This Old Marketing - News Podcast Weekly with Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose – Details, episodes & analysis

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?
Will synthetic creators become the majority of all content online?
And is there still a path forward for human creators?

Joe and Robert go deep into:

• Google's move from traditional search to a full AI-model

• Why this shift could make Google even more dominant

• What happens to creators when platforms auto-generate the content

• The new ad model emerging behind AI search

• The long-term implications for independent writers, podcasters, and entrepreneurs

Winners & Losers:

• Joe spotlights Allegiant Stadium as a branding masterclass

• Robert unveils a conspiracy theory surrounding Jeffrey Katzenberg's new AI marketing startup

Rants & Raves:

• Joe reacts to a Washington Post survey about people reading ChatGPT-created posts — and why he's concerned it could impact birth rates

• Robert shares the creative friction behind building an AI-generated country music artist

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:

• Meta 'buried' more evidence
• Creator Economy ad spend up again

Subscribe and Follow:
Follow Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose on LinkedIn for insights, hot takes, and weekly updates from the world of content and marketing.

This week's sponsor:

Did you know that most businesses only use 20% of their data? That's like reading a book with most of the pages torn out. Point is, you miss a lot.

Unless you use HubSpot.

Their customer platform gives you access to the data you need to grow your business. The insights trapped in emails, call logs, and transcripts.  All that unstructured data that makes all the difference. Because when you know more, you grow more.

Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better.

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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/
Subscribe to Joe's Newsletter at https://www.joepulizzi.com/signup/.

Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ 
Subscribe to Robert's Newsletter at https://seventhbearlens.substack.com/

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This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork

In this special Thanksgiving edition of This Old Marketing, Joe and Robert dive into the future of AI and what it really means for marketers, creators, and anyone trying to build an audience in the next few years. The boys explore how long traditional marketing roles will remain intact and why we may be much closer to a tipping point than most people want to believe.

Joe and Robert revisit a theme they've both been writing about lately: the shrinking window of time before AI reshapes content, distribution, and discoverability. They break down what creators and marketers can still do right now to secure their position before the landscape shifts for good.

Their take: you have a few years. Maybe less. And waiting is not a strategy.

In a world where AI generates nearly everything instantly, Joe and Robert ask the big question: what will the actual marketing job look like five or ten years from now?

The answer isn't another technical role. It isn't prompt engineering. It isn't "AI operations."

The position of the future is rooted in skills AI can't replicate:

• Being known personally by real people

• Building in-person trust

• Hosting gatherings, leading communities, and showing up in the real world

• Connecting human beings to human beings

If AI floods the world with infinite content, the new scarcity becomes physical presence.

The boys outline the shift every marketer and content entrepreneur must make: from chasing reach to cultivating real connections. From relying on platforms to building owned audiences. From algorithmic exposure to human relationships that cannot be automated.

This special episode is a wake-up call and a roadmap rolled into one.

Thanksgiving is a time for reflection, and the episode closes with Joe and Robert reminding listeners that the next few years are arguably the most important years in the history of marketing.

AI will change everything. But it won't replace the marketers who understand what actually makes people move, trust, and gather.

Subscribe and Follow:
Follow Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose on LinkedIn for insights, hot takes, and weekly updates from the world of content and marketing.

This week's sponsor:

Did you know that most businesses only use 20% of their data? That's like reading a book with most of the pages torn out. Point is, you miss a lot.

Unless you use HubSpot.

Their customer platform gives you access to the data you need to grow your business. The insights trapped in emails, call logs, and transcripts.  All that unstructured data that makes all the difference. Because when you know more, you grow more.

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/
Subscribe to Joe's Newsletter at https://www.joepulizzi.com/signup/.

Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ 
Subscribe to Robert's Newsletter at https://seventhbearlens.substack.com/

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This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork

No, TikTok does not stop. Maybe the fourth time is the charm, as Robert and Joe run through the latest with the TikTok "staying or going" drama. Get all the latest on the changes, although it might be a big nothing burger.
Link to more: U.S.-China Deal to Avert TikTok Ban May be Close, Trump Official Says - The New York Times

YouTube makes a strong case that they are integral to the US economy. With $100 billion going to creators, new and improved creation features, and an all-in-one create and distribute scenario, it seems like everything we want. Or is it?
Links to more: YouTube AI likeness detection and creator tools - The Wrap
Made on YouTube 2025 - Official Blog

Albania has become the first country in the world to appoint an AI minister. Joe contends this is just the beginning.
Link to more: Albania appoints world's first AI-made minister – POLITICO

Special thanks to Jared Luttjeboer for his question on video vs. audio podcasting. Learn more about Jared's work here: The Church History Project Podcast

Marketing winners and losers include:

• Local TV has lost more than half of its share of media spending since 2017 – TV Technology

• The Friend Show – Truman Show-Inspired Campaign by Creator's Friend

Rants and raves include:

• Alden's bid for DallasNews – Axios

• GenAI college marketing: positioning as academic friends, not foes

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This week's sponsor:

Did you know that most businesses only use 20% of their data?

That's like reading a book with most of the pages torn out.

Point is, you miss a lot.

Unless you use HubSpot.

Their customer platform gives you access to the data you need to grow your business.

The insights trapped in emails, call logs, and transcripts.  All that unstructured data that makes all the difference.

Because when you know more, you grow more.

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/
Subscribe to Joe's Newsletter at https://www.joepulizzi.com/signup/.

Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ 
Subscribe to Robert's Newsletter at https://seventhbearlens.substack.com/

-------

This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork

Joe and Robert are back from a crazy 2023 with thoughts of Elon and crowdiness.

In this episode, Steamboat Willie is released from its copyright shackles. Is there an opportunity for brands in out-of-date content?

Fidelity lowers X's valuation even more. Is a turnaround to come?

Time appoints a new Chief Events Officer in a clear signal that there is a bull market for in-person events.

In rants and raves, Joe comments on the right-sizing of creator businesses, while Robert pontificates on clickbait.

This week's links:

Mickey Mouse Public Domain

Elon's X Gets Another Valuation Drop

Time Appoints Chief Events Officer

Creators Are Downsizing

Advertisers and Clickbait

This week's sponsors:

Smart sales software for today's multitasking reps that's built to help you manage every stage of your sales pipeline with ease.

Work smarter, not harder at Hubspot.com/sales

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Liked this show? SUBSCRIBE to this podcast on Spotify, Apple, Google and more. Catch past episodes and show notes at ThisOldMarketing.com.

Catch and subscribe to our NEW show on YouTube.

Subscribe to Joe Pulizzi's Orangeletter and get two free downloads direct from Joe.

Subscribe to Robert Rose's newsletter at Experience Advisors.

Joe and Robert take time out of their regular programming to talk about key marketing career challenges and how they overcame them. In addition, the boys do a speed round on content marketing pet peeves.

This week's links:

Sahil Bloom's Annual Review

This week's sponsors:

Hubspot's Campaign Assistant is a game-changer for creating marketing campaigns at scale. It quickly turns your key selling points into a cohesive pitch, which helps you deliver knockout emails, ads, and landing pages in minutes.

Work smarter, not harder at Hubspot.com/campaign-assistant.

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Liked this show? SUBSCRIBE to this podcast on Spotify, Apple, Google and more. Catch past episodes and show notes at ThisOldMarketing.com.

Catch and subscribe to our NEW show on YouTube.

Subscribe to Joe Pulizzi's Orangeletter and get two free downloads direct from Joe.

Subscribe to Robert Rose's newsletter at Experience Advisors.

It's here! The annual episode where Robert and Joe predict everything that will not go right in the content marketing and media world. This year, the boys predict:

• A social media collapse - TikTok and YouTube see big surges as the waves of the strike Tsunami hit.
• AI goes mainstream and actually starts to earn its keep – but NOT in creating externally focused content  but rather conversational Advertising and behind the scenes marketing work.
• Brands go "all in" on owned media  - especially video.
• Local news and journalism make a big comeback.
• At least three, major brands launch new, shiny print publications and send them through the post.
• X will see a huge advertising turnaround (due to the fact that most everyone left). More eyeballs for less dollars.
• Newsletters will continue their hot stream, led by creator referral networks, and you'll see more creators stop producing their lagging podcasts.
• More AI-driven news networks continue to launch, followed by an AI running for president in 2028.

This week's sponsors:

Hubspot's Campaign Assistant is a game-changer for creating marketing campaigns at scale. It quickly turns your key selling points into a cohesive pitch, which helps you deliver knockout emails, ads, and landing pages in minutes.

Work smarter, not harder at Hubspot.com/campaign-assistant.

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Liked this show? SUBSCRIBE to this podcast on Spotify, Apple, Google and more. Catch past episodes and show notes at ThisOldMarketing.com.

Catch and subscribe to our NEW show on YouTube.

Subscribe to Joe Pulizzi's Orangeletter and get two free downloads direct from Joe.

Subscribe to Robert Rose's newsletter at Experience Advisors.

The latest social media usage results by Pew are out and...surprise, surprise...almost half of all teenagers are on social media "literally all the time." It seems that short-form videos are ruling the day on nearly all platforms.

Mega-publisher Axel Springer does a deal with ChatGPT to include news. What does this mean for media companies and the future of search?

And everything you know about podcasts might actually be wrong.

Rants and raves include permissions on Dropbox and Magna/OpenAP doing a deal.

This week's links:

Axel Springer Deals with OpenAI

Pew Research on Teen Social Media Usage

Everything You Know about Podcasts Is Wrong

Sounds Profitable Podcast Research

Spotify and Audiobook Streaming

Dropbox and Third-Party AI

How Anxiety Became Content

Magna and OpenAP Data Deal

This week's sponsors:

Hubspot's Campaign Assistant is a game-changer for creating marketing campaigns at scale. It quickly turns your key selling points into a cohesive pitch, which helps you deliver knockout emails, ads, and landing pages in minutes.

Work smarter, not harder at Hubspot.com/campaign-assistant.

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Liked this show? SUBSCRIBE to this podcast on Spotify, Apple, Google and more. Catch past episodes and show notes at ThisOldMarketing.com.

Catch and subscribe to our NEW show on YouTube.

Subscribe to Joe Pulizzi's Orangeletter and get two free downloads direct from Joe.

Subscribe to Robert Rose's newsletter at Experience Advisors.

Google makes their big AI announcement regarding Google Gemini. Can the new AI suite save Google's stalling search business?

Is purpose-driven content dead after failures by Bud Light and Target? Joe is skeptical but Robert thinks there is a big opportunity.

Spotify announces some big layoffs and a strategic change, while the NCAA might be hiring students in the very near future.

Rants and raves include TikTok shopping and a new model for digital ad revenue.

This week's links:

Google's Gemini Announced

Brand Backlash

Spotify's Strategic Changes

NCAA and NIL

Digital Ad Revenue's Up

This week's sponsors:

Hubspot's Campaign Assistant is a game-changer for creating marketing campaigns at scale. It quickly turns your key selling points into a cohesive pitch, which helps you deliver knockout emails, ads, and landing pages in minutes.

Work smarter, not harder at Hubspot.com/campaign-assistant.

-----

Liked this show? SUBSCRIBE to this podcast on Spotify, Apple, Google and more. Catch past episodes and show notes at ThisOldMarketing.com.

Catch and subscribe to our NEW show on YouTube.

Subscribe to Joe Pulizzi's Orangeletter and get two free downloads direct from Joe.

Subscribe to Robert Rose's newsletter at Experience Advisors.

Elon Musk's remarks at the recent Dealbook conference show (inconclusive) evidence that he is actually trying to lower X's valuation to such a point to where he can buy the company back (from debtors) at pennies on the dollar.

Synthetic (AI) content is on the rise. Google is having major problems with it, and some (experts) say that over 90 percent of all content will be AI generated by 2026.

And finally, should creators (and marketers) start thinking about protecting their digital likeness? The boys say yes.

Rants and raves include an interesting move by Weibo and Google paying off publishers.

This week's links:

Joe's Studio Setup Details Here

Elon says "Go F' Yourself"

The Rapid Rise of Synthetic Content

How Creators Own Their Digital Likeness

Weibo and Anonymous Creators

Google's Publisher Group Shutting Down

This week's sponsors:

Hubspot's Campaign Assistant is a game-changer for creating marketing campaigns at scale. It quickly turns your key selling points into a cohesive pitch, which helps you deliver knockout emails, ads, and landing pages in minutes.

Work smarter, not harder at Hubspot.com/campaign-assistant.

-----

Liked this show? SUBSCRIBE to this podcast on Spotify, Apple, Google and more. Catch past episodes and show notes at ThisOldMarketing.com.

Catch and subscribe to our NEW show on YouTube.

Subscribe to Joe Pulizzi's Orangeletter and get two free downloads direct from Joe.

Subscribe to Robert Rose's newsletter at Experience Advisors.

Note: This was recorded before Sam Altman was reinstated at OpenAI. Go figure!

Joe and Robert go indepth on the soap opera that is OpenAI, and the ramifications on marketers and content creators.

X sees another exodus of advertisers. Is this the end of the road for the former blue bird?

And TikTok is now used at a key news source for 30 percent of young adults. Should we be scared?

Rants and raves include ideas to save local journalism and Buzzfeed's new business model.

This week's links:

Paul Roetzer's AI Podcast about the History of OpenAI

Sam Altman Returns to OpenAI (added link)

Sam Altman Joins Microsoft

Why OpenAI Blew Up

X Responds to Advertisers Jumping Ship

Media Matters Grills Elon and X

Crisis in Local News

BuzzFeed Shifts Business Model

This week's sponsors:

Why do all that marketing if you can't close the business?

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Get smarter about how you handle and close your sales by trying Hubspot Sales Hub today. 

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Liked this show? SUBSCRIBE to this podcast on Spotify, Apple, Google and more. Catch past episodes and show notes at ThisOldMarketing.com.

Catch and subscribe to our NEW show on YouTube.

Subscribe to Joe Pulizzi's Orangeletter and get two free downloads direct from Joe.

Subscribe to Robert Rose's newsletter at Experience Advisors.