CMO Corner

Coverage of industry leaders from our journalists


  • An image of a white building with yellow signage that says McDonald's
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    Mario Tama via Getty Images
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    McDonald’s chief marketer steps down, company veteran steps into role

    Tariq Hassan will stay on to support the transition as Alyssa Buetikofer, CMO for the brand in Canada, returns to the U.S. business on Feb. 15.

    By Jan. 28, 2025
  • Kimberly-Clark brand names displayed on banner in NYC
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    The image by Marco Verch is licensed under CC BY 2.0
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    Kimberly-Clark appoints first global chief creative and design officer

    AlmapBBDO veteran Luiz Sanches joins the CPG giant, which no longer has a traditional CMO role and recently reorganized its agency roster.

    By Jan. 27, 2025
  • uncrustables smucker
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    Courtesy of The J.M. Smucker Co.
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    Q&A

    J.M. Smucker’s CMO on how brands must face the challenges of 2025

    Gail Hollander discusses the convergence of brand building and pop culture and how marketers should think about retail media, AI and other emerging tech.

    By Jan. 27, 2025
  • Sabrina Carpenter appears in a Dunkin ad
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    Courtesy of Dunkin'
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    Q&A

    Dunkin’ CMO on building a ‘cinematic universe’ to capture attention

    Jill McVicar Nelson explains what the brand has learned from its Super Bowl ads and how it’s facing uneasiness around TikTok’s future.

    By Jan. 22, 2025
  • Participants holding signs in support of TikTok outside the U.S. Capitol Building.
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    Anna Moneymaker / Staff via Getty Images
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    Deep Dive

    How marketers can stay reactive as a TikTok ban looms

    Contingency plans are coming into focus as the Supreme Court weighs a decision that could ban the ByteDance-owned app in the U.S. on Sunday.

    By Jan. 16, 2025
  • Actor Keegan-Michael Key pours a cocktail at a Cambria Hotels bar in a marketing campaign image for Choice Hotels International.
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    Courtesy of Choice Hotels International
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    Choice Hotels CMO talks travel ‘maximizing’ in new global ad campaign

    Actor Keegan-Michael Key returns for this year’s marketing push, which aims to build brand loyalty, Noha Abdalla shares.

    By Jenna Walters • Jan. 14, 2025
  • Rocket rebrand billboard
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    Courtesy of Rocket
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    How Rocket Companies’ rebrand sets the stage for a new Super Bowl approach

    A new visual identity looks to position the company as the “most culturally significant and inclusive brand in America,” said CMO Jonathan Mildenhall.

    By Jan. 14, 2025
  • Nikki Rodriguez poses for American Eagle's Fall 2024 campaign.
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    Courtesy of American Eagle
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    How American Eagle’s CMO avoids AI’s ‘generic creative’ trap

    At NRF’s Big Show, Craig Brommers addressed mounting production demands but said delegating more work to AI is a “scary” prospect.  

    By Jan. 14, 2025
  • In this photo illustration, the welcome screen for the OpenAI "ChatGPT" app is displayed on a laptop screen on February 03, 2023 in London, England.
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    Leon Neal / Staff via Getty Images
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    Marketers increasingly prioritize automation investments: report

    However, a piecemeal approach to AI reflects a focus on short-term results instead of overarching strategies, per Mediaocean's research.

    By Aaron Baar • Jan. 13, 2025
  • Planet Fitness
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Planet Fitness adds CMO from Marriott to build on recent growth

    Brian Povinelli’s appointment comes as the gym chain makes redefining its brand strategy a key priority.

    By Jan. 13, 2025
  • Five cans of Athletic Brewing's flagship beers
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    Courtesy of Athletic Brewing
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    Inside Athletic Brewing’s marketing as reach expands for nonalcoholic beer

    CMO Andrew Katz explains how a new multimillion-dollar campaign addresses the entrance of more "big guys" into the nonalcoholic category.

    By Jan. 6, 2025
  • Stefon Diggs for Domino's Emergency Pizza campaign
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    Courtesy of Domino's Pizza
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    Q&A

    Domino’s CMO on how Emergency Pizzas meet consumers where they are

    Kate Trumbull and Matt Talbot, co-founder of the brand’s AOR WorkInProgress, explain how last year’s marketing efforts set up the chain for 2025.

    By Jan. 2, 2025
  • Olipop holiday ad campaign
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    Courtesy of Olipop
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    Column

    Campaign Trail: Olipop gets in on holiday cheer with stop-motion yetis

    CMO Matt Bruhn explained how the better-for-you brand disrupted Big Soda holiday advertising alongside indie agency Callen.

    By Dec. 20, 2024
  • P.F. Chang’s airport location
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    Courtesy of P.F. Chang's
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    P.F. Chang’s finds new CMO in Ticketmaster, PepsiCo marketer

    The casual dining chain becomes the latest restaurant brand to hire new marketing leadership as consumer behaviors continue to evolve.

    By Dec. 17, 2024
  • Cans of Jolt.
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    Permission granted by Redcon1
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    Nostalgic Jolt Cola returning to shelves as an energy drink

    The beverage, popular in the 1980s and 1990s, will be marketed on social platforms including TikTok, YouTube and Facebook in a bid to Gen Z.

    By Christopher Doering • Dec. 16, 2024
  • BetMGM signage at MGM National Harbor
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    Shannon Finney via Getty Images
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    BetMGM hires CMO to accelerate momentum in growing betting industry

    Casey Hurbis previously served as chief marketer at Rocket Mortgage, where he oversaw two consecutive Super Bowl ad successes.

    By Dec. 9, 2024
  • A person eats Smashburger food
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    Courtesy of Smashburger
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    Smashburger’s CMO on righting the brand’s course with a new visual identity

    A new app launch followed a recent rebrand as part of new chief marketer Thomas Prather’s work to get the chain’s digital ecosystem moving.

    By Dec. 9, 2024
  • A sign on a J. Crew store on 5th Avenue in New York City.
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    Bryan Thomas via Getty Images
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    J. Crew taps Skims marketer as CMO to boost cultural relevance

    Julia Collier helped turn Kim Kardashian’s Skims into a trendy name with moves like striking its first major sports sponsorship last year.

    By Dec. 6, 2024
  • An Adobe sign appears on the brick facade of a building
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Adobe names former Intuit marketer as CMO to expand brand reach

    The hire follows Adobe appointing Stagwell as global lead of creative campaigns and social content for its Digital Media business in October.

    By Dec. 2, 2024
  • Alouette digital out-of-home ad
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    Courtesy of Savencia
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    Why specialty cheese Alouette rebranded right before the holidays

    For its 50th anniversary, the Savencia brand of French cheeses is introducing new packaging, sonic branding and its biggest campaign to date.

    By Nov. 27, 2024
  • Martha Stewart holds a football in a baking dish in a JCPenney ad
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    Courtesy of JCPenney
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    How JCPenney’s ‘Really Big Deal Reveals’ campaign is faring so far

    The retailer has been averaging 13% to 15% new customers each week during the campaign appearing during Amazon’s “Thursday Night Football.”

    By Nov. 26, 2024
  • Tom Turkey at the 97th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2023
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    Courtesy of Macy's, Inc.
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    Q&A

    Macy’s CMO on why telling a cohesive marketing story is crucial

    With its Thanksgiving Day parade days away, Sharon Otterman explains how the retailer brought its gift guide to life in its holiday campaign.

    By Nov. 25, 2024
  • Singer Tyla sits on a beige couch against a blue background in an ad for Bose
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    Permission granted by Bose
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    Q&A

    Bose CMO on driving the brand’s cultural impact and the coming AI shakeout

    Jim Mollica, Bose’s first global marketing chief, spoke with Marketing Dive about evolving the 60-year-old brand through more emotionally led marketing.

    By Nov. 21, 2024
  • Megan Thee Stallion for True Religion
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    Courtesy of True Religion
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    Deep Dive

    ‘Merry and bright’: How marketers are evolving for ambitious holiday shoppers

    Amid record spending intentions by shoppers, holiday marketing campaigns reflect more diverse media mixes and experiments with artificial intelligence.

    By Nov. 13, 2024
  • A headshot of a blonde person on a white background.
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    Courtesy of REI
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    REI taps former Sephora, Williams-Sonoma exec for chief marketer

    Abigail Jacobs will oversee all marketing functions at the outdoor retailer, which has struggled to return to profitability in recent years.

    By Cara Salpini • Nov. 12, 2024