feeds (and, in some cases, your TV). And no, AI didn’t write this, we used an em dash on purpose!

The gang discusses Merriam-Webster’s word of the year, slop, and how AI-generated images and video contributed to its rise in popularity. With so much AI content being pushed out, trust is eroded, and brands are better served by leveraging AI in other ways.

So listen in as Sam and Roop talk about the do’s and don’ts of AI content for brands, and we’ll see you next week with the main man, Chris Kizer!

—Sam, Roop, Claudia and Chelsea

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Sam and Roop return from a lengthy time off for the holidays, and are pumped and ready to go for the new year! After they chat about their Christmas and New Year celebrations (and give the unseasonably warm December weather the thumbs down), it's on to business.

To start the year, Sam traveled to Florida for an annual MAGNET retreat with Chris Kizer (who will make his podcast debut next week!). The two shared media and analytic processes we use for our clients with other MAGNET agencies, and gained some insights from the group themselves. It's a fast-moving area of marketing, and we're lucky to have talented folks like Chris and his team at Littlefield Agency to stay on top of getting the most out of media buys and business results for our clients.

Next week, Chris will debrief you on everything he covered in Florida. You won't want to miss it!

— Claudia, Sam, and Roop

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For our last episode of the year, Sam and Roop take a look at Little Talks numbers, Spotify wrapped-style! Questions asked and answered:

• What was their total watch time on YouTube?
• Which month performed the best?
• What were their top topics?
• What were their top 3 episodes by streams?
• Which European country are they most popular?
• And more!

We would also like to thank all of you for listening. It really blows our minds that you voluntarily spend time with us every week, so thank you.

It's been a great year at Littlefield Agency, and 2026 is already looking brighter! Have a merry Christmas and a happy New Year and we'll see you on the other side.

—Claudia, Sam, Chelsea and Roop

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In our penultimate episode of the year, annual podcast guest and friend Trent Guyer returns to talk about all our favorite topics: AI, e-commerce, and small teams doing big things. Being the Christmas season, of course gifts are exchanged and toasts are made—but the real present is having Trent in the studio with us to chat marketing.

Among the gems dropped this episode:

• “Data makes you fast, your gut keeps you right.”
• 69% of B2B businesses cite bad data as their biggest barrier to fully leveraging AI.
• 89% of B2B customers plan to use AI tools to purchase products next year, compared to 34% of B2C customers.
• “Don’t ever give a customer a reason to regret after the fact doing business with you.”
• And more!

So grab some eggnog and your favorite blanket, and join us as we have another epic discussion with the VP of Marketing and Digital Strategy at Grasshopper Mowers, Trent Guyer.

Next week: Sam and Roop wrap 2025, Spotify-style!

—Trent, Sam, Roop, Claudia, and Chelsea

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