CIM Marketing Podcast

Is human authenticity still a competitive advantage in an AI-driven, metric-obsessed marketing world? 
 
In this episode of the CIM Marketing Podcast, host Ben Walker is joined by award-winning marketing leader and author Visha Kudhail (ex-Google, YouTube, Pinterest, Square UK) to unpack what authentic marketing really looks like in practice. Together, they go far beyond buzzwords, TikTok trends, and vanity metrics.
 
Drawing on insights from her new book, “Authentic Marketing”, Visha explores how brands can use AI without outsourcing their soul, and why audience-first, intent-driven strategies are the real differentiator in a sea of sameness. She also shares powerful lessons from big tech leadership, building marketing functions from scratch, and a decade of championing women in leadership positions.
 
In this episode, you’ll learn:
What authenticity actually means in marketing, and why most brands get it wrong
How to align values, leadership, product, and marketing so your brand truly matches its beliefs
How to build and lead high-performing marketing teams in complex, global organisations

If you’re a marketer, comms leader, or aspiring CMO wondering how to stay relevant in the AI era, this episode is for you.
 
Check out Visha’s book Authentic Marketing here: https://www.vishakudhail.com/authentic-marketing
 
Want to know more? Check out the CIM Content hub now for all things marketing.
 
Thanks for listening to this episode. You can share your thoughts and feedback in our survey now, or contact us at podcast@cim.co.uk

Is human authenticity still a competitive advantage in an AI-driven, metric-obsessed marketing world? 
 
In this episode of the CIM Marketing Podcast, host Ben Walker is joined by award-winning marketing leader and author Visha Kudhail to unpack what authentic marketing really looks like in practice. Together, they go far beyond buzzwords, TikTok trends, and vanity metrics.
If you’re a marketer, comms leader, or aspiring CMO wondering how to stay relevant in the AI era, this episode is for you.
 
Can’t wait for the full episode on Thursday? Check out the CIM Content hub now for all things marketing.

In episode 120 of the CIM Marketing Podcast, host Ben Walker is joined by the legendary Professor Hermawan Kartajaya, father of Asian marketing and co-author of the Marketing 3.0 - 7.0 series, and CIM’s chief executive, Chris Daly, to explore how marketing and leadership need to evolve in the age of AI. 
Together, they unpack what Marketing 7.0 really means in practice: shifting from influencing customer behaviour to leading customer cognition, balancing human creativity with machine intelligence, and ensuring marketing remains an engine for growth, as well as the moral compass of the organisation.
Across the conversation, they discuss how AI is reshaping customer decision-making, why differentiation is at risk in an AI-first world, and how leaders can build trust, avoid burnout, and create safe “sandboxes” for experimentation, all whilst keeping marketing’s human soul at the centre.
Listen in to the full episode to discover:
Why modern marketing leadership must move beyond nudging behaviour and begin “leading the customer’s mind” and how understanding the attention, social, and reward “brains” is key to driving decisions in an AI-shaped world.
How to treat AI as a coworker that handles the heavy lifting while humans focus on creativity, differentiation, empathy, and trust, avoiding the twin pitfalls of ignoring tech or over-relying on it.
A glimpse of what comes next: using technology responsibly to drive impact across the 5Ps – People, Prosperity, Planet, Peace, and Partnership—positioning marketing as both top-line growth engine and force for societal good.

Want to know more? Check out the CIM Content hub now for all things marketing.
 
 
Thanks for listening to this episode. You can share your thoughts and feedback in our survey now, or contact us at podcast@cim.co.uk

A new season of the CIM Marketing Podcast is coming soon!
In episode 120 of the CIM Marketing Podcast, host Ben Walker is joined by the legendary Professor Hermawan Kartajaya, father of Asian marketing and co-author of the Marketing 3.0 - 7.0 series, and CIM’s chief executive, Chris Daly, to explore how marketing and leadership need to evolve in the age of AI. 
Together, they unpack what Marketing 7.0 really means in practice: shifting from influencing customer behaviour to leading customer cognition, balancing human creativity with machine intelligence, and ensuring marketing remains an engine for growth, as well as the moral compass of the organisation.
Across the conversation, they discuss how AI is reshaping customer decision-making, why differentiation is at risk in an AI-first world, and how leaders can build trust, avoid burnout, and create safe “sandboxes” for experimentation, all whist keeping marketing’s human soul at the centre.
Listen in to the full episode, released Thursday 4th June to discover:
Why modern marketing leadership must move beyond nudging behaviour and begin “leading the customer’s mind” and how understanding the attention, social, and reward “brains” is key to driving decisions in an AI-shaped world.
How to treat AI as a coworker that handles the heavy lifting while humans focus on creativity, differentiation, empathy, and trust, avoiding the twin pitfalls of ignoring tech or over-relying on it.
A glimpse of what comes next: using technology responsibly to drive impact across the 5Ps – People, Prosperity, Planet, Peace, and Partnership—positioning marketing as both top-line growth engine and force for societal good.
Can’t wait for the full episode on Thursday? Check out the CIM Content hub now for all things marketing.

As the Advertising Association celebrates its centenary, Ben Walker sits down with Stephen Woodford, CEO of the Advertising Association, to explore 100 years of marketing and advertising evolution. We look at the past, present, and future of advertising.
Woodford reflects on iconic campaigns including his memories from the lager wars of the 80s and 90s to Orange’s “The future’s bright, the future’s Orange”, and British Airways’ “world’s favourite airline”, unpacking why simple, emotionally resonant ideas endure for decades. We also discuss why emotion beats logic almost every time, how great strategy underpins great creativity, and why the UK is a genuine creative superpower, punching far above its weight in global advertising exports.
The conversation also dives into:
How the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) evolved from a 1920s “vigilance committee” into a world‑leading regulator
The way AI is used on both sides of the battle against scams and fake ads – and why Woodford is optimistic
Why trust in advertising is now at a five‑year high, especially among younger, digitally native audiences
What AI really means for marketing talent, entry‑level roles, and capability building
The future balance between influencer-led strategies, performance marketing, and big brand-building campaigns
If you want a clear, grounded view on where advertising has come from, what’s changing right now, and how to navigate the AI era without losing the magic of creativity, this episode is essential listening.
Want to know more? Check out the CIM Content hub now for all things marketing.
 
 
Thanks for listening to this episode. You can share your thoughts and feedback in our survey now, or contact us at podcast@cim.co.uk