Blame it on Marketing ™

Emma Davies and Ruta Sudmantaite
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Do you ever feel like it's always marketing at fault? We know the feeling. We can't afford more therapy so we decided to collect all the ridiculous things that marketers hear and invite our friends to chat about them. If you want to hear us (Emma and Ruta) rant about sometimes funny sometimes serious topics this is the place for you.

  1. 1 DAY AGO

    Leadership Egos in B2B Marketing | E97 with Rissy La Touche

    Why do so many great marketing plans get kneecapped by…ego? 🤯 You know the drill: a founder who “already knows” the playbook, a swoop-and-poop exec, or a client who hires you for your expertise—then ignores it. In this episode, we’re joined by marketing strategist and consultant Rissy La Touche (Dimple Studio; ex-Square) to unpack how ego shows up at the top, how to spot it early, and how to navigate it without losing your mind—or your results. We get into:  ✅ Red flags on discovery calls (no questions, prescriptive “do this,” trash-talking their team, refusing audits/strategy)  ✅ Curiosity as a power move: “What makes you believe that?”—and other ego-disarming questions  ✅ When to walk away (and why solo-founder gigs can be the toughest)  ✅ “Most founders don’t need a podcast” 🙃 — hard truths about shiny-object marketing  ✅ Using ego for good: value props that make buyers look brilliant at work (hello, promotions & advocacy)  ✅ Keep your receipts: decision logs, recap emails, and notes that save your sanity  ✅ Culture math: why leaders’ “bad-day behaviors” trickle down—and how to push for change  ✅ Building allies across the org (the simple “time to chat?” outreach that actually works)  ✅ Early-stage reality checks: experiments, resources, and the Square pivot story  ✅ Staying sane: feedback loops, mentors, boundaries, and choosing freedom as a consultant If you’ve ever been steamrolled by a HiPPO, battled a micromanager, or just want better tools for managing up—this one’s for you. We’re Ruta and Emma, the marketing consultants behind Blame it on Marketing.  If you’re in B2B SaaS or professional services and looking to do marketing that actually drives revenue and profit, we’re here for it. Visit blameitonmarketing.com and let’s get this show on the road.

    47 min

  2. 2 OCT

    F the Rebrand! E96 with Beatrice Gutknecht

    Why do so many teams grab a shiny rebrand when the real problem is strategy? 🤔 We’ve avoided this topic for ages… but today we go there—with brand strategist Beatrice Gutknecht, whose mission is, ahem, “F*** rebrands.” She breaks down why visual-first overhauls flop, how to get brand + marketing actually working together, and what to measure so brand work shows up in revenue—not just mood boards.  In this episode, we unpack when you need a rebrand (rarely), when you need repositioning (usually), and how to make it stick inside the business—not just on the website. We swap horror stories (hello, “my wife doesn’t like the logo” feedback) and get practical about test-and-learn, ICP research, and cross-functional buy-in.  We get into:  ✅ Why “visual-first” rebrands backfire (think Twitter→X, Jaguar) and what to do instead.  ✅ Repositioning 101: align brand, marketing, sales, and CS—then ship fast tests, not 100-page brand bibles.  ✅ Killing subjectivity: replace “CEO’s spouse said no” with customer research and data.  ✅ Building a brand world in B2B (yes, really) so people feel your positioning—not just read it. ✅ A real case study: moving an architectural hardware brand earlier in the buying cycle and making marketing actually easier.  ✅ Agency red flags to watch for (and why big glossy “guidelines” ≠ business impact).  ✅ What to track so brand = pipeline: category mentions/associations, market share & engagement, retention & advocacy, and even CAC.  ✅ Leading through the AI noise while staying human-first (without whiplash).  If you’re tired of expensive rebrands that change the logo but not the results—and you want brand work that sales, customers, and your team can feel—this one’s for you.  We’re Ruta and Emma, the marketing consultants behind Blame it on Marketing.  If you’re in B2B SaaS or professional services and looking to do marketing that actually drives revenue and profit, we’re here for it. Visit blameitonmarketing.com and let’s get this show on the road.

    41 min

  3. 18 SEPT

    Safe, Seen, & Paid: What Women in B2B Really Need | E95 with Jane Serra

    Why is it still harder for women to be seen, heard, and safe in B2B marketing? 🤔 We work in female-heavy teams, but the mics, panels, and power seats still skew the other way—and it shows up in our careers, our DMs, and even at conferences. In this episode, we’re joined by Jane Serra, host of Women in B2B Marketing, to dig into what actually moves the needle: women-only spaces, real allyship, and building the support systems that carry you further than any “hustle harder” mantra ever will. We get into:  ✅ Why “women-only” rooms still matter (and how they change the convo)  ✅ How to build your Personal Board of Directors (P-BOD)—and use it for jobs, pay, and sanity ✅ Practical allyship for men (hint: share those opportunities you’re handed) ✅ Equity vs. equality: what companies get wrong and how to fix it ✅ Conference reality checks: safety, safeguarding, and setting boundaries ✅ “Do it scared”: putting your name in the hat before you feel “ready” ✅ The visibility gap—why fewer women get the mic and how to change it ✅ Surviving the “do more with less” era without burning out If you’ve ever felt alone in a room full of marketers—or you’re ready to make B2B better for the next woman in line—this one’s for you. We’re Ruta and Emma, the marketing consultants behind Blame it on Marketing.  If you’re in B2B SaaS or professional services and looking to do marketing that actually drives revenue and profit, we’re here for it. Visit blameitonmarketing.com and let’s get this show on the road.

    44 min

  4. 11 SEPT

    Event Season Survival Kit: What No One Tells Marketers | E94 with Laura Dazon, Phoebe Dunsmore, Sarah Tully

    Think events are all free prosecco and LinkedIn photos? 🤔 Behind every smooth show is a sleep-deprived team juggling power sockets, panic emails, and a thousand tiny fires—often at the same time. In this episode, we’re joined by Sarah Tully (Group Event Director, eCommerce Expo & Technology for Marketing), Laura Dazon (Marketing Manager), and Phoebe Dunsmore (Marketing Executive) from CloserStill Media to pull back the curtain on event season—what really breaks, what actually matters, and how marketers can survive (and even enjoy) the madness. We get into:  ✅ The biggest misconceptions about events marketing (and why the show is the middle of the campaign, not the end) ✅ How to balance sponsors, exhibitors & attendees with a clear “value story” (Laura’s “chair with four legs” framework) ✅ Real on-site war stories: raining ceilings, no-show speakers, surprise venue drills, and the eternal Wi-Fi scam ✅ Ops gotchas marketers miss (power, internet, signage, space for photo areas… and why people never read the emails) ✅ Inbox triage during peak season: empathy, boundaries, and why “please unsubscribe me” isn’t a personal attack ✅ Neurodiversity on the show floor—headphones, quiet resets, and planning for the post-event crash ✅ Exhibitor & visitor playbooks: keep activations simple, plan before/during/after, train booth teams, and download the app ✅ Self-care that actually helps on-site: snacks + water, pacing, buddy up, and don’t schedule your whole life the week after If event season has you clutching your lanyard and whispering “I need a nap,” this one’s for you. We’re Ruta and Emma, the marketing consultants behind Blame it on Marketing.  If you’re in B2B SaaS or professional services and looking to do marketing that actually drives revenue and profit, we’re here for it. Visit blameitonmarketing.com and let’s get this show on the road.

    43 min

  5. 4 SEPT

    ROI of B2B Creators—Pricing, Proof & Pitfalls | E93 with Hector Forwood

    Why does B2B influencer marketing feel so chaotic right now? 🤔 LinkedIn reach is down, creators are charging enterprise prices, and everyone’s asking how to prove ROI without waiting nine months for a deal to close. In this episode, we’re joined by Hector Forwood, co-founder & CEO of Flooencer, to demystify what’s working (and what’s broken) in B2B influencer marketing—how to pick the right creators, what to pay, and how to measure impact the C-suite will actually buy. We get into:  ✅ What’s changed on LinkedIn (why organic reach has dropped & what still works now: carousels/PDFs, mixed media, and long-tail impressions)  ✅ Creator types—content creators vs. thought leaders—and when you need both ✅ Pricing sanity: flat fee vs. affiliate/rev-share, and avoiding the “three posts for £18k” trap ✅ Measuring ROI for PLG vs. enterprise (discount codes & clicks vs. engaged-persona tracking) ✅ Running technical campaigns that aren’t cringe (how to make deeply technical features land with data teams) ✅ Small-budget playbook: start with customers, employees & partners, then micro-creators off LinkedIn (TikTok/YouTube) ✅ The four pillars of advocacy (influencers, employees, partners, customers) and how to stack them ✅ Red flags to skip: AI “agents” that are just automations, bait resources, and vanity engagement ✅ A couple of painfully honest “don’t do this” stories to keep you out of trouble 😬 If you’re trying to make influencer work on a B2B budget—or trying to price your own content without getting fleeced—this one’s for you. We’re Ruta and Emma, the marketing consultants behind Blame it on Marketing.  If you’re in B2B SaaS or professional services and looking to do marketing that actually drives revenue and profit, we’re here for it. Visit blameitonmarketing.com and let’s get this show on the road.

    42 min

  6. 21 AUG

    Coping as a Marketer in 2025 | E92 with Work is Weird Now

    Why does marketing feel… weird right now? 😵‍💫 Budgets are tight, algorithms won’t sit still, AI is everywhere, and juniors are somehow expected to be CMOs. So how are marketers actually coping—and still shipping great work? In this episode, we’re joined by Dan & Alice, co-hosts of Work Is Weird Now, for a brutally honest chat about staying sane, creative, and effective when the ground keeps moving. We get into:  ✅ Boundaries > burnout: muting, blocking, and setting “rules for scrolling” so you can actually think  ✅ “Certainty theatre” vs. test-and-learn: how to make the case for experiments when leadership wants guarantees  ✅ The junior trap: why you still need senior thinking, horizon-scanning, and context (and what’s fair to expect from juniors)  ✅ In-house, agency & community: finding the support system that keeps you sharp (and human)  ✅ AI without the eye-roll: practical ways to use it without losing your voice—plus what new tools mean for real creativity  ✅ Events, content, and the attribution mirage: measuring what matters when not everything can be measured ✅ Coping tactics that actually help: small wins, shipping momentum, and protecting your creative time If your job currently requires equal parts strategy, creativity, and emotional resilience, this one’s for you. 🎧 We’re Ruta and Emma, the marketing consultants behind Blame it on Marketing.  If you’re in B2B SaaS or professional services and looking to do marketing that actually drives revenue and profit, we’re here for it. Visit blameitonmarketing.com and let’s get this show on the road.

    50 min

  7. 7 AUG

    SEO Can't Die and Won't Die | E91 with Sam Dunning

    Why have so many leaders written off SEO as “dead”? 🤔 Whether it’s the rise of AI search, fears of fierce competition, or painstaking boardroom battles over budget, the rumour mill keeps churning. But if your ideal buyers still Google for solutions—or even ask ChatGPT—you can’t afford to ignore it. In this episode, we’re joined by Sam Dunning, founder of Breaking B2B and host of the Breaking B2B podcast, to explain why SEO isn’t dying—it’s just evolving. Sam shares the unconventional, revenue-focused playbook that’s working today for B2B and SaaS marketers. We get into:  ✅ Why “SEO is dead” misses the mark for most B2B & SaaS businesses  ✅ How to decide if SEO fits your ICP, runway & resources  ✅ The two quick-win page types that can rank in 30–60 days  ✅ Niches, “offer + industry” and “alt vs” pages: long-tail goldmines  ✅ Why one-and-done SEO is a fantasy—and what a revenue-driven strategy looks like  ✅ How to win stubborn C-suite buy-in (or quietly prove ROI yourself)  ✅ Brand mentions, structured data & AI search: ranking on ChatGPT, Perplexity & more  ✅ Crafting top-of-funnel “jobs-to-be-done” content that truly converts If you’re tired of SEO obituaries—or you’ve been guilty of underinvesting in search—this one’s for you.

    37 min

  8. 24 JUL

    Trigger Bingo: A Marketing Rant-Off | E90 with Marketing Dribble Podcast

    Why do marketers lose their cool over slide decks, ChatGPT “feedback,” and CEOs who sign off every tweet? 🤯 We’ve all felt our blood boil when leadership “just wants it pretty,” when “my partner hates that ad,” or when they lob in a last-minute “get this done by tomorrow” bomb. In this crossover episode, Emma & Ruta team up with Marketing Dribble hosts Rob Boyle and Johnny Kenyon to play Trigger Bingo—naming the marketing pet peeves that make us want to quit our own jobs. Then they vote on which trigger reigns supreme. We get into:  ✅ “Make the slides pretty”—and watch sales hijack your designs  ✅ “My spouse saw the ad and hated it”—no, really, that happened  ✅ CEOs who must sign off every post, budget or button-click  ✅ Marketing leaders replaced by sales hires (or ChatGPT)  ✅ “Urgent” priorities imposed last-minute—then radio silence  ✅ Google Ads horror stories: “Why didn’t my ad even show up?”  ✅ Endless ChatGPT feedback loops that never end  ✅ And more of your worst marketing nightmares… If you’ve ever felt your marketing sanity slipping—or wondered if you’d snap, too—this one’s for you. 🎧

    37 min
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About

Do you ever feel like it's always marketing at fault? We know the feeling. We can't afford more therapy so we decided to collect all the ridiculous things that marketers hear and invite our friends to chat about them. If you want to hear us (Emma and Ruta) rant about sometimes funny sometimes serious topics this is the place for you.

Information

  • Creator
    Emma Davies and Ruta Sudmantaite
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2025
  • Episodes
    97
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Blame it on Marketing ™
  • Show Website
    Blame it on Marketing ™

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