Tim Cameron-Kitchen's Insights for Ambitious Marketers

The marketing landscape is evolving faster than ever, especially with the rise of AI tools that are reshaping how brands connect with consumers.
Staying ahead requires not just understanding these changes but leveraging them effectively through strategic experimentation and hands-on learning.

Welcome to The Dojo

"We're here to turn the latest marketing news and trends into actionable marketing tasks you can follow."

Every week, the world of marketing shifts, compelling marketing managers, directors, and business owners to stay current. The Dojo, a brand-new podcast series produced by Exposure Ninja, cuts through the noise of digital marketing chatter to deliver practical tasks. In each episode, hosts Dale, Jess, and Tim break down the latest business news, digital trends, and marketing insights into clear, step-by-step tasks that you can implement immediately. Whether you lead a small startup or oversee a global marketing team, The Dojo is designed to sharpen your competitive edge.

Tim's Pick: The Rise of AI Competitors

Tim kicks off the inaugural episode with the story of Perplexity AI, a young startup that just raised $73 million at a $520 million valuation[verify], positioning itself as a challenger to search giants like Google. This fundraising milestone underlines a broader trend: AI-driven platforms are increasingly serious about transforming how consumers search for products and services. While tools such as Bing Chat added a generative layer to traditional search last year, they haven’t yet disrupted Google’s market share in a significant way. Tim argues that the true threat to Google will come only when a “killer app” emerges—an intuitive, personalized tool so compelling that user behavior shifts en masse.

By understanding this trend now, businesses can prepare for changes that might alter SEO, paid search, and organic traffic. Marketing leaders need to track these developments, evaluate early prototypes, and experiment with integrations that could influence customer behavior or open new channels for lead generation.

Alternatives to Traditional Search

Today’s AI tools extend beyond simple keyword queries. Platforms like Perplexity AI combine internet search capabilities with conversational interfaces, offering context-rich answers, source citations, and even follow-up questions through a co-pilot feature. For instance, if you query “how to reduce CPA in Google Ads,” a co-pilot can ask whether you want to optimize landing pages or ad creative, guiding you step by step to refine your approach.

Business owners and marketers should explore a spectrum of emerging search tools—Claude, ChatGPT with internet plugins, and soon Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE)—to see which blend of speed, accuracy, and personalization resonates most with their customer base. Early adopters can gain insights into shifting search patterns and tailor website content to match new AI-driven answer formats.

Jess's Pick: The Resurrection of Humor in Advertising

Jess spotlights an intriguing article from The Drum: Cannes Lions has introduced a dedicated humor category, reflecting a renewed appetite for comedy in advertising. After a two-decade decline, brands are rediscovering that well-crafted humor can humanize a brand, foster emotional resonance, and drive memorability. Jess points to Galaxy’s playful YouTube spot about inclusiveness—an example of humor serving brand values rather than undermining them.

Humor campaigns can range from light-hearted product demos to satirical takes on industry clichés. When done right, they cut through ad clutter and spark organic sharing across social channels, delivering both reach and engagement. However, developing a genuinely funny concept demands deep audience insight and iterative testing to avoid missteps.

Humor as a Double-Edged Sword

Comedy in marketing can be highly effective—or spectacularly risky. Brands must consider cultural sensitivities, current events, and the emotional state of their audience. A joke that wins laughs in one market could offend in another. To minimize risk:

• Conduct focus groups or small-scale A/B tests.
• Implement social listening to gauge real-time sentiment.
• Align humor style with brand voice and core values.

Moreover, humor isn’t limited to B2C. Jess highlights a B2B software campaign that cast everyday employees as “rock stars” in tongue-in-cheek workplace scenarios. By mimicking office jargon and pain points (for example, nagging calendars or endless meetings), the campaign resonated with decision-makers and end users alike. The key is crafting humor that underscores the product benefit while entertaining the target audience.

Turning Insights into Actionable Tasks

Both Tim and Jess emphasize actionable experimentation. Here are concrete tasks to integrate these insights into your marketing roadmap:

Tasks for Business Owners

• Engage with new AI tools: Schedule weekly hands-on sessions with Perplexity AI, Claude, or ChatGPT plugins. Document findings on response quality, citation transparency, and speed.
• Monitor SGE developments: Subscribe to Google Labs announcements and trial the Search Generative Experience via VPN if outside the US. Track how your brand queries appear in AI-generated summaries.
• Lead from the front: Dedicate time each month to learn AI capabilities and discuss potential applications with your marketing and product teams.

Tasks for Marketers

• Map customer queries: List the top 20 long-tail questions your audience asks online. Input them into Perplexity AI and SGE to analyze the sources and formats of top responses. Adapt blog posts and FAQs accordingly.
• Develop a humor test: Identify one manageable section of your paid social strategy. Create two ad sets—one factual and one humorous—targeted at the same audience. Compare engagement metrics over two weeks.
• Build a co-pilot prompt guide: Document effective prompting techniques that yield step-by-step action plans (e.g., “Explain how to optimize my landing page for conversions”). Share this guide across your team to standardize AI interactions.

Conclusion: Embrace the Changes Ahead

The digital marketing landscape is in flux, driven by rapid AI innovation and a revived hunger for creative storytelling. Start experimenting with new AI tools and diversify your marketing strategies today to secure a competitive edge. As the era of AI-driven search and humor-infused advertising unfolds, how will you adapt to elevate your brand’s reach and engagement?

Feedback is welcome—email us at hello@exposureninja.com. Dive deeper with our free resources and guides at https://exposureninja.com, and join us next week for more insights and actionable marketing strategies!