A CMO Confidential Interview with Michael Treff, the CEO of Code and Theory. Michael shares his belief that the ambiguity in markets is here to stay, why traditional B2B playbooks aren't working like they used to, and why this is the "dawn of a new era for creativity."

Key topics include:

- Three key B2B questions companies are asking

- The concepts of "stacking talent" and "forward-deployed teams"

- The need to be truly honest about your organization and the marketplace

- Why the future for agencies will be driven by tech, software, and service

Tune in to hear about why you should "Keep it simple," and why the future will bring "A reckoning for the service business."

⏱️ Chapters

1:12 - Guest Introduction and Overview of the B2B Marketplace

4:35 - Technology Investments and the Changing Journey

6:16 - Evolving Roles within the C-Suite

7:20 - Culture Shifts and the Service Business Reckoning

13:12 - Walled Gardens vs. Open Data Environments

16:12 - Synthetic Data Sets

18:40 - Advice for Traditional Clients

26:35 - The Future of Creativity in B2B

31:25 - Predictions for the Future

33:37 - Closing and Final Advice

This episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmo.

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A CMO Confidential Interview with Drew Pinto, EVP and Chief Revenue and Technology Officer of Marriott International. Drew discusses the concept that architecture and data should be viewed as a means to an end, methods for assessing legacy systems, and why tech is critical to customer experience.

Key topics include: 

- Why he believes in "built to change”

- Ways to assess your data

- Why marketers shouldn't get "enamored by solutions

- The idea of "buying commodities" vs. building everything yourself

Tune in to hear a discussion about "data puddles," and why marketers should take their tech partners to dinner.

⏱️ Chapters

1:12 - Introduction and Guest Welcome

2:32 -Defining Data Architecture

5:00 - Evaluating Legacy Systems

12:51 - Sponsor Message: Typeface ARC Agents

13:55 - Built to Change vs. Built to Last

17:15 - Tech Sourcing: Build vs. Buy

21:11 - Customer Experience and Data Management

27:54 - Common Mistakes and Advice for Marketers

30:44 - Closing Remarks and Final Thoughts

This episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmo.

Subscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives.

#CMOConfidential, #MarketingLeadership, #BrandStrategy, #CorporateActivism, #MarketingStrategy, #CMO, #AIinMarketing, #ExecutiveLeadership, #BrandReputation, #ConsumerTrust, #DigitalMarketing, #MarketingInsights, #ThoughtLeadership, #BusinessStrategy, #CustomerCentric

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A CMO Confidential Interview with Dr. David Bray, Distinguished Fellow and Chair of the Accelerator with the Alfred Lee Loomis Innovation Council and bipartisan advisor on cyber, space, AI as well as countering terrorism, inauthentic information campaigns, and bioterrorism.

David shares thoughts on why geopolitics have become so important so quickly, the universal breakdown in trust, how anxiety fuels anger, which fuels grievance, and how business leaders might adjust to all of this.

Key topics include:

- Why geopolitical and tech issues should be added to the "risk management committee"

- The need for contingency planning and directional decision-making

- How anyone is now the equivalent of a 1970's cold war spy

- Why "getting better at discernment" is critical.

Tune in to hear about "responsible heretics" and how a high school science project resulted in a South American assignment for a 17-year old.

⏱️ Chapters

1:12: Introducing Dr. David Bray

1:39: Why Business Leaders Should Care About Geopolitics

2:33: Mapping the Ripple Effects of Technological Revolutions

4:47: Historical Context: 1890s Polarization and Yellow Journalism

7:01: Societal Anxiety, Governance, and the Path to Anarchy

9:10: Impact on Global Supply Chains and Geopolitical Uncertainty

12:25: The Complexity of Microprocessors and Hardware Risks

14:10: Upgrading the Board: Risk Management for Tech and Geopolitics

16:21: Pressures on the C-Suite and Decision-Making with Incomplete Information

18:06: Marketing in a Volatile Landscape: Early Signal Networks

20:07: The Role of the “Responsible Heretic” in Avoiding Groupthink

23:29: Managing Super-Empowered Employees and Information Capabilities

25:16: Disinformation Strategy: From Operation Denver to Modern Bots

27:56: Balancing Principles, Ethics, and Global Competitiveness

29:07: Preparing for the Future: Data Reassessment and the Art of Discernment

31:43: Strategic Headspace: Establishing Pivot Options

33:11: Predictions for 2026: AI Pushback and Conflict De-escalation

34:03: Funniest Story: The South American Science Fair Mosh Pit

35:51: Practical Advice: Leadership vs. Management Expectations

36:07: Final Takeaways and Closing Remarks

This episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmo.

Subscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives.

#CMOConfidential, #MarketingLeadership, #BrandStrategy, #CorporateActivism, #MarketingStrategy, #CMO, #AIinMarketing, #ExecutiveLeadership, #BrandReputation, #ConsumerTrust, #DigitalMarketing, #MarketingInsights, #ThoughtLeadership, #BusinessStrategy, #CustomerCentric

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A CMO Confidential Interview with Joe Gagliese, Co-Founder and CEO at Viral Nation, a full-service digital and social agency. 

Joe discusses the concept of social as "the people's media," details why he believes "discovery begins with social" and outlines how brands might think about becoming "social centered." 

Key topics include:

• Why social has become a prerequisite for certain categories
• Questions to ask your social agency
• Why measurement is still a bit of an Achilles heel
• How to think of social as a living organism which works in concert with the rest of your marketing

Tune in to hear why social is so important for autos and thoughts on reading Marcus Aurelius.

⏱️ Chapters

01:12 - Introduction to CMO Confidential

01:42 - Introducing Joe Gagliese

02:46 - Defining "Social First"

05:40 - Social Strategy as a Behavioral System

08:03 - The Prerequisite of Radical Transparency

12:11 - Transitioning to a Social-First Organization

15:03 - Maintaining Authenticity with Creators

17:33 - Steps to Develop a Social-First Strategy

20:20 - Determining Brand Readiness

22:01 - Measuring Social Performance and Conversion

25:18 - Five Questions to Ask Social Agencies

28:28 - Common Mistakes in Social Marketing

30:10 - Practical Advice and Closing Remarks

This episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmo.

Subscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives.

#CMOConfidential, #MarketingLeadership, #BrandStrategy, #CorporateActivism, #MarketingStrategy, #CMO, #AIinMarketing, #ExecutiveLeadership, #BrandReputation, #ConsumerTrust, #DigitalMarketing, #MarketingInsights, #ThoughtLeadership, #BusinessStrategy, #CustomerCentric

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A CMO Confidential Interview with Mike Kaput, the Chief Content Officer at SmarterX and Marketing AI Institute and co-host of "The Artificial Intelligence Show."

Mike shares research across 2000 companies regarding AI adoption and highlights the gap between what companies say they are doing and what is happening, the fact that only 25% of companies have achieved "scaling" status, and how larger companies can be slowed by complexity.

Key topics include:

- Why training and education represent the biggest obstacle to progress

- Why you should measure "tool usage"

- Why job clarity is important for agents.

Tune in to hear about rising AI pessimism and building yourself a "second brain." 

This episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmo

Subscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives.

⏱️ Chapters

01:12 – Intro: Meet Mike Kaput & AI topic overview

02:37 – State of AI report: how the data was gathered

05:53 – Key insight: people vs organizations gap

06:43 – What scaling AI actually looks like

08:06 – Pilot phase reality across companies

10:11 – AI hype vs real adoption

13:02 – The “say vs do” gap in execution

14:15 – AI literacy is the #1 barrier

16:13 – How to assess AI maturity (individual & company)

20:06 – Biggest mistake: tools without training

23:20 – AI agents, risks, and what’s next

#AI #ArtificialIntelligence #AIMarketing #AIBusiness #GenerativeAI #AIAgents #MarketingAI #DigitalTransformation #AIAdoption #AITrends #FutureOfWork #Automation #MarketingStrategy #EnterpriseAI #AIWorkflows #AIEducation #AProductivity #AIInnovation

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on CMO Confidential, we're revisiting our conversation with Tom Goodwin from August of 2025 - this is one of our favorites with topics just as relevant to marketers today.

Tom discusses his belief that today's CMO's are overly focused on efficiency versus marketing principles and that the contemporary playbook has been created by tech companies focused on performance metrics.

Key topics include: 

-An unhealthy focus on the speed of measurement and short-term results

-Marketers having a "feeling of vulnerability" if they haven't heard of new tech

-The fact that many of the hyped direct-to-consumer brands like Casper and Ridge Wallets aren't actually doing that well

Tune in to hear the underestimated impact of "beauty" and a story about being locked out of a self-driving car.

This episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmo

Subscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives.

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 – Intro: Meet Tom Goodwin

02:28 – Would 1950s Marketers Beat Today’s CMOs?

05:41 – Is Marketing Actually More Complex Today?

09:15 – Fundamentals vs Growth Hacking & Performance Tactics

11:05 – DTC vs Traditional Brands: What Actually Works

15:13 – Short-Term Metrics, AI Hype & Tech Overload

28:36 – Dark Social, Hidden Influence & What Data Misses

34:21 – Predictions, AI Reality & The Power of Simplicity

#MarketingStrategy, #CMOConfidential, #TomGoodwin, #BrandMarketing, #DigitalMarketing, #PerformanceMarketing, #MarketingFundamentals, #GrowthMarketing, #Advertising, #MarketingTrends, #AIinMarketing, #FutureOfMarketing, #CreativeStrategy, #CannesLions, #AdTech, #BrandBuilding, #ConsumerBehavior, #DirectToConsumer, #MarketingLeadership, #MarketingInsights

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A CMO Confidential Interview with Kim Whitler, professor at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, board member and former GM and CMO.

Kim shares recent research which details why the largest and best companies often get dragged into conflicts they can't win, the three main forces of pressure and how they affect different management levels, and tips on picking the right company for you.

Key discussion topics include:

- The only stance agreed on by 100% of consumers

- How to think about non-divisive activism (e.g. Dove's Real Beauty Campaign)

- The danger of in-group bias

Tune in to hear why "You don't have to get engaged," and tips for getting an unbiased view.

⏱️ Chapters

01:12 Introducing Kim Whitler

01:39 Why Corporate Activism Creates Business Risk

02:51 Inside the “Executive Flip-Flop” Study

04:11 Mapping the 3 Sources of Pressure on Leaders

06:01 Internal vs External Pressure Dynamics

11:19 The “Pressure Meter” Framework Explained

12:33 Key Insight: Pressure Varies by Level (C-Suite vs Managers)

14:18 The Myth of “You Must Take a Stand”

17:09 Flawed Research Driving Activism Decisions

21:19 When Brand Activism Works vs Backfires

27:04 Choosing the Right Company as a Marketer

31:06 AI Bias, Media Influence & Finding Truth

38:11 Practical Advice: Avoiding In-Group Bias in Leadership

43:25 Final Takeaways for Marketers

This episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmo

Subscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives.

#CMOConfidential, #MarketingLeadership, #BrandStrategy, #CorporateActivism, #MarketingStrategy, #CMO, #AIinMarketing, #ExecutiveLeadership, #BrandReputation, #ConsumerTrust, #DigitalMarketing, #MarketingInsights, #ThoughtLeadership, #BusinessStrategy, #CustomerCentric

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A CMO Confidential Interview with Jean English, CMO of CoreWeave, formerly the CMO of Juniper Networks, Armis, Palo Alto Networks and NetApp.

Jean discusses the dynamics driving the voracious demand for computing power, why cloud infrastructure matters so much, and the ongoing AI shift from training to inference.

Key topics include:

- How models are leapfrogging each other at speed

- The importance of B2B brands at a time when decisions are often made by teams of people

- Why marketing is a great use case for AI

- Creative uses for hackathons

Tune in to hear why "80% right" is okay and a story about using AI for parenting advice.

This episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmo

Subscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives.

⏱️ Chapters

01:31 Guest Intro: Jean English (CMO, CoreWeave)

02:39 What CoreWeave Does (AI Cloud Explained)

04:20 AI Hype vs Reality

07:05 The AI Market & Competitive Landscape

09:40 Building an AI Brand

11:00 Buying Groups & Enterprise Complexity

13:01 Measuring AI Infrastructure Performance

15:32 Why Brand Matters in AI

18:11 IPO, Growth & Market Expansion

20:34 AI’s Impact on Marketing Teams

24:32 Infrastructure, Scale & Future Demand

28:26 Final Advice for Marketers + Closing

#AI #ArtificialIntelligence #CMO #MarketingLeadership #B2BMarketing #AIMarketing #GenerativeAI #AIInfrastructure #CloudComputing #DigitalTransformation #MarketingStrategy #FutureOfWork #AITrends #TechLeadership #BrandStrategy #EnterpriseAI #Innovation #MarketingAI #Leadership #ContentAtScale

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A CMO Confidential Interview with Joe Perello, the founder of PROPS, a creator marketing technology platform, formerly the first CMO of New York City under Michael Bloomberg.

Joe shares his take on why consumer brand trust is declining, how viewers can be both distracted and disciplined, and why AI agents can be more trusted than brands.

Key topics include: 

- The difference between influencers, celebrities and creators

- A restaurant analogy designed to help marketers think through their line-up of choices

- Some methods to gauge and measure authenticity.

Tune in to hear a case study on Patagonia and a fantastic story about a giant popsicle in Union Square.

This episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmo

Subscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives.

⏱️ Chapters

01:30 Meet Joe Perello & Today’s Topic: The Credibility Challenge

02:26 Making Content Is Easy, Earning Trust Is Hard

03:55 Why Credibility Doesn’t Scale

05:23 Are Consumers Distracted or Disciplined?

06:03 Trust in B2B vs B2C Marketing

07:09 The Long Decline of Trust in Brands & Institutions

08:08 Is There Still a Trust Reservoir?

09:30 Do Consumers Trust AI More Than Brands?

10:39 Optimizer vs Persuader: Why It Matters

11:00 Break: Typeface Marketing Orchestration

12:20 Did AI Cause the Trust Crisis or Amplify It?

14:07 Why AI and Creators Feel More “Objective”

15:02 Creator vs Influencer vs Celebrity Marketing

17:29 The Restaurant Analogy Explained

19:33 Real Creator Example: AAA & Road‑Trip Storytelling

21:25 When Creators Become Influencers

23:36 Authenticity Depends on the Story You Ask Them to Tell

25:03 Do Consumers Understand These Distinctions?

26:50 How Brands Should Use Celebrities, Influencers & Creators

28:50 What’s Easiest to Measure and Why CFOs Care

31:38 Patagonia: A Gold Standard for Creator‑Led Trust

33:22 Content First, Brand Second = Trust

34:21 Can You Measure Trust? Proxies That Matter

36:37 Storytime: The 50‑Foot Snapple Popsicle Fail

41:11 Final Thoughts & Where to Find More Episodes

#CMOConfidential, #MarketingLeadership, #BrandTrust, #CreatorMarketing, #InfluencerMarketing, #AuthenticityInMarketing, #AIandMarketing, #MarketingStrategy, #BrandCredibility,, #ModernMarketing, #B2BMarketing, #B2CMarketing, #ContentStrategy, #TrustEconomy, #MediaAndMarketing

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A CMO Confidential Interview with Rishad Tobaccowala, former Publicis Groupe Strategy & Growth Officer, speaker, podcast host of "What's Next," and author.

Rishad discusses why marketing will thrive in an AI world, the reason all companies should systematically re-evaluate their business starting with a blank sheet of paper, and why the future will be determined by those over 65.

Key topics include:

- Why AI will obliterate marketing silos

- The concept of managing humans, aliens and replicants

- Why he's an optimist

- The case for investigating if you are building a brand or executing optimization math.

Tune in to hear about the concept of unbossing and a fabulous shipping container analogy.

This episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmo

Subscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives.

⏱️ Chapters

01:22 Meet Rishad Tobaccowala

02:27 The Marketing Industry Is Being Rewritten by AI

03:00 Why Silos (Ads, CRM, Sales) Are Breaking Down

06:26 What Marketing Really Means Today

08:00 Humans, AI, and Agents in the Workforce

13:31 Efficiency Isn’t the Disruption—Business Models Are

18:00 AI as a New Brain, Not a Tool

27:00 Why People Over 65 Will Shape the Future

31:00 Five Hard Truths Every Leader Must Face

35:29 A Bold Prediction for Agencies by 2026

38:00 Final Advice: Lead with Optimism, Not Fear

#CMOConfidential, #RishadTobaccowala, #MarketingLeadership, #FutureOfMarketing, #ArtificialIntelligence, #AgenticAI, #AIInMarketing, #BusinessTransformation, #DigitalStrategy, #MarketingStrategy, #BrandBuilding, #FutureOfWork, #WorkforceTransformation, #Leadership, #CMO, #EnterpriseAI, #ContentOrchestration, #MarketingInnovation, #CustomerCentricity, #MediaIndustry

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