46: How Salesforce powers AI-enabled marketing: Insights from Salesforce Chief Customer Officer for Agentforce Marketing Kevin Siminski

46: How Salesforce powers AI-enabled marketing: Insights from Salesforce Chief Customer Officer for Agentforce Marketing Kevin Siminski

What if the biggest shift in marketing isn't about chasing the next AI tool, but about making the systems and data that marketers already use work together more intelligently? This episode takes a slightly different angle on marketing transformation. Instead of talking with a brand marketer about how their team utilizes AI, we hear from Salesforce's Chief Customer Officer for Agentforce Marketing Kevin Siminski about how the technology provider is working to reduce complexity, connect data and make AI more practical for everyday marketing work. Kevin starts by busting two myths that shape how many teams think about Salesforce: Marketing Cloud Engagement is not going away, and marketers do not have to face a challenging migration or choose between B2B and B2C capabilities to move forward. He explains how Salesforce is instead bringing those capabilities together in the same platform, so customers can adopt what they need without starting from scratch. Then Kevin discusses the data foundation underneath that experience—how a shared foundation can make agentic AI more useful in practice and enable organizations to customize how those tools work together. Kevin also explores how connectivity and AI can reshape marketers' day-to-day work. Rather than suggesting a vague transformation, he points to a more practical future: developing campaigns efficiently, streamlining delivery and giving teams more control over where human judgment still matters. In this episode, you'll hear about: The top two myths about Salesforce marketing solutions, busted How Salesforce is bringing B2B and B2C capabilities together in the same platform Why a shared data foundation can make agentic AI more useful in marketing Ways AI could help automate campaign brief and orchestration tasks, shortening timelines without removing human judgment Key highlights: [00:00] Introduction [01:30] The value of taking a gap year [04:05] Kevin's path back to Salesforce [05:35] Agentforce Marketing's impact [06:40] Driving product adoption in a changing world [09:10] Connecting MarTech platforms with strong data [11:50] Embracing the future of headless CMS [13:10] Combining AI agents into a "super agent" [15:30] The autopilot metaphor [18:10] Early career moments: Engineering in the telecom world [20:45] Advice to your younger self: Listen more intentionally [22:05] A topic you're trying to learn more about: Agentic AI's rapid growth [23:10] Latest curiosities: The evolution of the trades and hands-on work [26:25] Largest potential threat: Accelerating AI adoption without governance Resources mentioned: Salesforce Agentforce Marketing [https://www.salesforce.com/marketing/] Salesforce Data 360 [https://www.salesforce.com/data/] Follow the podcast: Listen on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-beyond-with-alan-b-hart/id1035441301] Listen on Amazon Music [https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8f4854c6-bc4d-43bb-bc38-22de023d5952/marketing-beyond-with-alan-b-hart] Listen on Audible [https://www.audible.com/podcast/Marketing-Today-with-Alan-Hart/B08JJP7SLG] Listen on iHeart Radio [https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-marketing-beyond-with-alan-27847208/] Listen on Spotify [http://spoti.fi/2mCUGnC] Connect with Kevin and Salesforce: Kevin on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-siminski-a849732] Salesforce on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/salesforce] Connect with Alan Hart and Deloitte Digital: Connect with Alan Hart on X [https://x.com/abhart] Connect with Alan Hart on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanhart] Connect with Deloitte Digital on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/deloitte-digital/posts/?feedView=all] Connect with Deloitte Digital on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/deloittedigital] Connect with Deloitte Digital on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/deloittedigital] Connect with Deloitte Digital on Threads [https://www.threads.net/@deloittedigital]

45: Scaling relevance: Insights from Visa Senior Vice President of Marketing, Kevin Skirde

Marketers are being pushed to do more than run campaigns. They are being asked to build relevance, personalize at scale and make every interaction feel more relevant to the individual. That shift requires a different kind of leadership, one grounded in adaptability and curiosity. In this episode, Visa Senior Vice President of Marketing Kevin Skirde reflects on a career shaped by experimentation. He said that taking roles he did not initially see himself in helped build a strong foundation for leadership, including learning how to be comfortable in the uncomfortable and turning complex information into clear strategy for executives. That mindset carries into how he thinks about teams. Skirde points to culture, high-performing teams and relationships as core drivers of effectiveness, saying strong outcomes depend not just on ideas but on the people and environment that bring them to life. On marketing and artificial intelligence (AI), Skirde says the technology can automate repetitive tasks and help smaller companies compete more effectively. At the same time, it raises the premium on human judgment, strategy and relevance. As marketing shifts toward more continuous, one-to-one journeys, the real advantage comes from understanding what matters to each individual, and creating connections that feel personal rather than interruptive. In this episode, you'll hear about how: The strongest marketing feels personal, relevant and built around real consumer interests Complexity becomes an advantage when teams simplify it into clear, actionable value AI is raising the premium on human judgment and leaders who can build effective strategies, shifting from execution to direction and better outcomes Key highlights: [01:15] Introduction and a fear of flying [05:11] Kevin Skirde's path to Visa [05:45] Learning through career experiments [06:45] American Express lessons: Precision, loyalty and operating mindset [07:35] Startup lessons [08:20] Leadership, culture and high-performing teams [18:00] Making sense of marketing complexity [23:05] From interruption to relevance [26:25] An experience that defines you: Missing one path and finding the right one [31:05] Advice to your younger self: Have fun, be patient, keep learning [32:35 A topic you're trying to learn more about: Retirement and purpose [35:45] Latest curiosities: The future workforce for the next generation [41:50] Largest opportunity or threat: AI and the rising value of human judgment Resources mentioned: Visa [https://www.visa.com/en-us] Follow the podcast: Listen on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-beyond-with-alan-b-hart/id1035441301] Listen on Amazon Music [https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8f4854c6-bc4d-43bb-bc38-22de023d5952/marketing-beyond-with-alan-b-hart] Listen on Audible [https://www.audible.com/podcast/Marketing-Today-with-Alan-Hart/B08JJP7SLG] Listen on iHeart Radio [https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-marketing-beyond-with-alan-27847208/] Listen on Spotify [http://spoti.fi/2mCUGnC] Connect with Laura and GM: Kevin Skirde on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinskirde?trk=public_post_feed-actor-name] Visa on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/visa] Connect with Alan Hart and Deloitte Digital: Connect with Alan Hart on X [https://x.com/abhart] Connect with Alan Hart on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanhart] Connect with Deloitte Digital on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/deloitte-digital/posts/?feedView=all] Connect with Deloitte Digital on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/deloittedigital] Connect with Deloitte Digital on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/deloittedigital] Connect with Deloitte Digital on Threads [https://www.threads.net/@deloittedigital]

RERELEASE: Bridging the gap between marketers and consumers: Insights from Gayle Troberman, executive advisor at iHeartMedia

RERELEASE: From the archives — originally released in July 2025. Are your ads landing with consumers? According to iHeartMedia's "The New American Consumer 2.0" study, 44% of Americans feel ignored by most advertisers. In today's episode, Alan chats with Gayle Troberman, executive advisor at iHeartMedia, about bridging the gap between marketers and consumers, and the marketing principles that stay consistent despite technological advancements. Gayle emphasizes the importance of balancing new technology with classic marketing approaches and cautions against neglecting potential customers by focusing too narrowly on the target audience. She highlights the power of evoking memories in advertising, primarily through audio, with examples of iconic jingles. She also describes why radio and podcasting are effective tools for mass reach and emotional engagement. Gayle Troberman is a highly respected marketing industry veteran. She spent 16 years as chief creative officer at Microsoft, then as chief marketing and ideas officer at IPG Mediabrands. She then became chief marketing officer at iHeartMedia for over a decade before moving into her current role as executive advisor. Today, Gayle works across all iHeartMedia businesses to help them connect with consumers in a deeper, more meaningful way. Her "human first, outcome second" approach to life and marketing has kept her consistently in tune with consumers throughout her career. In this episode, you'll hear about: The inspiration behind "The New American Consumer 2.0" study and insights from the research How marketers can better understand their audience Approaches to using AI and targeting to add value from a consumer perspective Key highlights: [00:00] Rerelease note [00:20] Introduction [01:50] A "muppalucky" life [02:55] Gayle's career path [05:55] The secret to a long CMO tenure [07:50] Enduring truths in marketing [13:45] "The New American Consumer Report 2.0" [18:30] How marketers can reconnect with everyday consumers [22:45] Who has influence? [24:20] Using AI in a mindful way [28:35] An experience that defines you: Developing a human-first philosophy [31:35] Advice to your younger self: A little more patience and empathy [33:05] A topic marketers need to learn more about: Balancing the new with the classics [34:20] Subcultures and trends to follow: Young people taking strong stances [35:40] Largest opportunity and threat to marketers today: Fake performance indicators Resources mentioned: Gayle Troberman [https://www.linkedin.com/in/gayletroberman/] iHeartMedia [https://www.iheartmedia.com/] The New American Consumer 2.0 study [https://www.iheartmedia.com/press/new-study-iheartmedia-and-malcolm-gladwells-pushkin-industries-finds-consumers-feel] Follow the podcast: Listen on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-beyond-with-alan-b-hart/id1035441301] Listen on Amazon Music [https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8f4854c6-bc4d-43bb-bc38-22de023d5952/marketing-beyond-with-alan-b-hart] Listen on Audible [https://www.audible.com/podcast/Marketing-Today-with-Alan-Hart/B08JJP7SLG] Listen on iHeart Radio [https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-marketing-beyond-with-alan-27847208/] Listen on Spotify [http://spoti.fi/2mCUGnC] Connect with Gayle Troberman and iHeartMedia: Gayle Troberman on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/gayletroberman/] iHeartMedia on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/iheartmedia/] iHeartMedia on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/iheartmediaofficial/?hl=en] iHeartMedia on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8jJvp_UPzY3xmKxdDFbv6w] Connect with Alan Hart and Deloitte Digital: Alan Hart on X [https://x.com/abhart] Alan Hart on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanhart] Deloitte Digital on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/deloitte-digital/posts/?feedView=all] Deloitte Digital on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/deloittedigital] Deloitte Digital on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/deloittedigital] Deloitte Digital on Threads [https://www.threads.net/@deloittedigital]

44: Creating with sales, not for sales: Insights from Vanguard Head of Sales Channel Marketing John Howie

What strategies is Vanguard using to help marketing and sales stay aligned while keeping the client at the center? In this episode, Vanguard's John Howie, head of sales channel marketing for the financial advisor services division, reflects on his move from sales into marketing. He discusses how marketing leaders can drive stronger results by grounding solutions in each client's selling realities and building a shared understanding with sales, not just for sales. John describes how his team uses direct input from sales leaders to shape marketing efforts around real selling conditions, and emphasizes that effective internal change efforts need both rational support and human buy-in. When it comes to AI, John advocates using it to guide strategy, rather than to fully design or replace the strategy itself. He warns that leaders should not let the push for speed and productivity crowd out creativity, judgment, and the distinctly human work of storytelling and problem solving. This episode offers a practical point of view to help today's marketers keep the client at the center, use data and frontline insights together, and treat this moment of transformation as a chance to improve not only the way teams work, but the overall quality of work. In this episode, you'll hear: How building marketing and sales around the same customer reality can improve results Tips for connecting a strong business case with talent buy-in for lasting change Practical ways leaders can deploy AI to give teams more time for creativity and problem solving Key highlights: [00:00] Introduction [01:00] Skydiving experiences [02:30] John's path to Vanguard [05:20] How marketing can find common ground with sales [07:55] Adjusting for changing selling realities [09:45] Centering customer and client perspectives [11:45] Transforming an organization from the inside out [13:50] AI's impact on the change management process [16:20] Internal marketing use cases with AI [18:45] An experience that defines you: Major life changes coinciding with career launch [20:35] Advice to your younger self: Your performance rating is not your identity [22:30] A topic you're trying to learn more about: AI's evolving role in daily life [23:30] Largest potential threat: Rapidly implementing AI without a clear strategy [25:30] What you would have an LLM do for you: Give me more time with family Resources mentioned: Vanguard [https://advisors.vanguard.com/] Follow the podcast: Listen on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-beyond-with-alan-b-hart/id1035441301] Listen on Amazon Music [https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8f4854c6-bc4d-43bb-bc38-22de023d5952/marketing-beyond-with-alan-b-hart] Listen on Audible [https://www.audible.com/podcast/Marketing-Today-with-Alan-Hart/B08JJP7SLG] Listen on iHeart Radio [https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-marketing-beyond-with-alan-27847208/] Listen on Spotify [http://spoti.fi/2mCUGnC] Connect with John and Vanguard: John on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jhowie] Vanguard on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/vanguard] Connect with Alan Hart and Deloitte Digital: Connect with Alan Hart on X [https://x.com/abhart] Connect with Alan Hart on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanhart] Connect with Deloitte Digital on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/deloitte-digital/posts/?feedView=all] Connect with Deloitte Digital on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/deloittedigital] Connect with Deloitte Digital on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/deloittedigital] Connect with Deloitte Digital on Threads [https://www.threads.net/@deloittedigital]

43: How experimentation can fuel marketing effectiveness: Insights from General Motors Executive Director of Marketing and Consumer Engagement Laura Thornton

At General Motors, modernizing marketing means more than just adopting new tools—it requires thoughtful experimentation and sound human judgment to apply AI and other innovations while protecting the customer experience. In this episode, Laura Thornton shares how General Motors (GM) approaches this balance through two parallel efforts: marketing technology modernization and Project Leapfrog, a pilot program where teams can test low-risk ideas outside the core operating model. She explains how this approach helps her team experiment with new AI tools to quickly solve problems and expedite workflows. Laura encourages marketing leaders to create room for testing, give teams permission to fail, build confidence through hands-on use of new tools while avoiding changing too much too fast. Laura also discusses a real leadership challenge for marketing and consumer engagement leaders: not only adopting AI, but helping employees throughout the enterprise adapt while keeping human judgment and customer connection at the center. "Taking risks is something that can feel very daunting, and as marketers, we have to be open to trying and testing new things. So that has to be fundamental." - Laura Thornton In this episode, you'll hear about: AI adoption approaches that can bring change without putting core work at risk Experimentation insights that can help teams unlock better ideas, accelerate learning and improve adoption Leadership tips for fostering AI-driven change with humans-in-the-loop Key highlights: [00:00] Introduction [01:20] An auto industry family legacy [01:55] Laura's GM path: From account coordinator to executive director [03:25] Perspectives from the agency side vs. client side [04:15] Taking customer journeys from insights to action [05:10] Embracing MarTech transformation [06:25] Introducing Project Leapfrog [07:25] AI pilot experimentation [10:25] Integrating AI with the human workforce [11:45] Lessons for future transformations [13:00] An experience that defines you: Trusting the process through career pivots [14:15] Advice to your younger self: Find your voice early to grow confidence [15:10] A topic you're trying to learn more about: Change management [17:00] Latest curiosities: Analog, in-person experiences [18:45] Largest potential threat: Pressure to change too rapidly without a strategy Resources mentioned: General Motors [https://www.gm.com/] Follow the podcast: Listen on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-beyond-with-alan-b-hart/id1035441301] Listen on Amazon Music [https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8f4854c6-bc4d-43bb-bc38-22de023d5952/marketing-beyond-with-alan-b-hart] Listen on Audible [https://www.audible.com/podcast/Marketing-Today-with-Alan-Hart/B08JJP7SLG] Listen on iHeart Radio [https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-marketing-beyond-with-alan-27847208/] Listen on Spotify [http://spoti.fi/2mCUGnC] Connect with Laura and GM: Laura on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellethornton?trk=public_post_feed-actor-name] General Motors on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/general-motors] Connect with Alan Hart and Deloitte Digital: Connect with Alan Hart on X [https://x.com/abhart] Connect with Alan Hart on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanhart] Connect with Deloitte Digital on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/deloitte-digital/posts/?feedView=all] Connect with Deloitte Digital on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/deloittedigital] Connect with Deloitte Digital on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/deloittedigital] Connect with Deloitte Digital on Threads [https://www.threads.net/@deloittedigital]