Likely Marketing

Shivendra Lal
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Exploring possibilities in Marketing.

  1. #127: AI for branding and marketing: In a world of AI noise, human stories win

    3 DAYS AGO

    #127: AI for branding and marketing: In a world of AI noise, human stories win

    We are living in an age of information overload where AI can generate content faster than ever. Feeds are full of polished posts, perfect visuals, and algorithm-friendly messages—yet most of it disappears from memory within seconds. This episode explores the growing tension in AI for branding and marketing. As generative AI floods the internet with “AI slop”—content that looks impressive but feels hollow—audiences are becoming better at spotting it and trusting it less. Interestingly, this shift is pushing some of the most thoughtful brands like Apple, Polaroid, Heineken, Muji, and Dove to move AI backstage. They use AI for research, insights, and personalization, but keep the brand story human. Because in a world of automated content, authentic human stories are becoming the real competitive advantage. (00:00) Intro (01:59) The AI slop has created a paradox for brands and marketers (05:17) Examples of brands avoiding AI-generated content, and why? (10:15) How are brands using AI quietly, in the background? (14:34) How can brands and marketers figure out whether they can lean on AI or not? (17:49) Few more words on this tension around using AI for branding and marketing…

    20 min
  2. #126: Google Scenario Planner: The CFO-proof engine for smarter marketing decisions

    3 MAR

    #126: Google Scenario Planner: The CFO-proof engine for smarter marketing decisions

    The room goes silent. The CFO asks: “If we move budget, what happens to revenue?” In today’s privacy-first, AI-driven chaos, guesswork fails. This episode explores how Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM) is becoming a strategic edge through Google Meridian and Google Scenario Planner. Meridian analyzes aggregated, multi-channel data to uncover true incremental impact. Scenario Planner turns that model into a no-code control panel—letting marketers simulate budget shifts and forecast outcomes in real time. It’s not a silver bullet. It’s a cultural shift—from reporting what happened to modeling what to do next. Google Scenario Planner MMM could turn budget anxiety into evidence-backed strategy—if your organization is ready. (00:00) Intro (01:21) First, what’s marketing mix modeling (MMM)? (04:45) Meridien is Google’s attempt at making marketing mix modeling accessible for businesses (08:31) And Google’s Scenario Planner makes marketing mix modeling easier for businesses (10:54) Google Scenario Planner could change how marketing strategies are built (12:48) Which organizations are likely to adopt Meridien and Scenario Planner, and marketing mix modeling? And which ones are less likely to? (16:24) Closing thoughts…

    19 min
  3. #125: Is curated advertising ending the era of cheap digital ads?

    24 FEB

    #125: Is curated advertising ending the era of cheap digital ads?

    For years, digital advertising chased cheap scale. Programmatic buying promised low CPMs and limitless reach, but brands lost control of context. Ads appeared beside misinformation, low-value content, and misaligned audiences. Privacy laws tightened, cookies faded, CAC rose, and trust declined. This episode explores the rise of curated advertising — premium, handpicked environments like Private Marketplaces, trusted publishers, trade media, newsletters, communities, and AI chat surfaces. It’s a shift from buying everything to buying what’s worth it. Yes, CPMs may be higher. But the real metric is outcome. Curated advertising redefines CAC and ROAS through context, trust, and high-intent placements. Is this the end of cheap digital ads — and the return of quality? (00:00) Intro (01:28) What is curated advertising? (04:48) How does the curation mindset changes the game for SEM, social, trade media, and newsletters? (08:31) Are curated social - groups and communities - brand safe zones for advertising? (10:41) Where does chat-vertising or AI advertising sit? (12:27) Will curated advertising make online ads more premium? How will it affect CAC and ROAS? (14:30) Closing thoughts…

    17 min
  4. #124: Digital equity in M&A: The asset exec boards forget, until the traffic disappears

    17 FEB

    #124: Digital equity in M&A: The asset exec boards forget, until the traffic disappears

    The deal closes. Headlines celebrate synergy. Valuations look strong. From the $5T M&A peak of 2021 to regulator-blocked moves like Adobe’s attempted acquisition of Figma, boards focus on balance sheets. But between signing and rebranding, a quieter loss unfolds. A high-ranking domain is redirected, thousands of indexed pages collapse into generic URLs, backlinks break, and AI answers stop citing the brand. Traffic fades, pipeline tightens, revenue feels it. This episode explores digital equity in M&A—your algorithmic trust across search, backlinks, structured data, and AI visibility. Not brand perception, but discoverability inside Google and AI systems. As ecosystems consolidate, like Intuit acquiring Mailchimp, marketing stacks merge and so does risk. Digital dilution is measurable: lost rankings, shrinking organic leads, broken conversions. For startups and SMBs, digital equity becomes leverage if documented, valued, and protected. Map revenue to organic traffic, plan redirects before migration, monitor branded vs non-branded search, and guard your backlinks. Because M&A doesn’t just reshape companies. It reshapes visibility. Ignore digital equity and you inherit silent loss. Protect it and it becomes strategic power. (00:00) Intro (01:23) A quick look-see of the global M&A trends in the past 5 years (03:01) M&A deals are changing how marketers work (06:12) What is digital equity, and why is it an overlooked asset in M&A deals? (10:01) Takeaways from startups or SMB marketers if their company goes through M&A (14:08) Takeaways from startups or SMB marketers if companies behind their tech tools go through M&A (15:08) The bigger picture…

    19 min
  5. #123: 400 million users later — why isn’t Threads a marketing priority yet?

    10 FEB

    #123: 400 million users later — why isn’t Threads a marketing priority yet?

    At the start of the year, you open your marketing plan and wonder: is Threads worth the effort, or just another platform to maintain? When Meta launched it in 2023, 100 million users signed up in a week. Today, it sits at nearly 400 million monthly active users with strong engagement and Gen Z attention. So why aren’t marketers prioritizing Threads for marketing? This episode explores the tension between scale and significance. Threads has reach, lower ad costs, and Meta’s backing—but lacks clear positioning, mature ad products, and proven ROI stories. It feels powerful, yet undefined. Is Threads an early opportunity hiding in plain sight, or a platform still searching for its purpose? Listen in as we unpack whether it becomes a marketing essential—or remains a watchlist experiment. (00:00) Intro (01:08) Let’s start with the launch of Threads (02:44) Where does Threads stand today - users, behaviour and context (05:28) How are marketers and creators using Threads, right now? (07:40) Reasons behind why Threads is not a marketing priority, yet (10:36) What Threads is, and is not, providing to the brands, marketers and creators (12:18) What Threads needs to do going forward… (14:21) In summary…

    17 min
  6. #122: Is in-game advertising the most undervalued growth engine in marketing?

    3 FEB

    #122: Is in-game advertising the most undervalued growth engine in marketing?

    I clear a puzzle level on my phone. Fireworks flash. A choice appears: watch 30 seconds, earn extra coins. I tap yes. That’s in-game advertising — opt-in, rewarded, seamless. In this episode, we explore why in-game advertising is becoming a core growth engine. Gaming is a $124B+ industry with 3B players across mobile, PC, console, AR, VR, and cloud. Gen Z attention lives here. Free-to-play models, rewarded video, and dynamic in-game ads are turning brands into part of the experience. From Roblox and Candy Crush to esports and console programmatic, immersion beats interruption. Is in-game advertising still experimental — or the next media pillar? (00:00) Intro (02:09) The fast-expanding world of games across platforms and geographies (07:15) What are the drivers behind pushing ads inside games? (09:08) Who’s winning with in-game advertising? Some real world examples… (13:20) Why aren’t more brands doing in-game advertising? (16:04) Which industries are taking advantage of in-game advertising quickly? (19:56) Looking through the telescope…

    23 min
  7. #121: How brand collaborations (not so) quietly became the new marketing system

    27 JAN

    #121: How brand collaborations (not so) quietly became the new marketing system

    Two brands meet. Not on a billboard. Not in an ad break. But quietly—where trust already lives. Over the last five years, brand collaboration marketing has stopped being a flashy stunt and started behaving like a system. A new operating model for growth. One where brands borrow credibility, share culture, reduce risk, and expand meaning—together. In this episode, How brand collaborations quietly became the new marketing system, we trace how collaborations moved from hype to necessity. From product drops and shared audiences to value-led partnerships and immersive brand worlds. We unpack why some collaborations compound trust and community—while others collapse under misaligned audiences, values, or messaging. This isn’t a highlight reel. It’s a map. Of what works, what breaks, and why collaboration has become the fastest path to relevance in a trust-first, culture-driven market. Because the future of marketing isn’t brand protection. It’s brand expansion—through authentic, value-aligned partnerships. (00:00) Intro (01:13) Brand collaborations have been growing fast in the past 5 years (02:43) What kind of brand collaborations have been happening? (05:24) What are key drivers behind brand collaborations? (09:37) Situations when brand collaborations might go wrong… (14:08) Brand collaborations are here to stay… (15:49) Parting thoughts…

    19 min
  8. #120: The real power of Google Labs tools for marketing (and why most marketers will miss it)

    20 JAN

    #120: The real power of Google Labs tools for marketing (and why most marketers will miss it)

    Late one weekend, a marketer falls down a quiet rabbit hole called Google Labs—and realizes something important is happening in plain sight. This episode explores how Google Labs tools for marketing aren’t random AI experiments, but early signals of how Google is rebuilding its entire advertising ecosystem. From AI-generated images, video, music, and copy to conversational assistants and 3D product visualization, these tools reveal a future where creative production is instant, personalization is native, and experimentation happens at scale. But the real story isn’t speed. It’s power. As Google connects these tools to Search, YouTube, Performance Max, CTV, and GA4, marketing shifts from making more content to making smarter decisions. AI removes friction. Strategy becomes the differentiator. This is the real power of Google Labs tools for marketing—and why most marketers will miss it. (00:00) Intro (01:03) AI has created a quiet revolution in marketing (04:21) Inside Google Labs’ experimental content creation toolkit (08:33) Exploring Google’s experimental, edgy tech tools (11:29) Where can these AI tools fit in Google’s ecosystem? (15:05) How will GA4 measure performance if these tools are used or integrated with the Google ecosystem? (17:49) My take on Google Labs’ experimental tools…

    20 min
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About

Exploring possibilities in Marketing.

Information

  • Creator
    Shivendra Lal
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    127
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Shivendra Lal
  • Show Website
    Likely Marketing