PODCAST · business
Smarter Marketer
by James Lawrence
Hosted by James Lawrence - Co-Founder of Rocket Agency and B&T Marketer of the Year finalist, each episode features candid conversations with marketers, leaders and innovators on what’s really working in today’s fast-changing landscape. This is the definitive podcast for Australian Marketers.
Episodes
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121. How to Get Your Agency to Do Its Best Work w. Rocket Agency's Roeya Arzani
Two clients can pay the same agency the same amount of money, work with exactly the same people and get very different results. One gets exceptional work while the other gets regular output. Why? And what can in-house marketers do to get the very best from their agency? In this episode, James...
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120. GEO/AEO, AI Overviews and ChatGPT Ads: Answers to Australian Marketers’ Most Pressing AI Search Questions
GEO/AEO, AI Overviews and ChatGPT Ads are changing how customers find, research and choose brands. In this episode, Host and Co-Founder of Rocket Agency, James Lawrence, is joined by Rocket's Head of SEO & GEO, Joe Alder, and Head of Paid Media, Sam Lucas, to explain where AI search stands in...
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119. Why Marketing is About Behaviour Change w. Thinkerbell's Dan Monheit
Most marketing briefs never mention behaviour. They mention a product launch, a credit card switch, a new vehicle landing next month. Dan Monheit's argument is that every one of them is the same brief wearing a different outfit: you want someone to do something they're not currently doing. In…
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118. LinkedIn Ads in 2026 - Targeting, Creative and How to Avoid Common Mistakes w. B2Linked's AJ Wilcox
AJ Wilcox, founder of a US-based LinkedIn Ads agency, has run five of LinkedIn’s top 10 highest-spending accounts of all time and audited hundreds of accounts. He sees the same five mistakes that are often the difference between accounts that perform and don’t; simple fixes that most advertisers...
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117. Julian Cole's Blueprint for Strategy That Sticks
The real test of a solid marketing strategy is whether you understand it well enough to stress-test it, and actually use it to make a decision when it counts. And now that AI can spit out a "strategic" brief in seconds, that distinction matters more. Looking strategic and being strategic are not...
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116. What High-Performing Marketers Do Differently w. Neon Ambition's Jordan Slover
Rocket Agency's Co-Founder and podcast host, James Lawrence, sits down with US-based agency-owner Jordan Slover to explore the common traits they’ve seen across high-performing marketers and marketing teams, drawing on 50 years combined experience working with over 500 businesses in Australia…
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115. How to Win in AI Search: Proven Tactics and Research Across ChatGPT, Gemini & Google AI w. Joe Alder
AI search has moved far beyond theory. 14.3 million Australians now use ChatGPT, Gemini and Google AI Overviews to research and decide which brands they trust, often before they ever visit a website. But most marketers are still measuring the wrong metrics and applying SEO tactics that don’t…
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114. Marketing's Credibility Problem: What Attribution Gets Wrong and Incrementality Gets Right w. Analytic Partners’ Paul Sinkinson
Marketing teams have never had more data available to them, yet many still find it hard (often harder than ever) to confidently answer a simple question: what’s actually driving growth? In this episode of the Smarter Marketer Podcast, Rocket Agency’s Co-Founder and Host James Lawrence sits down...
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113. James Hurman on Building Future Demand: Creativity, Brand and Escaping the ‘Performance Trap’
Most marketers are under pressure to deliver results fast. But when all of the focus goes into capturing demand that already exists, businesses eventually limit their ability to grow. Sustainable growth comes from balancing the customers ready to buy today with those who will enter the market...
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112. State of the Pitch 2026 - How To Find The Right Agency Partner w. TrinityP3’s Darren Woolley
Few decisions have a bigger impact on marketing performance than choosing the right agency partner. Yet according to TrinityP3's latest State of the Pitch Report, many pitch processes are still creating frustration on both sides of the table. Agencies invest significant time and resources into...
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111. LinkedIn B2B Institute’s Ty Heath on Why the Best B2B Marketing Is Contrarian
Episode Description: Most marketers are keen to try the new shiny tactic, but what if the biggest B2B marketing opportunities come from understanding what doesn’t change? In this episode of the Smarter Marketer Podcast, Rocket Agency’s Co-Founder & Host, James Lawrence, sits down with Ty Heath,...
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110. AI Search In Australia: Google, ChatGPT & The New Rules Of Visibility w. Rocket Agency's Joe Alder
Episode Description: Is Google losing ground? How much traffic are tools like ChatGPT really driving? And what does visibility look like when answers increasingly happen inside AI platforms instead of on your website? In this episode, Host James Lawrence sits down with Rocket’s Head of SEO & GEO,...
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109. Marketing Mix Modelling: What It Is, Why It Matters & Where AI Fits In w. Mutinex’s Henry Innis
Episode Description: As attribution becomes less reliable and marketing teams face more pressure to prove what drives growth, marketing mix modelling is becoming a popular way to understand the full commercial picture behind marketing performance. In this episode, James Lawrence speaks with Henry...
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108. How to Get the Most Out of Your Agency w. Neon Ambition’s Jordan Slover
Episode Description: What does a great agency relationship actually look like when pressure on marketing performance has never been higher? As budgets tighten and expectations rise, the difference between an average agency partnership and a high-performing one often comes down to how well both...
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107. What Australian Influencer Research Says About Creator Marketing in 2026 w. Impact Agency’s Trish McGee
Episode Description: How should Australian marketers adapt their approach to influencers and content creators as algorithmic changes, platform shifts and changing audience expectations reshape the landscape? Host James Lawrence sits down with Trish McGee, Group Account Director at Impact Agency…
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106. Digital Marketing in Australia in 2026 - Your Questions Answered w. Rocket Agency's Top Experts
Episode Description: What would great marketing look like in Australia this year, especially when the rules are changing faster than most teams can keep up? In this episode, Rocket Agency’s top experts unpack the biggest shifts shaping digital marketing in 2026, from AI search and zero-click...
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105. Building a Standout Brand in a “Boring” Category w. Cleancorp’s Lisa Macqueen
How do you market an ‘unglamorous’ business where your category doesn’t sell itself? And what does it take to build a brand that people trust and remember when your offering is not something buyers get excited about? Host James Lawrence sits down with Lisa Macqueen, CEO of Cleancorp, to unpack…
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104. B2B Marketing in 2026: Changing Buyer Groups, AI Search, Digital-First Audiences and More w. Green Hat’s Stuart Jaffray
If most B2B buyers already know who they’re going to choose before they even speak to sales, what does that mean for your B2B marketing strategy? In this episode of the Smarter Marketer Podcast, James Lawrence sits down with Stuart Jaffray, Managing Director of Green Hat, to unpack the latest...
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103. The End of SXSW, the Craft of Marketing to Marketers and What’s Changing in 2026 w. Clear Hayes' Alex Hayes
In this episode of the Smarter Marketer Podcast, Host James Lawrence sits down with Alex Hayes, Founder of Clear Hayes, to unpack what it really means to market to marketers. From building Clear Hayes House at SXSW Sydney to launching award-winning branded content for global platforms, Alex…
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102. Creativity That Pays Its Way: How to Link Ideas to Commercial Outcomes w. The Hallway's Jules Hall
When the pressure for short-term results keeps getting louder, how and why should you still emphasise creativity? In this episode of the Smarter Marketer Podcast, James Lawrence sits down with Jules Hall, CEO and Founder of The Hallway, to unpack how creativity, data and commercial thinking need…
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From the Archives: Dr. Robert Cialdini on Persuasion and Influence in Modern Marketing
What makes people say "yes"? Rocket Agency’s Co-Founder James Lawrence sits down with Dr. Robert Cialdini, the godfather of influence and the world’s foremost authority on the psychology of persuasion, to talk about the timeless principles behind his work, his seventh principle of influence…
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From the Archives: Marketing Under Pressure: Managing Stress, Sleep and Decision-Making w. Dr. Jemma King
In marketing, deadlines are relentless and expectations are high. It’s critical to manage stress and make clear-headed decisions under pressure. In this episode of Smarter Marketer, host James Lawrence chats with Dr. Jemma King - founder of BioPsychAnalytics and expert in stress, resilience and...
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From the Archives: Persuasion, Manipulation and Behavioural Psychology: How Consumer Choice is Shaped w. Thinkerbell's Dan Monheit
In marketing, there exists a fine line between influencing decisions and crossing into manipulation. The difference? One builds trust while the other erodes it. Host James Lawrence chats with Dan Monheit, Chief CX Thinker at Thinkerbell and former CEO of creative behavioural science agency…
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101. Attribution Is Breaking: How Marketers Should Rethink Paid Media in 2026 w. Rocket Agency's Adrian Oguz
As platforms push Performance Max, Advantage+ and new modelling systems, we’re entering a world where results often look better in-platform than they do in reality. Behind the scenes, attribution is becoming harder and marketers are being forced to rethink how they interpret success altogether.…
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100. How Attention Is Rewriting the Rules of Advertising w. Amplified's Dr. Karen Nelson-Field
Marketers have long optimised for visibility and memory, but in our metric-focused industry, are we measuring what really matters? In this episode of the Smarter Marketer Podcast, host James Lawrence speaks with Dr. Karen Nelson-Field, Founder of Amplified, about why attention is the real…
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99. Why “In-House vs Agency” Misses the Point w. TrinityP3's Darren Woolley
As 2025 comes to a close, the conversation around in-housing has never been more confusing. With rising pressures on budgets and the disruption caused by AI, businesses are being forced to rethink what the right marketing structure might look like for them. In this episode of the Smarter Marketer...
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98. The Growth of Outdoor Media in Australia w. oOH! Media’s Josh Gurgiel
Once thought of as a “traditional” channel, outdoor has once again become one of the most creative and technology-integrated mediums in modern marketing. As audiences move faster and attention gets harder to hold, out-of-home (OOH) continues to prove its staying power. In this episode, James...
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97. Leadership in Marketing: How Today’s Marketing Leaders are Creating Impact w. Emma Logan
What does it really mean to lead marketing in 2025? In this episode of the Smarter Marketer Podcast, Host James Lawrence sits down with executive brand strategist Emma Logan to unpack the realities facing modern marketing leaders, from blurred job boundaries and rising stakeholder expectations to...
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96. Buying Outcomes, Not Deliverables: Rethinking Client-Agency Partnerships w. Blair Enns
For decades the agency-client relationship has worked on a transactional view of marketing and creative services. Agencies gave away their best thinking upfront, clients judged on surface-level ideas and both sides accepted a process that often undervalued expertise. In this Smarter Marketer...
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95. How to Rank in ChatGPT w. Joe Alder
Ranking in ChatGPT is now one of the most urgent challenges in digital marketing. With millions of Australians using AI search every week, the question for in-house marketers isn’t whether ChatGPT is shaping buyer journeys anymore, it’s how to make sure your brand is visible where and when it...
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94. Winning B2B Messaging: How to Build a Perspective That Cuts Through w. Alex James
As competition heats up across professional services, simply telling people what you do is no longer enough. The difference between winning and blending in ultimately comes down to perspective: how you see the world, not just what you sell. Too often, brands overlook this, falling back on cliche...
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93. Marketing for Turbulent Times - Kantar and the Australian Marketing Landscape
Marketing in 2025 is being shaped by what some experts call a 'polycrisis' - disruption layered upon disruption. From global conflicts to inflation to AI-driven job shifts, the market conditions facing both brands and consumers are becoming more complex and unpredictable. For marketers, the...
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92. Current vs Future Demand: Why Mental Availability Matters w. Nick Palmer
Most marketers are pressured to focus their energy on the 5% of buyers ready to purchase today, but what about the 95% who aren’t in market yet? Ignoring them likely means missing your biggest growth opportunity. Building mental availability with future buyers is critical, yet often overlooked in...
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91. The Secret to B2B Marketing: Owning a Perspective w. Alex James
B2B service firms have been told to niche down, build helpful content and trust the funnel. But in today’s competitive market, where everyone is applying the same formula, it’s not enough to stand out. When every firm looks and sounds the same, buyers tune out. In this episode, Host James…
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90. Marketing to Gen Z and Gen Alpha w. Katy Richardson
What happens when a generation that grew up online starts leading your marketing conversations? Host James Lawrence speaks with Katy Richardson, Global Head of Marketing at student living app Housr, about how Gen Z - and soon Gen Alpha - are rewriting the rules of brand engagement. Key Takeaways:...
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89. Beyond the Hype: AI’s Real Impact on Australian Marketers in 2025 w. David Lawrence
We’re halfway through 2025 and AI is the buzzword on everyone's lips. And while it’s changing marketing fast, is the hype legitimate? Host James Lawrence is joined by Rocket Agency’s co-founder, David Lawrence, to unpack what AI adoption actually looks like on the ground, and how Australian...
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88. Dr. Robert Cialdini on Persuasion and Influence in Modern Marketing
What makes people say "yes"? Rocket Agency’s Co-Founder James Lawrence sits down with Dr. Robert Cialdini, the godfather of influence and the world’s foremost authority on the psychology of persuasion, to talk about the timeless principles behind his work, his seventh principle of influence…
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87. Is ChatGPT Killing Google? Optimising for LLMs, AIO, and the Truth About AI and SEO in 2025 w. Joe Alder
With the growth of AI and LLMs like ChatGPT, the question "Is Google dying?" is often being asked. In this episode, James Lawrence sits down with Rocket’s Head of SEO, Joe Alder, to cut through the hype and discuss the facts about how AI is impacting SEO and search traffic in 2025. The…
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86. Why Client-Agency Relationships Fail - And How to Fix Them w. Drew McLellan
In-house marketers and agency leaders don’t always speak the same language - but when they do, the results can be game-changing. In this episode, host James Lawrence sits down with Drew McLellan, CEO of the Agency Management Institute, to unpack what makes agency relationships thrive or fail....
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85. How to Build Desire in Luxury and Property Markets w. Giverny Reid
People don’t buy luxury for utility. In high-end markets, purchase decisions are driven by emotion, identity and status - not features or price points. For marketers in the high-end space, this changes everything. In this episode of Smarter Marketer, Giverny Reid - Director at creative property...
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84. State of the Pitch 2025 w. Darren Woolley
The agency pitch process is one of the most important - yet deeply flawed - aspects of the marketer-agency relationship. In this Smarter Marketer Podcast episode, Host James Lawrence talks about the realities of modern-day pitching with someone who’s been at the coalface for decades: industry...
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83. Emails with Mailchimp: The Power of First-Party Data, AI, Great Creative and More w. Anthony Capano
Email marketing might not be the newest toy in the digital toolbox, but it’s still one of the most powerful. In a time when AI is transforming how we work and big platforms are making it harder for businesses to own audience relationships, marketers are turning back to the basics - and doing them...
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82. Rethinking Search: Google vs ChatGPT, Attribution, Audiences and the Future w. Rand Fishkin
Digital isn’t what it used to be and neither is marketing. In this episode of Smarter Marketer, James welcomes back industry legend Rand Fishkin, Co-Founder and CEO of Sparktoro, to cut through the noise as they discuss the flawed logic of traditional attribution models, the pitfalls of...
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81. The Power of Account-Based Marketing w. Paola Piccinno
Broad-reach campaigns are simply not enough sometimes. Account-Based Marketing (ABM) is emerging as an extremely effective strategy for businesses that are seeking deeper engagement, stronger relationships with their prospective clients and higher-value deals. But what does it really take to run…
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80. Marketing Under Pressure: Managing Stress, Sleep and Decision-Making w. Dr. Jemma King
In marketing, deadlines are relentless and expectations are high. It’s critical to manage stress and make clear-headed decisions under pressure. In this episode of Smarter Marketer, host James Lawrence chats with Dr. Jemma King - founder of BioPsychAnalytics and expert in stress, resilience and...
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79. Persuasion, Manipulation and Behavioural Psychology: How Consumer Choice is Shaped w. Dan Monheit
In marketing, there exists a fine line between influencing decisions and crossing into manipulation. The difference? One builds trust while the other erodes it. Host James Lawrence chats with Dan Monheit, Chief CX Thinker at Thinkerbell and former CEO of creative behavioural science agency…
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78. Answering Your Marketing Questions for 2025 w. Joe Alder, Sam Dodson and Mariano Di Lascio
Rocket Agency’s top experts and Host James Lawrence discuss what will work in digital marketing in 2025 and how to set yourself up for success with the latest on SEO, digital and creative. Key Takeaways: How to navigate AI Overviews and the impact on paid search and SEO Will ChatGPT replace…
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From the Archives: How to Build Your Personal Brand as a Marketer w. Fleur Brown
Building your personal brand as a marketer is crucial for career advancement, establishing credibility, obtaining salary increases and creating professional opportunities. This week, James interviews Fleur Brown, celebrated author of ‘The Business of Being YOU: Personal Brand Secrets of CEOs and...
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From the Archives: Career Advice From a Global CMO w. Ryan Bonnici
Ranked in Forbes World's Most Influential 50 CMOs list, Ryan Bonnici shares career advice marketers should take onboard. Ryan has gone from marketing roles in Australia to global CMO roles for two tech unicorns in the USA. Key Takeaways: What are the benefits of working for a company that is...
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77. LinkedIn Ads That Work: Expert Tactics w. AJ Wilcox
AJ Wilcox, Founder of B2Linked, has worked with 5 of LinkedIn’s top 10 spending accounts and managed over $150 million in LinkedIn ad spend. Host James Lawrence chats with AJ as they delve into key strategies for maximising the output of LinkedIn ads in 2025, the significance of Thought Leader…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Hosted by James Lawrence - Co-Founder of Rocket Agency and B&T Marketer of the Year finalist, each episode features candid conversations with marketers, leaders and innovators on what’s really working in today’s fast-changing landscape. This is the definitive podcast for Australian Marketers.
HOSTED BY
James Lawrence
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Smarter Marketer have?
Smarter Marketer currently has 129 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Smarter Marketer about?
Hosted by James Lawrence - Co-Founder of Rocket Agency and B&T Marketer of the Year finalist, each episode features candid conversations with marketers, leaders and innovators on what’s really working in today’s fast-changing landscape. This is the definitive podcast for Australian Marketers.
How often does Smarter Marketer release new episodes?
Smarter Marketer publishes regularly with 129 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Smarter Marketer?
You can listen to Smarter Marketer on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Smarter Marketer?
Smarter Marketer is created and hosted by James Lawrence.
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