Episodes
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Brian Cooley is the Chief Marketing Officer at PlayVS, a leading scholastic esports platform in North America, where he brings over 25 years of experience in marketing. His marketing career began in the automotive industry with Land Rover North America, where he spent three years focusing on customer relationship marketing and retail operations. Brian then transitioned to the tech industry, spending six years with IBM. He continued his tech-focused trajectory at Blackboard, where he served as Senior Director of Global Marketing Services before advancing to Vice President of Global Demand Generation. Brian spent the next nine years as CMO at EverFi, deepening his role in edtech by leading the company’s marketing strategy. Now, in his first year as CMO of PlayVS, he leverages his rich background in edtech and marketing to drive growth and expand the platform’s reach in the competitive scholastic esports market.
PlayVS was founded in 2018 and is now a leading esports platform in North America, partnering with the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) to provide and host organized competitive gaming in high schools across all 50 U.S. states and Canada. As of November 2023, PlayVS expanded access by removing enrollment fees for its state and regional leagues, making participation free for high schools. This initiative has likely increased the number of participating schools, which was around 4,000 as of late 2023.
In today’s show, Alan and Brian dive into the booming market for collegiate and scholastic esports, exploring how partnerships with professional sports leagues are creating new opportunities for access and growth. They also discuss PlayVS’s collaboration with the Special Olympics to increase accessibility for students and why esports and gaming are essential areas for marketers to watch closely.
In this episode, you'll learn:
How marketing to the new generations changes the gameWhy marketers should pay attention to esports and gamingWhat to consider when partnering with an influencerKey Highlights:
[01:37] How growing up in many different countries has influenced you[03:03] The most interesting meal from your travels[04:52] Career path to PlayVS[08:33] What is PlayVS[10:35] How PlayVS got started[15:17] The esports that PlayVS focuses on[17:42] Partnerships with pro sports[20:35] Partnership with the Special Olympics[22:17] Why marketers should care about esports and gaming[26:02] Experience from your past that defines you[28:10] Advice to your younger self[30:12] A topic that you and other marketers need to learn more about[32:29] Trends or subcultures others should follow[34:45] Largest opportunity or threat to marketers todayLooking for more?
Visit our website for the full show notes, 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.
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Joe Gaither is the CMO of Feetures, a high-performance sock brand. He joined Feetures in 2009 as a tech rep supporting sales, traveling to 49 states, meeting with thousands of retailers to strengthen Feetures' B2B partnerships and establish it as their preferred sock brand. Joe transitioned into a leadership role, managing the sales force in the Western United States. He later shifted his focus to marketing, where he helped build and grow Feetures' marketing department and expanded its Direct-to-Consumer sales channel. Today, Joe oversees marketing, ecommerce, and customer service, three key components of the customer experience. Under his leadership, direct-to-consumer sales have become the fastest-growing segment of the business.
Feetures is a brand known for producing high-performance socks designed for both athletic and everyday wear. The brand emphasizes comfort, durability, and foot health, using targeted compression, anatomical design, and moisture-wicking fabrics to provide superior support. Their seamless construction makes them a favorite among runners, hikers, and other active individuals. Feetures holds the title of America’s #1 running sock brand by market share in the run specialty industry.
In today’s show, Alan and Joe discuss the evolution of Feetures, which began as a family business launched by Joe’s father. They explore the brand’s future, including the upcoming launch of their first non-sock product in the U.S., marking their expansion beyond their core category. They also dive into the current state of the running industry, strategies for standing out in a crowded market, and the challenges of navigating the landscape as an omni-channel brand.
In this episode, you'll learn:
What it takes to stand out in a crowded marketThe mindset behind navigating as a successful omni-channel brandKey considerations when deciding to launch into a new categoryKey Highlights:
[01:45] Sibling CMO’s, is marketing in the DNA [03:09] Path to CMO at Feetures[07:33] What is the scope of Feetures[10:05] Family business and a shift of generations[12:08] Current state of the running industry today[15:51] Differentiating in cluttered category[18:45] Expansion with new product [22:03] Being an omni-channel brand [26:17] Experience of your past that defines you[28:24] Advice to younger self[29:17] A topic that you and other marketers need to learn more about[31:11] Trends or subcultures others should follow[32:30] Largest opportunity or threat to marketers todayLooking for more?
Visit our website for the full show notes, 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.
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Sue Hermann is the Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at BOK Financial. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri and began her career in public relations. As Director of Corporate Communications and Content, she led a team responsible for internal and executive communications, public relations, and content development. Later, she became the Senior Vice President and Director of Communications at CoBiz Financial Inc. When BOK Financial acquired CoBiz Financial in 2018, Sue joined BOK Financial, where she had served as Director of Communications since 2000 and CMO since 2022.
BOK Financial Corporation, headquartered in Tulsa, OK, is a top 25 U.S. bank with $50 billion in assets and a wealth division managing over $107 billion in assets under management and administration. While rooted in the Midwest and Southwest, BOK Financial serves clients nationwide. The corporation operates under various names, including Bank of Oklahoma and Bank of Texas, with a diverse range of services. In addition to commercial and consumer banking, BOK Financial offers brokerage, trading, investment services, mortgage origination and servicing, as well as one of the nation's top 10 electronic funds transfer networks.
On today’s show, Alan and Sue discuss her journey to becoming CMO at BOK Financial and the current state of marketing and banking today. They also delve into gender diversity in finance, balancing a career with motherhood/parenthood, and what leaders need to recognize about their teams to foster the right environments and cultures.
In this episode, you'll learn:
The importance of gender diversity in financeMarketing trends impacting the banking industryInsights and challenges from balancing motherhood and careerKey Highlights:
[01:15] Wanting to be a coroner [02:39] Career path to CMO at BOK Financial [05:02] What is BOK Financial [07:00] The current state of marketing today[08:12] The importance of relationships[09:36] Gender diversity [14:12] Approach on blending parenthood and career[20:20] What insight leaders need to take from parenthood[24:34] Experience of your past that defines you[25:40] Advice to younger self[25:56] A topic that you and other marketers need to learn more about, AI[27:45] Trends or subcultures others should follow, Gen Z[29:15] Largest opportunity or threat to marketers today, noiseLooking for more?
Visit our website for the full show notes, 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.
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Shiri Hellmann is the VP of Global Brand Communications at Fiverr, with extensive experience in brand building, e-commerce, and consumer goods. Her diverse career began on the agency side before transitioning to the client side, where she led marketing communications for Bezeq International, Israel's largest telecommunications company, handling both B2B and B2C services. She later served as Head of Global Marketing Communication at SodaStream, overseeing campaigns in over 42 countries. Shiri then became VP of Marketing for SodaStream in the US, spearheading the brand's first Super Bowl ad. After returning to Israel, she freelanced with startups, focusing on brand strategy, research, and campaign execution. Shiri began using Fiverr in her freelance work and has since joined the Fiverr team as VP of Global Brand Communications.
Fiverr is an online marketplace created to revolutionize the way the world collaborates by democratizing access to talent. Today, it is the largest marketplace of its kind, connecting freelancers and businesses in over 160 countries and offering more than 700 categories to choose from.
On today’s show, Alan and Shiri discuss her journey to Fiverr and the increasing shift toward freelancing. They highlight the projection that by 2027, half of the U.S. workforce will be freelancing in some capacity and explore how Fiverr is positioning itself to capitalize on this trend. The conversation then turns to the impact of return-to-office mandates and the growing influence of AI in the freelance industry. They also dive into the recent campaign featuring Martha Stewart as a participant in the Fiverr freelance community.
In this episode, you'll learn:
The importance of understanding local culture when driving global marketing successThe impacts of return-to-office mandatesHow AI is affecting the freelance communityKey Highlights:
[01:40] Experience of being a birthday clown[03:22] Career path[09:07] What is Fiverr[10:30] How is Fiverr facilitating the freelance movement[12:35] Impact of return-to-office mandates[15:01] Impact of AI on freelance community [19:28] Latest brand campaign with Martha Stewart[21:55] What makes great marketing[22:53] Experience of your past that defines you[24:37] Advice to younger self[25:09] A topic that you and other marketers need to learn more about[27:25] Trends or subcultures others should follow[30:25] Largest opportunity or threat to marketers todayLooking for more?
Visit our website for the full show notes, 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.
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Christopher "Chris" Carl became the first U.S. Head of Marketing at AliExpress in 2023. Under his leadership, order volume increased by 60%, the brand's share of voice grew by 75%, headcount expanded by 400%, social media following surged by 500%, and brand awareness doubled. Chris’s impressive marketing career began as an intern at Calvin Klein. He then moved to BBDO in Germany, where he worked on pricing strategies, market expansions, and e-commerce development for European brands. Following this, he launched the U.S. office for Pulse Advertising, focusing on influencer marketing, and served as COO and President. He also founded his own men’s grooming brand before taking on his current role at AliExpress, where he continues to make a significant impact.
AliExpress is a global online retail platform owned by the Alibaba Group, headquartered in China. Launched in 2010, it connects buyers with a wide range of sellers, primarily manufacturers and wholesalers from China, offering products at competitive prices. AliExpress focus is on facilitating international trade by allowing businesses and individuals to sell a wide range of products to consumers around the world at an affordable cost.
On today's show, Alan and Chris discuss what AliExpress is and how it fits within the Alibaba Group. They explore advertising campaigns and partnerships, including the recent collaboration with UEFA and the latest campaign featuring David Beckham. Their conversation also touches on consumer behavior, the future of e-commerce, and how AliExpress plans to capitalize on emerging trends.
In this episode, you'll learn:
Strategies to enhance the online shopping experience while driving affordabilityInsights into consumer behavior and its implications for market positioningInnovative approaches to leverage emerging trends for competitive advantageKey Highlights:
[01:35] Story of being brushed with fame in New York[03:13] Career path[07:20] Insights you gained from prior career experiences [11:42] AliExpress’ aspirations in the U.S.[14:00] State of U.S. consumers today[16:30] Where AliExpress is focusing its energy[19:23] Campaign with David Beckham [22:33] What’s next for AliExpress[24:55] Experience of your past that defines you[26:18] Advice to younger self[27:11] A topic that you and other marketers need to learn more about[28:13] Trends or subcultures others should follow[29:37] Largest opportunity or threat to marketers todayLooking for more?
Visit our website for the full show notes, 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.
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Dave Edelman is a sought-after advisor on digital transformation and marketing, a professor, and an author. He teaches marketing at Harvard Business School and advises top executives on AI and personalization. Dave began his career as a young consultant at the Boston Consulting Group, where he coined the term “Segment-of-One Marketing.” Dave also guided Aetna (now part of CVS Health) as CMO through its transformation into a digitally oriented, customer-centric brand. Recognized multiple times by Forbes as one of the “Most Influential CMOs in the World” and by AdWeek as one of the “Top 20 Marketing and Technology Executives,” Dave has attracted over 1.1 million followers to his LinkedIn blog. His upcoming book, Personalized: Customer Strategy in the Age of AI, will be published by Harvard Business Press in October.
On today's show, Alan and Dave discuss Dave’s upcoming book and the importance of personalization for companies. They delve into the '5 Promises of Personalization,' exploring how effective personalization can transform a company's brand and value proposition over time. They also examine the key conditions required for successful personalization marketing, and how the personalization index can be used to assess and enhance a company's personalization practices. Additionally, they discuss how personalization can unlock the growth potential of AI.
In this episode, you'll learn:
The 5 Promises of Personalization and how they can add value to your companyHow AI can enhance personalized marketingTips around building trust, a key component to personalizationKey Highlights:
[01:40] Dave’s passion as a jazz player & how it parallels business[03:35] How Dave got into personalization[07:13] Why this book and why now? [09:03] Conditions needed for personalization [13:33] The 5 promises of personalization [18:40] Digging deeper into “Reach Me” [23:10] How trust factors in [25:33] How do you get better at “Delight Me”[28:44] Evolving your value proposition[32:00] Experience of your past that defines you[34:05] Advice to younger self[35:12] A topic that you and other marketers need to learn more about[36:27] Trends or subcultures others should follow[38:18] Largest opportunity or threat to marketers todayLooking for more?
Visit our website for the full show notes, 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.
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440: Entering the Consumer Market while Driving Sustainability with Elyse Winer CMO & GM of Consumer at GenPhoenix
Elyse Winer, CMO and GM of Consumer at GenPhoenix, began her career at Merrill Lynch before transitioning to healthcare consulting at Vynamic, where she gained branding and sales experience. She then moved into startups, leading marketing for Boston-based companies and collaborating with Reebok at MC10. Before joining GenPhoenix full-time, Elyse became a partner at Material Impact, a venture capital fund, where she served as interim CMO for GenPhoenix, overseeing a rebrand and their expansion into the consumer market. Her success in both startups and large companies has earned her numerous accolades, including Forbes' "30 Under 30" in Marketing & Advertising.
GenPhoenix, founded in 2007 for the aviation industry, is a market leader in the mass transportation seating category, with over 250 airlines using their material. Their technology breaks down waste leather to the fiber level and uses recycled water to rebuild the fibers, creating a product even stronger than before. This recycled leather has an 86% lower carbon footprint compared to traditional leather. GenPhoenix has since expanded into the leather goods and footwear industries, collaborating with brands like Coach and Dr. Martens. To date, they have diverted more than 10,000 tons of waste from landfills.
On today's show, Alan and Elyse discuss the sustainability of the fashion industry and its future direction. They explore how GenPhoenix is adapting, shifting from a predominantly B2B model to expanding into the consumer market. They also highlight partnerships with brands like Coachtopia and Dr. Martens, among others, and discuss strategies for promoting and protecting your brand in collaborations. Additionally, they discuss what early-stage companies and scale-ups, like GenPhoenix, should prioritize when allocating their marketing budgets.
In this episode, you'll learn:
Strategies when expanding into the consumer marketHow to protect and promote your brand in a collaborationWhat to prioritize when allocating marketing budgets, on a budgetKey Highlights:
[01:37] What Snoop Dogg is like [04:36] Career path to GenPhoenix[11:00] What is GenPhoenix [14:25] What combined role of CMO and GM of Consumer looks like[18:05] Sustainability in the fashion industry[23:45] Expanding into the consumer market[27:49] How to protect your brand in a collaboration[35:22] How being budget constrained can drive creativity[40:47] Experience of your past that defines you[43:40] Advice to younger self[45:19] A topic that you and other marketers need to learn more about[47:35] Trends or subcultures others should follow[50:00] Largest opportunity or threat to marketers todayLooking for more?
Visit our website for the full show notes, 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.
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Larry Weber is the Founder and Chairman of Racepoint Global and the founder of The Weber Group. He also engineered the merger of Weber Shandwick, making it the world’s largest public relations firm. With a career spanning over 45 years, Larry co-founded the Massachusetts Innovation and Technology Exchange (MITX). His impressive client list includes industry giants such as AT&T, Boston Scientific, John Deere, General Electric, General Motors, Panasonic, and Verizon, among others. Larry is the author of six books on marketing, technology, and leadership. His seventh book, A New Age of Reason: Harnessing the Power of Tech for Good, was released on August 6.
Racepoint Global is an independent public relations agency based in Boston, Massachusetts. They specialize in providing integrated communications services to a wide range of clients, from startups to Fortune 500 companies. Their focus is on helping B2B and consumer technology brands engage their audiences in meaningful ways.
On today's show, Alan and Larry discuss the valuable insight Larry has learned from working with industry titans. They delve into the key themes of his new book, A New Age of Reason: Harnessing the Power of Tech for Good, examining the intersection of technology and humanity and the complementary forces they create. Exploring the concept of "tech for good", they discuss how traditional marketing has disappeared in today's world. They also talk about the evolving roles of earned, owned, and paid media in modern marketing.
In this episode, you'll learn:
How to build long-term customer loyaltyThe future of earned, owned and paid mediaHow to harness tech for good and drive innovationKey Highlights:
[01:40] What is it like to have worked with industry titans [07:40] Career path to PR and Communications[13:10] Why this book and why now[20:40] Are tech and humanity competing or complementary forces[24:15] Tech for good[27:17] Has marketing disappeared[31:03] Earned, owned and paid media[36:12] Experience of your past that defines you[38:00] Advice to younger self[39:09] A topic that you and other marketers need to learn more about[40:35] Largest opportunity or threat to marketers todayLooking for more?
Visit our website for the full show notes, 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.
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Pam Morrisroe is the CMO of Breakthrough T1D, formerly JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation). She holds a Bachelor of Science in Consumer Studies from the University of Vermont and an MBA in Marketing and Media Communication from Fordham University. With over 20 years of marketing experience, Pam has led award-winning campaigns for clients like Ford, American Express, and Volkswagen across multiple channels, including digital activation, experiential, branding, consumer, business-to-business, CRM and omnichannel commerce. As Managing Director at VMLY&R, she spearheaded innovative virtual programming during the pandemic, driving significant growth. Now at Breakthrough T1D, Pam leads campaigns to raise awareness of type 1 diabetes and support the organization's mission to create a world without T1D.
Breakthrough T1D, formerly JDRF, is a nonprofit organization founded in 1970 by families affected by type 1 diabetes (T1D). It is now the leading global research and advocacy organization for T1D. Its mission is to accelerate life changing breakthroughs to prevent, cure, and treat T1D and its complications by connecting the brightest minds to advance treatments, influence policy, and improve access to care.
On today's show, Alan and Pam discuss what sparked the rebranding from JDRF to Breakthrough T1D. They delve into the research behind the rebrand, the careful selection of the new name, and how it has been seamlessly integrated into their marketing strategy. They also highlight the progress made, what’s working well, and other critical milestones essential for rebranding success. Additionally, Pam highlights the importance of diversifying knowledge across various marketing categories, explaining how this approach has contributed to her expertise and success in the field.
In this episode, you'll learn:
Why research is critical to a successful rebrandHow to effectively integrate a rebrand into every aspect of your companyThe strategic, intentional steps behind a successful rebranding campaign, and how it expands consumer reachKey Highlights:
[02:14] Experience of dropping your oldest son off at college[03:15] Living the only child life[04:10] Pam’s career path[06:50] What is Breakthrough T1D[08:22] What sparked the rebrand[10:30] Critical milestones to rebranding[13:51] How you knew you had the right name[16:40] Why simplicity was so important in the pitch process[18:00] How does the rebrand manifest in the marketing[22:03] Lessons learned[25:42] Experience of your past that defines you[27:13] Advice to younger self[29:05] A topic that you and other marketers need to learn more about[30:05] Trends or subcultures others should follow[32:36] Largest opportunity or threat to marketers todayLooking for more?
Visit our website for the full show notes, 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.
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Jennifer (Jen) McAdams is a seasoned marketing veteran with more than 25 years of experience within the software industry. Jen went to Northeastern where she graduated with a resume and a business suite, and hit the ground running in her career. She worked closely with Xactly in an advisory CMO role initially as part of Vista Equity Partners’ Value Creation Team – and her partnership and execution of a comprehensive marketing plan that generated increased pipeline and higher quality leads led her to permanently join Xactly as a member of the senior leadership team and CMO. Before Xactly and Vista Equity Partners, she’s previously held senior roles with SAP, Cisco, Progress, Ixia, and Kaseya.
Xactly is a platform “for sales leaders founded by a sales leader”. Their main legacy product is for automating sales compensation and commissions. However, over the years, they have made acquisitions that have allowed them to extend their offerings into sales planning and forecasting tools that live in a single platform and are available as modular pieces that grow with their clients.
On the show today, Alan and Jen talk about how she is bridging the gap between marketing and sales at Xactly and what she has seen work across the different types of companies that she's worked for. Jen gives us practical tips to align around a common goal, how she thinks about organizing teams, and the importance of leading by example. Alan and Jen also discuss how marketing is organized within her group, how that relates to customer marketing as she builds that new function and how AI can be a resource for marketers.
In this episode, you'll learn:
The importance of bridging the gap between marking and sales Tips on how to collaborate, align, and operationalize around a common goals How Jen organizes her team for a focus on customer marketingKey Highlights:
[01:58] Life with a rescue Chihuahua (Biscuit) [03:20] Jennifer’s career path [08:06] What Xactly does and who they serve [09:13] The gap between B2B marketing and sales[11:22] Aligning goals with compensation[12:15] How to operationalize[15:15] Getting the rest of the team on the same page[16:42] What does marketing look like at Xactly[17:58] What customer marketing looks like[20:38] Experience of your past that defines you[22:39] Advice to younger self[24:37] A topic that you and other marketers need to learn more about - AI[25:47] Trends or subcultures others should follow[27:08] Largest opportunity or threat to marketers todayLooking for more?
Visit our website for the full show notes, 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.
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Patrick Buchanan is from Lexington, Kentucky, and went to Western Kentucky University, where he studied journalism broadcasting with the dream of being a VJ. After graduation, Patrick moved to LA to pursue those dreams, but instead fell into marketing through a side hustle as an assistant at Creative Recreation. He found he had a knack for it, embraced his new path, and over the next 7 years, worked his way up to become Marketing Director at Creative Recreation before he moved on to Global Marketing Director at K-Swiss Global Brands, then Senior Director of Brand Marketing for Bravado at Universal Music Group. In 2021, Patrick became Vice President Marketing at GOOD AMERICAN, and today, he serves as Senior Vice President of Marketing at Lulu's, a women's fashion business with a mission to make women feel special and beautiful for all of their life's moments.
On the show today, Alan and Patrick talk about what Lulus does, who they serve, and the kinds of altruistic disruptive campaigns they are implementing to get organic attention. Patrick also tells us how brands should be thinking about the types of partners and influencers they invest in to most effectively and authentically speak to their target audience, as well as his lived experience being a young black head of marketing and what he hopes to do with his platform.
I
n this episode, you'll learn:
Examples of disruptive campaigns to get organic attention How to pick and leverage the right influence partnersPatrick’s experience as a young black man and head of marketingKey Highlights:
[01:40] A brush with fame alongside Kelly Clarkson [03:10] Patrick’s career path[08:30] What Lulus does and who they serve[10:00] How to get your brand noticed [12:30] Leveraging partnerships to bring brand missions to life[17:35] How to engage with influencer marketing as it evolves [20:10] Patrick’s experience as a young black man and head of marketing [23:30] Learning to maneuver creatively and never accepting no as an answer [25:20] Advice to his younger self [26:55] Always be learning more about your customers and what they like. [28:50] Trends and subcultures to watch [30:30] Opportunities and challenges with AILooking for more?
Visit our website for the full show notes, 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.
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Ryan Bonnici is Chief Marketing Officer, Wellhub, previously known as Gympass. Ryan brings over 15 years of experience at places like Salesforce, HubSpot, G2, and Microsoft and was named one of the 2020 World’s Most Influential CMOs by Forbes. Ryan now leads a team of over 300 professionals at Wellhub, where his main goal is to make wellbeing a priority for employees globally.
Wellhub is the world's leading corporate wellness platform. They have over 15,000 clients globally who rely on Wellhub to provide their employees with access to the best wellness partners around the world across fitness, mindfulness, therapy, nutrition, and sleep. Their goal is to make every company a wellness company.
On the show today, Alan and Ryan talk about the reason behind the rebrand from Gympass to Wellhub, the logistics of making such a significant change, and differences in their B2B, B2C, and B2P marketing strategies. They also discussed the benefits of entertainment marketing tactics, why Ryan and his team ultimately settled on a fictional podcast called Murder in HR, and the impact it has had on their core businesses.
In this episode, you'll learn:
The reasoning and logistics behind rebranding from Gympass to WellhubThe differences in B2B, B2C, and B2P marketing strategies Why and how to leverage branded entertainmentKey Highlights:
[01:40] How Ryan gets wellness into his week [05:55] Ryan’s career path[10:45] Wellhub’s goal and mission [12:15] Their product is their network.[14:30] From Gympass to Wellhub[19:10] What B2B, B2C, and B2P marketing looks like at Wellhub[21:20] Leveraging branded entertainment [30:00] How self-low esteem as a kid impacted Ryan as an adult[32:10] Advice to his younger self [33:15] Don’t write off social selling in B2B and follow your own behaviors.[35:45] Trends and subcultures to watch [37:15] Threats facing marketers todayLooking for more?
Visit our website for the full show notes, 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.
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On the show today, Alan and Jen talk about how John Deere is staying relevant as a 187-year-old brand in today's market and what strategies they are using to help people, specifically the younger generation, more fully appreciate the pivotal role that farmers, construction workers, and maintenance crews play in our everyday lives. Jen also tells us about their recent hunt for a Chief Tractor Officer, how they ran the campaign on a budget by leveraging values-aligned celebrity relationships, and what qualifications made Rex perfect for the CTO job.
Jen Hartmann has over 25 years of experience in public relations, communications, and marketing. However, after high school, she originally wanted to be a teacher, but discovered PR when she was in college and immediately knew she wanted to head public relations at John Deere. After a number of various marketing roles at companies like the Illinois Soybean Association, Advanced Technology Services, and United Way, she eventually landed at John Deere about 16 years ago. Today, she serves as their Global Director of Strategic Public Relations and Enterprise Social Media. In this role, Jen is responsible for managing the image and reputation of the company, leading media relations and social media community building, and handling crisis events and issues that could have an impact on the brand.
In this episode, you'll learn:
How the 187-year-old brand is staying relevant with innovative PR strategies and their new Chief Tractor Officer, RexThe key to organic social media successAdvice for working with values-aligned celebritiesKey Highlights:
[01:30] Royal Ball Run, an autism non-profit Jen founded [03:25] Jen’s career path[05:05] What John Deere (is outside of green tractors)[07:00] How a 187-year-old brand is staying relevant in today's market[08:00] The hunt for a Chief Tractor Officer [12:00] The Chief Tractor Officer hunt campaign on a budget[13:55] What made Rex perfect for the job?[17:25] The key to organic social media success[19:25] Advice on working with celebrities [23:10] Lessons learned from her daughter [25:15] Advice to her younger self[26:20] The AI portion of the show[27:55] Catching a vibe from X and Reddit[31:40] The biggest threat facing marketers todayLooking for more?
Visit our website for the full show notes, 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.
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Simmy Kustanowitz has built a reputation as an idea generator and "creative fixer" by utilizing two easy steps—Simplify and Gamify—to solve any company's toughest challenges. As an Emmy-nominated TV producer, Simmy has held high-level positions across multiple genres, ranging from live events and high-budget scripted sitcoms to reality docu-series and studio game shows. He started his career as a writer in the MTV and VH1 worlds on shows like TRL and Silent Library. He eventually was promoted to the producer role before moving into showrunning, then became a development executive, where he found his love for marketing. Simmy worked on the network side at WarnerMedia for about 8 years before he left to become Chief Creative Officer for Bad Woods Entertainment, the production company founded by the stars of Impractical Jokers and took over as their showrunner as well. Simmy took the problem-solving skills he learned in the entertainment business into the wider business world, where he now works with CMOs to help them streamline their internal communications and external messaging.
On the show today, Alan and Simmy talk about the lessons he has learned over 20+ years in the entertainment industry and how he has translated those lessons into his creative workshop, “Rethink the Way You Think,” that helps corporate teams think more efficiently and problem solve more productively. Simmy also shares tips to overcome the most common pitfalls he sees teams face during brainstorming sessions.
In this episode, you'll learn:
How Simmy helps CMO’s think more efficiently and problem solve more productively What elevates thinking to creative thinking The biggest pitfalls teams face in creative solving problems and how to overcome themKey Highlights:
[02:00] Death threats are not a joke.[05:00] Simmy entertainment career path[07:40] Lessons learned throughout his career [09:40] How lessons learned in entertainment help CMO’s[11:55] Defining creativity and creative thinking [15:10] How to stretch time[16:15] The biggest pitfalls teams face when it comes to thinking more creatively to solve problems?[17:10] The 10-3 brainstorm[21:25] How to improve brainstorm sessions [23:25] Simmy’s origin story for his creativity [25:30] Advice to his younger self[26:15] Learning from your competition [27:10] Reading Reddit[29:45] Battling against attention spansLooking for more?
Visit our website for the full show notes, 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.
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Sun Lee is a seasoned marketing leader with over a decade of proven business success. She started her career on the agency side, working with small start-ups as a brand and digital designer in Silicon Valley during the e-commerce boom. She went on to get her Masters Degree, then reenter the workforce on the client side, heading up marketing and communications for big-name companies like Sisu Data, SurveyMonkey, and Pure Storage, before joining BigPanda as the CMO in April 2023.
BigPanda brings AI to IT operations in order to proactively identify and resolve incidents before they become costly problems. They work with large brands like Autodesk and Zayo, as well as large banks and airlines, to ensure seamless technology operations. BigPanda is a start-up and challenger brand competing with giants in the industry, meaning Sun and her team are operating with a relatively small budget, allowing them to move faster and position themselves as an innovator in the sector.
On the show today, Alan and Sun talk about her experience of coming to the US alone at 15, learning to speak English, and how being a nonnative speaker has given her one of her marketing superpowers. They also talk about how she navigated career transitions from specialized roles in design to broader roles in marketing and how that varied experience has contributed to her success as a CMO. Sun outlines with us her approach to digital marketing, the importance of understanding content journeys, and the marketing benefits of being a startup challenger brand. She also tells how she and her team have been implementing AI and how she foresees it shifting the ways marketing teams work as well as the characteristics of who she is looking to hire.
In this episode, you'll learn:
How and why to drive alignment between marketing and sales Marketing benefits and strategies for startup challenger brandsHow AI is causing a shift in expectations of marketers hiresKey Highlights:
[01:50] Coming to the US alone at 15[03:30] Benefits of English as a Second Language in Marketing[04:15] Sun’s career path[07:20] How her experience shapes her approach to marketing [12:00] Finding alignment between marketing and sales [13:00] BigPanda: what they do and who they serve[15:05] Marketing benefits of being a startup challenger brand[17:10] Thoughts on digital marketing [19:45] Starting with the content journey [20:35] How AI is shifting Sun’s thoughts on marketing and productivity [22:35] From specialization marketing to the CMO role[25:30] The most embarrassing professional moment of Sun’s career [28:20] No dumb questions, only dumb questions. [29:00] Soft skills are the way of the future. [30:25] The evolution of word-of-mouth marketing [31:50] The biggest opportunity facing marketers todayLooking for more?
Visit our website for the full show notes, 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.
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April Moh immigrated from Singapore to the US for love in her 20s and restarted her life and career from scratch. The first third of her career in the US was spent in PR agencies, learning the importance of impactful storytelling. She started to develop a curiosity about how the different parts of a company work together to fuel growth and decided to take her career in-house at Microsoft, then SAP, where she eventually became chief of staff. She went on to become CMO at SUSE before moving into the CMO role at Kyriba in October 2023, the same year she was named as one of Campaign Magazine’s “Most Inspiring Women."
Kyriba is a fully unified SAS performance platform with over 80,000 users. They serve treasury needs, risk, payment, connectivity, and working capital to help their clients gain real-time visibility into their cash balances and break out of the liquidity gridlock that many finance teams get stuck in. With Kyriba, finance teams get an aggregated, reliable, and comprehensive view of their cash and liquidity, as well as actionable insights that empower them to make decisions on liquidity performance.
On the show today, Alan and April talk about the rebrand Kyriba has gone through and why branding in B2B industries can be uniquely challenging and more susceptible to scrutiny. April tells what she has learned from her life experience as a female Asian immigrant in tech, including being told she was “not American enough," the maternity discrimination she has faced, and the advice she has for other people who may be told they do not belong. Alan and April also talk about the evolution of marketing, what marketers should be thinking about in terms of being successful in their careers, and tips on how to get ahead.
In this episode, you'll learn:
How Kyriba empowers clients with an actionable understanding of liquidity performance.When to rebrand and the unique challenges of branding B2BHow April has overcome discrimination as an Asian immigrant and mother, and her advice to othersKey Highlights:
[02:00] Immigrating to the US in her 20s [05:55] From RP to CMO[09:16] Kyriba: What they do and who they serve[11:10] Which CFO’s have the most success?[13:15] Why a rebrand was needed[18:00] What she has learned through discrimination [24:20] “There’s always tomorrow.”[25:25] Advice to her younger self (and her two children)[26:45] Get out of the marketing silo.[29:00] Misperceptions of marketers [30:40] The evolution of the CMO role[33:30] Threats and opportunities facing marketers todayLooking for more?
Visit our website for the full show notes, 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.
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Elyse Oleksak is the author of A Shark Ate My Bagel and co-founder of Bantam Bagels. Elyse has always been competitive and incorporated the concepts she learned as a D1 lacrosse player, such as time management, hustling, and perseverance, into her entrepreneurship. She began her career in advertising as an Account Associate at JWT. From there, she went to Morgan Stanley, where she learned how to navigate the politics of corporate America. After some soul-searching, a late-night idea came to her husband, and eventually Bantam Bagels was born. After googling “how to make a bagel," figuring out how to get the cream cheese inside, and developing a business plan, they came up with the recipe that they took to Shark Tank.
On the show today, Alan and Elyse talk about her rocket ship ride into entrepreneurship as the cofounder of Bantam Bagels, when they knew they had something real, her experience with Shark Tank, and how it changed everything for them. We also talk about her recent book, what inspired her to write it, and the advice she has for budding entrepreneurs that she learned from both failures and successes alike.
In this episode, you'll learn:
How Bantam Bagels was bornThe benefits of being a Shark Tank brandElyse’s advice to budding entrepreneursKey Highlights:
[01:20] Experience of a D1 lacrosse player [06:00] How Bantam Bagels was born[12:00] How do they get the cream cheese inside?[12:30] When they know they really had done it[13:15] Why A Shark Ate My Bagel, and why now? [15:15] The Shark Tank experience [19:35] Major lessons learned[24:20] Success does not exist without failure. [29:30] Advice to budding entrepreneurs[31:10] The impact of a semester abroad [34:45] Advice to her younger self [35:40] The AI balance [37:45] Trends to watch[38:35] The speed of changeLooking for more?
Visit our website for the full show notes, 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.
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Nicole Vilalte was born and raised in Puerto Rico, went to college on the island, and started her career there as an account executive at DDB LATAM. She eventually moved to New York to work for JWT before becoming an account supervisor at The Vidal Partnership for Sprint Wireless. She relocated to Portland for a few years to take over the Target account at Wieden + Kennedy before heading back to New York to work on IBM Global at Ogilvy. In 2017, Nicole returned home to become the Business Director for Puerto Rico Tourism Company, and after another stint with Ogilvy, she was hired on as the Chief Marketing Officer at Invest Puerto Rico in 2021.
Invest Puerto Rico is on a mission to promote the island and bring new capital investment and businesses to the region. It is a public-private partnership that helps companies get established on the island by assisting them in navigating incentives, connecting them with resources for real estate selection and access to talent, and facilitating introductions to key stakeholders like sector experts and industry associations. Over the last 5 years, Invest Puerto Rico has secured commitments of $1 billion in capital investments, contributed to the establishment of over 550 new businesses, and helped create 20,000 new jobs.
On the show today, Alan and Nicole talk about the unique challenges of marketing a place, who their target audience is, and how they communicate the benefits of establishing and expanding business operations in Puerto Rico. Nicole also tells us about the inspiration behind their new campaign, “It’s not what’s next, it’s where,” and what business sectors they are focused on the most.
In this episode, you'll learn:
Invest Puerto Rico’s mission and how they market a place. The inspiration behind their new campaign: “It’s not what’s next, it’s where.”The future of marketing for Invest Puerto RicoKey Highlights:
[01:55] Life with a hot sauce addiction [04:45] Full circle agency career path [12:55] Invest Puerto Rico: Their mission and who they serve[14:55] How do you market a place?[18:55] Which sectors are they trying to grow in most?[23:20] The new campaign, “It’s not what’s next, it’s where.”[26:30] Benefits of being in PR[27:40] The future of marketing for Invest Puerto Rico[29:40] Unique challenges of marketing a place to niche audiences[31:10] Crossroads that shaped who Nicole is today [34:05] Advice to her younger self[37:10] The AI portion of the show[40:10] Watching the metaverse and VR spaceLooking for more?
Visit our website for the full show notes, 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.
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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.
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Richard Sanderson started his executive search career as a summer intern at Russell Reynolds Associates in London, then transitioned it into a full-time position as a research consultant with them, which brought him to the States. After five years in that role, he left the world of executive search and went to business school. He then worked at a management consulting firm until 2010, when he rejoined Russell Reynolds Associates. He then moved over to Spencer Stuart in 2018, where he leads their Marketing, Sales, and Communications Officer Practice.
For the past 22 years, Spencer Stuart has created an annual CMO Tenure Report to better understand the average tenure of marketing leaders with the goal of determining if there is truth in the perception that marketing leadership roles have high turnover rates, if so, why, and how CMO tenure compares to other leadership roles.
On the show today, Alan and Richard talk about the methodology of the study, key takeaways, and what he predicts for the future of the CMO role. Richard tells us how the current average CMO tenure compares to the past average, where it ranks among the rest of the C-suit, and what that means for new hires and internal promotions. They also discuss what may lead to misrepresentations and misunderstandings around the CMO role, as well as how the percentage of women and underrepresented racial and ethnic groups has changed in recent years.
In this episode, you'll learn:
The goal of the CMO Tenure Study and key takeaways from the newest reportHow CMO tenure compares to the rest of the C-Suite and what it tells usPredictions for the evolution of the CMO roleKey Highlights:
[02:00] The second “Stag Do”[04:05] Richard’s career path[07:40] What is the CMO Tenure Report?[09:10] Changing up the methodology: From the Top 100 advertising spend to the Fortune 500 [11:15] The average CMO tenure and how it compares[13:20] Is a longer tenure always better?[17:10] External hires vs. internal promotions [20:55] Succession data across industries [24:55] Marketing in the technical sector[25:43] Everyone has a CMO, right?[26:50] Women in the CMO ranks[28:20] Underrepresented groups in the CMO ranks[29:40] The future evolution of the CMO role[35:25] Different names for the same jobs[38:45] Structural changes cause collateral damage. [40:45] Lessons from immigration [42:30] Advice to his younger self [45:50] Marketers are asked to do it all.[47:20] The ongoing politicization of brandsLooking for more?
Visit our website for the full show notes, 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.
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