Marketing Against The Grain

Kipp Bodnar (HubSpot’s CMO) and Kieran Flanagan (Hubspot's SVP of Marketing), lead you down the rabbit hole of marketing trends, growth tactics and innovation. On the way you’ll pick up undiscovered strategies to give you that slight edge for success. These are not your typical twitter thread regurgitated marketing tactics that everyone is doing. These are new methods, with unfiltered examination of successful fresh ideas.

  1. 2 DAYS AGO

    The Real Reason Your AI Content Is Average (It's Not Your Prompts)

    Kieran's guide to turn Claude into a marketing machine: https://clickhubspot.com/knbr Ep. 416 Is your AI marketing output stuck at "just okay" no matter how much you refine your skills? Kieran dives into why building better skills isn’t enough—and shares the Pixar-inspired secret to world-class, distinctive results with AI. Learn more on the crucial difference between skills and the foundational context layer, harnessing "brain trust" principles to transform your marketing, and the four foundational files every marketer needs to move from average to extraordinary content. Mentions Claude Code https://code.claude.com/docs/en/overview Pixar https://www.pixar.com/ Edwin Catmull https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Catmull Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt We’re creating our next round of content and want to ensure it tackles the challenges you’re facing at work or in your business. To understand your biggest challenges we’ve put together a survey and we’d love to hear from you! https://bit.ly/matg-research Resource [Free] Steal our favorite AI Prompts featured on the show! Grab them here: https://clickhubspot.com/aip We’re on Social Media! Follow us for everyday marketing wisdom straight to your feed YouTube: ​​https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGtXqPiNV8YC0GMUzY-EUFg  Twitter: https://twitter.com/matgpod  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matgpod  Join our community https://landing.connect.com/matg Thank you for tuning into Marketing Against The Grain! Don’t forget to hit subscribe and follow us on Apple Podcasts (so you never miss an episode)! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-against-the-grain/id1616700934   If you love this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review https://link.chtbl.com/h9_sjBKH and share your favorite episodes with friends. We really appreciate your support. Host Links: Kipp Bodnar, https://twitter.com/kippbodnar   Kieran Flanagan, https://twitter.com/searchbrat ‘Marketing Against The Grain’ is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by Hubspot Media // Produced by Darren Clarke.

    24 min
  2. 4 DAYS AGO

    The AI Skill Ladder (Beginner → Workflow Builder)

    Free guide to climb the AI Skill Ladder (7 agent tools + prompts): https://clickhubspot.com/mgtv Ep. 415 What if you could turn AI into your second brain? Kipp, Kieran, and guest Kevin Hutson (Futurepedia) dive into the levels of AI maturity and how marketers can go from AI novices to master workflow builders. Learn more on the step-by-step journey to AI fluency, the power of building reusable AI skills, and how to leverage tools like Manus to automate complex marketing workflows and outperform the competition. Mentions Kevin Hutson https://www.youtube.com/@futurepedia_io Futurepedia https://www.futurepedia.io/ Manus https://manus.im/ Glean https://www.glean.com/ Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt We’re creating our next round of content and want to ensure it tackles the challenges you’re facing at work or in your business. To understand your biggest challenges we’ve put together a survey and we’d love to hear from you! https://bit.ly/matg-research Resource [Free] Steal our favorite AI Prompts featured on the show! Grab them here: https://clickhubspot.com/aip We’re on Social Media! Follow us for everyday marketing wisdom straight to your feed YouTube: ​​https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGtXqPiNV8YC0GMUzY-EUFg  Twitter: https://twitter.com/matgpod  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matgpod  Join our community https://landing.connect.com/matg Thank you for tuning into Marketing Against The Grain! Don’t forget to hit subscribe and follow us on Apple Podcasts (so you never miss an episode)! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-against-the-grain/id1616700934   If you love this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review https://link.chtbl.com/h9_sjBKH and share your favorite episodes with friends. We really appreciate your support. Host Links: Kipp Bodnar, https://twitter.com/kippbodnar   Kieran Flanagan, https://twitter.com/searchbrat  ‘Marketing Against The Grain’ is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by Hubspot Media // Produced by Darren Clarke.

    19 min
  3. 2 APR

    Can AI Actually Make Good Ads? Replit Ad Maker Review

    Get our free AI Ad Prompt Kit: https://clickhubspot.com/skw Ep. 414 How do you create killer ads when you don’t have a marketing team or big budget?  Kipp dives into testing out Replit’s latest AI ad generation tool live, showing how anyone can validate ideas and iterate ad creative faster than ever. Learn more on crafting powerful prompts that drive results, iterating your way to great creative without breaking the bank, and navigating the pitfalls and possibilities of AI-powered ad creation on platforms like LinkedIn, Google, and Instagram. Mentions Replit https://replit.com/ Claude Opus 4.6 https://www.anthropic.com/news/claude-opus-4-6 Willow Voice https://willowvoice.com/ Base44 https://base44.com/ Lovable https://lovable.dev/ Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt We’re creating our next round of content and want to ensure it tackles the challenges you’re facing at work or in your business. To understand your biggest challenges we’ve put together a survey and we’d love to hear from you! https://bit.ly/matg-research Resource [Free] Steal our favorite AI Prompts featured on the show! Grab them here: https://clickhubspot.com/aip We’re on Social Media! Follow us for everyday marketing wisdom straight to your feed YouTube: ​​https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGtXqPiNV8YC0GMUzY-EUFg  Twitter: https://twitter.com/matgpod  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matgpod  Join our community https://landing.connect.com/matg Thank you for tuning into Marketing Against The Grain! Don’t forget to hit subscribe and follow us on Apple Podcasts (so you never miss an episode)! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-against-the-grain/id1616700934   If you love this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review https://link.chtbl.com/h9_sjBKH and share your favorite episodes with friends. We really appreciate your support. Host Links: Kipp Bodnar, https://twitter.com/kippbodnar   Kieran Flanagan, https://twitter.com/searchbrat ‘Marketing Against The Grain’ is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by Hubspot Media // Produced by Darren Clarke.

    23 min
  4. 31 MAR

    I Replaced a $5,000 Designer with Google Stitch

    Get Matt's free Vibe Design Guide: https://clickhubspot.com/wkse Ep. 413 What if you could design a website just by describing what you want? Kipp has Matt Wolfe (Future Tools) dive into Google's new Stitch tool, which uses AI to turn your prompts into polished web designs—no coding or design experience required. Learn more on how Vibe Design changes the way marketers build landing pages, why Stitch could replace legacy tools like ClickFunnels, and how you can export and iterate your site ideas directly inside Google's workflow. Mentions Matt Wolfe https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-wolfe-30841712/ Future Tools https://futuretools.io/ Google Stitch https://stitch.withgoogle.com/ Google AI Studio https://aistudio.google.com/ Figma https://www.figma.com/ vibe design https://blog.google/innovation-and-ai/models-and-research/google-labs/stitch-ai-ui-design/ ClickFunnels https://www.clickfunnels.com/ Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt We’re creating our next round of content and want to ensure it tackles the challenges you’re facing at work or in your business. To understand your biggest challenges we’ve put together a survey and we’d love to hear from you! https://bit.ly/matg-research Resource [Free] Steal our favorite AI Prompts featured on the show! Grab them here: https://clickhubspot.com/aip We’re on Social Media! Follow us for everyday marketing wisdom straight to your feed YouTube: ​​https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGtXqPiNV8YC0GMUzY-EUFg  Twitter: https://twitter.com/matgpod  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matgpod  Join our community https://landing.connect.com/matg Thank you for tuning into Marketing Against The Grain! Don’t forget to hit subscribe and follow us on Apple Podcasts (so you never miss an episode)! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-against-the-grain/id1616700934   If you love this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review https://link.chtbl.com/h9_sjBKH and share your favorite episodes with friends. We really appreciate your support. Host Links: Kipp Bodnar, https://twitter.com/kippbodnar   Kieran Flanagan, https://twitter.com/searchbrat  ‘Marketing Against The Grain’ is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by Hubspot Media // Produced by Darren Clarke.

    15 min
  5. 26 MAR

    Claude Broke. Perplexity Built the App Anyway

    Free Guide → Build a Custom Marketing Agent in Perplexity Computer: https://clickhubspot.com/ebnv Ep. 412 How fast can you build a viable marketing tool with AI? Kipp and Kieran dive into building a Creator Hub app on air, showing real-time problem-solving, iteration, and what it takes to turn an AI prototype into an MVP tool. Learn more on leveraging AI for creator partnerships, the behind-the-scenes process of live building with Perplexity Computer and Claude Code, and the surprising bugs, breakthroughs, and best practices when using these tools for marketers chasing innovation. Mentions Perplexity Computer https://www.perplexity.ai/computer/new Claude Code https://claude.com/product/claude-code Wispr Flow https://wisprflow.ai/ Manus https://manus.im/ Codex https://openai.com/codex/ Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt We’re creating our next round of content and want to ensure it tackles the challenges you’re facing at work or in your business. To understand your biggest challenges we’ve put together a survey and we’d love to hear from you! https://bit.ly/matg-research Resource [Free] Steal our favorite AI Prompts featured on the show! Grab them here: https://clickhubspot.com/aip We’re on Social Media! Follow us for everyday marketing wisdom straight to your feed YouTube: ​​https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGtXqPiNV8YC0GMUzY-EUFg  Twitter: https://twitter.com/matgpod  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matgpod  Join our community https://landing.connect.com/matg Thank you for tuning into Marketing Against The Grain! Don’t forget to hit subscribe and follow us on Apple Podcasts (so you never miss an episode)! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-against-the-grain/id1616700934   If you love this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review https://link.chtbl.com/h9_sjBKH and share your favorite episodes with friends. We really appreciate your support. Host Links: Kipp Bodnar, https://twitter.com/kippbodnar   Kieran Flanagan, https://twitter.com/searchbrat ‘Marketing Against The Grain’ is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by Hubspot Media // Produced by Darren Clarke.

    28 min
  6. 24 MAR

    AI Is Making Your Marketing Worse (And How to Fix It)

    Get our AI Career Guide ($100k AI jobs): https://clickhubspot.com/hjbs Ep. 411 “Most marketing teams are scaling with AI right now, and the output is getting worse and worse” Kieran dives into the 5 essential future roles every marketing team needs to master AI and stand out as AI transforms the industry.  Learn more on why simply creating more content with AI isn’t enough, how brands like Unilever and Coca-Cola are experimenting (and sometimes struggling) with AI-driven marketing, and which new roles—like prompt strategist and agent ops manager—will define successful marketing teams in the era of autonomous agents. Mentions Unilever https://www.unilever.com/ Claude https://claude.ai/ Perplexity https://www.perplexity.ai/ Veo3 https://aistudio.google.com/models/veo-3 Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt We’re creating our next round of content and want to ensure it tackles the challenges you’re facing at work or in your business. To understand your biggest challenges we’ve put together a survey and we’d love to hear from you! https://bit.ly/matg-research Resource [Free] Steal our favorite AI Prompts featured on the show! Grab them here: https://clickhubspot.com/aip We’re on Social Media! Follow us for everyday marketing wisdom straight to your feed YouTube: ​​https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGtXqPiNV8YC0GMUzY-EUFg  Twitter: https://twitter.com/matgpod  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matgpod  Join our community https://landing.connect.com/matg Thank you for tuning into Marketing Against The Grain! Don’t forget to hit subscribe and follow us on Apple Podcasts (so you never miss an episode)! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-against-the-grain/id1616700934   If you love this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review https://link.chtbl.com/h9_sjBKH and share your favorite episodes with friends. We really appreciate your support. Host Links: Kipp Bodnar, https://twitter.com/kippbodnar   Kieran Flanagan, https://twitter.com/searchbrat  ‘Marketing Against The Grain’ is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by Hubspot Media // Produced by Darren Clarke.

    19 min
  7. 19 MAR

    This Content AI Agent Runs My 0-Employee Marketing Agency

    Get Kieran's 11-skill AI content team: https://clickhubspot.com/fkbm Ep. 410 The aftermath of the webinar is more important than the presentation itself. Barbara Jovanovic, Co-Founder of Startup Cookie, dives into the secrets behind building a zero-employee marketing agency powered by AI, as outlined by Barbara. Learn more on automating content creation from webinars and podcasts, building custom AI agents for personalized marketing workflows, and maximizing team collaboration with streamlined tech stacks and distribution strategies. Mentions Barbara Jovanovic https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbara-startup-cookie/ Zapier https://zapier.com/ Claude https://claude.ai/ HeyReach https://www.heyreach.io/ Instantly https://instantly.ai/ Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt We’re creating our next round of content and want to ensure it tackles the challenges you’re facing at work or in your business. To understand your biggest challenges we’ve put together a survey and we’d love to hear from you! https://bit.ly/matg-research Resource [Free] Steal our favorite AI Prompts featured on the show! Grab them here: https://clickhubspot.com/aip We’re on Social Media! Follow us for everyday marketing wisdom straight to your feed YouTube: ​​https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGtXqPiNV8YC0GMUzY-EUFg  Twitter: https://twitter.com/matgpod  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matgpod  Join our community https://landing.connect.com/matg Thank you for tuning into Marketing Against The Grain! Don’t forget to hit subscribe and follow us on Apple Podcasts (so you never miss an episode)! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-against-the-grain/id1616700934   If you love this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review https://link.chtbl.com/h9_sjBKH and share your favorite episodes with friends. We really appreciate your support. Host Links: Kipp Bodnar, https://twitter.com/kippbodnar   Kieran Flanagan, https://twitter.com/searchbrat  ‘Marketing Against The Grain’ is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by Hubspot Media // Produced by Darren Clarke.

    25 min
  8. 17 MAR

    My 11-Skill AI Content Team (Built in Claude Code)

    Get Kieran's 11-skill AI content team: https://clickhubspot.com/fkbm Ep. 409 Why do some content ideas go viral while others flop? Kieran dives into building an AI-powered content team that can research, analyze, draft, and constantly improve your marketing output. Learn more on orchestrating 11 essential AI-driven content skills across workflows, crafting personalized audience profiles and writing styles, and using feedback loops to supercharge your content system month after month. Mentions Claude Code https://code.claude.com/docs/en/overview Substack https://substack.com/ Ahrefs https://ahrefs.com/ Perplexity https://www.perplexity.ai/ Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt We’re creating our next round of content and want to ensure it tackles the challenges you’re facing at work or in your business. To understand your biggest challenges we’ve put together a survey and we’d love to hear from you! https://bit.ly/matg-research Resource [Free] Steal our favorite AI Prompts featured on the show! Grab them here: https://clickhubspot.com/aip We’re on Social Media! Follow us for everyday marketing wisdom straight to your feed YouTube: ​​https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGtXqPiNV8YC0GMUzY-EUFg  Twitter: https://twitter.com/matgpod  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matgpod  Join our community https://landing.connect.com/matg Thank you for tuning into Marketing Against The Grain! Don’t forget to hit subscribe and follow us on Apple Podcasts (so you never miss an episode)! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-against-the-grain/id1616700934   If you love this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review https://link.chtbl.com/h9_sjBKH and share your favorite episodes with friends. We really appreciate your support. Host Links: Kipp Bodnar, https://twitter.com/kippbodnar   Kieran Flanagan, https://twitter.com/searchbrat  ‘Marketing Against The Grain’ is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by Hubspot Media // Produced by Darren Clarke.

    28 min

About

Kipp Bodnar (HubSpot’s CMO) and Kieran Flanagan (Hubspot's SVP of Marketing), lead you down the rabbit hole of marketing trends, growth tactics and innovation. On the way you’ll pick up undiscovered strategies to give you that slight edge for success. These are not your typical twitter thread regurgitated marketing tactics that everyone is doing. These are new methods, with unfiltered examination of successful fresh ideas.

More From HubSpot Media

You Might Also Like