Lay of the Brand

Merritt Group
  • 5.0 (8)
  • MARKETING

Welcome to the Lay of the Brand podcast, where we talk with the experts on tech marketing, creative and PR to learn what’s new, what’s working and what’s next.

  1. JAN 13

    Next-level analyst relations

    A new Sapio Research report finds that 92 percent of decision-makers say analysts directly shape their opinions on vendors and solutions. So how do you make analyst relations an effective part of your strategy? And what do they really want from you? To find out the secrets to powerful analyst relations, host Peter Jacobs talks with Melinda Marks, Practice Director for Cybersecurity at Omdia;Ashley Vandiver, who’s led Analyst Relations at Cisco, Palo Alto Networks, and Secureworks; andOliver Cowley, of Merritt Group's cybersecurity public relations team.Download the Saprio Research report here.

    47 min

  2. 08/20/2025

    The secrets of cyber influencer marketing - Part 2

    Continuing our two-part series, last time we talked about getting started with influencer marketing and how to find the right influencers for your campaign goals. Now we're uncovering how to measure, maximize, and maintain an influencer program that actually gives you the results you're looking for. Once again, our guests are Michelle Schafer, a Merritt Group partner who heads the agency's security practice. Robin Campbell-Burt, the CEO of a Merritt Group's global PR agency partner, Code Red Communications, and John Hammond, principal security researcher at Huntress and content creator and founder of Just Hacking Training, and also one of the top influencers in cybersecurity.  We'll pick up the conversation from where we left off.

    25 min

  3. 07/23/2025

    The secrets of cyber influencer marketing - Part 1

    Influencers are having a huge impact on marketing and PR. But if there’s any discipline that runs on trust, it’s cybersecurity. So, working with influencers could create terrific results, but that’s not guaranteed. It's a strategy that's so big, we've made this discussion a two-part series. And we're talking  with 3 experts in cyber influencer marketing and PR:  * Michelle Schafer, a Merritt Group partner who heads the agency’s security practice * Robin Campbell-Burt, the CEO of Merritt Group’s global PR agency partner, Code Red Communications * John Hammond, Principal Security Researcher at Huntress, and Content Creator & Founder of Just Hacking Training — and also one of the top influencers in cybersecurity Check out our show notes page at www.LayoftheBrand.com to download the Merritt Group/Code Red survey report.

    30 min

  4. 06/17/2025

    Navigating the fractured customer journey w/Pat Barrett, Unison

    Today's buyers jump around throughout the decision process, loop in new stakeholders midstream, and often do months of research before ever speaking to sales. So why are so many marketing strategies still built around a linear sales funnel?  That's why we're talking with Unison's Pat Barrett to unpack the messy reality of the modern buyer journey and uncover how you can navigate the new, fractured customer journey.

    23 min

  5. 03/25/2025

    B2G success in a DOGE environment with guest Brian Chidester

    In this episode of Lay of the Brand, host Peter Jacobs is joined by Brian Chidester, Head of Global Strategy and Innovation for Public Sector at Adobe and host of The Government Huddle podcast. With government agencies facing mounting pressure to operate more efficiently while staying mission-aligned, they uncover steps B2G companies can take right now to stay relevant. This conversation highlights the urgent need for strategic marketing, proactive positioning, and meaningful engagement to ensure that GovCons remain essential partners in an evolving landscape.

    30 min

  6. 12/03/2024

    Cybersecurity marketing — what's working and what's coming next w/Gianna Whitver and Michelle Shafer

    Reaching CISOs has never been easy, but with different channels coming to the forefront and a barrage of AI-powered threats (and solutions) to contend with, how to engage that audience is trickier than ever.  On this episode, Gianna Whitver, CEO of the Cybersecurity Marketing Society, and Merritt Group's cybersecurity lead Michelle Shafer, spell out where to focus your efforts now and in the year ahead.

    23 min

  7. 10/28/2024

    B2B Influencer Marketing with Samsung's Nidhi Mehta

    In this episode of Lay of the Brand, host Peter Jacobs talks with Nidhi Mehta, the Social and Influencer Lead at Samsung Electronics America, to unravel how influencer marketing is no longer just for B2C brands. Nidhi shares actionable insights into how B2B brands can use influencer partnerships to tell more compelling stories, create emotional connections, and drive awareness and sales—even in highly technical fields. Listen to learn how to: Choose the right influencers for your B2B campaignHow to use micro-influencers for better targetingUse emotion and storytelling to go beyond product specs and featuresBuild effective programs for nurturing leadsGet ready for what's coming in 2025 for influencer marketing

    35 min

  8. 08/28/2024

    B2G Marketing: Creating End of FY24 Impact with Mark Amtower

    The end of the federal government's FY gets everyone scrambling to deliver proposals, but marketing still has a lot to do. That's why we asked Mark Amtower, the godfather of federal marketing, for his insights on what to do now -- and what to focus on going forward. Not that he has an opinion.

    38 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

Welcome to the Lay of the Brand podcast, where we talk with the experts on tech marketing, creative and PR to learn what’s new, what’s working and what’s next.

Information

  • Creator
    Merritt Group
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    38
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Merritt Group
  • Show Website
    Lay of the Brand