Carlos Gil - The End of Marketing: Humanizing Your Brand in the Age of Social Media and AI

Is your marketing failing? Study this book. Carlos Gil reveals a strategy for developing a loyal community in an age where loyalty is hard to come by.

Michael Stelzner, Founder and CEO, Social Media Examiner

Carlos Gils illustrious career makes him expertly positioned to help readers navigate the ever-changing world of marketing technology. Its exciting to find a book that provides both a strategic roadmap as well as detailed common-sense advice. Its a must-read for both seasoned marketers and those who are just starting the journey to build a personal brand.

Bonin Bough, Founder and Chief Growth Officer, Bonin Ventures

Carlos Gil is relentless in his dedication to his craft. Dont bother reading The End of Marketing if you arent ready to alter your stale marketing mindset.

Leah Dorsey Harris, Content and Programming Director, Digital Summit Series

Razor-sharp, insightful and unafraid to say it like it is. Carlos Gil paves the way for a new era in marketing.

Gerard Adams, Co-founder, Elite Daily

Carlos Gil is one of the most brilliant marketers Ive ever had the pleasure of working with and his insights and knowledge are critical to succeeding in business today. The End of Marketing is essential reading for entrepreneurs and marketers alike. The author is right: marketing is dead; human connection and emotions are what drive people and their actions.

Josh Machiz, Head of Client Engagement, Nasdaq

I first saw Carlos Gil speak at SXSW in 2016 and immediately hired him to work with our company. His knowledge, expertise and ability to teach and or implement best practices puts him in an elite category.

Chris Heller, Chief Real Estate Officer, OJO Labs

Carlos Gil is an international keynote speaker and award-winning digital storyteller with over a decade of experience leading social media strategy for global brands including LinkedIn, Winn-Dixie, Save-A-Lot and BMC Software. A first-generation Latino American, Gils work has been featured by CNNMoney, Harvard Business Review , Entrepreneur and Social Media Examiner, in addition to dozens of trade publications. At present, Gil is the CEO and founder of Gil Media Co., a full-service digital marketing firm based in Los Angeles, which works with Fortune 500 clients.

First, to God be the glory for putting me in situations throughout my life, which made me who I am today. I wholeheartedly believe that we are a byproduct of our circumstances, including the people we meet and the situations we encounter along the way. While I am grateful for the mentor figures throughout my professional career who helped guide me during critical points of my adulthood, its my parents that have always had my back since day one. Thank you to my mother, Millie Gil, for first introducing me to LinkedIn on one fateful day in November 2008. I often wonder where Id be or who Id be had I never took her advice to look into it. As they say, mom knows best. To my father, Carlos J Gil, there are four pieces of advice that youve always shared with me that anyone reading my book should know: 1. The worst type of fear is the one you anticipate; 2. Always keep your lightbulb on; 3. Never discuss money, religion, or politics outside of your home; and 4. Its better to be the head of an ant than the tail of an elephant. Thank you for your wisdom, always, Dad. Lastly, thank you to Chris Cudmore, Lachean Humphreys and the entire team at Kogan Page for helping me bring this book to life and, more importantly, for believing in me. It was my goal to write a book, and I did it. Everything else from this point forward is a bonus. Thank you.

Ive known Carlos for several years now. After years of building an online friendship, we finally met in person, ironically, during a digital event on the first floor of Twitters headquarters in San Francisco. We immediately struck up a real-world friendship, one I enjoy to this day. Id always respected Carloss drive and real talk approach to digital engagement. But more so, I grew to admire who he is as a person. The Carlos that I got to know over the years is genuine, thoughtful and caring the kinds of qualities you want to see in everyone, everywhere, but are often rare. This is why we cherish these special qualities when we actually see them in others.

I guess thats what this is all about.

No matter what we do in life, whether personally or professionally, humanity counts for everything.

Its that authentic sincerity and consideration that forms the foundation for the most meaningful and mutually beneficial relationships. You know it when you feel it. Whether its online or in the real world, this foundation defines the nature of our engagement and connection. But with digital comes an opportunity to strengthen these foundations to scale exponentially.

Were incredibly fortunate to live in a time when we have access to new genres of relationships and connections. When you think about it, we were given gifts to connect with people we wouldnt normally have seen or heard from otherwise. You too, were bestowed with gifts to reach others who would most likely never know your name or what it is that makes you uniquely you. But more so, we were presented with incredible, rich new sources for fresh perspectives and ideas and unconventional ways of communicating, thinking and learning.

These gifts changed everything.

Media was socialized. Information, relationships and influence were broadly democratized. The world became much smaller and more accessible. Suddenly, everyone was given a voice, unforeseen promise and empowerment, and a chance to change the future. Its now possible for everyone to broadcast and consume media and interact with one another on demand all day all night every day. And, we do. Maybe, too much.

Not everyone realizes the value of these gifts however.

For some, these precious gifts introduced dynamic means and capabilities to do the same old things as before, but in new places. They broadcast messages, talk rather than listen, promote instead of learn, and build audiences over communities.

The promise of these gifts is still largely untapped. The opportunity is there however, for anyone who can see possibilities in a new light, without the shackles of legacy perspectives or biases of past measures of success.

We now live in a time where people are becoming brands and brands are trying to become people. Yet somewhere along the way, we have all been guilty of exaggerating the me in social media rather than perpetuate the humanity of what it means to truly be social.

As social and all forms of media become increasingly intelligent, the time is now to break free from mass conventions and our over-emphasis on shiny objects and finite trends. The gifts are still abundant to do so.

With the right perspective and intent, and with a little empathy added for good measure, emerging intelligent platforms can shine the spotlight on the people and the insights that matter most to us. With artificial intelligence (AI) though, ironically, were offered a chance to become more human. But AI also carries with it the dangers of reinforcing dated biases to only make media ever more anti-social.

Everything changes with you.

Thats the power you have and the potential you already possess.

The gifts before you and those on the horizon are not bound to any previous outlooks, practices or protocols. Theyre only limited by imagination, purpose and conviction.

You have a choice in what you do differently.

If theres any assurance I can offer, its that most people will choose to follow what they already know. In doing so, they wont truly break new ground. They wont truly create new value. They wont sow more meaningful relationships.