When Stephanie Dobbs Brown graduated from the University of Tennessee, she had two job offers in front of her. Instead of choosing, she did both for several years, which perfectly represents her dedication to her career. Eventually, she came to a fork in the road that led her to PR Newswire in Chicago. After a few years, she moved on to Thomson Reuters, where she had her first role running a P&L. In 2013, she got her first client-side brand role with Dow Jones, then moved over to ICE in 2017. In 2021, Stephanie was promoted to the CMO role, and under her leadership, ICE has undergone a profound transformation. She has led the company’s rebrand, including its first global brand campaign, expanding programming capabilities, and reimagining the NYSE’s iconic bell experience.In this episode, Alan and Stephanie discuss her pathway to becoming CMO, the complexity of ICE, and how marketing efforts need to respond to each of the business's unique needs. They also talk about the NYSE and their rebrand journey, including how it got started, the elements leading up to it, and what they are focusing on today and moving forward. Stephine also tells us what changed her perspective on leadership, why she prioritized authenticity, and why it’s so important to focus on the intersection of people, purpose, and profit.Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) is a Fortune 500 exchange operator with 14,000+ employees worldwide. They have three main business segments and each arm has a different marketing strategy that Stephine oversees. Exchanges and futures are centered around reinforcing key messages, data is about demand generation, mortgages are focused on the lead funnel, and the NYSE prioritizes working with start-ups and increasing brand recognition.With so many plates spinning, Jennifer uses her background in sales to help her manage her time, organize her priorities, and build relationships, while her background in communications helps her think about messaging. She says her job as a marketer is to knit it all together and ensure she and her team are making the biggest impact. Part of that impact has been reevaluating the ICE messaging and brand. In 2019, they realized there needed to be more clarity about who ICE is and what their strategy is. Murkiness was both slowing down the sales cycle and making recruitment more difficult. In 2020, they focused on expanding their reach, consolidating their acquisitions, organizing a hierarchy, and figuring out how to have ICE and NYSE benefit from each other while leaning into the existing equity the brand names held.In this episode, you'll learn:ICE’s various business arms and how each is marketedThe reason behind the rebranding and the steps for executionWhat it means to lead with authenticity and consideration for people, purpose, and profit Key Highlights: [01:40] A deep-sea fisher in New York[03:50] Stephanie's path from TV to CMO[08:45] What is ICE?[11:00] Different marketing strategies for different business segments[13:15] Managing so many different business models[14:25] The sales mentality, including time management[16:00] The Rebrand: Who is ICE?[18:00] Leaning into brand equity through a rebrand[22:50] Stephanie’s leadership mindsets[26:00] Lessons learned from a cancer diagnosis[30:35] Advice to her younger self[32:00] Every marketer needs business and financial acumen.[32:50] The future of fintech for payments[34:05] AI is happening. Lean in.Looking for more?Visit our website for links to resources mentioned in this episode and ways to connect with the guest! Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jessica Padula graduated from Boston University and always knew she wanted to get into brand marketing. However, getting a foot in the door can be difficult, so she took the advertising route to get there. Jessica started her career at Grey Group in New York, where she worked with brands like Downy, Covergirl, and Pantene. By specializing in the emerging space of social media, she was able to move over to the client side in Colorado, first with WhiteWave Foods, and then with Famous Brands. Eventually, she returned to New York as the Integrated Marketing Manager with Swarovski, but soon realized she missed CPG and joined Nespresso as their Social Media Marketing Manager in 2016. In 2018, she was promoted to Director of Brand Communications, and in 2023, she was promoted again to Vice President of Marketing and Interim Vice President of Sustainability with over 7 years at Nespresso and a uniquely perfect combination of luxury, CPG, and F&B experience.In this episode, Alan and Jessica discuss how a big move at a young age helped break her out of her shell, why “every ‘yes’ is a ‘no’ to something else”, how gamers are breaking stereotypes, and what mass amounts of data with increased fragmentation mean for marketing in general. They also talk about her path to becoming VP of Marketing, her views on leadership as someone relatively new to the space, how Nespresso’s product innovation and marketing strategy are influenced by the next generation of consumers, and the ways they are impacting the community as an at-home solution.As many leaders come to find, the higher you climb up the ladder, the further you get away from the work. To stay grounded, Jessica bases her leadership approach on empathy. This requires vulnerability and the whole team feels psychological safety and a sense of belonging. This sense of belonging, as well as social justice, inclusivity, and sustainability, are all important factors for Gen Z consumers Nespresso is now considering as they reevaluate their product development, marketing strategies, and experiences. The way Gen Z is introduced to and consumes coffee is largely out of home, all about iced beverages, and concerned with aesthetics and community. Fundamentally, coffee plays an important role in the lives of Nespresso's target consumers. It serves as a connection point, and that connection is part of why Jessica has stayed at the company so long. She is passionate about finding ways their brand can tap into that community experience with their at-home solutions through meaningful partnerships and an understanding of what is important to their consumers.In this episode, you'll learn:The importance of empathy-based leadership and psychological safetyWhat Gen Z cares about and how Nespresso is shifting to meet their needsAs an at-home solution, how can Nespresso tap into community connections?Key Highlights: [02:00] One degree from George Clooney[03:30] Started in social, now she’s here.[06:30] Leadership based on empathy[09:30] For Gen Z, it’s all about the iced coffee and social impact.[12:30] The insights around their customer base driving product innovation[15:45] Community connections as an at-home solution[18:05] Working with the Ali Forney Center[21:45] A big move at a young age changed everything.[24:20] “Every ‘yes’ is a ‘no’ to something else.”[25:20] The importance of data analytics and visualization[28:30] What are the gamers all about?[30:55] The threat of fragmentation in marketingLooking for more?Visit our website for links to resources mentioned in this episode and ways to connect with the guest! Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Geoff Cottrill has been named one of Forbes’ 50 Most Entrepreneurial CMOs, one of Business Insider’s CMOs to Watch, and currently serves as the Chief Brand Officer for Topgolf. In this role, he leads all aspects of their global marketing, experience design, partnerships, consumer insights, communications, charitable giving, and retail and membership programs. He joined Topgolf in 2021 with a passion for building diverse and talented teams and a reputation for innovative thinking and creativity. Before joining Topgolf, he was Group Director of Entertainment Marketing at Coca-Cola, where he led the strategic vision for all marketing channels and sports entertainment properties. Before that, he was the General Manager and CMO for Converse, a division of Nike, and has also served in leadership roles at Starbucks, Procter & Gamble, and the global advertising agency MullenLowe.In this episode, Alan and Geoff discuss what Topgolf is doing to drive diversity and fun in the sport, how their partnerships with the Special Olympics and their new Come Play Around campaign both serve this mission, and what aspects make up an effective campaign. They also talk about the future and culture of golf, how it's evolving over time, and how they are measuring their impact on the sport with the mission of enabling players to hit 50 billion balls between now and the end of 2025.Topgolf has an impact on every aspect of the golf world with three core businesses: venues, mobile games, and tracing technology. They employ over 30,000 playmakers working across their 91 venues, and they are adding 11 to 12 locations every year. Geoff tells us Topgolf is balancing respect for the history of the game while working to remove historical barriers, with the goal of more people falling in love with the sport, resulting in the growth of the game.“I've built my career on seeing what everybody else is doing and then doing the opposite.”In this episode, you'll learn:The three core businesses under the Topgolf umbrella and how they all work togetherHow and why is Topgolf making the game more accessible?The future of golf and what Topgolf is doing to ride the cultural waveKey Highlights: [01:55] A Topgolfer but not a good golfer[02:50] How Geoff got to Topgolf[05:15] The three core businesses[07:05] Who is Topgolf for?[09:05] Becoming an officially sanctioned Special Olympics event[11:30] The new campaign that is bringing more play to the world[12:45] The elements of building a good campaign[14:10] The future of golf[17:40] Skaters are taking over the golf course.[18:50] 50 billion balls?![20:00] Shot euphoria [21:45] Learning creative courage on the job[23:50] Be more curious, less afraid, and nicer to people.[25:00] The AI portion of the show[27:25] QR codes won the pandemic.[28:15] Keeping an eye on creatives and street culture[29:30] The biggest threat? One word. Three Letters… Ego.  Looking for more?Visit our website for links to resources mentioned in this episode and ways to connect with the guest! Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mike Sanders is an avid freediving fisherman, self-proclaimed crypto nerd, and Chief Marketing Officer of Kaseya. Mike started his career as the head of IT for a private brokerage firm, but after a few years, he left to start his own business. He quickly learned that being an entrepreneur meant he would have to be able to do a little bit of everything, and he discovered a knack for the sales and marketing side. He followed that passion to a sales job at Kaseya in 2005. He stayed with the company for nearly 10 years before he left and started another new business, Cenersys. Eventually, that company was acquired by Kaseya, and Mike was brought back to launch and run Unitrends for them. After a while, he started to get more involved in the product marketing and sales side and was brought on to his current role as CMO in 2023.Mike has found that his entrepreneurial background serves him well as CMO at Kaseya, where his responsibilities are broad and reach across demand generation, product and customer marketing, global strategy, new customer acquisition, and helping account managers sell new products to existing customers. Being involved with the different teams allows him to see how things are working together and ensure everything is serving the larger mission as effectively as possible. As the leading provider of unified IT management and security software for managed service providers (MSPs) and small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs), Kaseya is focused on an underserved market as most of their competitors prioritize enterprise-level clients.In this episode, Alan and Mike discuss the path from entrepreneur to CMO, Kaseya’s go-to-market strategy, and the stadium naming rights deal that led to the Kaseya Center, formerly the FTX Arena, in Miami. By keeping a close eye on the crypto space, Mike and his team at Kaseya were able to jump on the opportunity brought on by FTX's demise. Now they are working to make it work for them as they try to grow their presence in Miami, leverage the name recognition, and fit it into their overall marketing strategy.In this episode, you'll learn:The underserved market Kaseya has identified and how they are leaning into their nicheThe business impact of acquiring the Miami Kaseya Center naming rightsHow Kaseya is leveraging this boost in brand recognitionKey Highlights: [01:30] Hobbies to clear your mind[04:10] From spearfishing to spearing the target market[07:10] What does Kaseya do, and who do they serve?[09:20] The broad role of CMO at Kaseya[11:15] Kaseya’s go-to-market strategy: who do they sell to?[15:15] The Kaseya Center effect[20:50] After the initial splash, what now?[26:50] College dropout success story[29:45] Advice to his younger self[31:10] How Kaseya is using AI[35:15] Keeping an eye on the economic shifts[37:10] An important turning point: handling shifts with AI and the economy Looking for more?Visit our website for links to resources mentioned in this episode and ways to connect with the guest! Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Doug Zarkin is an avid tennis player, retail and brand marketing expert, and author of “Moving Your Brand Out of the Friend Zone: A Modern Day Guide to Strengthening Your Brand’s Value Equation”. He went straight from undergrad at George Washington University to graduate school at American University and knew from the start that he wanted to run a business and lead a brand. After graduation, he started his career in the agency world with the Youth, Entertainment, and Lifestyle Marketing Division at Grey Advertising, where he had the opportunity to work on brands like Harry Potter, W Hotels, and Reebok. After that, he became an “Avon Lady'' for a few years, then moved on to Victoria Secret and the fashion world for many years, and most recently served as the Chief Marketing Officer of Pearle Vision for EssilorLuxottica. In May 2023, he decided to step away from Pearle to pursue authorship and serve as an Executive Advisory Board member.Doug tells us he decided to leave the front lines and write his book in order to provide a degree of mentorship to a wide audience. He is passionate about taking the complexity of marketing and making it simple and easy enough for everyone to process while empowering them to understand there is no “right” way.In this episode, Alan and Doug discuss who the book is for, why he decided now was the time to write it, and what his writing process looked like. They also discuss many topics in the book, including what the friend zone is and why it is a bad place for your brand to be, what it means to “think human”, and Doug’s advice on reputation management for service brands.In this episode, you'll learn:What is the friend zone, and why do you need to get your brand out of it?What is “thinking human”?Reputation management for service brands dealing with bad reviewsKey Highlights: [01:30] A love for tennis and a metaphor for business[03:10] The impressive lineup of brands Doug has worked on[07:28] Why write a book, and why now?[09:40] Who this book is for[11:05] What is the friend zone, and why do you need to get your brand out of it?[13:00] Evaluating where your brand falls on the Trust and Passion chart[14:10] What is thinking human?[18:05] Reputation management for service brands[20:30] Dealing with bad reviews[22:15] There is not a right way or a wrong way. There is your way.[24:30] Lessons learned from a bad boss[25:50] Stop worrying about being perfect and start worrying about getting better.[26:40] TikTok and IG are hitting maturity, and TV is evolving.[28:25] Learning leadership[29:40] Data (alone) does not make decisions for modern-day marketers.Looking for more?Visit our website for links to resources mentioned in this episode and ways to connect with the guest! Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Alan speaks with fractional CXO Nicholas “Z” Zeisler and fractional CMO Muriel Lotto about how they met, what they have learned by combining their expertise, and how those lessons can help you rethink the way your marketing, brand promise, and consumer experience factor into your business decisions.Nicholas “Z” Zeisler uses his Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and Process Engineering expertise to help brands improve their customer experience as a fractional Chief Customer Officer. He’s on a mission to help organizations better align their CX with their brand promises by figuring out where they’re falling short, taking decisive and deliberate action to improve how they do business, and finding efficiency in the process to drive brand alignment. Z served in the US Air Force and Reserves for nearly 30 years and is currently a professor of statistics at the US Air Force Academy. He is also a Professor of Practice at Michigan State University’s Eli Broad School of Business, focused on customer experience management.Muriel Lotto uses her marketing expertise to solve business problems and deliver sustainable growth for both DTC and B2B companies. Most recently, Muriel was the CMO of Sightline Payments, a top US payments provider to the rapidly expanding online gaming, sports betting, and casino marketplaces. Prior to that, she spent 7 years at Western Union as the Global Head of Brand and Marketing, where she was responsible for transforming the impact of marketing across $200 million of investment. During those 7 years, the digital business grew from $300 million to over $1 billion in revenue. Earlier in her career, she held senior roles for two of Europe's biggest insurance companies and also had experience working for CPG giants Unilever and Nestle. Muriel has triple citizenship in France, Italy, and the UK, but now resides in the USA. In 2019, she was named one of the world’s boldest CMOs, and today she works as a senior marketing executive, thought leader, and fractional CMO with The CMO Syndicate.In this interview, Alan, Z, and Muriel discuss how their partnership works and the ways they are bridging the gap between their two specialties. They also give advice to business leaders on how to find opportunities for improvement in the right places, focus on the real issues, and avoid being lulled into a false sense of security by green dots on the dashboard.In this episode, you'll learn:How the efficiency of Lean Six Sigma can be used to improve the customer experienceThe relationship between brand promise and customer experienceExamples of marketing and CX partnering wellFocus on the red dots, not the green ones.Key Highlights: [02:55] Who is Muriel Lotto?[03:35] Who is Z?[04:10] How did everyone meet?[06:20] Z’s background with CX[08:15] The relationship between brand promise and CX[09:55] CX partnering with the CMO[12:15] What do you have left if you can’t deliver on a promise?[14:25] Misalignment between what you say and what you do[15:20] Muriel's example of marketing and CX partnering well[19:30] It’s about listening and understanding that you may not have the answers.[22:40] Unifying the company through understanding CX[24:50] Jeff Bezoz dialed up customer care. You should too.[26:10] Why Z wrote a book and what you can learn from it[28:15] Focus on the red dots.[32:15] Muriel’s advice to her younger self[35:00] Z’s advice to his younger selfLooking for more?Visit our website for links to resources mentioned in this episode and ways to connect with the guest! Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kristin Pagano started her career as a media planner with Starcom Worldwide, where she had the opportunity to move back to LA and take on their Walt Disney account. She shifted to the client side at 20th Century Fox but felt a need to broaden her view of the overall marketing mix. After returning to school and graduating with her MBA, she started at Intel and then transferred to Activision. At that point, she had a 6-month-old and was presented with the opportunity to work for Munchkin. Starting as a senior brand manager in 2012, she worked her way up and became VP of Marketing in 2018.As the Vice President of Marketing, Kristin oversees all strategies and tactics designed to grow the Munchkin business. Munchkin was founded in Los Angeles in 1990. Last year, they sold 47 million products in the US, which translates to almost 13 products for every baby born, showing just how massive the brand is today. Operating in over 50 countries with six offices and almost 400 employees worldwide, Munchkin was named #8 on Fortune's list of America’s Most Innovative Companies among brands like Alphabet, IBM, and Apple. Recently, they expanded their portfolio by launching Curio, a premium home lifestyle brand. Kristin tells us this is just the beginning of their diversification.In this episode, Alan and Kristin discuss the size and scope of Munchkin, their commitment to CSR and sustainability, and how they are overcoming the challenges of shrinking audience size and shifting distribution channels through innovation. One of the largest challenges Munchkin faces is having a very narrow audience with a limited lifetime value. This causes them to focus on the functionality and innovation of their products to delight their customers and win over a larger portion of this smaller group. With a small consumer base, it doesn't make sense for the brand to spend large amounts of money on traditional marketing. Instead, they make these emotional connections through platforms like podcasts and CTV. With the loss of major distribution partners like Bye Bye Baby and Babies R Us, Kristin and her team are also reworking the way they get their products to consumers and ensuring a better buying experience all around.In this episode, you'll learn:How Munchkin is dealing with a shrinking audience through innovation and alternative marketingHow a commitment to CSR and sustainability factor into Munchkin's business strategyHow Munchkin is innovating their distribution and shifting the way they work with partners to make the buying process better for their consumersKey Highlights: [01:30] A working mom aspiring to be more like her own[03:45] From media planner to marketing VP[06:05] What is Munchkin up to today?[07:50] What does marketing look like at Munchkin?[10:30] How does Munchkin approach product strategy and innovation?[14:10] How does a commitment to CSR and sustainability factor into Munchkin's business strategy?[17:10] Discontinuation of any product under 4 stars[19:25] Working with distribution partners to grow the business[22:30] Looking at new categories and pivoting where it makes sense[23:00] Insights from working at Intel[26:25] Advice to her younger self: Don’t be afraid to try new things.[27:15] Staying on track with a rapidly evolving digital landscape: AI and Influencers[30:40] Watching the impending generational shift: Where do your customers fall?[32:40] Anticipating growth in a changing retail landscapeLooking for more?Visit our website for links to resources mentioned in this episode and ways to connect with the guest! Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Isabelle Guis was born and raised in France but has lived in Silicon Valley since 2001. She was trained as an engineer, with a master's degree in Electrical Engineering from Supelec and an MBA from Harvard Business School. She strives for perfection as a ballet dancer, a pilot, and in her dual roles as Global CMO and CEO of North America for Brevo. Before joining Brevo, Isabelle was pivotal in leading Salesforce's $5 billion Sales Cloud Product Marketing organization, which grew by $1 billion under her tenure. After that, as Commvault's CMO, Isabelle and her team transformed traditional perpetual software marketing into best-in-class agile SaaS marketing. Most recently, she served as the Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer at Egnyte, where she successfully launched a new content protection solution, expanding their Total Addressable Market (TAM) by a factor of 10x up to $25 billion. Isabelle also shares her expertise as a Marketing and Business Strategy adjunct professor teaching graduate students at Santa Clara University.In this episode, Alan and Isabelle discuss what Brevo is, how they are changing the dynamics of their offering mix, and the adaptations they have to make as they move towards serving a new scale of enterprise clientele while maintaining their longstanding small business customers. Brevo was founded in India in 2007 and, until a recent rebrand, was known as Sendinblue. Isabelle tells us why they decided to rebrand, how her dual roles as Global CMO and CEO of North America work together to better serve both markets and why staying curious is one of the most important things for all marketers to do.In this episode, you'll learn:How her duel role came to be and the benefits of intersecting US and global marketsWhy they are rebranding from Sendinblue to BrevoHow the company is enabling adaptation to drive growthKey Highlights: [02:10] What do a ballet dancer and a pilot have in common?[04:30] From France to the Valley[05:30] Her path to becoming Global CMO and CEO US at Brevo[07:30] Bridging both sides[08:25] A multicultural creation of Brevo[10:45] Product complexity and having a great engineering team[12:00] How the duel role came about and how it works[14:00] The intersection of US and global markets[15:45] The components that have to be in place for adaptation and change[19:10] Enabling adaptation to drive growth[22:00] Advice for other market leaders[25:30] Lessons learned from immigrating to the US[27:45] Inescapable AI[31:30] Natural disasters and the Barbie takeover[36:45] Differentiation in the Age of AILooking for more?Visit our website for links to resources mentioned in this episode and ways to connect with the guest! Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Angela Voss majored in mass communications and got her first job out of college in digital marketing. She started with Marketing Architects in 2007, when they were solely operating in radio. About a year after she joined, Marketing Architects announced they were going to enter TV. With a love of television and no fear of a challenge, she worked for many years to build out the TV team and identify how Marketing Architects would compete with differentiation in media buying. She ran that team until 2015, when she moved to lead the client management team. In 2023, she became CEO, and today she leads 125 employees in solving TV's pricing, measurement, and scale challenges.Marketing Architects is a full-service TV agency that places ads in both linear and streaming formats. With an All-Inclusive TV model, their clients only pay for the media budget, and Marketing Architects invest capital in all of the other necessary elements such as strategy development, brand positioning, creative conception, pretesting, full productions, conversion and measurement tracking, as well as 3rd party attribution.In this episode, Alan and Angela discuss why TV should be thought about differently today, what types of companies should be thinking about it, the ways Marketing Architects is using AI to overcome inefficiencies in media buying, and how their All-Inclusive TV model benefits their clients and sets them apart from other agencies. Marketing Architects recently used their own data and case studies to publish a report called Reach, Revenue, and ROI: 3 Factors for Effective TV Advertising. Angela outlines many key findings from that report, including the benefits of reach over tight targeting, the role of cost in determining a TV campaign’s ROI, and how to balance sales with awareness.In this episode, you'll learn:Key findings from Reach, Revenue, and ROI: 3 Factors for Effective TV AdvertisingHas the marketing world leaned too far into targeting? The benefits of reach over tight targeting in TVWhat is a "positive spill," and how can advertisers maximize their campaign’s ROI?"Both-ism" and how to balance goals through TV advertisingKey Highlights: [01:45] Character building with basketball[03:25] Started from the bottom now she’s CEO[05:30] What makes Marketing Architects unique?[07:30] Ideal Marketing Architects client profile[09:00] Reach, Revenue, and ROI: 3 Factors for Effective TV Advertising[12:25] Reach over tight targeting[15:15] Has the marketing world leaned too far into targeting?[17:30] The significant role of cost in determining a TV campaign’s ROI[20:45] Battling the inefficiencies of media buying[21:40] Balancing sales and awareness[26:22] The impact collegiate sports had on her career[27:00] Advice to self? Chill out.[27:35] The AI adoption curve[29:30] Category design[31:30] Having healthy paranoiaLooking for more?Visit our website for links to resources mentioned in this episode and ways to connect with the guest! Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Carl Loredo used to go to Wendy's for dinner every Friday night with his mother when he was growing up. Fast forward to 2016, and he carried those memories and experiences into his work as Wendy's Vice President of Brand Marketing, then US Chief Marketing Officer, and eventually into his current role as Global Chief Marketing Officer. Prior to coming to Wendy’s, Carl held marketing roles at Dell and PepsiCo before he went over to the agency side. Carl combines his passion for marketing with a love of storytelling in service of Wendy’s mission to be the most talked-about brand in the world.In this episode, Alan and Carl discuss how his nontraditional career path serves him in his current role, the balance between global brand building and local adaptation, the evolution of social media strategy, and how Wendy's is using new technology to drive transformation for digital and physical experiences. Wendy’s was founded with the intention of being the antithesis of what was available at the time, and it has maintained that energy to become a global challenger brand with the ingredients it uses and the messaging it puts out. You can see this in action through their use of platforms like Twitch, the Wendyverse, and Fortnight.Wendy's is known for its spicy social media presence, and they have been very intentional about keeping a finger on the pulse of culture, evolving their strategy with the platforms, and focusing on going deep in 1-on-1 conversations. With the shift to video content through TikTok, he and his team have had to balance Wendy being both a real person and a social media personality to become a humanized QSR brand. Carl tells us the brand stands out by knowing who they are, embracing their role as a category disruptor, and listening to their fans. He advises other executives who want to stand out to not copy Wendy's but instead develop a deep understanding of their own brand and the role they play, then experiment with how to make that work for their consumers. The "challenger" thought process can also be seen in how Wendy’s is utilizing digital to get more Wendy's to more people. By understanding people's needs and leaning into new technologies, Wendy's is giving its consumers and their employees a better, more memorable experience."To be on the forefront of culture, you also gotta enter into some uncharted spaces."In this episode, you'll learn:Balancing global branding and local adaptationsCarl's advice to other brands that want to be disruptiveWendy’s unique social media strategy and evolving with the platformsKey Highlights: [01:45] Destin to work with Wendys[04:00] Carl’s journey to Wendy's[07:20] Balancing global branding and local adaptations[11:25] Evolving and adapting alongside social media[17:20] Humanizing a QSR brand[19:45] Spicy Nuggs[22:24] Advice for other executives that want to be disruptive[25:50] Using digital tools to get more Wendy’s to more people[28:55] Carl’s nontraditional path to the CMO chair and how that impacts his leadership style[32:30] Advice to his younger self: Make more strategic choices and be overt in those choices.[35:00] Consumer, consumer, consumer.[37:40] Trends and subcultures: The evolution of gaming [39:55] Driving 1 to 1 engagement Looking for more?Visit our website for links to resources mentioned in this episode and ways to connect with the guest! Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aron North is a lifelong Lakers fan who has been doing epic things as the Chief Marketing Officer at Mint Mobile since 2019. He joined Mint Mobile in 2016 (during the "pre-Ryan years") as the SVP of Marketing and Creative, where he spearheaded the initial development of the brand's marketing department and creative efforts. The early half of Aron's career was all agency-side, while the second half has been client-side, first with Taco Bell and now with Mint Mobile. Through all of it, he's learned that marketing is critically important to all businesses, but it is never a one-person show. It's a team sport made up of the people you work with every day and the relationships and partnerships you build along the way. Aron has leveraged those relationships to launch countless buzz-worthy campaigns and initiatives and drive Mint Mobile to 90,000% revenue growth over the last five years.In this episode, Alan and Aron discuss the hypotheses Mint was built on, how they were operating and gaining traction in the early years, and the way things changed when they were bought by Ryan Renolds and his partner George Dewy. With big ideas like chunky-style milk and subversive print ads, the marketing team at Mint Mobile has always embraced risk in their efforts to stand out from the crowd. With risk comes inevitable failure, but Arons says if you never fail, then you aren't trying hard enough. That is why the leadership at Mint has created an environment where people feel comfortable enough to take risks they normally wouldn't for fear of punishment while maintaining high accountability to ultimately build credibility. Their work is strategically driven, insight-based, and consumer-first, but most of all, it is fun!In this episode, you'll learn:The two big ideas that brought Mint 90,000% revenue growth in 5 yearsSolving the issue of legitimacy: "How can it be any good if it's this affordable?"The Ryan Renolds effect: melding creativity, commerce, and efficacyKey Highlights: [02:00] A lifelong Lakers fan[04:25] Aron’s path to Mint Mobile[07:00] Takeaways from working with marketing giants[11:15] 90,000% revenue growth in 5 years[15:45] Chunky-style milk[27:40] Why Ryan came to Mint[30:00] It’s like two Super Bowls every time he does anything.[31:50] Ryan "hands-on" Renolds[34:45] "The world will love us for bringing Rick back!"[37:00] Flipping the dynamic between clients and agencies[40:10] The insider secret to keeping the engine running fast[42:20] The core values and how they apply to every team member[47:10] Lessons learned in the port-a-potties[49:15] "Have a little more fun."[50:30] We need to get back to insight-based marketing.[52:00] Who is Gen Alpha?[53:20] AI: Let’s be smart about it.Looking for more?Visit our website for links to resources mentioned in this episode and ways to connect with the guest! Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stacey Andrade-Wells joined Liquid I.V. as Vice President of Marketing in January 2022. Before that, she spent over seven years at Procter & Gamble working on a variety of brands like Mr. Clean, Swiffer, and Gain. As a second-generation Colombian, she is passionate about driving diversity in all aspects of her work. This passion lends itself perfectly to her work at Liquid I.V., focusing on using hydration as the entry point to making wellness accessible for everyone.Liquid I.V. is a wellness company based in Los Angeles. In 2020, Liquid I.V. became part of Unilever's companies through acquisition. Their product lines are non-GMO electrolyte drink mixes designed to deliver rapid hydration utilizing a proprietary technology they call cellular transport technology. By increasing the absorption of water and other key nutrients into the body, the end result is 360-degree wellness. According to Stacey, the functional drink industry is expected to develop at a rate of 6.5% between 2023 and 2032 and reach a size of over 206 billion in 2023 alone. This growth means Liquid I.V. has to be continually innovating, and they always start by asking consumers what their needs are. Liquid I.V.'s go-to-market strategy focuses on getting communication right by nailing down who they are speaking to, what message will resonate with them, and making sure they reach them at the right time. Stacey calls this "mastering the intersection of creativity and medium."In this episode, Alan and Stacy discuss what Liquid I.V. is, the evolution of the brand, how inclusivity is a core part of its strategy, and the future of the functional beverage industry as a whole. They talk about the unique functional ingredients in the products Liquid I.V. sells, how this sets them apart from competitors in the marketplace, and how listening to consumers where they are the most honest (in the comments section) informs their product development. Liquid I.V. has carved out its place in the market by keeping a finger on the pulse of culture, advocating for clean water access for all, and being mindful not to frame itself as a drink mix exclusively for high-intensity sports athletes but as a way to improve hydration for everyone every day.In this episode, you'll learn:What does it mean to operate with intentionality in your go-to-market strategy?What differentiates Liquid I.V. in the marketplace?How is Liquid I.V. staying on the bleeding edge of in-person activations, sampling, and influencer marketing?Key Highlights: [01:45] Stacey’s personal wellness and growth journey[04:10] Her path to VP of Marketing[05:55] What is Liquid I.V.?[07:20] What sets Liquid I.V. apart in the market?[10:05] Inclusivity is part of the strategy.[13:15] Trends with male consumers of wellness products[14:20] What is IN Liquid I.V.[19:00] The future of functional beverages[24:10] Go-to-market strategy [27:00] "If you try it, you buy it."[31:45] Growing up as a second-generation immigrant[34:45] Advice to her younger self[38:45] AI is an opportunity, not a threat.[40:00] Notice where consumers speak most freely.[41:10] The closing gap between consumers and brands Looking for more?Visit our website for links to resources mentioned in this episode and ways to connect with the guest! Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yon Raz-Fridman is an entrepreneur, repeat founder, and technology executive. Originally from Israel, he went to London to start his career, met his wife, and moved to New York. Eventually, they moved back to her hometown and are now based in Columbus, Ohio. In college, Yon was part of an entrepreneurial academic program where he developed a passion for blending expression, creativity, and digital products.Supersocial is the number one developer, publisher, and operator of premium virtual worlds on immersive social platforms like Roblox and Fortnight. They create engaging games and experiences that focus on bringing joy to next-gen digital communities using their IP and IP from some of the world's most innovative and largest brands and companies. After seeing the rise of Minecraft, Roblox, and Fortnight before and during the pandemic, Yon began to believe virtual 3D worlds would be the next frontier of the consumer internet. There are two generations (Z and Alpha, born after 2000) that have been born into a smartphone-based world with large, immersive social platforms. They are playing, socializing, and expressing themselves on these platforms and representing themselves as a 3D avatar with a mindset of "It's not just me playing the character. I am the character". Yon realized these kids are going to grow up and will likely want to continue to interact with the internet in the same way. This evolution will change how they interact with media, entertainment, and shopping. While the fundamentals are yet to be determined, the scale is undeniable.In this episode, Alan and Yon discuss how Supersocial capitalizes on that hypothesis, how brands and advertisers might think about experimenting and getting in early, and what the KPIs are in these spaces. Yon talks about trends he sees in the Metaverse, how they are connected to actual human behavior change, and how Supersocial works with brands like NARS to harness these opportunities. Yons says the Metaverse isn't replacing the current internet; it is the next iteration. It is the next frontier of the consumer internet, and there is exponential potential to grow into it. However, he also warns against getting caught up in hype, both negative and positive, and instead advises to "pay attention to what people do with technology, not the technology itself."In this episode, you'll learn:What Supersocial does and the KPIs they care aboutThe inevitable evolution of the internet and how we use itWhat most people are missing when they think about the MetaverseKey Highlights: [01:46] From Isreal to Columbus, Ohio[06:10] The spark to start Supersocial[11:45] What is Supersocial?[12:40] What we don't know and what we are missing when it comes to the metaverse[14:45] The internet is evolving into the next iteration.[17:45] How might there be 100 billion people in the Metaverse?[20:00] What is Yon seeing in the Metaverse today?[21:30] Bringing brands to Roblox in an authentic way[26:20] How brands can start in the space[29:47] Metaverse success metrics[32:00] Pandemic pivot[36:00] Advice to his younger self: Perfect is the enemy of great.[37:30] Be careful how much you rely on technology versus what people do with it.[40:50] Trends and subcultures[44:00] You own your time.Looking for more?Visit our website for links to resources mentioned in this episode and ways to connect with the guest! Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brigitte King moved around a lot when she was young, and she credits this global, multicultural upbringing for the broad worldview and unique perspective that has served her throughout her career. She was traditionally trained in marketing and packaged goods early on but eventually pivoted to digital when it was first emerging. Over the years, she has learned how to utilize digital while leveraging her roots by keeping brand growth top of mind.Brigitte began her career at L’Oreal, where she spent 13 years progressing through increasingly senior roles, including Vice President, Deputy General Manager, and Chief Consumer Officer for the United States and Americas region. After L’Oreal, she went on to be the Vice President of Marketing for Kao Brands, then Chief Consumer Officer for Calvin Klein, and Executive Vice President for North American Digital Operations for the parent company, PVH Corp. In 2020, Brigitte joined Colgate as their Chief Digital Officer and now leads the Global Digital Organization, which includes Digital Marketing, Digital Commerce, Media, Measurement, CRM, Digital Solutions, and Capabilities to accelerate Colgate’s digital transformation.In this episode, Alan and Brigitte discuss what it means to drive digital transformation for a company with an extensive portfolio like Colgate-Palmolive, what type of data is important to the process and how that data is being collected and used, as well as the role a great team plays in the execution of an innovative, fully connected full-funnel marketing strategy. As a pioneer in digital marketing, Brigitte gives a first-hand account of how first-party data changed the game for marketers. Data will always be key in any transformation, and she urges us to consider what data is being collected, how it’s being collected, and what is being done with it in order to get the most out of what we have while remaining respectful of consumers. To this end, she outlines two principles she uses when thinking about data collection and gives practical advice to the people who are driving transformation when it comes to managing their time, their team, and their strategies. At the end of the day, declaring your digital ambition and finding alignment is how you move the needle. At Colgate-Palmolive, it is all in service to their mission of "Reimagining a healthier future for all people, their pets, and our planet."In this episode, you'll learn:The key ingredients for driving transformationTwo principles to avoid "land grabbing" in data collectionPractical advice for managing time, teams, and strategiesKey Highlights: [01:50] Born in Brazil and skiing in France[03:10] PIVOT! From traditional to digital[05:20] Businesses and brands in the Colgate-Palmolive portfolio[06:30] Meeting consumers where they are in new ways[08:20] The key ingredients for driving transformation[10:10] Declaring your digital ambition and finding alignment[11:50] Internal growth and external acknowledgments[15:30] The type and usage of data needed for transformations[17:00] No land-grabbing. Two principles to keep in mind with data collection[18:10] Advice for people driving transformation[22:10] All of your experiences make up who you are today.[23:50] Advice to her younger self[24:30] GenAI is the buzzword for a reason.[25:30] Managing complexity and building your brandLooking for more?Visit our website for links to resources mentioned in this episode and ways to connect with the guest! Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dave Skena remembers having his first Krispy Kreme doughnut at age 13, and even back then, he knew this company wasn’t like the others. In college, he thought he was going to be an economist, but through his first job at Andersen Consulting (now Accenture), he realized marketing was where he really wanted to be. After going back to school, he began his new career at Kraft Foods, then went to PepsiCo for over eight years, where he led brands such as Lay’s, Ruffles, SunChips, Tostitos, and Lay’s Dips. He left CPG when he became Chief Marketing Officer at Ruby Tuesdays, where he helped them transition from public to private. Then moved on to his current role as Global Chief Brand Officer at Krispy Kreme. As a 20-year "performance-driven" innovator and marketer, Dave has flipped the script regarding traditional marketing in the category for an underdog brand by putting a premium on insights and creative-driven earned media strategies.In this episode, Alan and Dave discuss the uniqueness of the Krispy Kreme brand being both accessible and premium with the omnichannel hybrid model, where their brand promise of freshness is a top priority. Dave is a performance marketer, meaning his goal is to get the most out of every marketing dollar spent. Rather than focusing on the top of the funnel, he is constantly monitoring the performance of each move his team makes through A/B testing. Earned media, collaborations, and participation in culture are the top ways Krispy Kreme increases traffic and awareness. Power partnerships with big brands such as Oreo, Chips Ahoy, Herseys, and Good Humor are a win-win for all involved and compound the joy for consumers. Dave says "happiness is not a fixed pie", meaning there is plenty to go around. When it comes to capturing cultural moments, the Pandemic gave Krispy Kreme the perfect backdrop to counter with their extremely popular Acts of Joy, such as free donuts for all healthcare workers, graduates, and people who were vaccinated. By capitalizing on unity, Dave and his team are making news, reinforcing a culture of generosity, and driving sales at the same time.In this episode, you'll learn:How Dave’s career prepared him perfectly for Krispy Kreme’s omnichannel hybrid modelThe keys to authentically capturing cultural momentsWhat performance marketing is and how Dave maximizes his marketing budgetKey Highlights: [02:14] Dave’s first Krispy Kreme Doughnut[05:30] From Economics to Doughnuts[09:35] What’s unique about Krispy Kreme?[13:10] The key to capturing cultural moments[19:40] Partnerships and collaborations to increase joy (and sales)[24:00] Delivered Fresh Daily: getting into retail[25:45] Maximizing marketing and investments[30:45] Using credibility to multiply happiness[33:00] Being thrown into the deep end and learning you can swim[36:20] Marketing is the best thing you can do with a dollar.[37:50] Capitalize on unity[39:45] It’s all about AI, but not in the way you thinkLooking for more?Visit our website for links to resources mentioned in this episode and ways to connect with the guest! Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sarah Acton is the Chief Marketing Officer at BILL and brings more than 25 years of experience in marketing and brand-building work in both consumer and business markets. She had an interest in marketing early on and started her career in media buying, then went back to business school, moved into consumer packaged goods, spent some time on the agency side, and eventually opened her own small business. After that, she returned to technology, where she was responsible for global brand oversight during pivotal periods of growth at LinkedIn and consumer marketing leadership at Yahoo!, then led both marketing and sales at Athos, a wearables company in the athletic performance space. She has now been with BILL for the past 18 months. Sarah believes one of the roles of marketing is to build and reinforce trust with your customers and the market at large, and she is grateful to be immersed in a culture of people who have a shared respect for small businesses as well as a shared connection to the mission and values that matter to her.In this episode, Alan and Sarah discuss what her marketing department is doing to help drive discovery, connection, and trust with BILL’s customers and how the integrity she learned when she was running her own small business helps inform the way she operates with BILL today. BILL is an all-in-one financial operations platform serving small businesses with all the "messy back office financial things". They recently underwent a rebrand to satiate an appetite to bring more humanity into the operation. Despite being a tech company, at the end of the day, it is just a group of humans serving another group of humans in the deeply personal space of operating a small business. Marketing to small businesses falls somewhere between B2B and B2C, making it complex to message and connect with their diverse range of scope and scale. BILL's role is not only about managing the day-to-day operations but also helping its customers fuel growth and understand cash flow. Sarah tells us BILL saves their customers between 50% to 75% of their time spent on financial operations, allowing them to invest more in the things that align with their mission and passion."Brand strategy is not independent of company strategy. It is in service of company strategy."In this episode, you'll learn:How being a small business owner impacted Sarah's marketing careerThe importance of your team having a shared connection to the mission and valuesWhy marketing to small businesses is so complex and diverseKey Highlights: [01:45] Early childhood apprenticeship in IP Law[03:15] Sarah’s path to BILL[08:30] Pattern recognition and pulling levers[10:15] What does BILL do?[13:30] Why rebrand now?[15:50] What is next for Bill?[19:15] Small businesses are complex and unique. How do you market to all of them?[23:00] What is the role of marketing?[26:30] Culture and team building at BILL[30:30] The impact of owning her own business[34:15] Advice to her younger self[35:30] Be obsessed with your customers.[37:50] The shift in how we reach, teach, and influence[40:50] The opportunity to experiment endlessly Thank you to our sponsor:PartnerHero: to waive set-up fees, go to https://www.partnerhero.com/marketingtoday and mention “Marketing Today” during onboarding!Looking for more?Visit our website for links to resources mentioned in this episode and ways to connect with the guest! Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kadian Langlais is the Chief Marketing Officer at Renfro Brands, a 100-year-old legacy sock and hosiery design and manufacturing company. In her role, she oversees Renfro’s diverse portfolio of brands and maintains its position as the largest manufacturer of socks in the U.S., producing three million pairs per week. Kadian grew up in Kingston, Jamaica, where she developed a love for interior design and has always had a passion for fashion. After immigrating to New York, she initially planned to go into investment banking but decided to follow her passion instead and enter the business side of the fashion world. Prior to joining Renfro, she consulted with leading brands and retailers on their e-commerce and digital marketing strategies.In this episode, Alan and Kadian discuss her pathway to becoming the CMO at Renfro, the role of DEI and how she’s focused on it, and an initiative she helped launch called Project Footprint. When Kadian joined Renfro in 2018 as Vice President, DTC and Digital, she was tasked with expanding the business beyond the traditional brick-and-mortar stores the company traditionally relied on. With the move to CMO, she has had the opportunity to further help modernize Renfro through a full rebrand and instilling a new values system. Kadian tells us there can be a sock for every moment of the day and a way for Renfro to pivot its businesses to thrive through every economic shift. Despite commodity price inflation, global competition, and dynamic consumer preferences, Renfro has maintained its place as the largest sock company in the world. They design, manufacture, and sell socks for all occasions, from hiking to fashion, and now they are expanding into new categories like underwear and t-shirts. Today, Kadian is focused on growing consumer engagement across Renfro Brand’s direct-to-consumer platform, Loops & Wales, and the company’s brand portfolio, which includes Hot Sox, K. BELL, and more.In this episode, you'll learn:What is the role of marketing among rising commodity prices, global competition, and dynamic consumer preferences?Why do marketers often take the lead in DEI initiatives?Observations and advice from one WOC Executive to the nextKey Highlights: [02:10] A passion for interior design[03:50] From Kingston, Jamaica, to the CMO of Renfro[05:20] What is Renfro?[06:30] The shift from Vice President, DTC, and Digital to CMO[08:10] A North Carolina connection: blending the old with the new[10:30] Highlights of modernizing the company[12:40] The role of marketing in our current environment[15:20] How brands can incorporate DEI into marketing strategies[18:10] Project Footprint and the DDC[20:50] Why marketers often take the lead in the DEI space[21:40] Advice from one WOC Exec to the next[25:40] Making something out of nothing[28:25] Trust your gut.[30:15] AI for copy at scale[33:16] Basketcase Gallery, Telfar, Hammitt[36:45] Opportunities and threats for marketers today Looking for more?Visit our website for links to resources mentioned in this episode and ways to connect with the guest! Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Lattman is an avid traveler and serves as the Senior Vice President for Card Acquisition Marketing at Discover. Prior to Discover, Matt was Chief Marketing Officer at Zero Financial, a financial technology startup. He also spent six years at Capital One in various roles, most recently as Head of Acquisition Marketing for their Consumer Bank. He joined Discover in 2019 as VP of Marketing, Pricing, and Product Strategy in Personal Loans. With his start date being just 4 months before the pandemic, Matt quickly got to see firsthand how Discover helps its customers through hard times, meets their needs, and keeps empathy at the core of the brand and operations. Now, he is working to optimize the discovery of Discover through the journey of customers getting their cards, both through cross-selling and net new acquisitions, to ensure people find the products that are right for them.In this episode, Alan and Matt discuss how he conceptualizes Acquisition Marketing at Discover, the critical aspects of getting Acquisition Marketing right, where creative excellence and storytelling fit into the picture, and the benefits and challenges of marketing a highly recognizable brand. Matt tells us Discover has "midwestern values" and places its customers first in business conversations. When it comes to getting Acquisition Marketing right, knowing what a bad outcome is is essential to narrowing down the target audience. Yes, it is important to understand your ideal customer, but understanding the consumers who don't want or can't have your product is the key to driving down acquisition costs. Matt's goal in marketing is to make the advertisement feel like a letter from the brand to the consumer, and the only way to accomplish that is to truly understand who the consumer is. Matt and Alan also talk about the future of AI in generating creative and the soul that is missing when using this kind of technology to create powerful messaging.In this episode, you'll learn:What Acquisition Marketing is and the critical aspects of doing it rightBenefits and challenges of marketing a highly recognizable brandWhat AI-generated creative is missingKey Highlights: [01:40] Not an everyday traveler[03:40] Matt’s path to Discover [07:00] How is his current role constructed, and what are his primary focus areas?[08:25] Optimizing the discovery of Discover[09:15] Simplifying messaging in marketing[10:55] What is critical to getting Acquisition Marketing right?[14:25] Creative excellence and the ability to tell a story[15:30] AI for crafting creative[18:30] Ryan Reynolds ChatGPT Ad[19:30] The importance of a brand's being recognizable[25:00] Finding truth in microfiche[29:00] Give everyone space and grace.[32:40] Marketing academics, lessons from the past, and understanding HOW it works[35:55] Trends and subcultures to watch[38:00] Machine learning for targeting ads Resources Mentioned: Matt Lattman Discover Zero (now Avant), Capital One, Living Social, Boston Consulting Group  Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joshua Hollin is the Digital Associate for the Born This Way Foundation, where he executes digital content in service to the mission of building a kinder, braver world. He's passionate about combating the stereotype that young people are lazy, apathetic, or indifferent to the world around them by showing that they are empowered, resilient, and creative.In this episode, Alan and Joshua discuss Born This Way Foundation initiatives, the impact social media has had on young people, and what the Foundation is doing for the LGBTQ+ community. Founded in 2012 by Lady Gaga and her mother, Cynthia Germanotta, the Born This Way Foundation is on a mission to support the mental health of young people and build a kinder and braver world. They aim to make kindness cool, validate the emotions of young people, and eliminate the stigma around mental health.In this episode, you'll learn:How is the Born This Way Foundation supporting the mental health of young people and working with them to build a kinder and braver world?How can businesses get involved with the Born This Way Foundation?The importance of accessible resources for young peopleKey Highlights: [02:25] Who is PAJAMAJOSH?[05:30] How did Josh come to the Born This Way Foundation?[07:40] What sparked the formation of the Foundation?[08:40] Be There Certificate and #BeKind365[16:55] Mental Health Awareness Month in May[21:00] Pride Month Initiatives in June[24:20] How companies can get involved and support the cause[29:10] Embracing AI and leaning into the human element of marketingThank you to our sponsor:PartnerHero: to waive set-up fees, go to https://www.partnerhero.com/marketingtoday and mention “Marketing Today” during onboarding!Resources Mentioned: Joshua Hollin Born This Way Foundation LinkedIn LIVE Session and Video ChannelKindness.org #PleaseStayPledge in partnership with FindYourAnchor.us BRP Powers Up Born This Way Foundation's #BeKind365 Digital Platform To Ride Out Intimidation Year-Round 2023 Social Innovation Summit Innovator of the YearBorn This Way Foundation and TimelyCare Partner to Support College Students' Mental Health with “Be There Certificate”  Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lauren Weinberg is a proud boy mom, a loving dog mom,and currently the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Square, driving global marketing and communications strategy. She started her career by measuring media metrics, then made her way into b2b media, and eventually moved over to the consumer side of marketing strategy. She spent some time running her own consulting business, then landed at Square where she has been for the past 6 years. Previously, she held leadership roles at Yahoo!, MTV, and AOL. Lauren sees marketing at Square as the growth engine, and her team is responsible for the brand, the perceptions, and the acquisition of new customers. In this episode, Alan and Lauren discuss Square's business model, how it has dimensionalized and expanded over the years, the impact of data on Square's marketing efforts, and the incrementalism and principled risks that marketing organizations need to take in order to be competitive. Square started in 2009 with the purpose of enabling any individual or business to participate and thrive in the economy with the little white card reader. Now, 14 years later, they have a full ecosystem of software and hardware that allows companies of all sizes to run their entire operation through Square. With such a diverse audience, Square thrives on implementing an audience-first marketing perspective. By focusing on key audiences and tailoring messaging for each, Square is able to drive discoverability and cultivate relationships with a variety of different demographics and businesses in all sectors and scales. Square is very data-driven and informed, so everything they do and plans for is tied back to the overall strategy, metrics of success, and business results. Their category is competitive, so they have to be responsive and adapt quickly while also being smart with their risk-taking. Lauren tells us taking small incremental risks gives them space to break through and try new things. Thankfully, experimenting and learning from failures is in the DNA of Square, and that serves them well in being innovative.In this episode, you'll learn:The benefits and challenges of implementing “audience first” marketingHow incrementalism, principled risks, and a culture of learning drive innovation at SquareLaurens take on marketing cuts in light of an oncoming recessionKey Highlights: [01:30] A cross-country pandemic move[05:00] Where Lauren got her start and how she ended up at Square[09:00] What is Square today[10:30] How does Lauren think about marketing role in driving growth [12:00] What has Lauren learned over the past 6 years at Square?[13:20] How is Lauren using data to inform her marketing efforts?[15:40] Data in understanding long-term investments [16:48] Marketing mix modleing [19:05] Educating a variety of audiences[21:40] Audience first marketing [24:30] Marketing cuts in light of an oncoming recession [27:50] Benefits of constant communication and transparent decision making [30:00] The impact of her first job and being a boy mom[32:30] Advocate for yourself and trust your intuition [34:30] Generative Ai and unlocking TikTok [36:00] Trends and subcultures to watch [38:45] Returning to a beginners mindset Thank you to our sponsor:PartnerHero: to waive set-up fees, go to https://www.partnerhero.com/marketingtoday and mention “Marketing Today” during onboarding! Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Amrita Mathur joined Superside as their first marketing hire in 2019, there was no product, no platform, and no recurring revenue. She is no stranger to being called in when companies are at a strategic inflection point with their growth strategy, so she did what she spent a career in B2B marketing learning how to do: implement a marketing-led growth strategy that translated into $8 million in subscription revenue in the first year and 400% year-over-year growth since then. Amrita is passionate about community, but she denotes an important difference between community building and a sense of community. For her, it’s about a sense of goodwill and feeling like you have someone in your corner. Now as VP of Marketing, with that sense of community top of mind, she and her team are revolutionizing design at scale for ambitious brands like Amazon, Meta, Shopify, and Coinbase.In this episode, Alan and Amrita discuss her journey from developer to Marketing VP, the moves that played a key role in taking Superside from $0 to $55 million in annual recurring revenue in just four years, and the importance of Design and Creative Ops in running an efficient and effective team. Superside is a fully managed design subscription company that serves marketing and creative teams to help them unbottleneck their design challenges and empower them to get creative work done in a fast and efficient manner. Unlike an agency, freelance marketplace, or internal team, Superside acts as a point solution for key problems inside a company. They optimize for efficiency, speed, and scale, which allows them to cater to companies that are pivoting and changing rapidly. Amrita says an understanding of the importance of Design and Creative Ops helps Superside be an extremely efficient and effective partner. When it comes to Superside’s rapid and sustained growth, Amrita tells us they did make smart moves, but also attributes some of their good fortune to good timing. One key move was figuring out their differentiation early. With marketing, the problem is well-defined but the solutions are messy, so from the start, Superside dove deep into what their best use cases were and what value they would provide in that space. Another key move was the founder's investment in marketing from day one to intentionally "build an efficient machine" for lean operations.In this episode, you'll learn:What is the Superside use case?How Amrita took Superside from $0 to $55 million in ARR in four yearsThe benefits of a marketing-first mindsetKey Highlights: [02:05] An appreciation for "community"[07:30] Path to becoming CMO of Superside[10:20]  What is Superside?[14:00] ARR increased from $0 to $55 million in four years.[18:30] No convincing is needed when the higher-ups get marketing.[20:00] What are "moon shoots," and what is an example of a win?[28:10] The nexus of design, creativity, and operation[31:50] A crazy (and impressive) designer to design operations ratio[36:00] Being a chameleon isn’t such a bad thing.[39:00] Advice for her younger self[40:05] Be aware of dilution in marketing.[42:40] Misconceptions around mass amounts of data Thank you to our sponsor:PartnerHero: to waive set-up fees, go to https://www.partnerhero.com/marketingtoday and mention “Marketing Today” during onboarding! Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Raj Pudipeddi currently serves as the Chief Product and Marketing Officer for Align Technology, makers of Invisalign, and its Managing Director for the Asia Pacific region. Through his dual roles, Raj has global responsibility for product, marketing, strategy, and clinical teams, as well as for the market development and commercial execution of all Align Technology products and services in the Asia Pacific region. Raj is an engineer by training who spent nearly 22 years at Procter & Gamble after he received his MBA. Today, he considers himself an "accidental marketer" who gets his joy out of serving the business and believes that ordinary people can deliver extraordinary outcomes when they are empowered to do so.In this episode, Alan and Raj discuss the first steps he took when he arrived at Align Technology and how he has transformed the organization to deliver on the brand purpose. Align Technology encompasses several brands (Align Technology, Invisalign, Itero, and Exocad) that combine to provide end-to-end service, from generating interest to helping doctors model and use their products. They operate in a two-sided market by serving consumers and doctors, but a common purpose of "transforming smiles and changing lives" brings the two together. Align Technology is creating a whole new market and modernizing a discipline that has been stationary for hundreds of years. By ensuring the seamless integration of their products, Align Technology is able to increase throughput, drive demand in the general population, and match it in the doctor's office.In this episode, you'll learn:How seamless integrations are increasing throughput and driving demandHow Align is creating a new market and modernizing a stationary disciplineWhere Raj learned his leadership styleKey Highlights: [01:50] Poker pro[02:45] From engineering to CMO[04:50] What brought Raj to Align?[06:30] The huge market opportunity[08:00] Wire-crossed lovers [09:15] The complexity of the system[11:40] Where did Raj start when he got to Align?[13:40] How does purpose make a difference?[11:25] The power of a smile[20:40] Lessons learned [23:30] How Align is keeping the brand authentic[25:00] The transformation needed to bring the vision to life[26:45] Consumer marketing vs. doctor marketing[29:45] Being a market maker[31:45] Personalization and seamless integration to create demand[33:00] Modernizing a stationary discipline[34:50] Measuring the effectiveness of marketing[37:50] Learning to make people feel respected and valued[41:05] Stop and smell the roses.[42:55] AI doesn’t preclude thinking.[44:30] Brands to watch[46:15] The pace of innovation is increasing.Thank you to our sponsor:PartnerHero: to waive set-up fees, go to https://www.partnerhero.com/marketingtoday and mention “Marketing Today” during onboarding! Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hiroki Asai is the Head of Global Marketing at Airbnb, overseeing all marketing efforts and in-house creative teams. Hiroki grew up as a skateboarder in the 80s, loved the design aspect of that world, and started his career as a graphic designer. Eventually, he learned how to apply what he knew about creativity and design to solve business problems. He spent 18 years at Apple and served as Vice President of Global Marketing Communications and Executive Creative Director, where he was responsible for a variety of iconic marketing campaigns for a range of products, including the iMac, iPod, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. Now, Hiroki is responsible for maintaining Airbnb’s strong global brand and sharing the stories of our millions of hosts who offer unique homes and experiences to guests around the world.In this episode, Alan and Hiroki discuss Airbnb’s post-pandemic rebalancing of spend between performance and brand, why he is a firm believer in the importance of in-house creative teams, and what he thinks makes a great campaign today. Hiroki is an advocate for the creation of in-house creative teams for the benefit of the company, brand, and creatives alike. He believes in-house teams offer the distinct advantages of having creatives closely connected to business challenges and maintaining a close integration between "in-bound" and "out-bound" aspects. When hiring creatives, Hiroki looks for individuals who can both take a broad perspective and execute artistic visions while understanding the larger business impact. He also touches on the importance of storytelling and differentiation in marketing, highlighting the need to shift the narrative through brand tactics rather than solely focusing on performance metrics. In his opinion, a good campaign shows truthfulness and real stories by embracing simplicity, authenticity, intelligent messaging, and shared experiences as a response to the proliferation of overproduced advertisements. To this point, Hiroki tells us how Airbnb's newest campaigns around Rooms and The Host's Passport were influenced by first-hand user experiences, leading to a transformation in people's perceptions and overcoming hesitations they may have about staying with strangers.In this episode, you'll learn:The benefits of in-house creative teamsWhat Hiroki looks for when he’s hiring new creative team membersWhat makes a great campaign?Key Highlights: [01:40] Hiroki’s recent travel[02:50] From skateboarder to graphic designer to marketing exec[05:30] Coming to Airbnb[06:40] Hiroki’s view on in-house creative[08:20] Advantages of in-house creatives[09:50] What to look for when hiring an in-house creative team[12:00] "The Great Rebalancing": shifting post-pandemic marketing mix[14:00] The interplay between the ethos and the product[15:50] What makes a good campaign?[19:50] Airbnb Rooms[25:15] The Hart Family’s Airbnb experience[30:20] Advice for your younger self[31:05] Close the gap between design and marketing.[32:45] Brands to watch[33:55] Marketing shouldn't be your differentiator.Thank you to our sponsor:PartnerHero: to waive set-up fees, go to https://www.partnerhero.com/marketingtoday and mention “Marketing Today” during onboarding! Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oded Netzer is a world-renowned expert in data-driven decision-making. He serves as the Vice Dean of Research and the Arthur J. Samberg Professor of Business at Columbia Business School. As the son of a Holocaust survivor, Oded is the first in his family to attend college. After graduation, he spent some time working in a chicken house but quickly decided that wasn't for him. After a quick stop at a consulting firm, he returned to college to climb the academic research ladder and pursue a career in education. Currently, he splits his time between teaching as an affiliate of the Columbia University Data Science Institute and consulting as an Amazon Scholar. He has published dozens of papers in the world's leading marketing and management science journals, and his award-winning research is widely read and highly cited.In this episode, Alan and Oded discuss "Decisions Over Decimals," Oded's latest co-authored book with Christopher Frank, Vice President of the Global Advertising and Brand Management team at American Express, and Paul Magnone, Head of Global Strategic Alliances at Google, who are also professors at Columbia. Having worked on the front lines and taught future executives, they identified two data myths that served as the inspiration for this book. Oded presents these myths and explores the three core pillars of quantitative intuition covered in the book, highlighting how marketers can improve decision-making by understanding these concepts.Oded advises against the inclination to rush to find a solution and instead encourages spending more time understanding the problem. According to Oded, a well-thought-out problem is already half-solved. This interview and the book emphasize the significance of asking insightful questions and properly defining the problem. This approach is evident in the emergence of Prompt Engineers for tools like ChatGPT, where precise questioning leverages quantitative intuition to achieve desired outcomes.The conversation also touches upon unstructured data and its implications for marketers in terms of analysis, decision-making, customer listening, and demonstrating that marketing is not just a cost but can also drive revenue.In this episode, you'll learn:"Decisions Over Decimals": Why this book and why now?What we should be thinking about in terms of good data-based decision-makingHow quantitative intuition is relevant to Prompt Engineers using tools like ChatGPTKey Highlights: [01:50] The son of a Holocaust survivor[03:45] From the chicken house to the university classroom[06:30] Why this book and why now?[09:25] Three pillars of quantitative intuition[16:30] "It's not that I'm so smart; it's just that I stay with problems longer."[18:00] Analyst in Wonderland[21:00] Prompt Engernerrs [23:15] What is so special about ChatGPT?[25:45] The best is yet to come with AI.[28:00] How should we think about unstructured data?[30:50] Connecting marketing with unstructured data[35:20] Gen Z pushing for "doing well by doing good"[38:00] What excites Oded in the marketing space now?[39:55] Travel is the best teacher.[40:50] Enjoy the journey.[41:30] Generative AI and creating a win-win[42:10] Brands to watch[44:30] Gen Z and AI are driving the future Thank you to our sponsor:PartnerHero: to waive set-up fees, go to https://www.partnerhero.com/marketingtoday and mention “Marketing Today” during onboarding! Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Guillaume Bouvard is the COO, CMO, and co-founder of Extend. He founded the company with two friends and credits their success to complementary skill sets, trust, shared values, and education. Before starting Extend, Guillaume spent 12 years at American Express in various roles, advising the C-Suite as a leader of the Strategic Planning Group for several years. Before Amex, Guillaume led marketing efforts at Capital One and earned an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management.In this episode, Alan and Guillaume discuss what Extend does, why it uniquely benefits marketers and agencies, and how they utilize marketing within their b2b2b model. Extend is a platform that turns business credit cards into a full spend management platform. They do not compete with banks but rather partner with them and empower them to offer better add-on products to their clients. Those banks then have to give Extend access to those clients, the real end users. This B2B2C or B2B2B model has unique challenges. Extend must be strategic about how it markets and communicates to its banking partners to gain access to cardholders and ensure the partnership is beneficial for all parties. Guillaume and his co-founders believe that effective marketing efforts continue well after customers walk in the door. Whether it be through cross-selling or continued engagement, you have to get them, keep them, and increase their usage. The nature of marketing is understanding how to create a strategy to influence consumers. Guillaume tells us that marketers and marketing agencies are a large portion of Extend users, and he outlines several use cases that highlight why.In this episode, you'll learn:Guillaume's founding story and how he has found success with his two other friendsWhat Extend does today in the virtual card and payment spacesHow Extend conceptualizes marketing to support their goalsKey Highlights: [02:00] A friendship/business partner success story[05:37] Guillaume’s career path[08:20] What does Extend do?[09:40] Extend isn’t competing with banks; it is partnering with them.[11:30] How does extending help marketers specifically?[17:20] Getting banking partners to promote Extend[22:40] Halo benefits[24:10] The value added for banking partners[25:40] Organizing marketing to support GTM[29:05] Measuring the impact of marketing[32:30] Being pulled in two directions[37:30] Advice to your younger self[38:50] Everyone is talking about AI.[40:40] Brands to watch[42:50] The landscape is evolving. Marketers must do the same.Thank you to our sponsor:PartnerHero: to waive set-up fees, go to https://www.partnerhero.com/marketingtoday and mention “Marketing Today” during onboarding! Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Zach Kitschke is the CMO of Canva, the online visual communication and collaboration platform. In his comprehensive role as CMO, Zach oversees the international brand and drives growth initiatives. He closely collaborates with teams responsible for product marketing, PR and communications, affiliates and performance, content, SEO, brand development, creative innovation, advertising, and product growth. Zach joined Canva in 2013, the year it launched. Since then, with a mission to empower the whole world to design, it has grown to over 130 million users each month in over 190 countries around the world, with more than 13 billion designs created.In this episode, Alan and Zach discuss how visual content fits into our world today, Canvas's approach to marketing complexity, and the inspiration behind their newest "What will you design today?" campaign. Additionally, Zach provided insights from the recent Visual Economy Report, sharing noteworthy findings from a survey of 1,600 global business leaders. These insights revealed how visual content is being leveraged to foster stronger audience engagement. The business landscape has shifted towards a widespread need for employees to communicate visually and adopt creative roles, even if they don't specialize in design. Zach highlighted the role of technology in fueling the creator economy and offered valuable tips on how to stand out in a sea of visual content.In this episode, you'll learn:Insights from the Visual Economy ReportHow visual content fits into our world today and how to stand outHow Canva approaches its own marketingKey Highlights: [02:10] #GirlDads rock[02:55] Zack’s path to Canva[08:00] The Comprehensive CMO[09:00] Visual Economy Report[12:00] The creator economy[13:30] How to stand out in a sea of visual content[15:30] A living, breathing brand book?[16:30] Who do you sell to when everyone is your customer?[18:00] Harnessing complexity [20:10] The marketing elements Canva focuses on[22:15] Intrigue points are the on-ramp.[24:10] Canva Community[27:20] "What will you design today?"[29:00] The impact of having immigrant grandparents[31:50] It takes as long as it takes.[33:50] Leaning into AI[34:40] Brands to watch[36:00] AMA on NPSThank you to our sponsor:PartnerHero: to waive set-up fees, go to https://www.partnerhero.com/marketingtoday and mention “Marketing Today” during onboarding! Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Katie Krum started her career at PURE in 2006 as the sixth employee at the insurance start-up. She played a significant role in shaping the brand, and throughout this process, she discovered her passion for marketing. Katie eventually left to develop her skill set at Nickelodeon, Marriott, Under Armour, and Weber Shandwick. She now leads a "small but mighty team" as the CMO at PURE, where she oversees all aspects of marketing communications and PR. One of the driving factors that drew her back to PURE was her incredible boss and her determination to explore innovative approaches to generate interest in insurance. She firmly believes in the power of collaboration, as she sees teams achieve more together than as individuals.In this episode, Alan and Katie discuss the challenges involved in transitioning PURE from a company to a brand tailored specifically for high-net-worth families. Katie highlights the significant impact that service experiences have on driving progress. Katie's expertise from other industries is instrumental in bringing attention to PURE's distinctive "membership model" that sets them apart. Despite boasting a strong membership base with high renewal rates and an impressive net promoter score, consumer research revealed a lack of understanding of what PURE is all about to prospects and what they do for their members. This led to the launch of the "Join the Club" campaign, the development of a mobile-first brand book, and the redefinition of "excellent service." As a first-time CMO, Katie infuses the insurance industry, which typically lacks excitement, with her enthusiasm and fresh perspective. She actively spearheads transformative changes and anticipates significant shifts in marketing team structure, performance evaluation, and the utilization of AI.In this episode, you'll learn:Why Katie returned to PUREWhat sets PURE apart in the insurance industryThe benefits of having marketing communications and PR handled by one teamKey Highlights: [01:25] Katie’s dearest dad[05:00] Starting at PURE, leaving and learning, then coming back[10:15] Why did she come back to insurance?[12:30] What does PURE do?[15:15] How is Katie building the brand?[18:05] Research and ideation inform the plan.[19:10] The history of insurance and what makes it PURE[21:10] Benefits of blending marketing and PR into one team[25:10] First-time CMO excitement[26:00] Marketing is a team sport where we embrace crazy ideas.[28:50] Pat yourself on the back and be the one that shows up.[31:20] 3 important topics[33:45] State and brands to watch[36:45] The importance of post-pandemic reconnectionThank you to our sponsor:PartnerHero: to waive set-up fees, go to https://www.partnerhero.com/marketingtoday and mention “Marketing Today” during onboarding! Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tony Marlow is the Chief Marketing Officer for LG Ad Solutions, where he uses data-driven insights to lead all aspects of marketing and communications. Since the beginning of his career, Tony has always been interested in technology, thought leadership, and helping people understand why they should embrace emerging tech. He has served as CMO at Integral Ad Science, CMO at Data Axle, Global Head and VP of B2B Marketing at Yahoo, and a consultant for Nielsen Online. As an avid athlete, his training for triathlons and Iron Man races has taught him a lot about efficiency in planning and tenacity in execution, which he brings to his professional life as well.In this episode, Alan and Tony discuss "The Big Shifts" in consumer viewing behavior and how CTV is accounting for the new ways in which people consume media. LG Ad Solutions is a CTV advertising company with over 150 million smart TVs worldwide, where they deliver video and native units on the biggest screen in the home. The first phase of the shift in consumer viewing behavior coincided with the beginning of the pandemic when people were staying home and streaming more than ever before. The second phase is happening now, with people moving away from subscriptions and leaning into ad-supported TV to get free or less expensive on-demand TV. In contrast to the "spray and pray" approach of traditional TV advertising, the increased user data associated with CTV allows advertisers to reach a target audience with more sophisticated and relevant creative messaging and then track performance and brand objectives all in one place. Tony highlights the importance of marketers being cognizant of how they are connecting with their audience on the different screens they are engaging with, as well as finding the balance between relevancy and data privacy.In this episode, you'll learn:Causes and Impacts of "The Big Shift" in consumer viewing behavior Performance and optimization opportunities with CTVHow LG is balancing ad relevance with data privacyKey Highlights: [02:00] Bike, swim, and rum[03:20] Tony’s path to LG[07:45] What are LG Ad Solutions?[10:20] What should we know about the big shifts happening in TV?[16:30] We can do TV better.[19:50] Balancing ad relevance with a sense of privacy[22:00] Data-informed ads[24:30] The correlation between relevance and effectiveness[25:30] It’s less of a walled garden and more of a gated community.[28:10] Brand safety in CTV[30:40] Performance and optimization opportunities with CTV[35:15] How high-performance training impacts Tony’s life[37:50] The Eisenhower Matrix[41:30] All marketing is storytelling.[42:00] Causes to watch[48:00] We’re on the precipice of a new era of human productivity with AI Thank you to our sponsor:PartnerHero: to waive set-up fees, go to https://www.partnerhero.com/marketingtoday and mention “Marketing Today” during onboarding! Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vincent Washington is the Vice President of the Unified Customer Experience Management Best Practices Group at Sprinklr. With four years of experience at the company, Vincent has a diverse professional background, having worked previously at Amazon, UPS, LinkedIn, and BlackBerry. With his extensive experience in various roles and seeing technology come and go, he has learned that only authentic relationships built on mutual respect and genuine interest stand the test of time. When it comes to CXM, Vincent advocates for the inclusion of relevant insights related to existing conversations rather than forcefully inserting messages that do not align with the context, resulting in the best long-term outcomes.In this episode, Alan and Vincent discuss the evolution of Sprinklr, which has transformed from a digital listening and social media management platform to a comprehensive Unified-CXM solution. Through breaking down data silos and gaining a deeper understanding of customers, Sprinklr, in collaboration with Adobe, can provide a holistic view of the customer and enable businesses to create personalized marketing and advertisements that are more targeted and relevant. Vincent also shares his valuable insights on CXM best practices, including warnings against common mistakes that brands make while attempting to remain relevant and ways AI can be incorporated into CXM strategies.In this episode, you'll learn:How Sprinklr has evolvedCXM Best PracticesHow AI can be used in CXM strategiesKey Highlights: [01:10] Introductions [01:55] Sprinklr and Adobe partnership[02:40] The latest and greatest at Sprinklr[04:00] CXM Best Practices[07:10] A better way to view the world to boost CXM[08:00] Milk's favorite cookie[08:40] Adobe’s powerful partnerships and nostalgia[10:25] Technology is going to change, but relationships will remain.[11:30] Smiles are universal, and empowerment is paramount.Thank you to our sponsor:PartnerHero: to waive set-up fees, go to https://www.partnerhero.com/marketingtoday and mention “Marketing Today” during onboarding!Resources Mentioned: Vincent Washington Sprinklr  Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lara Krug is the CMO of the Super Bowl-winning Kansas City Chiefs. Before entering the NFL, she worked at Avon, L'Oréal, and Anheuser-Busch, where she learned the GTMs for beauty and beer weren't all that different. During the pandemic, Laura and her family moved back to her husband's hometown, Kansas City, and it wasn't long before she was contacted about being the Chiefs' first-ever CMO. They had never had a formal marketing team, so she has been working hard to build foundations and help the organization understand the role of marketing. They are more than just a team; they are a brand.In this episode, Alan and Lara discuss what it's like to start and lead marketing efforts for an organization that isn't just a business but a source of entertainment as well. Lara and her team don't just market Mahomes and the boys; they also market the concerts and other events at the stadium, youth programs, and corporate partnerships. They are essentially an internal agency working to entertain fans at every touchpoint using personalization and content at scale.In this episode, you'll learn:The role of the CMO of an NFL teamHow Lara is building the foundation for "The World's Team"The power of personalization and content at scaleKey Highlights: [01:15] What it feels like to win the Superbowl[02:30] When you win or lose, everyone sees it.[03:20] The road from Connecticut to KC[05:25] Marketing focus: it’s more than just a team[07:40] Personalization and content at scale[09:30] A team, a venue, and a media company[11:00] Setting up workflows[12:30] Key Insights from the Summit[14:00] "Believe in best intent" and "progress, not perfection."[15:10] Rewarding fandom [16:00] Magic and mispronunciationThank you to our sponsor:PartnerHero: to waive set-up fees, go to https://www.partnerhero.com/marketingtoday and mention “Marketing Today” during onboarding!Resources Mentioned: Lara Krug Kansas City Chiefs  Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ryan Fleisch is Adobe's Head of Product Marketing and Real-Time CDP and Audience Manager. Being a lifelong chess player, it makes sense that he is passionate about looking beyond the immediate use cases of AI and trying to understand and anticipate ways the technology will impact workflows and the nature of marketing in the future. He learned from his dad that "the day you stop learning is the day your career becomes nothing more than a job." This wisdom has kept him intellectually curious and lends itself perfectly to the cutting-edge work being done at Adobe.In this episode, Alan and Ryan discuss customer data platforms, what makes Adobe's CDP "real-time," new features to help businesses operate effectively in the cookieless world, and how generative AI will transform how companies use data. At Adobe, "real-time" isn't a buzzword; it's a key component they have been optimizing since day one. They have built a globally distributed network of servers to be able to handle data and use it in milliseconds. This network allows Adobe's Real-Time CDP users to collect data, manage it, process it, and immediately use it to understand customer intent and activate strategies. In addition to the immediacy of the tool, Adobe has launched a new open framework that allows them to work with data providers to compile consented, non-cookie-based data into their platform in a private, safe way. Once businesses effectively collect and manage their first-party data, many are unsure exactly what to do with it. This is where Adobe's new use-case playbooks come in handy. These tools are built into the CDP and give businesses guided workflows based on their specific business objectives. Ryan tells us one of the many uses for generative AI in marketing is helping marketers understand and recognize missed opportunities hidden in the mass of data. He highlights Adobe Sensei GenAI as one such tool.In this episode, you'll learn:The three critical components that make Adobe’s CDP "real-time"The main things to consider when selecting a CDPUse cases for generative AI with customer dataKey Highlights: [01:25] What is Adobe Real-Time CDP?[02:55] What new things are available?[04:35] A 3D view of the customer[05:20] Real-world applications and activations[06:20] Use Case playbooks[07:10] It’s all generative.[08:00] What to think about when you are selecting your CDP[09:40] Key takeaways from the Adobe Summit[11:30] Advice from Dad[12:20] Looking beyond the immediate use cases for AI[12:55] CheckmateThank you to our sponsor:PartnerHero: to waive set-up fees, go to https://www.partnerhero.com/marketingtoday and mention “Marketing Today” during onboarding!Resources Mentioned: Ryan Fleisch Adobe  Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bridget Esposito has been the Vice President and Global Creative Director at Prudential Financial for nine years. She is also a visual problem solver, a mother of two, a professor teaching design to nondesigners, and a former D1 softball player and coach. She still plays softball and credits the sport with her philosophy around leadership, team dynamics, and culture. The best piece of advice she has received is that "the game doesn't know" anything about you. All it knows is your level of effort on that given day. This advice has helped her fight the fear of hierarchies in business and approach her career with a "why not me?" attitude.In this episode, Alan and Bridget discuss the launch of Adobe Firefly and how it's helping calm fears and answer questions about AI for marketers and creatives. She advises professionals not to be scared of AI replacing them but instead to use it as a tool and understand how it can support them. She also gives us insight into the marketing focus at Prudential and the benefits and challenges of being a 150-year-old company. Prudential is pushing for innovation with a customer-first mindset and a culture that empowers everyone to understand they have the responsibility and ability to solve problems and improve processes. Bridget finishes up with advice about the necessity of failure to achieve innovation and the importance of having a holistic business understanding to facilitate effective creativity.In this episode, you'll learn:Why AI isn't a threat but rather a toolWhy innovation is so prudent for PrudentialLessons learned from softball Key Highlights [00:30] Introduction[01:20] Lifelong athlete[02:15] Takeaways from the summit[03:15] AI copyright conversation[04:10] Prudential’s marketing journey[05:50] Culture at Prudential and accountability at the top[06:45] Content Creation to Personalization[08:25] Tips for marketers trying to change business lines and improve partnerships[10:00] Her biggest lessons learned[11:00] The best piece of advice she’s ever gotten[12:25] Learn ALL aspects of marketing.[13:25] The love of teamwork Thank you to our sponsor:PartnerHero: to waive set-up fees, go to https://www.partnerhero.com/marketingtoday and mention “Marketing Today” during onboarding!Resources Mentioned: Bridget EspositoPrudential Financial Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nate Burke is the Chief Marketing Officer at cybersecurity solution provider Axonius. Axonius is Nate’s fifth startup and his third in cybersecurity. He was Axonius' first US employee, starting before they had a product, which allowed him to develop relationships and lean into the "solve, don't sell" mindset that really sets Axonius apart. Nate wanted to join a company that was simply solving a big problem that was getting worse and where he loved the founders. He found his perfect fit at Axonius and is now working to deliver on their promise of "controlling complexity."In this episode, Alan and Nate discuss Nate’s approach to marketing to one of the most skeptical audiences ever, cybersecurity professionals, and how Axonius is doing it differently. Axonius tackles one of the most fundamental problems in cybersecurity: understanding what businesses have. They aim to be the system of record for all the digital infrastructure in a company and refuse to use FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt) to market to their clients. Although that is the typical cybersecurity marketing play, Nate and Axonius understand that no one likes buying based on fear, so they choose to lean into the novelty of honesty and delivering on their promises to stand out and build trust with their skeptical audience. In addition, they focus on building relationships with collaborators like Olympian Simone Biles and cross-fit athlete Amy Bream to differentiate themselves in the market.In this episode, you'll learn:How to build trust with a skeptical audienceWhat makes a great salesperson?How Axonius is subverting the marketing norms in their industry Key Highlights [01:40] RSA Tattoo Story[04:40] How Nate became CMO at Axonius[06:20] Why Nate left the marketing program in college[09:00] What does Axonius do?[11:40] Why the fundamentals are so complicated[13:00] How to approach marketing to the most skeptical audience[16:00] Where cybersecurity marketers fall short[16:55] The benefits of joining Axonius early[18:00] Solve, don't sell.[21:20] The opposite marketing approach Axonius is taking[23:50] How Simone Biles and Amy Bream embody "controlling complexity"[27:15] The importance of emotional appeal in B2B marketing[29:45] Trust based on integrity[31:15] It's amazing what you can accomplish when you ask for help.[34:05] What AI really means for marketing right now[37:20] Brands to watch[39:05] The opportunity to be unique and honest Resources Mentioned: Nathan “Nate” Burke Axonius Controlling Complexity: Adaptation Campaign Axonius Content Simone Biles Amy Bream Friends of the Children (cause supported by campaign) Brands mentioned: Peloton RSA Conference    Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tom Nolan serves as CEO of Kendra Scott, where he balances day-to-day functions and strategy. He was the first person in his family to graduate high school and attend college on sports scholarships. He worked the summers and never did an internship, so getting a job after graduation was difficult. Despite this, his work ethic landed him a cold-call sales job at a publishing company. His competitive spirit and work ethic caused him to rise quickly through the ranks, which helped him become successful in his career, earn multiple board seats, and achieve his goals. In addition to serving on the Board of Directors, Tom oversees Kendra Scott's substantial omnichannel growth, global expansion, and evolving retail model. He has more than two decades of experience in brand building, management, and results-driven strategic planning from a diverse range of companies and is happy to be able to use his skills at a company that sees value in giving back.In this episode, Alan and Tom discuss how determination led to his success, what he believes is the role of marketing, and the three pillars at Kendra Scott: family, fashion, and philanthropy. Tom tells us philanthropy is the pinnacle, and ESG has been a focus with Kendra Scott since the start. He gives specific examples of how Kendra Scott gives back to its community and employees, as well as a heartwarming event that convinced him he needed to be a part of this organization. Tom talks about the challenges of staying relevant in an attention-hungry marketing environment and warns that people can sniff out brands that are disingenuous. For Tom and Kendra Scott, what they do is not about a transaction; it's about a connection. Ultimately, knowing, respecting, and loving their customers has propelled Kendra Scott to become a billion-dollar jewelry business.In this episode, you'll learn:How he became the first in his family to graduate high school and go to collegeWhat Tom sees as the role of marketingWhy philanthropy is good for your soul and your business Key Highlights [02:00] Being a first-generation high school graduate[03:15] From college ball to Kendra Scott[06:30] "I wasn't going to be the smartest person in most rooms, but I know that I would outwork anybody."[11:20] Board seats and side gigs[13:20] CEO's advice to CMOs[15:40] Eyes on the scoreboard[17:20] The importance of philanthropy: "Giving back is the truest form of success" [23:30] Philanthropy drives loyalty.[25:00] Great marketing and hyperlocal campaigns[27:10] Staying relevant in a noisy marketing environment[28:45] What's next for Kendra Scott?[30:20] The impact of losing his sister and having his children[32:40] Don’t waste time on things that aren’t important.[33:20] Don’t lose your customers in the data.[34:55] Brands to watch[38:00] Knowing your customer isn’t enough. You have to love them.Thank you to our sponsor:PartnerHero: to waive set-up fees, go to https://www.partnerhero.com/marketingtoday and mention “Marketing Today” during onboarding! Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jason Andree is the CMO of one of the fastest-growing companies in the country, Nufabrx. He grew up on a farm, and showing cattle translates surprisingly well to being a CMO. Jason joined Nufabrx from GlaxoSmithKline, where he led their global digital marketing department, executing marketing strategies across global categories. He is now a senior-level marketing executive with over fifteen years of success within the healthcare industry and is forging a new path in Healthware with Nufabrx.Nufabrx puts medicine in clothing by making it water-soluble, infusing it into yarn, and coating it onto textiles. The company started in Seattle but soon relocated to Alan's home state, North Carolina, to be closer to experts in the textile industry. Due to its proximity to suppliers and researchers, Nufabrx is able to source all of its product materials within 90 miles of its manufacturing plant.In this episode, Alan and Jason discuss why biohacking is becoming mainstream and the challenges of operating in the "white space" to create a new product in a giant industry. Jason and his team are crafting creative to make people rethink solutions to pain and targeting the demographic that is most familiar with pain: older consumers. Many marketers want to focus on the flashy fun of younger consumers, but older consumers are often overlooked, and Nufabrx is taking the opportunity to fill the gap. As a smaller brand, Nufabrx has to be innovative with its marketing dollars, so they keep a keen eye on performance and know they have to be flexible, take risks, and stay close to consumers. In addition to B2C, Nufabrx operates in the B2B space as well. Jason believes innovation can only come from consumer behavior. By licensing its technology and working with established brands rather than against them, Nufabrx is leading the charge in the construction of a new category.In this episode, you'll learn:Why we are seeing a rise in mainstream biohackingHow to build and think about a new product, brand, and categoryWhat is "co-opetition"?Key Highlights: [01:30] Cowboy Kid[04:00] Jason’s path to Nufabrx[05:50] Nufabrx Overview[09:10] Why is biohacking big right now?[12:30] Building a new brand, new product, and new category leader[15:20] Crafting creative to make people (re)think[19:40] Making less money work more[22:00] "Co-opetition" in B2B[25:10] How to handle your ambition[26:45] Plan your steps, but not too much.[28:10] Less about marketing performance. More about telling better stories[29:50] Biomes to watch[32:10] The Times They Are A-Changin', fast!Thank you to our sponsor:PartnerHero: to waive set-up fees, go to https://www.partnerhero.com/marketingtoday and mention “Marketing Today” during onboarding! Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ben Mand is the CEO of Harmless Harvest, a pragmatic innovator, and a believer that business can be a force for good. Ben has successfully led Harmless Harvest to more than double its business in four years by transforming it from a brand solely focused on coconut water to a leader in premium functional beverages and plant-based dairy. Under his leadership, Harmless Harvest has streamlined its supply chain, invested over $1 million in Fair for Life and community support initiatives, and transitioned to regenerative organic agricultural practices to bring the company closer to its goal of 100% zero-waste. Ben sees the role of marketing as driving loyalty and advocacy in ways that benefit the business and delight the customer. He sums up his marketing philosophy as being "responsibly irreverent" and notes, "if you're comfortable with an idea today, it's going to be boring tomorrow."In this episode, Alan and Ben discuss the innovative and adventurous approach he has brought to expanding the product lines at Harmless Harvest and how he is leaning into the Constructive Capitalism model the founders built the company on. Ben tells us that he believes we are past the point of disruption-based marketing and instead focuses on placing the brand in places and, at times, when it makes the most sense that people would be looking for it. Overall, Ben's pragmatic approach to innovation, the lifelong skill of maximizing a budget, and commitment to the company's mission-led objectives have transformed Harmless Harvest from an unprofitable business into a durable and scalable company that is making a real difference in the world.In this episode, you'll learn:What Constructive Capitalism is and how it looks in practiceWhat they do with the rest of the coconutWhat it means to be responsibly irreverent Key Highlights [01:50] Phoneless in London[04:00] Ben’s path from General Mills to Harmless Harvest[06:40] Harmless Harvest overview: "Constructive Capitalism"[08:20] Ben’s reason for joining Harmless Harvest[11:30] What do you do with the rest of the coconut?[13:40] What are the key insights Ben used to turn the business around?[14:40] New Product Innovation Buildout[16:30] Having a great product can help you overcome [19:00] Strong velocity allows for expanded distribution [21:50] Harness Harvest innovations and proprietary methods [23:40] The state of business today[26:00] What it means to be Responsibly Irreverent [29:15] Being there when and where your product is most desired [30:45] Maximizing marketing on a tight budget[33:20] Lessons learned from growing up poor [36:05] Confidence is key[39:00] Leveraging technology as a lifestyle brand[40:05] Brands to watch[42:30] Marketing is a muscle that is strengthened on the front linesThank you to our sponsor:PartnerHero: to waive set-up fees, go to https://www.partnerhero.com/marketingtoday and mention “Marketing Today” during onboarding! Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Sandström is the Chief Marketing Officer at Klarna and a member of its executive management team. Since joining Klarna in 2017, he has overseen the transformation of the brand from a traditional financial institution to a vibrant retail media network with a hot pink edge. As CMO, David is responsible for driving consumer growth as well as leading design, marketing, branding, communications, and sustainability efforts. David's diverse background includes experience in agency and client roles and working in various industries around the world, which has shaped him into the marketer he is today. David warns against full outsourcing and instead advises using agencies as an extension of the company to maintain control over the marketing efforts. This approach is one of the main reasons he looks for people with diverse backgrounds when hiring.In this episode, Alan and David discuss what makes Klarna unique in the fintech space, how he approaches marketing, and what he is trying to do with the Klarna brand. Klarna is primarily known as a buy now, pay later platform, but it is so much more than that. The core of Klarna is a payment company with the aim to become a shopping utility platform where customers can search for products, find deals, and get inspired. Klarna benefits both retailers and purchasers by making sure incentives align and staying on top of ever-changing consumer behaviors. They are in about 45 markets worldwide and have over 150 million consumers and 400,000 retail partners. David views marketing as an avenue to increase the likelihood of people trying Klarna and then letting the superior product and user experience speak for themselves. He does this by investing in the Klarna brand to counteract negative perceptions of finance and leveraging culturally relevant partnerships to showcase the product. David has launched several pioneering marketing campaigns and has brought in high-profile celebrities like Lady Gaga and Snoop Dogg to help build a stage from which they showcase Klarna. He and his team are working to build a brand that really stands for something in fintech and will push the industry forward.In this episode, you'll learn:David's approach and philosophy around marketingThe three levers to engage that get people to try your productA new way to think about in-house vs. outsourcing Key Highlights [01:55] The hippie/engineer blend[03:15] David’s early obsession with consumer behavior[05:00] The path through DDB Sweden to Klarna[07:10] The current state of Klarna[11:55] How "Buy Now, Pay Later" is fueling shopping and the evolution of e-commerce[14:30] BNPL vs. Credit Cards[18:10] The benefits of Klarna partnerships and integrations for retailers[21:10] Becoming a retail media network[22:30] How Klarna is benefiting from the Big Tech Wars[24:45] David’s main focus when guiding his marketing team[29:25] The concept of building a brand that stands for something in fintech[31:10] Leveraging partnerships to build yourself a stage[34:50] Extending instead of outsourcing[39:40] Diversity in experience makes a good marketer[41:00] Start the side hustle[41:45] Empathy as the counterweight to AI[43:00] Brands to watch[44:50] Creativity will never go out of style Thank you to our sponsor:PartnerHero: to waive set-up fees, go to https://www.partnerhero.com/marketingtoday and mention “Marketing Today” during onboarding! Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Alan and Drew discuss Fiat Growth, Fiat Ventures, and why it makes sense for them to go together. They also talk about the challenges of raising venture capital and the success companies can find by organically leveraging affiliate partnerships to add value for the user while driving revenue to the business. Drew explains total addressable markets, how he thinks about shifting an existing committed user base into a marketplace, and the reasons he sees fintech as the industry that will have the largest impact on generational wealth. Drew emphasizes the importance of taking risks, valuing different experiences, and learning that solutions and problems are not one-to-one. Finally, he notes that podcasts are becoming a force in marketing and that AI is not a competitor but a source of power.Drew Glover is a founding partner of Fiat Growth and a general partner at Fiat Ventures. He has experience leading go-to-market strategies, marketplace development, user acquisition, and growth teams. Drew further developed his skills at Steady, Namely, Fjord, and Portal A, and has helped companies like Root, JP Morgan Chase, Adidas, and Nike bring award-winning services and partnerships to market. Drew has a very diverse work history, and when he was younger, he was concerned that jumping from industry to industry would be a downfall, but it gave him a wide range of skills and knowledge he would need to find and succeed with Fiat. Those broad interests are still with him, and he tells us his biggest competition is a lack of focus.In this episode, you'll learn:How Fiat Growth leverages unique insights and exclusive access to make winning investments with Fiat VenturesThe trends Drew sees in fintech and his predictions for the industryHow data can simplify The Client's Happy Path Key Highlights [01:30] Fresh perspectives from fatherhood[03:15] Drew's path to founding Fiat[06:00] Leaving the day job and leaning in: What Fiat does and why[08:00] Fiat only works with winners. Let’s invest in them too.[10:00] Raising money is never as easy as you expect [12:45] Leveraging partnerships and marketplaces[14:45] Generating additional revenue streams from affiliate partnerships. [18:00] What fintech can do for people who need it most[19:40] How money and finance will be different for GenZ[22:10] Data’s impact on simplifying The Client's Happy Path[24:00] "Change is inspired by incentives."[25:30] Predictions and trends Drew sees coming in fintech [28:20] Looking at the world as a growth marketer and as an investor [29:30] When should I focus on marketing, and how should I think about it[33:30] It takes a village[35:30] How his father's passing changed Drew's life[36:50] Value different experiences and take the risk[38:30] Solutions and problems are not one to one[40:20] Podcasts are becoming a force in marketing [42:10] AI is not competition, it’s a source of powerThank you to our sponsor:PartnerHero: to waive set-up fees, go to https://www.partnerhero.com/marketingtoday and mention “Marketing Today” during onboarding! Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Alan and Amanda discuss Amanda's path to WeightWatchers, how she's working to revitalize a well-known heritage brand by tapping into the roots of the founder, Jean Nidetch, and what she is doing to bring new marketing ideas to life. Amanda tells us her three big focuses at WeightWatchers are rethinking the organizational structure and culture, making data-driven decisions to increase performance, and honing in on their new brand strategy. Amanda also talks about the depth of understanding WeightWatchers has of their target demographic, and Alan learns that he is a Life Craver.Amanda Tolleson is the Chief Marketing Officer of WeightWatchers, where she is responsible for leading the company’s global marketing strategy across performance marketing, branding, and creative. Amanda has over 20 years of experience building customer-centric, purpose-driven brands focused on creating unique value for the consumer. She used to say she never wanted to be a CMO because she loved being able to focus exclusively on brand and market strategy, but as she tells us, she thrives most when she is 10 steps outside of her comfort zone, so she threw her name in the ring for CMO at Birtchbox, landed the job, found out she loved the position, and then went on to be CMO of Maisonette before she ended up at WeightWatchers. Now, she is using her experience and love of risks and big changes to shepherd a 60-year-old brand through a startup-paced transformation.In this episode, you'll learn:Why your target audience has to be realisticHow Amanda is taking risks to refresh a 60-year-old brandWhat WeightWatchers is planning for the futureKey Highlights [01:40] Remembering a runaway racehorse ride[04:45] Climbing the career ladder jungle gym[11:30] Amanda’s three main focuses at WeightWatchers[15:20] Who are the Weight Watchers?[16:30] Jean Nidetch created a movement that became a company [17:30] Who is the Life Craver?[21:00] Your target demo needs to be a real type of person we all know[22:45] Connecting through counterintuitive messaging, partnerships, and content creatorsAG [29:10] The costs and benefits of being a well-known brand[31:00] The benefits of staying in your lane and focusing on a narrow target audience [33:20] What’s next for WeightWatchers?[37:00] The Duck ComposureTM Amanda gained from an early cancer diagnosis[39:00] Stick with the journaling[40:00] the challenge of fostering creativity within the flat hierarchy of ideas in the digital world[41:15] Brands to watch [42:30] Marketing leaders should work to establish the value of independent board members Thank you to our sponsor:PartnerHero: to waive set-up fees, go to https://www.partnerhero.com/marketingtoday and mention “Marketing Today” during onboarding! Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Jon and I discuss System1, how they drive insights for marketers on the brand side, and what works in advertising today. Jon tells us about the differences he experienced from the client side to the agency side and gives an honest look into what it means to be a CMO day to day. He explains why the skills that make a great marketer aren't necessarily the same as those that make a great CMO and how balancing the long-term view of the brand with the daily execution of tasks can make the CMO job very lonely. CMOs, removed from the "doing," must focus on creating the conditions for success and representing the customer in the room where decisions are made. Jon tells us that successful CMOs quickly recognize talent on their team, harness creativity to drive business outcomes and understand that advertising is both an art and a science.Jon Evans is the Chief Customer Officer at System1 Group and host of the 'Uncensored CMO' podcast. For years before that, he was a client-side agency CMO. One of Jon's most formative roles was with Lucozade, where he learned the power of asking the right questions and why managing perception, not reality, is important in advertising. During his agency days, Jon was shocked to find out how little most agencies understood their clients, and he was perplexed by the hesitancy he saw agencies have towards talking to their clients or asking them important questions. Jon first encountered System1 as a client and, over time, became a member of the team, where he has been able to transition from a generalist to a specialist in consumer behavior.System1 was originally a research company based on behavioral science that explored why we buy what we buy, with the idea that emotion predicts most of our behavior. Today, they design simple yet clever questions about their clients' ads, innovations, or branding to ask people how they feel about it and what associations come to mind. They have turned their process into a platform so customers can upload content, send it to their target demographic, measure the response, and compare the results against other content to predict performance. They are using neuroscience to measure attention and emotion to understand why some ads work and others don't. Their clients use this data to allocate spending and sell their ideas to the rest of the c-suite. Jon tells us marketers are often overexposed to their products, so typically, the simplest ideas win out. In this episode, you'll learn: Why taking the time to understand your clients will be beneficial for everyone involvedThe two questions that will help you win the pitchWhat really works in advertising today and why Key Highlights [01:30] The bitter impact of the sugar tax[07:20] Jon's path with System1 from contractor to CMO[10:50] The shift from the client side to the agency side[13:50] Two questions to help you win the pitch[15:50] What does a CMO do?[18:00] Agency Pitch (forks)[19:30] Why is it called System1?[25:15] What works in advertising today?[33:15] The unique role of the CMO within the C-suite[39:00] "If you're not being fired, you're not trying hard enough."[41:00] The power of confidence, compounding, and consistency[43:40] What skill will keep us employed in the future?[46:30] They may buy, but would they invest?[49:10] The amazing Amazon model[52:00] The threat and opportunity of AI for marketersThank you to our sponsor:PartnerHero: to waive set-up fees, go to https://www.partnerhero.com/marketingtoday and mention “Marketing Today” during onboarding! Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Alan and Andrew discuss Turo’s mission, how marketing helps them achieve it, and how he views the CMO role today. Andrew outlines the challenges Turo faced early on, how they got around them, and how a shift to focusing on improving the host experience has been one of their most effective marketing assets. They go into the details of Turo’s most recent "Open Doors" brand campaign and how they are riding the web3 craze by subverting it and encouraging new experiences in reality. As a CMO, Andrew feels like his role is more than just advertising and performance marketing. It's about solving a problem for the customers. His approach is rooted in holistic thinking and understanding how you are providing value to the world.Andrew Mok never thought he would be in marketing because he was more left-brained, but in 2012, when analytics became a large part of marketing, he found his path. When Andrew joined Turo in 2012, there were 54,000 users being served in just two cities. In 2017, at age 29, Andrew was promoted to CMO and has advanced the company to over 10,000 cities serving 7 million users. Today, Turo is the largest global peer-to-peer car-sharing marketplace, and their revenue has grown over 250X since he joined. As an Asian American, Andrew always felt different growing up but sees now that differences are to be celebrated. That is the approach he takes to marketing by showcasing Turo's unique value propositions and living out their brand values of being expressive and grounded. It’s all about celebrating uniqueness and seeing the person first. In this episode, you'll learn: The unique challenges Turo faced early on and how they overcame them.How embracing uniqueness is a personal value for Andrew and how that shows up in his approach to marketing. Why a holistic view of marketing yields better results than a siloed one. Key Highlights [01:30] How Turo is making a weird thing normal[04:55] What is Turo?[07:20] From computer science to CMO[09:50] The role of CMO from a younger leader's perspective[10:50] Make sure you don’t have a leaky bucket[14:15] The Open Doors brand campaign[17:40] The role of Unreal Engine in Turo's new campaign[19:00] Turo’s global expansion and aspirations[21:50] Challenges and benefits of international ride sharing[22:40] Developing a passion for leadership in the AAPI community[26:45] How growing up Asian American shaped his approach to marketing[28:30] Enjoy the current moment and reflect on past successes[29:45] Simplification makes you a better storyteller[30:50] The importance of accessible reproductive care[34:40] Get out of the corporate echo chamberResources Mentioned: Andrew Mok Turo About Turo Turo is expanding in NYC and France Open the Door to Extraordinary Campaign Unreal Engine (the tech behind the campaign)  Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

355: Brand at its Best and Focusing on Fundamentals with Heather Stern, CMO at Lippincott In this episode, Alan and Heather discuss Brand, the role of the CMO, and why focusing on the fundamentals will never go out of style. As an 80-year-old company, Lippincott has a unique perspective on how to balance the cutting edge with longevity. They have seen trends come and go and even shaped some of them along the way. Heather talks in depth about the role Brand has played historically, the huge impact it can have when viewed holistically, and why a siloed CMO is not as effective as it can be if they are given a seat at the table. She also discusses the fundamental shifts happening in the industry as things move from an institutional era of branding to a human era of branding but also stresses that the underlying fundamentals of deeply understanding your consumer and your brand are just as important now as ever before.Heather Stern is the CMO at Lippincott and host of the podcast Icons in the Making. She wears many hats at Lippincott by managing all aspects of marketing, PR, and digital for their brand, as well as business development and sales. She oversees the entire funnel, from best-in-class brand activations to industry partnerships in collaboration with companies such as eBay, Google, IBM, Samsung, and Southwest Airlines. She has been at Lippincott for 10 years and serves as a trusted advisor to top clients across industries. In this episode, you'll learn: The ways Heather’s specific CMO role at Lippincott has evolved over the past 10 years.How Lippincott stays relevant despite turning 80 this year.What has changed in the industry and what has stayed the same. Key Highlights [01:40] It all started with Janet Jackson[03:10] Heather's career path[06:30] Why Heather’s CMO role is unique and a little meta[08:20] How Heather's role has evolved over the past 10 years [11:55] What has changed and what has stayed the same for CMOs overall?[16:00] The importance of being partnership oriented [18:10] How Lippencot is defining brand today[21:20] How Lippincott is trying to take the “squishiness” out of branding[21:55] How has building and managing a brand changed and stayed the same?[25:00] It’s all about agility and experimentation [27:10] How gymnastics and a special Barbie inspired Heather's career ambition and work ethic[30:40] Find the joy in making mistakes and embrace the gray zone[31:40] Experimenting with AI and how brands are focusing on sustainability [34:40] Brands to watch[38:20] Icons in the Making Podcast [39:15] The risk of missing the forest for the trees Resources Mentioned: Heather Stern Lippincott Icons in the Making (podcast from Lippincott) Brands mentioned: Depop, HousePlant (Seth Rogen founder), and Roblox  Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Alan and David discuss the mission of Restore Hyper Wellness, the relationship between demand generation and brand marketing, and the dangers of marketers confusing being purpose-driven with being cause-driven. David talks about the siloing and diminishing of the CMO role and how concepts like "Team One" and taking a critical look at new growth titles could help remedy this.David Fossas calls himself "The Accidental Marketer," but is actually an accomplished marketer who has worked with over 35 brands, including General Motors, Verizon, HP, Visa, and Philips Health. He is currently serving as the Chief Marketing Officer for Restore Hyper Wellness, where he oversees consumer experience, marketing communications, and revenue operations to drive business growth and brand value. David emphasizes taking an adaptive approach to being a CMO and the importance of acting as a thought partner to the CEO and CFO. He also touches on topics such as the untapped potential of marketing, the true purpose of purpose-driven companies, and the impact of ongoing digital transformation.In this episode, you'll learn: Why David sees demand generation and brand marketing as dependent on each otherWhat is leading to the CMO’s influence over "the 4 Ps of Marketing" diminishing and ideas to reverse courseThe reasons why not every brand's mission and purpose need to align with a social cause Key Highlights [01:45] Meeting Jean Claude Van Damme [03:30] From Hollywood aspiration to CMO[06:30] What is Restore Hyper Wellness[09:30] The potential of marketing and the role of CMO[13:25] Importance of partnerships with other players in the C-suit [15:15] New growth titles and the specialization of the CMO role [19:00] The relationship between demand generation and brand marketing [22:15] The challenge of identifying upper funnel activity that drives conversion [23:30] Purpose and how it relates to marketing [27:35] Finding financial freedom and leveraging an entrepreneurial spirit [29:25] Focus on understanding business early on in your career [31:00] The importance of developing a holistic view of marketing [32:40] Brands to watch[34:50] Losing your influence is losing your impact Resources Mentioned: David Fossas Restore Hyper Wellness Jean Claude Van Damme Tim Ferriss (podcast host) Marketing Today episode with Norm Yustin Jim Stengel (former P&G executive) and The CMO Podcast Brands Mentioned: Merlin, Ten Thousand   Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Alan and John discuss what Narrative Economics is, how it works, and why marketers may need to reevaluate their use of Brand Management theory. John tells us how Boathouse uses data and AI to empower brands to understand their true narrative and evaluate how it aligns with their desired narrative. Boathouse employs strategies like “newsjacking” and “socialjacking” to manage and leverage their client's stories in a way that drives engagement and aligns with their goals and values.John Connors has spent his entire career in the advertising industry and founded Boathouse in 2001 after serving as CEO of Zentropy Partners and being part of the McCann World Group Management team. At Boathouse, John and his team use Narrative Economics to help brands manage and leverage stories by overseeing both the strategy and execution.  In this episode, you'll learn: How narrative economics works in practice What tesla and the catholic church narratives have in commonHow narrative economics can help CMOs reestablish power  Key Highlights [01:30] On the farm and off the grid[02:50] The path to Boathouse[04:00] Boathouse overview and national scaling plans[08:15] What is Narrative Economics[11:20] Remembering a conversation with Phil Kotler[14:00] How Boathouse tested its tools before talking to clients[16:20] Using AI to monitor what is catching on and what isn’t [18:25] Artificial Intelligence + Human Intelligence[20:30] The lifecycle of a narrative[22:30] Why Narrative Economics should matter to the CMO[25:20] Use cases [27:00] A hard lesson that taught John what matters in life [28:20] Don’t chase other stars. Lean into your own strengths[29:20] Think about why and how marketers embrace brand management[30:00] Brands to watch[31:30] Rethinking how marketers approach the c-suiteResources Mentioned: John Connors Boathouse Narrative Economics (book) Robert Schiller, Nobel-winning economist Phil Kotler on Marketing Today Signal AI Netbase Quid  Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Alan and Kristen discuss how she became the Chief Marketing Officer of Homedics, the state of the industry, and the way Homedics markets to the modern consumer through both DTC and traditional Distribution channels. Kristen also outlines the recent brand refresh and the resulting captain that resulted in a rapid 80% D2C sales jump. Kristen credits this success equally to the creative, the media mix, and the improved website. Homedics plans to double its video assessment efforts and is exploring opportunities for influencer partnerships in 2023. Kristen D’Arcy is an agent of change and has intentionally guided her career path to gain the skills she knew she would need to be a CMO. She is driving growth at Homedics by emphasizing the importance of consistency across assets, the perfect mix of brand and performance investments, and the need to maintain that balance even during tough times. Kristen is a huge believer that the right marketing drives growth and Homedics has incredible product lines and a unique family culture that empowers her to make amazing things happen.  In this episode, you'll learn: The details of Homedics' brand refresh and the campaign that lead to an 80% sales jump Why marketers need nerves of steel in hard times to ensure long-term brand successHomedics' plans for the future Key Highlights [01:30] Learning resilience from Geoffrey the Giraffe[04:55] From CRM to CMO[14:00] Homedics: the scope of the business[16:55] Breaking down the campaign led to an immediate 80% D2C sales jump [23:15] What is the brand plan for 2023?[24:50] Balancing DTC and distribution partners [29:40] How Homedics is helping Bring Change to Mind [33:00] The hard conversation that taught Kristen an important lesson[38:10] Where AI fits into marketing conversations  [40:00] Brands to watch[44:00] The unique threat the economy is posing for marketers  Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Alan and Nick discuss Nick’s thoughts on the future of Brand Experience, how he is approaching e-commerce and digital marketing challenges at a fast-moving consumer goods company, and the importance of physical experiences to the overall brand experience. Nick notes that brands are expected to take a stand on larger social issues and tells how Vanish is purposefully rebuilding a brand experience that encourages conversations and fosters a community around shared values and views.Nick Horan is the Global Brand Experience Lead for Vanish at Reckitt. He is passionate about using design as a tool to drive intentional brand experiences and understanding the consumption habits of consumers to identify the touch point that will have the most impact. Nicks's role is to craft the full brand experience framework from first exposure to becoming an advocate and repurchaser and translate this vision into a cohesive experience across various touchpoints in over 70 countries.  In this episode, you'll learn: What is Brand ExperienceHow Nick approaches physical design for brand experienceWhy marketers cannot personalize an experience without truly knowing the individual Key Highlights [01:30] Nuclear Submarines and Product design[03:05] Nick's path to Reckitt[05:20] How product design plays into Nick's role as Global Brand Experience Lead[05:50] What does it mean to be Global Brand Experience Lead for Vanish at Reckitt[07:40] How Nick thinks about the function of brand experience overall [09:55] How does brand experience translate to Fast-Moving Consumer Goods[11:35] What Vanish is doing to decrease waste in the fashion industry [12:50] How Nick is helping FMCG catch up with the deconstruction and reconfiguration of the historical business models [14:00] How is Nick approaching e-commerce and digital marketing with an FMCG brand[18:50] Examples of how physical experiences play into the overall brand experience [20:05] Bridging the gap between physical and digital experiences [20:55] QR codes and how to utilize them effectively [22:45] The future of brand experience [24:30] Why personalization doesn't always equate to the richness in engagement [25:50] Why Nick is so observant of how people interact with the world[28:15] What advice would Nick give his younger self [29:15] Marketers need to lean into creativity for the omnichannel world[30:15] Brands to watch [31:20] Opportunities and threats facing marketers today  Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Alan and Terry discuss Terry’s unusual path to marketing, what he learned on his journey through food and restaurants, and the unique challenges and benefits of marketing within a direct sales model, like Pampered Chef. They talk about the history and mission of Pampered Chef, the importance of marketing agility, and the impact Covid had on the company.Terry is CMO and Head of Product at Pampered Chef where he leads a team of 50 across brand, digital, growth, creative, product, and industrial design. Terry has a background in consumer-packaged-good and restaurant marketing but tells us direct sales requires different muscles. Terry approaches marketing with an appreciation of the differences in all business models and a recognition of the foundations that remain the same. By relentlessly focusing on the consumer and delivering a product that solves their problems, Terry creates trust relationships with the Pampered Chef Contractors who ultimately model the brand.  In this episode, you'll learn: Challenges Terry went through early in his career and what he learned from themThe similarities and differences of marketing within different business modelsHow Pampered Chef is maintaining consistency while not diluting the authenticity  Key Highlights [02:00] The role of athletics and cooking in Terry’s life[04:20] How a Poli Sci major became a CMO[12:00] How embracing challenging roles shaped Terry[13:30 The similarities and differences of marketing within various business models[17:45] The benefits of coming in with fresh eyes and being willing to learn[18:50] Pampered Chef business overview [21:30] The competitive advantage of having brand consultants [23:20] How Terry is maximizing Pampered Chef’s unique sales model[27:00] How Pampered Chef’s sales force navigated the shift to digital through Covid [32:15] Which Covid changes will phase out and which are here to stay?[35:50] What Terry learned from a misstep early in his career [42:25] Balancing patience and tenacity [46:00] Why marketers need to build up broader business acumen[50:00] Brands to watch[52:30] Measurement marketing and proving value without losing the artResources Mentioned: Terry Haley Pampered Chef Companies and brands he has worked on: AC Nielsen, Henry Weinhard’s, Fosters, Miller Genuine Draft, SAB Miller, P.F. Chang’s, Pei Wei, World of Beer Franchising, Hopdoddy Burger Bar, Pampered Chef Berkshire Hathaway Company, the holding company of Pampered Chef Doris Christopher, founder of Pampered Chef Tim McDougall, an early mentor Brands mentioned: Yeti, Athletic Brewing   Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Alan and Michelle discuss Mailchimp's acquisition by Intuit, how it aligns with its mission, and how it impacts its customers. Mailchimp is passionate about empowering its customers and they are working to develop relationships with them both online and offline to provide added compounding value. Knowing they market to marketers, Michelle and her team lead by example and show what great marketing looks like at the intersection of culture and conversion.Michelle Taite has a unique perspective on marketing due to her background in government intelligence forces, shoe design, consumer-packaged goods, ice cream, and enterprise software services. Most recently, she became CMO of Mailchimp after their acquisition by Intuit, where she is working to evolve the brand, create a more connected customer journey, and bridge performance with creativity. In this episode, you'll learn: How Michelle's background in intelligence and design helped her transition to a successful career in marketingWhat Mailchimp is doing to empower its clientsThe role Wink plays in Mailchimp's strategy and the benefits of a “design first” culture Key Highlights [01:00] How a background in design and intelligence shaped who Michelle is today[03:25] Michelle’s path from Israel to Intuit[08:00] Why Design is pervasive in the MailChimp culture [08:40] Intuits acquisition of Mailchimp[10:45] How the acquisition shifted the marketing strategy[13:15] Why Mailchimp considers itself a lifestyle brand more than a SaaS brand[15:45] Why Mailchimp is showing up in unexpected but natural ways[17:10] Alan's personal MailChimp antidote [19:00] Mailchimp's international initiatives [20:10] The future of the brand [22:50] The responsibility, challenges, and opportunities of marketing to markers[25:30] Wink: Mailchimp’s internal marketing agency [29:00] How icecream impacted her career[34:50] Get out more! [35:20] How psychology impacts Michelle’s view of marketing [36:30] Brands to watch[39:40] Why marketers need to lean into new technology earlyResources Mentioned: Michelle Taite Intuit Mailchimp Thoughtless Acts?: Observations on Intuitive Design (book) Career: Israeli Defense, New Balance, Unilever, Intuit Quickbooks, Mailchimp Intuit's acquisition of Mailchimp Wink (internal agency) Fashion Week Marketing Guess Less, Sell More Campaign Super Bowl and Mailchimp past year Unilever Magnum Campaign – Karl Lagerfeld and Tribeca  Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.