Google’s release of Gemini 3 may be the biggest shift in search and content discovery since Google launched. In this episode, Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose break down what Gemini means for marketers, creators, and anyone relying on organic reach.

Will Gemini end organic discovery as we know it?
Will synthetic creators become the majority of all content online?
And is there still a path forward for human creators?

Joe and Robert go deep into:

• Google’s move from traditional search to a full AI-model

• Why this shift could make Google even more dominant

• What happens to creators when platforms auto-generate the content

• The new ad model emerging behind AI search

• The long-term implications for independent writers, podcasters, and entrepreneurs

Winners & Losers:

• Joe spotlights Allegiant Stadium as a branding masterclass

• Robert unveils a conspiracy theory surrounding Jeffrey Katzenberg’s new AI marketing startup

Rants & Raves:

• Joe reacts to a Washington Post survey about people reading ChatGPT-created posts — and why he's concerned it could impact birth rates

• Robert shares the creative friction behind building an AI-generated country music artist

If you're a marketer, creator, or business owner trying to understand what’s coming next, this is a must-listen episode.

News we didn't get to:

• Meta 'buried' more evidence
• Creator Economy ad spend up again

Subscribe and Follow:
Follow Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose on LinkedIn for insights, hot takes, and weekly updates from the world of content and marketing.

This week's sponsor:

Did you know that most businesses only use 20% of their data? That's like reading a book with most of the pages torn out. Point is, you miss a lot.

Unless you use HubSpot.

Their customer platform gives you access to the data you need to grow your business. The insights trapped in emails, call logs, and transcripts.  All that unstructured data that makes all the difference. Because when you know more, you grow more.

Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better.

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Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/

Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/
Subscribe to Joe's Newsletter at https://www.joepulizzi.com/signup/.

Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ 
Subscribe to Robert's Newsletter at https://seventhbearlens.substack.com/

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This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork

In this special Thanksgiving edition of This Old Marketing, Joe and Robert dive into the future of AI and what it really means for marketers, creators, and anyone trying to build an audience in the next few years. The boys explore how long traditional marketing roles will remain intact and why we may be much closer to a tipping point than most people want to believe.

The Window Is Closing

Joe and Robert revisit a theme they’ve both been writing about lately: the shrinking window of time before AI reshapes content, distribution, and discoverability. They break down what creators and marketers can still do right now to secure their position before the landscape shifts for good.

Their take: you have a few years. Maybe less. And waiting is not a strategy.

The Real Job of the Future

In a world where AI generates nearly everything instantly, Joe and Robert ask the big question: what will the actual marketing job look like five or ten years from now?

The answer isn’t another technical role. It isn’t prompt engineering. It isn’t “AI operations.”

The position of the future is rooted in skills AI can’t replicate:

• Being known personally by real people

• Building in-person trust

• Hosting gatherings, leading communities, and showing up in the real world

• Connecting human beings to human beings

If AI floods the world with infinite content, the new scarcity becomes physical presence.

What Creators Must Do Next

The boys outline the shift every marketer and content entrepreneur must make: from chasing reach to cultivating real connections. From relying on platforms to building owned audiences. From algorithmic exposure to human relationships that cannot be automated.

This special episode is a wake-up call and a roadmap rolled into one.

Why This Matters Right Now

Thanksgiving is a time for reflection, and the episode closes with Joe and Robert reminding listeners that the next few years are arguably the most important years in the history of marketing.

AI will change everything. But it won’t replace the marketers who understand what actually makes people move, trust, and gather.

Subscribe and Follow:
Follow Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose on LinkedIn for insights, hot takes, and weekly updates from the world of content and marketing.

This week's sponsor:

Did you know that most businesses only use 20% of their data? That's like reading a book with most of the pages torn out. Point is, you miss a lot.

Unless you use HubSpot.

Their customer platform gives you access to the data you need to grow your business. The insights trapped in emails, call logs, and transcripts.  All that unstructured data that makes all the difference. Because when you know more, you grow more.

Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better.

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Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/

Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/
Subscribe to Joe's Newsletter at https://www.joepulizzi.com/signup/.

Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ 
Subscribe to Robert's Newsletter at https://seventhbearlens.substack.com/

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This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork

The episode kicks off with a pointed look at Meta, which seems to be earning a fortune from fraudulent and scam ads. Joe and Robert trace the pattern back more than a decade…from election misinformation to repeated scandals. The question emerges: Is Meta the least ethical major player in the industry today?

This conversation naturally leads into a look at the growing AI bubble and Michael Burry’s bet against The Magnificent Ten. While his prediction may eventually play out, the boys debate why we’re likely still two years away from any real correction.

Top Stories

Meta’s Long History of Trouble

Joe and Robert walk through Meta’s pattern of behavior, including the current windfall from scam ads, reminders of past election interference issues, and the repeated failure to effectively police the platform. The bigger question: if this is systemic, where does it go from here?

The AI Bubble and Michael Burry’s Bet

The legendary investor who foretold the mortgage crisis is now shorting the biggest tech companies. The boys give context on why he might be early, what signals they’re watching, and what marketers should learn from speculative hype cycles.

Disney Spends Up…But Not Where You Think

Disney is increasing content spending, but the bulk is shifting toward live sports and in-person experiences. Joe and Robert discuss what this means for marketers and why “experiential” continues to be a long-term bet.

Coke’s AI Holiday Ad Maker Responds

The studio responsible for Coca-Cola’s AI holiday ad gives its defense. Is this just another evolution of creative tools, or are creators right to be irritated? The boys break down the nuance.

Winners and Losers

• Joe’s Winner: Netflix House
  Smart expansion into experiential entertainment. A real signal of where media companies are headed.

• Robert’s Loser: The end of the Farmer’s Almanac
  A long-running institution finally fades. Robert shares why this one stings and what it says about legacy content.

Rants and Raves

• Robert’s Rant: Microsoft’s sales content
  Robert has feelings…big ones. And he shares them.

• Joe's Commentary: Chatbot Jesus
  What could go wrong?
  
  

Subscribe and Follow:
Follow Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose on LinkedIn for insights, hot takes, and weekly updates from the world of content and marketing.

This week's sponsor:

Did you know that most businesses only use 20% of their data? That's like reading a book with most of the pages torn out. Point is, you miss a lot.

Unless you use HubSpot.

Their customer platform gives you access to the data you need to grow your business. The insights trapped in emails, call logs, and transcripts.  All that unstructured data that makes all the difference. Because when you know more, you grow more.

Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better.

-------

Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/

Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/
Subscribe to Joe's Newsletter at https://www.joepulizzi.com/signup/.

Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ 
Subscribe to Robert's Newsletter at https://seventhbearlens.substack.com/

-------

This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork

This week, Joe and Robert cover three major AI stories shaping the creative and marketing landscape.

First, the guys break down the debut of Xania Monet, the first AI-powered artist to land on a Billboard chart. Is this the start of a new music era...or the beginning of the end for human creativity?

Next, they unwrap Coca-Cola’s second annual holiday AI ad. But this year, it’s not just Coke. Expect a wave of AI-generated holiday campaigns across brands. Joe and Robert debate what this means for creative differentiation and audience connection.

Finally, they analyze Bloomberry’s massive study of 180 million jobs, revealing how AI is reshaping the global workplace faster than anyone imagined. Who’s safe, who’s not, and what can marketers learn from the data?

Winners and Losers:

• Robert’s Winner: Gannett’s bold rebrand to USA Today—a move that simplifies identity and aligns with its strongest brand equity.

• Joe’s Winner: Print media. Joe points out the surprising long-term resilience of print and why physical media might be the next big comeback.

Rants and Raves:

• A new journalism collective forms to sell sponsorships - Robert shares his take on why collaboration is an important way forward for small creators.

• More college students are choosing double majors - Joe digs into what that says about the next generation of marketers.

Subscribe and Follow:
Follow Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose on LinkedIn for insights, hot takes, and weekly updates from the world of content and marketing.

This week's sponsor:

Did you know that most businesses only use 20% of their data? That's like reading a book with most of the pages torn out. Point is, you miss a lot.

Unless you use HubSpot.

Their customer platform gives you access to the data you need to grow your business. The insights trapped in emails, call logs, and transcripts.  All that unstructured data that makes all the difference. Because when you know more, you grow more.

Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better.

-------

Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/

Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/
Subscribe to Joe's Newsletter at https://www.joepulizzi.com/signup/.

Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ 
Subscribe to Robert's Newsletter at https://seventhbearlens.substack.com/

-------

This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork