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

What happens when the thing evaluating your brand isn't a person — but an agent shopping on their behalf, one that doesn't respond to a great story and doesn't care how your homepage makes anyone feel?Agility has usually meant adapting faster than the market. This is a different kind of adaptation: the audience itself is changing shape, and the brands that handle it well will be the ones that adapt without becoming unrecognizable in the process.Today, we're going to talk about:- What actually changes for a brand when autonomous agents enter the discovery and purchase path- Creating content that holds up to an agent's evaluation without flattening into sameness- Closing the AI capability gap inside marketing teams — and what that unlocksTo help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Rachel Thornton, CMO Enterprise at Adobe.About Rachel ThorntonRachel Thornton is committed to helping businesses create amazing customer experiences at the intersection of marketing, creativity and AI. As Chief Marketing Officer for Adobe's enterprise business, Rachel is responsible for Adobe's global enterprise Creativity & Productivity and Customer Experience Orchestration marketing.Rachel develops marketing, messaging, positioning strategies and activations that expand awareness of Adobe as the world's best marketing and AI platform for delivering brand-changing customer experiences. Her team amplifies Adobe's unique enterprise story in ways that energize, celebrate and empower CMOs and experience makers worldwide.Rachel has more than 25 years of experience in B2B technology marketing, having held leadership roles at Amazon/AWS, Salesforce, Cisco Systems and Microsoft. She has deep experience building and scaling enterprise marketing, customer acquisition, and self-service revenue contributions.Rachel Thornton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhthornton/---------- Resources ---------- : adobe.comThe Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://aglbrnd.co/r/2868abd8085a9703Reach your customers with Reddit. Spend $500 in ad spend, get $500 back in ad credit! Learn more: https://advertalize.com/r/491818c79fb1873fEnjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show at: https://aglbrnd.co/r/faaed112fc9887f3Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/35ded3ccfb6716baCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.comThe Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

In an era where personalization is king, can a brand truly be sustainable, or are we just using new technology to fuel the same old consumption patterns?Agility requires a willingness to challenge established business models and integrate new technologies not just for efficiency, but for purpose. It demands we rethink the entire value chain, from production to the end of a product's life.Today, we're going to talk about the intersection of artificial intelligence, sustainability, and retail. We'll explore how technology isn't just a tool for optimization, but a catalyst for building entirely new, purpose-driven business models that challenge the status quo of consumerism.To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Anya Cheng, CEO at Taelor. About Anya ChengAnya Cheng is the Founder & CEO of Taelor, an AI-powered men's clothing subscription service promoting sustainable fashion. A Silicon Valley entrepreneur, she has been recognized among "Girls in Tech 40 Under 40" for her expertise in tech product management and marketing. Anya played a pivotal role in launching Facebook and Instagram Shopping at Meta, led new business expansion at eBay, and helped grow McDonald’s global food delivery. She also shaped Target’s mobile commerce and has led teams in AI, product management, UX, and marketing across Fortune 500 companies. Her work has earned 20+ prestigious awards, including the Webby Award for Best Shopping App, Best Mobile App Award, and The Communicator Award. A best-selling author, adjunct professor, and two-time TED speaker, she lectures at Northwestern University and 500 Global and is a sought-after keynote speaker. Anya’s award-winning venture, Taelor, won first place at Draper University’s Startup Competition and was named a Startup to Watch by Bay Area Inno. She holds a Master’s in Integrated Marketing Communications from Northwestern University and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.Anya Cheng on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anyacheng/---------- Resources ---------- Taelor: https://www.taelor.aiThe Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://aglbrnd.co/r/2868abd8085a9703We’re proud to be a media partner for #MAICON26 - Oct. 13-15! Learn how AI can power your marketing and business and help you grow smarter. Use code AGILE150 to save! https://aglbrnd.co/r/7fe458ced0f04658Reach your customers with Reddit. Spend $500 in ad spend, get $500 back in ad credit! Learn more: https://advertalize.com/r/491818c79fb1873fChaser is the only Slack-native project management platform that helps teams turn messages into tracked tasks, automate follow-ups, and maintain team-wide visibility, without adopting another tool. Now integrated with Claude and other GenAI tools. Learn more at trychaser.com and use code AGILEBRAND for a 3-month free trial (normal trial is 14 days).The most influential minds in software, AI, and engineering leadership will be at WeAreDevelopers World Congress North America, September 23-25 in San Jose. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/60a7299222a7bcf1Start building your own apps with Replit and get $20 off. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/93531742a7625a20Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show at: https://aglbrnd.co/r/faaed112fc9887f3Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/35ded3ccfb6716baCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.comThe Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

What if your biggest CX innovation is also your biggest source of customer churn?Agility requires a clear-eyed view of both the promise and the peril of new technologies. It’s the ability to embrace innovation like AI not just for efficiency, but with a rigorous focus on the customer outcomes that build long-term value.Today, we're going to talk about the delicate balance of implementing AI in the customer experience. Specifically, we'll explore the rise of sophisticated, agentic AI voice bots, and the critical "dealbreakers" that cause customers to abandon interactions and, potentially, your brand altogether.To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Sushil Kumar, CEO at Cyara.About Sushil KumarSushil leads Cyara’s strategy and growth with a vision to redefine how enterprises build trustworthy, AI-driven customer experiences. A builder at heart, he has spent his career creating platforms that change how software is engineered, validated, and delivered. His focus is helping global organizations achieve new levels of reliability, speed, and customer trust. Before joining Cyara, Sushil was the co-founder and CEO of RelicX.ai, a generative AI test automation pioneer acquired by Harness. He previously led major product and business organizations at Oracle, CA Technologies, and Broadcom, where he built and scaled category-defining AI, DevOps, and cloud solutions adopted by thousands of enterprises worldwide. With more than 25 years of experience leading high-growth teams and multi-hundred-million-dollar product lines, Sushil is known for blending deep technical insight with a pragmatic, product-first approach to leadership. His work centers on transforming how modern software and customer experiences are created, making them more resilient, more intelligent, and more human. Sushil holds a Bachelor of Technology from BIT Sindri and an MBA from the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.Sushil Kumar on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sushil-kumar-343780/---------- Resources ---------- Cyara: cyara.comThe Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://aglbrnd.co/r/2868abd8085a9703We’re proud to be a media partner for #MAICON26 - Oct. 13-15! Learn how AI can power your marketing and business and help you grow smarter. Use code AGILE150 to save! https://aglbrnd.co/r/7fe458ced0f04658Reach your customers with Reddit. Spend $500 in ad spend, get $500 back in ad credit! Learn more: https://advertalize.com/r/491818c79fb1873fChaser is the only Slack-native project management platform that helps teams turn messages into tracked tasks, automate follow-ups, and maintain team-wide visibility, without adopting another tool. Now integrated with Claude and other GenAI tools. Learn more at trychaser.com and use code AGILEBRAND for a 3-month free trial (normal trial is 14 days).The most influential minds in software, AI, and engineering leadership will be at WeAreDevelopers World Congress North America, September 23-25 in San Jose. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/60a7299222a7bcf1Start building your own apps with Replit and get $20 off. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/93531742a7625a20Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show at: https://aglbrnd.co/r/faaed112fc9887f3Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/35ded3ccfb6716baCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.comThe Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

"As algorithms and AI increasingly automate the ""what"" and the ""how"" of marketing, what is the enduring value of human creativity, and how do we prove its worth?Agility requires not just adapting our tools, but fundamentally rethinking how we define, nurture, and measure creative value in a world increasingly guided by machine logic.Today, we're going to talk about the intersection of brand creativity and artificial intelligence. We’ll explore:- Why brand distinctiveness becomes a critical differentiator when algorithms favor homogeneity.- The new operational model for creative teams, where human judgment guides machine-speed execution.- Strategies for building lasting brand memory in a media landscape optimized for short-term performance.To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Jason Ippen, Vice President, Brand Strategy & Content at Georgia-Pacific.  About Jason Ippen Jason Ippen is Vice President, Brand Strategy & Content at Georgia-Pacific, where he leads brand strategy, innovation and marketing for a portfolio of some of the country's most recognized consumer brands. Over the course of more than 16 years with the company, he has held leadership roles across brands including Quilted Northern, Sparkle and Vanity Fair, helping drive growth through consumer insight, product innovation and brand building.Jason has more than 25 years of experience spanning consumer packaged goods, marketing and general management. He earned an MBA from Columbia Business School and a bachelor's degree from Colgate University. Jason Ippen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-ippen-1120086/ ---------- Resources ----------  : https://www.gp.com/ The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://aglbrnd.co/r/2868abd8085a9703 We’re proud to be a media partner for #MAICON26 - Oct. 13-15! Learn how AI can power your marketing and business and help you grow smarter. Use code AGILE150 to save! https://aglbrnd.co/r/7fe458ced0f04658Reach your customers with Reddit. Spend $500 in ad spend, get $500 back in ad credit! Learn more: https://advertalize.com/r/491818c79fb1873fChaser is the only Slack-native project management platform that helps teams turn messages into tracked tasks, automate follow-ups, and maintain team-wide visibility, without adopting another tool. Now integrated with Claude and other GenAI tools. Learn more at trychaser.com and use code AGILEBRAND for a 3-month free trial (normal trial is 14 days).The most influential minds in software, AI, and engineering leadership will be at WeAreDevelopers World Congress North America, September 23-25 in San Jose. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/60a7299222a7bcf1 Start building your own apps with Replit and get $20 off. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/93531742a7625a20  Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show at: https://aglbrnd.co/r/faaed112fc9887f3 Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/35ded3ccfb6716ba Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com  The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company"

In a world obsessed with optimizing the ad tech supply chain, what if the focus on 'shorter' paths is a complete misdirection from building 'smarter' ones that actually align with brand value?Agility requires brands to move beyond incremental optimization and fundamentally rethink their media operating models. It’s about building a framework that is inherently resilient to platform shifts, privacy changes, and evolving audience expectations.Today, we're going to talk about the disconnect between the technical ad tech conversation and the strategic needs of the brand. We’ll explore how leaders can bridge this gap by focusing on smarter media paths, curated inventory, and an operating model built for long-term value creation.To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Bob Regular, CEO at Infolinks Media. Bob, welcome to the show! About Bob RegularBob Regular is a long-established pioneer in the digital media industry with over 25 years of advertising experience. As CEO of Infolinks Media, he drives the company’s mission to provide innovative contextual and native advertising solutions to web publishers and advertisers worldwide. Bob has founded and scaled multiple digital businesses, generating over $1 billion in revenue, and he is the founder and managing partner of Delivering Yield, an investment and advisory firm focused on advancing digital media through strategic investments. With extensive experience in capital raising, he has successfully secured over $250 million in funding and excels in operating ad platforms, developing products, training teams, and implementing efficient processes to meet the industry's evolving needs. Known for his entrepreneurial spirit and visionary leadership, Bob continues to influence the future of digital advertising, significantly contributing to Infolinks' success and the broader digital media ecosystem, with a mission to transform the landscape by leveraging data, technology, and creativity to enhance advertising effectiveness. Bob Regular on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rregular ---------- Resources ---------- Infolinks Media: The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://aglbrnd.co/r/2868abd8085a9703 We’re proud to be a media partner for #MAICON26 - Oct. 13-15! Learn how AI can power your marketing and business and help you grow smarter. Use code AGILE150 to save! https://aglbrnd.co/r/7fe458ced0f04658Reach your customers with Reddit. Spend $500 in ad spend, get $500 back in ad credit! Learn more: https://advertalize.com/r/491818c79fb1873fChaser is the only Slack-native project management platform that helps teams turn messages into tracked tasks, automate follow-ups, and maintain team-wide visibility, without adopting another tool. Now integrated with Claude and other GenAI tools. Learn more at trychaser.com and use code AGILEBRAND for a 3-month free trial (normal trial is 14 days).The most influential minds in software, AI, and engineering leadership will be at WeAreDevelopers World Congress North America, September 23-25 in San Jose. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/60a7299222a7bcf1 Start building your own apps with Replit and get $20 off. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/93531742a7625a20 Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show at: https://aglbrnd.co/r/faaed112fc9887f3 Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/35ded3ccfb6716ba Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

In the race to implement AI for operational efficiency, are we accidentally designing the essential human elements of creativity, judgment, and trust out of our organizations?Agility requires not just the rapid adoption of new technologies like AI, but the deliberate and human-centered redesign of the culture and processes that support them.Today, we're going to talk about:- Why AI adoption is less about the technology itself and more about a fundamental cultural paradigm shift within your organization.- Balancing AI-driven efficiency with the essential human elements of creativity, judgment, and empathy to create superior customer and employee experiences.- How complex industries like healthcare can serve as a model for using AI to democratize knowledge and empower consumers.To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Stephanie Trunzo, Chief Executive Officer at MERGE. Stephanie, welcome to the show!About Stephanie TrunzoStephanie Trunzo is CEO of MERGE and a veteran tech and health leader with 20+ years of experience in technology, marketing, health, and storytelling. Formerly SVP and General Manager at Oracle, where she launched Oracle Health and led the Cerner acquisition, she also held executive roles at IBM and was President/COO of PointSource. As a recent addition to MERGE’s board in 2024, Stephanie is poised to drive the company's growth at the dynamic intersection of consumerism and health and wellness. A pioneer in AI with over 20 patents, she’s recognized for her thought leadership and was named to the Frist Cressey Ventures Collective in 2024. In 2026, she received an MM+M Pinnacle Award, and under her leadership, MERGE was named 2025 Agency of the Year and made the 2026 MM+M Agency 100 list. Stephanie Trunzo on LinkedIn ---------- Resources ---------- MERGE MERGE is a marketing and technology agency built for the intersection of health and wellness. They help organizations navigate AI, digital transformation, and emerging technologies with a human-centered approach, using storytelling and technology to create more meaningful connections with the people they serve. We’re proud to be a media partner for #MAICON26 - Oct. 13-15! Learn how AI can power your marketing and business and help you grow smarter. Use code AGILE150 to save! Reach your customers with Reddit. Spend $500 in ad spend, get $500 back in ad credit! Chaser is the only Slack-native project management platform that helps teams turn messages into tracked tasks, automate follow-ups, and maintain team-wide visibility, without adopting another tool. Now integrated with Claude and other GenAI tools. Learn more at trychaser.com and use code AGILEBRAND for a 3-month free trial (normal trial is 14 days).The most influential minds in software, AI, and engineering leadership will be at WeAreDevelopers World Congress North America, September 23-25 in San Jose.Start building your own apps with Replit and get $20 off. Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show.Connect with Greg on LinkedInDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more.Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology.The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content.

In the push to integrate AI into go-to-market strategies, are we optimizing for activity or for intelligence?Agility requires not just adopting new technologies like AI, but critically evaluating how they deliver contextual intelligence. It’s about adapting your strategy based on smarter signals, not just automating existing processes at a higher volume.Today, we're going to talk about moving beyond the hype of generic AI in sales and marketing to focus on what actually drives revenue. We'll explore the concept of vertical AI, specifically for go-to-market teams selling to technical audiences, and how decoding intent signals from public developer conversations can create a significant competitive advantage.To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Tal Peretz, CEO and Co-Founder at Onfire. About Tal PeretzTal Peretz is the CEO and Co-Founder of Onfire, a contextual AI platform that helps technology companies decode real-time market signals and drive revenue growth using developer and IT buyer intent data. Prior to Onfire, Tal was Chief Technology Officer at OwnID, a Tel Aviv based startup focused on identity security solutions. Tal served at the 8200 intelligence force and built and scaled advanced data and AI systems focused on large-scale entity resolution and signal intelligence. Drawing on this background, he recognized a fundamental gap in modern go-to-market technology: while AI promised precision, revenue teams were still operating on incomplete, noisy, and outdated data. Under his leadership, Onfire was designed from the ground up to solve the data layer for IT sales by combining structured third-party intelligence with first-party customer context into a continuously updated market map. Tal is married to Shai and is a proud father of two, Dan and Ran. Tal Peretz on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tal-peretz/ ---------- Resources ---------- Onfire: The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://aglbrnd.co/r/2868abd8085a9703 We’re proud to be a media partner for #MAICON26 - Oct. 13-15! Learn how AI can power your marketing and business and help you grow smarter. Use code AGILE150 to save! https://aglbrnd.co/r/7fe458ced0f04658Reach your customers with Reddit. Spend $500 in ad spend, get $500 back in ad credit! Learn more: https://advertalize.com/r/491818c79fb1873fChaser is the only Slack-native project management platform that helps teams turn messages into tracked tasks, automate follow-ups, and maintain team-wide visibility, without adopting another tool. Now integrated with Claude and other GenAI tools. Learn more at trychaser.com and use code AGILEBRAND for a 3-month free trial (normal trial is 14 days).The most influential minds in software, AI, and engineering leadership will be at WeAreDevelopers World Congress North America, September 23-25 in San Jose. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/60a7299222a7bcf1 Start building your own apps with Replit and get $20 off. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/93531742a7625a20 Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show at: https://aglbrnd.co/r/faaed112fc9887f3 Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/35ded3ccfb6716ba Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

If a brand is no longer what a company says it is, but the sum of every experience a customer has, what does that mean for the marketing department's role in the organization?Agility requires more than just adapting to market changes; it demands a fundamental shift from broadcasting a message to engineering an experience. It requires a willingness to unlearn old definitions of brand and embrace a new reality where customer perception is the ultimate truth.Today, we're going to talk about what some are calling a "reformation" in branding. It’s a move away from the traditional model of logos, slogans, and campaigns, and toward a new understanding where the brand is the cumulative effect of every single customer interaction. This shift has massive implications for organizational structure, strategy, and how we measure success.To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Lou Carbone, Professor of Practice, Michigan State University & Founder/Chief Experience Officer at Experience Engineering. About Lou CarboneLou Carbone, often called the "Godfather of Experience Management," has been a pioneer in experience engineering since the 1980s. He’s a globally recognized thought leader, author of Clued In (Fast Company’s Reader’s Choice Award winner), and co-author of award-winning research like “Sticktion.” He developed the proprietary Experience Engineering® methodology and has advised top organizations including Microsoft, IBM, John Deere, Pizza Hut UK, Allstate, and the UAE government. A frequent keynote speaker and guest lecturer at leading business schools, he’s also Professor of Practice at Michigan State University, shaping future leaders in customer experience. His innovations, like the Paperless Rental Agreement at National Car Rental, have become industry standards. He holds a Distinguished Alumni Award from Thiel College, where he also served as Board Chair, and is active on several healthcare and academic boards including Brown College. Lou also serves as a Professor of Practice in the Eli Broad Business College at Michigan State University, teaching within the Masters of Market Research and Analytics program, as well as the startup of the Masters degree in Customer Experience Management.Lou Carbone on LinkedIn---------- Resources ---------- Experience EngineeringThe Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. We’re proud to be a media partner for #MAICON26 - Oct. 13-15! Learn how AI can power your marketing and business and help you grow smarter. Use code AGILE150 to save! Reach your customers with Reddit. Spend $500 in ad spend, get $500 back in ad credit! Chaser is the only Slack-native project management platform that helps teams turn messages into tracked tasks, automate follow-ups, and maintain team-wide visibility, without adopting another tool. Now integrated with Claude and other GenAI tools. Learn more at trychaser.com and use code AGILEBRAND for a 3-month free trial (normal trial is 14 days).The most influential minds in software, AI, and engineering leadership will be at WeAreDevelopers World Congress North America, September 23-25 in San Jose.Start building your own apps with Replit and get $20 off. Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show.Connect with Greg on LinkedInDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more.Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology.The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content.

What if the marketing playbook you've relied on for the past decade is quickly failing to get results? When customers rapidly shift their behaviors, agility requires being willing to rethink how you build and earn customer relationships from the ground up.Today, we're going to talk about the shift away from rented audiences and unreliable signals toward building durable, first-party data assets. Specifically, we’ll cover:- Why the classic B2B and B2C buyer intent signals are becoming less reliable and what to look for instead.- How to navigate a new era of marketing measurement when privacy regulations and platform changes obscure the full picture.- The practical steps required to build a first-party data strategy that creates durable customer relationships, not just a larger database.To help me discuss this, I'd like to welcome, Alexi Hatch, CMO at Acoustic. About Alexi HatchAlexi Hatch is Chief Marketing Officer at Acoustic, where she leads global marketing, brand, communications, product marketing, demand generation, and go-to-market strategy. Over the past decade, Alexi has helped enterprise SaaS companies grow by building brands people remember, modernizing marketing organizations, and turning customer insight into business impact. Her work sits at the intersection of AI, customer engagement, and modern marketing leadership.She believes the next competitive advantage in marketing won't come from knowing more about customers but from responding to them better.Alexi Hatch on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexihatch/---------- Resources ---------- : acoustic.comThe Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://aglbrnd.co/r/2868abd8085a9703We’re proud to be a media partner for #MAICON26 - Oct. 13-15! Learn how AI can power your marketing and business and help you grow smarter. Use code AGILE150 to save! https://aglbrnd.co/r/7fe458ced0f04658Reach your customers with Reddit. Spend $500 in ad spend, get $500 back in ad credit! Learn more: https://advertalize.com/r/491818c79fb1873fChaser is the only Slack-native project management platform that helps teams turn messages into tracked tasks, automate follow-ups, and maintain team-wide visibility, without adopting another tool. Now integrated with Claude and other GenAI tools. Learn more at trychaser.com and use code AGILEBRAND for a 3-month free trial (normal trial is 14 days).The most influential minds in software, AI, and engineering leadership will be at WeAreDevelopers World Congress North America, September 23-25 in San Jose. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/60a7299222a7bcf1Start building your own apps with Replit and get $20 off. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/93531742a7625a20Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show at: https://aglbrnd.co/r/faaed112fc9887f3Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/35ded3ccfb6716baCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.comThe Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content.