The Speed of Culture Podcast

In this episode of The Speed of Culture podcast, Matt Britton sits down with David A. Steinberg, Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO of Zeta Global. David shares how Zeta built a data and AI platform that now serves 51% of the Fortune 100, why the company sees itself as the disruptor rather than the disrupted in a rapidly shifting martech landscape, and what it took to rearchitect the business around artificial intelligence starting in 2017. The conversation covers the launch of Athena, Zeta's voice-enabled AI copilot built in partnership with OpenAI, the internal transformation required to make AI native to the way teams work, and what the rise of generative search means for how brands reach consumers. David also reflects on his career, his advice for the next generation of marketers, and the mantra he has carried through every crisis.Follow Suzy on Twitter: @AskSuzyBizFollow David A. Steinberg on LinkedInSubscribe to The Speed of Culture on your favorite podcast platform.And if you have a question or suggestions for the show, send us an email at suzy@suzy.com

In this episode of The Speed of Culture podcast, Matt Britton sits down with Roberto Ramirez Laverde, Global Senior Vice President of Patrón Tequila at Bacardi. Roberto shares how Patrón built and protected its position in the super premium tequila category by staying true to quality, transparency, and craft. They discuss the Pursuit of Greatness campaign, the creative partnership with filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, and how Gen Z is reshaping consumption habits across the spirits industry. The conversation also covers how Patrón approaches music and culture partnerships, why the on-premise channel still defines brand equity, and how human connection remains the anchor in an AI-driven world.Follow Suzy on Twitter: @AskSuzyBizFollow Roberto Ramirez Laverde on LinkedInSubscribe to The Speed of Culture on your favorite podcast platform.And if you have a question or suggestions for the show, send us an email at suzy@suzy.com

In this episode of The Speed of Culture podcast, Matt Britton sits down with Dolores Assalini, Head of Axe US at Unilever. Dolores unpacks how one of the most culturally iconic men's personal care brands is reinventing itself for a new generation. From the launch of their new spray technology to the creator-led campaign History of Overdoing It, she explains how Axe is leaning into humor, social insight, and authenticity to win back cultural relevance. The conversation covers how AI is reshaping product discoverability, why the linear advertising model is officially dead, and what modern brand stewardship looks like when your consumer lives on TikTok.Follow Suzy on Twitter: @AskSuzyBizFollow Dolores Assalini on LinkedInSubscribe to The Speed of Culture on your favorite podcast platform.And if you have a question or suggestions for the show, send us an email at suzy@suzy.com

In this episode of The Speed of Culture, recorded live at CES in Las Vegas, Matt Britton sits down with Michael Lacorazza, Chief Marketing Officer at U.S. Bank. Michael shares how U.S. Bank is operationalizing AI across synthetic audiences, personalization, CRM intelligence, and product bundling to drive measurable growth. The conversation explores balancing innovation with risk, building cross-functional buy-in, the cultural power of sports, and why understanding the P&L is the ultimate unlock for modern marketing leaders.Follow Suzy on Twitter: @AskSuzyBizFollow Michael Lacorazza on LinkedInSubscribe to The Speed of Culture on your favorite podcast platform.And if you have a question or suggestions for the show, send us an email at suzy@suzy.com

In this episode of The Speed of Culture, recorded live at CES in Las Vegas, Matt Britton sits down with Natasha Madan, Head of Marketing at Intuit Credit Karma. Natasha shares how Credit Karma is evolving from a credit score provider into a personalized financial assistant powered by AI and 70,000+ data points. The conversation explores democratized creativity in the AI era, financial literacy in the age of “FinTok,” Gen Z acquisition strategy, and how trust, personalization, and human intelligence will define the next phase of financial services.Follow Suzy on Twitter: @AskSuzyBizFollow Natasha Madan on LinkedInSubscribe to The Speed of Culture on your favorite podcast platform.And if you have a question or suggestions for the show, send us an email at suzy@suzy.com

In this episode of The Speed of Culture, recorded live at CES in Las Vegas, Matt Britton sits down with Diana Marshall, EVP and Chief Experience Officer at Sam’s Club. Diana shares how Sam’s Club is building a human-led, tech-powered membership model, why experience is now the primary differentiator in retail, and how closed-loop data and AI-driven personalization are reshaping acquisition, loyalty, and retail media. The conversation explores the shift from frictionless to effortless retail, the power of associate experience, and what the future of buying looks like in an AI-enabled world.Follow Suzy on Twitter: @AskSuzyBizFollow Diana Marshall on LinkedInSubscribe to The Speed of Culture on your favorite podcast platform.And if you have a question or suggestions for the show, send us an email at suzy@suzy.com

In this episode of The Speed of Culture podcast, Matt Britton sits down with Kelly Mahoney, Chief Marketing Officer at Ulta Beauty, live from CES 2026 in Las Vegas. In this interview, Kelly unpacks how Ulta Beauty’s loyalty program and personalization engine drive nearly all sales. They also discuss why motivation-based marketing segmentation has replaced traditional demographics, and how AI-powered personalization in beauty and wellness retail shapes everything from recommendations to creative execution. The conversation further explores Ulta Beauty’s omnichannel customer journey, its evolving beauty and wellness retail strategy, and how Adobe CDP and Adobe Firefly creative automation support marketing at scale.Follow Suzy on Twitter: @AskSuzyBizFollow Kelly Mahoney on LinkedInSubscribe to The Speed of Culture on your favorite podcast platform.And if you have a question or suggestions for the show, send us an email at suzy@suzy.com

In this episode of The Speed of Culture, Matt Britton sits down with Milo Speranzo, Chief Marketing Officer for Lenovo North America, live from CES 2026 in Las Vegas. Milo breaks down what it took to deliver Lenovo’s sold-out Sphere showcase, the product story behind AI PCs, servers, wearables, and Motorola, and why edge computing AI privacy now shapes a new hardware refresh cycle. The conversation also explores the Lenovo FIFA World Cup partnership, FootballAI analytics, and Milo’s leadership mantra for 2026: learn, iterate, and be a goldfish.Follow Suzy on Twitter: @AskSuzyBizFollow Milo Speranzo on LinkedInSubscribe to The Speed of Culture on your favorite podcast platform.And if you have a question or suggestions for the show, send us an email at suzy@suzy.com

In this episode of The Speed of Culture podcast, Matt Britton speaks with Rachael Zaluzec, Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President of Customer Experience and Brand Marketing at Volkswagen of America. Rachael explains how the Volkswagen ‘Drivers Wanted’ campaign returns as a cultural statement about independence and identity. The conversation explores 2026 Automotive marketing trends, the role of AI in automotive customer experience, and how Volkswagen is blending heritage with modern technology while preparing for the future of autonomous driving Volkswagen strategy.Follow Suzy on Twitter: @AskSuzyBizFollow Rachael Zaluzec on LinkedInSubscribe to The Speed of Culture on your favorite podcast platform.And if you have a question or suggestions for the show, send us an email at suzy@suzy.com