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Marketing by Design – Intentional strategy for creative marketers in the age of AI

AI is redefining the marketing landscape. Stay ahead with this weekly newsletter on trends & how to prepare your career for an AI future.

An archer takes aim
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MBD113: Is Your Marketing Effective?

12 October 2025 | Issue #113 In this issue: Is Your Marketing Effective? Is Affinity Going the Subscription Route? No, AI Isn't Making Engineers 10x More Productive Book Cover Design Help Is Design Dying? Evolving Content Without Losing the Human Touch I've been on a bunch of podcasts recently. Have you listened? Design Quote of the Week Midjourney prompt: an archer hits a bullseye. A vibrant, high-contrast illustration using flat vector-style shading with neon and duotone color blocking. The...

Offering compliments with an ask.

5 October 2025 | Issue #112 In this issue: A Compliment With an Ask Isn't a Compliment News The Unofficial LinkedIn Algorithm Guide for Marketers Slideshare is Back (kinda) How AI Changes Your Customers Delta, YouTube Ink Inflight Entertainment Partnership Where Has the Money Gone in Creative Industries? Citi Trains 175,000 Employees on AI Prompts AI Shame: 57% of Workers Hide Their AI Use 500 Episodes of Marketing Shenanigans Have You Tried Sora 2 Yet? I have many appearances in the next few...

the AI hype cycle

28 September 2025 | Issue #111 In this issue: The AI Hype Cycle, What it Really Means Canva in the Workplace Survey (part 3) Your Visuals Are Either Making You Money, or Costing You Are You Marketing to a Buyer, or a Buying Center? Looking to Print Some Merch? I've Got a Guy How Saturated Colors Impact Consumer Behavior—And Waste Apple working on MCP support to enable agentic AI on Mac, iPhone, and iPad I have many appearances in the next few weeks! Design Quote of the Week Midjourney Prompt:...

People waiting in line for a club (your content)

21 September 2025 | Issue #110 In this issue: Google's Monthly "Demand Gen Drops": Why Continuous Updates Beat Big Announcements Canva in the Workplace Survey (part 2) The State of Visual Communications Report Video is Invisible to AI Don't Treat AI Rollouts Like Any other IT Project Burn the Playbook Design Quote of the Week Midjourney prompt: a line of people are waiting to get into a nightclub. The camera is at street level. A vibrant, high-contrast illustration using flat vector-style...

PowerPoint vs. Canva

14 September 2025 | Issue #109 In this issue: PowerPoint vs. Canva: Should You Make the Switch? Canva in the Workplace Survey MIT AI Survey: Beyond the Hot Takes The Ultimate Guide to Website Color Schemes Kit Hikes Prices, Creators Revolt Where AI Gets Its Facts [Infographic] How AI Changes Your Customers Design Quote of the Week Midjourney prompt: two boxers are fighting it out. The camera is at eye level. A vibrant, high-contrast illustration using flat vector-style shading with neon and...

Marketing in silos illustration

07 September 2025 | Issue #108 In this issue: Automate the Boring Stuff with MCPs Modern Marketing Tools Can't Compete in the Age of AI The Most Human Marketing I've Ever Seen Imposter Syndrome Affects Everyone CEX recap Digital version of The Visual Marketer on sale now Design Quote of the Week Midjourney prompt: a marketer is sitting in the middle of the room. From a birds-eye view, we can see the marketer surrounded by silos. A vibrant, high-contrast illustration using flat vector-style...

01 September 2025 | Issue #107 In this issue: Marketing for Humans CEX recap Fractional CMOs are compounding marketing problems Execs are using AI more than rank-and-file employees How to Doodlebomb photos The human proximity marketing playbook My first book signing Digital version of The Visual Marketer on sale now Design Quote of the Week Midjourney prompt: a keynote speaker is on stage by herself, talking to an audience. The camera is low and looking up at her. A vibrant, high-contrast...

Taylor's version

24 August 2025 | Issue #106 In this issue: Why Color Matters to Your Brand Calendly -> TidyCal Use Creativity to Stand Out from AI Is Nano Banana the Next Great Image Generator? 95% of AI Pilots are Failing Free shipping on The Visual Marketer Design Quote of the Week The Strategic Power of Color in Branding When Taylor Swift announced The Life of a Showgirl, the internet turned orange. Brands from across industries temporarily swapped their logos for glittery orange versions, filling feeds...

Planning for how to use bots

17 August 2025 | Issue #105 In this issue: AI Operations: The Job of the Future? Calendly -> TidyCal The Most Important Question in Strategy Why the phrase “AI won’t take your job, but someone using AI will” is meaningless Stop Applying. Start Attracting: The LinkedIn Reverse Job Hunt Free shipping on The Visual Marketer Design Quote of the Week Midjourney prompt: a woman is writing on a white board. There are many diagrams and drawings of little robot heads on the white board. A vibrant,...

Disney changes

11 August 2025 | Issue #104 In this issue: Disney’s Strategic Reset: Quality Over Quantity ChatGPT 5 Reviews Why Aren't Women Using AI as Much as Men? Know Thy Audience Design Quote of the Week Midjourney caption: Disney trying to get back to the mountaintop. Include Mickey Mouse, Woody the cowboy, Grogu, and Spider-Man. A vibrant, high-contrast illustration using flat vector-style shading with neon and duotone color blocking. The characters are stylized with exaggerated lighting in yellow...