Lay of the Brand

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Lay of the Brand is a podcast where we sit down with the experts on the latest innovations in marketing, creative and PR – and the way these disciplines are revolutionizing how the tech industry communicates — and sells — to the world.

Merritt Group


    • Mar 25, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 27m AVG DURATION
    • 34 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Lay of the Brand

    B2G success in a DOGE environment with guest Brian Chidester

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2025 29:30


    In this episode of Lay of the Brand, host Peter Jacobs is joined by Brian Chidester, Head of Global Strategy and Innovation for Public Sector at Adobe and host of The Government Huddle podcast. With government agencies facing mounting pressure to operate more efficiently while staying mission-aligned, they uncover steps B2G companies can take right now to stay relevant. This conversation highlights the urgent need for strategic marketing, proactive positioning, and meaningful engagement to ensure that GovCons remain essential partners in an evolving landscape.

    Cybersecurity marketing — what's working and what's coming next w/Gianna Whitver and Michelle Shafer

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 3, 2024 23:28


    Reaching CISOs has never been easy, but with different channels coming to the forefront and a barrage of AI-powered threats (and solutions) to contend with, how to engage that audience is trickier than ever. On this episode, Gianna Whitver, CEO of the Cybersecurity Marketing Society, and Merritt Group's cybersecurity lead Michelle Shafer, spell out where to focus your efforts now and in the year ahead.

    B2B Influencer Marketing with Samsung's Nidhi Mehta

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2024 34:30


    In this episode of Lay of the Brand, host Peter Jacobs talks with Nidhi Mehta, the Social and Influencer Lead at Samsung Electronics America, to unravel how influencer marketing is no longer just for B2C brands. Nidhi shares actionable insights into how B2B brands can use influencer partnerships to tell more compelling stories, create emotional connections, and drive awareness and sales—even in highly technical fields. Listen to learn how to:Choose the right influencers for your B2B campaignHow to use micro-influencers for better targetingUse emotion and storytelling to go beyond product specs and featuresBuild effective programs for nurturing leadsGet ready for what's coming in 2025 for influencer marketing

    B2G Marketing: Creating End of FY24 Impact with Mark Amtower

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2024 37:33


    The end of the federal government's FY gets everyone scrambling to deliver proposals, but marketing still has a lot to do. That's why we asked Mark Amtower, the godfather of federal marketing, for his insights on what to do now -- and what to focus on going forward. Not that he has an opinion.

    2024 AI survey report: how to reach B2B AI buyers now

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 6, 2024 23:35


    Over 90% of professionals surveyed say their organizations will use AI more frequently this year than last year.  AI providers need to learn what their target audiences really think about AI, both good and bad, who's making the buying decisions, and the best ways to reach them.Merritt Group's just-released B2B survey report answers those questions and more, and MG's Shahed Ahmed and Kelly Finneran are here to share the findings and what they mean for marketers looking to connect with AI buyers.Download the full report here and check out the Merritt Group blog for more AI insights, tips, and recommendations.

    29. B2B Influencer Marketing

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2024 35:02


    Influencers are everywhere, but this trend goes beyond fashion tips and recipe hacks. Influencer marketing is essential for B2B tech marketers and PR pros, too. Carter Hostelly, CEO of LeadTail, joins us to explain how you can build relationships with the people your audience trusts —and how to become an influencer yourself.

    2024 B2B Media Outlook with Sam Whitmore

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 24, 2024 35:20


    What's next for the B2B tech media world -- and how should PR pros and marketing leaders prepare for the big changes ahead? Sam Whitmore of Sam Whitmore's Media Survey (mediasurvey.com) joins host Peter Jacobs to tackle what's coming in 2024.For more tech marketing and PR insights, visit layofthebrand.com

    27. The 5 Scariest B2G Marketing Mistakes

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 9, 2023 35:47


    Marketing to the government is very different from a B2B approach. A lot of government-focused companies have strategies in place to crack this code, and have even engaged marketing and PR agencies to help them do it right. Even so, it's too easy to make avoidable errors that can derail your program — and your ability to engage government buyers.To find out how to avoid 5 of the biggest mistakes that government marketers and their agencies can make, we're talking with Matt Donovan, a Merritt Group partner who leads the team focused on government marketing and PR.

    26. Marketing to healthcare CIOs — our 2022 survey results

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 31, 2023 27:54 Transcription Available


    For healthcare technology marketers, knowing where to focus your efforts and your resources starts with understanding what CIOs really want from you — and what they don't. What's the best way to reach this elusive group, what are they reading and watching, and how can you avoid being the one who misses the mark?To find out, we're talking with Amanda Bury, Chief Commercial Officer at healthcare platform creator, Infermedica.  She'll give us her real-world insights, along with her take on Merritt Group's survey of healthcare CIOs, that spells out how to connect with that valuable market.

    25. 2023 predictions for marketing and PR with Microsoft and Merritt Group

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2023 23:31 Transcription Available


    For tech marketers and PR pros, 2023 could be a wild ride, with an uncertain economy and new possibilities to engage with customers, the media, and influencers. Still, as we've seen in the 25 years since Merritt Group's founding, some things are evergreen. So, what's still working in marketing and PR? And how can we prepare for more changes, big and small? To find out, we're talking with Alisa Whyte, CEO of Merritt Group, who's been here since the beginning. We're also joined by Tonya Klause, Marketing and Communications Director at Microsoft Federal.

    24. Take Control of Your Personal Brand

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 15, 2022 44:55 Transcription Available


    As PR and marketing professionals, we're consumed by the brand reputation of the clients and organizations we represent, but often fail to build our own personal brand. Carol Blymire, founder and CEO of Neon Strategies and professor at Georgetown University, joins us on Lay of the Brand to show us  how cultivating your personal brand can be critical to how you market your company -- and how you grow your career.

    23. B2B Marketing in the Metaverse

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2022 23:03


    Is the metaverse just the next "next big thing?" Or is it a totally new way of looking at interactivity and engagement? And what can marketers be doing now to make sure they aren't left behind? Listen in for insights from Yashar Behzadi, CEO and founder of  Synthesis AI.

    22. Launching and Measuring Your B2G ABM Campaign with Aaron Heffron and Kate Tong

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 4, 2022 26:25 Transcription Available


    In the final episode of our three-part series, we're looking at how to put the data you've gathered and the content you've created to work. What channels do you choose and what should you measure to see if you're actually hitting the mark? To find out, we're talking with Kate Tong, senior director, US public sector marketing at enterprise search provider, Elastic and Aaron Heffron, executive vice president of government market research firm, Market Connections. 

    21. Creating Valuable B2G Content for ABM with Aaron Heffron and Courtney Hastings

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2021 28:49


    In part two of our three part series on federal account based marketing (ABM), we're looking at creating powerful messaging and content strategies. How does research inform content, and how can you adapt to focus on the people and messages that can make all the difference to your win rate? To find out, we're joined by Courtney Hastings, Senior Marketing Manager, Public Sector, of data integration and analytics provider, Qlik, and Aaron Heffron, Executive Vice President of government market research firm, Market Connections.

    20. EdTech: Adapt and Evolve Your Marketing

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2021 22:29 Transcription Available


    With school districts across the country again embracing classroom learning, we're taking a look at how the marketing of educational technology (EdTech) has changed in recent times — and where EdTech marketers can find new opportunities. To give us insights and next steps for this new era, we talk with Laura Sullivan, Vice President of Marketing and Communications for PresenceLearning.  Prefer to read all about it? Click here for a transcript!

    19. The Value of Account-Based Marketing (ABM) for the Federal Government with Aaron Heffron, Market Connections

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 29, 2021 30:06


    For ABM to succeed in B2G markets, you need research to back up your strategy. On this episode of Lay of the Brand, we talk with Aaron Heffron of government-focused research firm Market Connections to learn what to look for... and how to use it to build a smarter, more effective ABM program.

    18. Aligning Marketing and Sales for B2G ABM and DBM

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2021 25:31


    Account-based marketing (ABM) and deal-based marketing (DBM) are hot topics—especially for government-focused tech firms, where raising awareness and building relationships are essential to gaining trust and winning contracts. But it isn't just the job of marketing or sales to introduce and maintain these programs. The most successful firms know it's a joint effort, where each team plays to their strengths. That isn't always easy, so to look at how to make that alignment between sales and marketing work, we spoke with Anamika Gupta, Director and Head of Customer Marketing and Robert Lai, Vice President and Head of Public Sector at Fujitsu Americas. 

    17. B2G ABM Prospecting with Mark Amtower

    Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2021 25:12


    Much of an ABM program's success is dependent on knowing who the decision makers, contributors and influencers are. How can marketing and capture teams identify and categorize the right targets? And once you've found them, how do you apply that knowledge to a campaign cycle that can last up to 2 years? Mark Amtower of Amtower & Company joins us to provide insights and next steps that B2G marketers can put into action immediately.

    16. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2021 21:35


    Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) are in the forefront of a national conversation. For B2B and B2G tech marketers and PR pros, DE&I poses questions that drive decisions about messaging, outreach, and whether or not to take a public stand on issues. Carrie Drake, Director of Government Marketing for Maxar and the former president and a current board member of Women in Technology joins us for an in-depth look at ways marketers can help their companies navigate these waters.“Are you shaping your message for various audiences or are you shaping your message for one?” — Carrie Drake

    15. Do Newswires Have a Future?

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2020 21:41


    News distribution has been an essential part of the PR and marketing playbook for decades, but how does it fit in a world where journalism is so fragmented, between traditional news outlets, upstart news providers, bloggers, social media influencers and independent journalists? Gregg Castano, CEO of News Direct, an upstart staffed by newswire industry veterans, discusses how newswires and content delivery continue to evolve and the ways PR and marketing pros can take advantage of these changes.

    14. How to Market to CISOs with 7-Eleven & T.E.N.

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2020 34:12


    Today’s CISOs have an unprecedented amount of work and conflicting priorities on their plates, making it extremely difficult for anyone—let alone a vendor trying to sell them something—to grab their attention. To understand how B2B cybersecurity marketers can reach these elusive decision makers, we talked with Sujeet Bambawale, CISO of 7-Eleven and Marci McCarthy, CEO and President of Tech Exec Networks (T.E.N.). Listen to learn:The data behind what works (and doesn’t) when marketing to CISOsPersonal insights from an international brand’s CISO on how to influence security decision makers How COVID-19 has changed the dynamics of outreach programs

    13. Virtual Event Speaking: Land the Gig, Make it Unforgettable

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 13, 2020 17:06


    Industry events have gone virtual or hybrid, making it harder to land a speaking slot for your CEO or SME. And for the presenters, it’s a totally different experience. Keppler Speakers, which books high-profile speakers at events worldwide, has learned to adapt to this new environment. CEO Warren Jones gives us insights on what’s changed and what speakers, PR pros and marketers need to know to succeed.Listen in for:What event organizers look for and how to pitch themSteps for making virtual presentations more memorableCreating media opportunities at a virtual event for your thought leaders

    12. How to Land Funding in Today’s Environment w/ S3 Ventures’ Eric Engineer

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 15, 2020 25:58


    Entrepreneurial dreams are alive and strong, but how can they become reality in uncertain times? To land venture dollars you need to outshine the competition and demonstrate your worth. S3 Ventures, the largest VC focused on Texas, provides a pulse on the market and insights into how startups can win over VC decisionmakers. Key topics discussed include: how VC investment strategies are adjusting to market changes; ways startups can get the attention of VCs; and marketing and PR strategies that effectively fuel each stage of growth.

    11. CMO Insights: Strategies for Getting Back to Business Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2020 28:23


    Tech companies are still evolving how they approach marketing in the COVID-19 economy. In part 1 of “CMO Insights: Strategies for Getting Back to Business,” our panel of experts -- Rashmi Vittal of Conversica, Russ Cobb of IronNet Cybersecurity and Matt Selheimer of PAS Global -- shared perspectives on messaging, content and measurement as well as aligning with sales and the C-suite. In part 2, they provide more insights on realigning marketing resources, map out the future of events, but give actionable recommendations you can apply today.

    10. CMO Insights: Strategies for Getting Back to Business Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2020 30:49


    Keeping the economy moving in the COVID-19 environment is driving a lot of change and confusion in how tech companies go to market. In part 1 of “CMO Insights: Strategies for Getting Back to Business,” our panel of experts—Rashmi Vittal of Conversica, Russ Cobb of IronNet Cybersecurity and Matt Selheimer of PAS Global—give insight into how companies can adapt their marketing and sales approaches to keep customer relationships intact and growing while we navigating these difficult and uncertain times.

    9. CMO Roundtable: How to Maximize and Prioritize Your Marketing Budget with Matt Howard, CMO of Sonatype and Stephen McCarney, VP of Marketing at OPAQ

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2019 27:39


    Just about every single marketing leader constantly faces one big problem: doing more with less. Buyer journeys are becoming more complex. Channels, both online and offline, are exploding. Investing in MarTech is a must. And the cost of great marketing talent isn't getting any less expensive. Whether you are a billion-dollar public company, or a startup, you face difficult choices every day about where to best spend your limited marketing dollars. In this roundtable discussion, hear from seasoned marketing leaders from companies large and emerging talk about their struggles with budget allocation and maximizing return on marketing spend. You will learn about:–Strategies and tactics worth investing in (or not) and why;–What to consider when prioritizing your marketing budgets;–What’s hot now and what’s overhyped in terms of MarTech?—Lessons from the marketing frontlines and how you can apply them

    8. The Art of Marketing in B2G: Content is Key–With Allan Rubin, CMO of ORock Technologies

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 12, 2019 26:00


    Marketing your products and services to government agencies is not as simple as swapping out the word ‘mission’ for ‘profitability’ on your commercial collateral. If your business is considering selling to the public sector, you need to be prepared to communicate to a unique market that is more mission-driven and has different motivations than the B2B market. On this episode of Lay of the Brand Allan Rubin, Chief Marketing Officer of ORock Technologies, breaks down the basics of how businesses can successfully enter the government market while creating content that captures audiences at the federal, state and local levels.

    7. The Top Digital Marketing Essentials to Stay Relevant w/ Merritt Group's Pasha Irshad

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2019 17:29


    In today's digital world, there are thousands, if not millions of marketing tools and approaches to reach your buyer. But knowing the approach to quickly and efficiently reach your audience with a relevant message, content or offer is essential to keeping your marketing program manageable, within budget and effective. On this episode of Lay of the Brand, we ask Merritt Group's very own Senior Director of Digital & Integrated Marketing, Pasha Irshad, about the latest and greatest tools, tips and tricks in the world of performance marketing.

    6. Storytelling in the Tech Industry: Do's & Don'ts - GMU Panel w/ NPR's Jack Speer; Microsoft's Tonya Neff Klause; and Merritt Group's Shahed Ahmed

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 22, 2019 21:49


    From defining brand names to relaying empathy during times of crisis, businesses know the art of storytelling is paramount to success. So, how do tech companies craft their narratives? How do they take a stance on controversial issues without alienating consumers? In this episode of Lay of the Brand, we continue our discussion with a panel of experts hosted by George Mason's Department of Communications and Career Services including Jack Speer, National NPR Anchor; Tonya Neff Klause, Communications Director at Microsoft; and Shahed Ahmed, Senior Vice President and Partner at Merritt Group.

    5. The Evolution of Performance Marketing in Tech w/ Merritt Group's Sr. Marketing Project Manager, Abigail Bracy

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2019 24:35


    Enhancing performance marketing through data and analytics is a key ingredient to any organization's marketing strategy. In this episode of Lay of the Brand, Merritt Group speaks with its own Senior Marketing Project Manager, Abigail Bracy, to learn about the latest tools and themes making an impact on performance marketing, and how they are best used to inform strategic brand decisions.

    4. How to Create an Agile Brand w/ Greg Kihlström, Host of Agile World Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2019 23:56


    When it comes to branding, gone are the days where you can just "set it and forget it." In this episode of Lay of the Brand, Merritt Group speaks with award-winning author of the Agile Brand and host of the Agile World Podcast, Greg Kihlström, to learn about how organizations can apply agile methodology to create a continually evolving brand that stays true to its values and keeps up with customers and competitors in a modern, rapidly-moving world.

    3. Building Positive Brand Perception in the Tech Industry w/ GMU Comms Professor, Sergei Samoilenko

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2019 19:43


    Positive brand perception is critical to building customer loyalty and increasing customer confidence in your organization and product. But as seen with tech companies like Facebook, it's easier said than done. On this Lay of the Brand episode, Merritt Group speaks with Serge Samoilenko, a Communications Professor at George Mason University, who will delve into his own research on reputation and brand management – and the strategies the tech industry can't afford to ignore.

    2. Reputation Management in the Tech Industry: Panel w/ NPR's Jack Speer, Microsoft's Tonya Klause and Merritt Group's Senior VP Shahed Ahmed

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2019 27:01


    Reputation can make or break a brand in an age where information can be instantaneously tweeted and texted. So how do tech-companies maintain their brand integrity in an especially disruptive industry where innovation inevitably raises new questions about privacy, trade and community commitment? In this episode of Lay of the Brand, you'll hear seasoned insights and advice from a panel of experts hosted by George Mason's Department of Communications and Career Services including: Jack Speer, National NPR Anchor; Tonya Neff Klause, Communications Director at Microsoft; and Shahed Ahmed, Senior Vice President and Partner at Merritt Group.

    1. Branding Your Company Amid Industry Disruption w/ Amber Allman, VP of Corporate Comms at Gannett

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2019 21:38


    Whether small, medium-sized or part of the big leagues, how do organizations take their public affairs and communications from skittish and reactive to powerful and proactive? On this Lay of the Brand episode, Merritt Group asks Amber Allman, current Vice President of Corporate Communications at Gannett and former head of Global Public Affairs at Yahoo! how organizations can navigate the business to success, even during the most radical industry shifts and disruptions.

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