One of my favorite facts about the internet is that people will always tell you when you’re wrong. Seriously. It’s a feature, not a bug. Because when that happens, it helps you think more clearly, more deeply about your topic and your ideas. If you want to know what you really think, ask the internet. They’ll let you know whether you got it right… or not. That’s what happened last week when I talked about how companies can win in AI-powered search. Whether we’re talking about Google’s AI Overviews, AI Mode, ChatGPT, or agentic AI, I’m increasingly convinced that “the brand is the prompt.” And what I mean by that is that we need to do the work now to ensure customers ask for us by name—now, and in the future.

I posted this notion, “the brand is the prompt,” on LinkedIn and people couldn’t wait to poke the theory full of holes. You love to see it. I genuinely mean that. Their feedback—and pushback—helped me realize the flaws in my reasoning… and improve them. Now, I’m even more sure that the brand is the prompt. And the counter-arguments I heard make the core argument even stronger.

“The brand is the prompt” is what this episode of the podcast is all about. Want to know what that means in practice? Want to hear the (truly great) arguments against the idea? And want to know how you can apply the concept to your brand and business? Then be sure to give this a listen (or read the transcript). You’ll be glad you did.

Want to learn more? Here are the show notes for you.

The Brand is the Prompt (Thinks Out Loud 465) — Headlines and Show Notes

Show Notes and Links

• Michael J. Goldrich | LinkedIn


• Tammie Carlisle, CHDM | LinkedIn


• Mark Simchock | LinkedIn


• Peter Syme | LinkedIn


• Pedro Colaco | LinkedIn


• Steve Cummins | LinkedIn


• What’s the Point of Your Website in an Age of AI? (Thinks Out Loud Episode 447)


• The Only Way to Succeed Next Year (Thinks Out Loud Episode 444)


• AI Is Not the Future. You Are (Thinks Out Loud Episode 443)


• How Google Loses (Thinks Out Loud Episode 442)


• AI Is Eating the World, But Who’s Paying for Dinner? (Thinks Out Loud 464)


• Google Closes the Gate on Marketers (Thinks Out Loud)


• Is It Impossible for Marketers to Keep Up With AI? (Thinks Out Loud 459)


• AI Can’t Save Bad Strategy: Why Fundamentals Still Matter in 2025 (Thinks Out Loud Episode 455)


• What If I’m Wrong About AI and Marketing Jobs? (Thinks Out Loud 453)


• AI and the Future of Marketing and E-commerce — How You Stay Relevant


• Google vs. ChatGPT: Who’s Really Winning… And Why It Matters for Your Business (Thinks Out Loud Episode 451)


• Will AI Kill Content Marketing for Customer Acquisition? (Thinks Out Loud Episode 449)


• How Should You Think About Website SEO for AI? (Thinks Out Loud Episode 448)


• Predicting the Future of Your Business (Thinks Out Loud Episode 445)


• When Will AI Get Good at Marketing? (Thinks Out Loud Episode 446)

Buy the Book — Digital Reset: Driving Marketing and Customer Acquisition Beyond Big Tech

Tim Peter has written a new book called Digital Reset: Driving Marketing Beyond Big Tech. You can learn more about it here on the site. Or buy your copy on Amazon.com today.

Past Appearances

You might also enjoy this webinar I participated in with Miles Partnership that looked at "The Power of Generative AI and ChatGPT: What It Means for Tourism & Hospitality" here:

Free Downloads

We have some free downloads for you to help you navigate the current situation, which you can find right here:

• A Modern Content Marketing Checklist. Want to ensure that each piece of content works for your business? Download our latest checklist to help put your content marketing to work for you.


• Digital & E-commerce Maturity Matrix. As a bonus, here’s a PDF that can help you assess your company’s digital maturity. You can use this to better understand where your company excels and where its opportunities lie. And, of course, we’re here to help if you need it. The Digital & E-commerce Maturity Matrix rates your company’s effectiveness — Ad Hoc, Aware, Striving, Driving — in 6 key areas in digital today, includin