Messaging

Oct 07 2026

The Layoff Memo: Diving in on Hubspot’s Communications

Yesterday, Hubspot (NYSE: $HUBS) announced that it was letting go 7% of its workforce. If you’re not in the marketing/communications/technology world, you may not totally know what it is that they do; but one thing cannot be denied: AI has impacted Hubspot’s business.

Which is why yesterday’s layoff announcement — Read the complete Hubspot announcement at this link — is worth a closer look.

We’ll break down the pluses and minues — and maybe a few neutral “meh” pieces — of the full layoff communication memo here.

Plus: Assume That Every Piece Gets Leaked, So Leak It Yourself

This should be Corporate Communications 101; sadly, many places like the cloak-and-dagger approach to layoffs. Hubspot scores points for putting the employee memo on their public-facing website.

Meh: “Team,” Always Rubs Me the Wrong Way

This might be more of a nitpick on my part than anything, but starting a memo with “Team,” sounds like the type of thing a middle manager who is looking to make themselves seem more important than they are would do.

(Note: the 15 minute warning is unavoidable at a company with so many employees in so many different places, so the “Band-Aid” approach is best here.)

Minus: We’re Organized Around AI, But…This Isn’t About AI

This is a two-part contradiction in their memo, and it cannot be ignored. Above is the part that says flat-out: “we have shifted our strategy from building software that helps customers grow to delivering outcomes for them with AI.”

Then, Yamini Rangan talks about how the organization needs to be flatter and more customer-centric, and teams need to be more agile; there’s jargon in there about “GTM,” too.

BUT…while the company is using AI and is making AI and “delivering outcomes…with AI,” this…is not “driven by AI-related efficiencies.”

This is a contradiction. It may not be a bald-faced lie, but it doesn’t look good to those who think machines will put them out of work.

Plus: There Appeared To Be a Process

Those who get pink slips — and those who are left behind — will always ask the question: “Why Me?” As opposed to a random process, you want clear reasons why people are being made redundant. So this give the appearance of a process, and everyone can at least answer the question based on how they fit with the new direction of the business.

Plus: They Appear To Be Taking Care of the Departed

This looks like a rather generous severance, and it’s also pretty solid of the company to let them keep the equipment. (This is less of a communications thing and more of a business process thing; but a plus nonetheless.)

Plus: A Human Close

The CEO’s final thoughts seemed to have been written by a human. I don’t know the guy but I would imagine he talks like this.

Minus: The Overall Sentiment — Based on Factors NOT in the Memo

We’re in a really crazy market right now; Hubspot is a publicly traded company and every Wall Street type seem to be obsessed with AI. That obsession also drives the question: what is AI doing to make you more profitable.

AI automates a whole host of processes, so the efficiencies are baked in; ignoring those AI-related efficiencies as a driving factor is disingenuous at best.

Plus, while the stock is only down a percent or so this morning — I’m writing this on October 7, 2026 — it’s down by more than half in the past year.

So Wall Street is asking for those efficiencies in number format.

Final Thoughts: Honesty Is Best

I think the contradictions in the CEO’s memo are too stark to ignore. It’s okay to say that “the market is demanding a combination of human-driven and AI-driven efficiency, and we have to do both to remain competitive.” But without that honesty, we are left with the impression that this memo was written by committee, the committee included the AI bots, and…it should have been as honest as possible.

AI is changing business. We get that. Some businesses are changing, and we get that, too. Hubspot is one of those businesses and, sadly, the truth sometimes really hurts.

Jun 04 2026

Baby Steps, Tiny Victories, And Staying Positive

It’s another “Month of Content” here for me, Dave, here on the blog, on my YouTube channel, and on my Substack. Do I have all the answers? No. Will I keep at it in a quest to find the answers? Yes. Here are a few thoughts…

The Baby Steps?

We’re all neophytes at SOMETHING. With the launch of just about anything these days — a new AI tool, a new social network, a platform that tries to replace another platform that you’ve known, loved, and now are taught to ignore — there will always be some who are first movers, and others who are later to the party, and still others who have to figure out how it works.

I was that way with Substack — which launched as a newsletter platform and still does that job BUT it seems to be veering into “social network” territory — and I look back to the baby steps I took on that platform and wonder…what the heck was I thinking?

So the baby steps were probably awfully wobbly, followed by a toddler sprint into a different direction and, finally, The Saturday List.

Now? Well, we’ve hit our stride when it comes to consistency. 30 straight weeks. Even though the growth of the channel isn’t where I want it to be just yet, I’m bullish on the power of newsletters and of the strength of owning an email audience and curating content for them.

The Tiny Victories?

I also have a YouTube Channel. A tiny victory came this week when the channel got to 1000 subscribers. Cause for celebration? Well, maybe…for about ten minutes or so.

But the real challenge here is the same one I bumped into when launching The Saturday List: consistency. We had a great interview on Monday with Tamsen Webster (link below) where we discussed getting your message across. We have also had some other cool interviews, and we discussed them on our last blog post.

And we have three more interviews scheduled for the next couple weeks. So stay tuned.

Another challenge? Staying in my lane. BUT I’ll counter with this: I need to zigzag around the pool a little before I find the right swim lane. So stay tuned.

And…Staying Positive?

If you look around, you might realize that everyone seems to be going through some stuff. You’re not alone in being anxious.

BUT there’s a reason for staying positive despite the craziness: we have things a heck of a lot better than any society in the history of the world.

Cue the “You’re sitting in a chair in the sky!” video. Here it is…14 years ago. From Louis CK.

Attitude Is What Will Win

Yes, things can be crazy. Yes, the stoplights will not always be green on your way to your appointment, especially if you’re running late.

But, maybe, just maybe, continuing to stay at it, consistently, and celebrating a little along the way…maybe that’s how you’re gonna win.

Nov 24 2023

A Holiday Blog Post About AI Strategy for Marketers

Your holiday season would not be complete without an obligatory blog post that tells you how artificial intelligence can make your holiday marketing and PR content better. That’s right, there’s no sense in doing everything yourself. Automate! Use AI!

For instance, you could go to Bard, like I just did, and type in a prompt like this:

Oh my, this is gonna be brilliant. Here’s suggestion 1 of 7 — SEVEN!!! — to help you along:

1. Embrace nostalgia and evoke emotions

Taylor Swift is known for her ability to tap into nostalgia, and her holiday campaigns are no exception. She often references holiday traditions and classic Christmas songs, which resonates with her fans and makes them feel connected to her.

For your own holiday content, consider using nostalgic imagery and language to evoke emotions in your audience. You can also use storytelling to create a sense of warmth and connection.

Disclaimer: The above was written by AI. I couldn’t come up with something so banal by myself. I need inspiration.

But wait, it gets better…here’s item number 5. Because you can always shoehorn SOCIAL MEDIA into your holiday content!

5. Leverage social media to reach a wider audience

Taylor Swift is a social media pro, and she uses her platforms effectively to promote her holiday campaigns. She often shares photos, videos, and exclusive content on her social media channels, which helps her reach a wider audience and generate buzz.

To maximize the reach of your holiday content, make sure you’re promoting it on your social media channels. Use relevant hashtags, share engaging content, and run contests and giveaways to attract attention.

Disclaimer: Okay, enough already. Seriously.

Another Tip: Become the Master of Absurdity

Yes, you should try to weave in as much absurdity in your Holiday Marketing. Is it absurd to consider the Bing AI Generator to…

Well, first you need to start with Thanksgiving, and Football, and the old phrase “Stick a Fork in [INSERT TEAM NAME], they’re done!].” Ask AI to create an image like this…

And the winner is…

Thanksgiving’s Over, Move on to Black Friday

Oh, this is gonna get good.

If you follow our Substack, you might have seen that we’ve played around enough with AI to figure out that the image maker thing can’t spell. In this case, you spot it “Black” and “Friday” and it somehow finds a way to fail.

Or it drops a couple letters.

But at least the ad looks sorta modern.

What’s The Point?

Everywhere you turn, you seem to see something or someone telling you that generative AI is going to change your life for the better, immediately. And sure, being able to run tons of options through a machine is great, or asking for a machine to create a bunch of words that you can then turn around and make mad bank from is also great.

Until it’s not great. Until you outsource the thinking. Until you just phone it in.

My Absurdity Playground of AI Imagery — I should consider trademarking the phrase “Absurdity Playground” — hasn’t been done for any other reason than amusement. I’m trying to push the limits of absurdity and using AI to do that and it’s semi-clever, but I never plan on “going pro” at it.

So there’s the point: if you want to really make things happen at work — especially as a professional marketer, PR person, or communicator — you need to focus on asking this question:

What Business Problem Are We Trying to Solve?

Are you trying to churn out better content? Great. What problem will that solve? Do you need to book more appointments, or 10x your sales?

Oh, it’s about “Thought Leadership!” That’s the business problem you’re trying to solve, right? Being “out there” as a “thought leader!” Great. Are your thoughts original? If not, are they researched? Do they have a point of view? Or are they just…banal, trying to leverage the next big thing?

Here’s the Advice: Blocking and Tackling

Table stakes for the communicator: there needs to be a reason to do what you do, or else you’re just an order taker, filling out forms, generating words and images to make the bosses happy.

Figure out why you’re doing what you’re doing and things will go a lot more smoothly.

Also, be sure to know how to spell and use punctuation.

Aug 30 2012

Marketing Without A Conscience

Scruples? Ethics? A Conscience? Remember Those Things. Please.

(UPDATE: There’s a video, too. See the link at the very bottom.)

In the race to the top of whatever industry you’re in, you will encounter all types. The go-getters, the trend-setters, the over-achievers. Etc., etc.

Hopefully, you’ll also encounter people with scruples, ethics and a conscience.

But something got Dave’s blood boiling

First of all, and this is Dave speaking, I wish James Cordova the best in his battle against cancer. I wish his wife, Tasha, the best as she and her family cope with this terrible disease.

And this blog post is not about them – it’s about the company that is using them to sell product.

Witness this photo, making the rounds on Facebook yesterday:

ViSalus Photo — Company uses dying man to sell product

NOTE: Scroll down if you want to read the full text of the Facebook post.

ViSalus is a Multi-Level Marketing product in the wellness universe. I can’t vouch for whether it’s great or not.

But what I can vouch for is that scruples, ethics and a conscience are all missing from the people behind this marketing campaign.

Rather than a lengthy dissection of what is wrong here…

I want to focus – as a human first, and a marketer second, on some things I’m going to suggest you CAN do when marketing your product or service. Here goes:

1. Show compassion as if the cameras aren’t there.

Cameras are everywhere, but what’s that line about integrity – doing the right thing when nobody is looking?

2. Leave your product or service out of the discussion.

Can’t tell you how many times I’ve been part of corporate discussions – LOTS of times – where the people are focused on doing the right thing first, come Hell or high water. Believe me, it has happened. “How big a check can we write for the victims of…?” OR “What if we were to pick up the cost of…?” (NOTE: These discussions actually happened at big, faceless, “evil” corporations. They did. And there wasn’t an executive saying “Let’s leverage this for maximum PR benefit.”)

3. Gut check.

Even if someone IS telling you “it’s okay to use my image and likeness to promote your product,” someone needs to actually ask themselves how this is going to look.

Are you lifting people up just for the sake of lifting people up?
Are you looking like a good company – or an ambulance-chaser?
Is this the right time? Or is it too soon?

The company in this example is Marketing Without A Conscience. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have one.

Do the right thing. Know the right time. And ask yourself how this makes you look.

UPDATE: We found this video on August 30. httpv://youtu.be/U4meAO0BRos

Aug 23 2012

Remake Your Own Song

Two pieces – one old, one new, and both with a hook for you, your brand, your job, and where you’re headed next.

Lindsey Buckingham — Photo by Neeta Lind - Used with Creative Commons License

If you know me via Facebook, you know that I have a tendency to over-share music. (If you don’t know me on Facebook, here’s a link to the Dave page. And a link to the Area 224 page.) I’m not an expert – but I know what I like and I’m more than willing to share it.

Two songs lately got me thinking – is it time for a remake?

Lindsey Buckingham Remade His Own Song

Fleetwood Mac’s Lindsay Buckingham is a music industry veteran. At age 62, he is still going – sometimes with the Fleetwood Mac folks, and sometimes just by himself.

Rolling Stone Magazine, in its 2011 ranking of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All-Time,” included Buckingham – barely, ranking 100th.

One song of his – well, technically the band’s song – is called “Big Love.” The original video from Fleetwood Mac has an over-produced 80s sound to it.

httpv://youtu.be/rjKL469SpR0

Very bland, 1980s pop rock. Right?

A funny thing happened, though, once Buckingham started performing the song live, by himself. The song took on a completely new, raw, powerful, dare I say brilliant sound. Like this:

httpv://youtu.be/naAWX6OsHVI

What did we learn?

By taking away several unnecessary elements of the exact same song, it became more awesome.

Here’s what you can ask yourself – no matter where you are in the world, as a brand strategist, as a job-seeker, as a student of the game or someone heading off into something completely different, what can you take away to make something more…awesome?

Are you adding 3 steps to a process where only one step is really necessary?
Are you creating more hoops to jump through – for clients, for prospects, for site visitors?
Is there a way to practice “addition by subtraction?”

Gotye Remade His Own Song

You’ve heard. The song. It’s everywhere.

Gotye. “Somebody That I Used To Know.”

Almost as many views on YouTube than residents of the U.S.A. (300,000,000 and counting.)

You can brush up on your Gotye knowledge if you’d like – here’s a link to the Wikipedia entry, where you learn, among other things, that he’s Belgian (so he’s GOT to be a good guy).

As for the video – here’s a link – if you’re one of those who haven’t actually seen it.

httpv://youtu.be/8UVNT4wvIGY

No matter what you think of the song, you can’t escape it. And, if the song itself can’t be escaped, neither can the remakes.

We’ve seen this happen before – dozens upon dozens of remakes, on YouTube, from artists looking to showcase their own talent by singing Somesong That You Used To Know. (Google the phrase “Gotye Remake.” I dare ya.)

Sheer brilliance can be found from…well, Gotye himself, who mashed up dozens upon dozens of the YouTube remakes, creating a song called “Somebodies: A YouTube Orchestra.”

httpv://youtu.be/opg4VGvyi3M

So, in one instance, an artist strips his own song bare. In this instance, the opposite – a crowdsourced piece of…awesome.

What Can You Learn from Gotye?

Back in the days when yours truly was a radio sportscaster, I’d have to deliver the same story at 6:05, 7:05 and again at 8:05. In the morning. I’m a morning person, so that part wasn’t a problem – but there was always the threat that you were delivering the same exact story over and over. If the Nets beat the Knicks 101-95 last night, the score won’t change in the next newscast.

But the story could. In fact, I learned, it SHOULD. It had to.

There’s another angle to explore. There’s another side to the story. Even when you’re talking about the same thing, there’s a different way to say it.

Your company’s pitch: can it be more succinct?
Your mission statement: can you cut out the BS?
Your resume: does it do you justice?
Your relationships: should you move from the text message to the Google Hangout, or from online to off?