Marketing Beyond with Alan B. Hart

Alan B. Hart
  • 5.0 (177)
  • Marketing
  • Updated Weekly

Join Alan B. Hart as he dives into conversations with the world's leading chief marketing officers and business innovators. Tune in to get inspired by the stories and experiences of marketing visionaries—and stay ahead of the curve.

  1. 6d ago

    46: How Salesforce powers AI-enabled marketing: Insights from Salesforce Chief Customer Officer for Agentforce Marketing Kevin Siminski

    What if the biggest shift in marketing isn't about chasing the next AI tool, but about making the systems and data that marketers already use work together more intelligently?  This episode takes a slightly different angle on marketing transformation. Instead of talking with a brand marketer about how their team utilizes AI, we hear from Salesforce's Chief Customer Officer for Agentforce Marketing Kevin Siminski about how the technology provider is working to reduce complexity, connect data and make AI more practical for everyday marketing work.  Kevin starts by busting two myths that shape how many teams think about Salesforce: Marketing Cloud Engagement is not going away, and marketers do not have to face a challenging migration or choose between B2B and B2C capabilities to move forward.   He explains how Salesforce is instead bringing those capabilities together in the same platform, so customers can adopt what they need without starting from scratch.  Then Kevin discusses the data foundation underneath that experience—how a shared foundation can make agentic AI more useful in practice and enable organizations to customize how those tools work together. Kevin also explores how connectivity and AI can reshape marketers' day-to-day work. Rather than suggesting a vague transformation, he points to a more practical future: developing campaigns efficiently, streamlining delivery and giving teams more control over where human judgment still matters.    In this episode, you'll hear about:  The top two myths about Salesforce marketing solutions, busted  How Salesforce is bringing B2B and B2C capabilities together in the same platform  Why a shared data foundation can make agentic AI more useful in marketing  Ways AI could help automate campaign brief and orchestration tasks, shortening timelines without removing human judgment    Key highlights:  [00:00] Introduction  [01:30] The value of taking a gap year  [04:05] Kevin's path back to Salesforce  [05:35] Agentforce Marketing's impact  [06:40] Driving product adoption in a changing world  [09:10] Connecting MarTech platforms with strong data  [11:50] Embracing the future of headless CMS  [13:10] Combining AI agents into a "super agent"  [15:30] The autopilot metaphor  [18:10] Early career moments: Engineering in the telecom world  [20:45] Advice to your younger self: Listen more intentionally   [22:05] A topic you're trying to learn more about: Agentic AI's rapid growth  [23:10] Latest curiosities: The evolution of the trades and hands-on work  [26:25] Largest potential threat: Accelerating AI adoption without governance    Resources mentioned:    Salesforce Agentforce Marketing  Salesforce Data 360    Follow the podcast:    Listen on Apple Podcasts    Listen on Amazon Music   Listen on Audible   Listen on iHeart Radio  Listen on Spotify      Connect with Kevin and Salesforce:  Kevin on LinkedIn  Salesforce on LinkedIn    Connect with Alan Hart and Deloitte Digital:     Connect with Alan Hart on X  Connect with Alan Hart on LinkedIn   Connect with Deloitte Digital on LinkedIn   Connect with Deloitte Digital on Instagram   Connect with Deloitte Digital on YouTube   Connect with Deloitte Digital on Threads

  2. Jul 8

    45: Scaling relevance: Insights from Visa Senior Vice President of Marketing, Kevin Skirde

    Marketers are being pushed to do more than run campaigns. They are being asked to build relevance, personalize at scale and make every interaction feel more relevant to the individual. That shift requires a different kind of leadership, one grounded in adaptability and curiosity.  In this episode, Visa Senior Vice President of Marketing Kevin Skirde reflects on a career shaped by experimentation. He said that taking roles he did not initially see himself in helped build a strong foundation for leadership, including learning how to be comfortable in the uncomfortable and turning complex information into clear strategy for executives. That mindset carries into how he thinks about teams. Skirde points to culture, high-performing teams and relationships as core drivers of effectiveness, saying strong outcomes depend not just on ideas but on the people and environment that bring them to life.   On marketing and artificial intelligence (AI), Skirde says the technology can automate repetitive tasks and help smaller companies compete more effectively. At the same time, it raises the premium on human judgment, strategy and relevance. As marketing shifts toward more continuous, one-to-one journeys, the real advantage comes from understanding what matters to each individual, and creating connections that feel personal rather than interruptive.    In this episode, you'll hear about how:  The strongest marketing feels personal, relevant and built around real consumer interests  Complexity becomes an advantage when teams simplify it into clear, actionable value  AI is raising the premium on human judgment and leaders who can build effective strategies, shifting from execution to direction and better outcomes    Key highlights:  [01:15] Introduction and a fear of flying  [05:11] Kevin Skirde's path to Visa  [05:45] Learning through career experiments  [06:45] American Express lessons: Precision, loyalty and operating mindset  [07:35] Startup lessons  [08:20] Leadership, culture and high-performing teams  [18:00] Making sense of marketing complexity  [23:05] From interruption to relevance   [26:25] An experience that defines you: Missing one path and finding the right one   [31:05] Advice to your younger self: Have fun, be patient, keep learning  [32:35 A topic you're trying to learn more about: Retirement and purpose  [35:45] Latest curiosities: The future workforce for the next generation  [41:50] Largest opportunity or threat: AI and the rising value of human judgment    Resources mentioned:    Visa    Follow the podcast:    Listen on Apple Podcasts    Listen on Amazon Music   Listen on Audible   Listen on iHeart Radio  Listen on Spotify      Connect with Laura and GM:  Kevin Skirde on LinkedIn  Visa on LinkedIn    Connect with Alan Hart and Deloitte Digital:     Connect with Alan Hart on X  Connect with Alan Hart on LinkedIn   Connect with Deloitte Digital on LinkedIn   Connect with Deloitte Digital on Instagram   Connect with Deloitte Digital on YouTube   Connect with Deloitte Digital on Threads

  3. Jul 1

    RERELEASE: Bridging the gap between marketers and consumers: Insights from Gayle Troberman, executive advisor at iHeartMedia

    RERELEASE: From the archives — originally released in July 2025. Are your ads landing with consumers?   According to iHeartMedia's "The New American Consumer 2.0" study, 44% of Americans feel ignored by most advertisers. In today's episode, Alan chats with Gayle Troberman, executive advisor at iHeartMedia, about bridging the gap between marketers and consumers, and the marketing principles that stay consistent despite technological advancements.   Gayle emphasizes the importance of balancing new technology with classic marketing approaches and cautions against neglecting potential customers by focusing too narrowly on the target audience.  She highlights the power of evoking memories in advertising, primarily through audio, with examples of iconic jingles. She also describes why radio and podcasting are effective tools for mass reach and emotional engagement.   Gayle Troberman is a highly respected marketing industry veteran. She spent 16 years as chief creative officer at Microsoft, then as chief marketing and ideas officer at IPG Mediabrands. She then became chief marketing officer at iHeartMedia for over a decade before moving into her current role as executive advisor. Today, Gayle works across all iHeartMedia businesses to help them connect with consumers in a deeper, more meaningful way. Her "human first, outcome second" approach to life and marketing has kept her consistently in tune with consumers throughout her career.    In this episode, you'll hear about: The inspiration behind "The New American Consumer 2.0" study and insights from the research    How marketers can better understand their audience    Approaches to using AI and targeting to add value from a consumer perspective    Key highlights:  [00:00] Rerelease note   [00:20] Introduction [01:50] A "muppalucky" life   [02:55] Gayle's career path   [05:55] The secret to a long CMO tenure   [07:50] Enduring truths in marketing   [13:45] "The New American Consumer Report 2.0"  [18:30] How marketers can reconnect with everyday consumers  [22:45] Who has influence?   [24:20] Using AI in a mindful way  [28:35] An experience that defines you: Developing a human-first philosophy  [31:35] Advice to your younger self: A little more patience and empathy  [33:05] A topic marketers need to learn more about: Balancing the new with the classics  [34:20] Subcultures and trends to follow: Young people taking strong stances  [35:40] Largest opportunity and threat to marketers today: Fake performance indicators    Resources mentioned:    Gayle Troberman  iHeartMedia  The New American Consumer 2.0 study    Follow the podcast:    Listen on Apple Podcasts    Listen on Amazon Music   Listen on Audible   Listen on iHeart Radio  Listen on Spotify      Connect with Gayle Troberman and iHeartMedia:  Gayle Troberman on LinkedIn   iHeartMedia on LinkedIn  iHeartMedia on Instagram  iHeartMedia on YouTube    Connect with Alan Hart and Deloitte Digital:     Alan Hart on X  Alan Hart on LinkedIn   Deloitte Digital on LinkedIn   Deloitte Digital on Instagram   Deloitte Digital on YouTube   Deloitte Digital on Threads

  4. Jun 24

    44: Creating with sales, not for sales: Insights from Vanguard Head of Sales Channel Marketing John Howie

    What strategies is Vanguard using to help marketing and sales stay aligned while keeping the client at the center?  In this episode, Vanguard's John Howie, head of sales channel marketing for the financial advisor services division, reflects on his move from sales into marketing. He discusses how marketing leaders can drive stronger results by grounding solutions in each client's selling realities and building a shared understanding with sales, not just for sales. John describes how his team uses direct input from sales leaders to shape marketing efforts around real selling conditions, and emphasizes that effective internal change efforts need both rational support and human buy-in. When it comes to AI, John advocates using it to guide strategy, rather than to fully design or replace the strategy itself. He warns that leaders should not let the push for speed and productivity crowd out creativity, judgment, and the distinctly human work of storytelling and problem solving.  This episode offers a practical point of view to help today's marketers keep the client at the center, use data and frontline insights together, and treat this moment of transformation as a chance to improve not only the way teams work, but the overall quality of work.    In this episode, you'll hear:  How building marketing and sales around the same customer reality can improve results  Tips for connecting a strong business case with talent buy-in for lasting change  Practical ways leaders can deploy AI to give teams more time for creativity and problem solving    Key highlights:  [00:00] Introduction  [01:00] Skydiving experiences  [02:30] John's path to Vanguard  [05:20] How marketing can find common ground with sales  [07:55] Adjusting for changing selling realities  [09:45] Centering customer and client perspectives  [11:45] Transforming an organization from the inside out  [13:50] AI's impact on the change management process  [16:20] Internal marketing use cases with AI  [18:45] An experience that defines you: Major life changes coinciding with career launch  [20:35] Advice to your younger self: Your performance rating is not your identity  [22:30] A topic you're trying to learn more about: AI's evolving role in daily life  [23:30] Largest potential threat: Rapidly implementing AI without a clear strategy  [25:30] What you would have an LLM do for you: Give me more time with family    Resources mentioned:    Vanguard    Follow the podcast:    Listen on Apple Podcasts    Listen on Amazon Music   Listen on Audible   Listen on iHeart Radio  Listen on Spotify      Connect with John and Vanguard:  John on LinkedIn  Vanguard on LinkedIn    Connect with Alan Hart and Deloitte Digital:     Connect with Alan Hart on X  Connect with Alan Hart on LinkedIn   Connect with Deloitte Digital on LinkedIn   Connect with Deloitte Digital on Instagram   Connect with Deloitte Digital on YouTube   Connect with Deloitte Digital on Threads

    44: Creating with sales, not for sales: Insights from Vanguard Head of Sales Channel Marketing John Howie

  5. Jun 17

    43: How experimentation can fuel marketing effectiveness: Insights from General Motors Executive Director of Marketing and Consumer Engagement Laura Thornton

    At General Motors, modernizing marketing means more than just adopting new tools—it requires thoughtful experimentation and sound human judgment to apply AI and other innovations while protecting the customer experience. In this episode, Laura Thornton shares how General Motors (GM) approaches this balance through two parallel efforts: marketing technology modernization and Project Leapfrog, a pilot program where teams can test low-risk ideas outside the core operating model.   She explains how this approach helps her team experiment with new AI tools to quickly solve problems and expedite workflows. Laura encourages marketing leaders to create room for testing, give teams permission to fail, build confidence through hands-on use of new tools while avoiding changing too much too fast.   Laura also discusses a real leadership challenge for marketing and consumer engagement leaders: not only adopting AI, but helping employees throughout the enterprise adapt while keeping human judgment and customer connection at the center.  "Taking risks is something that can feel very daunting, and as marketers, we have to be open to trying and testing new things. So that has to be fundamental." - Laura Thornton In this episode, you'll hear about:  AI adoption approaches that can bring change without putting core work at risk  Experimentation insights that can help teams unlock better ideas, accelerate learning and improve adoption  Leadership tips for fostering AI-driven change with humans-in-the-loop    Key highlights:  [00:00] Introduction  [01:20] An auto industry family legacy  [01:55] Laura's GM path: From account coordinator to executive director  [03:25] Perspectives from the agency side vs. client side  [04:15] Taking customer journeys from insights to action  [05:10] Embracing MarTech transformation  [06:25] Introducing Project Leapfrog  [07:25] AI pilot experimentation  [10:25] Integrating AI with the human workforce  [11:45] Lessons for future transformations  [13:00] An experience that defines you: Trusting the process through career pivots  [14:15] Advice to your younger self: Find your voice early to grow confidence   [15:10] A topic you're trying to learn more about: Change management  [17:00] Latest curiosities: Analog, in-person experiences  [18:45] Largest potential threat: Pressure to change too rapidly without a strategy    Resources mentioned:    General Motors    Follow the podcast:    Listen on Apple Podcasts    Listen on Amazon Music   Listen on Audible   Listen on iHeart Radio  Listen on Spotify      Connect with Laura and GM:  Laura on LinkedIn  General Motors on LinkedIn    Connect with Alan Hart and Deloitte Digital:     Connect with Alan Hart on X  Connect with Alan Hart on LinkedIn   Connect with Deloitte Digital on LinkedIn   Connect with Deloitte Digital on Instagram   Connect with Deloitte Digital on YouTube   Connect with Deloitte Digital on Threads

    43: How experimentation can fuel marketing effectiveness: Insights from General Motors Executive Director of Marketing and Consumer Engagement Laura Thornton

  6. Jun 10

    42: How Adobe is embracing the future of creative work: Insights from Adobe Chief Content and Creative Officer Stacy Martinet

    What could marketing teams accomplish if they spent less time chasing inputs and more time shaping ideas?   In this episode, Stacy Martinet, chief content and creative officer at Adobe, shares her perspective on one of the near-term opportunities for marketing leaders: using AI to reduce workflow grind.    She highlights how processes that once took weeks—such as brief creation—can now take minutes, giving teams more time to focus on concepts, production and cultural relevance. Drawing on her experience across media, communications and brand leadership, Stacy suggests that even as AI tools and processes evolve, craft and specialist roles remain essential.  Stacy also discusses creator collaborations, which she believes work well when brands give creators room to do what they do best, rather than over-engineering the outcome. Authentic creator-driven content can help unlock a meaningful audience connection that brands cannot easily create on their own.    The key is creative leaders nurturing a culture of experimentation by reducing fear of trying something new and building AI fluency that enables brand growth.    In this episode, you'll hear about:  How creative teams can harness AI technology to drive results and increase focus on the big picture  Why brands should approach the creator economy as a valuable collaboration opportunity to reach more customers  Practical ways creative leaders can encourage technology experimentation and help teams adapt to change    Key highlights:  [00:00] Introduction  [01:05] Inspiration from everyday interactions  [02:20] Stacy's path to Adobe  [06:00] The role of creators in brand marketing  [07:15] How Adobe Firefly spotlights creators  [09:05] The origins of the creator economy  [10:20] Embracing the agentic AI era  [11:20] Streamlining the creative brief  [14:20] Early career inspiration: Role models  [15:30] Advice to your younger self: No lesson too small   [15:55] A topic you're trying to learn more about: Ancestry and Italian cooking  [16:30] Latest curiosities: Communicating change to prepare for the future  [17:00] Largest potential threat: Brands not keeping up with AI's rapid growth    Resources mentioned:    Adobe  Adobe Firefly    Follow the podcast:    Listen on Apple Podcasts    Listen on Amazon Music   Listen on Audible   Listen on iHeart Radio  Listen on Spotify      Connect with Stacy and Adobe:  Stacy on LinkedIn  Adobe on LinkedIn    Connect with Alan Hart and Deloitte Digital:     Connect with Alan Hart on X  Connect with Alan Hart on LinkedIn   Connect with Deloitte Digital on LinkedIn   Connect with Deloitte Digital on Instagram   Connect with Deloitte Digital on YouTube   Connect with Deloitte Digital on Threads

    42: How Adobe is embracing the future of creative work: Insights from Adobe Chief Content and Creative Officer Stacy Martinet

  7. May 27

    41: Turning brand awareness into loyalty: Insights from Herbalife CMO Hanan Wajih

    How can marketing help turn brand recognition into meaningful connections?  In today's episode, Alan Hart speaks with Herbalife CMO Hanan Wajih about how she views marketing's role in helping lead enterprise transformation by strengthening the brand, sharpening the company's storytelling, and equipping distributors with better tools and content to better support customers.  Hanan explains that Herbalife's current opportunity is not awareness, but familiarity, because many people know the name without fully understanding the company's purpose, product quality, innovation, scale or distributor model. She points to the company's broad reach—from nutrition clubs and distributors to sports partnerships and product innovation—and explains why that scale makes clear, consistent storytelling and increasingly personalized engagement more important than ever.  For marketing leaders, her comments suggest three practical priorities: continue investing in brand building as a long-term driver of trust and loyalty, use technology to make content and engagement more relevant at scale, and help teams build the skills needed to lead through ongoing change. Hanan also shares her perspective that, as AI reshapes marketing, authenticity, strong values and the willingness to challenge old ways of working are likely to matter just as much as new tools.    In this episode, you'll learn:  Why awareness may not be enough to build deeper trust, loyalty and long-term growth  How marketing can help support transformation through better tools, clearer stories and stronger alignment  The importance of balancing innovation with trust and credibility    Key highlights:  [00:00] Introduction   [01:20] A moment in Maui  [03:00] Hanan's path to Herbalife  [06:55] The scope of her role  [07:30] The mission of Herbalife  [10:00] Herbalife's enterprise transformation  [12:10] Marketing's role in the transformation journey  [15:00] An experience that defines you: A multicultural upbringing  [16:20] Advice to your younger self: Trust yourself sooner  [16:45] What are you curious about: Leadership in the AI era  [17:25] What are you trying to learn more about: Generation Alpha and Beta  [18:05] Largest opportunity and threat to marketers today: Authenticity  [18:30] What would you want an AI agent or an LLM to do for you: Quantify the impact of brand marketing    Resources mentioned:    Herbalife    Follow the podcast:    Listen on Apple Podcasts    Listen on Amazon Music   Listen on Audible   Listen on iHeart Radio  Listen on Spotify      Connect with Hanan Wajih and Herbalife  Hanan Wajih on LinkedIn  Herbalife on LinkedIn    Connect with Alan Hart and Deloitte Digital:     Connect with Alan Hart on X  Connect with Alan Hart on LinkedIn   Connect with Deloitte Digital on LinkedIn   Connect with Deloitte Digital on Instagram   Connect with Deloitte Digital on YouTube   Connect with Deloitte Digital on Threads

  8. May 13

    40: Preparing marketing data for AI: Insights from jeweler David Yurman's global head of CRM, data, customer experience and loyalty, Neha Kovach

    What does "AI-ready data" look like in a modern marketing organization, and where can it create practical value for marketers?  In today's episode Alan Hart talks with Neha Kovach about the practical work marketers may need to consider before AI can deliver real value. Neha is jeweler David Yurman's global head of customer resource management, data, customer experience and loyalty. Neha believes that getting data ready is less about volume, more about structure and context: cleaning it up, defining customers more clearly, and turning general customer data into signals that can guide action—like how recently someone purchased or how close they are to a milestone. She suggests the bigger opportunity for AI may not be routine service, but rather helping marketers improve conversion, retention, and personalization with more relevant timing and messaging.  She also points to a separate operational benefit: increasing workforce capacity by helping teams work more efficiently. Looking ahead, she also explores what it might take for brands to compete in a world where AI agents may increasingly shape what customers see, consider and buy.    In this episode, you'll hear about:  Ways to think about creating a stronger data foundation to prepare for AI more effectively  Where AI may offer practical support across customer engagement, team capacity and decision-making  Why understanding customer intent may become increasingly important as marketing continues to evolve    Key Highlights: [00:00] Introduction   [01:15] Moving to the United States  [02:05] Neha's path to David Yurman  [04:25] What is David Yurman?  [05:20] Preparing data for AI  [07:55] Bringing agents into the mix  [11:20] Specific agentic use cases   [13:20] Customer experience in an agentic-enabled world  [14:30] An experience that defines you: Losing her mother and becoming one herself  [17:35] Advice to your younger self: Be gentle to yourself  [18:50] A topic marketers need to learn more about: Neuroplasticity and quantum physics  [20:45] Largest opportunity and threat to marketers today: Customer attention span    Resources mentioned:    David Yurman    Follow the podcast:    Listen on Apple Podcasts    Listen on Amazon Music   Listen on Audible   Listen on iHeart Radio  Listen on Spotify      Connect with Neha Kovach and David Yurman  Neha Kovach on LinkedIn  David Yurman on LinkedIn    Connect with Alan Hart and Deloitte Digital:     Connect with Alan Hart on X  Connect with Alan Hart on LinkedIn   Connect with Deloitte Digital on LinkedIn   Connect with Deloitte Digital on Instagram   Connect with Deloitte Digital on YouTube   Connect with Deloitte Digital on Threads

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Join Alan B. Hart as he dives into conversations with the world's leading chief marketing officers and business innovators. Tune in to get inspired by the stories and experiences of marketing visionaries—and stay ahead of the curve.

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