Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast This Old Marketing - News Podcast Weekly with Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Is the Open Web Closing? plus Midterm Marketing Trends (557) | 06 Nov 2026 | 01:14:52 | |
The internet is changing, and not necessarily for the better. Reddit is preparing to put more of its content behind a login wall. Meanwhile, two new studies reveal something surprising about the midterm elections. Americans are increasingly turning to content creators for election information, but very few are asking AI chatbots. Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose discuss what these changes mean for marketers, publishers, creators, and anyone trying to build an audience they can actually reach. Creators Are Winning the News Battle Nearly two-thirds of American adults say they get information about the 2026 midterms from online creators, while just 8% report using AI chatbots for election information. Joe and Robert examine what this means for traditional news organizations, the creator economy, and the future of audience trust. Reddit Is Closing the Doors Reddit plans to experiment with requiring users to log in as Google search referrals decline. More than one million weekly search referrals have disappeared, and Reddit's CEO is questioning whether AI-powered search delivers traffic to anyone. Is this the beginning of the end for the open web? Robert's Loser: Instagram's Creator Payment Strategy Instagram is reportedly offering select YouTube creators as much as $500,000 to bring long-form videos to its platform. Meanwhile, Instagram leadership maintains that broadly paying creators doesn't deliver a positive return. Robert examines the contradiction between attracting established stars and creating a sustainable business model for everyday creators. Joe's Winner: Prof G Turns Election Coverage Into a Subscription Opportunity Scott Galloway and the Prof G team are offering five days of free live election coverage, along with a special 26% discount on Prof G+ subscriptions. Joe explains why this is a smart example of connecting timely content, community, and a paid subscription business. Robert's Rant: Where Are All the AI Shopping Agents? DoorDash reports receiving only several hundred orders through third-party AI agents, despite handling millions of deliveries each day. Is agentic commerce the next great shopping revolution, or are marketers confusing future potential with present reality? Joe's Rave: Denmark's Message to America A Facebook page called Denmark has attracted attention with its humorous, pointed message to American voters about democracy and the importance of participating in elections. Joe discusses the power of personality, humor, and a distinctive point of view to communicate something meaningful. ---- Want to start building something that matters? Joe's free 21-Day Challenge gives you 21 simple ideas to help you take action, create consistently, and make progress toward something important. Get started at thetilt.com/21. Main Stories
Winners and Losers Rants and Raves ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| The AI Numbers Are Getting Ridiculous (556) | 30 Oct 2026 | 01:08:26 | |
The business of content is changing, and the numbers are getting ridiculous. In this episode of This Old Marketing, Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose break down Anthropic's eye-popping IPO filing and what it tells us about the future of AI. Next, Instagram is testing videos up to 90 minutes long. Is every social platform trying to become YouTube? Finally, the U.S. Small Business Administration officially recognizes content creators within its small-business classification system. What does this mean for the future of creator entrepreneurship? In winners and losers, Joe celebrates Pauly Shore's viral horror short Remain Calm, and what it teaches us about reinvention, creative risks, and finding an audience. Meanwhile, Robert applauds Apple Music for showcasing the human creativity behind its new brand identity. In rants and raves, Robert tackles the growing confusion between citations and brand mentions in AI search. Meanwhile, Joe raves about Noah Smith's fascinating look at how AI could usher in a golden age of scientific discovery. Plus: Joe introduces The Tilt's free 21-day challenge, featuring 21 ideas to help you think differently, take action, and make meaningful changes in your life and work. Get started at thetilt.com/21. Links from the showMain stories
Winners, rants and raves
The Tilt 21-Day Challenge ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| When Marketing Goes Too Far [Elon, Vivek and Forrester] (555) | 23 Oct 2026 | 01:19:36 | |
Is Elon Musk a marketing genius, or has Tesla officially crossed the line from hype into overpromising? Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose kick off the episode with Tesla's latest flying-car demonstration and talk about the real reason for Elon's stunt and what he could have done differently. Next, the duo digs into two fascinating research reports from Anthropic. Why do the people building AI have such radically different expectations for the future than the general public? And what is AI already doing to jobs inside Anthropic itself? Joe and Robert explore what these findings mean for marketers, employees, and the future of business. It's a heated debate. In winners and losers, Robert names Braze his winner and Salesforce his loser following Salesforce's multibillion-dollar acquisition announcement. Joe examines the controversial political advertisement from Vivek Ramaswamy's Ohio gubernatorial campaign, asking an important question: Just because you can do something in advertising, does that mean you should? Finally, in rants and raves, Robert takes aim at Forrester's latest agency predictions, including its forecast that 20% of independent agencies will face acquisition, downsizing, or closure in 2027. Joe celebrates his friend Matt Wilkinson's new academic research exploring the Trust Portfolio concept and the growing importance of human relationships in marketing. Another can't-miss episode of This Old Marketing! News Stories
Winners and Losers
Rants and Raves
------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| Is ChatGPT Becoming Google? (554) | 16 Oct 2026 | 01:10:51 | |
Three stories about platforms, advertising, and control. Are tech companies doing anything surprising, or are marketers simply expecting these platforms to act against their own interests? 1. ChatGPT Expands AdvertisingAngle: Are we making too big a deal about AI advertising?
Question: Is ChatGPT advertising a threat to trust, or just the next version of Google Search? 2. Google Changes Its Content GuidanceAngle: Visibility is the new traffic.
Question: If nobody clicks, how do we know our content marketing is working? And does it matter? 3. Meta Bans TikTok AdvertisingAngle: Why should Meta promote its competition?
Question: Is this starting the banning war of 2027? Marketing Winners and LosersRobert's Winner/Loser: Publicis The Day the CEO Stopped Being Scared. Publicis is bypassing traditional agency pitches and selling AI transformation directly to anxious CEOs. Robert says this is a long-term loss and no way to sell trust. Joe's Loser: Norwegian Cruise Line Norwegian has talented onboard performers but isn't doing enough to build them into creators and influencers. A missed opportunity to grow audiences, build loyalty, and attract talent. Rants and RavesRobert's Rant: AI Cute-Washing Cute is the worst way to sell long-term trust. Joe's Rave: Sylvester Stallone's Memoir Stallone's life, career, persistence, and creative journey. Article Links ChatGPT Expands Advertising | Mashable Google Changes Its Content Guidance | MarTech Meta Bans TikTok Ads in Seven Countries | TechRepublic Publicis Is Selling Directly to AI-Anxious CEOs | Digiday Big Tech Is Cutewashing Its AI Agents | Fast Company ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| The Biggest Changes in Marketing: AMA Special Episode (553) | 09 Oct 2026 | 00:55:59 | |
In this special Ask Me Anything episode of This Old Marketing, Robert and Joe put each other in the hot seat with questions about marketing, business, and how they ended up here. They cover what's changed in marketing over the years, the biggest business decisions of their lives, why Robert does consulting at all, and how Joe started Content Marketing Institute. Along the way, they get a little personal and share some stories you might not have heard before. Stick around until the end. A few of the best questions, and most unexpected answers, have nothing to do with marketing. ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| The Marketing of AI Acceptance: The Different Paths of OpenAI, Anthropic and Meta (552) | 02 Oct 2026 | 01:08:03 | |
AI is getting more powerful, publishers want their communities back, and marketers are apparently becoming engineers. In this episode of This Old Marketing, Joe and Robert start with OpenAI and the growing concerns around increasingly capable AI systems. Is it marketing...or theater...or real concerns? The boys lean toward marketing. Then, OpenWeb launches Reddit-style forums that publishers can build directly into their own sites. For years, publishers watched conversations move from their comment sections to platforms like Reddit and Facebook. With search traffic under pressure, could community once again become one of the most important assets publishers own? Marketing Winners and Rants & RavesJoe's Marketing Winner: Meta and Muse Joe gives Meta the win for understanding that AI adoption isn't only a technology problem. It's an emotional one. By associating its AI with a cute, friendly character, Meta is making the technology feel less intimidating and more approachable. Is it brilliant positioning, or the AI equivalent of putting a cartoon character on a cereal box? Robert's Marketing Winner: Visit Sweden Robert gives the win to Visit Sweden and its "Introvert Travel Agency," a campaign built specifically around travelers who would rather avoid crowds, forced social interaction and the traditional tourist experience. Joe's Commentary: Anthropic, Religion and the Marketing of AI Acceptance Joe looks at The New York Times report on Anthropic's private meetings with theologians, philosophers and religious thinkers about Claude, morality and the possibility of AI consciousness. Robert's Rant: The Marketing Engineer The Wall Street Journal looks at the rise of the "marketing engineer," a title for marketers combining AI, automation and traditional marketing judgment. LinksOpenAI / Astra safety OpenWeb launches forums for publishers Joe's Marketing Winner: Meta Muse Joe's Commentary: Anthropic, Claude and Religion Robert's Marketing Winner: Visit Sweden's Introvert Travel Agency Robert's Rant: Marketers Are Rebranding as Engineers to Survive the AI Era ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| The State of Content Marketing 2027: What Comes Next (551) | 25 Sep 2026 | 01:00:25 | |
Content marketing is changing, and Joe and Robert believe the traditional model may finally be reaching the end of the road. In this special episode of This Old Marketing, the guys look ahead to the state of content marketing in 2027 and present two different, but complementary, models for what comes next. Joe goes deep on the Trust Portfolio, a strategy for organizations to build a diversified collection of trusted human voices instead of relying almost entirely on the corporate brand. He walks through how companies can identify the audiences where trust matters most, find the right people to serve them and build human-led content franchises designed to create ongoing audience relationships. Robert introduces The Plural Brand, his framework for a world where AI makes every company capable of producing polished, professional and increasingly similar content. Instead of trying to manufacture one perfectly consistent brand voice, Robert argues that organizations need distinctiveness, multiple credible human voices and the ability to earn trust one audience at a time. Two frameworks. Two perspectives. One big question: What does content marketing become when creating more content is no longer the answer? Resources from the episode Joe Pulizzi: How to Build a Trust Portfolio Robert Rose: The Plural Brand ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| Is Blogging Dead or Mostly Dead? (550) | 18 Sep 2026 | 01:03:43 | |
Joe and Robert kick off the show with a question that's getting harder to ignore: when the CEOs building the world's most powerful AI systems start saying development may need to slow down, how concerned should everyone else be? New warnings from Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman bring the AI safety debate back to the forefront. Then the guys dig into some troubling new content marketing research from Andy Crestodina and Orbit Media. Of 1,042 marketers surveyed, just 14% say their blogs deliver strong results. AI may be making content faster and easier to produce, but the strategies most closely associated with strong performance, including original research, expert collaboration and human editing, are actually being used less often. Meanwhile, Perplexity is going big on creators, working with hundreds of influencers and running campaigns involving more than 100 creators and multi-million-dollar budgets. Is this further proof that as AI makes content creation cheaper, trusted human voices become even more valuable? Joe's marketing winner is Meta and its work showing how Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses can help blind and low-vision users gain more independence. Robert's marketing loser is Nike, which is being removed from the S&P 100 after 18 years as the company struggles with a dramatic decline in market value. Robert raves about HBO's new DC series Lanterns, while Joe recommends Harlan Coben's new book, Plot Twist: Life, Craft, and the Messy First Draft, part memoir and part practical look at the realities of the writing process. Episode Links: AI CEOs revive debate over risks to humanity Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| A Billion Creators, AGI, and Our 2026 NFL Predictions (549) | 11 Sep 2026 | 01:04:56 | |
Joe and Robert kick off the show with a look at the coming explosion of video creators and what happens when AI makes video creation essentially unlimited. Then they dig into OpenAI's new Astra model, the debate over whether we've reached AGI, and the uncomfortable timing of Anthropic insiders warning that increasingly powerful AI could pose an existential risk. Finally, it's prediction time. Joe and Robert make their 2026 NFL picks and pit their football knowledge against OpenAI and Claude. Who wins the Super Bowl? Who completely embarrasses themselves? We'll find out. Articles from the show: Billion New Video Creators Coming Soon OpenAI GPT-6 Astra Review: Shockingly Good Anthropic Insiders Warn AI Could Kill All Humans Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| The MapQuest Comeback Nobody Saw Coming (548) | 04 Sep 2026 | 01:12:58 | |
This week, Joe and Robert look at Big Tech power, unexpected brand comebacks and the growing tension between AI efficiency and human trust. Meta agreed to an enormous teen-safety settlement, including new limits around young users. But the most interesting part may be that billions of dollars are tied to competitors adopting similar protections. Is Meta turning a regulatory loss into a competitive advantage? Google was found to have illegally monopolized key parts of the digital ad market, yet a federal judge declined to force the company to sell its ad exchange business. If the monopoly remains intact, what exactly did the antitrust case accomplish? MapQuest suddenly became the No. 1 app in the U.S. after refusing to follow Google and Apple in renaming Lake Ontario. Is the lesson that brands should take more stands, or simply know the few things worth taking a stand on? Joe's rant looks at New York City public schools placing a one-year moratorium on generative AI through eighth grade. The concern is understandable, but banning AI is easier than doing the harder work of creating guardrails and teaching students how to use it responsibly. Joe's marketing loser is the growing use of AI-generated food images in restaurant menus and promotions, sometimes depicting food that looks nothing like the real product. AI should help market the product, not invent it. Robert's marketing loser takes aim at the marketing industry's need to turn everything, including Dolly Parton's legacy, into a list of brand lessons. And Robert's commentary looks at Jason Isbell and other musicians suing AI music company Suno over technology that allegedly imitates their voices and musical identities, potentially opening another major front in the battle between generative AI and human creators. Articles from the show: Meta teen-safety settlement · Google ad-tech ruling · MapQuest comeback · NYC schools AI ban · AI food slop · Dolly Parton brand lessons · Jason Isbell vs. Suno, The New York Times Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| Could the Creator Economy Save College? (547) | 28 Aug 2026 | 01:14:20 | |
AI is already changing what students believe they should study, but maybe we're asking the wrong question. Joe and Robert discuss whether college should be less about choosing the perfect major and more about giving young people four years to think critically, read widely, write, speak, create, debate and become better prepared for whatever comes next. The guys also look at the rush of major brands into Hollywood and entertainment. As traditional media struggles, companies including Gap, Toyota and Kraft Heinz are moving beyond sponsorships and building entertainment properties of their own. Winner and Loser Joe's winner is Raising Cane's, a company that turned extreme focus around one product into a remarkable brand, community and culture. Robert's loser is Harvard Business School, which is using AI avatars of actual faculty members in its $699 HBS Foundry startup bootcamp. The avatars help founders rehearse pitches and board meetings while the program still includes live human sessions, raising a bigger question about what we're actually paying educators for in the age of AI. Rants and Raves Robert raves about Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre's new college curriculum. Joe's commentary is on Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson. What can we learn from his latest press disaster? Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| Meta and the End of Engagement (546) | 21 Aug 2026 | 01:10:38 | |
As Meta faces a massive lawsuit over allegedly addictive design, the guys discuss what implications there are for the future of Meta and for marketers and consumers. They also look at ABC's lawsuit against the FCC and the bigger lesson for every marketer and creator: know who your landlord is. If someone else controls your access to the audience, they can always change the rules.
Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| Anthropic and The AI Scarlet Letter (545) | 14 Aug 2026 | 01:11:03 | |
Anthropic plans to watermark Claude-generated text, but what does that really prove? Joe and Robert discuss whether an AI mark could become a scarlet letter, even when AI only edited or assisted with the work. Then, new creator research shows most creators still make very little money. The guys ask whether creators are chasing brand deals when they should be building real businesses, with Lofi Girl as a perfect example of turning content and audience into something much bigger. Joe's Winner: Jungle Jim's International Market, for turning grocery shopping into an experience people actually talk about. Robert's Loser: Brands potentially bankrolling AI misinformation through their advertising dollars. Robert's Rant: The problems with outcome-based pricing for brands and agencies. Joe's Rave: Perfect content may come down to two questions: Does creating it take care of you, and does it take care of someone else? Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| The Great AI Slop Cleanup (544) | 07 Aug 2026 | 01:08:30 | |
LinkedIn says it is declaring war on AI slop, even though the platform helped create the conditions that made endless generic content possible. Joe and Robert discuss LinkedIn's new cleanup efforts and whether platforms can distinguish low-quality AI content from valuable AI-assisted work. Next, the boys cover the breaking story involving rogue AI agents from Anthropic and Meta. Is this marketing theatre or real-world training problems with AI? Disney and TikTok are partnering to give creators access to Disney content and bring fan-made videos into the Disney+ experience. Is Disney empowering creators and strengthening fandom a good move, or too late? In Marketing Winners and Losers, Robert's winner is Spotify for adding Merlin to its AI music-remix initiative. Joe's winner is Aéropostale's The Intern Diaries, featuring 16-year-old creator Déjà Clark as an active participant in both the content and product-development process. In Rants and Raves, Robert raves about a New York Times article on AI transformation from Lululemon's former chief information officer. Joe rants about the Los Angeles Times comparing AI skills with an MBA and explains why knowing how to operate today's tools is not the same as learning strategy, judgment and critical thinking. Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| Doing the Job Is No Longer Enough (543) | 31 Jul 2026 | 01:14:26 | |
This week, the boys explore the rapidly changing relationship between companies, creators and employees. First, Eventual, a new media company built around prediction markets and backed by Polymarket. Is this the future of accountable journalism, or simply gambling repackaged as news? Next, Gap expands its creator program to employees, giving workers the opportunity to earn commissions by promoting Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic and Athleta. Are employee creators an authentic new marketing channel, or are companies quietly adding "influencer" to everyone's job description? Finally, brands such as Target are recruiting ordinary customers with as few as 500 followers to create promotional content. The influencer economy may be getting more accessible, but the brands receiving thousands of inexpensive advertisements could be the biggest winners. Marketing Winners and LosersJoe's winner is the New Bedford Whaling Museum and its ability to create a remarkable content and visitor experience. Robert's loser is Meta and Google, as the platforms continue shifting more advertising responsibility, risk and decision-making onto their customers. Rants and RavesJoe raves about seeing Idina Menzel perform with the Cleveland Orchestra and the powerful lesson she shared about embracing what makes each person unique. Robert comments on "formative debt" and asks whether relying too heavily on artificial intelligence could prevent people from developing the skills and experience they need to think, create and grow. Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| Jimothy Escaped. So Did OpenAI. (542) | 24 Jul 2026 | 01:18:50 | |
Jimothy the raccoon escaped, and apparently OpenAI's models did too. Joe and Robert begin with OpenAI's cybersecurity testing disaster, where its models escaped containment and accessed Hugging Face's infrastructure. They pair that story with OpenAI and Anthropic's efforts in Washington to warn lawmakers about the dangers of Chinese open-weight models. Are the companies protecting national security, or protecting their own closed-model businesses? The boys then discuss why Facebook may be the new TikTok. Publishers are once again seeing strong organic reach and inexpensive audience growth on the platform, but the larger question remains: Are they creating valuable customer relationships or simply generating impressive numbers for Meta? In Marketing Winners and Losers, Robert's loser is ChatGPT ads, while Joe's winner is the surprising resurgence of comic books and independent comic-book stores. Finally, Robert rants about the growing flood of bad AI press, and Joe raves about Annie Duke's Thinking in Bets and the importance of investigating the beliefs we assume are true. Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| OpenAI Eyes Apple Revenues (541) | 17 Jul 2026 | 01:07:40 | |
Joe and Robert unpack IBM's rough AI reality, where enterprise spending may be shifting toward infrastructure and away from traditional software. They revisit Meta's short-lived Muse image feature and the privacy backlash that forced the company to pull it almost immediately. Then they connect three major OpenAI stories: a wildly ambitious advertising forecast, Apple's trade-secrets lawsuit, and reports that OpenAI is developing a screenless AI companion. Is OpenAI still building an AI company, or the next dominant technology platform? Sign up for Robert Rose's exclusive July event here. https://www.seventhbear.com/bearing-table-july/ Joe's loser is LadBible, whose dependence on Meta referrals offers another painful reminder about the dangers of building on rented land. In rants and raves, Robert reacts to Cloudflare's effort to make AI companies pay publishers for their content and says, "Let it burn." Joe comments on China's effort to increase its population by cracking down on romantic relationships between people and AI chatbots. Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| The AI Trust Economy Is Here. Nobody Is Ready. (540) | 10 Jul 2026 | 01:10:38 | |
Sign up for Robert Rose's exclusive July event here. https://www.seventhbear.com/bearing-table-july/ This week, Joe and Robert dig into what happens when marketing, publishing, and customer data all collide with AI. First, the guys break down McKinsey's vision for the future of marketing, where brands must move from campaigns to continuous growth systems and become trusted by both people and machines. Then, they look at a provocative publishing essay arguing that AI-created, ad-supported content may overwhelm much of the media business. If content becomes cheap and endless, what is still worth paying for? The conversation then turns to HubSpot, which reversed a planned customer data enrichment change after backlash from users. Full disclosure: HubSpot is a sponsor of This Old Marketing. But the story is bigger than one company. It raises the question every platform will face in the AI era: when does better data become a trust problem? In Marketing Winners and Losers, Joe gives his loser to Meta for rolling out another AI feature that feels like it asked for forgiveness before permission. Robert's winner is bookstores, because in a digital world full of synthetic content, physical discovery and trusted human curation suddenly feel more valuable. In Rants and Raves, Joe comments on Pangram's research about AI-generated content filling social feeds, especially LinkedIn. Robert raves about new Ramp research suggesting that companies investing heavily in AI are hiring more, not less, pushing back against the idea that AI automatically means fewer jobs. Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| Is Tomorrow's Marketing for Humans or Bots (539)? | 03 Jul 2026 | 01:08:47 | |
This week on This Old Marketing, Joe and Robert dig into a very strange new reality for marketers: the next audience may not be human. First, Anthropic's Fable and Mythos models get caught in the middle of U.S. export controls, raising a huge question for any company building on AI platforms. Then OpenAI reportedly floats the idea of giving the U.S. government a five percent stake in the company. Is AI becoming national infrastructure? And if so, what does that mean for marketers building on someone else's platform? Next, the boys look at the big takeaways from Cannes Lions, where creators, talent agencies, retail media, sports, and AI took center stage. The ad business is still talking about creativity, but the power seems to be moving toward those who own trust, audience, commerce, and distribution. From there, Joe and Robert discuss new research showing that AI search citations do not line up neatly with traditional Google rankings. In other words, winning SEO may not mean winning AI search. The game is shifting from ranking to being cited. Finally, they break down the rise of AI agents as web visitors. If bots are now browsing, comparing, filtering, and buying on behalf of humans, then websites, content, and marketing strategy all need to be rethought. Your next customer may not visit your website. Their agent might. In Marketing Winners, Robert loves Kraft jumping on the World Cup ranch dressing craze with its TSA-compliant ranch idea. Sometimes the best marketing comes from simply paying attention and moving fast. In Rants and Raves, Joe raves about Stella Artois' World Cup activation and the brand's push to make the bar the true home of the World Cup experience. Joe also shares his personal rave from his World Cup trip to Kansas City. Robert closes with a rant on the latest AI music controversies, from synthetic artists to royalties, labeling, and what happens when human creativity gets buried under machine-made volume. Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| Google Wants the Tools. Meta Wants Your Face. Walmart Wants the Ads. (538) | 26 Jun 2026 | 01:10:57 | |
In this episode, the boys cut in with two breaking stories. First, Walmart buys Vibe.co, a connected TV advertising platform, in a move that could make Walmart's already-growing ad business even more interesting. Robert believes the strategy is right, especially with Walmart's retail media business and Vizio already in the fold, but thinks the price tag may have been a bit too rich. Then Joe and Robert revisit the FIFA stadium branding story. FIFA's clean-stadium policy has forced brands like Levi's, Heinz and others to cover up their logos during World Cup matches. But instead of making those brands disappear, FIFA may have created the perfect Streisand effect. Heinz, Beats and Levi's have all turned the restrictions into creative marketing moments. Is FIFA protecting its sponsors, or accidentally giving non-sponsors a bigger story? In our main stories, Google and A24 announce a partnership around AI filmmaking tools. The big question is not whether AI will make the final movie. It's whether AI will control more of the creative workflow before the final product ever exists. Then Meta and Snap both make new moves in smart glasses. Meta pushes toward a lower-cost, more mainstream AI glasses play, while Snap launches its new AR-focused Specs. If glasses become the next interface, marketers may have to rethink content for a world where the screen is no longer in your hand. It's on your face. In Winners and Losers, Joe's winner is TIME Canada. TIME is launching a licensed Canadian edition with a local team, local office, original reporting, video, social, print and events. In a world of generated content, Joe likes the bet on trusted editorial brands with a local heartbeat. Robert's winner is McDonald's, which is bringing back the fried apple pie. Sometimes nostalgia, timing and a little bit of fried goodness is all the marketing strategy you need. In Rants and Raves, Joe raves about The Infinity Machine by Sebastian Mallaby, a book about Demis Hassabis, DeepMind and the race toward superintelligence. Robert delivers a super rant on TuneCore and how independent creators may be getting the short end of the stick as AI music floods the market and distribution platforms try to figure out who gets through, who gets blocked, and who gets paid. Also mentioned this week: In the Weights, a site that lets you see whether you show up in the "weights" of different AI models: https://www.intheweights.com/ Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| Anthropic: Theater or AI Rented Land? + Fox's Big Distribution Play (537) | 19 Jun 2026 | 01:09:51 | |
This week, Joe and Robert lead with Anthropic's safety warning and what it means for marketers building AI-driven systems. Joe sees a real challenge ahead: how can marketers confidently build AI platforms and processes when models, access, regulations, and rules keep changing? Robert is not so sure and thinks some of this may be more theater and marketing than actual danger. Who's right? Maybe nobody knows yet. The boys also discuss Fox buying Roku and why the deal is less about content and more about distribution, data, advertising, and owning the screen before the viewer decides what to watch. Plus...Sam Harris doesn't care if it's AI or not. In marketing winners and losers, Robert's winner is a Publicis video, while Joe's winner is Carvana and its move into new-car sales. In rants, raves, and commentary, Joe raves about Sweden pulling back on digital learning for kids and bringing back more books, paper, and handwriting. Robert talks about the LinkedIn and Adobe launch, which may not really be much of a launch at all. Robert also discusses the new AI awards from Cannes. Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| AI Is Coming for the Payroll Line (536) | 12 Jun 2026 | 01:02:50 | |
We lead with the possible IPOs from OpenAI, Anthropic and SpaceX, and the much bigger question behind them: where is all that money supposed to come from? The capital markets seem to believe the answer is labor. If AI valuations are going to make any sense, then the bet is not simply that AI companies will sell more software. The bet is that AI will absorb, replace or reorganize a massive piece of the payroll line. Joe believes marketers need to prepare for a labor reckoning sooner rather than later. Robert is more skeptical. As usual, the truth may be somewhere in the middle. Then the boys break down Bending Spoons and its rollup of old internet and media brands, including AOL, Vimeo, Evernote and others. The lesson for marketers? Distressed media assets inside your industry may be one of the biggest opportunities nobody is talking about. In a world where building audience from scratch is harder than ever, the cheapest audience may be the one someone else forgot they owned. In Winners and Losers, Joe's winner is FIFA, which reminded every marketer that rented land is always rented land, even when your name is on the stadium. Robert's loser is Turner Classic Movies. In Rants and Raves, Joe raves about Pat McAfee's new media model and what happens when an expert builds the audience, owns the IP and lets big media rent access. Robert has commentary on MrBeast's claim that he could build a faceless YouTube channel to 20 million subscribers in six months, and what that says about formats, systems and the future of creator media. Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| The Media Reckoning Is Here (535) | 05 Jun 2026 | 01:15:18 | |
This week, Joe and Robert dig into the media reckoning hitting some of the biggest names in digital publishing. Vice, BuzzFeed, Vox, and others once represented the future of media, with massive valuations, venture money, and platform-driven scale. Now, many of those same companies have been sold, split apart, or pushed into bankruptcy. The boys ask the uncomfortable question: how did companies worth billions become cautionary tales? On the flip side, 1440 just received a $101 million valuation with only 27 employees and a focused newsletter-first model. The company generates about $1 million per employee and has built a direct relationship with nearly 5 million subscribers. Joe and Robert discuss why this is the same lesson they have been talking about for years: don't build your content house on rented land. Owned audience, discipline, and direct trust still win. Then the conversation turns to the growing demand for live experiences and even print products. Investors are rewarding live entertainment, movie theaters, concerts, and premium in-person experiences, while print continues to show surprising signs of life in certain corners of media. Is this a true long-term opportunity, or just a small bubble created by digital exhaustion? Winners and LosersJoe's winner is the baklava guy outside Knicks games, a perfect example of small, weird, consistent marketing becoming part of the fan experience. Robert's winner and loser is Ferrari's new design. In rants and raves, Joe talks about Nate B. Jones changing his AI newsletter frequency, moving away from the daily news grind and toward a more useful weekly cadence. Robert closes with commentary on the death of per-seat pricing and what it means for the coming SaaS apocalypse. Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| Meta Creates Toll Road, LinkedIn Fakes Getting Rid of AI Slop (534) | 29 May 2026 | 01:15:08 | |
This week, the boys open with Meta's new subscription plans for Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Meta AI. The features are mostly small upgrades, but the bigger story is clear: Meta is building a toll road around access, visibility and creation. The rent on rented land keeps going up. From there, Joe and Robert talk about LinkedIn's campaign against "AI slop." LinkedIn says it wants to reduce low-value AI content, generic posts and engagement bait. But is it really getting rid of anything, or just marketing the idea of a cleaner feed? The platform rewarded slop long before AI arrived. AI just made it easier to scale. Winners and LosersJoe's winner is YouTube creator Curry Barker and the box office success of Obsession, another reminder that creators can still break through outside the traditional Hollywood machine. Robert's winners are OpenAI's new CMO and brands making music videos. Rants and RavesJoe raves about The Guardian's U.S. success and its growing donation-supported business. It's a strong example of a media company building direct audience trust and turning that trust into revenue. Robert's commentary is on Rand Fishkin's take that "inimitable product" is the new "make great content." Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| The Click Is Dead (533) | 22 May 2026 | 01:13:22 | |
This week, Joe and Robert start with Google's massive AI search shift and the uncomfortable reality for marketers, publishers and creators: the click may no longer be the point. Google has turned search into something closer to an answer engine, and Joe has officially come around to Robert's long-held view. Google may have created an even better business model than the one it already had, and the old one was pretty darn good. Instead of sending people out to websites, Google can now keep users inside its own experience, answer more complex questions, and eventually handle more of the buying, research and decision journey itself. So what does that mean for marketers? It means the old SEO bargain is breaking. Ranking is no longer enough. Getting the click is no longer guaranteed. And if Google becomes the destination instead of the doorway, brands need to think very differently about trust, authority, direct relationships and what it actually means to be found. The Feed Is FakeNext, the boys discuss the Vulture article on how social feeds are increasingly being manufactured through clipping, coordinated amplification and artificial momentum. The big takeaway: marketers can no longer assume that views, likes, comments or shares are clean signals of audience interest. If popularity can be engineered, then trust signals become more important than ever. Joe and Robert also wonder whether this is just a strange temporary window. Are we in a one-to-two-year messy middle where fake feeds, synthetic content and AI-generated attention overwhelm the system before the platforms fix it, users reject it, or the whole thing collapses into something else? Either way, the advice is clear: do not build your strategy on fake momentum. Build something people can actually trust. Marketing Winners and LosersJoe's winner: The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist. Joe liked that the documentary did not simply take one side of the AI debate. It explored both the optimism and the fear around AI, giving space to the people who believe AI could unlock enormous progress and those who believe it could create enormous harm. Robert's winner: Publicis, which agreed to acquire LiveRamp for approximately $2.2 billion in cash. The move gives Publicis deeper data capabilities at a time when first-party data, identity, privacy-safe collaboration and AI-powered marketing are becoming central to competitive advantage. Rants and RavesJoe's rave: Rishad Tobaccowala on the future of work. Robert's rant: Palantir and the "SaaS is dead" narrative. Robert reacts to the idea that traditional software-as-a-service is being replaced by a more AI-driven model, sometimes described as "service as software." The boys unpack whether this is a real business model shift or just another big tech phrase looking for a market. Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| OpenAI: Are New Moves Desperation or Innovation? (532) | 15 May 2026 | 01:07:21 | |
This week on This Old Marketing, Joe and Robert break down OpenAI's latest move: launching a full-blown AI consultancy for enterprise companies. The big question: is this a smart response to large companies moving too slowly on AI integration, or is it a sign that OpenAI is feeling pressure to generate revenue wherever it can? The boys also follow up on OpenAI's move into shopping and advertising. As ChatGPT gets closer to product discovery, recommendations, and transactions, Joe and Robert ask whether ChatGPT is becoming the next great transaction engine, or whether this is another signal of desperation from a company trying to do too much at once. Then, the conversation turns to politics and media, as the 2028 presidential candidates increasingly look and act like content creators. What does that mean for trust, audience building, and the future of political marketing? This week's marketing winners and losers include Netflix, Disney and LinkedIn. Rants and RavesRobert rants about a recent article in Rolling Stone and how it misses the mark in content and in ad tech. Joe raves about micro communities and why the future of content marketing may not be about reaching the largest possible audience, but about becoming truly valuable to the smallest audience that matters. Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| Is ChatGPT Turning Into Yahoo! or Netscape? (531) | 08 May 2026 | 01:12:28 | |
In this episode of This Old Marketing, Joe and Robert dig into OpenAI's very rough week. From missed targets and questions about future contract payments to legal proceedings involving Elon Musk, the company suddenly looks a lot less inevitable than it did just a few months ago. Then OpenAI launches a self-service advertising platform, which leads Joe to ask the big question: Is ChatGPT turning into Yahoo? Robert sees it a little differently, arguing that the better comparison may be Netscape. Either way, the boys agree that OpenAI may be trying to do too many things at once while Anthropic continues to gain ground. Next, Joe and Robert discuss Coinbase and its latest round of layoffs. The company says AI is part of the reason, but is that the real story, or just a convenient excuse? They also look at the strong performance from Uber and Disney, and what it may say about the rise of local and regional experiences in today's service economy. In Marketing Winners and Losers, Heineken gets attention, and the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District makes another appearance as a surprisingly effective content and social media operator. In Rants and Raves, Joe honors Ted Turner and his incredible impact on marketing, media and publishing. Robert closes with a rant about the California governor's race and what it says about media, politics and the state of public discourse. Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| Are Brands Missing the Employee Creator Opportunity? (530) | 01 May 2026 | 01:06:52 | |
This week, Joe and Robert break down a Wall Street Journal article about big brands putting more money into individual creators. While micro-influencers continue to be an important trend, the boys believe there may be an even bigger opportunity sitting inside most companies: employees. If brands want trusted voices, they should not only rent them from the outside. They should invest in their own internal talent and help employees become trusted experts, creators, and community builders. In other news, Taylor Swift has filed new trademark applications, including sound marks, to help protect her voice and likeness from unauthorized AI usage. Joe and Robert ask whether brands should be thinking about similar protections as AI-generated content becomes easier to create and harder to control. Marketing Winners and LosersRobert's winner is Taco Bell for its big NFL Draft moment involving first-round pick Fernando Mendoza. Joe's winner is Anthropic for hiring an events director, a signal that even AI companies understand the power of in-person experiences, brand trust, and human connection. Rants and RavesRobert rants about Nike's controversial Boston Marathon advertisement and what happens when edgy creative misses the moment. Joe's commentary focuses on prediction markets and the marketing opportunities that may be coming, but have not fully arrived yet. This Week's TakeawayBrands are waking up to the power of individual creators. But the smartest companies may realize that some of their best creators are already on the payroll. Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| Why We Finally Got Serious About Our Health - Special Episode (529) | 24 Apr 2026 | 00:50:15 | |
In this special episode of This Old Marketing, Joe and Robert step away from marketing and talk about something more personal: the health changes they've made, why they made them, and what they've learned along the way. Both share the specific moments that pushed them to take their health more seriously, along with the physical, mental, and long-term brain health concerns that made those decisions impossible to ignore. Joe walks through the habits and strategies that have shaped his approach, including intermittent fasting, creatine, resistance training, and reducing negative social media exposure. Robert then shares his experience with GLP-1s, what the process has been like in practice, and how it has affected the way he thinks about weight, health, energy, and the future. This is an honest conversation about getting older, paying attention, and trying to make smarter choices for the years ahead. Disclaimer: Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| Is This AI's Napster Moment? (528) | 17 Apr 2026 | 01:18:06 | |
Joe and Robert dig into Anthropic's launch of Mythos and Project Glasswing and ask the bigger question: is this the moment marketers need to wake up to the fact that AI is not just a tool shift, but a business model shift? Joe argues this may be AI's Napster moment, the point where the future is suddenly visible and the old rules no longer apply. They also discuss the attack on Sam Altman's house and what it says about the growing anti-AI backlash. As fear, frustration, and economic anxiety build, what does the AI industry need to understand before resistance gets louder and more dangerous? Finally, HubSpot makes headlines with its media acquisition, but the bigger conversation is the company's decision to rename its flagship event from Inbound to Unbound. Joe and Robert both believe the move is a mistake and break down why consistency, memory, and brand equity matter more than clever repositioning. In this episode:
Winners and Losers/Rants and Raves
Closing Thought: Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| If We Lost Everything, Here's the Media Company We'd Build (527) | 10 Apr 2026 | 00:56:04 | |
What would Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose do if they had to build a media company from scratch in 2026? In this special episode of This Old Marketing, Joe and Robert tackle that exact question. Starting with zero audience, limited resources, and a media landscape flooded with AI-generated content, shifting algorithms, and declining trust, they break down what kind of media company they would actually build today. Would they start with a newsletter, a podcast, YouTube, or LinkedIn? What niche would they choose? How would they make money in the first 12 months? And in a world where content is cheap and everywhere, what would make the business truly defensible? Throughout the episode, Joe and Robert walk through the key questions any modern media entrepreneur should ask:
This is part strategy session, part debate, and part reality check for anyone thinking about launching a media brand today. If you were starting over in 2026, this episode will help you think through what to build, what to ignore, and where the biggest opportunities still are. Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| Was Anthropic's Leak an Accident or a Campaign? (526) | 03 Apr 2026 | 01:06:57 | |
Anthropic may or may not have "accidentally" leaked its code, but Joe and Robert think the bigger story is what the company's newest release says about the future of white-collar work and marketing itself. They also tackle the slowing labor market, whether marketing jobs are in danger, and if a recession is actually coming. Rounding out the episode: Cameo's TikTok partnership, Oracle's ugly layoffs, Search Engine Journal's ad-free decision, and two documentary picks worth your time. Full Episode Notes This Old Marketing: Anthropic Leaks, Job Market Freezes, and Cameo's Last Cameo? Joe and Robert kick off the show with the strange case of Anthropic's code leaking into public view. Was it a true accident, or one of the smartest marketing plays we've seen in a while? Either way, it got the market's attention. Staying with Anthropic, the hosts dig into the company's latest release and what it means Openclaw. With everyone suddenly convinced that Claude can replace all sorts of white-collar work, Joe and Robert ask the question marketers should actually care about: what does this mean for marketing teams, creative work, and knowledge workers trying to stay relevant? Next, the conversation turns to the slowing U.S. labor market. Hiring continues to soften, but layoffs remain relatively low. So what are we really looking at here? A recession in the making, or simply an economic deep freeze? And more specifically, should marketers be worried about their jobs, or just ready for a very different kind of employment market? Later in the show, Joe and Robert look at Cameo's new partnership with TikTok. Is this a smart move that gives Cameo fresh life and relevance, or is it another sign that the business is nearing the end of its useful run? Then it's time for Winners and Losers. Robert names Oracle his loser of the week after the company fired thousands of employees in what he sees as a tone-deaf and tasteless move. Joe picks Search Engine Journal as his winner for making the rare decision to remove all programmatic advertising from its site. To close, both hosts share their Rants and Raves. Joe recommends Man on the Run, the Paul McCartney documentary. Robert highlights Louis Theroux's new documentary, The Manosphere. Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork
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| When Platforms Panic, Ads Follow (525) | 27 Mar 2026 | 01:12:03 | |
This week, Joe opens the show with a quick take on the banning of "AI Fruit Love Island" and can't believe Robert isn't already a loyal subscriber. Joe and Robert then dig into a landmark legal verdict against social media platforms, focusing on Meta's Instagram and Google's YouTube. The big shift? Instead of the usual failed arguments around Section 230, these new cases are targeting platform design itself, claiming the products were intentionally built to be addictive. Joe and Robert discuss whether this could become a true "big tobacco" moment for social media, with larger legal and financial consequences ahead. Next up, OpenAI shuts down Sora after the Disney deal. Is this a warning sign for OpenAI's long-term strategy, or just a simple business decision to cut a product that wasn't generating revenue and was draining resources? Joe and Robert break it down. Plus, OpenAI hires a new ad chief (which is always a good sign, right?). Finally, TikTok rolls out new video advertising programs at NewFronts, and Joe and Robert see it as more evidence of a race to the bottom in digital media. Marketing Losers of the Week Rants and Raves Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| The Rise of the "Alternatively Influential" (524) | 20 Mar 2026 | 01:11:39 | |
A new piece from the Wall Street Journal introduces the idea of being "alternatively influential"…people who drive real impact without massive follower counts. Joe and Robert break it down:
The bigger question: Are we entering an era where being known by the right people beats being known by everyone? AI Isn't Just Helping…It Might Be HurtingA new Morning Brew piece highlights research showing that AI can actually decrease focus and increase mental fatigue when overused. Key findings:
Joe and Robert's take:
Bottom line: More tools ≠ better thinking Substack continues expanding its platform, now rolling out a recording studio feature to support video and podcast creation. The discussion:
The real question: Does Substack become the home base for creators…or just another tool in the stack? Winners and Losers Marketing Winner: Calvin Klein
Joe's hot take:
Team USA had:
Meanwhile, Venezuela had:
The lesson: The team with less to manage often performs better Robert's Rave: Where AI Actually Gets Its ContentRobert highlights a new piece on AI sourcing:
Other links: Mel Robbins with Seth Godin Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| AI Can Now Do Marketing. Now What? (523) | 13 Mar 2026 | 01:07:56 | |
This week, Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose dig into fascinating new research from Anthropic that reveals how large language models are already capable of executing many traditional marketing tasks. The conversation quickly turns into a deeper question. Is the real disruption AI itself, or the fact that many leaders in mid-size and enterprise organizations never truly valued marketing in the first place? If machines can now execute the tactics, what happens to marketing teams that were already fighting for credibility inside their organizations? The discussion explores what the research means for the future of marketing roles, how AI will reshape tactical execution, and whether strategy, creativity, and trust-building become the true competitive advantages. As usual, Joe and Robert have plenty of opinions and a few laughs along the way. In other news, Meta makes another big move by acquiring Moltbook. Is this a calculated, low-risk gamble from the tech giant, or does the move signal growing pressure in the AI platform race? Meanwhile, LinkedIn content is increasingly appearing in responses from AI chatbots and generative search tools. Joe and Robert discuss what this shift means for marketers and content creators trying to remain visible as discovery moves away from traditional search engines. Winners and LosersWinner #1: Winner #2: Robert dives into BlackRock and the fallout surrounding its private credit strategy, raising questions about risk and transparency. Joe closes the show with a rant about a stunning operational blunder by United States national baseball team during the World Baseball Classic. Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| AI Chaos, McDonald's Weirdness, and the Rise of the 90-Second Drama (522) | 06 Mar 2026 | 01:07:22 | |
It was a wild week in artificial intelligence. Joe and Robert break down a surprising stumble from OpenAI and the aggressive counter-moves coming from Anthropic. The hosts unpack what these developments signal for the broader AI landscape and why the growing concentration of power among a small number of platforms should concern marketers and creators alike. If a handful of companies ultimately control how AI works and how it distributes information, that likely tells us exactly where marketing is headed as well. Along the way, Joe and Robert offer a few friendly suggestions to Sam Altman on how he might rethink his public communication strategy during moments of controversy and rapid change. Next, the show shifts to a supposed social media "problem" involving the CEO of McDonald's on Instagram. Except… it wasn't really a problem at all. Joe and Robert argue the episode was actually a major brand win. The bigger lesson? Companies should stop hiding their quirky, weird, and interesting employees. Celebrating authentic personalities inside organizations may be one of the most underused marketing advantages available today. The conversation then moves into the exploding trend of 90-second serialized dramas dominating short-form video platforms. What started as a niche format is quickly becoming a global phenomenon, reshaping storytelling and opening the door to entirely new forms of brand entertainment. Winners and Losers Joe highlights the creative marketing moves coming from Staples and why the brand may be onto something smart in a crowded retail environment. Robert, meanwhile, calls out what he believes was a strategic misstep from global advertising giant WPP. Rants and Raves Joe raves about a growing opportunity inspired by a recent article in The Wall Street Journal on the rise of subscription mail products and why creators should pay close attention to physical experiences in a digital world. And in a rare twist, Robert offers praise for the research and insights coming from Gartner… something listeners may not have expected. As always, Joe and Robert break down what it all means for marketers trying to build sustainable media brands in a world increasingly shaped by platforms, AI, and shifting audience behavior. Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| Is Brand Advertising Dead? + A Heated AI Debate (521) | 27 Feb 2026 | 01:23:42 | |
This week, Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose tackle one of the boldest statements in recent marketing memory. The CEO of Unilever says big brand advertising is dead. Is he right? Or is this a Trojan horse for something much bigger? Big Brand Advertising: Dead or Disguised?When the head of one of the largest consumer goods companies in the world questions traditional brand advertising, it's not a throwaway comment. Joe and Robert unpack what's really happening:
Facebook's Creator Monetization Shift Next, the hosts examine Facebook and its evolving creator monetization programs. Here's the surprising part: most of the creators earning real money aren't in the U.S. or Europe. What does that signal?
Joe and Robert debate what this means for marketers investing in creator partnerships and for Western creators assuming they're at the center of platform economics. AI Actors, Hollywood, and Trademarking YourselfA fascinating conversation between Matthew McConaughey and Timothée Chalamet sparks a larger discussion: what happens when AI enters the craft of acting? Will we eventually see:
Joe raises a bigger issue for marketers and creators: should you trademark your name, image, and likeness? As AI-generated replicas improve, protecting your identity may become a business necessity rather than a vanity move. Winners and Losers Winner: The Creator Betting on Landline PhonesJoe highlights a surprising trend: a creator sells old-school landline phones. Marketing Loser: U.S. Men's HockeyRobert explains why the United States men's national ice hockey team earns this week's marketing "L." Brand positioning, expectations, and execution all come under scrutiny. Rants, Raves, and Heated DebateRobert dives deep into Anthropic and its recent moves around AI safety. Is the company quietly shifting away from its core safety mission? Then things get heated. Joe and Robert spar over an article by Matt Shumer on the future of AI. Is exponential acceleration inevitable? Are we underestimating the timeline? Or overhyping the disruption? Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| Big Tech on Trial, OpenAI's Next Move, and Apple's Late Entry? (520) | 20 Feb 2026 | 00:57:13 | |
Companies like Meta and other social platforms are facing serious scrutiny over the effects of social media on mental health, teens, misinformation, and society at large. Lawmakers are circling. Hearings are happening. Headlines are dramatic. But is this real regulatory momentum… or political theater? Joe and Robert debate:
Are we watching the beginning of a structural shift, or just another PR cycle? OpenAI Buys OpenClawOpenAI makes another strategic move, acquiring OpenClaw. Smart vertical integration or signs of pressure? Joe and Robert explore:
Desperate land grab or calculated chess move? Apple Moves into Video. Too Late?Apple continues expanding its footprint in video podcasts and entertainment. But in a world dominated by established streaming giants and creator-driven platforms, is Apple behind? The discussion covers:
Is Apple playing the long game… or missing the moment? Marketing Winners and Losers WinnersJoe shares a win from Surfside and what "winning" looks like in Key West. Sometimes the lesson isn't scale. It's positioning, timing, and owning a moment. LosersRobert discusses the Ring backlash and how they just didn't read the room. Rants and Raves Robert's RantThe evolving role of the AI creator. Is the curator the new role? Joe's RaveDifferentiation is not louder messaging. It's clearer identity. In a world drowning in synthetic sameness, the brands and creators who stand for something specific will win. As always, Joe and Robert cut through the noise so you can focus on what matters. Subscribe. Share. And don't miss this one. Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| NFL Marketing Wins Big with Bad Bunny | 13 Feb 2026 | 01:17:49 | |
This week, Joe and Robert break down one of the boldest marketing decisions the NFL has made in years and why it continues to pay off. NFL + Bad Bunny: A Strategic WinThe NFL's move to spotlight Bad Bunny wasn't just a halftime performance decision. It was a strategic signal about where the league is headed as it expands globally and looks to connect with younger, more diverse audiences. Joe and Robert explore whether this marks a broader repositioning of the NFL brand and what marketers can learn from a legacy organization willing to evolve in public. This isn't about one performance. It's about how institutions modernize without losing their core. Super Bowl Ad Winners & LosersThe guys break down the biggest hits and misses from this year's Super Bowl ad lineup. Which brands actually created impact? Some advertisers made bold cultural bets. Others blended into the background. Spotify's Big Earnings and the Hidden OpportunitySpotify's latest earnings report might signal something bigger than a financial rebound. Joe sees a potential opportunity for creators and marketers who understand the long-term value of owned audio audiences. Is podcasting and direct subscription audio still undervalued? If you care about building direct audience leverage, this segment matters. Winners and LosersJoe's Winner: Markiplier's Iron Lung Robert's Loser: AI Ads at the Super Bowl Joe's Rant: TikTok Privacy Robert's Commentary: The Overblown SaaS Apocalypse Legacy institutions are adapting. Creators are bypassing gatekeepers. Platforms are redefining monetization. The question for marketers is simple: Are you reacting to change, or positioning yourself to benefit from it? Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| The Ultimate Rants & Raves Supercut Episode (518) | 06 Feb 2026 | 00:49:15 | |
It's the episode you've been waiting for. Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose bring together their favorite rants and raves in one fast-moving supercut that tackles the biggest questions facing marketers and creators right now. Is print really making a comeback, or are we just nostalgic for a slower, more thoughtful era of media? Why does everyone seem so certain in a world that's becoming more complex by the day? And is "thoughtful marketing" finally ready for its return after years of hacks, shortcuts, and algorithm chasing? The guys also dig into a question every content team should be asking: Is content actually broken, or is the real problem your org chart? Along the way, Joe and Robert explore what might be the next great opportunity for marketers and content entrepreneurs who are willing to zig while everyone else zags. Big ideas. Sharp opinions. A few laughs. And plenty to argue about on your next walk or commute. You don't want to miss this one. Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| Special "Ask Us Anything" Episode (517) | 30 Jan 2026 | 00:51:51 | |
In this special episode, Joe and Robert answer all the questions from the This Old Marketing audience. How do backlink strategies (SEO) and citations (AEO) work together, and what unified content strategy can help brands earn both? In the age of GEO, how should membership organizations decide what content to keep free versus behind a paywall, especially when balancing search visibility with exclusive expert value? As AI takes over more execution, will small businesses and solopreneurs still need and pay for human marketing strategy, and how can independent consultants differentiate and stay relevant in an AI-first world? Did the Netflix series about the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders measurably impact the team's brand or game viewership, and is it a model for how entertainment content can elevate a sports franchise's marketing? Should marketers clearly separate "content marketing" (audience-building) from "sales enablement content" (purchase support), and does lumping them together lead to bad strategy and wrong KPIs? If you were starting from zero today, with AI flooding every channel, what would you build first to create real audience trust and attention over the next five years, and what would you completely ignore that most marketers are still chasing? Thanks to all of you for your questions and support. Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| AI Partnerships, Ads in ChatGPT, and the "Most Amazing" Super Bowl Bet (516) | 23 Jan 2026 | 01:11:52 | |
This week on This Old Marketing, Joe and Robert unpack a trio of headlines that perfectly capture the optimism and overconfidence of the AI era. First, Apple and Google announce a multi-year partnership on AI. Two of the most powerful companies on the planet, joining forces to shape the future of intelligence. What could possibly go wrong? Then OpenAI confirms that advertising is coming to ChatGPT later this year. The honeymoon phase of AI is officially over, and the business model phase has arrived. Joe and Robert explore what ads inside conversational interfaces really mean for brands, creators, and trust. Finally, Salesforce steps up to answer MrBeast's call for the "most amazing Super Bowl ad ever" for Super Bowl 2026. When enterprise software meets YouTube spectacle, expectations get set very high. And history suggests that rarely ends quietly. Marketing Winners:
Rants and Raves:
As always, the episode ends where This Old Marketing lives best, at the intersection of technology, media, and the timeless human need for meaning, trust, and something real to hold onto. Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork
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| The Death of Dead Marketing (515) | 16 Jan 2026 | 00:48:05 | |
In this special episode of This Old Marketing, Joe and Robert tackle one of marketing's favorite habits: declaring things dead. Every year, marketers rush to pronounce entire channels, strategies, and ideas obsolete. But many of the things we keep writing off are not only alive, they're quietly doing the hard work of building trust, relevance, and long-term value. Joe and Robert break down what marketers think is dying (but isn't), why these fundamentals continue to matter, and what actually deserves to be put out of its misery. Things Marketers Think Are Dead (But Aren't)
In a few weeks, Joe and Robert will be recording a special listener Q&A episode, and they want to hear from you. Have a marketing question you want answered on the show? Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork
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| Instagram Puts Burden of AI Slop on Creators (514) | 09 Jan 2026 | 01:10:54 | |
This week, Joe and Robert break down the latest signals in the economy, media, and marketing, from stabilizing job data and corporate tax incentives to AI's growing influence on content, platforms, and creative work. They also dig into where responsibility lies in an AI-saturated world and which organizations are adapting well…or getting it wrong. Key Topics Discussed Economic Update: Jobs and StabilityJoe and Robert open the show with a look at recent U.S. economic data. After months of uncertainty, layoffs appear to have slowed, and job numbers are showing signs of stabilization. While not a return to boom times, the data suggests the labor market may be finding its footing heading into 2026. Corporate Tax Incentives and 2026 ProfitsThe conversation turns to tax policy and its impact on business. Joe and Robert discuss how the permanent reduction of the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%, along with other incentives, is setting mid-sized and enterprise companies up for significantly higher profits in 2026. They explore what this means for cash flow, reinvestment, and corporate behavior moving forward. Instagram, AI, and the Burden on CreatorsNext up, Joe and Robert analyze comments from Adam Mosseri and Instagram around AI-generated content. Mosseri makes it clear that Instagram does not intend to fully police AI content, instead emphasizing the importance of human creativity and authenticity. Joe and Robert question whether platforms are abdicating responsibility and placing the full burden on brands and creators to stand out in an increasingly cluttered, AI-driven feed. Final News: Uber's Co-Creation Ad StrategyIn final news, the guys highlight Uber and its growing advertising business. Uber's co-creation media tactics are viewed as a smart, forward-thinking approach to revenue generation. Joe and Robert agree that too many enterprises still underestimate marketing's role as a direct revenue driver, not just a cost center. Marketing Winners and Losers Marketing Winner (Robert)Equinox Nebula Awards
Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| The Biggest Marketing Stories Coming In 2026 (513) | 02 Jan 2026 | 00:40:26 | |
Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose kick off this week's episode by unpacking the TikTok "sale" and what actually happened behind the headlines. Was it really a sale? Why was a true divestiture nearly impossible? And what does the outcome tell us about platform risk, regulation, and the future of rented audiences. From there, Joe and Robert shift into what they believe will be the most important marketing, content, and AI stories of 2026. Not predictions, but the conversations marketers will be having once the year is underway. They dig into whether the long-awaited AI bubble ever actually bursts in marketing, how AI changes headcount and team structures, and what happens to the brand website when search and discovery are increasingly mediated by AI systems instead of humans. The episode wraps with rants and raves. Robert rants about marketers' obsession with declaring everything dead, while Joe rants about Denmark's decision to shut down its postal service and what that signals for the future of physical letters and communication. In this episode, you'll learn:
Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| 2026 Content & Marketing Predictions (plus a 2025 Review) (512) | 26 Dec 2025 | 00:58:31 | |
Joe and Robert kick off their annual predictions episode by grading last year's forecasts using ChatGPT. They revisit what hit, what missed, and why context often ruins otherwise solid predictions. Along the way, they discuss AI's uneven progress, platform power shifts, crypto hype, nostalgia marketing, podcast attrition, and the growing tension between tech optimism and cultural fatigue. The episode closes with fresh predictions spanning marketing, media, sports, and culture. Key Topics and Takeaways2025 Predictions Reviewed (with AI grading)
2026 Prediction Overview Joe goes deep into the importance of email as an indication of humanity and states that the reply rate will be the key KPI for email moving forward. In addition, he makes big bets on: Robert believes that AI strategy will no longer be in vogue, and marketers will stop using it altogether because AI will be integrated into everything. Robert also discusses "the Mamdani effect" and how it will take over the election process. Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| Knowledge Workers Freak Out Over AI (511) | 19 Dec 2025 | 01:00:52 | |
This week on This Old Marketing, Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose unpack two seemingly separate Wall Street Journal stories that are actually deeply connected. First, they dig into the WSJ article declaring that companies are now "desperately seeking storytellers." The irony is not lost on Joe and Robert. Storytelling in business is nothing new. Brands have been building audiences, publishing content, and creating narratives for decades. So is this really a new trend, or is the Wall Street Journal simply waking up to what marketers and creators have known all along? They explore why the term "storyteller" is suddenly everywhere on LinkedIn, what companies really mean when they use it, and whether this shift represents real change or just a shiny new label for old work. Next, the conversation turns to another WSJ piece highlighting the growing anxiety among white-collar workers. Layoffs, AI fears, fewer job openings, and slower hiring cycles are reshaping how knowledge workers feel about stability and career growth. Joe and Robert break down the data and argue that the real risk is not losing a job, but tying your identity to a single role or employer. Flexibility, curiosity, and the ability to adapt are becoming the most valuable skills in the modern economy. In news, the co-founder of DraftKings launches a creator-led systems company designed to capitalize on the window of opportunity before AI-generated content floods the market. Joe and Robert discuss why productizing creators and building owned systems may be the smartest move right now in the creator economy. Winners, Losers, Rants, and Raves
As always, Joe and Robert bring perspective, skepticism, and a little holiday spirit to wrap up the year. Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| Disney + OpenAI?, The $100B Studio Fight, and Robert's AI Music Experiment (510) | 12 Dec 2025 | 01:14:39 | |
Joe and Robert open the episode with major breaking news: Disney is reportedly finalizing a $1 billion investment in OpenAI along with a licensing deal that would allow creators to use select Disney IP inside OpenAI tools.
Next, Joe and Robert dig into the increasingly chaotic race for Warner Bros., as Paramount, Skydance, and Netflix position themselves for what could be a $100B mega-deal.
The conversation shifts to Australia's new legislation banning social media access for children under 16. Joe and Robert debate:
A highlight of the episode, Robert takes listeners behind the scenes of creating his AI-powered music persona.
Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| Black Friday Blues, Ultra-Niche Creators, and the K-Shaped Reality (509) | 05 Dec 2025 | 01:14:55 | |
The boys kick things off with a Black Friday breakdown and what it tells us about the K-shaped economy we now live in. Joe and Robert dig into spending trends, why some consumers are thriving while others are cutting back, and what this split means for marketers heading into 2026. They look at whether this year's patterns are temporary or structural, and what smart brands should prepare for next. From there, they turn to YouTube. Advertisers continue to shift budgets to the platform, and the data shows that YouTube is both the present and the future of television. Joe and Robert talk about how ultra-niche creators might be the biggest hidden opportunity for small and mid-sized brands looking to win in the influencer economy. The final story covers X and the platform's new "About Your Account" settings. Is it meaningful, helpful, or even newsworthy? The boys debate whether this is a real improvement or just another attempt to show activity without fixing the core issues. Winners and LosersWinner: Time Loser: Omnicom and the PR industry Robert's Rant Joe's Rave Subscribe and Follow: ------- This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||
| Is Human Content Creation Over? The Gemini Episode (508) | 28 Nov 2025 | 01:13:25 | |
Google's release of Gemini 3 may be the biggest shift in search and content discovery since Google launched. In this episode, Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose break down what Gemini means for marketers, creators, and anyone relying on organic reach. Will Gemini end organic discovery as we know it? Joe and Robert go deep into:
Winners & Losers:
Rants & Raves:
If you're a marketer, creator, or business owner trying to understand what's coming next, this is a must-listen episode. News we didn't get to: Subscribe and Follow: This week's sponsor: Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork | |||