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Building Better CMOs and Marketing Leaders

Building Better CMOs and Marketing Leaders

A podcast about the future of marketing and how marketers can get smarter & stronger.

MMA Global / LightningPod

56 episodesEN

Show overview

Building Better CMOs and Marketing Leaders has been publishing since 2023, and across the 3 years since has built a catalogue of 56 episodes, alongside 2 trailers or bonus episodes. That works out to roughly 50 hours of audio in total. Releases follow a monthly cadence, with the show now in its 3rd season.

Episodes typically run thirty-five to sixty minutes — most land between 51 min and 1h 1m — and the run-time is fairly consistent across the catalogue. None of the episodes are flagged explicit by the publisher. It is catalogued as a EN-language Business show.

The show is actively publishing — the most recent episode landed 2 weeks ago, with 5 episodes already out so far this year. Published by MMA Global / LightningPod.

Episodes
56
Running
2023–2026 · 3y
Median length
56 min
Cadence
Monthly

From the publisher

Marketing leaders are facing constant new challenges. If you want to stay ahead of the curve, listen to Building Better CMOs, from the nonprofit thinktank MMA Global. It's a podcast about the future of marketing and how marketers can get smarter & stronger, hosted by MMA CEO Greg Stuart. Greg interviews some of the wisest and most successful CMOs in the business, who share crucial insights about what their industry gets wrong, how to get to the C-Suite, and how to unlock the true power of marketing. You'll gain a deeper understanding of the evolving purpose of marketing leaders, and learn actionable strategies to overcome obstacles. Produced by LightningPod.fm. For transcripts and more, visit bettercmos.com

Latest Episodes

View all 56 episodes

Embracing Measurement and Building Trust with New York Life's Amy Hu

Apr 29, 202654 min

Get Specific About Marketing Results with Matt Lieberman

Apr 15, 202656 min

S3 Ep 11Build Something or Fix Something with Instructure CMO Armin Molavi

Armin Molavi spent 20 years working in agencies before transitioning to client-side marketing at Hilton, then building a successful fractional CMO practice serving private equity-backed companies. Currently, he's the CMO at Instructure, which makes the ubiquitous learning management system Canvas."25 years of B2C, and this is my very first B2B gig, so I've been learning a lot," Armin says. "What's the saying? Like drinking from a fire hydrant?"But at a fundamental level, he explains, B2B is not so different from what he's spent most of his career doing."At the end of the day, I have to convince people that if they give up their budget for what I have to sell, it's going to make their life better at work," he adds. "That's what marketing is."Today on Building Better CMOs, Armin and Greg Stuart discuss what marketers should know about working with private equity firms, why agencies and clients both need to be better partners to each other, and the life-changing career advice he received from Kellyn Kenny. They also discuss why marketers need to drop the jargon and start connecting their work to enterprise value if they want a seat at the table. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Full transcript⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ This episode was produced and edited by Eric Johnson from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LightningPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Building Better CMOs in your podcast app⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Rate and review the podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Armin's LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Greg's LinkedIn

Feb 4, 202658 min

S3 Ep 9Following People & Finding Purpose with Snap CMO Grace Kao

Grace Kao has served as a marketing leader at some of the most influential consumer tech companies of our time, including Yahoo, Pandora, Instagram, Spotify, and now Snap, where she is the CMO. But one of the most important things for her career growth has been following people, rather than job titles. "You want to go to a company that you believe in the company values, but believing in the people and understand that the people have the same values as you do, that has always been important to me," she says. Today on Building Better CMOs, Grace and Marketing + Media Alliance CEO Greg Stuart talk about the power of marketing to mindsets instead of demographics, and the advice from her mom that still guides her today: don't be afraid to fail. They also discuss what marketers can learn from Gen Z's entrepreneurial creativity, the upcoming relaunch of Snap's AR glasses Specs, and CEO Evan Spiegel's "shots to goal" philosophy. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Full transcript⁠⁠⁠⁠ This episode was produced and edited by Eric Johnson from ⁠⁠⁠⁠LightningPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow Building Better CMOs in your podcast app⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Rate and review the podcast⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Grace's LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Greg's LinkedIn

Jan 21, 202652 min

S3 Ep 8Every Touchpoint Tells a Story with The New York Times CMO Amy Weisenbach

Amy Weisenbach, CMO of The New York Times, recalls some crucial advice she received early in her career: "Don't come to me and say, how do I do this? Come to me and say, here's the problem. Here's what I think I should do. What do you think?" After cutting her teeth at companies like Jim Beam and Unilever — where she helped build one of the most provocative brands of the early 2000s, Axe Body Spray — Amy now leads marketing at one of the world's most storied media companies. Along the way, she's learned that the best brands understand everything communicates, from a Memorial Day sale to a Super Bowl spot. Today on Building Better CMOs, Amy talks with MMA Global CEO Greg Stuart about the hard-won journey from 2 million to 12 million subscribers, why the Times' leadership chose to invest in journalism when others were cutting, and the "Truth Is Worth It" campaign that made journalists proud of their marketing team for the first time. They also discuss the secret to hiring performance marketers who care about brand, as well as the value of trusted, human-reported journalism in an age of AI-generated content. ⁠⁠⁠Full transcript⁠⁠⁠ This episode was produced and edited by Eric Johnson from ⁠⁠⁠LightningPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Follow Building Better CMOs in your podcast app⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Rate and review the podcast⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Amy's LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Greg's LinkedIn

Jan 7, 20261h 0m

S3 Ep 7Brand Over Time, Sales Overnight with Starbucks' Tressie Lieberman

Starbucks Global Chief Brand Officer Tressie Lieberman learned early in her career that building a brand requires balancing two timelines: "brand over time and sales overnight." It's a philosophy she's carried through leadership roles at Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and Chipotle, and now applies to one of the most watched brand transformations in business. Tressie joined Starbucks a year ago as part of CEO Brian Niccol's turnaround team, overseeing everything from menu innovation and digital experience to the company's ready-to-drink beverages. Her mission: reignite the soul of Starbucks and bring the brand back to its coffeehouse roots. Today on Building Better CMOs, she and Marketing + Media Alliance CEO Greg Stuart talk about what causes iconic brands to lose their way, how to harness customer-generated trends like the viral glass “bearista,” and why curiosity is the number one trait she hires for. They also discuss embracing change as a career imperative, the entrepreneurial mindset she brings to big companies, and why marketers must treat customers as co-creators rather than passive audiences. ⁠⁠Full transcript⁠⁠ This episode was produced and edited by Eric Johnson from ⁠⁠LightningPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Follow Building Better CMOs in your podcast app⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Rate and review the podcast⁠ ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Tressie's LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Greg's LinkedIn

Dec 17, 20251h 0m

S3 Ep 6Branding, Beverages, and Breakthroughs with Keurig Dr Pepper CMO Drew Panayiotou

"Being a public company CMO is very different than being a CMO in a private entity ... you need to deliver earnings. And I'd say this, any CMO that is not focused on driving revenue will not be there a long time," says Drew Panayiotou, the CMO of Keurig Dr Pepper. "You have to drive revenue, no if, ands, or buts." Consistently driving revenue gets even harder when, like Drew, you are stewarding 125 brands, including Yoohoo, Hawaiian Punch, Canada Dry, Keurig, Dr Pepper, and 7-Up. Drew believes in focusing on building emotional connections and cultural relevancy, driving raving fans to perpetuate the brand’s growth and significantly impacting revenue. Today on Building Better CMOs, he talks with Marketing + Media Alliance CEO Greg Stuart about harnessing digital transformation to fuel marketing initiatives, the importance of internal alignment and communication, and the role of emotional connections in brand loyalty. ⁠Full transcript⁠ This episode was produced and edited by Eric Johnson from ⁠LightningPod⁠⁠ Follow Building Better CMOs in your podcast app⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rate and review the podcast ⁠⁠Drew's LinkedIn⁠⁠ Greg's LinkedIn

Dec 3, 20251h 4m

S3 Ep 5From Candy to Credit with Natasha Madan of Intuit Credit Karma

"If you don't drive, you will be driven," says Natasha Madan, the head of marketing at Intuit Credit Karma. "You have to play offense, you cannot be playing defense." That leadership philosophy has helped Natasha navigate from marketing candy brands at Nestlé to building Prime's brand strategy at Amazon, and now helping millions of people make financial progress. She believes marketers struggle to connect brand marketing with growth marketing, creating a gap that limits their impact. Today on Building Better CMOs, she and Marketing + Media Alliance CEO Greg Stuart discuss why marketing needs to bridge brand and performance, how understanding consumer psychology drives breakthrough creative, and why leadership means making tough decisions people may not initially like. They also explore the deep relationship people have with money, the power of AI-driven personalization, and why clarity is kindness in both parenting and managing teams. Full transcript This episode was produced and edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod Follow Building Better CMOs in your podcast app⁠⁠⁠ Rate and review the podcast Natasha's LinkedIn Greg's LinkedIn

Nov 19, 202552 min

S3 Ep 4Connecting Marketing to Growth, with Wayfair CMO Paul Toms

Full transcript⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Watch this interview on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — Wayfair CMO Paul Toms got some advice from the company’s first marketing boss, which he still uses all the time: “Nobody cares about anything that happened before today. All we care about is that we make the smartest decision today… It lets you just engage in the present and in solving for the future without over-rotating on a prior decision." Paul has spent nearly 19 years at Wayfair, starting when the company had about 100 employees. Today, he oversees five brands across four countries, and leads marketing for a $12 billion business that's expanded into physical retail while maintaining its digital-first foundation. Today on Building Better CMOs, Paul and Marketing + Media Alliance CEO Greg Stuart talk about why marketers struggle to connect their work to business outcomes, and why the distinction between brand and performance marketing is simply a time window. They also discuss how to resolve disagreements by finding common ground, how Wayfair is finding innovative uses for AI, and why making decisions with incomplete information is essential for growth. This episode was produced and edited by Eric Johnson from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LightningPod.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Building Better CMOs in your podcast app⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Rate & review the podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Links: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Paul's LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Greg's LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠

Nov 5, 202556 min

S3 Ep 3Luxury, Leadership, and AI with Mercedes-Benz USA CMO Melody Lee

Full transcript⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Watch this interview on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — "I would argue, in the C-Suite, there's not a job that has expanded, shifted, evolved more so than the CMO's role, more so than a marketer's role," says Melody Lee, CMO of Mercedes-Benz USA. "We are now responsible not for marketing as tactics, but marketing as a growth strategy for a company, for a brand."Melody carries what she calls "a burden of responsibility," a privilege and a challenge to ensure Mercedes-Benz continues to live up to its 140-year old legacy. She says marketers have to elevate their role internally — ensuring colleagues understand how marketing influences and drives business forward — while also protecting the intangible value that makes luxury brands worth their premium.Today on Building Better CMOs, Melody and Marketing + Media Alliance CEO Greg Stuart discuss the evolving role of the CMO, why diversity of thought creates the best-performing teams, and why the best leaders focus on making the people around them successful. They also explore the unique challenges of luxury brand marketing, the importance of measurement that drives better decisions, and why Mercedes-Benz approaches AI innovation with both ambition and caution as it introduces next-generation vehicles. This episode was produced and edited by Eric Johnson from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LightningPod.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Building Better CMOs in your podcast app⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Rate & review the podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Links: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Melody's LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Greg's LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠

Oct 23, 202555 min

S3 Ep 2How Leaders Raise the Bar, with Moët Hennessy USA SVP Regan O'Kon

Full transcript⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Watch this interview on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠ — One simple piece of advice has had a “profound impact” on Moët Hennessy USA SVP Regan O'Kon’s career: “Don't let tasks take over.” “We are all guilty of letting tasks take over, every single day,” Regan says. “You might have to create a PowerPoint, you might have to put a checklist on your annual planning milestone. You might have to have a huge cross-functional meeting, you might have to present to the board … [but] the most important thing is your team and your ability as a leader to remove barriers and let them go and be creative and inspired.” That philosophy guides Regan as the SVP of Commercial Marketing for Moët Hennessy USA, where her portfolio includes Dom Perignon, Hennessy, Veuve Clicquot, and other iconic brands. In an industry where luxury is defined by small acts of service and hospitality, Regan's team works to ensure every consumer interaction creates a memory. Today on Building Better CMOs, Regan and MMA Global CEO Greg Stuart discuss the complexity of bringing brand strategy to life at the point of purchase, the importance of leading with emotional intelligence, and how relentless focus and team consistency helped build the Aperol Spritz into a global phenomenon. They also explore the balance between data-driven insights and cultural intuition, why storytelling matters as much as the product itself, and how historic brands evolve while honoring their heritage. This episode was produced and edited by Eric Johnson from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LightningPod.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Building Better CMOs in your podcast app⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Rate & review the podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Links: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Regan's LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Greg's LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠

Oct 8, 202548 min

S3 Ep 1Agentic AI and Emotional Connection with Noha Abdalla, CMO of Choice Hotels

Full transcript⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Watch this interview on YouTube⁠⁠⁠ — “Sometimes when you get to a fork in the road and you have to decide, am I going to stay in this job or take this new job? … It can feel like the weight of the world on your shoulders to make that decision,” says Noha Abdalla, CMO of Choice Hotels. “[But] each path is going to lead you somewhere else and you're going to learn something new. And so take the burden off a little bit or the weight of that decision off and pick something and learn from it.” That philosophy has carried Noha from consulting to the American Red Cross, from Animal Planet to Hilton, and now to leading marketing across 22 brands and millions of room nights at Choice. Along the way, she’s seen firsthand how marketing builds trust, not just bookings, and how AI is transforming the creative process. Today on Building Better CMOs, Noha talks with MMA Global CEO Greg Stuart about the challenges of hospitality marketing, the decision to bring in Keegan-Michael Key as brand ambassador, and her team’s experiments with agentic AI to personalize at scale. They also discuss the role of mentorship, lessons from running a franchise business, and why marketers must champion emotional connection and trust at every step of the customer journey. This episode was produced and edited by Eric Johnson from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LightningPod.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Building Better CMOs in your podcast app⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Rate & review the podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Links: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Noha's LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Greg's LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠

Sep 24, 202550 min

S2 Ep 16Stacy Hammond, CMO of Charles Schwab: Cheerleader Leadership

Full transcript⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Watch this interview on YouTube⁠⁠ — “Knowing who you are then leads you to a place where you can start asking questions about how who you are shows up in the workplace,” says Stacy Hammond, Chief Marketing Officer at Charles Schwab. “Everybody at Schwab is a leader,” she says, and the best leaders do market research on themselves: How they are perceived, and how those perceptions align with the value they bring. Today on Building Better CMOs, Stacy and MMA Global CEO Greg Stuart talk about turning “earners into owners,” making investing simple and approachable, and the importance of both accessibility and transparency. They also discuss her unconventional path to the CMO role, beginning in Schwab’s retail business 24 years ago, and what it means to be a “cheerleader” for your team. This episode was produced and edited by Eric Johnson from ⁠⁠⁠⁠LightningPod.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Building Better CMOs in your podcast app⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Rate & review the podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Links: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Stacy's LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Greg's LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠

Aug 20, 202551 min

S2 Ep 15Lisa Caputo, CMO of Travelers: Empathy Meets Innovation

Full transcript⁠ ⁠Watch this interview on YouTube⁠ — "You have to blend innovation with empathy, and effectively combine data-driven insights and creative storytelling," says Lisa Caputo, the Chief Marketing, Communication and Customer Experience Officer at Travelers. "To me, that's a magic combination." And there's one more ingredient missing from the recipe, which Lisa has learned over a career spanning broadcast journalism, the White House, and corporate America: The willingness to stay curious and embrace change. Today on Building Better CMOs, she shares insights on transforming customer experience at Travelers, the four-legged stool of "Big M marketing," and the critical role of leadership in driving organizational change. She and MMA Global CEO Greg Stuart also discuss the value of measurement in demonstrating impact, what she learned from working for Bill & Hillary Clinton, and how to foster an environment of empathy. Correction: Travelers is 170 years old, not 161. This episode was produced and edited by Eric Johnson from ⁠⁠⁠LightningPod.fm⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Building Better CMOs in your podcast app⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Rate & review the podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Links: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lisa's LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Greg's LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠

Jul 9, 20251h 7m

S2 Ep 14Lauren Beckstedt, CMO of Brunswick: Anchoring Brand Value

Full transcript Watch this interview on YouTube — "There are still folks who feel like marketing is just fluff, it's just, 'make things pretty,'" says Lauren Beckstedt. Her mission, as CMO of the recreational boating company Brunswick, is to redefine what marketing is and to educate her organization about its power. Brunswick's portfolio includes iconic names in aquatic recreation, like Mercury Marine, Sea Ray, and Boston Whaler. And one of Lauren's initiatives has been implementing a new brand identity for the 175-year-old firm, under the tagline of "next never rests." Today on Building Better CMOs, Lauren talks with MMA Global CEO Greg Stuart about why being a hand-raiser opens doors in your career, leveraging consumer insights in the boating industry, and how she journeyed from talent management to CMO. They also discuss the importance of ethnographic research, implementing quarterly business reviews, and — most importantly — what kind of boat Greg should buy. This episode was produced and edited by Eric Johnson from ⁠⁠LightningPod.fm⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠Follow Building Better CMOs in your podcast app⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Rate & review the podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ Links: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Lauren's LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Greg's LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠

Jun 25, 20251h 0m

S2 Ep 13Virat Khullar, Head of Marketing at Hyundai India: Optimism is a Force Multiplier

Watch this interview on YouTube⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Full transcript⁠⁠⁠ — It's easy to see every glass as half-empty in today's world, says Virat Khullar, head of marketing for Hyundai India. But focusing on the negative will imperil your leadership, while choosing optimism will help you structure things better. "Perpetual optimism for me is a force multiplier," he says. "You will motivate people around you. You will gather the right teams, you will list down things that will make you ultimately achieve the objective." Today on Building Better CMOs — recorded live at MMA's Impact India event near New Delhi — Khullar and MMA Global CEO Greg Stuart talk about the importance of understanding consumer behavior through ethnographic research; the challenges and opportunities in the Indian marketing landscape; and the surprisingly significant role daughters play in car purchase decisions. They also discuss Hyundai's full-funnel marketing strategy and how AI is transforming creative production and personalization. This episode was produced and edited by Eric Johnson from ⁠LightningPod.fm⁠. ⁠⁠Follow Building Better CMOs in your podcast app⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Rate & review the podcast⁠⁠⁠ Links: ⁠⁠⁠Virat's LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Greg's LinkedIn⁠⁠

Jun 11, 202533 min

S2 Ep 12Doug Martin, CMO of General Mills: Emotional Connections Matter

Watch this interview on YouTube⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Full transcript⁠⁠ — "Who is this person that I am trying to get to change in behavior? Do I really understand them?" asks Doug Martin, CMO of General Mills. Understanding consumers deeply, he believes, is an essential skill in the ever-evolving world of marketing, and it's one that General Mills uses constantly to drive brand management and create emotional connections. Doug recommends developing a clear "consumer muse" for each brand, ensuring that marketing strategies resonate on a personal level. Today on Building Better CMOs, Doug and MMA Global CEO Greg Stuart dive into the impact of AI on marketing, the challenges of measuring marketing's effectiveness, and creative strategies like Progresso's soup-flavored cough drops campaign. Doug also shares his thoughts on the future of grocery stores and of marketing, emphasizing the enduring need for human creativity alongside AI advancements. This episode was produced and edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm. ⁠Follow Building Better CMOs in your podcast app⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Rate & review the podcast⁠⁠ Links: ⁠⁠Doug's LinkedIn⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Greg's LinkedIn⁠

May 28, 202554 min

S2 Ep 11Charlotte Blank, U.S. CMO of Jaguar Land Rover NA: Lead Like a Scientist

Watch this interview on YouTube⁠ ⁠Full transcript⁠ — "I've always sort of been in marketing, but by way of psychology," says Charlotte Blank, the U.S. CMO of Jaguar Land Rover North America. Only by applying concepts from neuroscience and behavioral science, she says, can we truly understand what consumers want & how they think. "The whole creative process is inherently scientific," Charlotte says. "And any creative will tell you that a good tight brief with tight boundaries is helpful for the creative process." Today on Building Better CMOs, Charlotte and MMA Global CEO Greg Stuart also talk about JLR's "house of brands" strategy, why entrepreneurs are more likely to buy Range Rovers, and the value of experimentation and data-driven testing. Follow Building Better CMOs in your podcast app⁠ ⁠Subscribe on YouTube⁠ ⁠Rate & review the podcast⁠ Links: ⁠Charlotte's LinkedIn⁠ ⁠Greg's LinkedIn⁠ This episode was produced and edited by Eric Johnson from ⁠LightningPod.fm⁠.

May 14, 202545 min

S2 Ep 10Bob Sherwin, CMO of Zoe: Navigating Media Shifts

Watch this interview on YouTube Full transcript — Media consumption habits are changing rapidly, which means marketers have to thread the needle between "chasing the shiny new object" and embracing emerging platforms strategically. For Bob Sherwin, the chief marketing & commercial officer of Zoe, the solution is to frame new media initiatives as a test. "The test is that you're going to either win and find something new, or you're going to learn," Bob says. "As long as you set it up as a test and you're going to learn something, it's a win no matter what. Because we're going to either be way smarter about something, or we're going to find a new breakthrough." Today on Building Better CMOs, he and MMA Global CEO Greg Stuart discuss the role of CMOs in shaping customer experience; aligning marketing efforts with business outcomes; and the need for clear communication with the C-suite to maximize marketing's impact. They also talk about Zoe's personalized approach to nutrition and the challenges of marketing measurement and attribution. Follow Building Better CMOs in your podcast app Subscribe on YouTube Rate & review the podcast Links: Bob's LinkedIn Greg's LinkedIn This episode was produced and edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm.

Apr 30, 202550 min

Welcome to Building Better CMOs

trailer

Marketing is not really a profession. There is no one body of knowledge that CMOs and other marketing leaders all share. We can’t even agree on what the role of a CMO is. On Building Better CMOs, MMA Global CEO Greg Stuart speaks with the very best marketing leaders about what CMOs get wrong and how they overcome the challenges they face. Plus: How are they responding to the evolution of AI? Where do they stand on the brand vs. performance debate? How is the definition of CMO "changing?" Above all: What does it take to drive growth today? When you listen to the podcast or watch it on YouTube, you’ll get expert advice from the CMOs of companies like Lyft, Zillow, Nissan, GE, AT&T, Adobe, Uber, Salesforce, Coca-Cola, and more. Building Better CMOs is available on all major podcasting apps, as well as YouTube. New episodes come out every two weeks.

Apr 8, 20253 min
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