​

27 July 2025 | Issue #102

In this issue:

• AI Sprawl is Becoming a Problem
• I'm booking for August
• LinkedIn Organic Reach is Down for Everyone
• 71% of Consumers Are Satisfied with AI-Powered Customer Care
• I was on the Business of Marketing podcast
• I was also on Business Book Pub Hub
• Design Quote of the Week

AI Sprawl is Becoming a Problem

“Which AI tools are you using these days?”

This has become the new icebreaker. I’ve learned to limit it to one or two because people don’t want to hear the full list. They’re looking for validation of the tools they’re using, and maybe some suggestions of emerging tech that they may have missed.

The AI Tools list has quickly become as complex as Scott Brinker’s Marketing Technology Landscape Supergraphic. The 2025 MarTech list includes over 15,000 tools.

Unfortunately, due to the speed at which AI tools are being released, it’s impossible to measure how many AI tools there (if only there were an AI that could keep track of that). The best I’ve seen so far is the AI Industry Mindmap that has 50,000 companies listed.

Best-of-Breed vs. All-in-One

When I’ve overseen marketing technology, the question always came down to best-of-breed or all-in-one tools. There are pros and cons to both. Best-of-breed means you get the best tool available, even if it natively doesn’t work well with other tools in your stack. The all-in-one tools will (usually) work together, but most of the tech stack ends up being far from the best.

The other struggle with best-of-breed is that you end up with functionality overlap. At one point, I oversaw a MarTech stack that included 60-some products. There were similar capabilities of different levels across multiple tools. Most of these tools do one thing really well, and a few things are only so-so, and it’s because an important customer said they wanted it built into the tool. You end up paying more, using less, and watching your stack bloat into Frankenstein’s software monster.

AI Tech Stacks are Getting Just as Bloated as MarTech Stacks

There are specialized companies out there that do amazing things. These companies have to fight two battles: staying ahead of similar competition and becoming a feature in one of the bigger AI systems. Meeting transcription is a perfect example.

Multiple companies use AI to record meetings and allow you to interact with the conversations to ask question, get a list of action items, and even determine the tone of the conversation. I was an Otter subscriber. Granola is another one that came to me highly recommended.

ChatGPT’s new Record feature is good, but not great. I couldn’t get a full transcript from a recent meeting, which means I couldn’t feed it to a custom GPT. Otter and Granola are safe … for now.

As ChatGPT rolls out more features, like the recently launched ChatGPT Agent (I just got access on Thursday!), it is becoming more of an all-in-one tool. And it’s eating more of the AI market. There’s a good reason for that.

It’s All About Branding

Here’s why that matters: in tech, function matters, but brand dominance decides who survives. For those who don’t use these tools on a regular basis, ChatGPT is the brand for AI. My mother uses ChatGPT. When people are starting to explore AI, they’re going to go with the name they’ve heard the most. These folks don’t have to worry about AI sprawl because they’re only using one or two tools at most.

I was in a meeting earlier this week, and I was asked if I ever use Apple’s AI. I laughed because it’s still borderline useless. I know there is a lot of AI happening behind the scenes on my iPhone, but as far as using Apple Intelligence, it’s unlikely. Apple has crushed its brand in the AI space because it made a big deal out of AI, and then didn’t deliver (which led to class-action lawsuits).

What’s in Your AI Tech Stack?

So, how many tools are you currently using regularly? This question is tricky because you are probably using tools with AI embedded into them, like Gmail or Adobe Reader. But for AI-specific tools, I’m using a few like ChatGPT, GitHub Copilot, Midjourney, and others. How about you?

Let's chat

Booking for August I have space for one more consulting client. If you need help with digital strategy, creative direction, AI and marketing, or brand development, let’s talk. And if you’re building out a team and looking for someone full-time, I’m open to the right opportunity. ​

​ NEWS AT THE INTERSECTION OF MARKETING, DESIGN, & AI

​

📉 LinkedIn Organic Reach is Down

You're not the only one. Everyone is noticing a decline in reach. LinkedIn expert Richard Bliss mentioned that part of the reason is because LinkedIn is trying to fight "broetry." I would assume it's also trying to battle the flood of AI slop.

• What’s changed? Visibility now favors engagement, not just content quality. If you’re only posting and ghosting, you’re falling behind.
• How to respond: Romina Massa recommends being an early commenter on others’ posts, using purposeful polls, referencing LinkedIn within your posts, and actively responding to comments—especially within the first 30 minutes.
• My Take: It's still possible to appear on LinkedIn, you just have to work for it. Now I have to figure out how to get this newsletter in front of more eyeballs.

​​Keep reading​​

​

🧠 71% of Consumers Are Satisfied with AI-Powered Customer Care

A new report from Emplifi reveals that most consumers are not only using AI to engage with brands on social, but they’re generally happy with the experience—despite lingering concerns.

• Mixed Feelings, Mostly Positive: While 60% worry about AI’s accuracy and 56% still prefer human support, a full 71% of consumers say they were satisfied or very satisfied with AI-assisted service.
• Opportunity for Brands: 73% use tools like ChatGPT for brand discovery, and 77% feel positive about AI in shopping—suggesting brands that blend automation with transparency can build trust.
• Speed + Transparency Matter: 66% of users expect instant responses, and 83% want to know when AI is being used. Labels like “AI-powered” could actually increase brand trust.
• My Take: I expect this to become more of the norm. Younger folks are more accustomed to dealing with tech.

​Keep reading​

​ THE VISUAL MARKETER

​

🌈 What Do Colors Mean in Different Parts of the World?

Colors have meanings. But did you know those meanings differ depending on your location? Different cultures apply different meanings to colors.

This past week, I shared a carousel on LinkedIn that breaks down colors across the globe, and I highlighted a couple of fun facts.

​

This info was taken from my book, The Visual Marketer.

​

RECENT AND UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS

This past week, my conversation with A. Lee Judge on his podcast, The Business of Marketing, dropped. We talked about a variety of topics.

I just realized that with my recent podcast appearances, I should resurrect my Marketing Podcast Recap newsletter and create a couple of infographics with the fun facts I've been sharing. I can't believe it took me this long to think of that!

--

Dropping the same day was my appearance on episode 464 of the BizBookPubHub Podcast. I reveal my innovative approach to engaging with readers and collecting reviews. Tune in now at www.BizBookPubHub.com!

--

I'm looking forward to seeing Lee and many others at the Content Entrepreneur Expo in Cleveland next month. This will be my 4th CEX, and I can't wait to catch up with the folks who inspired me to write The Visual Marketer. Plus, I'll be part of the Author Alley, where I'll do a book signing session!

--

If you're looking for podcast guests, or want to collaborate on something, shoot me a DM.

DESIGN QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Design is so simple, that’s why it is so complicated.” – Paul Rand

My AI disclaimer: I write the main story and additional sections. For the news section, AI writes the summary, and then I contribute My Thoughts. If AI generates the images, I include the prompt so you can see how I got to that image.

Thanks for reading!

–Jim

​​

14 Grapevine Road, Merrimack, NH 03054
​Unsubscribe · Preferences​