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The End of Marketing: Humanizing Your Brand in the Age of Social Media and AI
Social networks are the new norm and traditional marketing is failing in today's digital, always-on culture. Businesses across the world are having to face up to how they remain relevant in the choppy waters of the digital ocean. In an era where a YouTube star gets more daily impressions than Nike, Coca-Cola and Walmart combined, traditional marketing as we know it is dead.
The End of Marketing revolutionizes the way brands, agencies and marketers should approach marketing. From how Donald Trump won the American presidency using social media and why Kim Kardashian is one of the world's biggest online brands, through to the impact of bots and automation, this book will teach you about new features and emerging platforms that will engage customers and employees. Discover bold content ideas, hear from some of the world's largest brands and content creators and find out how to build smarter paid-strategies, guaranteed to help you dominate your markets.
The End of Marketing explains that no matter how easy it is to reach potential customers, the key relationship between brand and consumer still needs the human touch. Learn how to put 'social' back into social media and claim brand relevancy in a world where algorithms dominate, organic reach is dwindling and consumers don't want to be sold to, they want to be engaged.
The End of Marketing revolutionizes the way brands, agencies and marketers should approach marketing. From how Donald Trump won the American presidency using social media and why Kim Kardashian is one of the world's biggest online brands, through to the impact of bots and automation, this book will teach you about new features and emerging platforms that will engage customers and employees. Discover bold content ideas, hear from some of the world's largest brands and content creators and find out how to build smarter paid-strategies, guaranteed to help you dominate your markets.
The End of Marketing explains that no matter how easy it is to reach potential customers, the key relationship between brand and consumer still needs the human touch. Learn how to put 'social' back into social media and claim brand relevancy in a world where algorithms dominate, organic reach is dwindling and consumers don't want to be sold to, they want to be engaged.
240 pages, Hardcover
Published October 29, 2019
77 people are currently reading
580 people want to read
About the author
Carlos Gil
1 book12 followersCarlos Gil is a leading expert in social media marketing and a recognized thought leader in the industry. With over a decade of experience helping global brands and Fortune 500 companies succeed in the digital world, Gil is the author of the bestselling book "The End of Marketing: Humanizing Your Brand in the Age of Social Media and AI". As an international keynote speaker and author, he shares his insights on social media strategy with audiences around the world. His clients include top brands such as LinkedIn, Winn-Dixie, Save-A-Lot, and BMC Software, and publications like Social Media Examiner, Inc. and Entrepreneur Magazine have recognized his expertise. Gil has also worked with notable clients like Hertz, DocuSign, Western Union, Fiverr, Kay Jewelers, and Green Dot Bank. As an influencer, he has partnered with leading companies like Nationwide Insurance, Facebook, Snapchat, MGM Resorts, Southwest Airlines, and WeWork on successful campaigns and initiatives. Gil's deep understanding of the constantly evolving social media landscape make him a valuable asset for any brand looking to dominate in the digital age.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
October 11, 2020
Although the book has some good insights, it's a lot of the author bragging about himself and repeating key points chapter after chapter. This book felt like it could have just been an extended article.
October 8, 2020
Humanize your brand. Be unique by being yourself. Marketing needs to change to a data office. It seems like an utopia but reality shows: for every positive side is the negative one as well. In conclusion, the book is well-written.
December 16, 2019
This is my humble review on The End of Marketing by Carlos Gil.
The reason I picked up this book in the first place is because I honestly want to learn about marketing. In my current position with my employer I am their graphic designer and photographer. These are the fields I studied and are familiar with. We are a small company and we don’t have a marketing team so all that work falls on my shoulders. I’ve really never studied or put much attention into marketing and honestly I don’t know how to successfully attack it.
I figured that since I am the one that handles all of the social media accounts that it was best to learn some new skills. The End of Marketing was a really good book, I loved how easy it was to read and understand. Carlos does an amazing job of breaking down examples of how to better market your brand. The most important nugget I got from this book is that you need to humanize your content. Logos don’t sell or generate interest, people are not interested in being sold too, they want to know that you are human and show interest in them too.
I realized that I was going about social media in the wrong way. Since I picked up this book I started changing the way I create and post content not only for the company, but for my own personal brand.
To those that are on the fence about picking this book up, I say DO IT!!! Read it and start applying the tactics suggested.
Thank you for writing this book Carlos and congratulations on the success you have had thus far.
Best wishes for an even better 2020, and I hope to be able to see you speak next year.
Alondra
The reason I picked up this book in the first place is because I honestly want to learn about marketing. In my current position with my employer I am their graphic designer and photographer. These are the fields I studied and are familiar with. We are a small company and we don’t have a marketing team so all that work falls on my shoulders. I’ve really never studied or put much attention into marketing and honestly I don’t know how to successfully attack it.
I figured that since I am the one that handles all of the social media accounts that it was best to learn some new skills. The End of Marketing was a really good book, I loved how easy it was to read and understand. Carlos does an amazing job of breaking down examples of how to better market your brand. The most important nugget I got from this book is that you need to humanize your content. Logos don’t sell or generate interest, people are not interested in being sold too, they want to know that you are human and show interest in them too.
I realized that I was going about social media in the wrong way. Since I picked up this book I started changing the way I create and post content not only for the company, but for my own personal brand.
To those that are on the fence about picking this book up, I say DO IT!!! Read it and start applying the tactics suggested.
Thank you for writing this book Carlos and congratulations on the success you have had thus far.
Best wishes for an even better 2020, and I hope to be able to see you speak next year.
Alondra
November 3, 2022
Have I learned something new? No
Was it easy to read? Yes
Could I recommend this to anyone? Young social media specialists without much experience. Graduates.
The title is so much overpromising. The end of marketing... But whole book is written about social media only.
For the cultural reference, it was hard to read so much bragging, but probably it is normal for Americans.
Was it easy to read? Yes
Could I recommend this to anyone? Young social media specialists without much experience. Graduates.
The title is so much overpromising. The end of marketing... But whole book is written about social media only.
For the cultural reference, it was hard to read so much bragging, but probably it is normal for Americans.
Read
August 30, 2022Learn how to create an engaging brand presence on social media.
Who do you want to buy stuff from – a brand, or a person?
These days, social media makes it easier than ever for brands to connect with customers. But people have a natural aversion to being sold to by faceless, impersonal brands that are clearly just hanging out on Twitter to make a profit.
So what should businesses do, to harness the power of social media?
The short answer is: be more human. Social media will only help you if you’re sociable, relatable and not too explicit about your desperate desire for sales. A more indirect approach to selling your product will yield better results in the long term.
That’s not to say that there aren’t all manner of smart tactics you can use to hack your way to social media success. But whatever you do, you mustn’t lose sight of the need to humanize your brand. That’s what this book will help you do.
---
In the new era of social media, traditional marketing is dead.
Marketing is everywhere. Turn on the TV, browse the internet – everywhere you go, you’ll see ads, paid for by marketing budgets. But when was the last time you saw an ad for something, and actually decided to buy it?
Now think about this. When was the last time you bought something – like a song, some clothes, or a holiday – because it was recommended to you by friends or people you follow online?
Chances are, it was pretty recently. And if brands haven’t noticed this trend already, they need to start doing it right now.
OK, so you want to sell your product – a pair of sneakers, say. The obvious, traditional approach is to make a load of ads, in print and online, which forcefully tell people to “Buy it now.” But that sort of aggressive messaging turns people off: nobody likes a hard sell.
What that means is, your goal shouldn’t be to “market.” It should be to get people talking to each other about your brand. The truth is, people buy from other people. And social media is an unbelievably good way to get them to do this.
The author Carlos Gil says that being sold to – at least, if it’s done right – can be a thing of beauty. Some of the best marketers he’s come across are people who follow him on multiple social media platforms, from LinkedIn to Twitter to Facebook. These marketers interact with him, get to know him, become a part of his life – and they only try to sell him stuff when they know the time is right.
Say he asks for recommendations for a fitness class. Then – and only then – one of these marketers might slip him a direct message – a ‘DM’ – about their own class. And, coming from someone he knows, that’ll be a message that’s very hard to ignore.
Social media marketing needs that personal touch, that element of real human connection. It’s not about having millions of followers – especially not on Facebook, where only around 1 percent of the people who “like” a business’s page will see a post organically. Rather, it’s about engaging people, getting them talking, getting to know them.
Traditional marketing is always talking, never listening. Social media can be more effective because it’s more flexible, more personal – in essence, more social, as the name suggests.
---
Technology is changing everything fast. But what makes social media so powerful will always be the human touch.
Artificial intelligence is coming at us fast. In fact, it’s already arrived.
Social media managers can already benefit from plenty of automated tools, for everything from following and unfollowing, to automatically sending out DMs. Messenger bots on Facebook, though far from perfect, are a great place to start experimenting with this technology.
But the most important change, for every brand right now, is to become more human, not less.
Make no mistake: social media is here to stay. Many people have predicted the demise of Facebook recently, especially in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal. But the author doesn’t believe it’s going anywhere. In fact, he calls it one of the greatest, most transformative inventions in human history. Like the other major social networks, it’s changed everything.
Facebook itself is changing, though, and not just because of AI. As a company driven by profit, it’s always going to keep making alterations that affect how it can be used for commercial purposes. If you want to excel as a social media expert, you'll need to be able to adapt quickly to changes and work out how to leverage them to your advantage.
Other social networks, meanwhile, come and go. Though he was a pioneer on Snapchat, the author has less time personally for that platform these days. And it’s worth watching out for emerging platforms including TikTok and Twitch – and Reddit too, although it’s been around for ages. These platforms may all play a big role as Millennials start to gray and Generation Z assumes the hot seat.
Of course, each platform requires its own type of content, and its own particular tactics for success. But some points hold true in general for good social media practice. Most importantly, no brand should lose sight of the fact that people use social media for fun – in other words, to relax, and, of course, to socialize. And that’s why your brand needs to be as human as possible.
Traditional marketing may be dead, but your brand doesn’t have to be. Humanize your brand, and, whatever the future holds, your business can be a part of it.
---
Rather than chasing after vanity metrics, do whatever it takes to grow engagement.
Psst. Want a million Facebook “likes?” Guaranteed retweets or YouTube subscribers? A spot on the coveted Instagram Explore page at the stroke of a button?
There are ways to get these in no time at all – if you’re willing to pay.
And a lot of people do, because they’re hung up on what the author calls vanity metrics – things like number of followers and total reposts.
Essentially, that’s cheating. But there’s a bigger problem with this tactic, beyond the fact that it’s underhanded. Basically, if you simply purchase a bucketload of Facebook “likes,” those users won’t actually be interested in your product – so they won’t engage with you. That’s why cheating doesn’t work.
The classic example of a vanity metric is follower count. A high count looks great on a PowerPoint slide, and might be enough to convince colleagues that your social campaigns are going well. That’s why so many people cheat to get high follower counts with ease.
But as a strategy for growing your actual brand, this is useless. Why? Because it doesn’t lead to genuine engagement.
Think about it: who are those hundreds of thousands of new followers you’ve just bought? It’s pretty much certain that they won’t actually be interested in your brand – they might even be bots rather than real people. So they’ll barely notice when you post, they won’t engage with your content and they certainly won’t end up becoming customers.
Rather than vanity metrics, then, you need to stay focused on building up engagement. You need to find an audience that isn’t just big, but is also actually interested in your product.
There are still plenty of ways you can do this through exploiting how social networks operate. The author calls this growth hacking. Basically, it means anything goes, so long as it stops short of cheating. And remember, rather than aiming for “likes” or follows, you’re trying to capture people’s attention, in the form of engagement.
Facebook Groups are one great way to do it. How about setting up a group for superfans of the sort of thing you sell? Facebook Watch Parties are also worth exploring: this lesser-known feature brings people together at the same time, giving you a great shot at going viral.
Of course metrics are important to keep track of how you’re doing. But only worry about the right ones. Engagement is a far more valuable metric than follower count. Even better is what the author calls “ROE:” return on engagement. After all, your ultimate goal through all of this is still to grow your business.
---
For marketers, social media has changed everything. The huge popularity of platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Snapchat means that audiences and brands are better connected than ever before. But being successful as a brand on social media isn’t easy, when most people use these platforms to socialize with friends. So businesses need to find ways to make their brands more human.
Actionable advice:
Audit your brand’s social media use.
There are ways that social media can help pretty much any brand, whether you’re business-to-business or business-to-consumer. However, not every brand should be on every platform. Take a look at which platforms your brand posts to, and compare their users to your target demographic. If you’re maintaining a profile on a platform where your potential customers don’t hang out, you could well be wasting your time.
Then, consider the type of content you’re posting. Are you asking questions? Educating your audience? Telling relatable stories? Does your brand sound like a person, or like a corporate logo? Tweak and adjust accordingly.
Who do you want to buy stuff from – a brand, or a person?
These days, social media makes it easier than ever for brands to connect with customers. But people have a natural aversion to being sold to by faceless, impersonal brands that are clearly just hanging out on Twitter to make a profit.
So what should businesses do, to harness the power of social media?
The short answer is: be more human. Social media will only help you if you’re sociable, relatable and not too explicit about your desperate desire for sales. A more indirect approach to selling your product will yield better results in the long term.
That’s not to say that there aren’t all manner of smart tactics you can use to hack your way to social media success. But whatever you do, you mustn’t lose sight of the need to humanize your brand. That’s what this book will help you do.
---
In the new era of social media, traditional marketing is dead.
Marketing is everywhere. Turn on the TV, browse the internet – everywhere you go, you’ll see ads, paid for by marketing budgets. But when was the last time you saw an ad for something, and actually decided to buy it?
Now think about this. When was the last time you bought something – like a song, some clothes, or a holiday – because it was recommended to you by friends or people you follow online?
Chances are, it was pretty recently. And if brands haven’t noticed this trend already, they need to start doing it right now.
OK, so you want to sell your product – a pair of sneakers, say. The obvious, traditional approach is to make a load of ads, in print and online, which forcefully tell people to “Buy it now.” But that sort of aggressive messaging turns people off: nobody likes a hard sell.
What that means is, your goal shouldn’t be to “market.” It should be to get people talking to each other about your brand. The truth is, people buy from other people. And social media is an unbelievably good way to get them to do this.
The author Carlos Gil says that being sold to – at least, if it’s done right – can be a thing of beauty. Some of the best marketers he’s come across are people who follow him on multiple social media platforms, from LinkedIn to Twitter to Facebook. These marketers interact with him, get to know him, become a part of his life – and they only try to sell him stuff when they know the time is right.
Say he asks for recommendations for a fitness class. Then – and only then – one of these marketers might slip him a direct message – a ‘DM’ – about their own class. And, coming from someone he knows, that’ll be a message that’s very hard to ignore.
Social media marketing needs that personal touch, that element of real human connection. It’s not about having millions of followers – especially not on Facebook, where only around 1 percent of the people who “like” a business’s page will see a post organically. Rather, it’s about engaging people, getting them talking, getting to know them.
Traditional marketing is always talking, never listening. Social media can be more effective because it’s more flexible, more personal – in essence, more social, as the name suggests.
---
Technology is changing everything fast. But what makes social media so powerful will always be the human touch.
Artificial intelligence is coming at us fast. In fact, it’s already arrived.
Social media managers can already benefit from plenty of automated tools, for everything from following and unfollowing, to automatically sending out DMs. Messenger bots on Facebook, though far from perfect, are a great place to start experimenting with this technology.
But the most important change, for every brand right now, is to become more human, not less.
Make no mistake: social media is here to stay. Many people have predicted the demise of Facebook recently, especially in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal. But the author doesn’t believe it’s going anywhere. In fact, he calls it one of the greatest, most transformative inventions in human history. Like the other major social networks, it’s changed everything.
Facebook itself is changing, though, and not just because of AI. As a company driven by profit, it’s always going to keep making alterations that affect how it can be used for commercial purposes. If you want to excel as a social media expert, you'll need to be able to adapt quickly to changes and work out how to leverage them to your advantage.
Other social networks, meanwhile, come and go. Though he was a pioneer on Snapchat, the author has less time personally for that platform these days. And it’s worth watching out for emerging platforms including TikTok and Twitch – and Reddit too, although it’s been around for ages. These platforms may all play a big role as Millennials start to gray and Generation Z assumes the hot seat.
Of course, each platform requires its own type of content, and its own particular tactics for success. But some points hold true in general for good social media practice. Most importantly, no brand should lose sight of the fact that people use social media for fun – in other words, to relax, and, of course, to socialize. And that’s why your brand needs to be as human as possible.
Traditional marketing may be dead, but your brand doesn’t have to be. Humanize your brand, and, whatever the future holds, your business can be a part of it.
---
Rather than chasing after vanity metrics, do whatever it takes to grow engagement.
Psst. Want a million Facebook “likes?” Guaranteed retweets or YouTube subscribers? A spot on the coveted Instagram Explore page at the stroke of a button?
There are ways to get these in no time at all – if you’re willing to pay.
And a lot of people do, because they’re hung up on what the author calls vanity metrics – things like number of followers and total reposts.
Essentially, that’s cheating. But there’s a bigger problem with this tactic, beyond the fact that it’s underhanded. Basically, if you simply purchase a bucketload of Facebook “likes,” those users won’t actually be interested in your product – so they won’t engage with you. That’s why cheating doesn’t work.
The classic example of a vanity metric is follower count. A high count looks great on a PowerPoint slide, and might be enough to convince colleagues that your social campaigns are going well. That’s why so many people cheat to get high follower counts with ease.
But as a strategy for growing your actual brand, this is useless. Why? Because it doesn’t lead to genuine engagement.
Think about it: who are those hundreds of thousands of new followers you’ve just bought? It’s pretty much certain that they won’t actually be interested in your brand – they might even be bots rather than real people. So they’ll barely notice when you post, they won’t engage with your content and they certainly won’t end up becoming customers.
Rather than vanity metrics, then, you need to stay focused on building up engagement. You need to find an audience that isn’t just big, but is also actually interested in your product.
There are still plenty of ways you can do this through exploiting how social networks operate. The author calls this growth hacking. Basically, it means anything goes, so long as it stops short of cheating. And remember, rather than aiming for “likes” or follows, you’re trying to capture people’s attention, in the form of engagement.
Facebook Groups are one great way to do it. How about setting up a group for superfans of the sort of thing you sell? Facebook Watch Parties are also worth exploring: this lesser-known feature brings people together at the same time, giving you a great shot at going viral.
Of course metrics are important to keep track of how you’re doing. But only worry about the right ones. Engagement is a far more valuable metric than follower count. Even better is what the author calls “ROE:” return on engagement. After all, your ultimate goal through all of this is still to grow your business.
---
For marketers, social media has changed everything. The huge popularity of platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Snapchat means that audiences and brands are better connected than ever before. But being successful as a brand on social media isn’t easy, when most people use these platforms to socialize with friends. So businesses need to find ways to make their brands more human.
Actionable advice:
Audit your brand’s social media use.
There are ways that social media can help pretty much any brand, whether you’re business-to-business or business-to-consumer. However, not every brand should be on every platform. Take a look at which platforms your brand posts to, and compare their users to your target demographic. If you’re maintaining a profile on a platform where your potential customers don’t hang out, you could well be wasting your time.
Then, consider the type of content you’re posting. Are you asking questions? Educating your audience? Telling relatable stories? Does your brand sound like a person, or like a corporate logo? Tweak and adjust accordingly.
April 20, 2021
Pretty nice read.
It had some interesting insights and tips regarding marketing in general these days. The message makes sense and it's not difficult to apply, even if you previously knew nothing about marketing.
I've seen some people say that this book is repetitive, and that's true to a certain degree, but I personally believe that SOME repetition is valuable in texts of this kind (non-fiction books that cover a topic that was previously alien to you). Besides, it's not a long book. We're not talking about 200 pages of filler. It's fine.
The only two points against the book, for me, were:
1) A certain portion of the advice seems targeted to large brands and companies, rather than a one-man army trying to build a business. I repeat, this was just a portion of the book. Generally, the information can be applied regardless of your situation.
2) I hated learning that Facebook isn't on its way to the grave. Like seriously, why do you guys keep using that crap?
It had some interesting insights and tips regarding marketing in general these days. The message makes sense and it's not difficult to apply, even if you previously knew nothing about marketing.
I've seen some people say that this book is repetitive, and that's true to a certain degree, but I personally believe that SOME repetition is valuable in texts of this kind (non-fiction books that cover a topic that was previously alien to you). Besides, it's not a long book. We're not talking about 200 pages of filler. It's fine.
The only two points against the book, for me, were:
1) A certain portion of the advice seems targeted to large brands and companies, rather than a one-man army trying to build a business. I repeat, this was just a portion of the book. Generally, the information can be applied regardless of your situation.
2) I hated learning that Facebook isn't on its way to the grave. Like seriously, why do you guys keep using that crap?
January 26, 2021
Gil destroys everything you knew about marketing and presents you the future of social. His bold, straightforward approach - accompanied with examples any social media user would get - is welcomed in this noisy "self-help" era.
For anyone in the marketing industry or wants to just be relevant in their own. Reading as a marketing student, it has helped me shift my focus and work towards a future-proof career.
For anyone in the marketing industry or wants to just be relevant in their own. Reading as a marketing student, it has helped me shift my focus and work towards a future-proof career.
June 18, 2020
Whatever business you have, whether it be makeup, fashion, car services, or even daycare services. This book is a MUST read. There are so many strategies that can be applied to businesses worldwide for their social media pages and guerrilla marketing! This book literally is a guide on how to brand your message, business and most importantly, yourself.
I highly reccomened anyone who is trying to grow their brand to purchase this book and read it over and over so you can learn and apply the tactics in this book.
Also, the most dope part about this book is that if you have ANY questions you can directly DM or Tweet Carlos on Twitter or Instagram and he will respond with answers!
I highly reccomened anyone who is trying to grow their brand to purchase this book and read it over and over so you can learn and apply the tactics in this book.
Also, the most dope part about this book is that if you have ANY questions you can directly DM or Tweet Carlos on Twitter or Instagram and he will respond with answers!
May 20, 2021
Extremely helpful for beginners in this field.
February 13, 2022
I've been working in social media for 5 years and as a millennial, that means I'm a veteran 😂
This book is honestly the most valuable educational and pragmatic content I've consumed in my career about social media.
Full of ideas and to do lists, it's a must have for any digital marketer !
This book is honestly the most valuable educational and pragmatic content I've consumed in my career about social media.
Full of ideas and to do lists, it's a must have for any digital marketer !
December 6, 2021
Overall a great read with some new take away facts about the future of marketing. Sadly the author was marketing his own businesses far too much in this book to a point where it was exhausting to keep hearing about his self promotion!
May 19, 2021
It helped me to appreciate the strategy behibd each text / email that I receive. Referals to Carlos' website/ linkedlin bothered me
Read
May 19, 2025**The End of Marketing: Humanizing Your Brand in the Age of Social Media and AI** by Carlos Gil is a bold, modern guide to building authentic brand identity in a world dominated by algorithms, automation, and constant digital noise. The book argues that traditional marketing is no longer effective, and brands must instead focus on building trust, human connection, and cultural relevance—especially on social media platforms.
Key concepts and actionable ideas:
* Traditional marketing is obsolete:
* Consumers no longer respond to scripted, one-way messaging.
* Brands must compete with influencers, memes, and user-generated content for attention.
* Brands need to act like people:
* Human tone, humor, honesty, and cultural awareness create emotional resonance.
* Audiences connect more with real stories and values than with sales pitches.
* Build a personal brand within the business brand:
* People follow people, not logos.
* Empower employees, founders, and executives to be visible and authentic online.
* Leverage social media as a conversation platform:
* Don’t just publish—interact, respond, and build community.
* Choose platforms where your audience is active and adapt your content to the native tone of each.
* Embrace storytelling over selling:
* Use stories to show values, mission, and customer impact.
* Make customers the heroes in your brand narrative.
* Turn customers into advocates:
* Encourage reviews, testimonials, and social media shares.
* Reward engagement with recognition, replies, and shared content.
* Use AI and automation with empathy:
* Bots and algorithms can enhance efficiency but should not replace human touch.
* Maintain personalized, context-aware communication even in automated systems.
* Monitor trends and speak the culture’s language:
* Stay in tune with internet culture, current events, and online conversations.
* React quickly and respectfully to relevant cultural moments.
* Be transparent and socially aware:
* Consumers expect brands to take stances on issues and to practice what they preach.
* Performative messaging without real values or action erodes trust.
* Create content with native value:
* Tailor posts to each platform’s strengths—short-form video, ephemeral stories, polls, or behind-the-scenes looks.
* Avoid repurposing generic ads—focus on entertaining, informing, or inspiring.
* Measure impact through engagement, not just impressions:
* Prioritize relationships over reach.
* Use data to refine tone and timing, but always return to human-centered strategy.
This book challenges businesses to evolve from faceless brands to relatable voices in a crowded, digital-first marketplace. It urges marketers to abandon outdated tactics in favor of connection, transparency, and cultural fluency—hallmarks of a truly human brand in the age of social media and AI.
Key concepts and actionable ideas:
* Traditional marketing is obsolete:
* Consumers no longer respond to scripted, one-way messaging.
* Brands must compete with influencers, memes, and user-generated content for attention.
* Brands need to act like people:
* Human tone, humor, honesty, and cultural awareness create emotional resonance.
* Audiences connect more with real stories and values than with sales pitches.
* Build a personal brand within the business brand:
* People follow people, not logos.
* Empower employees, founders, and executives to be visible and authentic online.
* Leverage social media as a conversation platform:
* Don’t just publish—interact, respond, and build community.
* Choose platforms where your audience is active and adapt your content to the native tone of each.
* Embrace storytelling over selling:
* Use stories to show values, mission, and customer impact.
* Make customers the heroes in your brand narrative.
* Turn customers into advocates:
* Encourage reviews, testimonials, and social media shares.
* Reward engagement with recognition, replies, and shared content.
* Use AI and automation with empathy:
* Bots and algorithms can enhance efficiency but should not replace human touch.
* Maintain personalized, context-aware communication even in automated systems.
* Monitor trends and speak the culture’s language:
* Stay in tune with internet culture, current events, and online conversations.
* React quickly and respectfully to relevant cultural moments.
* Be transparent and socially aware:
* Consumers expect brands to take stances on issues and to practice what they preach.
* Performative messaging without real values or action erodes trust.
* Create content with native value:
* Tailor posts to each platform’s strengths—short-form video, ephemeral stories, polls, or behind-the-scenes looks.
* Avoid repurposing generic ads—focus on entertaining, informing, or inspiring.
* Measure impact through engagement, not just impressions:
* Prioritize relationships over reach.
* Use data to refine tone and timing, but always return to human-centered strategy.
This book challenges businesses to evolve from faceless brands to relatable voices in a crowded, digital-first marketplace. It urges marketers to abandon outdated tactics in favor of connection, transparency, and cultural fluency—hallmarks of a truly human brand in the age of social media and AI.
August 30, 2022
For marketers, social media has changed everything. The huge popularity of platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Snapchat means that audiences and brands are better connected than ever before. But being successful as a brand on social media isn’t easy, when most people use these platforms to socialize with friends. So businesses need to find ways to make their brands more human.
Actionable advice:
Audit your brand’s social media use.
There are ways that social media can help pretty much any brand, whether you’re business-to-business or business-to-consumer. However, not every brand should be on every platform. Take a look at which platforms your brand posts to, and compare their users to your target demographic. If you’re maintaining a profile on a platform where your potential customers don’t hang out, you could well be wasting your time.
Then, consider the type of content you’re posting. Are you asking questions? Educating your audience? Telling relatable stories? Does your brand sound like a person, or like a corporate logo? Tweak and adjust accordingly.
Actionable advice:
Audit your brand’s social media use.
There are ways that social media can help pretty much any brand, whether you’re business-to-business or business-to-consumer. However, not every brand should be on every platform. Take a look at which platforms your brand posts to, and compare their users to your target demographic. If you’re maintaining a profile on a platform where your potential customers don’t hang out, you could well be wasting your time.
Then, consider the type of content you’re posting. Are you asking questions? Educating your audience? Telling relatable stories? Does your brand sound like a person, or like a corporate logo? Tweak and adjust accordingly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2022
Otse ja asjast – kuidas turundus on päriselt nüüd muutunud / muutumas ja miks.
Soovitan lugeda tänastel turundusinimestel. Minu mõtetega haakus igati.
Toon välja 10 mõtet:
1. Ehtne suhtlus on IN – inimeselt inimesele (miks inimeste kontod koguvad rohkem fänn kui ettevõtete omad)
2. Kliendiga loodud suhe peaks olema kahepoolne dialoog, vastasel juhul on sinu postitus ainult müra.
3. Sotsmeedia on nagu kasiino – maja võidab alati ja neil on võim reegleid muuta.
4. Ei piisa, et postitad sisu ja lähed ära, või veel hullem - tööpäev sai läbi. Sotsmeedia toimib 24h.
5. Peamine küsimus on: kuidas panna sotsmeedia fännid suhtlema?
6. Analüüsi, milline sisu sinu valdkonnas toimib ja miks. Valdkonnad on väga erinevad.
7. Ole personaalne, segaduses, lõbus, vaimukas, uudishimulik – lihtsalt inimlik.
8. Ära vihkam Facebooki, vaid saa paremaks turundajaks
9. Nüüd tuleb mõelda kampaaniate tähendusele – ilma selleta on kõik müra.
10. Sotsmeedia on: suhtlmiseks, meelelahutuseks, informeerimiseks. Mitte kohe ostmiseks.
Soovitan lugeda tänastel turundusinimestel. Minu mõtetega haakus igati.
Toon välja 10 mõtet:
1. Ehtne suhtlus on IN – inimeselt inimesele (miks inimeste kontod koguvad rohkem fänn kui ettevõtete omad)
2. Kliendiga loodud suhe peaks olema kahepoolne dialoog, vastasel juhul on sinu postitus ainult müra.
3. Sotsmeedia on nagu kasiino – maja võidab alati ja neil on võim reegleid muuta.
4. Ei piisa, et postitad sisu ja lähed ära, või veel hullem - tööpäev sai läbi. Sotsmeedia toimib 24h.
5. Peamine küsimus on: kuidas panna sotsmeedia fännid suhtlema?
6. Analüüsi, milline sisu sinu valdkonnas toimib ja miks. Valdkonnad on väga erinevad.
7. Ole personaalne, segaduses, lõbus, vaimukas, uudishimulik – lihtsalt inimlik.
8. Ära vihkam Facebooki, vaid saa paremaks turundajaks
9. Nüüd tuleb mõelda kampaaniate tähendusele – ilma selleta on kõik müra.
10. Sotsmeedia on: suhtlmiseks, meelelahutuseks, informeerimiseks. Mitte kohe ostmiseks.
April 19, 2021
The End of Marketing is similar to other marketing books out there with a focus on social media. That being said, it’s still really good. Especially with a more updated look at apps like Snapchat and TikTok. The book might be a bit too long, in my opinion anyway.
A lot of the tips in this book are ones I’ve used for the last few years with my podcast and we’ve seen a consistent level of growth since. What is interesting about these books is their revisiting of the theme “be social on social media”. It sounds like a no brainer but when you see upcoming creators constantly posting ONLY their content and never actually engage their audience, it’s clear that common sense is not so common.
Look, if you’re managing a podcast, or growing a following, pick this book up and start actually engaging your audience instead of turning yourself into a billboard that no one pays attention to.
A lot of the tips in this book are ones I’ve used for the last few years with my podcast and we’ve seen a consistent level of growth since. What is interesting about these books is their revisiting of the theme “be social on social media”. It sounds like a no brainer but when you see upcoming creators constantly posting ONLY their content and never actually engage their audience, it’s clear that common sense is not so common.
Look, if you’re managing a podcast, or growing a following, pick this book up and start actually engaging your audience instead of turning yourself into a billboard that no one pays attention to.
June 15, 2022
With tips along the way, this book explains how to stand out in "the ocean of content" on social media and create your own "waves". Despite covering examples that might feel dated in a few years, I believe the core themes in this book will stand the test of time.
I personally wouldn't have gone as far to call it "the end of marketing" (the end of social media marketing perhaps?) as with all things in life, the only constant is change. The book only lightly touches on AI but if you look to understand general trends in social media and how to stand out, it's a good read.
I personally wouldn't have gone as far to call it "the end of marketing" (the end of social media marketing perhaps?) as with all things in life, the only constant is change. The book only lightly touches on AI but if you look to understand general trends in social media and how to stand out, it's a good read.
January 22, 2020
A great read for anyone looking to get their marketing on par or ahead of the curve. The book encourages readers/listeners to humanize and personify their marketing efforts instead of pitching their business to potential customers. Carlos provides the formula for businesses looking to capitalize in this digital media age and provides an outlook on what the digital media might look like in the not-to-distance future.
October 18, 2021
Old way of Marketing truly truly has ended. The book establishes that - and that is absolutely on point.
Lot of random case studies and references but the book was incomplete in many ways. It is scattered information and not enough implementable material.
I read The New Rules of Marketing and PR right before this book and it was much more comprehensive and engaging too - despite being comprehensive.
Overall - average.
Lot of random case studies and references but the book was incomplete in many ways. It is scattered information and not enough implementable material.
I read The New Rules of Marketing and PR right before this book and it was much more comprehensive and engaging too - despite being comprehensive.
Overall - average.
May 23, 2025
i mean i appreciate the nerve the guy has. but probably it is just stupidity and a serious lack of polish. spoilers: the end of marketing is just the same marketing. and it is going to be called: marketing.
April 17, 2020
Very realistic prediction of the development of social media marketing.
Interesting ideas, some of which I implemented in my own work. Easy to read.
Interesting ideas, some of which I implemented in my own work. Easy to read.
June 15, 2020
Good read, lots of helpful and honest advice and very real. However, it was incredibly repetitive and I found myself skim reading a lot of the time.
January 9, 2022
It's okay.
January 23, 2022
Practical approach towards humanising brands and companies.
October 1, 2023
I think it’s worth a read, but it’s super repetitive. Here’s my summary:
1. Be more human, don’t use logos and generic stock images
2. Make people advocate for you on social media
1. Be more human, don’t use logos and generic stock images
2. Make people advocate for you on social media
January 19, 2020
Descent read if your into marketing especially social media marketing. It didn’t blow my socks off but it was worth my time.
March 6, 2020
Great primer proffering a fresh look at time-tested behavioral principles and the 2.0 delivery system of creating a need. Very insightful.
Thank you to NetGalley, Kogan Page Ltd, and Carlos Gil for an ARC of 'The End of Marketing' in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.
Thank you to NetGalley, Kogan Page Ltd, and Carlos Gil for an ARC of 'The End of Marketing' in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.
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