Building the AI-Native Marketing Team with Vanessa Hope Schneider and Descript

Every marketing leader should give their team an AI framework for rethinking how they work.

In this week’s episode of Growth Talks, Vanessa Hope Schneider, Head of Marketing at Descript, joins host Tyler Elliston, Founder and CEO of Right Side Up, to break down how AI is becoming core to every marketer’s role and what that shift means for how modern teams operate.

Drawing on her leadership experience from Airbnb, Eventbrite, and Descript, Vanessa outlines a framework for helping teams adopt AI while preserving the human element that defines great marketing. 

Find out why learning AI tools and experimenting with real workflows is key to understanding where AI adds value and setting your team up for success.

🗝️ Key Takeaways:

• Lead with identity. Every disruptive brand starts by tapping into something deeper than function—it connects to pride, purpose, and self-expression. When people see themselves in what you’re building, adoption follows.
• Try out this AI framework. 1) Use AI to research and synthesize insights, 2) automate repeatable workflows, and 3) connect your tools to create smarter systems that improve efficiency and decision-making.
• Turn personas into prompts. Build GPTs trained on real customer research to test messaging and ad creatives to sharpen your GTM strategy. One setup can boost speed and alignment across every campaign.
• Expand your creative options. From early brand concepts to visual patterns, use AI to help your design team explore ideas faster, gather feedback, and make more confident creative decisions.
• From prompt to production. Turn a single video concept into a first draft with scripted scenes and multilingual voiceovers. Use AI in creative ideation so your team spends less time setting up and more time storytelling.
• New AI-native marketing teams need two key roles. AI-native builders who design the workflows, and people with taste who choose the strongest creative direction. Together, they’ll set your team up for future success.
• Take an AI vacation. Block off a week to immerse yourself in the tools. Upload strategy docs, test workflows, and explore new use cases. The best way to lead your team into AI is to experience it yourself.

⏰ Timestamps

• 02:51 Balancing Culture and Performance
• 05:09 Disruption and Identity in Marketing
• 08:07 Expanding the Customer Base with AI
• 11.22 User Profiles and Market Education
• 16:51 Practical Frameworks for AI Marketing
• 22.54 AI's Impact on Video and Storytelling
• 31.43 Navigating the Future of Synthetic Media
• 34.28 Inside Airbnb’s Superhost Success
• 43.31 Building AI Marketing Teams

🔗  Mentioned in this episode:

• Descript: https://www.descript.com/
• Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.com/
• Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/
• Replit: https://replit.com/ai
• Lindy: https://www.lindy.ai/
• Bolt: https://bolt.new/
• ChatGPT: https://chatgpt.com/
• Claude: https://claude.ai/
• Zapier: https://zapier.com/
• Relay: https://www.relay.app/

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