What if everything marketers believe about precision is, well… probably wrong?In this ep, Jon and Peter crack open the illusion of certainty that defines modern marketing — and expose why “the right person, the right message, the right time” might be the industry’s biggest fantasy. From LLMs to audience targeting, they’re breaking down how marketing magic is more about managing uncertainty than mastering control.First up in From the Feed, the guys explain why it’s time to give LLMs a break. After all, they can’t be right about everything — so why are people riding so hard on a probability machine’s accuracy?Then, Jon and Peter survey synthetic marketers to see if they think probabilistically or deterministically. Do most marketers really think success is as simple as finding the right person, with the right message, at the right time? Yes. Errr — probably.Finally, in Mental Model and Synthetic Salon, the conversation takes a quantum leap as the guys channel Niels Bohr to explain why probabilistic thinking isn’t just for physicists — it’s the future of marketing. They explain why chasing perfect targeting and timing narrows your reach, and how embracing uncertainty can open the door to true scale.01:40 - From the Feed05:44 - Million Dollar Data23:42 - The Synthetic Salon Feat. Niels Bohr
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29:41
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29:41
How Superman Beat Mickey: The Blockbuster Playbook for Marketers
How can you add a little more movie magic to your marketing mojo? Jon and Peter dive into the theory of blockbuster marketing and explain why movie marketers either go big – or risk getting buried. First up, they break down how Warner Bros. just beat Disney at its own game, raking in $1.3 billion to Mickey’s measly $1.2 billion. How can the blockbuster strategy work for a variety of industries? And why, oh why, are movies stuck in an endless cycle of prequels upon sequels upon threequels (*cough* Marvel, we’re looking at you *cough*)? The guys discuss the state of the movie attention economy and break down why familiarity, distinctiveness, and total merchandising are the three key components to winning big at the box office.And later, they turn to the synthetic data to expose how marketers really bet their budgets — does playing it safe with a bunch of small bets really pay off? Or does a little a less job security and a lot more risk reap more reward? 03:30 From the Feed – WB Beats Disney at the Box Office07:39 Synthetic Salon – Anita Elberse Fan Breaks Down Blockbuster Strategy15:51 Mental Model – From Movie Studio Marketing to B2B and B2C29:42 Million Dollar Data – Are Marketers Afraid to Bet Big?
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34:19
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34:19
Mark Ritson on Marketing, B2B, and the Future of AI
It’s the season finale, and Jon and Peter are bringing in the big guns: Professor Mark Ritson, the man who can make or break your marketing ego in a single sentence.Ever wondered how to beat Roger Federer at tennis? It’s basic math to Mark: you simply don’t play him.Mark’s breaking down some of his top marketing lessons of all time in a few words or less, discussing what he really thinks of *that* Sydney Sweeney ad, and explaining why “knowing the language of the boardroom” is worthless if you can’t actually do the marketing.He also waxes poetic about the main difference between B2B and B2C marketing, dishes on the future of AI (spoiler: it’s not just hype), dunks on NFTs (aka “Idiot magnets”) and the metaverse (just stupid), and tells Jon and Peter just how insane they really were leaving LinkedIn.If you’ve ever wondered whether marketers need MBAs, personas, or an overpriced metaverse avatar, the answer is the same: absolutely not. Strap in — this finale is sharp, brutal, and very Ritson.02:32 - Walking Down Memory Lane with Mark Ritson04:15 - Mark Ritson on Marketing23:10 - Is B2B Really Any Different from B2C?32:45 - The Future of AI
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54:45
Blands Over Brands: When the Risk isn’t Worth the Reward
What do Weight Watchers, Tropicana, ABRDN, Jaguar, and HBO all have in common?You guessed it — terrible rebrands. In this ep, Jon and Peter are putting risky marketing moves under the microscope to ask the question — just how much risk is too much?First, they’re diving into the feed and covering some of marketing’s biggest acts of brandilism. Why are so many brands turning into blands? And are there better ways for marketing to take the risk out of risky business (like, oh, say… rebranding)? Step away from the computer and drop the rebranding stick immediately because Peter and Jon are explaining why category optionality is a far superior solution, keeping a diverse customer base is king, and how AI can be a clutch component to making your customer research completely risk-free.Plus, how do CFOs and CMOs really feel about risk management? Peter and Jon unpack the data to get to the juicy center of your CFO's cold, steely heart before heading into the Synthetic Salon to chat with Rory Sutherland and Nassim Taleb about the perception and safety of brand in decision-making. 01:17 From the Feed – The Risk of a Rebrand09:33 Million Dollar Data – How Marketers and CFOs Think About Risk16:02 Mental Model – Why Marketing and AI Derisk Business26:38 Synthetic Salon – Sori Rutherland
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32:22
Why Clicks Don’t Equal Cash (and What to Track Instead)
Back from Cannes and still reeking of overpriced rosé, Peter and Jon tackle the pain point marketers love to hate but can’t stop obsessing over: measurement. In this episode, they take a flamethrower to the click-through cult and ask the real question: why are we still chasing metrics that don’t matter?First up in From the Feed, the boys unpack the 95-5 rule thanks to a spicy little post from a French professor and dive into why most brands are over-indexing on the 5%. Can we finally just agree? Brand is the real engine of demand.And why do 8 out of 10 marketers still worship at the altar of click-through rate? You know… the metric that hasn’t correlated with purchase intent since like, ever. Can Jon and Peter talk some sense into the cult of CTR? They introduce the CMO Scorecard — a smarter framework for measuring what actually matters (creative, media, and outcomes) and explain how your obsession with CTR might be negatively impacting your brand’s performance.Finally, in the Synthetic Salon, they welcome Fannie Duke (not Annie, obviously), the probabilistic princess of poker and marketing realism. She explains how in both games and marketing, you can make the right decision and still lose. So then, just how much does measurement matter in a game of chance? 03:07 From the Feed — The 95-5 Rule Receives Pushback11:29 Million Dollar Data — Enough with Click Through Rates Already17:51 Mental Model — How to (and NOT to) Think About Measurement35:07 Synthetic Salon — Probabilistic vs. Deterministic (ft. Fannie Duke)
What if you could conduct smarter, faster, and more cost-effective consumer research without alarming your budget-conscious finance team? Forget outdated advice about CTR and MQLs—what you need are evidence-backed strategies.
For over a decade, we’ve partnered with LinkedIn's experts to uncover key B2B marketing principles. Now, we’re using those insights and cutting-edge research tech to break down what really drives growth.
Join Peter Weinberg and Jon Lombardo each week as we explore proven, lab-backed tactics to help marketers thrive in today’s landscape.
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