by Dave Hayward | Mar 18, 2026 | AI, AI agents, AI Continuum, AI in advertising, AI literacy, AI RAG, AI Transformation, AI workflow automation, B2B Marketing, Europa Creative Partners, Founder-led marketing, Fractional cmo, Mahi Tahi, Marketing, Marketing as a service, Marketing technology, Nadia Ellis, Personal stories, Podcast, Productivity, Psychology, Public speaking, RAG, Slideshow, Strategy
The foundations of AI readiness and what needs to happen I run a marketing business, which might seem like an odd background for writing about AI readiness. But I spend a lot of time inside technology companies and alongside the people trying to modernise them, and...
by Dave Hayward | Feb 15, 2026 | AI, B2B Marketing, Brand, Brand Building, Brand campaign, Bright Objects, Bright Objects newsletter, Business, Content strategy, Fractional cmo, Marketing, Personal stories, Sales Activation
This is an article about marketing, I promise. I’m going to talk to you about how to get out of the “sales activation” trap. But first, I’m going to take you back to 1979. I’ve got to show the world all that I wanna be Writing “I’m Coming Out” for Diana Ross had...
by Dave Hayward | Dec 19, 2025 | AI, Business, Marketing, Personal stories
The rise of the “Human Premium” 3 Predictions for 2026 I don’t have a crystal ball. However, if you look at the signals from the field, you can see the shape of what is coming next. Here is where we think marketing, particularly B2B marketing, is heading...
by Dave Hayward | Dec 6, 2025 | AI Transformation, B2B Marketing, Communications, Content, Customer, Customer experience (CX), Digital marketing, Economy, Founder-led marketing, Fractional cmo, Marketing, Marketing technology, Performance marketing, Personal brand, Personal stories, Revenue, Sales, Slideshow with Dave Hayward, Strategy
Themes from meeting a lot of people It’s been a massive few months. We’ve been heads-down with clients at every conceivable stage of the marketing journey: those just flirting with the idea of working with us, those launching or active in the market, and those looking...
by Dave Hayward | Sep 12, 2025 | Fractional cmo, Downturn, Film, Lehmann Brothers, Personal brand, Personal stories, Recession, Walt Disney
Financial downturn story #1: Lehmann Brothers and me Pictured above: Google Nano’s recreation of me realising I’ve lost a coffee contract in 2008 Nobody thinks of coffee suppliers during global downturns. I have kept a diary since I was 12 years old. My...
by Dave Hayward | May 10, 2025 | Psychology, Creativity, Personal stories, Productivity, Strategy
On decision fatigue: “Good decision making is not a trait of the person, in the sense that it’s always there. It’s a state that fluctuates.” Roy Baumeister One late Spring in the 90s, my cousin Trish and I had exams. We had plenty of time and a...
