Podcast Summary: Choreograph CEO Evan Hanlon on Building Scale and the Importance of Experimenting

Podcast Information:

• Title: Marketing Voices and Perspectives
• Host/Author: Think with Google
• Episode: Choreograph CEO Evan Hanlon on Building Scale and the Importance of Experimenting
• Release Date: July 24, 2024

1. Introduction and Personal Insights

The episode begins with Joshua Espanier, VP of Media Lab within Google Marketing, introducing Evan Hanlon, the Global CEO of Choreograph, a subdivision of GroupM. Bethany Poole, Global Senior Marketing Director at Google, also joins as a co-host. The conversation quickly delves into Evan’s personal interests and life changes, providing a relatable backdrop to his professional insights.

Notable Quote:

“I've done very little skateboarding recently. I think much to my wife's happiness as well. We have an 8-month-old now…” (02:43)

2. Understanding Choreograph and Its Role in Modern Marketing

Evan Hanlon elaborates on Choreograph's role within GroupM, emphasizing its focus on integrating data and technology to streamline media buying processes across various platforms. Choreograph aids in creating insights, activating campaigns, and measuring effectiveness, thereby bridging the gaps between different technologies and platforms to ensure a cohesive brand experience.

Notable Quote:

“Choreograph is really where all of the data and all the technology that Group M holds sits. And what we really focus on is software that helps our teams and our clients do four big things…” (04:10)

3. Communicating Complex Technologies to Marketers

Evan discusses the challenges of explaining sophisticated technological processes to CMOs and non-technical experts. He underscores the importance of intuitive and reliable technology interfaces that allow marketers to focus on business and marketing goals without getting bogged down by technical details.

Notable Quote:

“If you don't have technology that people can interact with, with, can see that is real and that can build trust around sort of what's going on below it, you're sort of already lost then.” (07:05)

4. The Evolving Concept of Scale in Marketing

The conversation shifts to the concept of scale in modern marketing. Evan contrasts traditional broadcast media's one-to-many approach with today's individualized, multi-channel strategies. He highlights that while scale remains crucial, its definition has transformed to focus on personalized outreach across diverse platforms.

Notable Quote:

“Scale is still really important, but it's flipped upside down. It's not one broadcast. It's everybody getting their own individual cast across lots of different places.” (09:20)

5. Modern Marketing Best Practices: Short-term Focus and Experimentation

Evan identifies two key facets of modern marketing: a greater emphasis on short-term goals and the importance of experimentation. He explains that breaking down large, complex objectives into manageable, incremental goals allows for more agile and effective marketing strategies. Experimentation, he argues, is essential for discovering what works and what doesn’t in real-time.

Notable Quote:

“Modern marketing is about being a bit of a game of inches and sort of building again sort of from the ground up.” (11:08)

6. Fostering a Culture of Experimentation and Embracing Failure

Bethany Poole probes deeper into the topic of experimentation, discussing the fear of failure among marketers. Evan emphasizes the necessity of “failing fast” to quickly pivot and optimize strategies. He compares this iterative process to his experience in sports, where short, controlled steps lead to better performance and adaptability.

Notable Quote:

“If you're doing things and you're finding out after a day, a week, a month, three months, you know what's going on and you're able to course correct quickly...” (14:13)

7. The Role of AI in Marketing: Creativity and Innovation

The discussion then explores the transformative impact of generative AI on creativity in marketing. Evan envisions a “Cambrian Explosion” of creative possibilities, where AI enables the creation of numerous ad variations tailored to different channels and audiences. He believes that while AI enhances creative output, the human element remains crucial in delivering meaningful and effective marketing messages.

Notable Quote:

“What you're going to start optimizing and seeing what's working and it's going to lead to really interesting creative places and spaces which we never would have considered before.” (16:22)

8. Key Takeaways and Final Advice

Evan concludes by cautioning against viewing AI as a panacea for all marketing challenges. He urges marketers to remain pragmatic, leveraging AI as a tool rather than a complete solution. Reflecting on past technological trends that failed to deliver promised disruptions, he advocates for a balanced approach that integrates AI with established marketing principles.

Notable Quote:

“AI is not an easy button and it's not an answer. It's a tool to get us to the answer.” (21:30)

Conclusion

Evan Hanlon’s insights highlight the intricate balance between leveraging advanced technologies and maintaining the foundational principles of marketing. His emphasis on scalability, experimentation, and the judicious use of AI offers valuable guidance for modern marketers navigating the evolving landscape.

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