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To move away from stale content authored by "The Rippling Team," the company shifted to a "human first" model. They hired marketers with "weird, wacky profiles" who were comfortable being the face of the company and created a flywheel of interviewing experts for video-first content.

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Ryan Narod shifted Rippling's content from generic, corporate-authored posts to interviews and videos featuring real people. This "human-first" approach, which included hiring people comfortable on camera, was designed to build trust and make the brand more relatable, counterbalancing its strong but impersonal growth marketing engine.

The hosts mitigate the 'cringe' of corporate video by building shows around their authentic behaviors—a conversation between friends or reviewing music while driving. They argue media organizations often fail on new platforms because their content feels unnatural and forced.

Rippling's marketing team discovered that expensive, high-production content doesn't always deliver better results. Scrappy, low-cost assets like iPhone-shot videos often perform just as well because their authenticity is more effective at stopping the scroll. This validates a lean, iterative approach to content creation, regardless of budget size.

If content creation is core to your strategy but your team resists, don't waste energy convincing them. Publicly post job openings for practitioners who *want* to be on camera. This puts positive pressure on the existing team and attracts talent already aligned with your marketing vision.

Instead of traditional corporate social media, video software company TLDV hired TikTok creators known for their satirical content aimed at product managers. These creators became the brand's personality on social media, proving that B2B company pages can be engaging when they stop acting like a logo and start acting like a person.

A company's in-house experts are a powerful marketing asset. By creating short-form vertical videos where they share their knowledge, you can build an authentic community and a content-to-commerce funnel that converts viewers directly into customers.

Rippling employs an efficient content repurposing model they call a "flywheel." They start with a single podcast-style interview, then systematically transform it into written articles, short-form videos, and lead-generating webinars. This maximizes the value and reach of each core piece of content across different formats and channels.

As AI tools make slick, polished content ubiquitous, it becomes ineffective "wallpaper." To stand out, marketers should focus on creating lo-fi, human-centric content like behind-the-scenes videos or unscripted moments. This authentic approach builds genuine connection and engagement where AI-like content fails.

As audiences push back against AI-generated and overly polished stock imagery, featuring real people in authentic situations will be critical for engagement. Showcasing your team, customers, or volunteers in natural settings—not on a green screen—builds trust and connection, making genuine humanity the key to cutting through the noise.

The era of the polished, synthetic corporate brand is over. The proliferation of media channels has blown up the old, narrow funnel. Success now comes from the people behind the company—CEOs and founders—speaking directly and authentically, explaining their thoughts and decisions in their own words.

Rippling Replaced 'Corporate' Content By Hiring Marketers Comfortable on Camera | RiffOn