Most brands talk about standing out. Very few actually do it. The ones that win are the ones willing to take a swing, sometimes even a wild one.

That’s exactly what GoDaddy did with the “Act Like You Know” campaign, a Super Bowl ad that became a cultural moment because of its boldness. In this episode, we explore the marketing lessons behind it with the help of our special guest Sydney Sloan, Chief Marketing Officer at G2.

Together, we explore what B2B marketers can learn from emotional storytelling, influencer culture, and why building brand in the age of AI requires creativity, boldness, and a willingness to have a little fun.

About our guest, Sydney Sloan

Sydney Sloan is a visionary marketing leader with a track record of driving growth and innovation in the tech industry. As CMO of G2, the world’s largest and most trusted software marketplace, Sydney is at the forefront of shaping the company's strategic direction. Sydney previously held CMO roles at compliance automation software company Drata, sales tech leader Salesloft, and cloud content management visionary Alfresco.

What B2B Companies Can Learn From GoDaddy’s “Act Like You Know” Campaign:

• Take bold swings. Safe marketing doesn’t get noticed. To capture attention, B2B brands have to be willing to step outside the comfort zone and take real creative risks. As Sydney shared, “Take a big swing. Go do something outside of your comfort zone.” Boldness is the difference between blending in and breaking through.
• Your brand is the moat. With paid tactics getting harder, brand is the lasting advantage. It’s not about clicks or keywords anymore. It’s about the emotional connection people feel. As Sydney says, “Brand is right. It’s the emotional connection that you actually build between a brand, which is not a person… and the audience.” In the age of AI, trust and resonance are the true differentiators.
• Influencers aren’t just for B2C. Big-budget companies might hire celebrities, but every B2B brand can find ways to put people at the center of their story. It’s about connection, not just reach. Sydney explained, “You can still use influencers, you can still have people connecting to people and doing it in creative ways.” In B2B, credibility often comes best through people, not platforms.

Quote

“We gotta go back and invest in brand. And what does that mean, and how do I do it? It’s not the old playbook. That thing is gone. Display, out the windows. Google search, out the window. We are all at the starting line together. And whoever's the most creative and figures out this new era we’re in has an unfair advantage.”

Time Stamps

[00:55] Meet Sydney Sloan, CMO at G2

[01:17] Why GoDaddy's “Act Like You Know” Campaign

[03:55] The Role of Influencers in B2B Marketing

[11:39] The Role of CMO at G2

[13:19] Understanding GoDaddy's “Act Like You Know” Campaign

[19:32] B2B Marketing Lessons from GoDaddy's “Act Like You Know” Campaign

[33:29] The Power of Creative Marketing

[37:50] Final Thoughts and Takeaways

Links

Connect with Sydney on LinkedIn

Learn more about G2

About Remarkable!

Remarkable! is created by the team at Caspian Studios, the premier B2B Podcast-as-a-Service company. Caspian creates both nonfiction and fiction series for B2B companies. If you want a fiction series check out our new offering - The Business Thriller - Hollywood style storytelling for B2B. Learn more at CaspianStudios.com.

In today’s episode, you heard from Ian Faison (CEO of Caspian Studios) and Meredith Gooderham (Head of Production). Remarkable was produced this week by Jess Avellino, mixed by Scott Goodrich, and our theme song is “Solomon” by FALAK.

Create something remarkable. Rise above the noise.

Being the underdog might feel like a disadvantage or your greatest marketing edge.

That’s the brilliance of Steph Curry’s story. He redefined basketball not by being the tallest or strongest, but by mastering the three-pointer, staying relentlessly consistent, and building an empire as the face of an underdog brand. In this episode, we explore the marketing lessons from Steph Curry with the help of our special guest Brian Gilman, Chief Marketing Officer at ThetaRay.

Together, we dig into what B2B marketers can learn from embracing the underdog role, cutting through noise with consistency, and focusing on doing one thing better than anyone else to create real brand gravity.

About our guest, Brian Gilman

Brian Gilam is the CMO at ThetaRay. He is a visionary Chief Executive with a proven track record in spearheading strategic B2B sales/marketing initiatives and driving robust growth. Brian excels in leading companies through critical transitions, including exit events and funding rounds, while managing large-scale projects and multi-million-dollar budgets. He is an expert in crafting high-ROI programs, fostering C-Level engagements, and negotiating impactful partnerships.

What B2B Companies Can Learn From Steph Curry:

• Play the underdog role. Steph could’ve gone with Nike or Adidas like every other superstar, but he signed with Under Armour, the underdog, and turned it into a cultural force. Brian says, “His role as an underdog… It’s endearing to be able to play the role of underdog as well as he does, and I think that’s why people resonate with him as well as they do.” For marketers, especially at scale-ups, that lesson is powerful: people root for challengers who feel accessible and relatable. Positioning your brand as the scrappy player in the game can create emotional connection far beyond features and price.
• Focus on consistency over noise. Steph’s greatness comes from showing up every day and blocking out distractions. Brian says, “He controls what he can control.” In marketing, the same discipline applies. Instead of chasing every channel or campaign, concentrate on the actions that matter most. Steph doesn’t let the highs get too high or the lows too low, he just executes. That consistency of effort is what makes him durable and dominant. For B2B, that means resisting the urge to “do it all” and instead building steady momentum with tactics that reliably drive results.
• Do one thing better than anyone else. Steph didn’t try to be everything, he mastered the three-pointer until it broke the NBA. Brian explains, “For me, it’s always do one thing really, really well. Forget about the marketing machine, you need that one thing, and then build the next thing.” Just as Curry’s deep shooting created “gravity” that opened the floor for teammates, one marketing strength executed brilliantly can lift all your other channels. Don’t spread yourself thin, find your version of the 30-foot three-pointer and own it.

Quotes

“I think that in today’s market, successful marketers are gonna throw out the book on convention. I’ve never seen such a highly competitive environment… and unless you’re thinking about speed, cutting out the number of touch points, and getting to that face-to-face interaction as fast as humanly possible, you’re never gonna get business anymore.”

Time Stamps

[00:55] Meet Brian Gilman, Chief Marketing Officer at ThetaRay

[01:03] Why Steph Curry?

[04:28] The Role of CMO of Thetaray

[06:23] Who is Steph Curry?

[26:58] B2B Marketing Takeaways from Steph Curry

[39:13] Brian's Marketing Strategy

[42:20] Final Thoughts and Takeaways

Links

Connect with Brian on LinkedIn

Learn more about ThetaRay

About Remarkable!

Remarkable! is created by the team at Caspian Studios, the premier B2B Podcast-as-a-Service company. Caspian creates both nonfiction and fiction series for B2B companies. If you want a fiction series check out our new offering - The Business Thriller - Hollywood style storytelling for B2B. Learn more at CaspianStudios.com.

In today’s episode, you heard from Ian Faison (CEO of Caspian Studios) and Meredith Gooderham (Head of Production). Remarkable was produced this week by Jess Avellino, mixed by Scott Goodrich, and our theme song is “Solomon” by FALAK.

Create something remarkable. Rise above the noise.