Walsh X Talk - DBA Candidate Amie Gutierrez

Summary

The speaker reflects on their journey in marketing, starting with a sales and marketing class in high school in 1994. They highlight the evolution from traditional marketing methods to the current era dominated by AI and machine learning, which personalizes consumer experiences. The speaker emphasizes the importance of adapting to new technologies in marketing education, incorporating AI, machine learning, and data-driven strategies to prepare students for the future. They share their teaching approach, which includes mandatory use of AI tools to enhance creativity and understanding of marketing concepts, and discuss the need to balance technological advancements with ethical considerations, such as sustainability, social responsibility, and data privacy.

Takeaways

• 🎓 The speaker's first marketing experience was in a sales and marketing class in high school, with no digital marketing or social media involved.
• 📅 In 1994, online advertising was in its infancy, with banner ads appearing for the first time on websites.
• 🎉 The speaker's first marketing job in 1998 involved event marketing, using traditional methods like VHS and BCRs, with no significant online content creation.
• 🚀 The emergence of AI and machine learning in 2024 has revolutionized marketing, allowing for personalized consumer engagement and creating challenges and opportunities for education in the field.
• 📚 Educators need to upskill students with new technologies like AI, machine learning, and predictive modeling to prepare them for the modern marketing landscape.
• 💼 Getting a job in marketing today is not as easy as it was in the '90s, requiring more specialized skills and knowledge.
• 💌 The speaker's experience with email marketing at match.com involved manually sifting through attendee data, a task that is now streamlined with AI and automation.
• 🤖 Incorporating AI in the classroom is mandatory for the speaker's students, despite some resistance due to concerns about creativity and reliance on technology.
• 💡 The use of AI in assignments helps students understand the power of technology in enhancing, not replacing, their creative abilities.
• 🌐 The future of marketing with AI includes optimizing ad spend, enhancing customer experience, and creating hyper-personalized content.
• 🛡️ Teaching marketing also involves ethical considerations, sustainability, social responsibility, and the importance of data privacy, with technologies like blockchain offering solutions.

Q & A

What was the speaker's first experience with marketing?

The speaker's first experience with marketing was in a sales and marketing class at a technical school in high school, which was more focused on sales than marketing. There was no digital marketing or social media marketing involved.

What was the state of online advertising in 1994 according to the speaker?

In 1994, online advertising was in its infancy, with banner ads appearing for the first time on websites.

When did the speaker start working in marketing and what was the nature of the work?

The speaker started working in marketing in 1998 at the age of 18, focusing on event marketing and using traditional methods such as VHS tapes and BCRs.

How has the emergence of AI and machine learning changed the marketing landscape according to the speaker?

The emergence of AI and machine learning has significantly shifted the marketing landscape, enabling the creation of personalized content and targeted marketing that feels exclusive to the individual consumer.

What challenges and opportunities does the speaker see for educators in the new era of marketing?

The speaker sees challenges and opportunities for educators to upskill students with new technologies like AI, machine learning, and predictive modeling, ensuring they are prepared for the new era of marketing.

What was the speaker's second marketing position and what did it involve?

The speaker's second marketing position was for match.com, where they were involved in running 'match live' events, which included speed dating and creating campaigns to engage the target population.

How did the speaker describe their experience with email marketing before it was formally recognized as such?

The speaker described manually sifting through data of past attendees to send personalized emails, which was time-consuming and lacked the automation and reporting tools available today.

What is the speaker's approach to incorporating AI in their marketing classes?

The speaker requires students to create an open AI chatbot account and use it with every assignment. They demonstrate the value of AI by showing how it can enhance creativity and efficiency in marketing tasks.

What resistance does the speaker encounter from students regarding the use of AI in marketing?

Some students resist the use of AI, fearing it will diminish personal creativity or make them 'dumb.' The speaker addresses these concerns by showing the benefits of AI in enhancing, rather than replacing, their work.

How does the speaker envision the future of AI in marketing for professionals and students?

The speaker envisions AI playing a crucial role in marketing, from optimizing ad spend to creating hyper-personalized content and enhancing customer experience, making it essential for professionals and students to understand and incorporate it.

What additional aspects does the speaker believe should be incorporated into teaching marketing with the evolution of new media and technologies?

The speaker believes that teaching marketing should also include ethical considerations, sustainability, social responsibility, data privacy, and the potential of technologies like blockchain to give consumers more control over their data.