What Access Group Learned from a Year on the AI Bus | Kate Hassler's Inside Track on How a $9 Billion B2B Software Powerhouse Has Made AI Business as Usual

What Access Group Learned from a Year on the AI Bus | Kate Hassler's Inside Track on How a $9 Billion B2B Software Powerhouse Has Made AI Business as Usual

In this episode of Trust and Influence in B2B Marketing, Joel Harrison sits down with Kate Hassler, Group Director of Brand and Comms at Access Group—a $9 billion global B2B software company serving 160,000 customers across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. While headlines scream of AI-driven redundancies at tech giants, Access Group took the opposite approach: hiring more people, running company-wide hackathons, and building a culture where AI is simply business as usual. So what does a genuinely human-led AI transformation actually look like from the inside? ➡️ Kate walks through every stage of Access Group's journey—from pockets of shadow AI usage and no formal governance, to enterprise Claude licenses with custom brand skills built in. She reveals the story behind the now-legendary "AI bus" metaphor that united 9,000 employees around a single, simple idea, and explains how structured playtime—not mandates—turned the biggest sceptics into the most vocal champions. She digs into why Access chose to protect junior talent rather than cut it, how one senior designer reinvented himself as an AI strategist, and why the "human at the start, human at the end" principle is what separates meaningful content from AI slop. Whether you're a marketing leader navigating an AI rollout or just trying to get your team over the line, Kate's blueprint is grounded, practical, and genuinely inspiring. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction: AI and the B2B Marketing Workplace 02:12 - Kate Hassler and Access Group Overview 04:03 - Company-Wide AI as a Strategic Priority 07:26 - The London Bus Metaphor: Origin and Impact 11:04 - Why the Metaphor Has Endured a Year On 12:32 - From Shadow AI to Structured Adoption 14:33 - Copilot, Claude, and the Licensing Journey 17:27 - Building Custom Claude Brand Skills 19:00 - Human at the Start, Human at the End 21:14 - Hackathons, Play, and AI Champions 25:37 - Job Security and Empathy-Led Leadership 28:07 - Splash Maker: A Creative Reinvents as Strategist 32:49 - Biggest Lessons from 12 Months of AI Transformation 36:37 - Junior Talent and the Future Pipeline Follow Kate Hassler https://linkedin.com/in/kate-hasslerhttps://linkedin.com/in/kate-hassler [https://linkedin.com/in/kate-hassler] https://www.theaccessgroup.comhttps://www.theaccessgroup.com [https://www.theaccessgroup.com] If you care about making B2B marketing more meaningful, useful, and memorable, this conversation is for you. It's honest, reflective, and packed with takeaways that can help elevate your approach to thought leadership—whether you're a content creator, strategist, or brand leader. 🌐Visit Joel Harrison's website to explore exclusive reports, upcoming events, and join the B2B marketing community ➡️ https://www.joelharrisonb2b.com/https://www.joelharrisonb2b.com/ [https://www.joelharrisonb2b.com/] 💬What do you think comes first—getting your team on board with AI, or putting the governance in place? Let us know in the comments below. 🔔Subscribe to the channel for weekly insights, interviews, and on-the-ground perspectives from the world of B2B marketing. https://youtube.com/@JoelHarrison-B2B?sub_confirmation=1https://youtube.com/@JoelHarrison-B2B?sub_confirmation=1 [https://youtube.com/@JoelHarrison-B2B?sub_confirmation=1] 📲Follow Joel Harrison and Trust & Influence in B2B across the web: LinkedIn ▶ https://linkedin.com/in/joelharrison/https://linkedin.com/in/joelharrison/ [https://linkedin.com/in/joelharrison/] Podcast ▶ https://trust-influence-in-b2b.captivate.fm/https://trust-influence-in-b2b.captivate.fm/ [https://trust-influence-in-b2b.captivate.fm/] Instagram ▶ https://instagram.com/joelharrisonb2b/https://instagram.com/joelharrisonb2b/ [https://instagram.com/joelharrisonb2b/] #JoelHarrisonB2B, #B2BMarketing, #ThoughtLeadership, #ContentStrategy, #MarketingTrends, #B2BContent, #BrandVsDemand, #Storytelling, #MarketingPodcast, #B2BInsights, #JoelHarrison, #B2BVideos, #B2BStrategy, #AIAdoption, #AIInMarketing, #MarketingLeadership, #AITransformation, #FutureOfWork, #CreativeServices, #B2BTech

B2B Tech Marketing's Human-First Future in The Age of AI | Exclusive Insights from B2B Marketing Awards Data, Focusing on Four Key Trends, with Tejal Patel

In this episode of Trust and Influence in B2B Marketing, Joel Harrison sits down with Tejal Patel, Independent Marketing Consultant and former marketing leader at Cisco, Microsoft, and Nokia. Together, they examine how B2B technology marketing is changing as AI reshapes content creation and digital channels become more saturated than ever. Using exclusive insights from B2B Marketing Awards data, they reveal four emerging trends that are helping leading brands stand out in an increasingly crowded marketplace. ➡️ Tejal explains why marketers are moving beyond traditional buyer personas and investing more heavily in developers, practitioners, employees, and advocates who influence purchasing decisions from within. The conversation explores the growing importance of employee advocacy, experiential marketing, proof-of-concept campaigns, and highly targeted direct mail programs that cut through digital noise. They also discuss why trust, authenticity, and human experiences are becoming more valuable competitive advantages—and why many marketing measurement frameworks may be preventing organizations from fully embracing these strategies. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction and Why Tech Marketing Leads B2B Innovation 01:23 - Meet Tejal Patel and the Rise of Human-Centric Marketing 05:21 - The Shift Toward Internal Influencers and Practitioner Audiences 10:22 - Why Marketers Are Targeting Doers Instead of Decision-Makers 12:15 - The Measurement Challenge Behind Long-Term Marketing Success 14:02 - Employee Advocacy and Authentic Brand Influence 16:51 - Proof of Concept as a Marketing Campaign 18:01 - Why Demonstration Beats Persuasion 20:52 - Quality Over Quantity in Modern B2B Marketing 23:19 - The Growth of Experiential and Sensory Marketing 25:11 - What Gen Z Buyers Teach Us About Engagement 27:29 - Creating Experiences That Prove Value 31:13 - Building Impactful Experiences on Smaller Budgets 33:53 - The Return of Direct Mail in B2B 37:21 - Has Digital Marketing Lost Its Distinction? 39:59 - The One Thing Marketing Leaders Should Change Today 42:34 - Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks Follow Tejal Patel https://www.linkedin.com/in/tejal/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tejal/] https://tejalpatel.co.uk/ [https://tejalpatel.co.uk/] If you care about making B2B marketing more meaningful, useful, and memorable, this conversation is for you. It’s honest, reflective, and packed with takeaways that can help elevate your approach to thought leadership—whether you're a content creator, strategist, or brand leader. 🌐 Visit Joel Harrison's website to explore exclusive reports, upcoming events, and join the B2B marketing community ➡️ https://www.joelharrisonb2b.com/https://www.joelharrisonb2b.com/ [https://www.joelharrisonb2b.com/] 💬 What do you think will matter more in the future of B2B marketing—AI-powered efficiency or human-centered experiences? 🔔 Subscribe for more conversations with the marketers, leaders, and innovators shaping the future of B2B. 📲Follow Joel Harrison and Trust & Influence in B2B across the web: LinkedIn ▶ https://linkedin.com/in/joelharrison/https://linkedin.com/in/joelharrison/ [https://linkedin.com/in/joelharrison/] Podcast ▶ https://trust-influence-in-b2b.captivate.fm/https://trust-influence-in-b2b.captivate.fm/ [https://trust-influence-in-b2b.captivate.fm/] Instagram ▶ https://instagram.com/joelharrisonb2b/https://instagram.com/joelharrisonb2b/ [https://instagram.com/joelharrisonb2b/] #JoelHarrisonB2B, #B2BMarketing, #ThoughtLeadership, #ContentStrategy, #MarketingTrends, #B2BContent, #BrandVsDemand, #Storytelling, #MarketingPodcast, #B2BInsights, #JoelHarrison, #B2BVideos, #B2BStrategy, #TechMarketing, #ExperientialMarketing, #EmployeeAdvocacy, #ABM, #DemandGeneration, #MarketingInnovation, #MarketingLeadership, #CustomerExperience

Best in show B2B | Why The RHS Chelsea Flower Show is blooming for Addleshaw Goddard's full-funnel campaign, with Brian Macreadie

In this episode of Trust and Influence in B2B Marketing, Joel Harrison sits down with Brian Macreadie, Head of Marketing at Addleshaw Goddard, one of the UK's most creatively ambitious international law firms. Brian reveals how his team did something no legal firm had ever done before—becoming the first-ever official legal partner of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show—and built a full-funnel campaign around it called Flourish in the City. Could flowers, billboards, and a garden at Chelsea really deliver 350% ROI and 40 new clients in under a year? ➡️ With over 30 years of B2B marketing experience across telecoms, media, and legal, Brian doesn't just talk about creativity—he proves it pays. He breaks down the strategic thinking behind Flourish in the City: why a noisy, content-saturated legal market demanded something radically different, and how a single emotionally resonant idea can anchor an entire integrated campaign. From 19 digital billboards at Bank and London Bridge, to handing flowers to city commuters, to hosting 400+ VIP clients across 57 intimate Chelsea events—this is full-funnel B2B marketing at its boldest. Brian also tackles the harder questions: how do you build internal buy-in for long-term, creative marketing investment? How do brand and ABM complement rather than compete? And what does it really take to build the kind of trust that turns one conversation into a 25-year client relationship? His two golden rules haven't changed in 30 years—and they're more relevant than ever. Chapters: 00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:30 Meet Brian McCredie 00:55 Inside the London Office 02:01 Flourish in the City 03:50 Episode Learning Goals 04:36 Brian Career Journey 05:40 Why Legal Needs Creativity 07:19 About Addleshaw Goddard 08:33 The Attention Problem 09:55 Trust and Top of Mind 11:58 Why Chelsea Flower Show 13:34 Authentic Brand Fit 16:28 Pilot Proof and Client Love 17:39 Behind the Scenes at Chelsea 19:17 Flourish in the City 21:05 Making the Long Term Case 23:22 Sponsorship as Full Funnel 25:06 VIP Events at Chelsea 27:54 Citywide Media Blitz 31:31 Measuring Impact and ROI 33:16 Building Creative Buy In 36:08 Results and Payback 37:18 Transferable Marketing Lessons 40:17 Final Takeaways and Close Follow Brian Macreadie, https://linkedin.com/in/brianmacreadie/ https://linkedin.com/in/bmacreadie?originalSubdomain=uk [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bmacreadie?originalSubdomain=uk] https://addleshawgoddard.com [https://www.addleshawgoddard.com] If you care about making B2B marketing more meaningful, useful, and memorable, this conversation is for you. It's honest, reflective, and packed with takeaways that can help elevate your approach to thought leadership—whether you're a content creator, strategist, or brand leader. 🌐Visit Joel Harrison's website to explore exclusive reports, upcoming events, and join the B2B marketing community ➡️ https://www.joelharrisonb2b.com/https://www.joelharrisonb2b.com/ [https://www.joelharrisonb2b.com/] 💬What do you think comes first—insightful data or a compelling story? Let us know in the comments below. 🔔Subscribe to the channel for weekly insights, interviews, and on-the-ground perspectives from the world of B2B marketing. https://youtube.com/@JoelHarrison-B2B?sub_confirmation=1https://youtube.com/@JoelHarrison-B2B?sub_confirmation=1 [https://youtube.com/@JoelHarrison-B2B?sub_confirmation=1] 📲Follow Joel Harrison and Trust & Influence in B2B across the web: LinkedIn ▶ https://linkedin.com/in/joelharrison/https://linkedin.com/in/joelharrison/ [https://linkedin.com/in/joelharrison/] Podcast ▶ https://trust-influence-in-b2b.captivate.fm/https://trust-influence-in-b2b.captivate.fm/ [https://trust-influence-in-b2b.captivate.fm/] Instagram ▶ https://instagram.com/joelharrisonb2b/https://instagram.com/joelharrisonb2b/ [https://instagram.com/joelharrisonb2b/] #JoelHarrisonB2B, #B2BMarketing, #ThoughtLeadership, #ContentStrategy, #MarketingTrends, #B2BContent, #BrandVsDemand, #Storytelling, #MarketingPodcast, #B2BInsights, #JoelHarrison, #B2BVideos, #B2BStrategy, #LegalMarketing, #B2BCreativity, #SponsorshipMarketing, #FullFunnelMarketing, #BrandBuilding, #B2BEvents, #IntegratedMarketing

Why Data is Still The Achilles Heel of B2B Marketing | Trust in Data Remains at Rock-Bottom for Enterprises — Maureen Blandford Explains What Marketers Can Do About It

In this episode of Trust and Influence in B2B Marketing, Joel Harrison sits down with Maureen Blandford, Founder of Serendipitas and co-author of the Diginomica Enterprise Data Health Study. Together, they expose one of B2B marketing's most uncomfortable truths: that senior leaders across major enterprises don't actually trust their own data—even when they say they do. Could the data powering your most critical business decisions be far less reliable than anyone is willing to admit out loud? ➡️ Maureen draws on nearly twelve years as a B2B tech CMO and frank conversations with eighteen senior practitioners—CEOs, CDOs, and commercial leaders—to unpack the dangerous gap between stated and behavioral trust in enterprise data. She introduces the "verification tax," where organisations are burning 30 to 70% of professional time simply assembling and reconciling data rather than analysing it. They dig into why 94% of organisations still have siloed data despite years of integration projects, why legacy MarTech was never built for strategic business needs, and why vendor-funded research is feeding a narrative that doesn't match reality on the ground. On AI, the findings are stark: vendor surveys claim 93% of organisations plan to deploy autonomous AI agents within two years—yet only 3 of 18 interviewed organisations have anything resembling agentic AI in practice. Maureen also shares what genuine AI readiness requires and, crucially, three things any senior marketer can do this week—with no new budget and no board approval—to start making real, lasting progress. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction to the B2B Data Trust Crisis 02:28 - Why Data Became Maureen's Central Obsession 04:10 - What the Current Data Narrative Gets Wrong 05:37 - Stated Trust vs. Behavioural Trust: The Key Discovery 11:26 - The Verification Tax and Its Hidden Cost 14:12 - Why MarTech Was Never Built for Strategy 15:55 - 94% of Organisations Still Have Siloed Data 19:29 - Why Vendor Research Misleads Buyers 23:39 - The AI Readiness Gap: 93% vs. Reality 29:08 - The Three Types of AI Organisations (and the Most Dangerous One) 31:00 - Rays of Sunshine: What's Actually Working 34:41 - Three Things You Can Do Starting Monday Follow Maureen Blandford, https://linkedin.com/in/maureenblandford/https://linkedin.com/in/maureenblandford/ [https://linkedin.com/in/maureenblandford/] https://serendipitas.comhttps://serendipitas.com [https://serendipitas.com] If you care about making B2B marketing more meaningful, useful, and memorable, this conversation is for you. It's honest, reflective, and packed with takeaways that can help elevate your approach to thought leadership—whether you're a content creator, strategist, or brand leader. 🌐Visit Joel Harrison's website to explore exclusive reports, upcoming events, and join the B2B marketing community ➡️ https://www.joelharrisonb2b.com/https://www.joelharrisonb2b.com/ [https://www.joelharrisonb2b.com/] 💬What do you think is the biggest barrier to data trust in B2B—the tools, the culture, or the narrative? Let us know in the comments below. 🔔Subscribe to the channel for weekly insights, interviews, and on-the-ground perspectives from the world of B2B marketing. https://youtube.com/@JoelHarrison-B2B?sub_confirmation=1https://youtube.com/@JoelHarrison-B2B?sub_confirmation=1 [https://youtube.com/@JoelHarrison-B2B?sub_confirmation=1] 👉Subscribe now and tap the bell icon to get notified whenever a new episode drops—from the show floor, the studio, or the front lines of B2B. --------------- 📲Follow Joel Harrison and Trust & Influence in B2B across the web: LinkedIn ▶ https://linkedin.com/in/joelharrison/https://linkedin.com/in/joelharrison/ [https://linkedin.com/in/joelharrison/] Podcast ▶ https://trust-influence-in-b2b.captivate.fm/https://trust-influence-in-b2b.captivate.fm/ [https://trust-influence-in-b2b.captivate.fm/] Instagram ▶ https://instagram.com/joelharrisonb2b/https://instagram.com/joelharrisonb2b/ [https://instagram.com/joelharrisonb2b/] --------------- #JoelHarrisonB2B, #B2BMarketing, #ThoughtLeadership, #ContentStrategy, #MarketingTrends, #B2BContent, #BrandVsDemand, #Storytelling, #MarketingPodcast, #B2BInsights, #JoelHarrison, #B2BVideos, #B2BStrategy, #DataTrust, #B2BData, #AIReadiness, #DataHealth, #EnterpriseData, #VerificationTax, #MarketingAnalytics

The Four Pillars of Success in The Agentic AI Era: Governance, Judgement, Taste and Orchestration | With Angela Tangas of Oliver

In this episode of Trust and Influence in B2B Marketing, Joel Harrison sits down with Angela Tangas, CEO of Oliver, part of the Brandtech Group—the original pioneers of the in-house agency model. Together, they tackle one of the most urgent questions facing B2B marketing leaders right now: how do you move beyond AI experimentation and drive genuine, scalable transformation? And is the operating model you choose as important as the technology itself? ➡️ Angela draws on her experience working with eight of the world's ten largest advertisers across forty-eight countries to deliver a frank, practical, and genuinely eye-opening conversation. She explains why 2025 became the year of "pilot purgatory" for so many organisations—and what separates the brands that broke through from those that didn't. She unpacks the layered pressures on B2B marketing teams today, from longer deal cycles and more decision-makers to the commoditisation of AI-generated content, and makes the case for why volume without effectiveness is a dead end. Angela also tackles the environmental footprint of AI adoption—an issue she argues deserves far more attention—and sets out a clear, actionable framework for marketing leaders who want to build momentum this quarter. From governance and change management to agentic workflows and the future of the resource mix, this episode is packed with real-world insight. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction to AI-Led Marketing Transformation 02:09 - How Oliver and Brandtech Group Work 04:05 - What's Driving Urgency Behind AI Adoption in B2B 07:09 - The Capability Gap in B2B Marketing Teams 08:15 - Where Marketing Teams Are Focusing Their AI Efforts 10:37 - Efficiency vs. Effectiveness: Are Teams Getting It Right? 14:02 - The In-House Agency Model Explained 18:26 - How Oliver's Role Has Evolved with AI 20:24 - Managing the Resource Mix: Internal Teams, Agencies & AI 23:11 - The Environmental Cost of AI in Marketing 25:59 - What's Holding Organisations Back from Real Transformation 29:37 - What Marketing Operations Will Look Like in 2–3 Years 32:39 - Where Marketing Leaders Should Start This Quarter Follow Angela Tangas, https://linkedin.com/in/angelatangaslinkedin.com/in/angelatangas [https://linkedin.com/in/angelatangas] https://oliver.agencyoliver.agency [https://oliver.agency] If you care about making B2B marketing more meaningful, useful, and memorable, this conversation is for you. It's honest, reflective, and packed with takeaways that can help elevate your approach to thought leadership—whether you're a content creator, strategist, or brand leader. 🌐Visit Joel Harrison's website to explore exclusive reports, upcoming events, and join the B2B marketing community ➡️ https://www.joelharrisonb2b.com/https://www.joelharrisonb2b.com/ [https://www.joelharrisonb2b.com/] 💬What do you think comes first—insightful data or a compelling story? Let us know in the comments below. 🔔Subscribe to the channel for weekly insights, interviews, and on-the-ground perspectives from the world of B2B marketing. https://youtube.com/@JoelHarrison-B2B?sub_confirmation=1https://youtube.com/@JoelHarrison-B2B?sub_confirmation=1 [https://youtube.com/@JoelHarrison-B2B?sub_confirmation=1] 📲Follow Joel Harrison and Trust & Influence in B2B across the web: LinkedIn ▶ https://linkedin.com/in/joelharrison/https://linkedin.com/in/joelharrison/ [https://linkedin.com/in/joelharrison/] Podcast ▶ https://trust-influence-in-b2b.captivate.fm/https://trust-influence-in-b2b.captivate.fm/ [https://trust-influence-in-b2b.captivate.fm/] | Instagram ▶ https://instagram.com/joelharrisonb2b/https://instagram.com/joelharrisonb2b/ [https://instagram.com/joelharrisonb2b/] #JoelHarrisonB2B, #B2BMarketing, #ThoughtLeadership, #ContentStrategy, #MarketingTrends, #B2BContent, #BrandVsDemand, #Storytelling, #MarketingPodcast, #B2BInsights, #JoelHarrison, #B2BVideos, #B2BStrategy, #AgenticAI, #AITransformation, #InHouseAgency, #MarketingOperations, #GenerativeAI, #AIinMarketing, #MarketingLeadership, #BrandtechGroup