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I'm currently an analyst at Forrester Research, helping brands build AI-enabled marketing…
Articles by Peter
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Inflection Points
Inflection Points
When’s the last time you paused to think through your career: where you’ve been, where you are, and where you’re going?…
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Shopping is fundamentally social
Shopping is fundamentally social
If there’s one lesson the world can agree on from the coronavirus pandemic, it’s that humans need face-to-face contact.…
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Digital Transformation: easy to say, hard to do
Digital Transformation: easy to say, hard to do
DIGITAL: WHERE WE’VE BEEN Ten years ago, I wrote the post coining the term “social business” to describe a growth…
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Peter Kim shared thisPeople love memes because they’re grounded in a recognizable truth. Cats are characters, especially the orange ones. Boyfriends get distracted. When life gets overwhelming, it’s easier to drink coffee and think “this is fine.” Likewise, meme stocks are grounded in a nugget of truth. The original GameStop thesis was undervalued market pricing. However, the core problem with meme stocks: Their prices and investor expectations separate from reasonable reality. For the past few years, allocating marketing budget to AI initiatives could feel a bit like investing in meme stocks. The nugget of truth: AI can make marketing better. The problem: The thesis driving investments hasn't always been solid. My first Forrester report is out now, "How To Budget For AI In Marketing." It includes a recommendation for marketers: stop random acts of AI investing. More detail: https://lnkd.in/gtCRbPh7 The full report (behind paywall): https://lnkd.in/gSXFWusR
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Peter Kim shared this"Operating system." "Operating model." "Operating formula." I've been hearing these terms a lot lately; Emily Collins explains why.Peter Kim shared thisOver the past few weeks, I've had conversations with analysts about agencies building operating systems, technology vendors applying the label to their latest AI-powered platform releases, and marketers rethinking their operating models to take advantage of AI. Everyone is converging on the same label to address marketing's real and growing need for orchestration. That observation inspired my latest blog, where I explore why "operating system" has become one of the industry's favorite new terms, what agencies and technology vendors really mean when they use it, and why technology alone won't deliver on the promise. In the coming months, this is a theme several of my colleagues -- Peter Kim, Joseph Stanhope, Jessica Liu, Jay Pattisall, and Chuck Gahun -- will be exploring in research about the future of marketing technology and service partnerships and modernizing marketing organizations and operations. Read the blog post here: https://lnkd.in/e83pcdRQ #marketing #agenticAI #advertising #martech #agencies
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Peter Kim shared thisI'm a few weeks into a new role after a very deliberate and reflective 12-month odyssey. tl;dr "if you want to go fast, go alone...if you want to go far, go together" Faisal N. Khan coached me to make value-based decisions. Richard Shell helped me avoid hungry ghosts and explore six lives. I saw the second mountain thanks to Shiv Singh. Stacey Milne and Marty Speight taught me how to design a life. Ted Bills was a fantastic networking partner. My Wharton Executive Education AMP88 team of Phumela Xanywa, Nasser Al Ghurair, Guillermo Sanz, Guilherme Sousa, and Kengo Toyoda provided candid observations and helpful advice. And as always, my partner Barbara Kim had our best interests in mind. The article below describes some of the journey; many thanks to David Buie-Moltz for sharing my story. Along the way, I discovered that many friends, classmates, and former colleagues are in similar situations. You never have to walk alone -- just reach out and people will be willing to engage. At any stage of your career, there are five questions I'd recommend reflecting on (inspired by mentors Marco P. Nijhof and Laurent Vinay and coach Sam Purvis): 1️⃣ Am I making an impact? Does what I do matter? For whom? 2️⃣ Why do I do what I do? What goals and assumptions am I holding? What do I want? 3️⃣ What motivates me? How are the intrinsic and extrinsic balanced? What is my purpose? 4️⃣ Where do I want to be? Geography, industry, seniority? 5️⃣ What should I be doing? If not now, what gets me there? How soon is now? https://lnkd.in/grWyhhmUWhat Comes After the Corner Office? – Darden Report Online Darden alumni networkWhat Comes After the Corner Office? – Darden Report Online Darden alumni network
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Peter Kim shared thisI've joined Mike's CMO-focused research team at Forrester, covering the evolution of AI in marketing organisations. For more detail, watch the video below. You can also find me here: https://lnkd.in/endrvj-yPeter Kim shared this"How should I restructure my marketing team?" TBH, I've never loved that question because most of the time, the org chart wasn't the root problem. AI changes that. In Forrester's Q3 CMO Pulse Survey, 38% of B2C marketing executives said process redesign and workflows are among their most significant AI investment areas. And perfect timing: After 18 years away, we welcome Peter Kim back to Forrester. Honestly, there isn't a better guide to help CMOs design their AI-enabled marketing org. Let's go! cc: Keith Johnston Emily Collins Dipanjan Chatterjee Jess Lloyd Jay Pattisall Kate Winick Eric Epstein Jen Sanning Tyler Castro Jordan Brodeur #CMO #MarketingOrg #B2CMarketing
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Peter Kim shared thisMy friend Kate Niederhoffer taught me the meaning of "just noticeable difference" (JND): the smallest possible difference between two stimuli detectable at least half of the time. AI models are constantly evolving. Frontier models have cyberhacking autonomous agents and are solving intractable math problems. However, most of us are using AI for more mundane tasks like editing email drafts, researching holiday destinations, or researching travel options. In March 2026, I asked Gemini, Claude, ChatGPT, and Copilot to do something I thought AI would be better at than humans: analyse a data set (TfL's Elizabeth Line timetable) and return a specific answer: "provide a summary of all trains that depart from Tottenham Court Road and arrive at Heathrow Terminal 3 by 8 am on weekdays." All four got it wrong -- the first three answers were 05:48 am - 06:30 am, 05:53 am - 06:37 am, and 06:08 am - 06:52 am. This failure illustrated an AI weakness in interpreting spatial layouts, applying time reasoning, and lacking additional context that most humans take for granted (e.g. each column represents an individual train). The sentence above is past tense, because in August 2026 I used the same prompt in the same model and received the correct answer: 05:48-06:22, 05:58-06:30, 06:03-06:37. The JND is difficult to notice unless you track changes over time. For a more extensive illustration of this, check out Ethan Mollick's Harbor Town AI.1️⃣ As we reach the end of summer holidays and start on 2027 budgets, this matters. Marketers who plan AI investments using the same approach as any other year will be living in a world of regret. Planning based on today's AI capabilities risks missing out tomorrow's emergent opportunities. Success requires a joined-up approach from the CMO, CIO, and CFO around business applications, technology openness, and budget flexibility. CEOs must resist reductive thinking, as difficult as it is to promise a number and build board confidence without knowing exactly how you'll deliver. Note the big headlines, but pay close attention to the small differences in your daily AI usage. It might be worth repeating yourself, just to see what's changed. The more difficult change will be in how your organisation thinks and operates. 1️⃣ https://lnkd.in/eZtJ3csY
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Peter Kim shared thisWho's afraid of AI? Probably more people than you think. Maybe even you, just a little bit? Thousands of layoffs have been announced in 20261️⃣ and every month AI is mentioned as a reason. Job security? Some roles are more "AI-resistant" than others, but none are 100% immune.2️⃣ I was speaking to a company president recently. Their highest-ranking marketer had recently separated because they were "afraid of AI." This company had plenty of opportunity and needed a leader who could guide the way. They didn't need a forward-deployed engineer; they needed a business leader who understood their gap and potential for growth. Being a leader requires more than knowing how to prompt efficiently or how to identify AI slop. You must help your people manage change -- even if their roles might have an expiration date. The good news is that you've probably seen this friction before with any tech-driven change. It was OK to miss out on the metaverse. And I hope you didn't invest heavily into NFTs. But AI isn't going away -- and there's no reason to be afraid, as long as you keep learning (because opportunities are constantly evolving) and managing change for yourself and your team. 1️⃣ https://lnkd.in/gcsqJwek 2️⃣ https://lnkd.in/gw6fyp99
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Peter Kim shared thisI've been having a lot of conversations about implementing AI in marketing organizations and change management. "What happens when we change people, process and technology?" Leaders are asking this question about their teams but not often reflecting enough on themselves. AI changes how marketing work gets done; so what does it mean to be a marketer? McKinsey data shows that although 86% of marketers are excited about the possibilities AI creates, 57% feel anxious about what AI means for their roles. Wharton professor Stefano Puntoni has researched this topic extensively and says: "We often believe cognitive tasks to be quite central to the sense of self...by [technology] taking on these tasks that are quite self-defining, it raises questions about who am I if I’m no longer the person who does this?" Sitting in meetings, sending emails, or approving expense reports certainly doesn't make you a marketer. But what does? And what does that mean for you and your marketing career? To read more from - Puntoni: https://lnkd.in/gY5V9gjJ - McKinsey: https://lnkd.in/gukfEBxe
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Peter Kim shared thisCommunities need to be convened; they also need to be adjourned. My 88th and final #AMP88 recap post, to honour our cohort: Adam setting the pace 🏃 ☕ Dr. Ahmad appreciate your company Ahmad for the [not so] slow runs Alan there is a sauna 🧖 Alfred Kili 2026? Amita lifelong learning Ana thanks for the mints! Anton we all know it wasn’t really you Bader 🚣🚣🚣🚣🚣🚣🚣🚣 Bhavani contributing inside and outside of the classroom Brian I hope 🇰🇷 really has changed Carlene sharing your story of compassion and courage Christopher there are three parts to an 🥚 Cris Cameo was 🥈 but you won the prize! Dan I'm negotiating hard on my next dealer service appointment Daniel balancing AMP with work and life Elie holding down the back row Flavio for your insights on teamwork Guilherme appreciate your creativity and practicality Guillermo showing me the most respectful way forward Hemant thanks for the radical candor and 🌯 Hend quiet luxury speaks volumes Jason for organising and galvanising us Kengo always solid with the financials and…GO! Kensuke for sharing about Fujitsu KIHUN I am older and paying next time Linus taking us to Ithaca and 🇯🇵 Maria I hope we never meet in a dark alley Masaru born into kindness! Maykon for showing how to connect Miro you taught us how to have a difficult conversation Mohamed always the most honest Mohammad thank you for Fridays Muthu sharing ☕☕☕ and golden 🪟🪟🪟 Nadav for the talk over cheesesteaks Nandini the 5th floor study room! Nasser amazing 🍣 …and GET OUT OF THE CAR Natalia we all need good coffee Óscar always helping classmates Payam the first cover story will actually be you Philip for bringing your lived perspective Phumela keep shining and leading by example ☀️ Renato explaining why leaders climb to the top 🏔️ Reshma Bryan & Ryan Adams have the same birthday? Alfred inspiring and showing up early for that treadmill Richard thanks for the interview tips Saood 🚘🚘🚘🚘🚘🚘🚘🚘 Shaikha no 👻 all 😁 Stephan sharing the mulligan Tunde happy to share our learning team room! Veronica good luck with the ME Victor thanks for your quiet confidence Victor thanks for sharing Celeste and Silksong #WhartonAMP #lifelonglearning https://lnkd.in/eUhZbEKDPeter Kim shared thisThat’s a wrap on AMP 88! From late-night runs and countless Rocky statue photos Sporting events and world-shaping ideas Red carpets and bright lights Fine dining that led to even better friendships Visits from loved ones - and peers who became family The coursework and long hours are a given - but it’s the relationships, growth, and lasting leadership lessons that truly define the AMP experience. AMP 88, we are honored to have been a small part of your journey - and we can’t wait to see where you go next! #WhartonExecEd #LifelongLearning
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Peter Kim shared thisTIME ⏳ Companies are good at measuring cost but bad at measuring time ⏳ Once you spend time you never get it back https://lnkd.in/eC73DDb8 ⏳ Learn how to manufacture time https://lnkd.in/eiJ3hTJk ⏳ Sometimes you need to slow down in order to go fast ⏳ Research shows that what matters most to people in life is spending time with people they love, who love them https://lnkd.in/eKdhpgSi #lateralthinking #WhartonAMP #AMP88
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1mo
Thank you for your skillful storytelling!
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1mo
Lisa Bradner if I'm country and you're Western, there's a desk waiting with your name on it...
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Peter Kim reacted on thisPeter Kim reacted on thisAfter 48 years, my professional career has come to an end with retirement. I was fortunate to work at the intersection of technology, communications, and innovation throughout nearly five decades. From radio to wire service journalism, from corporate communications to the digital revolution and social media. I have been blessed to work with exceptional colleagues, remarkable mentors, and inspiring clients and organizations. To everyone who shared in this journey, Thank You. While this chapter has come to a close, the memories, friendships, and lessons will remain with me forever.
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Peter Kim reacted on thisPeter Kim reacted on thisAfter nearly 30 years of corporate experience, I’ve started something new: Sharp Pencil. Sharp Pencil helps businesses that want to grow through partnerships, loyalty and strategic relationships but don’t have the senior expertise or capacity in-house. I build and deliver programmes that drive profitable growth, and provide fractional commercial leadership: stepping in to fill a leadership gap, solve a specific challenge or accelerate an opportunity, without the need for a full-time hire. Partnerships have been at the heart of my career. At The Bicester Collection, attracting high-spending international and domestic guests. At American Express, acquiring high-value cardholders and building strategic purchasing programmes. At Visa, creating SME marketing programmes. And in sport, designing sponsorship programmes for the Professional Squash Association. Three things I’ve learned: • Partnerships work when they’re part of the organisations strategy, not bolted on. • Fewer, high-quality partners always beat a long list. • The economics must work from day one. Sharp Pencil offers fixed-price diagnostics, project-based programme design and fractional leadership. If your business has an opportunity in partnerships, loyalty or key accounts that isn’t delivering its potential, or you simply need experienced commercial leadership to fill a gap, let’s talk. I’m offering a free 20-minute introductory call to understand what you’re trying to achieve and whether Sharp Pencil can help. Book a time in the first comment below. #Partnerships #Loyalty #CommercialGrowth #FractionalLeadership
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Peter Kim liked thisPeter Kim liked thisTessa Wullaert was 33 when she made the Ballon d'Or list for the first time. Last night the awards were handed out in London. Whatever the result, the nomination had already done its work. Since early September her name has reached people who have never watched a Red Flames match. This morning is the part I find more interesting. The cameras are on the next match already. The attention stays warm for a few days, and then it cools, unless something is built on it. It works the same way at every level. A cup night on TV, or a first call-up. The night itself is rarely the hard part. The Tuesday after is.
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Peter Kim reacted on thisPeter Kim reacted on thisYeah, I love pickleball. And I love predictions. So here we are. In 2027, CMOs start keeping score on AI. And points = funding. Some AI initiatives will get more marketing budget. Others will lose it... as CMOs reckon with an AI reality check. I "serve" up 3 predictions in the video. But all 5 are in our new Forrester report, Predictions 2027: B2C Marketing. Game on! #predictions #CMO #marketing; h/t Jordan Brodeur 📸, Danny Yen 🏓; cc: Keith Johnston
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Peter Kim liked thisPeter Kim liked thisOver the past few weeks, I've had conversations with analysts about agencies building operating systems, technology vendors applying the label to their latest AI-powered platform releases, and marketers rethinking their operating models to take advantage of AI. Everyone is converging on the same label to address marketing's real and growing need for orchestration. That observation inspired my latest blog, where I explore why "operating system" has become one of the industry's favorite new terms, what agencies and technology vendors really mean when they use it, and why technology alone won't deliver on the promise. In the coming months, this is a theme several of my colleagues -- Peter Kim, Joseph Stanhope, Jessica Liu, Jay Pattisall, and Chuck Gahun -- will be exploring in research about the future of marketing technology and service partnerships and modernizing marketing organizations and operations. Read the blog post here: https://lnkd.in/e83pcdRQ #marketing #agenticAI #advertising #martech #agencies
Experience
Education
Licenses & Certifications
Publications
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Social Business By Design
Jossey-Bass
Management book on social business, digital transformation, customer engagement, organizational change, and how companies adapt operating models for the social media era.
Other authorsSee publication
Projects
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Keynote speaker, panel moderator, and/or panelist
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Speaking focusing on CMO leadership, digital transformation, AI strategy, social business, consumer behavior, marketing effectiveness, brand strategy, and customer engagement.
Featured at Cannes Lions, SXSW, China International Advertising Festival, 4A's and Jay Chiat Awards, ARF, AMA, Forrester Marketing, Consumer, and Finance Forums, FutureM Boston, UVA Darden MBA and Executive Education, and Web 2.0 Expo. -
Quoted in the media
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Expert on topics including marketing strategy, digital transformation, social business, customer engagement, brand transformation, and consumer technology.
Featured in CNN, CBS Evening News, CNBC, NPR, The Economist, New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal.
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