The Marketing Meeting with Itir Eraslan

PR is no longer just about getting media coverage. Today, brand visibility is built across traditional media, podcasts, Substack, creators, influencers, events and, increasingly, AI-driven search. In this episode, we discuss how PR is evolving, when brands should start investing in it, what to consider when choosing an agency, and how PR should connect to broader business and marketing objectives. We also talk about earned versus paid media, what helps brands stand out in crowded categories, the changing role of press releases and physical events, and how AI and LLMs are beginning to influence brand discovery and PR strategy. My guest is Melissa Conner, Partner at Jennifer Bett Communications and an award-winning media relations strategist with 20 years of experience across retail, tech, fashion, health & wellness, beauty, CPG, social impact and home design. Her previous roles include leading PR at HL Group for TOMS and Sotheby's Diamonds, managing campaigns at Starworks Group, and driving press for Theory and Joe Fresh. She is also the founder of JBC's Office Hours program and advises early-stage consumer-tech companies on product positioning and market entry. Connect with Melissa Conner on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-conner-0418414/ Learn more about Jennifer Bett Communications: http://JENNIFERBETT.COM   If you have any questions about brands and marketing, connect with the host of this channel, Itir Eraslan, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itireraslan/ or through: https://www.ie-brand.com/connect

Marketing teams have more data, platforms and execution tools than ever. But deciding what to run next is still often managed through spreadsheets, disconnected systems and individual experience. In this episode, we explore how campaign planning is changing, how technology shifts change consumer behavior, what Jessica learned from building and scaling multiple businesses, and why simplicity, focus and sustainable growth matter. The conversation also looks at how AI can help teams learn from past campaigns, make better decisions and move faster without losing human judgment, creativity or brand understanding. My guest is Jessica Herrin, Founder and CEO of Marklo, an AI campaign planning and analytics system helping e-commerce teams plan, execute and learn from campaigns across channels. Before Marklo, Jessica built several successful e-commerce brands, including WeddingChannel.com, Stella & Dot and Ever Skincare. Connect with Jessica Herrin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicaherrin/  Learn more about Marklo: https://marklo.ai/  If you have any questions about brands and marketing, connect with the host of this channel, Itir Eraslan, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itireraslan/ or through https://www.ie-brand.com/connect 

Welcome to my channel. The Marketing Meeting is where I explore the questions behind brands, marketing, and growth with founders, brand leaders, and marketing experts. I started this podcast in 2021 because I had questions. For 18 years at Nike, I was inside a global brand and had access to many of those answers. But after leaving and building my own brand consulting business, I found myself asking a whole new set of questions. How do founders build brands that matter? What drives growth? How is technology changing marketing? And what can we learn from people navigating these challenges every day? This podcast is my way of learning, staying curious, and sharing those conversations with anyone trying to make sense of a fast-changing world. Thanks for following. Itir Eraslan New York, June 2026

If AI makes knowledge abundant, what becomes scarce? In this episode, we explore Chris Walker's idea that we are leaving the Information Era and entering what he calls The Frequency Era. Chris argues that as AI makes information, knowledge accumulation, and credentials increasingly abundant, the real value begins to move elsewhere: toward clarity, discernment, creativity, adaptability, self-trust, and deep human connection. We discuss the historical transitions from the Agricultural Era to the Industrial Era and then to the Information Era, why many people feel that the old rules of career growth no longer work, and what happens when AI begins to automate knowledge work itself. Chris also shares how frequency shapes decision-making, performance, and the nervous system, why handwriting sits at the center of the Encoded system, and how his own definition of success has evolved over time. My guest is Chris Walker, founder of Encoded and former CEO of Refine Labs, one of the most influential B2B marketing companies of the past decade. Through Encoded, Chris focuses on human performance, AI and human skills, and the development of what he believes are the most valuable human capacities in an AI-driven world. He is also the author of The Frequency Era. Connect with Chris Walker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chriswalker171/ Learn more about Encoded: https://encoded.ai/ If you have any questions about brands and marketing, connect with the host of this channel, Itir Eraslan, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itireraslan/ or through https://www.ie-brand.com/connect

What is really happening with the new consumer in 2026, beyond headlines and survey data? In this episode, we look at consumer behavior, spending habits, and emerging brand trends with Dan Frommer, founder of The New Consumer. We discuss the gap between what consumers say and what they actually do, why inflation concerns can coexist with strong spending, and what it means that many Americans are now in "optimization mode." Dan shares where categories like wellness, functional food, and protein are heading, how GLP-1 is beginning to reshape consumer behavior, and why Gen Z can be both highly engaged with AI and uneasy about its long-term impact. We also explore TikTok Shop, creator-led commerce, and what brands should be paying attention to right now. My guest is Dan Frommer, Founder and Editor in Chief of The New Consumer, a leading publication focused on consumer behavior, brands, and the impact of technology on how people live and spend. Before launching The New Consumer, Dan was Editor in Chief of Recode at Vox Media and was an early employee at Business Insider, where he helped build the company in its early years. Connect with Dan Frommer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danfrommer/ For The New Consumer: https://newconsumer.com/  If you have any questions about brands and marketing, connect with the host of this channel, Itir Eraslan, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itireraslan/ or connect through https://www.ie-brand.com/connect