Manage episode 491256453 series 3480881
What do hamster photos, AI-powered marketing, and global event domination have in common? In this episode, Heather Holst-Knudsen sits down with Laura Davidson, CEO and co-founder of Tag Digital, to uncover how she turned a scrappy startup into a global performance marketing powerhouse for events. From their first client win with UBM to building AI-powered digital twins and tackling the zero-click future, Laura shares bold insights on data, creative, authenticity, and the leadership grit it takes to grow in a rapidly changing market.
Key Topics Covered
- How Tag Digital went from local web agency to global event marketing leader
- The hamster photo dispute that sparked their pivot to events
- Why clean, segmented data is non-negotiable for ROI
- AI, automation, and the rise of the zero-click economy
- Why emotional creative and authenticity drive true event success
- How AI will change attribution—and why media mix modeling is your new best friend
- Building confidence, adaptability, and humor as leadership superpowers
About Laura Davidson
Laura Davidson is currently the CEO and Director at Tag Digital, a company specializing in paid media across various platforms exclusively within the events sector. With over 2500 event campaigns run annually in 40 countries, Laura has a wealth of experience in this field. Prior to her role at Tag Digital, Laura worked as a Lecturer at the Digital Marketing Institute, teaching courses in SEO, PPC, ecommerce, and analytics. She also worked as the Communications Director at Moviecom.tv and as a Contributing Writer at LiPulse Magazine. Laura holds a 2:1 degree in Law and English from the University of Strathclyde.
About Heather Holst-Knudsen
Heather Holst-Knudsen is the founder and CEO of H2K Labs and Revenue Room™ Connect. She is a seasoned executive with extensive experience in digital transformation, data, and revenue growth. She is a recognized leader and operator in media, marketplaces, events, and adjacent technologies. Heather has a proven track record of leading organizations to achieve customer-centric innovation, revenue growth, and enterprise value creation. As a thought leader, Heather shares her insights on multisided business models under The Revenue Room™. Connect with Heather on LinkedIn.
About Revenue Room™ CXO
Revenue Room™ CXO is a private executive community for CEOs and revenue-critical C-Suite leaders who are shaping the future of growth in the data and AI economy. Through curated peer discussions, benchmarking sessions, and strategy sprints, members tackle real-time challenges in revenue transformation, customer intelligence, and business model innovation. This is not another networking group — it’s a confidential forum for leaders ready to accelerate enterprise value in 2025 and beyond.
Learn more or apply for membership at info.h2klabs.com/apply-cxo
Chapters
1. The Hamster Photo Dispute and Early Days (00:00:00)
2. Landing Their First Event Client (00:02:00)
3. Niche Strategy and International Growth (00:04:00)
4. Land and Expand Strategy (00:06:00)
5. Secrets to Successful Attendee Acquisition (00:08:00)
6. Personalization Challenges (00:10:00)
7. The Privacy Shift and Always-On Strategy (00:13:00)
8. Technical Strategies for Future-Proofing (00:14:00)
9. Tag Digital + MDG Integration (00:16:00)
10. AI in Event Marketing (00:18:00)
11. The Zero-Click Economy (00:25:00)
12. Authenticity in a Post-Click World (00:29:00)
13. Laura’s Personal AI Use (00:35:00)
14. Joining MDG and Freeman (00:40:00)
15. The Future of Event Marketing (00:42:00)
16. Rapid Fire Questions (00:43:00)
35 episodes