“AI can do a lot, but it can’t replace the human touch. Start with authenticity, add a dash of data, and you’ve got a recipe for success.” – Beatriz Datangel
How do marketers stay relevant, authentic, and effective?
Janet Gehrmann sat down with Beatriz Datangel—seasoned product marketing leader and cybersecurity expert— in a recent episode of The Inside Scoop podcast for a candid conversation about navigating the intersections of data, AI, and community.
Here’s the scoop—on the key takeaways from their conversation:
Marketing: Where Data Tells the Story
Data is more than just a collection of numbers—it’s the foundation of every great marketing strategy.
Whether defining buyer personas, assessing campaign performance, or shaping GTM strategies, the key lies in connecting the dots to create a compelling narrative.
According to a recent report by Salesforce, 76% of marketers say they use data-driven insights to inform decisions—a figure that underscores how critical data is to modern marketing success.
The report also highlights that teams using advanced data analysis tools were 1.5x more likely to achieve ROI goals.
The advice? Always start with the why.
Why does your audience behave a certain way?
Why does one campaign succeed while another falls flat?
The answers may live in the data, but it’s up to marketers to turn those insights into stories that resonate.
Authenticity Is the Antidote to AI Fatigue
With AI tools now churning out everything from email campaigns to social media posts, the content landscape is saturated.
But while AI can increase volume, it often falls short on originality.
Audiences are savvy—they can spot generic, formulaic messaging a mile away.
A 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer report found that 81% of consumers say trusting a brand to "do what is right" is a dealbreaker or deciding factor in their purchase decision.
Authenticity is not optional—it’s a necessity.
The solution?
Start with your genuine voice.
AI is a tool, not a replacement.
Use it to enhance your voice, streamline workflows, and test ideas, but ensure that your final message reflects your brand’s unique perspective.
Cybersecurity Lessons for Marketers
Cybersecurity and marketing might seem worlds apart, but they share one critical lesson: you can’t fix what you can’t see.
Just as security teams need visibility into their attack surfaces, marketers need to track and measure the right data to optimize their strategies.
This underscores how understanding your audience—where they are, what they value, and how they behave—is the first step to optimizing campaigns and ROI.
Community: Your Career Superpower
Communities are becoming more than just networking spaces—they’re lifelines for professionals navigating the rapid changes in technology and business.
Whether it’s sharing knowledge, asking for referrals, or troubleshooting problems, the power of connection can’t be overstated.
The value of professional communities is clear: Harvard Business Review reports that employees who actively participate in peer networks are 4x more likely to report job satisfaction and career growth opportunities.
For marketers, this translates into better access to insights, solutions, and referrals that amplify their impact and resilience.
The Future of Product Marketing
The role of product marketing is expanding, moving beyond its traditional focus on launches, packaging, and pricing.
Today’s marketers are embracing AI, digital-first strategies, and community-building to create holistic GTM approaches.
Product marketing leaders are already leveraging tools like AI for 70% faster campaign deployment, according to a recent HubSpot report.
But as they do so, they remain mindful of the human touch—building emotional connections and authentic relationships that technology alone cannot replicate.
The shift from “what and how” to “why and who” is critical.
Modern marketers must understand not just the mechanics of their tools, but also the emotional drivers behind customer decisions.
As AI tools free up time, the focus will increasingly turn to strategic, human-centered work that builds long-term brand loyalty.
Final Thoughts
Marketing today is a balancing act of leveraging cutting-edge technology while staying true to core principles like authenticity and connection.
As AI and data continue to transform the field, one thing remains constant: success comes from understanding your audience and telling a story that resonates.
And in a world brimming with digital noise, the most powerful tool in your toolkit might just be the simplest—building real, meaningful relationships.
Scoop Team
At Scoop, we make it simple for ops teams to turn data into insights. With tools to connect, blend, and present data effortlessly, we cut out the noise so you can focus on decisions—not the tech behind them.
