How not to be boring in B2B, AI agents and lessons from F1 - Colin Fleming

This episode explores the evolving role of marketing in B2B, focusing on ServiceNow's journey from a product-led to a brand-led organization. Colin Fleming discusses strategies for positioning marketing as a leadership function, emphasizing the importance of speaking the language of business and demonstrating value through metrics that resonate with the C-suite. Against the backdrop of a high-volume, low-funnel lead generation approach, Fleming details the shift towards identifying and nurturing buying groups, resulting in a 50% reduction in lead volume but a significant increase in conversion rates. More significantly, the conversation pivots to the transformative impact of AI, particularly the shift from generative AI co-pilots to multi-agent autonomous systems, highlighting the need for marketers to embrace curiosity and creativity to harness these technologies effectively. As the discussion pivots to brand building, Fleming emphasizes the importance of humanizing the brand through relatable characters and distinctive assets, exemplified by ServiceNow's advertising campaign featuring Idris Elba and personified buying groups. The episode concludes with insights on the critical role of data integrity in AI-driven marketing and the emerging industry pattern of AI orchestration, underscoring the need for CMOs to focus on data quality and governance to unlock the full potential of AI.