Share
))
HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons hosts the most downloaded sports podcast of all time, with a rotating crew of celebrities, athletes, and media staples, as well as mainstays like Cousin Sal, Joe House, and a slew of other friends and family members who always happen to be suspiciously available.
…
continue reading
Manage episode 521195546 series 3478033
Content provided by Marketing in the Madness. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Marketing in the Madness or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://staging.podcastplayer.com/legal.
AI was meant to transform marketing… so why are so many teams still struggling?
In this Marketing in the Madness episode, Charlie Bell from Contentful breaks down the real state of AI in marketing - from broken tech stacks and “platform purgatory” to AI hallucinations, stealth integrations and why human judgment still matters more than ever.
Recorded live on stage at our Marketing in the Madness Live anti-conference, Charlie shares fresh insights from Contentful’s major report with The Atlantic, based on 425 marketing leaders, revealing what’s actually working, what isn’t, and how AI is reshaping content, creativity and workflow in 2025.
What else?
1. Marketing teams don’t trust AI to run without humans:
When Charlie asked the entire room if anyone trusted AI to ideate, check its own work and publish content with no human involvement, not a single hand went up. And it’s no wonder - with AI hallucinating everything from fake facts to Google’s early version telling people to “add glue to pizza,” humans are still essential for judgment, truth, and brand safety.
2. Most teams are stuck in “platform purgatory”:
Charlie explains how companies are trapped with old, clunky systems. The very platforms slowing them down are also the ones they’re relying on to “fix” their processes.
Vendors keep promising that AI will magically solve everything, but as Charlie puts it: putting AI on a failing system is like “putting a £500 exhaust on a £1,000 car.” It looks shiny… but nothing really changes.
3. Stack sprawl is killing content velocity:
Marketing teams are drowning in tools: multiple CMSs, disconnected platforms, endless workflows. Some brands Charlie speaks to are using seven or eight CMS systems at once, meaning a simple landing page can take two weeks to publish.
The problem isn’t creativity but execution. Too many tools, not enough connection. And AI can’t fix chaos.
Enjoyed the episode? Follow us for more real conversations about the future of marketing, content and technology.
Want exclusive access to Marketing in the Madness 2026? Connect with Katie Street on LinkedIn and follow the MITM Live page (links below).
Connect with us:
Charles Bell
https://www.linkedin.com/in/crbuk/
Contentful's Report
Katie Street
https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiestreet/
https://www.instagram.com/streetmate/
Marketing in the Madness
https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketing-in-the-madness-podcast/
https://www.instagram.com/marketinginthemadness/
Street Agency
https://www.linkedin.com/company/streetagency/
https://www.instagram.com/street.agency/
100 episodes
