Why brands should think more like creators to win on social with Kickstarter’s Brandon Smithwrick

Build a brand that captivates skeptical consumers with Intuit Mailchimp’s Jeremy Jones & Mark Lodwick

We sat down with Jeremy Jones, Executive Creative Director of Wink at Intuit Mailchimp, and Mark Lodwick, Senior Director of Integrated Marketing and Advertising, to learn how they  built a brand that captured the most skeptical audience on the planet: marketers. In this episode of Funnel Vision, we discuss how humans make decisions (hint: it's not always rational), the super-effective way Intuit Mailchimp operationalizes team brainstorms, and how to balance both  long-term and short-term goals. Listen in, then see how their strategies and insights could apply to your own work as a marketer.  — Timestamps: 1:54: Jeremy and Mark’s background 5:25: The backbone of a Mailchimp creative brief 7:30: Honoring the connection with your customer 14:15: Being right for the time 21:33: The payoff of being thoughtful and clever as a brand 23:19: Long-term vs. short-term 27:10: Why brand is the 401K of marketing 28:48: The one next step 32:33: The motley crew mindset  36:15:  Personal inspirations and recommendations  — About Funnel Vision Funnel Vision [https://www.wix.com/studio/marketing/funnel-vision-podcast?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=s1e7] is a marketing podcast hosted by Paula Ximena Mejia and Sasha Belenky from the Wix Studio [https://www.wix.com/studio/marketing/resources?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=s1e7] marketing team. Each episode features interviews with top marketing leaders. Resources  Explore marketing resources from Wix Studio: https://www.wix.com/studio/marketing/resources [https://www.wix.com/studio/marketing/resources]  Learn more about Funnel Vision:  https://www.wix.com/studio/marketing/funnel-vision-podcast [https://www.wix.com/studio/marketing/funnel-vision-podcast]  Check out some of the content mentioned in the show:  Keep Shooting Until You See the F*ckers Smoke: Ammunition for Creatives by Damon Stapleton — https://www.amazon.com/Keep-Shooting-until-ckers-Smoke/dp/047371597X/ [https://www.amazon.com/Keep-Shooting-until-ckers-Smoke/dp/047371597X/] The Penguin — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15435876/ [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15435876/] Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds by David Goggins — https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KKP62FW/ [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KKP62FW/]? The Joe Rogan Experience — https://open.spotify.com/show/4rOoJ6Egrf8K2IrywzwOMk [https://open.spotify.com/show/4rOoJ6Egrf8K2IrywzwOMk] Lex Fridman Podcast — https://open.spotify.com/show/2MAi0BvDc6GTFvKFPXnkCL [https://open.spotify.com/show/2MAi0BvDc6GTFvKFPXnkCL] Crush Live Poker Podcast — https://open.spotify.com/show/0zbX7Zh2UL3mVEv9DO0nDX [https://open.spotify.com/show/0zbX7Zh2UL3mVEv9DO0nDX] Shōgun — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2788316/ [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2788316/]

The power of data-driven storytelling with Eytan Buchman, CMO at Freightos

There’s a good chance your marketing team is sitting on a goldmine of data—the question is, what will you do with it? In this episode of Funnel Vision, Eytan Buchman, CMO at Freightos, shares how he uses data to tell stories that boost brand familiarity, increase trust, and garner press. And that’s from both legacy publications like The New York Times and niche outlets in Freightos’ target demo. The key is knowing how to identify a good story and committing to the long-game. Listen here to learn exactly how to make storytelling a central part of your marketing strategy—and why you should in the first place.  — Timestamps:  0:50: Introducing Eytan 5:51: Why data-driven storytelling is so impactful 9:23: Don’t underestimate the data that’s in front of you 18:57: Storytelling’s snowball effect 23:03: Setting the bar for an interesting story 26:42: Brand familiarity and playing the long-game 30:00: On building trust through data  33:00: The pros and cons of gated content  36:34: Building a dream marketing team 39:00: How he approaches content planning 43:45:  Personal inspirations and recommendations  — About Funnel Vision Funnel Vision [https://www.wix.com/studio/marketing/funnel-vision-podcast?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=s1e6] is a marketing podcast hosted by Paula Ximena Mejia and Sasha Belenky from the Wix Studio [https://www.wix.com/studio/marketing/resources?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=s1e6] marketing team. Each episode features interviews with top marketing leaders.Resources  Explore marketing resources from Wix Studio: https://www.wix.com/studio/marketing/resources [https://www.wix.com/studio/marketing/resources]  Learn more about Funnel Vision:  https://www.wix.com/studio/marketing/funnel-vision-podcast [https://www.wix.com/studio/marketing/funnel-vision-podcast]  Check out some of the content mentioned in the show:  Anthony Pierri — https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonypierri/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonypierri/] Robert Kaminski — https://www.linkedin.com/in/heyrobk/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/heyrobk/] Readwise — https://readwise.io/ [https://readwise.io/] Stripe Press — https://press.stripe.com/ [https://press.stripe.com/] The Making of Prince of Persia by Jordan Mechner — https://press.stripe.com/the-making-of-prince-of-persia [https://press.stripe.com/the-making-of-prince-of-persia] Ben Thompson — https://x.com/benthompson?lang=en [https://x.com/benthompson?lang=en] Acquired podcast — https://www.acquired.fm/ [https://www.acquired.fm/] Invest Like the Best podcast — https://joincolossus.com/series/invest-like-the-best/ [https://joincolossus.com/series/invest-like-the-best/] John Mulaney — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MBjJMMKASQ [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MBjJMMKASQ] Mitch Hedberg — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saoZjwf7Mfo [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saoZjwf7Mfo]

Why brands should think more like creators to win on social with Kickstarter’s Brandon Smithwrick

You already know that brands work with creators. But how can brands tap into a creator mindset to better engage audiences on their own platforms? That's what we discuss with Brandon Smithwrick, Director of Content at Kickstarter, in this episode of Funnel Vision. Brandon works with creators who have different voices, passions, and values, but they have a few important things in common: they lead with value and tell captivating stories that engage real people. And they do this over and over and over.  The most successful brands do the same.  Tune in to learn how to embody this approach on your own marketing team, plus how to stay ahead of different changes in platforms, algorithms, and industry trends.  — Timestamps:  0:48: Introducing Brandon 1:27: Kickstarter’s unique approach to creators 4:23: On building brand trust 6:06: The creator mindset and leading with value  9:15: How to get your team to embody a creator mindset 11:59: Why consistency and characters make people remember you 14:55: The season of unlearning  17:33: Getting ahead of platform changes and industry trends 22:15: Why you should look outside your own industry  28:15: How to tell more engaging brand stories 34:03: Working with creators in more authentic ways 40:25: The power of tapping into highly niche communities 42:39: Personal inspirations and recommendations  — About Funnel Vision Funnel Vision [https://www.wix.com/studio/marketing/funnel-vision-podcast?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=s1e5] is a marketing podcast hosted by Paula Ximena Mejia and Sasha Belenky from the Wix Studio [https://www.wix.com/studio/marketing/resources?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=s1e5] marketing team. Each episode features interviews with top marketing leaders. Resources  Explore marketing resources from Wix Studio: https://www.wix.com/studio/marketing/resources [https://www.wix.com/studio/marketing/resources]  Learn more about Funnel Vision:  https://www.wix.com/studio/marketing/funnel-vision-podcast [https://www.wix.com/studio/marketing/funnel-vision-podcast]  Check out some of the content mentioned in the show:  Hootsuite's influencer campaign — https://www.adweek.com/commerce/hootsuite-linkedin-campaign/ [https://www.adweek.com/commerce/hootsuite-linkedin-campaign/] Matt Gray, Founder & CEO of Founder OS — https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattgray1/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattgray1/] For the Culture: The Power Behind What We Buy, What We Do, and Who We Want to Be byDr. Marcus Collins — https://www.amazon.com/Culture-Power-Behind-What-Want/dp/1541700961 [https://www.amazon.com/Culture-Power-Behind-What-Want/dp/1541700961] Sweat Equity podcast — https://www.youtube.com/@SweatEquityPodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@SweatEquityPodcast] Brandon's newsletter, Content to Commas  — https://www.brandonsmithwrick.com/newsletter [https://www.brandonsmithwrick.com/newsletter]

How to make a brand stand out in a sea of sameness, with Island’s Ari Yablok

In this episode of Funnel Vision, Ari Yablok, Head of Brand at Island, shares exactly how he used compelling storytelling to build not just a new brand but an entirely new category - the enterprise browser. Ari - who had the honor of naming Island - also explains the importance of doing strategy work before jumping into creative work, the holistic way he measures the impact of brand, and exactly how he makes Island stand out in a competitive enterprise space. Be warned, you won’t be able to listen to it without considering a rebrand of your own. But don’t worry, he addresses that, too. — Timestamps:  1:08: Introducing Ari  5:24: What it’s like to build a new category 6:04: The importance of story-driven education 10:49: The “tornado of sameness,” and how to avoid getting sucked into it  15:31: On market maturity and earning trust through words 19:27: The underrated business value of brand 23:44: How he measures brand impact 29:44: The difference between rebranding and repositioning  32:53: Exactly how Island stands out at conferences 38:41: Don’t talk about creative until you’ve done the strategy work 43:31: How behavioral economics informs Island’s creative strategy 47:20: Personal inspirations and recommendations — About Funnel Vision Funnel Vision [https://www.wix.com/studio/marketing/funnel-vision-podcast?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=s1e4] is a marketing podcast hosted by Paula Ximena Mejia and Sasha Belenky from the Wix Studio [https://www.wix.com/studio/marketing/resources?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=s1e4] marketing team. Each episode features interviews with top marketing leaders. Resources  Explore marketing resources from Wix Studio: https://www.wix.com/studio/marketing/resources [https://www.wix.com/studio/marketing/resources]  Learn more about Funnel Vision:  https://www.wix.com/studio/marketing/funnel-vision-podcast [https://www.wix.com/studio/marketing/funnel-vision-podcast]  Check out some of the content mentioned in the show:  Believe in Brand podcast —  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/believe-in-brand/id1766256075 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/believe-in-brand/id1766256075] https://open.spotify.com/show/0zyzRAaQkj6B0VYLAuKmRc [https://open.spotify.com/show/0zyzRAaQkj6B0VYLAuKmRc] Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Fast-Slow-Daniel-Kahneman/dp/0374533555 [https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Fast-Slow-Daniel-Kahneman/dp/0374533555] Noise by Daniel Kahneman https://www.amazon.com/Noise-Flaw-Human-Judgment/dp/B08LNYM39M [https://www.amazon.com/Noise-Flaw-Human-Judgment/dp/B08LNYM39M] Marketing Against the Grain https://link.chtbl.com/VRVPL0rs [https://link.chtbl.com/VRVPL0rs] Liam Moroney, CEO of Storybook Marketing https://www.linkedin.com/in/liammoroney/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/liammoroney/] Tom Goodwin https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomfgoodwin/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomfgoodwin/]

Why human-to-human marketing is the new B2B marketing with Eon's Tal Kapulnik

In this episode of Funnel Vision, Tal Kapulnik, Head of Marketing at Eon, discusses her career transition from B2C to B2B marketing, and the often overlooked piece that ties them together: people. Tal shares her journey from agency life, to Youtube, then Lemonade, and now heading the marketing team at Eon, a cloud backup startup determined not to look like a regular cloud backup startup. Tal shares how she uses data to relentlessly measure, how she builds content teams and what she looks for when hiring, and how she is connecting with customers to bring a refreshing and personal approach to her work at Eon. Underscoring all this is Tal’s unique perspective on what B2B marketing can learn from B2C. Tal rightly calls it “H2H marketing,” or human-to-human, and it will change how you market any product to any audience. There's just one rule: no boring content. — Timestamps: 02:08: Introducing Tal Kapulnik and her career journey 07:00: Why differentiating B2B and B2C isn’t helpful 11:19: On being patient and the constant push to not be boring 13:32: How you know your content is working 16:14: The secret to an effective email subject line 17:43: On marketing, sales, and achieving brand magic across teams 22:50: The #1 question to ask in interviews 25:44: How to make the most out of events 27:17: The pros and cons of using an agency (+ tips) 32:01: The anatomy of a great marketing team 33:55: On specialists vs. generalists 38:19: Personal inspirations and recommendations About Funnel Vision Funnel Vision [https://www.wix.com/studio/marketing/funnel-vision-podcast?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=s1e3] is a marketing podcast hosted by Paula Ximena Mejia and Sasha Belenky from theWix Studio [https://www.wix.com/studio/marketing/resources?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=s1e3] marketing team. Each episode features interviews with top marketing leaders. Resources  Explore marketing resources from Wix Studio: https://www.wix.com/studio/marketing/resources [https://www.wix.com/studio/marketing/resources]  Learn more about Funnel Vision:  https://www.wix.com/studio/marketing/funnel-vision-podcast [https://www.wix.com/studio/marketing/funnel-vision-podcast]  Check out some of the content mentioned in the show:  Eon’s website  —  https://www.eon.io/ [https://www.eon.io/] The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway —  https://podcasts.voxmedia.com/show/the-prof-g-pod-with-scott-galloway [https://podcasts.voxmedia.com/show/the-prof-g-pod-with-scott-galloway] Tech Crunch —   https://techcrunch.com/ [https://techcrunch.com/]