The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström®: Expert Mode Marketing Technology, AI, & CX

Episode #827: From eTail: Attentive CMO Keri McGhee on getting past AI hype to make the right strategic investments
Date: March 13, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode recorded live from eTail Palm Springs, host Greg Kihlström interviews Keri McGhee, CMO at Attentive, on how brands and marketing leaders should navigate the current AI hype cycle to make informed, strategic investments in marketing technology, data, and customer experience. The conversation centers on moving beyond AI for efficiency’s sake, focusing instead on unified data, meaningful personalization, and the evolving role of marketing leaders as strategic architects rather than operators.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Stage: AI Hype vs. Practical Value

[00:49] Greg introduces the risk of embracing AI without wisdom, stating the need to distinguish genuine value from unnecessary complexity.

• Main Point: Brands must carefully evaluate where AI creates real customer value rather than pursuing it for novelty or efficiency alone.
• Quote:
  "Agility requires not just the speed to adopt new technologies like AI, but the wisdom to discern where they create genuine value versus where they simply add complexity." (Greg, [00:49])

2. Where—and How—to Start with AI in Marketing

[03:08] Keri explains that while AI can technically be applied everywhere, unified and robust data is the essential starting point.

• Unified Data:
  • "You just need to have good data and you have to have a source of truth because that's what AI actions and decisions on." (Keri, [03:17])
• Role of Data: Without well-structured, accessible data, the value of AI is limited.
• Beyond Efficiency:
  • "AI at this point is so much more than just an efficiency game…think about it as a long term revenue growth engine, not just how do I do more of what I do more efficiently." (Keri, [03:38])
• Governance Matters: Set clear guardrails for AI deployment.

3. Overcoming Hype: Where Brands Over-Invest

[05:01] Greg and Keri discuss the tendency for brands to over-invest in AI use cases that don’t impact customers.

• Not All Efforts Are Equal:
  • Many “AI” initiatives are efficiency-focused or superficial.
  • Notable Stat: Forrester found "one in five consumers are willing to let AI do the shopping and buying for them, which shocked me." (Keri, [05:03])
• Architect vs. Operator:
  • Marketers should act as architects—designing customer experiences—not just operators automating processes.
  • Quote: "Marketers and brands need to think of themselves more as an architect versus an operator." (Keri, [05:31])
• Personalization as a True Value:
  • Personalized experiences powered by automation are a key opportunity—beyond just “Hi, [First Name].”

4. Genuine Personalization: Case Study

[06:48] Keri shares how Cozy Earth leverages AI to personalize at scale, offering a model for meaningful engagement.

• Brand Example: Cozy Earth uses browsing history and AI to:
  • Communicate in a familiar, brand-right voice
  • Target individuals on their preferred channels (email, SMS, push)
  • Remove friction (notifying when a favorite item is in stock, tailored payment/delivery options)
• Quote:
  • "They treat me as a unique id. They treat me as an individual. And it doesn't feel creepy." (Keri, [07:10])
• Result:
  • AI-powered personalized journeys yield "crazy insane numbers, like hundreds of percentage points change…way over a couple hundred" in revenue lift. (Keri, [08:06])

5. Organizational Change: Breaking Down Silos

[10:15] Greg prompts discussion on enabling personalization through internal transformation.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration:
  • Marketing can't own all aspects; closer work with IT/Data teams is critical.
  • "They have to understand how to tell the right story about the end value to the company." (Keri, [11:16])
• Within Marketing:
  • Teams must collaborate across functions for acquisition, retention, and growth.
  • Marketers must learn to trust automation, moving from tight control to testing and iterative scaling.
  • Quote:
    • "They've got to test their way into building that trust that the automation can do that for them." (Keri, [11:54])

6. Measuring AI Success: Beyond Vanity Metrics

[12:24] Keri outlines the new KPIs and success metrics for AI-powered marketing.

• Key Measurements:
  • List growth and acquisition — "That is something you can automate on."
  • Attributable revenue from automated (vs. manual) campaigns.
  • ROI and lift in conversion costs compared to traditional approaches.
• Quote:
  • "The ROI overall number versus a bunch of marketing vanity metrics I think is the thing that you're going to start seeing…” (Keri, [12:59])

7. The Power of Testing and Building Trust

[13:52] Keri emphasizes an iterative approach to avoid AI missteps.

• Test and Scale:
  • Start small, test AI outputs rigorously against established processes, and scale as trust and results build.
  • "Step into it slowly and then scale really fast once you feel like you have it right." (Keri, [14:37])
• Human in the Loop:
  • Maintaining human oversight prevents errors, maintains brand trust, and ensures data quality.
• Memorable Moment:
  • Keri describes her own experience receiving offers for products she would never buy:
    • "...a text or an email where literally you get the wrong product…somewhere the data is broken and that's where you have to test." (Keri, [14:54])

8. The Evolving Role of Marketing Leaders

[15:34] Greg asks how AI changes the marketer’s job.

• Shifts in Role:
  • Moving from day-to-day operator to strategic “architect.”
  • Increased flexibility and team agility—functions like performance marketing and retention will become less siloed.
• Quote:
  • "I think it's definitely going to move from being in the day to day operating of your team to more of that architect." (Keri, [15:34])
• Marketing leaders must focus on understanding consumer behavior and adapting rapidly to changing tools and trends.

9. Staying Agile: Personal Practice

[17:27] Greg closes by asking Keri how she stays agile herself.

• Habit:
  • Keri sets aside a weekly block to connect with peers, learn new technologies, and stay updated, modeling the behavior she expects from her team.
• Quote:
  • "I just dedicated time every week—I do it the first part of my day...I make time for it." (Keri, [17:42])

Notable Quotes

• Greg [00:49]: "Agility requires not just the speed to adopt new technologies like AI, but the wisdom to discern where they create genuine value versus where they simply add complexity."
• Keri [03:17]: "You just need to have good data and you have to have a source of truth because that's what AI actions and decisions on."
• Keri [05:31]: "Marketers and brands need to think of themselves more as an architect versus an operator."
• Keri [07:10]: "[Cozy Earth] treat me as a unique id. They treat me as an individual. And it doesn't feel creepy."
• Keri [12:59]: "The ROI overall number versus a bunch of marketing vanity metrics I think is the thing that you're going to start seeing…”
• Keri [14:37]: "Step into it slowly and then scale really fast once you feel like you have it right."

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:49: Framing the challenge of AI adoption in marketing
• 03:08: Where to start with AI as a marketing leader
• 05:01: Risks of over-investing in AI hype
• 06:48: Case study: Cozy Earth's approach to authentic personalization
• 10:15: Breaking down silos for better data and personalization
• 12:24: Measuring AI success—new KPIs and ROI focus
• 13:52: Testing, building trust, and the importance of human-in-the-loop
• 15:34: The evolving role of the senior marketing leader
• 17:27: How Keri stays agile and continuously learns

Episode Tone and Language

Both Greg and Keri maintain a candid, conversational tone, balancing optimism about AI’s potential with realism about its challenges and the need for thoughtful, human-centered implementation. Practical anecdotes, relatable frustrations, and an emphasis on continuous learning make this episode rich with actionable advice.

Summary Takeaways

• Unified, well-structured data is fundamental to using AI effectively in marketing.
• Moving from efficiency to customer experience and long-term revenue growth is key.
• Successful AI-powered personalization requires authentic engagement, not just surface-level customization.
• Organization-wide collaboration and breaking down silos are necessary to unlock AI’s full potential.
• Rigorous testing builds trust in AI tools and avoids customer alienation due to automation errors.
• The role of the marketing leader will become more strategic and less operational as AI takes on more tactical work.
• Continuous learning and agility are musts for marketing leaders navigating this transformation.