Podcast Summary: The Marketing Millennials - "What Hasn’t Changed in Marketing" (Ep. 333)
Release Date: July 23, 2025
Hosts:
- Daniel Murray – Host of The Marketing Millennials Podcast
- Matt Kerbel – Head of Brand Strategy at Turo
Introduction
In Episode 333 of The Marketing Millennials Podcast, host Daniel Murray engages in a deep and insightful conversation with Matt Kerbel, the Head of Brand Strategy at Turo— the world's largest car-sharing marketplace, often dubbed the "Airbnb for cars." The discussion delves into the enduring fundamentals of marketing, the rising importance of soft skills in the AI era, and a detailed breakdown of Turo's successful "Skip the Rental Counter" campaign.
The Rising Importance of Soft Skills in the Age of AI
[00:01 - 05:18]
Matt Kerbel emphasizes the increasing significance of soft skills as AI becomes more integrated into marketing roles. He explains that while technical skills are enhanced by AI, the human element—such as effective communication, storytelling, and emotional intelligence—gains paramount importance.
Matt Kerbel [02:46]: "As AI becomes more and more part of our lives and jobs, the soft skills, the human element becomes more important."
He highlights that AI can handle tasks more efficiently, but roles that require creativity, empathy, and genuine human interaction remain irreplaceable. Vulnerable leadership, authentic communication, and fostering a safe and motivating environment are critical for modern marketing teams.
Developing and Enhancing Soft Skills
[05:18 - 14:34]
Daniel probes deeper into how marketers can develop these essential soft skills alongside advancing AI technologies. Matt shares practical strategies and personal experiences:
-
Continuous Learning and Coaching: Engaging in soft skills coaching programs, such as the one he co-founded, and seeking mentorship from peers and leaders.
Matt Kerbel [05:53]: "Find people who really are doing something that inspires you, whether it is showing up in an authentic way, whether it's storytelling, whether it's approaching things with innovative and different perspectives."
-
Self-Assessment and Feedback: Conducting anonymous 360 evaluations to gain honest feedback and identify areas for improvement.
Matt Kerbel [08:48]: "Doing this exercise can be incredibly informative and freeing and motivating to figure out how you can become more of sort of who you are, who you want to be."
-
Building Confidence and Overcoming Fear: Developing strategies to boost confidence and reduce fear through practice and supportive environments.
Matt Kerbel [10:30]: "Work on your confidence. Your delivery can break through so much more if you're just kind of in on yourself."
-
Peer Coaching: Encouraging team members to coach each other to enhance collective performance.
Matt Kerbel [13:20]: "Coaching each other is critical. The highest performing teams are the ones that are constantly coaching each other."
Timeless Marketing Fundamentals
[14:34 - 22:59]
Matt Kerbel discusses the unchanging principles of marketing that have enabled him to successfully navigate various industries and roles:
-
Understanding the Customer: Deep empathy and research to grasp customer needs, pain points, and desires.
Matt Kerbel [15:05]: "Start with the fundamentals, which is like understanding the prospective customer and really try to put yourself in their shoes."
-
Consistent Branding: Maintaining a consistent and authentic brand message that resonates with the target audience.
-
Creative Storytelling: Crafting compelling narratives that connect the brand with the audience emotionally.
-
Research-Driven Strategies: Basing marketing decisions on thorough research and data-driven insights.
-
Adaptability: Staying flexible and innovative to leverage new tools and platforms without losing sight of core principles.
Matt Kerbel [21:15]: "If you have a great message that really is going to resonate with the audience, it will break through if you execute it really well, no matter where you are executing it."
Case Study: Turo's "Skip the Rental Counter" Campaign
[25:08 - 36:44]
Matt Kerbel provides an in-depth look at Turo's "Skip the Rental Counter" campaign, highlighting the strategic planning, execution, and measurable success:
-
Research and Insights: Identifying widespread frustration with traditional car rental experiences through extensive research.
Matt Kerbel [25:22]: "The magnitude of the sheer anger that comes with the traditional car rental experience... is just so awful."
-
Targeted Market Test: Launching the campaign in Philadelphia as a test market to measure ROI and brand impact.
Matt Kerbel [28:10]: "Philadelphia actually became and still is our fastest growing US market from a place where it was actually below average."
-
Multi-Channel Approach: Utilizing out-of-home advertising, partnerships with local influencers, events, and digital channels to maximize reach and engagement.
-
Creative Execution: Contrasting the dreary traditional rental experience with the vibrant, seamless Turo experience through compelling storytelling in the campaign visuals.
Matt Kerbal [30:25]: "There's a very drab and dreary black and white scene juxtaposed with a technicolor, joyful Turo experience."
-
Long-Term Impact: Observing a significant increase in brand awareness and user engagement over several months, leading to sustained growth in the tested market and subsequent national expansion.
Matt Kerbal [34:15]: "We've continued that in a few different markets and balanced it with a national campaign... Philadelphia was a resounding success."
The Role of AI in Modern Marketing
[22:59 - 25:08]
Both Dan and Matt discuss how AI can be leveraged to enhance marketing efforts without replacing the human touch. Matt advocates for using AI to process large datasets, identify trends, and gain insights that would be time-consuming manually.
Matt Kerbel [24:18]: "Focus on the things that really matter. AI can 10x what you're doing as a marketer."
Matt cautions against fear-driven approaches to AI, suggesting that embracing it as a complementary tool can supercharge marketing strategies and efficiency.
Advice for Peloton's Brand Strategy
[36:44 - 43:58]
As a bonus segment, Matt offers strategic advice for Peloton to rejuvenate its brand:
-
Integrate Dietary Components: Suggesting Peloton expand into the dietary space to offer a holistic health platform, complementing their fitness offerings.
Matt Kerbel [37:21]: "They could totally have their own food network... create a holistic program."
-
Showcase Authentic Community Stories: Encouraging Peloton to highlight more authentic, unpolished stories of their users to strengthen community bonds and brand relatability.
Matt Kerbel [40:45]: "Embrace the fact that we are truly the fitness partner for the global community."
Matt believes these strategies could help Peloton enhance its reputation and reconnect with its user base.
Marketing Hill: The Importance of Measurable Branding
[42:11 - 43:58]
In the concluding segment, Matt articulates his "marketing hill to die on":
Matt Kerbel [42:11]: "Brand is synonymous with reputation and is owned by everybody at the company. Brand is measurable."
He stresses that a unified and measurable approach to branding is essential for sustained marketing success. Matt asserts that if a brand cannot quantify its impact, it risks losing relevance and failing to align internal and external perceptions.
Conclusion
Daniel Murray wraps up the episode by reiterating the significance of foundational marketing principles, such as deep customer understanding, consistent storytelling, and measurable branding. The conversation with Matt Kerbel underscores that while tools and technologies like AI evolve, the core tenets of marketing remain steadfast.
Matt Kerbal [43:58]: "Don't overthink it... figure out your way to present these things and just try something is better than nothing."
Matt's final advice encapsulates the episode’s essence: embrace both the timeless fundamentals and the emerging tools to navigate the dynamic landscape of modern marketing successfully.
Connect with Matt Kerbel
- LinkedIn: Matt Kerbel
Follow The Marketing Millennials:
- LinkedIn: The Marketing Millennials
- Instagram: @the_marketing_millennials
- Twitter: @Dmurr68
- Newsletter: Sign Up Here
If you enjoyed this summary, consider subscribing to The Marketing Millennials podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast platform. Don’t forget to leave a five-star rating to help grow the community!