We're thrilled to be back after our summer hiatus with an exciting new episode! In this installment of the Sleeping Barber Podcast, we have the pleasure of hosting JP Castlin and James Hankins, who join us to explore the compelling themes discussed in their paper, "The Gravity of Ecommerce." Tune in as we delve into the allure of online retail and the stark reality that many e-commerce businesses struggle to turn a profit. Our guests shed light on the numerous challenges and misconceptions that often ensnare e-commerce entrepreneurs, including the unearthing of hidden fulfillment costs and the pursuit of efficiency within the supply chain. And don't forget to stick around until the end for a post-podcast discussion with our insightful hosts, Marc and V, as they reflect on the key takeaways gleaned from their enlightening conversation with JP and James.

It's an episode you won't want to miss, so sit back, relax, and enjoy the show!

Our Guests

------------

JP Castlin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jpcastlin/

Strategic Management Consultant

Author - 2 upcoming books & articles in Marketing week, WARC, IPA, The Drum

Speaker

James Hankins - https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-cp-hankins/

Global VP Marketing & Strategy Planning @ Sage (ERP)

Consulting Strategist @ Vizer Consulting

Co-Chair of IPA Share of Search ThinkTank @ IPA

Our Hosts

-----------

Follow our updates here: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/sleeping-barber/⁠⁠

Get in touch with our hosts:

Marc Binkley: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbinkley/

Vassilis Douros: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/vassilisdouros/⁠

Podcast Literature

--------------------

Questioning the Growth Dogma:

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177%2F10422587211059991

The Gravity of Ecommerce:

https://www.warc.com/content/paywall/article/warc-exclusive/the-gravity-of-e-commerce/en-gb/146943?

Winning the Final Mile:

https://www.marketingweek.com/ecommerce-final-mile/

Evolution of OmniChannel to connected commerce:

https://www.globallogic.com/insights/blogs/retail-evolution-will-the-dinosaurs-die/

Unified Commerce:

https://blog.qivos.com/unified-commerce-the-evolution-of-omni-channel/

JP Creating Cash Flows:

https://www.marketingweek.com/jp-castlin-bigger-marketing-budget-focus-creating-cash-flows/

Digital Availability:

https://theeqplanner.wordpress.com/2021/01/26/why-digital-availability-aids-strategic-decision-making-plus-why-digital-ads-arent-analogous-to-rent-or-signage/

The Jevons paradox:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jevons_paradox

Timestamps

----------------

0:46 - Intro to JP & James

3:10 - The attraction of eCommerce

4:03 - Why profits are elusive in an ecomm businesses

9:57 - Growth at all costs?

12:20 - Digital availability - why digital ads driving ecomm aren’t really ads

18:00 - Why we underestimate the costs of ecomm

22:14 - Ways to increase ecomm profits & effeciency

25:10 - The marketers responsibility to commercial creativity (not just ads)

27:40 - Recovering the margins of digital commerce

36:37 - Can small businesses compete with Amazon?

40:29 - Why so many DTC companies open retail stores

43:19 - Value chain vampires

47:02 - Why ROAS is not an optimal financial metric

49:25 - The problem with hiring marketing specialists

52:40 - Marketers can add value by understanding the business model

58:18 - The strategy behind the vegan sausage roll principle

1:02:03 - How to find out more about JP and James

1:03:50 - The post-pod with V and Marc

Where to listen

-----------------

Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-sleeping-barber-a-business-and-marketing-podcast/id1609811324

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/4v0kaM350zEY7X2VBuyfrF?si=7083317d5afd488b ⁠⁠

Google Podcasts:

https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy84MWVjYWJhNC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw?sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwji_oSOopP-AhXnlo4IHTZKBgYQ9sEGegQIARAC

Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/@sleepingbarberpodcast

© 2023 Sleeping Barber

In this episode, we're thrilled to welcome our guest, Yasmeen Turayhi, the founder of Modern Product - a renowned product marketing consulting agency, she is also a TED X speaker and author of three incredible books! 

Together, we navigate the contrasting landscapes of single vs. multi-product companies, why market research is so crucial, and why humility is a key skill for successful product development. 

Join us for this conversation that promises to be filled with actionable insights for all marketers. Enjoy the show. 

Our Guest 

--------------------------- 

Yasmeen Turayhi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yasmeenturayhi/ Founder of Modern Product - Product marketing & consulting agency 

Our Hosts 

---------------------------

 Follow our updates here: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/sleeping-barber/⁠⁠

Get in touch with our hosts: 

Marc Binkley: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbinkley/ 

Vassilis Douros: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/vassilisdouros/⁠ 

Podcast Literature: 

--------------------------- 

Yasmeen’s Books: ⁠⁠https://www.amazon.ca/Yasmeen-Turayhi/e/B07GZ4WC4S/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1⁠⁠ 

Patrick Campbell - Understanding Customers ⁠⁠https://turingfest.com/blog/patrick-campbell-saas-fundamentals/⁠⁠ 

Better Brief Project - ⁠⁠https://www.betterbriefs.com/⁠⁠ 

Yasmeen TEDx talk on Intuition - ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2w-eYtt3oiU⁠⁠ 

How to Be an Effective Product Marketer - ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6v7PCpo-g⁠⁠ 

PM Course - ⁠⁠https://product-marketing-go-to-market.teachable.com/p/product-marketing-debunked⁠⁠ 

Product Marketing Alliance - ⁠⁠https://www.productmarketingalliance.com/⁠⁠ 

Timestamps: 

--------------------------- 

0:44 - Intro to Yasmeen 

2:18 - What is product marketing

5:46 - How does the role of a product marketer differ from regular marketers 

10:55 - How brand and product marketers can work together 

13:12 - Single vs. Multi-product companies 14:05 - Product marketing across the product lifecycle 

16:02 - Why market research is so important 

20:19 - Humility is a key skill for product development 

22:35 - The most common mistakes product marketers make 

25:34 - The importance of a community in product development 

27:25 - Getting leadership buy-in with the go-to-market plan 

29:45 - What happens if the baby (product) is ugly? 

34:17 - Differentiation vs. Distinctiveness - what matters? 

39:01 - Repositioning existing products 

43:04 - How to craft a positioning statement 

47:32 - How do you manage priorities when things are moving so fast? 

51:54 - Post-Pod with V & Marc 

Where to listen

 --------------------------- 

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-sleeping-barber-a-business-and-marketing-podcast/id1609811324 

Spotify: ⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/4v0kaM350zEY7X2VBuyfrF?si=7083317d5afd488b ⁠⁠

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy84MWVjYWJhNC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw?sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwji_oSOopP-AhXnlo4IHTZKBgYQ9sEGegQIARAC 

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sleepingbarberpodcast 

© 2023 Sleeping Barber

This week on the Sleeping Barber Podcast, we have Emmanuel Probst, ⁠Global Lead - Brand Thought Leadership @ Ipsos and author of "Aseemblage." Join us as we delve into the thought process behind his latest book; we also discuss the need for brand managers to co-create with customers, analyze real-life brand case studies like Vaseline and Bud Light, and explore how brands can promise and deliver the right experience to their customers. 

We also spend some time understanding the secret recipe of building a brand for longevity and learning what skills are needed to become a great "master blender." 

Enjoy the show. 

Our Guest

 --------------------------- 

Emmanuel Probst  https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmanuelprobst 

Global Lead - Brand Thought Leadership @ Ipsos 

Our Hosts 

--------------------------- 

Follow our updates here: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/sleeping-barber/⁠⁠ 

Get in touch with our hosts: 

Marc Binkley: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbinkley/ ⁠⁠ 

Vassilis Douros: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/vassilisdouros/⁠ 

Podcast Literature: 

--------------------------- 

Assemblage https://www.amazon.ca/Assemblage-Art-Science-Brand-Transformation/dp/1646871251 

Peter Field Rebuttal to results of Purpose Led Brands https://www.thedrum.com/news/2021/10/25/peter-field-hits-back-hysterical-brand-purpose-critics-read-his-letter-full 

Mark Ritson Good Purpose, Bad Purpose https://www.marketingweek.com/mark-ritson-good-purpose-bad-purpose/  

LinkedIn B2B Institute & Roger Martin’s Promise to the Customer (PTTC) https://business.linkedin.com/marketing-solutions/b2b-institute/making-a-promise-to-the-customer  

Bud Light Launches new ad after Transgender commercial ⁠https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bud-light-releases-new-ad-following-dylan-mulvaney-controversy/⁠ 

Vaseline Slugging https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/11/business/vaseline-slugging-tiktok.html   

Barbie Launches Career Dolls https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/barbie-turns-60-with-career-dolls-role-models-like-tennis-pro-naomi-osaka-1.4328515 

Timestamps: 

--------------------------- 

0:44 - Emmanuel Probst Intro 

2:14 - Assemblage, an analogy between wine making and brand building  

6:35 - Why brand managers need to co-create with customers 

9:18 - CoCreation example: Vaseline #Slugging 

13:02 - Monitoring brand signals and separating the noise 

17:04 - What brand managers can learn from the James Bond franchise  

21:02 - Bud Light’s missteps and road to recovery 

28:55 - Many new marketing leaders make this same mistake  

34:11 - Brands can’t just make a promise, they have to deliver the experience 

36:54 - Brand purpose vs. personal relevance  

40:02 - Building for brand longevity 

44:52 - A buyer’s category entry point can change but the brand’s assets shouldn’t 

51:37 - The skills needed to be a great master blender for brands 

55:09 - Post Pod with V & Marc   

Where to listen

--------------------------- 

Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-sleeping-barber-a-business-and-marketing-podcast/id1609811324⁠ 

Spotify: ⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/4v0kaM350zEY7X2VBuyfrF?si=7083317d5afd488b⁠⁠ 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy84MWVjYWJhNC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw?sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwji_oSOopP-AhXnlo4IHTZKBgYQ9sEGegQIARAC 

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sleepingbarberpodcast 

© 2023 Sleeping Barber

The topic on everyone's mind is AI, and we decided to jump into the conversation as well. Whether you're an enthusiast or a skeptic, there's no denying AI's significant impact on our world. We're privileged to have Craig Hainey, Head of Ventures at AltaML, and Darby Sieben, Chief Product Officer at Unbounce, join us to navigate the labyrinth that AI is. 

Our discussion spans a range of topics, from debunking common AI myths to exploring how UX catalyzes adoption, among others. Most importantly, rest assured humanity is not at risk! Enjoy the show. 

Our Guests 

--------------------------- 

Craig Haney - https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigahaney/ Head of Ventures @ AltaML 

Darby Sieben - https://www.linkedin.com/in/darbysieben/ Chief Product Officer at Unbounce and Investor 

Our Hosts

 --------------------------- 

Follow our updates here: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/sleeping-barber/⁠⁠ 

Get in touch with our hosts: 

Marc Binkley: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbinkley/ ⁠⁠

Vassilis Douros: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/vassilisdouros/⁠ 

Podcast Literature: 

--------------------------- 

Tristan Harris and Aza Raskin Co-Founders of the Centre for Humane Technology discuss The AI dilemma https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cB0_-qKbal4 

Reasons why AI startups will fail (Darby’s post) https://www.linkedin.com/posts/darbysieben_99-of-ai-startups-are-going-to-fail-what-activity-7071506492394242048-BSKI 

AI Hype Cycle is Distracting Companies https://hbr.org/2023/06/the-ai-hype-cycle-is-distracting-companies 

How Generative AI can Augment Human Creativity https://hbr.org/2023/07/how-generative-ai-can-augment-human-creativity 

Timestamps: 

--------------------------- 

0:45 - Intro to Craig Hainey from AltaML and Darby Sieben from Unbounce 

1:39 - AI is will not be the death of humanity 

2:35 - Artificial Intelligence (AI) is NOT Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) 

6:18 - What’s creating the hype for AI 

8:01 - How UX is fueling adoption 

10:17 - What makes AI different from a trend like PokemonGo, Segway, and Alexa voice search 

16:27 - What sectors can’t use AI? 

19:30 - Why are some companies aren’t going all in on AI 

24:25 - The intersection of a company’s Big Data and Machine Learning (ML) 

25:48 - The challenge of the ChatGPT hype cycle 

32:21 - What are the risks to enterprises and how to mitigate them 

39:50 - How Unbounce uses AI for landing page conversion rates 

42:49 - How AltaML uses AI for clients and what they’re looking for in partners 

46:55 - The new job opportunities with AI 

49:00 - Sylvester.AI: A use case for monitoring cat health 

51:50 - How intrapreneurs can use AI to help their company innovate 

1:04:10 - Post Pod with V and Marc 

Where to listen 

--------------------------- 

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-sleeping-barber-a-business-and-marketing-podcast/id1609811324

Spotify: ⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/4v0kaM350zEY7X2VBuyfrF?si=7083317d5afd488b⁠⁠

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy84MWVjYWJhNC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw?sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwji_oSOopP-AhXnlo4IHTZKBgYQ9sEGegQIARAC 

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sleepingbarberpodcast 

© 2023 Sleeping Barber

Spurred by a class assignment, our hosts Marc and Vassilis engage in a riveting discussion, debating whether personas truly enhance segmentation and enrich a marketer's targeting strategy or if they add layers of unnecessary complexity. Analyzing real-world examples and reflecting on their personal experiences, they delve deep into the merits and pitfalls of using personas in marketing, offering a nuanced perspective on their validity.

Enjoy the episode!

____________

The Sleeping Barber Podcast:

Follow our updates here: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/sleeping-barber/⁠⁠

Get in touch with our hosts:

________________

Sources

________________

Timestamps

____________

Where to listen

© 2023 Sleeping Barber

In today's episode, we're joined by Jennifer Riel, Head of Global Strategy at IDEO. We dig deep into the importance of continual learning, the discipline required to make great choices, and the crucial lens for strategic monitoring while underlining the limited value of relying solely on historical data.

Jennifer also highlights the issue of investors' short-term obsession, how to diagnose bad strategy and the significance of annual strategic planning. Using the BlackBerry case study, we examine strategic decision-making during crises and the indicators signalling a need for strategic shifts. The episode wraps with an in-depth discussion on talent strategy in today's hybrid work culture and the age-old question: is a poor strategy, if well executed, preferable? Stay tuned for a lively Pod-pod session with V and Marc to reflect on these insights and more.

____________

Our Guest:

IDEO Profile: https://www.ideo.com/people/jennifer-riel

____________

Literature

Creating Great Choices: https://www.amazon.ca/Creating-Great-Choices-Integrative-Thinking/dp/1633692965/

IDEO Shopping Cart: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M66ZU2PCIcM&t=95s

HBR: When to Switch Strategy: https://hbr.org/2021/02/when-to-switch-strategy-in-a-crisis

Good Strategy, Bad Strategy Summary: https://jlzych.com/2018/06/27/notes-from-good-strategy-bad-strategy/

How to evaluate corporate strategy: https://hbr.org/1963/07/how-to-evaluate-corporate-strategy 

Blue Ocean Strategy v. Playing To Win: https://rogermartin.medium.com/blue-ocean-strategy-playing-to-win-f0efb83cc608

Design Thinking V. Playing to Win: https://rogermartin.medium.com/strategy-design-thinking-faf6b787160b

____________

____________

Welcome back to yet another episode of the Sleeping Barber Podcast. We're thrilled to have Avinash Kaushik, the Chief Strategy Officer at Croud, on our show today. With a background at Google and well-earned reputation for insightful digital perspectives, Avinash brings a wealth of knowledge in digital marketing, data science, and much more to our conversation.

In this enlightening episode, we navigate through a myriad of topics. We delve into the frequent pitfalls surrounding KPIs in marketing, scrutinize the limitations of traditional marketing funnels, and unpack the impactful concept of incrementality. Avinash offers an alternative approach that promises to enlighten your strategies.

Make sure to stick around until the end for a post-show chat with our hosts, Marc and V. Believe us when we say this episode is one you wouldn't want to pass up!

So, without further ado, let's jump right in!

____________

Our Guest:

____________

Literature

Most Important KPIs: https://www.kaushik.net/avinash/the-most-important-business-kpis/

Driving Innovation from customer intent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzFegvyVJRM

Incrementality: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/akaushik_marketings-incrementality-business-results-activity-7029572543795630080-w-P0/

Brand & Performance Silos: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/akaushik_at-my-ripe-old-age-it-upsets-me-when-i-activity-7037000489066004480-trfZ/

See, Think, Do, Care Framework: https://www.kaushik.net/avinash/see-think-do-care-win-content-marketing-measurement/

Keeping up with the latest trends and strategies can be challenging in a world where the B2B sales and marketing landscape constantly evolves. In this episode, Brent Adamson, Global Head of Research at Ecosystem.io, provides his valuable insights into B2B sales and marketing dynamics. From the evolving buyer journey to the importance of designing a seamless experience, Brent discusses various critical topics for businesses looking to differentiate themselves and connect with their customers. We discuss topics like buyer enablement, content marketing, personalization, and more.

Sensemaking for Sales (hbr.org) - https://hbr.org/2022/01/sensemaking-for-sales

Have we come full circle?

The evolution of traditional media has been significant over recent years, driven by changes in consumer behaviour, technology, and emerging media platforms. In our latest episode, Pierre Bouvard, Chief Insights Officer at Cumulus Media/Westwood One, shares his valuable insights on the evolution of traditional advertising and its role in modern marketing. We cover many topics, including media planning, building a sonic brand, and the benefits of media diversity in increasing marketing effectiveness. And don't forget, Stay tuned until the end for our post-pod discussion.

We hope you enjoy this episode!

____________

Our Guest:

Follow Pierre Bouvard: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pierrebouvard/

Follow Westwood One: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westwoodone/

____________

Literature:

____________

The Sleeping Barber Podcast:

Follow our updates here: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/sleeping-barber/⁠⁠

Get in touch with our hosts:

Marc Binkley: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbinkley/⁠⁠

Vassilis Douros: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/vassilisdouros/⁠

___________

Timestamps:

____________

Youtube: Sleeping Barber - A Business and Marketing Podcast

Intent-based marketing is a highly versatile tactic that often falls under the umbrella of performance marketing, but is frequently overlooked by marketers.

On this episode, Marc and Vassilis provide a comprehensive overview of intent-based marketing, discussing various aspects such as the tools and technologies employed to implement it, the data sources that underpin it, and the best practices for crafting effective campaigns. Additionally, they examine the channels through which this marketing approach can be deployed, as well as the potential challenges and limitations it poses.

We hope you enjoy this episode and gain valuable insights into this crucial marketing approach.

____________

The Sleeping Barber Podcast:

Follow our updates here: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/sleeping-barber/⁠

Get in touch with our hosts:

Marc Binkley: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbinkley/⁠

Vassilis Douros: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/vassilisdouros/⁠

________________

Sources

________________

Timestamps

____________
Where to listen

© 2023 Sleeping Barber