The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström®: Expert Mode Marketing Technology, AI, & CX - podcast cover

The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström®: Expert Mode Marketing Technology, AI, & CX

The Agile Brandwww.theagilebrand.show
Expert mode marketing technology, AI, and CX insights from top brands and Martech platforms fill every episode, focusing on what leaders need to know to build customer lifetime value and long-term business value. The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström® features executives and thought leaders from top brands and tech platforms discussing the industry's trends, like AI adoption, first-party data strategies, artificial intelligence in the consumer journey, consumer data privacy, omnichannel customer experience, and more. The Agile Brand is hosted by Greg Kihlström, martech and artificial intelligence transformation advisor and consultant to leading brands, speaker, entrepreneur, and best-selling author. It provides a fresh perspective on the continually evolving dynamic between brands and the audiences they serve.
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Episodes

#798: Phill Agnew of the Nudge Podcast on the psychology of successful marketing and CX

In a world obsessed with Martech optimization and AI, is the most overlooked competitive advantage simply understanding how the human brain actually works? Agility requires more than just adapting to new technologies; it requires a deep, empathetic understanding of the timeless human behaviors that drive customer decisions. Today, we're going to talk about the intersection of marketing and human psychology. We'll explore how understanding cognitive biases and behavioral science isn't just an aca...

Jan 14, 202635 minSeason 8Ep. 798

#797: Vitam CMO Lisa Avvocato on AI's Growing Role from Search to Transaction

With AI like ChatGPT now handling the customer journey from search to potentially the entire transaction, are we about to witness the end of the brand website as the primary point of conversion? Agility requires not just reacting to new technologies like AI, but proactively redesigning the core operating model of the marketing organization. It demands a shift from mastering a set of fixed channels to building a flexible system that can learn, test, and scale with entirely new platforms for disco...

Jan 12, 202628 minSeason 7Ep. 797

#796: Shutterstock's Allison Sitzman on how to counter the marketing impact gap

What if I told you that for every new dollar you’ve added to your marketing budget in the last two years, your actual impact on customers has gone down? Agility requires moving beyond the muscle memory of simply increasing ad spend. It demands a continuous reassessment of what truly connects with customers and a willingness to pivot creative strategy based on real-time cultural and emotional insights. Today, we're going to talk about a paradox that's likely keeping many marketing leaders up at n...

Jan 09, 202631 minSeason 8Ep. 796

#795: Resident Expert: Novi CEO Kimberly Shenk on how agentic AI changes buyer's journey

This episode is brought to you by Novi. Novi is the infrastructure powering brand growth in AI commerce. By connecting brands, certification bodies, and major retailers, Novi ensures verified product data is accurate, consistent, and surfaced where shoppers and AI models search, turning credibility into authority, visibility, and conversion. Learn more at noviconnect.com As we look ahead to the next holiday season, will your marketing strategy even matter if an AI agent is making the final recom...

Jan 08, 202631 minSeason 8Ep. 795

#794: LiveRamp CMO Jessica Shapiro on building brand trust while automating at scale

With AI poised to generate nearly infinite content, personalization, and experiences, is the single most important thing marketers should be focused on actually something that can’t be automated at all? Agility requires not just adopting new technologies, but knowing when and how to double down on timeless human principles. It’s about integrating the power of AI without losing the soul of the brand. Today, we're going to talk about the unexpected paradox of the AI revolution. As artificial intel...

Jan 07, 202629 minSeason 8Ep. 794

#793: PAN Communications CMO Mark Nardone on 2026 predictions and staying ahead of GEO

What if the foundation of your digital strategy, your corporate website, is becoming less important than the conversations happening about your brand in places you don't control? Agility requires a fundamental shift in mindset, moving beyond just broadcasting your message on owned channels to actively shaping the narrative across an entire ecosystem you don't fully control. Today, we're going to talk about how generative AI is creating a new layer between your brand and your customers, changing ...

Jan 05, 202629 minSeason 8Ep. 793

#792: Replay: Increasing speed to insights with Sid Banerjee, Medallia

As the year wraps up, we are replaying some of our favorite conversations from 2025, including this one! What could your CX teams do to strategically move your brand forward if they weren’t tethered to dashboards? Agility requires CX teams to move beyond reactive reporting and embrace proactive insight delivery. In an era where insights are instantly available through conversational AI, the strategic role of CX is about to shift—big time. Today we’re going to talk about how AI is reshaping custo...

Jan 02, 202630 minSeason 7Ep. 792

#791: Replay: Lovesac CEO Shawn D. Nelson on building a resilient brand in an uncertain world

As the year wraps up, we are replaying some of our favorite conversations from 2025, including this one! What if bankruptcy, a global financial crisis, and other hurdles along the way aren’t the end of your brand, but instead a way to help you define what it truly is? Agility requires a willingness to experiment and adapt, not just in your technology stack, but also in your organizational structure and the very culture of your company. It also demands a deep understanding of your customer and a ...

Dec 31, 202529 minSeason 7Ep. 791

#790: Replay: Building stronger customer relationships using AI with Noah Zamansky, Stitch Fix

As the year wraps up, we are replaying some of our favorite conversations from 2025, including this one! AI can create immersive, human-centric experiences that not only drive sales but also foster enduring brand relationships in a rapidly evolving market. Today we’re going to talk about how AI-driven personalization allows retailers to move beyond generic experiences, crafting unique interactions that resonate with individual preferences and behaviors, thereby enhancing customer satisfaction an...

Dec 29, 202527 minSeason 7Ep. 790

#789: Replay: What happens to your KPIs when both CLV and Customer Acquisition Costs rise? With Jamie Domenici, Klaviyo

As the year wraps up, we are replaying some of our favorite conversations from 2025, including this one! Customer lifetime value is a critical KPI, but with customer acquisition costs rapidly rising, what can brands do to successfully build long-term value for the business? Agility requires seeing past vanity metrics to the durable value hidden in customer relationships. When customer acquisition costs climb and privacy affects easy targeting, only nimble brands—those that align teams, data, and...

Dec 26, 202525 minSeason 7Ep. 789

#788: Year-end review with Greg Kihlström, The Agile Brand

In this episode I’m going to do something a little different. As we wind down for the year, we’re going to be running some of our favorites from 2025 until the new year begins. Let’s take a look back at some of the overall themes discussed and point out a few highlights for me. I won’t be able to highlight everything of course but I found 5 themes really interesting. And, I won’t lie - I had a little help from AI in doing this. But that’s also kind of the point. We have all been using AI to do t...

Dec 24, 202516 minSeason 7Ep. 788

#787: Tray.ai's Stephen Stouffer on AI adoption and why marketers should care about the integration layer

Why are so many companies spending billions on AI, only to see their most ambitious projects stall out before they ever impact the customer experience? Agility requires more than just a fast-moving marketing team. It requires the foundational ability to connect disparate systems and data sources, allowing new technologies like AI to be implemented and scaled, not just piloted. Today, we're going to talk about the single biggest, and often overlooked, blocker to enterprise AI adoption: the integr...

Dec 22, 202526 minSeason 7Ep. 787

#786: Thrad CEO Andrea Tortella on advertising in your conversational AI

What if the most valuable part of your next conversation with an AI wasn't the answer it gave, but the ad it served? Agility requires more than just adopting new platforms; it demands a complete re-imagination of how brands provide value within them. It challenges us to move from interruption to integration, ensuring our presence is not only seen but welcomed. Today, we're going to talk about a potentially significant shift in digital marketing: the collision of conversational AI and advertising...

Dec 19, 202532 minSeason 7Ep. 786

#785: Avaya CTO David Funck on building persistent memory of the customer with AI

What if every AI interaction with a customer built upon the last, instead of starting from scratch every single time, or at least having it feel that way? Agility requires not just reacting quickly to customer needs, but learning continuously from every interaction to anticipate the next one. This means our technology, especially our AI, can't operate with amnesia; it must have a persistent, shared memory. Today, we're going to talk about breaking down the silos between our AI systems. We'll exp...

Dec 17, 202526 minSeason 7Ep. 785

#784: Monday.com Global Creative Director Robbie Ferrara on clarifying the benefits of AI

What if the biggest risk in deploying AI isn't the technology itself, but how your team is able to understand its most significant benefits? Agility requires more than just adapting your technology stack; it demands a flexible brand narrative and a creative approach that can evolve with customer sentiment and cultural shifts. This is particularly true when tackling a topic as hyped and misunderstood as artificial intelligence. Today, we're going to talk about what it takes to break the mold of t...

Dec 15, 202528 minSeason 7Ep. 784

#783: Typeface CMO Jason Ing on the paradox of hyper personalization and brand consistency

What happens when your brand has a million different voices speaking to a million different customers? Is that the pinnacle of personalization, or is it just brand chaos? Agility requires both the speed to personalize content for every individual as well as the control to ensure every one of those interactions faithfully represents the core brand. Today, we're going to talk about resolving one of the biggest paradoxes in modern marketing: achieving hyper-personalization at massive scale, without...

Dec 12, 202529 minSeason 7Ep. 783

#782: Salesforce Marketing Cloud CMO Bobby Jania on the end of "Do Not Reply" marketing

What if the most damaging phrase in your marketing isn't a four-letter word, but three simple ones: "Do Not Reply"? Agility requires more than just moving fast; it requires breaking down the walls between departments to respond to customer needs in the moment they happen. It’s about empowering every part of the organization to act as one cohesive brand, turning every interaction into a meaningful conversation. Today, we're going to talk about the end of an era: of one-way, impersonal, "do not re...

Dec 10, 202525 minSeason 7Ep. 782

#781: CommerceIQ CMO Sai Koppala on retailer resilience through intelligent operations

What if the biggest threat to your brand’s profitability isn’t the next tariff or supply chain disruption, but an outdated playbook that forces you to choose between raising prices on loyal customers or sacrificing your margins? Agility requires more than just reacting quickly to market changes; it requires the intelligence to anticipate them and automate the optimal response. Today, we're going to talk about how leading retail brands are navigating complex economic pressures like tariffs and in...

Dec 08, 202526 minSeason 7Ep. 781

#780: Third-party partner experience and security with Haider Iqbal, Thales

What if the biggest threat to your brand’s agility and security isn't a competitor, but the welcome mat you lay out for your own partners? Agility requires not just the ability to move quickly, but the confidence to do so securely. It’s about building a foundation of trust that enables seamless collaboration without introducing unnecessary risk. Today, we're going to talk about a critical, yet often overlooked, aspect of brand agility: the digital experience we provide to our third-party partner...

Dec 05, 202531 minSeason 7Ep. 780

#779: Denodo CMO Ravi Shankar on why good data is critical to AI success

What if the multi-million dollar AI initiative you're championing is being silently sabotaged, not by a competitor, but by your own data infrastructure? Agility requires more than just fast decision-making; it requires a data foundation that can deliver insights at the speed of business, without the traditional delays of moving and duplicating information. This ability to access and act on real-time, comprehensive data is what separates brands that lead from those that follow. Today, we're going...

Dec 04, 202527 minSeason 7Ep. 779

#778: Intuit Mailchimp's Diana Williams on moving from fragmentation to holiday sales success

During the chaos of the holiday season, is it possible for small retailers to turn their fragmented customer data into a perfectly timed, personalized marketing, or are they destined to just add to the noise? Agility requires not just collecting customer data from every channel, but having the insight and tools to act on it in the moments that matter most. It’s the ability to translate a customer signal into a relevant experience, instantly. Today, we're going to talk about how small and mid-siz...

Dec 03, 202529 minSeason 7Ep. 778

#777: Cisco's Chang Chang on how AI is turning the contact center into a profit center

Is your contact center ready to become a profit center? Agility requires not just adopting new technologies like AI, but also fundamentally rethinking how we structure our teams, measure success, and interact with customers. It demands a willingness to experiment, learn, and adapt quickly in a constantly evolving landscape. Today, we're going to talk about how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the contact center, transforming it from a cost center into a driver of customer loyalty and r...

Dec 01, 202526 minSeason 7Ep. 777

#776: Black Friday Special: Zappi CMO Nataly Kelly on the high-stakes world of holiday advertising

In a world drowning in data, is the 'big creative idea' for a holiday campaign an endangered species, or is it more critical than ever? Agility requires not just moving fast, but moving with confidence. It's the ability to validate creative instincts with real-world data, ensuring that your biggest bets are also your smartest ones. Today, we're going to talk about the high-stakes world of holiday advertising and the delicate balance between creative magic and data-driven methodology. We’re going...

Nov 28, 202526 minSeason 7Ep. 776

#775: ZICO Coconut Water Founder Mark Rampolla on brand integrity and the courage to make tough decisions

For most entrepreneurs, the exit is the goal, as well as the end of at least that part of their story. But what if the end is actually a new beginning? Agility requires a deep understanding of your brand's core purpose and the conviction to protect it. This often means having the courage to reverse a decision that was once seen as the ultimate success. Today, we're going to talk about brand integrity, the founder's paradox of building a company to sell, and what happens when you get a second cha...

Nov 26, 202529 minSeason 7Ep. 775

#774: Seel CRO Laura Huddle on seeing customer returns as an opportunity

What if the most dreaded part of your customer's journey: the return, was actually your biggest untapped opportunity for growth? Agility requires brands to re-examine every part of the customer journey, especially the challenging post-purchase phase, and find hidden opportunities to adapt and strengthen customer relationships. It demands we turn operational liabilities into strategic assets. Today, we're going to talk about something that many retailers see as a pure cost center: customer return...

Nov 25, 202522 minSeason 7Ep. 774

#773: Building loyalty and trust through focused innovation with Lindsey Kling, Coterie

How can your brand build genuine loyalty that translates into long-term business value when customer expectations continually evolve? Agility demands a deep understanding of your customer, a willingness to experiment, and the ability to pivot quickly when needed. Today, we're going to talk about building loyalty and trust through focused innovation, specifically within the competitive landscape of the baby care market. To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Lindsey Kling, SVP Brand ...

Nov 24, 202528 minSeason 7Ep. 773

#772: Contentful CMO Elizabeth Maxson on AI-augmented human creativity in marketing

With increased AI Adoption, is the most valuable skill for a modern marketer empathy with customers, or is it successfully prompting? Contentful, in partnership with Atlantic Insights, The Atlantic’s marketing research division, recently conducted a study of over 425 marketing decision makers including 103 CMOs. This study, “When Machines Make Marketers More Human,” challenges the notion that AI will replace many marketing functions and instead demonstrates how AI can amplify marketers’ effectiv...

Nov 21, 202524 minSeason 7Ep. 772

#771: Design Systems as a Digital Transformation Catalyst with Nigel Dennis, The Office of Experience

What if the very system you invested in to create brand consistency and efficiency is now the biggest thing slowing down your digital transformation and costing you innovation? Agility requires more than just speed; it demands a shared language and a foundational framework that allows teams to build, test, and innovate without being crushed by the weight of their own complexity. This episode is brought to you by The Office of Experience, a design-driven, digital-first, vertically integrated and ...

Nov 20, 202529 minSeason 7Ep. 771

#770: Constant Contact CEO Frank Vella on how B2B marketers and SMBs can partner for success

Is the increasing investment in marketing by SMBs a sign of growth and optimism, or is it masking a deeper struggle with confidence and effectiveness? Agility requires not only adapting to the rapid pace of technological change but also understanding the core challenges faced by your customers, like SMBs struggling to measure marketing ROI. It also demands a willingness to simplify complex tools and processes, empowering businesses to achieve more with less. Today, we're going to talk about the ...

Nov 19, 202523 minSeason 7Ep. 770

#769: Zoom CMO Kim Storin on why growth problems are often brand problems

In a world obsessed with conversion rates and customer acquisition costs, have we forgotten the one thing that actually makes both of them better? Agility requires more than just the ability to react quickly to market signals. It demands a stable, strategic core—a brand—that provides the necessary context and direction to ensure your pivots are purposeful, not just panicked. Today, we're going to talk about a fundamental truth that many organizations are wrestling with: what looks like a growth ...

Nov 17, 202528 minSeason 7Ep. 769
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