The Backstory on Marketing and AI

Hosted by Guy Powell

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143

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Aug 2026

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About the show

Dive deep into the dynamic marketing realm in the digital age with The Backstory on Marketing and AI, hosted by Guy Powell, the visionary President of ProRelevant Marketing Solutions. This enlightening podcast is your gateway to understanding the intricate interplay between data-driven marketing strategies and cutting-edge AI technologies. Each episode brings to the table candid and insightful conversations with some of the industry's most influential leaders and analytics experts. They share their valuable perspectives and experiences on how to navigate the ever-evolving marketing landscape successfully. As a listener, you will be able to discover the most current trends shaping the marketing world and learn innovative ways to leverage AI to elevate your brand's presence and impact. The Backstory on Marketing and AI is an indispensable resource for anyone involved in marketing, from executives managing to proactive marketers. Whether you're an executive overseeing a hefty advertising budget or a marketer at the forefront of a growing brand, this podcast is your resource for staying ahead in the competitive marketing world. Tune in on Apple Podcasts and Spotify and be part of the pivotal discussions defining the future of marketing. Don't miss out on this chance to revolutionize your approach to marketing and AI. Subscribe today and begin becoming a more informed and strategic marketer. For more information, visit www.prorelevant.com. Typical questions discussed in this podcast: How is AI transforming traditional marketing strategies? What is the role of data analytics in understanding consumer behavior? What are the best practices for integrating AI into your marketing campaigns? What is the future of personalized and content marketing with AI? What are some AI success stories and case studies: Brands leading the way in AI marketing? How can we best overcome challenges in adopting AI technologies for marketing? How can we measure the ROI of AI-based marketing initiatives? How can we build a customer journey map leveraging AI insights? How can we maintain privacy, data protection and cyber security in the age of AI marketing. How can we build a skilled team to leverage AI in marketing? What is AI's influence on social media marketing strategies? What is the right balance between AI automation and the human touch in marketing? What are the limits of using AI to support Chatbots? How can young marketers leverage AI in their careers? Topics Discussed: AI Marketing Data Analytics Predictive Analytics Brand Strategies AI Ethics Creative Advertising Marketing ROI Customer Journey Content Marketing Chatbots Data Privacy Social Media Strategies Small Business Marketing Prompt design and engineering Main Questions: What is the difference between ChatGPT and Bard? How can Canva be used for image development? What is a Large Learning Model (LLM)? Testimonials: In this fun and easy read, Guy provides a roadmap on how you can navigate through today's choppy waters and come out on the other side with a successful, metrics-based marketing campaign. Jamie Turner, Author, Adjunct Instructor, Speaker, and Consultant Guy does a great job of outlining marketing strategies adopted during the pandemic through some very insightful case studies and is a must-have for marketers. Sonia Serrao, Senior Director, Brand Marketing at Tarkett Sign up now for more episodes.

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60 recent

August 11, 202641 min

Train Google With Better Data

AI is transforming advertising, search, and customer acquisition, but successful campaigns still depend on the quality of the information marketers provide. In this episode of The Backstory on Marketing and AI, the conversation explores how AI and Marketing are changing Google Ads, conversion tracking, landing pages, search behavior, and marketing ROI. A major focus is conversion quality. Google and other advertising platforms use machine learning to optimize campaigns based on the goals marketers define. When those goals are inaccurate, algorithms can learn to attract the wrong audience. For example, counting every phone call as a successful conversion may send misleading signals. Marketers need to identify the actions that represent real leads and potential customers. The episode also examines the relationship between search intent and landing page performance. Strong landing pages should continue the customer journey from the original search to the advertisement and final conversion. Headlines, images, messaging, convenience, trust, and differentiation can all influence results. Search itself is also changing. Google AI Overviews, AI Max, ChatGPT, Claude, and other AI-powered platforms are creating new ways for customers to discover information and businesses. Marketers must continue testing these technologies because search behavior and advertising opportunities are evolving quickly. The discussion also connects these developments with AI enabled Market Research. Search behavior provides valuable information about customer intent, buying stages, priorities, and language. Businesses can use these insights to create stronger campaigns and more relevant offers. Another important lesson is the difference between activity and real performance. Impressions, website visits, and clicks can appear impressive, but marketers should focus on qualified leads, customers, revenue, and return on investment. AI can help execute and optimize campaigns, but human judgment remains essential for defining meaningful outcomes. The episode concludes with advice for future marketers. AI is powerful at execution, but deep expertise and judgment can create a lasting competitive advantage. Marketers who understand both technology and strategy will be better positioned as AI continues changing the industry.

August 4, 202638 min

Scale AI, Keep Creativity

Artificial intelligence is forcing marketing agencies to redesign how they operate. In this episode, Eleanor Kubacki of EFK Group explains what happened when her agency decided to go all in on AI. The change affected strategy, staffing, partnerships, workflows, governance, creative development, and client service. Her leadership mantra became simple: get comfortable being uncomfortable. AI evolves quickly. Systems that create value today may require a major pivot within months. That speed creates opportunities for smaller agencies. They can test ideas, form partnerships, and compete with larger organizations. However, responsible adoption requires clear boundaries. Agencies must protect client privacy, proprietary information, brand voice, and human employment. These concerns become especially important for government, university, and regulated clients. AI can support data mining, first-pass strategy, audience analysis, personalization, media buying, and real-time optimization. AI enabled Market Research can reveal current customer behaviors and interests. This reduces dependence on broad, assumed personas. Yet AI still struggles with empathy, humor, originality, emotional connection, and distinctive creative thinking. Eleanor explains why EFK Group uses AI as a baseline rather than a complete creative replacement. Copywriters, strategists, designers, developers, and account specialists remain central. The conversation also examines security across different AI platforms. Sensitive information should never enter a system without appropriate safeguards. Topics Covered • Transforming an established agency around AI • Scaling AI without eliminating human jobs • Creating internal governance and ethical standards • Protecting data and proprietary information • Preserving brand voice across AI workflows • Using AI for data mining and first-pass strategy • Moving beyond traditional audience personas • Learning from AI-generated advertising experiments • Adding AI specialists to client account teams • Preparing new marketers for an AI-driven industry The future of AI and Marketing is not automation without oversight. It is a partnership where machines increase speed and humans provide experience, creativity, accountability, and judgment.

July 28, 202631 min

Human Connection Still Wins

AI is changing public relations, content creation, media research, and brand visibility. However, technology cannot replace genuine relationships, vulnerable storytelling, or human empathy. In this episode, Jaclyn Zukerman Delory of Next On Scene Media explains how founders can build meaningful visibility without losing their authentic voices. The conversation explores why emotional stories often connect before business facts. Founders who share relevant personal experiences can create stronger audience relationships and greater brand recognition. Media readiness also matters. Publicity can bring difficult questions, public feedback, and unexpected judgment. Media training helps entrepreneurs communicate clearly and remain confident under pressure. The episode also examines the changing role of press releases. Newswire distribution can support brand recognition and long-term online visibility. However, mass pitching rarely replaces personalized outreach. Journalists and editors receive countless generic messages. Relevant pitches, social engagement, and genuine relationship building help brands stand out. AI can support journalist research, grammar editing, keyword discovery, pitch personalization, and AI enabled Market Research. Yet every output still needs human review. Editors often recognize repetitive AI writing. Fully automated pitches can appear careless and damage trust. • Why vulnerable stories create emotional connections • Determining whether a founder is ready for PR • How media training builds confidence • Consistent video content and thought leadership • The changing value of press releases • Personalized pitches versus mass outreach • Building relationships with journalists • Using AI without losing a human voice • How editors may use AI • Social media visibility and discoverability • Why less content can produce better engagement • Building visibility that supports a lasting legacy • Career advice for new marketers and publicists The episode also explains why intentional marketing often outperforms content overload.

July 23, 202640 min

Winning the AI Shortlist

AI is changing how customers discover brands, compare options, and make decisions. Traditional SEO once focused primarily on Google rankings. AI answer engines now examine a brand’s entire digital footprint. That footprint includes websites, podcasts, videos, social media, public relations, reviews, and online communities. In this episode, Justin Inman explains why marketers must coordinate paid, owned, and earned signals. These signals influence how brands appear across leading AI systems. The conversation introduces Share of Prompt. This measurement evaluates visibility across branded, competitive, and intent-driven questions. However, visibility metrics are only the starting point. Marketers need actions that improve positioning, correct hallucinations, and strengthen trusted sources. The episode also explores AI enabled Market Research and changing customer intent. Brands can study which sources influence answers and where misinformation begins. Regulated industries face additional challenges. AI outputs can create compliance, legal, financial, and reputational risks. Marketers must also avoid low-quality automated content. Generic AI articles may create spam signals and damage long-term visibility. A distinctive human viewpoint remains essential. AI can assist content creation, but humans must provide context, accuracy, and original thinking. • The shift from search links to AI answers • Answer engine optimization and generative engine optimization • Share of Prompt as a visibility measurement • Reddit’s influence on AI recommendations • AI hallucinations and brand narrative control • Brand Knowledge Graphs and predictive analytics • AI governance within regulated industries • Zero-click search and personalized websites • New AI-focused marketing roles • Career advice for emerging marketers

July 21, 202630 min

Behavioral AI for Marketing

AI and Marketing are moving beyond basic automation. This episode explores how behavioral intelligence can add a human layer to artificial intelligence. Hugh Massie of DNA Behavior discusses how organizations can use deeper behavioral insight across marketing, sales, service, and communication. AI enabled Market Research can analyze patterns that traditional demographic research may overlook. These patterns can reveal how people naturally communicate, evaluate choices, and make decisions. The conversation also examines practical applications across the customer journey. AI can support lead generation, sales outreach, pre-sales assistance, customer support, and internal communication. However, AI is not a magic solution. Reliable data, clear goals, and human judgment remain essential. Automation without context can create generic messages, weak recommendations, or poor customer experiences. • Add behavioral insight to existing customer and enterprise data. • Use AI to improve relevance, not remove human connection. • Personalize communication around natural decision preferences. • Apply AI across marketing, sales, service, and internal workflows. • Evaluate outputs carefully before scaling automation. This discussion is valuable for marketers, executives, entrepreneurs, and customer experience teams. It offers a practical view of responsible AI adoption.

July 8, 202630 min

AI Growth Experiments

Artificial intelligence is changing the way marketers build products, optimize campaigns, and drive business growth. In this episode of Backstory on Marketing and AI , we explore why experimentation has become one of the most valuable competitive advantages in modern marketing. The discussion covers AI-powered experimentation, predictive analytics, conversion rate optimization, custom AI tools, and AI enabled Market Research. Learn why marketers should focus on solving meaningful business problems instead of simply automating existing tasks. You'll also discover how organizations can build AI solutions around their existing marketing technology stack rather than replacing it entirely. The conversation explains how experimentation, customer data, and predictive models help prioritize high-impact marketing initiatives while improving overall performance. Additional topics include AI governance, marketing technology, growth optimization, custom dashboards, product management, AI development, and practical advice for marketers looking to build valuable AI skills. Whether you're a marketing executive, entrepreneur, agency owner, or someone beginning a career in marketing, this episode provides actionable insights into using AI strategically to create measurable business results.

June 29, 202627 min

AI Marketing Success

Artificial intelligence is changing how businesses operate, but implementing AI successfully requires much more than choosing the right tools. In this episode of Backstory on Marketing and AI , we explore why many AI projects fail and how organizations can build practical AI systems that deliver measurable business value. The discussion covers the importance of creating a strong marketing strategy before automation, defining your Ideal Customer Profile, building repeatable workflows, and providing AI with the context it needs to produce meaningful results. You'll also learn why customer feedback, engagement data, and AI enabled Market Research are essential for improving AI-generated content over time. Additional topics include workflow automation, content creation, AI implementation frameworks, marketing qualified leads, feedback loops, prompt engineering, Claude, automation platforms, and practical advice for marketers looking to stay competitive in an AI-first world. Whether you're a business owner, marketer, consultant, or agency leader, this episode provides practical insights you can immediately apply to improve your AI strategy and marketing performance. To learn more about Bandsaw AI, visit: http://bandsaw.ai/

June 24, 202638 min

AI Search Revolution

AI and Marketing are evolving rapidly as search engines become increasingly powered by artificial intelligence. In this episode of Backstory on Marketing and AI, we discuss how businesses can improve visibility in AI search environments. The conversation explores authority building, entity optimization, AI enabled Market Research, and the importance of trust in digital marketing. Learn why structured information, Google Business Profiles, and authoritative content are becoming essential for business success. The episode also discusses information gain, AI-driven search behavior, and how businesses can adapt to changing customer expectations. Whether you are a marketer, business owner, or digital strategist, this episode provides valuable insights into the future of AI and Marketing.

June 2, 202627 min

AI in PR and Marketing

Discover how AI and Marketing are reshaping PR workflows. This episode covers platforms like HARO and Connectively, showing how AI-enabled Market Research connects experts to journalists. Learn the balance between AI efficiency and human authenticity in pitches. Explore AI detection tools like Pangram and understand how PR credibility affects AI search results. Perfect for marketers, PR pros, and business owners seeking visibility.

May 14, 202628 min

AI Marketing Breakthroughs

In this episode of Backstory on Marketing and AI , we explore how AI and Marketing are transforming campaign optimization, analytics, and creative strategy. The discussion covers how AI enabled Market Research helps marketers uncover insights faster, improve ad performance, and make smarter business decisions through real-time analysis. Learn how AI tools are helping marketing teams automate reporting, optimize creative performance, and build custom analytics solutions without deep coding experience. The episode also examines the future of media buying, the growing connection between creativity and analytics, and why human judgment and “taste” still matter in an AI-driven world. Discover how marketers can use AI to improve testing, uncover winning creative patterns, and scale campaigns more efficiently while reducing costs. This conversation provides valuable insights for marketers, analysts, creatives, and business leaders looking to better understand the future of AI-powered marketing.