This Old Marketing - Joe Pulizzi & Robert Rose

3 things B2B marketers can learn from this successful duo

January 05, 2024

After years of hearing about it, about 4 months ago I finally dug into This Old Marketing. 

Once a week, content marketing experts Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose riff about industry news. Lots of marketers say the duo’s media brand is one of their favorites…and I can see why. In 4 months, it’s become one of mine.

I don’t always agree with every take, but the format, unique style and unmistakable personalities of the hosts keep me coming back week after week. 

So what exactly can B2B marketers learn from this duo’s media brand? 

Here’s my two cents…

Lean into what makes you tick… even when it’s a little off-topic

Joe and Robert veer off the core topic of content marketing to talk about their passion for their NFL teams. 

As a football lover, this is a huge win for me — I love that they do it (even though I’m sure the non-football fans probably tune out). 

They’re leaning into what makes them tick and gets them excited… and the energy their passion brings to the show is contagious. As a result, It’s a net win.

Don’t be afraid to tap into your passion. The energy it can bring is priceless and welcomes your audience into the conversation by making them feel like your friend.

Co-Hosted Commentary 

I’ve been super bullish on the co-hosted commentary format for several months now…and these guys nail it. 

They’re not afraid to disagree with each other and frequently jab at one another. When hosts are too formal, they tend to agree with everything the other says… it makes for dry content.

Joe and Robert get it right  — they don’t agree all the time, and it adds incredible value to their conversations (and just the right amount of entertainment). 

Don’t be that over-agreeable yes-person. You’ll devalue your hard-earned expertise and lose the trust (and attention) of your audience.  

Hyper-relevant topics

The duo’s media brand doesn’t deliver month-old news… they cover things that happened last week. 

The topics and opinions they cover haven’t had time to make it to a textbook, popular blog, or course yet, giving them the upper hand and drawing listeners back again and again — myself included.

You don’t need to reinvent the wheel every week to keep things fresh… but finding an engaging way to remain hyper-relevant in your domain will keep your listeners engaged, excited and hungry for more. 

Alright…that’s a wrap.

Reply to this email and tell me a creator who you’re following that I should break down in a future newsletter.

Obliterating commodity content,

James Carbary
Founder, Sweet Fish
Executive Producer, B2B Growth