How do you make a digital marketplace feel human?

This week on Soul & Science, Jason Harris talks to Llibert Argerich, CMO of Thumbtack, about the unique challenges of marketplace marketing and why trust can’t just be built through brand—it has to be built into the platform itself. From Expedia to eBay, Llibert has spent his career building businesses that connect people through technology and studying both the supply and demand sides of the marketplace.

Llibert shares how Thumbtack approaches marketing as a profit center tied directly to business growth, the challenge of scaling hyperlocal trust between homeowners and maintenance professionals to a national market, and how AI is improving the platform’s matching engine. They also discuss why differentiating “brand” and “performance” marketing is counterproductive, the critical role of data in successful outcomes, and why the strongest marketplace brands are built through consistent customer experience.

Key Takeaways ✅ Build trust into the product—not just the brand

✅ Successful marketplace marketing considers both supply and demand

✅ Brand and performance marketing are intertwined

✅ CMOs must be able to speak the same language as CEOs & CFOs

✅ Hyperlocal marketplaces require hyperlocal thinking at scale

Memorable Moments

💡 “Marketing is not a cost center, it’s a profit center.”

💡 “The brand is the product, and the product is the brand.”

💡 “Awareness is not a business metric.”

💡 “Every ad must both build the brand and drive performance.”

💡 “There’s no manual that comes with buying a home.”

Brought to you by Mekanism.