The Duct Tape Marketing Podcast: How To Produce Better Content With Collaborative AI

Host: Jon Janice
Guest: Kate Bradley Chernis, Founder and CEO of Lately AI
Release Date: January 2, 2025

1. Introduction

In this insightful episode of The Duct Tape Marketing Podcast, host Jon Janice welcomes back Kate Bradley Chernis, the innovative founder and CEO of Lately AI. Kate brings a unique perspective, transitioning from a successful career as a Rock & Roll DJ to spearheading a cutting-edge AI tool designed to revolutionize content marketing.

2. Guest Background

Kate delves into her unconventional journey from broadcasting to building Lately AI. She shares anecdotes from her time at XM Satellite Radio, where she honed her skills in content production and commercial writing, leading her to create a platform that bridges the gap between creative content and strategic marketing.

[02:13] Kate Bradley Chernis: "I was broadcasting to 20 million listeners a day with XM Satellite Radio... All the content was produced by me, all the commercials, all the drops, everything."

3. Theater of the Mind and Content Creation

Drawing parallels between radio's "theater of the mind" and content marketing, Kate explains how engaging the audience's imagination can lead to deeper emotional connections and trust—key drivers in successful marketing strategies.

[04:06] Kate Bradley Chernis: "When your brain listens to a new song... it's pulling on nostalgia and emotion, which create trust. And trust is why we buy."

4. Evolution of Content Marketing with AI

Kate and Jon discuss the transformative impact of AI on content marketing. Kate emphasizes the double-edged sword of generative AI like ChatGPT, which increases content volume but also amplifies the noise, making it harder for quality content to stand out.

[07:25] Kate Bradley Chernis: "Thanks a lot, ChatGPT. Because now everybody can make more garbage than ever before."

5. Collaborative AI and Lately AI's Approach

A significant portion of the conversation centers on the concept of collaborative AI—a synergy between human strategic thinking and AI's capability to generate content. Kate highlights how Lately AI integrates this approach to enhance content effectiveness.

[09:00] Kate Bradley Chernis: "It's the idea of a human analyzing and course correcting what the AI generates so that it can boost the learning."

She further explains Lately AI's unique features, including a continuous performance learning loop that personalizes content based on individual or company analytics, setting it apart from other generative AI tools.

[12:47] Kate Bradley Chernis: "We're the only generative AI... where we have a continuous performance learning loop... all other generative AI doesn't know you in any way."

6. Data Privacy in AI Tools

Data privacy emerges as a critical topic. Kate contrasts Lately AI's privacy-centric model with other AI tools, emphasizing that Lately AI uses private data sets to build personalized models without mingling individual data with others.

[16:34] Kate Bradley Chernis: "We don't take any of your information and muddy it with anybody else's. It's your private data."

7. Differentiation and Future Directions of Lately AI

Kate outlines how Lately AI plans to stay ahead in a saturated market by integrating value-based targeting through a collaboration with Value Graphics. This integration aims to align content with the underlying values of target audiences, enhancing engagement and relevance.

[14:59] Kate Bradley Chernis: "We're working on a way of integrating these values inside Lately so you can get more of that why."

8. Entrepreneurial Challenges

The discussion shifts to the challenges of running a business in a rapidly evolving industry. Kate candidly shares the additional hurdles faced as a female entrepreneur, including navigating a post-pandemic landscape and maintaining a human-centric approach to AI development.

[21:12] Kate Bradley Chernis: "Some of it's being a female entrepreneur... we go at it very humanly because that's just how we did it from the beginning."

9. Closing Remarks

In wrapping up, Jon and Kate reiterate the importance of strategic thinking and human oversight in leveraging AI for content marketing. Kate encourages listeners to connect with her on LinkedIn to stay updated on Lately AI's advancements.

[22:22] Kate Bradley Chernis: "Lately learns the patterns of when you write well, what helps you do that... we help you evolve that model by repurposing long-form content."

Key Takeaways

• Collaborative AI: Combining human strategic insight with AI-generated content leads to more effective marketing strategies.

• Data Privacy: Lately AI prioritizes user privacy by using private data sets, distinguishing itself from other AI tools that rely on public data.

• Value-Based Targeting: Integrating customer values into content generation enhances engagement and relevance.

• Strategic Content Creation: Quality content requires more than just volume; it demands strategic planning and emotional connection to cut through the noise.

Notable Quotes

• Kate Bradley Chernis: "The theater of the mind is the act of the imagination playing a role either when you're listening or reading... your imagination is filling in the blanks that you can't see." [02:13]

• Kate Bradley Chernis: "The task for marketers, the challenge has always been how do we cut through the noise. Right. And now there's just so much that certainly has changed the landscape." [07:25]

• Kate Bradley Chernis: "Our solution is the answer for them. And I think short of having that understanding, you know, it's a crapshoot what you're going to get back." [10:41]

This episode provides valuable insights into the evolving landscape of content marketing through the lens of AI, emphasizing the necessity of human-AI collaboration, strategic thinking, and unwavering commitment to data privacy. Whether you're a small business owner, marketing professional, or agency owner, Kate Bradley Chernis' expertise offers actionable strategies to enhance your content marketing efforts in the age of AI.