About ExperiMENTAL | Smarter Marketing Starts Here
For B2C marketers, founders, and analysts who are tired of surface-level advice and ready to cut through the noise with smarter, data-informed decisions. Host Sundar Swaminathan, former Head of Brand Data Science at Uber and creator of the ExperiMENTAL newsletter, shares real-world insights, ROI breakdowns, and growth strategies from leaders at companies like Uber, Google, and Faire.
Each episode helps you move from guesswork to grounded strategy so you can drive impact, prove marketing value, and lead with confidence.
If you're ready to think critically, test boldly, and grow with clarity, ExperiMENTAL is your bi-weekly dose of thought-provoking, data-savvy marketing wisdom.
New episodes every second Thursday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.
The AI Marketing Playbook top CMOs are using right now | Nuno Leal (EY Studio +)
Nuno Leal is the EY Studio+ CMO Practice Leader where he gets to work with the world's biggest CMOs on implementing their AI vision.
In this conversation, we discuss the challenges organizations face in integrating AI into their marketing strategies, the importance of experimentation, and the need for a balance between brand and performance marketing.
Takeaways
Many companies are struggling to become fully integrated marketing organizations.
The pressure to adopt AI often leads to scattered efforts without focus.
A solid data foundation is crucial for effectively utilizing Gen.AI (http://Gen.AI).
Organizations should prioritize one or two high-impact areas for AI implementation.
Experimentation is key to effective marketing strategies.
Marketing teams will need to adapt their structures to include more technical skills.
Creativity will be a significant differentiator in the future of marketing.
Chapters
00:00 Challenges in Marketing Organizations
08:43 Building Data Foundation for AI
16:24 Effective AI Implementation
25:02 Evolution of Marketing Roles
32:31 CMOs and the Future of Marketing
Listen to the ExperiMENTAL Marketing podcast on Apple, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts
New episodes every Thursday at 6 AM GMT+2.
Also, check out the experiMENTAL newsletter: https://experimental.beehiiv.com/subscribe (https://experimental.beehiiv.com/subscribe)
19 Feb 2026
How to 30x ad spend by fixing the pipes | Barbara Galiza (dBT, Substack, Fix My Tracking)
Barbara Galiza is the founder of Fixmytracking.com (http://Fixmytracking.com) where she helps companies fix their tracking and measurement.
In this conversation, we discuss the evolution of marketing measurement and tracking from 2015 to 2025, emphasizing the importance of adapting to new ad platform capabilities and strategies.
Takeaways
Conversion tracking is crucial for optimizing performance
Choosing the right conversion event is crucial for success.
Taxonomy in structure has a bigger unlock than you think
Passing PII when legally done is a must do
Less is more when it comes to conversion events.
In this episode, we cover:
Chapters
00:00 The Evolution of Ad Campaigns: 2015 vs 2025
05:57 Understanding Audience Targeting and Segmentation
10:20 The Importance of Conversion Tracking
15:17 Attribution Challenges in Modern Advertising
19:56 Best Practices for Conversion Events
24:40 Navigating Legalities in Data Passing
27:45 Conversion Events in Marketing Campaigns
30:35 Understanding Ad Groups and Creative Strategies
31:58 The Importance of Incrementality in Measurement
34:49 Case Study: Taxonomy and Campaign Structure
38:47 Attribution Challenges and Solutions
42:26 Building a Strong Foundation for Scaling
46:28 Launching 'Fix My Tracking' Service
49:48 Future Trends in Marketing and AI
Listen to the ExperiMENTAL Marketing podcast on Apple, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts
New episodes every Thursday at 6 AM GMT+2.
Also, check out the experiMENTAL newsletter: https://experimental.beehiiv.com/subs (https://experimental.beehiiv.com/subs)... (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa1dxOVNVdEdGckYxRG5fZWVvV1NVWFFGZzhjd3xBQ3Jtc0tuVEhBZVBjNDZpenFQZFU2VDRNX0hIUEd5cS1hOGE3R3F4UlpmR3hQZklsQTRQdlJ5UUpFTFZPc09OVTZ6QnZVbHQ3R1JZbXhWQ3I4dElZbU9rUDJNcVpmdDc4TjVrWE1WLVN6aEx4OXM1VFYwTU9ZQQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fexperimental.beehiiv.com%2Fsubscribe&v=ZdGKN2qhxio)
And if you need help on your broken tracking, checkout Fixmytracking.com (http://Fixmytracking.com).
Pranav Piyush is the CEO of Paramark (https://paramark.com/), where he's devoting the next 15 years of his life to solving Marketing Measurement.
In our conversation, he shares his journey from engineering to marketing at companies like Adobe, Dropbox, and Reforge emphasizing the importance of measurement and experimentation in marketing.
He also discusses the challenges faced by CMOs, the need for a culture of experimentation, and the significance of strategy in marketing efforts.
Takeaways
Marketing measurement is dysfunctional and he saw a glaring gap when he was a Marketing leader
CMOs face short tenures because of unrealistic expectations from the C-suite but also self inflicted
A culture of experimentation is crucial for marketing success.
Failure in experiments is common and should be embraced as a learning opportunity.
Creative strategy is as important as tactical execution in marketing.
The future of marketing lies in continuous adaptation and innovation.
In this episode, we cover:
00:00 Introduction to Pranav Piyush and Paramark
01:41 Pranav's Journey into Marketing
05:29 The Challenges of Marketing Measurement
08:07 Bridging the Gap: Art and Science in Marketing
11:44 Understanding CMO Challenges
16:09 Building a Culture of Experimentation
21:42 Strategy vs. Execution in Creative Marketing
25:06 The Importance of Roadmaps in Marketing
27:16 Innovative Experiences at Dropbox
29:46 Lessons from Failed Experiments
33:37 Finding Product-Market Fit
37:34 Building Relationships with Major Clients
42:09 Choosing the Right Marketing Vendor
47:14 Understanding Marketing Metrics
Listen to the ExperiMENTAL Marketing podcast on Apple, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts
New episodes every Thursday at 6 AM GMT+2.
Also, check out the experiMENTAL newsletter: https://experimental.beehiiv.com/subscribe (https://experimental.beehiiv.com/subscribe)
8 Jan 2026
How to grow users by fixing conversion not traffic | Adam Miller (Uber, Turo, Postmates)
In this conversation, Adam Miller shares his extensive experience in user acquisition across various marketplaces, including Turo, Postmates, and Uber. We discuss the evolution of user acquisition strategies, the importance of creative processes, and the collaboration between marketing and product teams. Adam also highlights common mistakes founders make in user acquisition and his contrarian views on the topic. He emphasizes the need for a balanced approach to supply and demand in marketplaces and the challenges of attribution in user acquisition.
Takeaways
User acquisition strategies have evolved significantly over the years, especially with the rise of mobile.
In 2025, user acquisition will rely heavily on automated systems and algorithms.
Creative processes should start with identifying unique value propositions (UVPs).
Collaboration between marketing and product teams is crucial for effective user acquisition.
Founders often make the mistake of relying too heavily on paid advertising too early.
In this episode, we cover:
00:00 Coming up
00:57 Adam's Journey
03:27 User Acquisition Strategies at Turo, Postmates, and Uber
09:16 Navigating User Acquisition During COVID-19
14:17 The Evolution of User Acquisition in 2025
18:00 Creative Strategies for Effective User Acquisition
19:52 Collaboration Between Marketing and Product Teams
25:35 Common Mistakes Founders Make in User Acquisition
28:29 Contrarian Views on Education and Career Paths
33:28 Future Trends in User Acquisition and Market Dynamics
Join the newsletter: https://experimental.beehiiv.com/subscribe (https://experimental.beehiiv.com/subscribe)
27 Nov 2025
Why Moving Fast Can Hurt Your Brand | ExperiMENTAL Ep. 12
What if your biggest growth unlock wasn’t more speed, but better structure? In this episode of ExperiMENTAL, host Sundar Swaminathan sits down with Mattia Santin, SVP of Brand, Growth & Operations at ContentSquare, former CMO at Hotjar, and former marketing leader at Uber. They dive deep into the B2B vs. B2C debate, why product marketing is the missing engine in many orgs, and what Mattia learned running $300M+ in global media. From in-housing entire teams to turning off ad spend for bol...
13 Nov 2025
ex-Rocket Advisor: Stop Building the Wrong Stack | ExperiMENTAL Ep. 11
How do you build a data team that actually drives business outcomes? In this episode of ExperiMENTAL, host Sundar Swaminathan sits down with Sebastian Hewing, Data & AI Advisor to C-Level leaders in VC and PE-backed companies, and ex-Rocket Internet, to uncover what most companies get wrong about building and scaling data teams. From startup chaos to structured experimentation, Sebastian shares his three-step consulting framework, lessons from over 40 implementations, and what it re...
30 Oct 2025
Rethinking Metrics: When KPIs Are Too Basic for Real Growth | ExperiMENTAL Ep. 10
🎯 Is your marketing KPI lying to you? In this episode of ExperiMENTAL, host Sundar Swaminathan sits down with Russell Tischler, VP of Marketing at Fundrise, to dismantle the myth of “good enough” metrics. From building predictive models that forecast investor behavior to questioning the ROI of lift tests, Russell shares hard-earned lessons from his time at Uber and Fundrise. If you're a B2C marketer, data scientist, or growth leader wondering how to prioritize the right metrics without wast...
16 Oct 2025
The Strategic Power of Product Marketing | ExperiMENTAL Ep. 9
What if product marketing was the secret weapon your growth strategy is missing? In this episode of ExperiMENTAL, Sundar sits down with Damian Valdes, Associate Director of Product Marketing at Spotify, to reveal why product marketers are often the most underutilized force in tech. From launching features like Spotify Jam to designing internal growth experiments, Damian breaks down how PMMs shape product roadmaps, avoid cannibalization, and influence business outcomes beyond campaign performa...
2 Oct 2025
Mastering CRM: From Paper Notes to Lifecycle Growth | ExperiMENTAL Ep. 8
Mastering CRM: From Paper Notes to Lifecycle Growth In this episode of ExperiMENTAL, host Sundar sits down with Karan Tibdewal, The CRM Guy™️ and trusted CRM advisor to top subscription apps. Together, they trace CRM's journey from Rolodex-era notes to today’s role as a strategic lever for growth. Whether you’re leading lifecycle marketing or wondering if CRM is still relevant, this episode reveals what great looks like, what most teams miss, and why onboarding might be completely broken. Wit...
17 Sept 2025
Why Brand Building Isn’t Just for CPG: Lessons From Wayfair and Chewy | ExperiMENTAL Ep. 7
Why Brand Building Isn’t Just for CPG: Lessons From Wayfair and Chewy In this episode of ExperiMENTAL, host Sundar dives into the overlooked pivot from hypergrowth to brand building with Lauren Sutkowski, Head of Brand Marketing at Insurify and former marketing leader at Chewy and Wayfair. This isn't a fluffy chat. It’s a real, practical breakdown of what happens when the growth engine starts sputtering and brand finally takes the wheel. From internal education to channel strategy, Lauren sha...
4 Sept 2025
Assumption Audit: The Step Most Marketers Skip | ExperiMENTAL Ep. 6
Assumption Audit: The Step Most Marketers Skip Most marketing failures don’t stem from bad creative, poor media buys, or weak strategy. They start earlier, at the assumption level. In this episode of ExperiMENTAL, Sundar sits down with Oliver Raskin, Head of Research at Miro and former insights lead at Meta and Uber, to break down why assumptions kill great ideas and how marketers can audit them before launching campaigns. They explore the difference between optimism and magical thinking, why...
21 Aug 2025
Gen Z Marketing: Strategy That Actually Converts | ExperiMENTAL Ep. 5
Gen Z Marketing Strategy That Actually Converts In this episode of ExperiMENTAL, Sundar sits down with Claudia from Howbout, the fast-growing social calendar app that's cracked the Gen Z code. With a mix of irreverent humor and sharp strategy, Claudia reveals how Howbout builds product and marketing with Gen Z in mind, why authenticity trumps polish, and why TikTok is more than just a channel. It’s a feedback loop. They unpack how Gen Z thinks, what makes them convert, and why influencer mark...
7 Aug 2025
Building Marketplaces with Data: What We Learned at Uber and Faire | ExperiMENTAL Ep. 4
Building Marketplaces with Data: What We Learned at Uber and Faire On this episode of ExperiMENTAL, Sundar is joined by Gopal Nath, Director of Strategy and Analytics at Faire and former Marketing Analytics Lead at Uber. Together, they explore the data-backed decisions that shaped two of the world’s most dynamic marketplaces. From measuring efficiency to testing branded search strategy, this episode breaks down how growth actually happens behind the scenes. Expect tactical takeaways, sharp in...
24 Jul 2025
Brand Strategy BEATS Performance Marketing: Head Of Marketing Reveals | ExperiMENTAL Ep. 3
In this episode of ExperiMENTAL, Sundar Swaminathan sits down with Nikhil Kant (Uber, FlixBus, Even Health) to break down why modern marketing has lost its magic and how over-relying on performance marketing is silently killing long-term brand value. You’ll learn: ✔ Why performance marketing is losing its creative edge ✔ How brand creates the only sustainable moat in saturated markets ✔ Tactical frameworks: Get-To-By, Think-Feel-Do, and Hero-Hub-Hygiene ✔ Why startups confuse product-market ...
10 Jul 2025
Traditional Marketing Teams Are NO Match for This Cross-Disciplinary Approach | ExperiMENTAL Ep. 1
The Future of Growth Marketing Is Cross-Disciplinary | Sunil Subhedar (Uber, Canva, Anthropic) Welcome to the very first episode of ExperiMENTAL, the podcast for marketers and data scientists who are done with fluff and ready to go deep. In this debut episode, host Sundar Swaminathan sits down with Sunil Subhedar, Growth Marketing Lead at Anthropic, and former head of growth at Canva and Uber, to unpack what modern growth marketing actually looks like when you’re building at scale. You’ll ...
10 Jul 2025
The Marketing Framework That Will SAVE Startups Millions in 2025 | ExperiMENTAL Ep. 2
Discovery vs. Optimization Marketing: Why Most Startups Get It Wrong | Libby Weissman (Caviar, DoorDash) In this episode of ExperiMENTAL, Sundar Swaminathan sits down with Libby Weissman (Caviar, Square, DoorDash) to unpack why so many startups fail to tell the difference between discovery and optimization marketing, and what it costs them. You’ll learn: ✔ How to tell if you're in discovery or optimization ✔ Why unrealistic CAC targets derail your growth ✔ How to use experiments to build ma...
3 Jul 2025
Trailer
Host Sundar Swaminathan introduces ExperiMENTAL, a podcast offering data-informed marketing strategies for B2C marketers seeking impactful decisions.
Reach and audience
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 12 / 100
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