I’m thrilled to sit down with Milena Traikovich, a seasoned Demand Generation expert who has dedicated her career to helping businesses craft impactful campaigns that nurture high-quality leads. With her deep expertise in analytics, performance optimization, and lead generation strategies, Milena offers a unique perspective on the evolving landscape of marketing, especially in the age of AI. In our conversation, we dive into the credibility challenges facing marketers today, the pitfalls of overpromising, the importance of aligning with business outcomes over vanity metrics, and the need for transparency in setting realistic expectations. We also explore how marketing can redefine its role as a strategic driver of growth rather than a mystical fix-all solution.
Can you share your thoughts on why marketing seems to be facing a credibility crisis in the AI era?
Absolutely. I think marketing’s credibility crisis stems from a long history of overpromising what it can achieve, especially now with AI amplifying both expectations and scrutiny. We’ve positioned marketing as this magic bullet—think viral campaigns or shiny new tech—that can turn around any business. But when the results don’t match the hype, trust erodes. AI has only intensified this because it’s often sold as a game-changer without clear boundaries on what it can realistically do. This gap between promise and delivery frustrates business leaders who are looking for tangible outcomes, not just buzzwords.
How do you think the tendency to overpromise has shaped the relationship between marketers and other stakeholders like CEOs or boards?
Overpromising has created a real trust deficit. When marketers pitch grand ideas or AI-driven miracles without grounding them in reality, stakeholders start to see us as more performative than strategic. I’ve seen CEOs and boards grow skeptical when campaigns fail to deliver the promised revenue lift or customer growth, especially if the focus was on flashy tactics rather than core business needs. It pushes marketers into a defensive position, where we’re constantly trying to prove our worth instead of being seen as trusted partners. That skepticism can make it harder to secure buy-in for future initiatives.
Why do you think marketing is often viewed as a mystical force that can rescue struggling businesses?
I think it comes from a mix of cultural perception and our own storytelling. Marketing is inherently visible—ads, social media, branding—so it’s easy for people to assume it’s the face of a company’s success or failure. Plus, we’ve leaned into narratives of transformation, like how a clever campaign can “reinvent” a brand. While that can happen, it sets an unrealistic benchmark that marketing alone can fix deeper issues like poor product-market fit or operational flaws. Everyone loves a Cinderella story, and marketing often gets cast as the fairy godmother, which oversimplifies what we actually do.
How can marketers better communicate the real limits of what marketing can achieve to the rest of the business?
It starts with honesty and alignment. Marketers need to be upfront that while we can amplify a business’s strengths, we can’t create substance where there’s none. I’ve found it helpful to frame marketing as a magnifying glass—it enhances what’s already there, good or bad. So, if the product or customer experience is broken, no amount of branding will save it. Having candid conversations with leadership about how marketing fits into the broader business strategy, and where it doesn’t, builds credibility. It’s about setting clear boundaries early on, ideally with data to back up why certain problems are outside our scope.
Why do you think there’s such a heavy reliance on vanity metrics like click-through rates or engagement scores in marketing?
Vanity metrics are seductive because they’re easy to measure and they make us look busy. Getting a high click-through rate or a spike in social engagement feels like a win, and it’s something tangible to show in a report. But often, these numbers don’t translate to what the business actually cares about—sales, revenue, or customer retention. I think marketers lean on them because they’re under pressure to show quick results, and sometimes we lack the systems or alignment to track deeper impact. It’s also a bit of a comfort zone; focusing on these metrics avoids the harder conversations about whether we’re truly moving the needle.
What metrics should marketers prioritize instead to demonstrate real business impact?
We need to shift toward outcomes that matter to the entire organization, like pipeline growth, conversion rates, and customer lifetime value. These directly tie marketing efforts to revenue and retention, which are the metrics that keep CEOs and CFOs up at night. For instance, instead of bragging about website traffic, I’d focus on how many of those visitors turned into qualified leads and eventually customers. It’s about building a narrative around contribution to the bottom line, not just activity. This requires tighter collaboration with sales and finance teams to ensure we’re all speaking the same language.
How can marketers combat the perception that marketing is just ‘fluff’ and not a core driver of growth?
First, we have to stop treating marketing as a standalone show and start integrating it into the business’s core strategy. When we align our goals with sales, product, and customer success, it’s harder to dismiss us as fluff. Another piece is owning our results—both the wins and the misses. I’ve found that being transparent about what worked, what didn’t, and why, helps build respect. Also, we need to push back on the idea that everyone’s a marketing expert just because they have an opinion. Educating colleagues on the data and discipline behind our decisions shows that this isn’t just creative guesswork; it’s a science.
What role does transparency play in reshaping how marketing is viewed within an organization?
Transparency is everything. When we’re open about our processes, challenges, and results, we demystify marketing and position ourselves as strategic partners. For example, if a campaign underperforms, admitting it quickly and sharing the lessons learned shows accountability. It also helps manage expectations by clarifying what marketing can and can’t control. I’ve seen transparency turn skeptics into allies because it builds trust—no one expects perfection, but they do expect honesty. It’s about creating a dialogue where marketing isn’t a black box but a collaborative effort.
What’s your forecast for the future of marketing as we navigate these challenges in the AI era?
I believe marketing is at a turning point. With AI, we have incredible tools to personalize, optimize, and scale like never before, but only if we use them with discipline and clarity. My forecast is that the marketers who thrive will be those who prioritize results over hype, focusing on measurable impact rather than trendy tactics. I think we’ll see a shift toward tighter integration with other business functions, where marketing isn’t just a megaphone but a key player in driving strategy. The credibility crisis can be overcome, but it’ll require us to embrace honesty, align with business goals, and continuously adapt to what the data and market are telling us. It’s an exciting time, but it demands a new level of rigor.
