Customer Experiences and AI - The Next Competitive Moat

About this episode

This episode explores the evolution of marketing into experience-driven strategies with insights from Kenny Lauer on the role of AI in this transformation.

What happens when marketing moves beyond campaigns and becomes experience, emotion, and intelligence (AI) combined ? In this episode, I sit down with Kenny Lauer, one of the most dynamic leaders in modern marketing. From early roles at Apple and KPMG to leading global digital experiences at George P. Johnson, serving as VP of Marketing for the Golden State Warriors during their championship era, and now shaping immersive sound-driven experiences at Meyer Sound, Kenny's career sits at the intersection of technology, storytelling, sports, and live experience design . We unpack how marketing has evolved from messaging to moment-making , and why the next era will be defined by AI as a teammate, not just a tool . Inside this episode, we explore: • The throughline behind Kenny's career across tech, sports, and global brand experiences • How marketing is shifting from campaigns to end-to-end experiences • Lessons from the Golden State Warriors during one of the most iconic runs in NBA history • What global markets like Japan teach us about culture-first marketing • A real marketing "war story" and the lessons every leader should learn • The top 3 takeaways from SXSW 2026 every marketer…

People in this episode

Host: Sandy Carter

Guest: Kenny Lauer

Topics covered

• customer experience
• artificial intelligence
• marketing evolution
• brand strategy
• digital transformation
• experiential marketing

Keywords

• customer experience
• AI in marketing
• experiential marketing
• brand strategy
• digital transformation
• Golden State Warriors
• SXSW 2026

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Apple, KPMG, George P. Johnson, Golden State Warriors, Meyer Sound

Places: Japan

More episodes of The Marketing Companion

• AI Slop Or Original Thinking? · June 9, 2026 · 33 min
• Will AI Take My Job? Insights from a Mother-Daughter Conversation · May 27, 2026 · 29 min
• The 5 Must-Know AI Lessons for Marketers · May 13, 2026 · 24 min
• DaVinci And OpenAI Shipped Agentic Commerce · April 28, 2026 · 34 min
• Lilypath's Dan Nestle on LinkedIn as AI Branding For You! · April 14, 2026 · 40 min
• The Director Behind the World's First AI Film at Tribeca Has a Message for Every Marketer · March 31, 2026 · 51 min