Blame it on Marketing â„¢

What if spending more on marketing is actually making your marketing worse?

Is creativity really about coming up with beautiful campaigns—or is it simply finding clever ways to solve difficult problems?In this special in-person episode, Emma and Ruta are joined by the team behind Technology for Marketing and eCommerce Expo to explore this year's theme: Creative Intelligence in Action.We talk about what creativity actually looks like inside a modern marketing team, particularly when budgets are tight, workloads are growing and AI can produce almost anything at the click of a button.Marketing confessions include telling a senior stakeholder that a budget cut felt like “a slap in the face” and repeatedly cloning email campaigns without checking the subject line, sender details or reply-to address. Cue 30,000 emails—and one very unhappy inbox owner.We get into:✅ Why creativity is much broader than design, copy and campaign concepts✅ How problem-solving, communication and data storytelling are creative skills✅ Using AI to brainstorm, sense-check ideas and adapt campaigns across channels✅ The risk of outsourcing your critical thinking and personal judgement to ChatGPT✅ Why audiences are pushing back against AI influencers, artwork and synthetic content✅ How marketers can use AI for learning, admin and the work they genuinely struggle with✅ Efficiency versus effectiveness—and why giving people more tools often just creates more work✅ Why growth requires experimentation, waste and the occasional failed campaign✅ How to test properly instead of changing everything and declaring that marketing “didn't work”✅ Burnout, boundaries and the importance of having colleagues you can have a proper moan withPlus, we discuss parasocial relationships with creators, senior salespeople misusing the term “demand generation,” and why nobody should leave their dinner getting cold after being told it's ready.Technology for Marketing and eCommerce Expo take place on 23–24 September 2026. Emma and Ruta will also be there with the Blame It On Marketing confession wall, ready to hear your marketing sins—and validate how much you hate your boss.#MarketingPodcast #CreativeMarketing #AIinMarketing #MarketingLeadership #MarketingBurnout #TechnologyForMarketing We're Ruta and Emma, the marketing consultants behind Blame it on Marketing. If you're in B2B SaaS or professional services and looking to do marketing that actually drives revenue and profit, we're here for it.Visit blameitonmarketing.com and let's get this show on the road.

Why are we still having to prove that marketing contributes to revenue?

Live recording from the Leadoo Big Conversion Meetup! This episode focuses on the content portion of websites and how that leads to better conversions. We are joined by Joe Rogers, Fractional Head of Content, and Jonny Kenyon Head of Marketing at Jungle IT.

Is your ICP actually an ICP… or is it just “women aged 25 to 45” in a trench coat?

Going after a new segment sounds sexy… until you actually try to do it.

B2B influencer marketing is having a moment… but most teams are still treating it like a vibes-based experiment.

Side hustles used to be the vibe… but are they still “allowed” now?

Should you stay… or should you go?

If your leadership team only cares about “what did we close?” but you're stuck reporting traffic, followers and vibes… this episode is for you.

Ever walked into a meeting with a spreadsheet… and watched everyone's eyes glaze over?

Marketing feels harder than it should right now. Bigger targets, tighter budgets, AI expectations, more noise everywhere… and somehow it's still “why didn't that email get opened more?”

Why do some marketing teams move fast and break things… while others want a spreadsheet, a process, and a risk assessment before lunch?

Your CRM is meant to be the backbone of marketing… so why does it feel like a haunted house?

Why is marketing the one industry where you can be “too young” and “too old” at the same time?

Ah yes.The three words that have launched a thousand unnecessary redesigns.In this episode of Blame It On Marketing, we're joined by the brilliant Juliana Germinio from Yellow Zest to unpack the most vague, infuriating, soul-crushing piece of feedback marketers hear on repeat:“Can you just… make it pop?”Pop how?Pop why?Pop for whom??WHAT IS POP?!From rogue email links sending restaurant guests to skincare masks (we've all been baptised) to websites 80% complete before someone decides it's “not doing it for them” — we get into why bad feedback happens, why senior leaders default to aesthetics, and how marketers can stop drowning in subjective chaos.But this isn't just a rant. (Okay, it's partly a rant.)What you'll actually learn:

Why does “ABM” so often become a logo-swap landing page and a prayer? In this episode, Emma and Ruta sit down with Marta George (ex-Head of ABM, now Field & Channel Marketing) to get brutally honest about what real ABM takes—and when you shouldn't do it at all.We get into: ✅ Why “ABM Lite” isn't real (and why it keeps getting sold anyway) ✅ The village ABM needs: sales, SDRs, CS, product marketing, brand, design ✅ Account selection done right (data > opinions, relationships matter) ✅ Start small: 2–4 accounts, bottom-of-funnel first, then scale ✅ Timelines & expectations: quarters to years—not weeks—and what to report ✅ What to track (and why MQLs are the wrong question for ABM) ✅ When to skip ABM and do personalised demand gen instead ✅ Tools & AI: faster personalisation ≠ ABM ✅ Spicy take: why growth teams deserve bonuses/commission We're Ruta and Emma, the marketing consultants behind Blame it on Marketing. If you're in B2B SaaS or professional services and looking to do marketing that actually drives revenue and profit, we're here for it.Visit blameitonmarketing.com and let's get this show on the road.

Why do smart companies still treat marketing like the “content machine” or sales' on-call design team? In this episode, Ruta and Emma sit down with Margaux Grasso and Sarah Mardle to unpack marketing's perception problem—and how to fix it with influence, data, and better internal storytelling. Expect practical playbooks for building credibility, aligning with sales, and pushing back on bad habits without starting a turf war. We get into: ✅ Why marketers accidentally fuel the “make it pretty” myth—and how to stop being the default Yes Team ✅ Building your internal brand: report like a strategist, not a task taker (show the link to business goals) ✅ Stakeholder personas: map power, pressures, and motivations so your message lands internally, not just with customers ✅ Alignment that sticks: shared goals, shared language, and moving from blame to ownership with sales ✅ Budget battles: make a business case, not an approval request—what to show the CFO and when ✅ Product-market fit reality checks: run shared experiments so “is it marketing or the product?” gets answered fast ✅ Career insurance: mentors, advocates, and relationship-building as a core marketing skill, not a nice-to-have Who's on mic: • Margaux Grasso — Founder, Wripple. Helps marketing teams build internal credibility, align with sales, and set strategy.  • Sarah Mardle — Founder of Alma Business Consulting, Executive and business coach with a neuroscience PhD, supporting leaders and founders (especially in life sciences). Perfect for: marketers tired of being seen as order-takers, leaders who want real sales-marketing alignment, and anyone who needs a clean, confident way to ask for more budget—and get it. If you're ready to swap “make it pretty” for “move the business,” this one's for you.  We're Ruta and Emma, the marketing consultants behind Blame it on Marketing. If you're in B2B SaaS or professional services and looking to do marketing that actually drives revenue and profit, we're here for it.Visit blameitonmarketing.com and let's get this show on the road.

Why do tiny marketing budgets come with sky-high expectations?

Why do leaders still want to “be on LinkedIn”… even when the content makes buyers cringe?

Why do the same marketing headaches keep coming back every year?

Why are marketers still arguing about ROI in 2025?

Why does every second LinkedIn post promise an “AI system” that will fix your marketing overnight?

Why do so many great marketing plans get kneecapped by…ego?

Why do so many teams grab a shiny rebrand when the real problem is strategy?

Why is it still harder for women to be seen, heard, and safe in B2B marketing?

Think events are all free prosecco and LinkedIn photos?

Why does B2B influencer marketing feel so chaotic right now?

Why does marketing feel… weird right now?

Why have so many leaders written off SEO as “dead”?

Why do marketers lose their cool over slide decks, ChatGPT “feedback,” and CEOs who sign off every tweet?

Why do marketers blame shadow bans when their posts flatline?

In this episode, we're ditching the basic bitch prompts and going deep on real AI power for marketers. Emma and Ruta unpack everything from prompt engineering to custom GPTs to automated workflows—so you can stop treating AI like a toy and start using it like a pro.We get into: ✅ The AI lingo you actually need: models vs. providers vs. platforms vs. benchmarks ✅ Prompt engineering 101: zero-shot, few-shot, meta-prompts & when to use “reasoning” ✅ Building your own Custom GPTs—for content, strategy docs, coaching & more ✅ Automations that turn transcripts into blog posts, spreadsheets into insights ✅ Data cleaning, contract checks & process docs—all without lifting a finger ✅ Picking the right model: why cheaper LLMs sometimes outscore GPT-4 on copy ✅ AI as your personal CMO-mentor: role-plays, feedback loops & impulse checks ✅ Content audits, gap analyses & campaign plans—instant, AI-powered QAIf you're tired of treating AI like a magic wand—or you're ready to stop copy-pasting prompts and start building real AI-driven workflows—this one's for you. We're Ruta and Emma, the marketing consultants behind Blame it on Marketing. If you're in B2B SaaS or professional services and looking to do marketing that actually drives revenue and profit, we're here for it.Visit blameitonmarketing.com and let's get this show on the road.

Why do so many marketers break into a cold sweat at the mere mention of “board meeting”?

Why do so many marketers build campaigns in a vacuum—then wonder why they flop?

Why do so many B2B marketers treat YouTube like a dusty archive?

Why do so many companies treat consultants like magic beans?

Why does email marketing often feel like shouting into the void?

What's causing senior marketing leaders to burn out, feel isolated, and lose their edge?

Why do CEOs sometimes go rogue on social media—and what does it mean for your brand?

How do you keep the spark alive with MQLs when everyone's ready to call them dead? In this episode, Ruta and Emma sit down with Ross Howard, Product Marketing Director at Inbox Insight, to share a no-holds-barred conversation about the messy, hilarious, and sometimes maddening world of Marketing Qualified Leads. Rather than ditching MQLs altogether, our guest and hosts explore how a little relationship-building, a whole lot of content creativity, and a fresh look at aligning sales and marketing can make all the difference.We dive into: ✅ The truth behind the “MQL myth” and why these leads aren't the enemy✅ How early marketing blunders (hello, email typos!) paved the way for smarter strategies✅ Balancing lead gen and demand gen without sacrificing quality or your sanity✅ Creative multi-touch tactics that keep your audience engaged long after the first email✅ The secret sauce of building genuine connections, even when the system seems stacked against you✅ Insider marketing gossip that proves even the pros have their off daysIf you're ready to rethink your lead strategy without scrapping everything you've built, this episode is your new go-to guide. Let's embrace our MQLs for life—done right, they can be your secret weapon.We're Ruta and Emma, the marketing consultants behind Blame it on Marketing. If you're in B2B SaaS or professional services and looking to do marketing that actually drives revenue and profit, we're here for it.Visit blameitonmarketing.com and let's get this show on the road.

Why do so many senior marketers think a website rebuild will solve all their problems?

In this no-holds-barred episode of Blame It on Marketing, hosts Emma and Ruta team up with the ever-so-authentic Marie-Claire Silfer (MC) to spill the tea on everything LinkedIn. Tired of the endless parade of AI-generated spam, forced selfies, and “engagement pod” shenanigans? So are we.Join the trio as they dissect the art (and occasional disaster) of creating content that's genuine, engaging, and refreshingly human. They share their war stories—from early “pitch-slapping” mishaps to dodging misogyny and microaggressions—and dish out the real-deal tips that can help you level up your LinkedIn game without losing your cool.Key Takeaways:Authenticity Wins: Learn why mixing personal struggles with professional wins beats bland, over-polished posts every time.Consistency Is King: Discover how treating content creation like “brushing your teeth” can transform your online presence—even if it's just 5–10 minutes a day.Content Remix Magic: Get tips on repurposing old posts into videos, carousels, or bite-sized text gems, so you're never out of ideas.Call Out the Cringe: From forced selfies in random settings to all-male influencer shout-outs, find out what to avoid if you want to keep it real on LinkedIn.Community Over Clout: Explore why building genuine relationships beats chasing likes and how to navigate the pitfalls of engagement pods and fake comments.We're Ruta and Emma, the marketing consultants behind Blame it on Marketing. If you're in B2B SaaS or professional services and looking to do marketing that actually drives revenue and profit, we're here for it.Visit blameitonmarketing.com and let's get this show on the road.

LinkedIn isn't what it used to be, in this episode, we sit down with Andy Lambert to break down what's actually working in social media marketing today. We get real about the mistakes marketers keep making, why engagement matters more than ever, and whether company pages are hard work.Oh, and AI? It's changing the game—but let's be clear: it's a tool, not a replacement for actual strategy. We also dive into community building, video content (spoiler: just posting isn't enough), and why authenticity beats algorithms every time.Takeaways (or, what to yell at your marketing team about)✅ Social media keeps changing—marketers need to keep up.✅ LinkedIn is still gold for B2B (but you need a strategy).✅ Rushed marketing = bad marketing.✅ Video is big, but quality > quantity.✅ Engagement > just posting.✅ Personal brands > company pages (sorry, corporate).✅ AI can boost creativity, but don't let it kill your soul.✅ Community > audience—build relationships, not just reach.✅ Focus on what your audience actually wants.✅ Authenticity wins—people can smell BS from a mile away.Marketing changes, but the fundamentals don't. Listen in, take notes (or don't), and let's talk about what actually works.We're Ruta and Emma, the marketing consultants behind Blame it on Marketing. If you're in B2B SaaS or professional services and looking to do marketing that actually drives revenue and profit, we're here for it.Visit blameitonmarketing.com and let's get this show on the road.

In this episode of Blame It on Marketing, Ruta and Emma take on the obsession with chasing competitors in B2B marketing. They dig into why marketers fall into the copycat trap, share their own experiences of getting it wrong, and discuss how to break out of the cycle with a strategy that actually works. The conversation covers the importance of knowing your own product and audience, the risks of playing it safe, and the ethical dilemmas that come with marketing today. Bottom line? Creativity beats imitation every time.TakeawaysChasing competitors leads to bland, copy-paste marketing.Understanding your unique value proposition is non-negotiable.Creativity and originality win in the long run.A solid go-to-market strategy keeps you focused.Differentiation matters—especially in a crowded market.Managing internal stakeholders is just as important as external messaging.Ethical marketing is no longer optional.Marketers should prioritize their ideal customer profile (ICP) over industry trends.Copying competitors often results in surface-level strategies with no depth.Close collaboration with product teams can make or break marketing success.

In this episode of Blame it on Marketing, Emma and Ruta are joined by Alex Vince-Myers, Head of Marketing, to tackle the big question: which marketing metrics actually matter? Together, they sort the fluff from the facts, breaking down the difference between vanity metrics and actionable ones that drive real results. The trio dives into personal confessions about marketing missteps, the perks of sharing metrics across teams, and why getting leadership to buy into metrics is easier said than done.The discussion doesn't shy away from the hard stuff—like the gap between marketing efforts and revenue—and wraps up with insights on how to navigate the ever-evolving trends shaping today's marketing landscape.Takeaways:Marketing metrics are a cornerstone for growth and accountability.Vanity metrics might look good, but they don't always tell the full story.Sharing metrics internally can boost team morale and engagement.Senior leaders need to get on board with understanding marketing numbers.Metrics should align with business goals to ensure relevance.Tailor the metrics you present to the audience at hand.Accurate attribution relies on understanding the full customer journey.Context matters—analyze metrics within appropriate timeframes.Don't lean too heavily on vanity metrics for decision-making.Leadership buy-in is essential to maximize marketing's impact.This one's all about making your numbers work for you, not against you.We're Ruta and Emma, the marketing consultants behind Blame it on Marketing. If you're in B2B SaaS or professional services and looking to do marketing that actually drives revenue and profit, we're here for it.Visit blameitonmarketing.com and let's get this show on the road.

In this episode of Blame It on Marketing, Emma, Ruta, and guest Jamie Pagan dive into the gritty realities of marketing budgets. From the awkward dance of asking for money to the headaches caused by mismatched sales and marketing priorities, they unpack the budgeting struggles marketers face daily. Jamie shares practical advice from his years in B2B marketing, offering insights on educating leadership, proving ROI, and making the most of lean budgets.This episode tackles why tight budgets make for tight-lipped marketers and how better communication and alignment with sales can turn things around. If you've ever had to justify your existence to the finance team, this one's for you.Takeaways:Budgeting in marketing is often ignored until there's a problem.Misalignment between marketing and sales creates budget gaps.Sales cycles heavily influence budget timing and strategies.Proving ROI isn't just nice; it's non-negotiable.Educating leadership on marketing's value is critical to securing funds.Shoestring budgets lead to lackluster engagement and retention.Free tools and creativity are lifesavers when the budget is tight.Building trust with leadership pays off in future budget negotiations.Regularly tracking and sharing your impact builds a case for investment.Negative past experiences with marketing can skew leadership's perception. Sponsors: No more 'shit marketing leads' with Leadfeeder by Dealfront! Extended free trial of their Lead Gen Platform for Blame it on Marketing listeners!

In this episode of Blame It On Marketing, hosts Emma and Ruta explore the challenges of marketing attribution with Tara Robertson. They share their own experiences with attribution, unpack the complexities of measurement, and highlight the importance of collaboration between sales and marketing teams. The conversation tackles the messy reality of attribution, emphasizing the need to better understand how marketing influences customer journeys. Their takeaway? Embrace the imperfections—attribution is rarely straightforward.Key Takeaways:- Attribution is often oversimplified and can mislead marketing decisions.- The pressure to measure everything can stifle creativity in marketing.- Sales and marketing teams should work collaboratively towards common goals.- Understanding the customer journey is crucial for effective attribution.- Self-reported attribution can provide valuable insights into customer behavior.- Attribution tools can be helpful but should not be seen as a silver bullet.- The ideal attribution setup varies by company and should focus on key touchpoints.- Marketing should influence all types of opportunities, not just inbound leads.- Leadership expectations around attribution can be challenging to navigate.- Embracing the messiness of attribution can lead to better marketing strategies. Sponsors: No more 'shit marketing leads' with Leadfeeder by Dealfront! Extended free trial of their Lead Gen Platform for Blame it on Marketing listeners!

Blame It On Marketing Turns Two!

Marketing: the first budget cut and the last to get the credit. In this episode, your favorite co-hosts Ruta and Emma sit down with Angeley Mullins, Chief Commercial Officer at Resourceify, as she shares her no-nonsense perspective on why cutting back on marketing during tough times is the business equivalent of eating soup with a fork: messy, ineffective, and you'll still be hungry. They dive into the delicate dance between performance marketing and brand building, why sales and marketing are like peanut butter and jelly (yes, they belong together), and how ignoring your customer's needs is a fast track to irrelevance.Takeaways:Investing in marketing leads to long-term growth. Don't let economic pressures push you into shortsighted decisions.Performance marketing is just one slice of the pie. Don't forget the power of brand.Sales and marketing should work hand in hand. The dream team works best together, not in silos.Understanding customer needs is crucial. Forgetting this? That's a fast track to irrelevance.The pendulum is swinging back toward brand investment. And it's about time.Mistakes are part of the process. If you're not failing, you're not trying.ROI isn't the whole story. Marketing is more than just numbers on a spreadsheet.A strong brand presence makes selling easier. Build it, and sales will follow.Early-stage companies need balance. It's not just sales or just marketing—it's both. Sponsors: No more 'shit marketing leads' with Leadfeeder by Dealfront! Extended free trial of their Lead Gen Platform for Blame it on Marketing listeners!

This episode gets real. Emma, Ruta, and special guest Cohan expose the madness of sales and marketing culture, from absurd pipeline expectations to commission nightmares. We tackle the age-old question: why do outdated sales tactics still exist—and who's really to blame?Cohan, a seasoned sales leader, doesn't hold back as he spills the tea on toxic company cultures, leadership fails, and the collateral damage of BS metrics. Spoiler: it's costing you revenue and sanity. Plus, we dive into the role of AI in sales (and how it's failing at inclusivity) and call out the elephant in the room—why marketers always get the blame.TakeawaysHow pipeline manipulation starts at the top (and ends with AEs fired).Why cookie-cutter targets and outdated processes are sabotaging teams.The myth of the “Black Book” and why it's time to retire this relic.Why 4-5x coverage quotas are more about fantasy than strategy.The truth about commission plans (spoiler: it's a mess).How marketing can align with sales to actually fix the chaos.The untapped potential (and pitfalls) of AI in tech.This isn't just a podcast—it's a call for sanity. Whether you're in marketing, sales, or leadership, this episode is your blueprint for building a culture that works.co@equityintechgroup.com Sponsors: No more 'shit marketing leads' with Leadfeeder by Dealfront! Extended free trial of their Lead Gen Platform for Blame it on Marketing listeners!