Dads Talk Data

Hey, have a topic for us? Most companies don't have an event ROI problem. They have a data structure problem around events. Casper and Kasper unpack why event ROI is almost always calculated wrong: short-term attribution on a long-term influence channel. You scan 300 badges, follow up on all of them, convert almost none, and call it brand. Both Caspers have done it. Neither recommends it. The fix isn't more leads. It's qualified presence. Pre-event planning around target accounts. CRM discipline that captures real conversations, not tote-bag handoffs. And a 48-hour follow-up window for the 5% who are actually in-market. There's also a swag tip involving LED glasses, the Adobe Summit bash, and 25 people swarming a booth at midnight. That part is free.

Hey, have a topic for us? Adobe Summit just dropped a wave of AI announcements - CX Enterprise, the new CX Analytics umbrella, the CX coworker, MCP servers, agents shipping in weeks rather than quarters. The keynote-friendly version is exciting. The honest version is more boring: none of it works without a data foundation. And most companies still don't have one. In this episode, Casper and Kasper recap what was actually announced, what it will likely cost, and why the same data-quality conversation keeps showing up — only now the stakes are higher, because GDPR, IT alignment, and AI training rights all sit on top of it. If you came home from Summit with a wishlist, this is the episode about turning it into a checklist. Blogpost mentioned in episode: https://accrease.com/articles/adobe-summit-2026-what-cmos-actually-need-to-know/

Hey, have a topic for us? Recorded live from Adobe Summit in Las Vegas. Three interviews, one clear signal: Adobe is shipping MCP servers and agents across the stack - and the timeline is weeks, not quarters. Caitlin Foster (Adobe) on Experience League: the most underused asset in the Adobe ecosystem, why most customers still don't engage with it, and what to do about it. Derek Tangren (Adobe Analytics & CJA) on what's coming: MCP servers connecting Claude, Cursor and ChatGPT directly to Adobe Analytics and CJA data, plus Data Insights Agent 2.0 - both shipping within weeks of Summit. Jason Hickey (Journey Optimizer) on Journey Agent moving from chat-bot to always-on co-pilot, the new MCP server for AJO and Target, and AJO Loyalty - a new product gamifying progress for banks, wealth managers and industries far outside retail. The thread running through all three: practitioners are becoming builders, and Adobe is moving fast to meet them where they actually work. Plus: why we keep flying to Vegas for this one.

Hey, have a topic for us? Laurence Paquette, VP of Marketing at Vestas, had a rough 2024. Divorce, losing a best friend, burnout — and 35,000 colleagues watching. She still went to work. And at some point, she told her team. This episode is about what happens when leaders actually do the thing they tell others to do — be vulnerable, be human, be present. Not as a culture initiative. As survival. We also get into the unusual world of industrial B2B marketing: no leads, ~300 customers, deals worth hundreds of millions, and a TikTok account featuring cows next to wind turbines. Laurence makes the case that even in that world, people buy on emotion — and that marketers who won't accept that are still making PDF brochures nobody reads. One thread runs through all of it: the cost of pretending everything is fine.

Hey, have a topic for us? In this episode, we talk about Adobe Summit — what it really is, and how to get value from it. Because let’s be honest… It’s not just about sessions. We break down: Why we go (hint: it’s not for the slides) How to actually get value from events like Summit The importance of meeting customers and partners face-to-face Why some of the best conversations happen outside the agenda And yes… the unofficial competition: who has the best swag Whether you're attending or just curious what all the hype is about — this episode gives you a practical take on what actually matters. And if you’re going to Summit… we might see you there 👀

Hey, have a topic for us? AI isn’t the real problem. Marketing is. In this episode, we talk about a growing trend: Mass layoffs in marketing — driven by AI. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: AI isn’t replacing marketing teams. It’s exposing them. Because when marketing is seen as a workflow … it can be automated. We break down: Why marketing is often first in line for budget cuts Why AI is accelerating a problem that’s been there for years And why most teams still struggle to prove real business impact The key question: 👉 Are you building a marketing function… or just running workflows? Because if you can’t prove value to the business — someone (or something) else will do it cheaper.

Hey, have a topic for us? Marketing isn’t underperforming. It’s just not trusted. In this episode, we unpack a striking insight: 90% of CEOs don’t trust marketing to report commercial impact. Not because marketing isn’t delivering results — but because the way we report doesn’t connect to the business. We break down: Why marketing focuses on channels instead of business impact Why CFOs win the argument (almost every time) And how this has become a structural problem — not a performance problem Plus, we share a simple 3-step approach we’re seeing work across companies: Move from platform reporting → holistic reporting Take true data ownership Align marketing with what the CFO actually cares about Because until marketing can prove impact in business terms… it will never be the most trusted voice in the room.

Hey, have a topic for us? In this episode, we dig into one of the most honest conversations in consulting: what does it really mean to build a great team when the talent pool is small, the tools are niche, and your best people are always in demand? We talk about: Why Adobe talent is so hard to find — and why the same people keep circling the same companies Junior vs. senior: what's the right split — and why you need to map the team before you post the job The stepping stone philosophy — building a company where people grow, even if they eventually leave Culture over control — why the 9-to-5 office empties the second the clock hits, and what to do instead The boomerang effect — why celebrating departures is actually good for business Because if no one wants to hire your people, that's the real problem.

Hey, have a topic for us? Most companies don’t have a data problem — they have a trust problem . In this episode, we break down a simple leadership framework we’re seeing across enterprises that are winning right now: Align data to business outcomes (start with the questions, not the tools) Establish data ownership (who owns definitions, standards, and quality?) Build marketing data confidence (not perfect data — trusted data leaders can act on) Because when leadership doesn’t trust marketing numbers, you get the usual loop: endless dashboards, constant explanation, and decisions made on gut feel — while AI gets trained on noise. If you want faster decisions, better budget allocation, and fewer “prove it” conversations… this is the place to start.

Hey, have a topic for us? We’re back — welcome to Season 2. In this kickoff episode, we reflect on what we learned from Season 1: why most podcasts die before episode 3 (and how we cheated the odds), what we’re changing in our recording setup, and why publishing consistently matters more than having the “perfect” production. We also zoom out: AI is accelerating marketing and decision-making — and that only works if the data foundation is actually solid. Tools are important, but the real shift we’re seeing is organizations focusing on data, people, and outcomes (not just technology). Plus: stress, breathing exercises, and a cliffhanger dad joke for next episode.

Hey, have a topic for us? Being data-driven isn’t about tools, dashboards, or technology stacks. In this episode, we talk about data culture — and why people, leadership, and shared understanding matter more than any platform. We discuss what successful data-driven organizations have in common, how teams become motivated (not just informed) by data, and why ownership and clear outcomes are the real foundations. Technology enables. Data informs. But culture is what actually makes it work. If you’ve ever wondered why great tools still don’t lead to better decisions, this episode is for you.

Hey, have a topic for us? Roughly half of marketing activity can’t be tracked properly — yet we still argue about attribution models. In this episode, we talk about Adobe Mix Modeler (AMM) and why marketing mix modeling is suddenly relevant again. Not as a replacement for attribution, but as a way to answer a much more practical question: Where should you spend your next marketing dollar? We discuss how AMM works, why it doesn’t care about UTMs or cookies, and how combining aggregated data with real events can surface impact you’d otherwise miss. Attribution is still useful. But when tracking breaks down, this is often where the real conversation starts.

Hey, have a topic for us? This episode is a K/C-asper overload — in the best way. We’re joined by Kasper Rasmussen , co-founder of Accutics, to unpack a concept that sounds fluffy… until you realize it’s the missing ingredient behind almost every “data-driven” ambition: a shared data language . We break down what it actually means in practice (hint: it’s not just a taxonomy or a spreadsheet). A shared data language connects everything from briefing and naming conventions inside platforms, to URL tagging, reporting structures, documentation, governance, and—most importantly— ownership . We also tackle the uncomfortable truth behind why data trust keeps collapsing in large organizations: the numbers will never match across platforms, and that’s not a bug — it’s two different truths used for two different purposes. The real problem is when companies don’t agree on which truth belongs where , and end up arguing instead of optimizing. If you work in a multi-market setup, with agencies, hundreds of campaigns, and “data-driven” as a board-level slogan — this is your blueprint for turning it into reality.

Hey, have a topic for us? In this episode, we unpack one of the most misunderstood words in modern marketing: maturity . Based on real-world insights from an Adobe Target event, we talk about why most organizations are stuck at “one-to-many” personalization — and why that might not actually be a failure. We explore the personalization maturity ladder, what’s really holding teams back from moving up (spoiler: it’s not the tech), and why lack of executive sponsorship, siloed data, and unclear strategy beat “missing features” every time. We also challenge the idea that one-to-one personalization is always the end goal. Sometimes, the problem isn’t execution — it’s that no one has agreed on what success actually looks like . Buying the tool turned out to be the easy part. Adoption, outcomes, and organizational alignment? That’s where things fall apart. As always, we circle back to a familiar theme: you don’t get fit by buying a gym membership — and you don’t get mature by buying software.

Hey, have a topic for us? In this episode, we take on one of marketing’s most uncomfortable topics: ROI — and why the way we calculate it is fundamentally broken. We talk about why marketing numbers get recalculated (or quietly dismissed) the moment they hit the CFO’s desk, and why attribution debates, channel wars, and “soft metrics” aren’t the real problem. The real issue is data quality — or rather, the lack of it. We unpack a simple but uncomfortable idea: if only 50% of your data is trustworthy, then only 50% of your reported ROI should be trusted as well. From paid media tracking to campaign tagging and analytics foundations, we argue that data quality isn’t a hygiene task or an IT problem — it’s a core input to the ROI formula . Fix that, and marketing suddenly becomes a lot harder to argue with. Ignore it, and no spreadsheet will ever save you.

Hey, have a topic for us? In this longer CMO edition, we’re joined by Frederik Grønlund Scholten , CMO (VP Marketing) at TV 2 Denmark , to talk about what actually matters when you step into a new CMO role. We dig into why the first 90 days shouldn’t be a template exercise - but a deliberate phase of listening, learning the culture, and building trust across the organization. Frederik shares his view of the CMO as the company’s connector and orchestrator, and why aligning value creation across teams is the only real way to avoid “data wars” and silo truth. We also get concrete on the mechanics: evidence over opinions, the long-term vs short-term balance (60/40), why emotional branding works when it’s tied to business logic, and why most companies don’t need more martech - they need to get serious about use cases, outcomes, and the tech they already paid for. We wrap with leadership lessons, team-building, and why “hurry up slowly” might be the most underrated career advice in marketing.

Hey, have a topic for us? In this episode, we explore the shift from “web analytics” to what we’re calling experience analytics - and why moving from Adobe Analytics to Customer Journey Analytics (CJA) shouldn’t be treated as a simple one-to-one migration. We talk about the real value of CJA: stitching online and offline data to finally see the full customer journey across web, call center, and physical stores. But we also get honest about what it takes to succeed: clear use cases, organizational maturity, shared ownership across teams, and a solid identity strategy for stitching data together. Our takeaway is simple: don’t upgrade for the sake of features or renewals. Upgrade with a plan - and treat it as a business transformation, not a technical migration.

Hey, have a topic for us? In this episode, we challenge one of the most overused (and unhelpful) phrases in data: “garbage in, garbage out.” We talk about how a negative data narrative can actually sabotage data-driven ambitions, and why constantly focusing on what’s broken creates friction instead of progress. Instead, we argue for a mindset shift: focusing on the data we trust - our gold data - and building from there. We discuss why data should be prioritized early in projects (not rushed in at the end), why “big data” is often the wrong goal, and how trusted data is the real foundation for ROI, AI, and business impact. The takeaway? Stop collecting everything. Start collecting what matters - and talk about data as an enabler, not a problem. Garbage in, garbage out is officially dead. Long live gold in, gold out .

Hey, have a topic for us? Why do different teams in the same company end up with different “truths” in the data - and why does it turn into a political battle? In this episode, we unpack “data wars”: the clash between optimization truth (marketing performance) and business truth (actual outcomes). We talk about why marketing, IT, data teams and executives often operate in silos, why dashboards don’t add up, and how “single source of truth” is more myth than reality. We dive into shared data language, integration challenges, compliance concerns, and why business value - not tools or politics - should be the starting point. And yes, there are dad jokes. Data quality starts with honesty.

Hey, have a topic for us? In this episode, we dive into Adobe’s new AI agents in Customer Journey Analytics and what they actually mean for businesses - beyond the hype. We talk about how AI agents can democratize analytics, automate reporting, and free up time for real analysis. But we also get brutally honest about the elephant in the room: data quality, governance, and trust. Because AI doesn’t fix bad data - it just scales the problem. We discuss AI as a workflow enabler vs. AI as a business driver, why most AI projects die in pilot, and why executives, not tools, need to take ownership if AI is going to create real business value. Also: one of us is officially declared a “grumpy old man” when it comes to AI. We stand by it.