Welcome to the UNLEARN Podcast! Today, we’re joined by a true pioneer in digital transformation and customer strategy, David C. Edelman. With over three decades at the forefront of marketing and digital transformation, David most recently served as Chief Marketing Officer at Aetna/CVS, where he led transformative shifts in customer engagement. Before that, he co-led McKinsey’s Global Digital Marketing and Sales Practice and held key leadership roles at Digitas and Boston Consulting Group (BCG), advising top executives worldwide.

Now, David is bringing his expertise to Harvard Business School, where he shapes the next generation of leaders and advises CXOs on driving digital agility and building resilient teams. In this episode, he shares insights from his latest book, Personalized: Customer Strategy in the Age of AI.

We’ll explore the different types of AI, where and how to use them, and the evolving role of AI across the C-suite. Get ready for an enlightening conversation with David Edelman on the future of customer strategy in the age of AI. 

Key Takeaways:

• Personalized Connections with AI: David’s “five promises” framework—Empower, Know, Reach, Show, Delight—guides personalized customer experiences.
• AI Beyond Marketing: Personalization extends beyond marketing into a holistic, C-suite-level strategy.
• Data to Value: Examples from Aetna using data to simplify interactions and deliver targeted recommendations.
• Balancing Innovation and Trust: David stresses trust in AI, focusing on data privacy and ethical personalization.

Additional Insights:

• Promise and Pitfalls of AI: Emerging AI tools make data integration accessible, helping smaller companies compete with industry giants.
• Managing Expectations: The importance of transparency and data use comfort in creating personalized, non-intrusive customer experiences.
• Unlearning Old Mindsets: David encourages that leaders must shift from traditional tactics to a customer-centric, AI-driven approach.

Episode Highlights:

• 00:00 - Episode Introduction

"If you’re trying to connect with customers using personalization, there are essentially five promises that you’re making to them."

• 01:35 - Introduction to the Episode: Barry introduces David Edelman, a veteran in digital transformation and customer strategy.

“David has spent over three decades at the cutting edge of marketing and digital transformation.”

• 03:06 - Early Influences: Creativity and Leadership in Marketing

“I became the music director of my high school show from just simply being a saxophone player.”

• 08:33 - From Marketing to AI-driven Strategy

“The thing I had to unlearn is that it’s not just about marketing... it’s about strategy and customer experience.”

• 10:03 - Using AI for Personalization: Shopify and Brinks Case Studies

“So Shopify, who has a free trial and then offers to convert people to paid subscriptions... it’s over 500 combinations.”

• 19:26 - Educational Personalization: The Aetna Video Initiative

“People don’t understand it, they make mistakes... so we found a provider that could create personalized videos.”

• 25:25 - The Five Promises of Customer Strategy

“Empower me, know me, reach me, show me, delight me.” 

• 37:59 - Closing Thoughts and The Future of AI in Personalization

“We’ve got to show good things, good experiences that are happening in ways that are trustful and appropriate.”

Follow Our Guest

LinkedIn Accounts: 

• David C. Edelman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveedelman/ 
• Aetna: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aetna/ 
• McKinsey: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mckinsey/ 
• BCG: https://www.linkedin.com/company/boston-consulting-group/ 
• Digitas: https://www.linkedin.com/company/digitas-north-america/ 
• Harvard Business School: https://www.linkedin.com/school/harvard-business-school/ 

Websites:   

• Aetna:  https://www.aetnacvshealth.com/ 
• McKinsey: https://www.mckinsey.com/ 
• BCG: https://www.bcg.com/ 
• Digitas: https://digitz-digitas.com/ 
• Harvard Business School: https://www.hbs.edu/ 

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• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barryoreilly 
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