Huddlers in the News

Listen Here | From Renegade Marketers Unite, Episode 472: AI’s Impact on B2B Marketing Strategy

There is no pause button on AI. Every day brings a fresh flood of tools, demos, predictions, and pressure to keep up. But what’s actually changing inside B2B marketing departments? What’s working, what’s still hype, and where should CMOs focus?

In this episode, Kevin Ruane (Precisely), Gary Sevounts (Simpplr), and Jeff Morgan (Elements) join Drew to wrestle with how AI is being tested, contained, and scaled inside their teams. They push on when an experiment becomes a mandate, how to keep stacks from turning into a pile of disconnected tools, and why clean data is the deciding factor. The message is clear: AI will not rescue weak strategy. But in the hands of disciplined marketers who are willing to rethink the rules, it changes how marketing runs.

In this episode:

• Kevin shares how an AI council and internal champions drive adoption across teams
• Gary explains AI as the pipeline’s central nervous system that tracks stage flow and triggers timely action
• Jeff breaks down SPARK, a Claude prompt framework that defines role, workflow, brand voice, rules, and KPIs

Plus:

• How to set AI goals and metrics your CEO will back
• Why data readiness is the first step to any AI win
• What skills and roles a marketing team needs to run AI safely
• When to graduate a pilot into a standard workflow

If you want to hear how CMOs are experimenting with AI and resetting the rules of engagement, this one’s for you!

For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcast/

“It’s too early to make a big bet on GenAI,” stated a CMO from a $250mil PE-backed SaaS company. “There’s so much hype, but I’ve yet to see the data to show, especially with content creation, that the investment pays out,” he added. Since I’ve added to the hype, his contrarian point of view shocked me into silence. Then I wondered…

Is this CMO putting his job at risk?

Before I answer that, let’s follow his logic. Our AI skeptic didn’t doubt that GenAI helps marketing teams create more content faster. His questions are around effectiveness. Perhaps having more content was helpful in the pre-LLM era, but with SEO-driven site traffic evaporating, does having more content even matter? Probably not. Unless, somehow, that content is optimized for LLM results.

Will LLM-Generated Content Help or Hurt Brand Discovery in LLMs?

Our AI skeptic suspects that LLMs are likely to ignore content created by LLMs. Is he right? I’m not sure. For starters, I would love to know if LLMs can distinguish between human-only, human-mainly, LLM-mainly, and LLM-only content.

GEO (generative engine optimization) is a nascent art form, and though many profess to know what works, few have concrete evidence. Here’s what I’ve heard helps:

• Having extensive Q&As
• Using markdown language that LLMs can crawl
• Having detailed competitive information
• Having pricing data
• Including compliance and security info
• Showing up on Reddit (especially for ChatGPT)
• Positive reviews on review sites like G2 and TrustRadius
• Coverage by trusted news sources 

Let’s assume you want to do all of the above. Does it matter from a GEO standpoint if you use LLMs to create and update this content? Probably not, but again, if you know otherwise, please chime in.

The Job Risk Question

New tech skepticism is always warranted (Is it too late for me to get a refund on my Apple Newton and Blackberry Storm?) Software vendors, particularly those in the martech space, have overpromised for years. In fact, we encourage the leaders in CMO Huddles to audit their tech stack every three months and sunset underperformers. That said, LLM-avoidance is akin to the early telephone-denier who said, “If people want to talk to me, then they can just drop by!”

If you're only considering the abilities of LLMs to create speedier copy for your website, then you’re missing the bigger story—and putting your job at risk.

For example, consider internal meeting management, a seemingly infinite time suck for many CMOs. Teams with LLMs can prepare more effectively, create agendas more quickly, brainstorm more broadly, and assign next steps with ease.

GenAI Will Transform All Aspects of Business

Early adopting CMOs are earning a bigger seat at the table, helping their organizations and departments adopt and adjust to an AI-augmented world.

Written by Drew Neisser

Listen Here | From Renegade Marketers Unite, Episode 471: Dear CEO: This Is What Marketing Actually Does

Most B2B CEOs never spent time in marketing. Fewer than one in five ever held the title. Which explains a lot. From undervalued budgets to misaligned expectations, marketing often gets boxed in as a support function instead of the growth driver it is. If marketing is going to lead, CEOs need to understand what it can really do and what to look for in a CMO who’s built to deliver.

To set the record straight, Drew taps three marketing leaders, Rebecca Stone (formerly Cisco), Grant Johnson (Chief Outsiders), and Jan Deahl (Drake Star), to reframe how CEOs see marketing. It is a strategic engine built to shape markets, guide buyers, and drive growth. Together, they make the case for what’s possible when CMOs are empowered to lead.

In this episode:

• Rebecca on why CMOs need to think and act like a CEO
• Grant on how mismatched expectations set CMOs up to fail
• Jan on aligning marketing’s role to company stage and goals

Plus:

• The key questions every CEO should ask their CMO
• What to fix when marketing is stuck in order-taking mode
• How smart onboarding sets CMOs up to lead
• Why growth depends on more than just demand gen

Tune in for signals that shift how your CEO sees marketing.

For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcast/

“Why is our marketing so damn boring?”

This question is not being asked by roughly 75% of B2B CMOs or 99% of their CEOs, CFOs, CROs, and investors. And in the absence of this question, B2B marketing and B2B marketers are suffering from a self-inflicted malaise.

Let’s review the symptoms of this malaise.

When the Big Ideas Vanish

First, marketing departments are fast becoming the place where fun goes to die. The pursuit of the big idea has been replaced by micro everything. Short-lived disposable campaigns seek nominal bumps in click-through rates. Short-term efficiency has replaced long-term effectiveness, especially as every process gets AI-ified.

CMOs dare not use the word “brand” for fear of appearing fluffy and insubstantial. And don’t even think about having a budget line item with the word “brand” in it. Euphemisms for “brand” like “reputation” have helped a bit in that most executives understand that having a reputation, especially a good one, is critical in this era of self-directed, LLM-informed buying committees. But even using the word “reputation” doesn’t result in less boring content or campaigns.

The negativity about brand-building or reputation-building rolls into an absence of brand health tracking. As the old saying goes, you are what you measure. When all of your measurement energy goes into funnel optimization, there’s little hope of focusing on something extraordinary, like a big, differentiating, highly engaging IDEA that cuts through.

Why Funny Wins in B2B

Boring marketing so dominates B2B that just a dash of humor or creativity rings our collective bells from here to Cannes. I was reminded of this while watching a new video from Iterable (see comments for the line). It expresses an idea. It’s funny. It’s memorable. I like Iterable more than I did before, and I was already a fan.

Full disclosure: The CMO of Iterable, Adri Gil-Miner, is a long-time member of CMO Huddles, and Iterable was a sponsor of last year’s CMO Super Huddle. But if you know me, you’d know I wouldn’t share it if I didn’t think it was worth sharing. Also, I haven’t spoken to Adri yet about the campaign, but I will once she has results to share.

I was also reminded of this when the PR team of ServiceNow reached out for me to interview their CMO, Colin Fleming. Now there’s a company with a long-standing sense of humor. Dare I say it? They’ve built a BRAND that people like. And guess what? That more than pays the bills. ServiceNow’s revenue, earnings, and customer base have all grown faster than the software industry averages. Their operating and gross margins are industry-leading and surpass Salesforce, Adobe, and Workday.

Is it a coincidence that ServiceNow has outperformed the software industry year after year and is one of the few B2B brands with a genuine and consistent sense of humor, with content that simultaneously informs and entertains?

Me thinks not. What do you think?

Written by Drew Neisser

Listen Here | From Renegade Marketers Unite, Episode 469: GenAI Video & Audio: Tools, Tradeoffs & Lessons

It started with a 90-day challenge: make a GenAI-powered video promoting the 2025 CMO Super Huddle using only off-the-shelf tools. What followed was equal parts ambition, frustration, learning, and editing. Along the way, Drew got a crash course in prompt writing, script timing, voice cloning, and the realities of working inside tools that promise automation but still require a certain level of finesse.

With GenAI coach Samantha Stark of Phyusion guiding the early stages and Steve Mudd of Talentless AI stepping in for post, the project quickly became a real test of creative endurance. Each step surfaced a new set of tradeoffs. The tools were powerful, but stitching them together was anything but seamless. What came out the other side is something Drew’s proud to share, along with lessons from two expert AI collaborators and a few fun reveals they brought to the table that show just how weird, clever, and unexpected GenAI production can get.

In this episode:

• Samantha shares how GenAI tools spark ideas but still need human direction to shape tone and story
• Steve explains how editing brings structure and emotion to GenAI content for a more watchable result
• Both guests highlight the importance of adding context to make GenAI output resonate with viewers

Plus:

• What GenAI tools need from you upfront to deliver useful output
• How multi-tool workflows impact timing, syncing, and storytelling
• Where to focus your time during GenAI production for the biggest payoff
• When expert editors can step in to shape flow, tone, and polish

Tune in for a behind-the-scenes look at GenAI video and audio creation, guided by the experts who know how to make it all come together.

For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcast/

“I had to resign to a bot,” exclaimed a B2B CMO who happily moved to a new company after this strange encounter. “The funniest part was that the bot asked me to reconsider,” the amused CMO shared. This AI-first approach hasn’t helped that company’s Glassdoor ratings and begs the question, where are the lines when it comes to automating specific roles, if not entire departments?

Let’s stay on this example before opening the aperture

I can see an investor saying, “Who cares if our Glassdoor ratings decline when our operating costs are much lower?” Well, let’s start with every future potential hire. Unless you never want to hire again, you’re looking at higher recruiting costs and a weaker recruitment base. Even if you can live with that, you’ll likely see the impact on your pipeline since many buyers check Glassdoor for insights, as do LLMs.

I'm Not Saying Don't Automate. Just Think It Through

Earlier this month, Gartner issued a report, “Rehiring Human Agents to Replace AI is 2025’s Latest Trend.” This followed the headline-grabbing stories about Klarna’s now-aborted efforts to replace their customer service agents with bots. Klarna’s customer service ratings tanked during their brief bot-only period. Duolingo faced a similar backlash when it announced it would replace all of its “human contractors” with machines, forcing it to abandon its plan and its once-booming presence on TikTok.

Don't Conflate Efficiency with Effectiveness

This is particularly important for marketers as they evaluate when, where, and how to deploy AI. Most of the marketing leaders in CMO Huddles are using LLMs to crank out a wide range of content. No doubt, the creation time has accelerated dramatically (75-90% faster). Most also swear that their content is as good or even better than before, especially when there is a highly skilled editor or designer in the loop. So far, so good?

Good Isn't Good Enough

Because it is so easy to create good content, your competitors no doubt have flooded the market with equally good stuff. Your content must now be great. To get there will take savvy humans with judgment AND a bot management process that forces the LLMs to help your content cut through. One member of our community has two GPTs, one to draft the content and another to edit it ruthlessly. And a human review process.

Resist the Pressure to Replace Your Staff with Bots

Instead, reimagine your team filled with utility players who can think broadly about your business and help execute in all areas (thanks to their LLM-assistants). The more seasoned the staffer, the more autonomy you can give them (assuming you trust their judgement). Keep hiring junior staffers with high levels of curiosity, expect to train them on your tools, and don’t be surprised when they add value faster than they ever could before.

Human-first marketing will be a competitive advantage. So says this human.

Written by Drew Neisser

Listen Here | From Renegade Marketers Unite, Episode 468: Demand-Side Sales: The Forces Behind Every Yes

Every customer reaches a turning point. Something's not working the way it used to. And now they're ready for change. That's when your product appears as a possibility. But if you lead with features or force-fit personas, you'll miss the real energy behind their decision. That's why Bob Moesta starts with struggle.

In this episode, he joins Drew to discuss how demand forms through struggling moments, not random needs, and why nobody buys any product randomly, ever. As the author of Demand-Side Sales 101 and a longtime builder and educator, Bob shares how to identify that momentum, map the forces behind a decision, and reframe sales and marketing as tools for understanding what buyers are really trying to solve.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why buying decisions start with struggling moments

• How to ask questions that surface energy, not just answers

• The four forces shaping decisions: push, pull, anxiety, habit

• How to spot what customers switch from and why

• Why the buyer vs. user distinction matters in B2B

Tune in to hear how demand really forms and how to spot it when it does.

For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcast/

“I’m proud to report that Marketing is leading the AI initiatives at our company,” said a CMO at a $400M SaaS firm. No one rolled their eyes. Heads nodded. This wasn’t bravado; it's just business as usual, at least in our community.

But that’s not the story we typically hear, is it? In the broader narrative, AI is the wild west. CMOs are either “dabbling,” “overwhelmed,” or drowning in vendor pitches. Most exec teams are still in the "what do we do with this thing?" stage.

And yet, in three separate Huddles this month, we saw something different: a quiet revolution in motion.

CMOs weren’t just experimenting with GenAI. CMOs were orchestrating it. Driving it. Owning it.

Here’s how...

Start with a Strategy (and a Few Custom GPTs)

Savvy CMOs aren’t chasing shiny objects. They’re setting clear priorities—starting with branded GPTs to unify team voice and content quality. These tools act as internal brand guardians, enabling everyone to write like the company should sound, drawing from the same trusted sources.

Support Sales Like a Strategist

Forget static battle cards. The frontrunners are building GPTs for the sales org—loaded with objection handling, persona insights, competitive intel, and CRO-style tone. When a rep says, “I’ve got a frustrated IT buyer at 2pm,” the AI spits out prep faster than you can say “closed-won.”

Creative First Drafts? AI’s Got It

100% of the 40+ CMOs who joined June’s Peer Huddles are using GenAI for content creation. From Jasper to custom GPTs to MidJourney for visual exploration, AI handles messy first drafts while humans apply the polish. One team runs content through two GPTs; one for writing, one for scrubbing out buzzwords, emojis, and em dashes.

Time-Saving Workflows (Built by CMOs)

One CMO used Replit and HubSpot to build a one-click campaign generator that assembles emails, landing pages, and social posts in under five minutes. Another swapped three time-sucking workflows for AI-powered alternatives and asked the team to do the same.

Digital Doubles & Strategic Smarts

Here’s where it gets spicy. Some Huddlers are building digital twins of their CEO, CRO, and CFO; GPTs are trained in executive tone, past presentations, and Slack history. The goal? Sanity checks before board meetings and messaging alignment without the calendar chase.

Listening at Scale = Synthetic Empathy

Perhaps the most exciting: Using AI to mine thousands of customer conversations from Gong, support, and win/loss calls to build “customer truth engines.” These CMOs aren’t guessing what customers want; they hear it in stereo.

The Result Across All These Use Cases?

Not just faster work. Smarter teams. Better alignment. Sharper strategy. Most importantly, CMOs are earning a seat at the AI strategy table (often at the head).

So yes, Marketing is leading AI. The only question is: Are you?

Written by Drew Neisser

Listen Here | From Renegade Marketers Unite, Episode 467: The Strategy-First MarTech Stack

AI tools. CDPs. DAMs. Shiny objects everywhere. It’s easy to fall for the promise of more tech. But without a plan, that stack starts stacking you. Martech only performs when every platform has a purpose, every user is accountable, and every dollar spent ties back to a strategic outcome.

Drew is joined by Kathie Johnson (formerly Sitecore) and Kris Salazar (Appcast) to talk MarTech headaches, from stack bloat to AI overload to the brutal cost of tools no one’s using. Because building a smarter stack means cutting dead weight, keeping what helps, and making sure every platform has a champion who’s accountable for its impact.

In this episode:

• Kathie on using MarTech maps and AI to get a 30% efficiency boost
• Kris on quarterly audits, tool ownership, and measurable outcomes
• Why both agree that stack success starts with strategy and ownership

Plus:

• What to look for in a tech audit
• Why data clarity is the key to real personalization
• How to avoid tech for tech’s sake
• The spending rule that keeps budgets balanced

Tune in for a reality check on what it takes to make your MarTech stack deliver without adding more to the pile.

For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcast/

“My CEO has always been abusive, but until recently, it wasn’t directed at me,” exclaimed an exasperated 2x CMO from a $350mil fintech company. “It’s particularly frustrating because marketing has over-delivered on every possible metric, including revenue,” the CMO added. Inside, I'm seething. Outside, I’m all empathy while trying to tease out what’s happening here.

A Rant to All the Abusive CEOs Out There

Get it together, dude or dudette. Hire an anger management coach and or a therapist. We don’t care what kind of pressure you’re under. If you can’t deal with it, then you’re in the wrong role. Being abusive to employees, like shaming a direct report in front of their peers, is unproductive, demoralizing, and self-defeating.

There Is No Excuse for Abuse

Now, back to this specific situation. It turns out the CEO had a new favorite on the leadership team and was now crushing on the CRO. And for whatever messed-up reason, the CEO just fell out of love with the CMO. It clearly wasn’t performance-related. Since both the CEO and CRO were men, perhaps it was a "bro" thing. Ultimately, “why” didn't matter as much as “What now?”

Moving On to the Action Plan: Offense (Not Offensive)

My first thought was that the CEO’s behavior must be obvious to the others on the Leadership Team and maybe the board. If so, the board could encourage the CEO to hire a leadership coach. Unfortunately, the board was stacked with bros appointed by the CEO. The other leaders, also male, just accepted the occasional abuse as part of their jobs.

Dealing with Diminishers

Liz Wiseman’s book Multipliers outlines a number of brilliant moves for managing sub-optimal bosses (aka “diminishers). In the case of the “Tyrant,” noted for creating a tense environment where people are afraid to speak up, Liz suggests:

• Avoiding direct confrontation. Instead, model calm, clear communications
• Asking questions rather than challenging authority
• Creating “safe zones” where ideas can be developed before presenting them

GenAI to the Rescue?

Many of you have considered creating a digital twin to help you with decision-making. Let’s push this idea a bit further.

Create a Digital Twin of Your Boss

Describe the personality of your boss in detail (use your personal GPT, not the company’s!). Be as specific as possible, including quotes from conversations with you and others. Ask your GPT to provide a personality assessment. Then, start describing the upcoming situations and role-play with your GPT. Continue to feed conversations into your GPT over the next few months.

In addition to helping you anticipate bad behavior (which can take the sting out of it), it will give you the psychological strength to say to yourself, “It’s not me. I’m a leader and a damn good one at that. I’m resilient, resourceful, and wiley. And I’m prepared to use every tool at my disposal.”

Perhaps they’ll grow by watching you.

Written by Drew Neisser