Jay Acunzo on Resonance in Marketing: How to Become a Sought-After Brand

Creating more content won’t help your business if it doesn’t resonate with your target audience.

In this episode, public speaking and messaging consultant Jay Acunzo, joins Dan Baptiste to unpack a major challenge in the AI-powered marketing world: How to go from fighting the losing battle for search clicks to being a business that’s highly sought for its distinctive expertise and perspective.

Jay reveals why the “reach for reach’s sake” approach doesn’t work: No amount of exposure will make your audience care. 

The real solution? Focus on resonance. 

He dives into the dangers of mistaking awareness for affinity, how generic expertise has become a commodity, and how to deliver high-conviction messaging that only your brand can own.

He doesn’t just critique the content hamster wheel; he offers practical advice on how to drive resonance:

• How marketing teams can think like creators
• How content IP helps win business
• His x/y premise framework for crafting distinctive positioning
• The inside-out mindset that prevents positioning like a commodity
• The 4-part structure of a powerful pitch

Listen to this episode on the go! Anywhere you listen to your favorite podcasts.

Episode Highlights:

[02:15] How Content Volume Became a Trap

Jay explains how the industry’s obsession with content quantity created a cycle of mediocrity where we confuse production with progress and feed platforms instead of building trust.

[05:18] Resonance Over Reach

Jay breaks down the fundamental problem with traffic-focused marketing: awareness is a proxy when what we’re after is affinity, and only resonance creates action, trust, and results.

[08:00] The 4-Part Pitch Framework

Jay introduces his structure for effectively sharing ideas—Align, Agitate, Assert, Invite—and explains how it transforms how we successfully engage others with our perspective.

[12:45] Why Memorability Is the Real Advantage

Jay argues that being seen isn't the challenge; being remembered is. He shares why memorability, not frequency, should guide how we communicate.

[18:26] Stop Shouting at the Finish Line

Jay uses a racing metaphor to explain why brands must engage buyers earlier in the journey, not just try to convert them at the last mile.

[23:31] From Ideas to Brand IP

Jay explains how to build a premise-driven platform that transforms your expertise into defensible IP framing, naming, and storytelling that people remember.

[28:49] The XY Premise Test

Jay shares a simple formula to sharpen your message: “This is a podcast about X. Unlike others about X, only we Y.” If you can’t finish that sentence, you're not differentiated.

[39:58] Why Big Brands Settle for Comfortable Average

Jay explains why most big logos stop trying to differentiate and how small, clear voices can win by being bold and memorable.

[54:55] Final Thoughts: Compete on the Impact of Your Ideas

Jay urges marketers to stop scaling what barely works and start building conviction-driven communication that moves people.

Explore past episodes of Content Disrupted and insights from enterprise marketing leaders on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube.

Resources:

Jay Acunzo's Website

How Stories Happen podcast

Jay’s Newsletter

Skyword.com