In this episode of Poetry in Marketing, we dive into a hot topic with a fresh haiku:

AI can’t achieve

Beyond a user’s skill set—

Just like other tools.

There’s a lot of noise about artificial intelligence replacing marketers, but here’s the truth: AI isn’t a solution. It isn’t an employee. It’s just a tool... One that’s only as good as the person using it.

This week’s episode explores the myth of AI as a magic fix and reminds us why human expertise still matters. I share why AI is powerful only when guided by experience, and why your marketing strategy still needs a smart human at the wheel.

Hey, it’s Erik Wolf, and in this episode of Poetry in Marketing, I reflect on a conversation that happened during a Vistage talk in Philadelphia which inspired this week’s poem:

Marketing’s bigger

Than what most CEOs think

That marketing is.

Spoiler alert: Most CEOs underestimate what marketing really is. It’s not just websites, logos, emails, or trade shows. Marketing — real marketing — is a holistic business strategy. It’s about aligning product, message, and customer insight to drive growth. And yes, it lives way up in the C-suite, not just in Adobe Creative Suite.

This episode dives into why so many business leaders view marketing too narrowly... And how to shift that mindset.

In this pre-workout episode of Poetry in Marketing, I’m dropping a haiku inspired by my time at a conference earlier this week:

Often, the conference

Outside the conference center

Is more valuable.

In this one, I dig into a truth every experienced marketer knows: the best conversations don’t always happen on the trade show floor. The real gold often comes from hallway chats, dinner meetings, hotel bar intros, and those unplanned collisions that happen outside the official event.

If you think success equals business cards and booth traffic, you’re missing the point. Listen in as I talk about how to reframe your conference strategy for deeper connection and better long-term results.