CMO Weekly

In this episode of the "CMO Weekly" podcast, brought to you by OpenFortune, host interviews Ed Andrewes, a seasoned executive in the AI gaming industry. Andrewes, known for his leadership roles in both European and U.S. markets, recently launched AI Gaming Advisory Services, a consultancy firm offering strategic support across the AI gaming sector. This new venture follows his nine-year tenure as CEO of Resorts Digital Gaming, the online division of Resorts Casino, Hotel in Atlantic City.

Andrewes shares his unique career path, which began in the military and transitioned into horse racing journalism due to his passion for the sport (he was an amateur steeplechase jockey). This led him into the gaming industry when he joined Blue Square, the UK's first licensed online-only sports bookmaker.

He discusses his move to the U.S. in 2016 to work with Resorts Digital Gaming, initially a temporary role that became full-time. Andrewes highlights the similarities he observed between the European and New Jersey gaming markets, particularly in KPIs and advertising strategies. He emphasizes the importance of digital marketing for Resorts Digital Gaming due to its trackability and cost-effectiveness compared to traditional advertising. He also talks about the complementary relationship between brick-and-mortar casinos and their digital arms, citing the success of Resorts' iGaming lounge in educating customers about online services.

Andrewes expresses his enjoyment of his current consultancy role, appreciating the opportunity to work with different businesses on their growth strategies. Looking ahead, he expresses a desire to return to a full-time position, driven by his passion for building businesses and fostering strong company cultures. He praises companies like FanDuel and DraftKings for their significant impact on the U.S. market, especially their cross-sell strategies between sports betting and iCasino. Andrewes also shares his thoughts on the slow pace of iCasino regulation in the U.S., advocating for a regulated space for customer safety and state revenue.

The episode concludes with some fun, personal questions, where Andrewes reveals his admiration for Mahatma Gandhi, his love for Florence, Italy, and his belief that people in 30 years might be nostalgic for traditional social media and physical playing cards. He also shares that his past self would be most shocked to learn he now lives in America.

In this episode of "CMO Weekly," host sits down with Leanne Fremar, the Managing Director and Global Chief Brand Officer at JPMorgan Chase. Leanne, a powerhouse in the marketing world, shares insights from her extensive career, which spans luxury fashion brands like Gucci and Ralph Lauren, to global powerhouses like Starbucks, and her current role at JPMorgan Chase.

The episode delves into how Leanne has led brand evolution grounded in innovation, customer connection, and cultural relevance for one of the most trusted financial institutions for the past six and a half years. She discusses the intersection of creativity and financial services, the importance of consistency, clarity, and courage in marketing today, and what it takes to lead through brand transformations.

Leanne opens up about her career path, revealing that she "fell into" marketing, initially exploring art before transitioning into luxury and fashion, and discovering brand building as a discipline while working with larger brands like Ralph Lauren and Gucci. She reflects on her childhood in suburban Toronto, her love for commercials and retail, and how observing consumer connections with brands like Canadian Tire sparked her interest in the field.

A significant portion of the conversation focuses on the similarities and differences in brand strategy across diverse industries, from retail and athletic wear to financial services. Leanne emphasizes that while industries and consumers may differ, the core function of brand remains similar. She distinguishes between good and great brands, asserting that great brands deeply understand their unique identity, purpose, and connection to their customers, rather than chasing trends or competitors.

Leanne also shares the strategic thinking behind the recent rebranding of JPMC, explaining that it was driven by a need to articulate their purpose and core values: "to make dreams possible for everyone, everywhere, every day".

Addressing the common perception of finance as rational rather than emotional, Leanne explains how JPMorgan Chase infuses emotion into its advertising by grounding everything in consumer insights and data to understand what problems their products solve for customers.

In a discussion about bold career moves, Leanne identifies her transitions between industries as her boldest steps, noting that many questioned her choices but her inner voice guided her towards opportunities where she felt needed or passionate about the company's mission.

For younger listeners aspiring to a career in brand or marketing, Leanne advises exploring various disciplines within the field—such as acquisitions, performance marketing, brand, and creative—to gain a comprehensive understanding. She emphasizes the value of trying different things, especially early in one's career when stakes are lower. She also recounts being labeled a "mosaic candidate" by recruiters due to her non-linear career path, a label she initially found irritating but ultimately embraced as it allowed her to work on "some of the world's greatest brands".

Looking to the future, Leanne expresses excitement about AI's potential to provide marketers with tools to get to market faster, create more easily, and experiment with greater freedom. She anticipates the emergence of AI-driven brands and looks forward to seeing how AI will contribute to sustaining and evolving brands.

Leanne concludes by sharing her desired legacy: that the brands she worked on mattered to consumers, and that her colleagues had positive, fulfilling experiences. She discusses continuous education through reading trade publications, attending conferences, and jurying awards like Cannes Lion, which provides invaluable exposure to global work and peer conversations. She also suggests "pounding the pavement" by observing retail, activations, sponsorships, and events, and engaging with friends about their brand experiences for real-world insights.

In this episode of CMO Weekly, host Hayley Clover interviews Chavdar Dimitrov, CEO of Betty, an AI gaming company designed for players in Ontario.

Key discussion points include:

Chavdar's Background: Chavdar shares his journey from software engineer to CEO of Betty Canada, including nearly ten years leading engineering at a major gaming tech company. He discusses his long-standing passion for the gaming industry, particularly card games and traditional casino games.

Betty Canada's Marketing Strategy: Dimitrov explains that Betty's success is largely due to its in-house acquisition capabilities and efficient marketing spending. Betty is now focusing more on brand marketing to increase brand awareness, aiming to become the number one gaming brand in Ontario. He highlights successful campaigns like "Find Betty" stickers around Toronto.

Target Audience and Product Features: Betty Canada was created specifically for Ontario players. The company aims to appeal to casual players and has a unique focus on female players, with over 50% of their users being female. Betty focuses on slots-only content, which differentiates it from competitors offering both sports betting and slots. Key features include a minimal deposit of one dollar, no withdrawal limits, instant withdrawals for most transactions, and no wagering requirements on bonuses, all designed to cater to recreational players. Betty also offers a virtual currency for playing slots without a deposit, extending gameplay.

Partnership Strategy: Chavdar discusses Betty's major sponsorships with the Toronto Raptors and the Maple Leafs, emphasizing that these partnerships are about connecting with the community and the shared passion for the teams, rather than just eyeballs.

Measuring Success: Beyond performance-based metrics, Betty tracks its Trustpilot score (currently 4.4, likely the highest in Ontario) and customer feedback from various platforms and its 60-person customer service team.

Future Growth and Industry Outlook: Betty plans to expand its offerings, including a forthcoming bingo product, which aligns with their demographic and values of entertaining and casual gaming. Chavdar foresees more Canadian provinces following Ontario's lead in regulating online gaming, making it safer and more responsible.

Advice for Newcomers: Chavdar advises those entering the AI gaming space to "always adapt" and "focus on the customer," believing that what is good for the customer will be good for the business.

Responsible Gaming and Charity: The conversation touches on responsible gaming and Betty's commitment to it. Chavdar also mentions that 1.5% of revenue generated from online bingo will go to charities.

Rapid Fire Questions: Chavdar shares personal insights, including his favorite city (New York) , his passion for car racing , his hobby of oil painting , his essential app (Revolut) , and his admiration for Ryanair's marketing. He also reveals his drink of choice for mornings is black coffee. If not in gaming, he'd be working with cars.

In this episode of "CMO Weekly," host Hayley Clover interviews Taylor Edmonds, Co-Founder and President of Lucky Hands, a US-based social casino launched in 2024. Lucky Hands offers various games like slot machines, table games, fish games, and live dealers, providing free entertainment and prize-winning opportunities through its sweepstakes model.

Edmonds shares his unconventional journey into the gaming space, starting from a background in music and theater, and then working in sales and reporting traffic on the radio before a fraternity brother introduced him to fish games in 2020. This initial success led to the creation of Lucky Hands in 2023, built from scratch without white-label solutions.

A key focus of the discussion is Lucky Hands' unique marketing strategy, which operates on a budget of less than $10,000 per month. Edmonds attributes this to a strong, pre-existing community cultivated primarily on Facebook, rather than TikTok or Instagram, which he views as more "sexy." He emphasizes treating customers as "family" and making himself the "product," fostering strong loyalty. The company also had an engagement where a percentage of their marketing spend would be taken, leading them to initially keep marketing costs low.

Edmonds, who acts as the de facto chief marketing officer, explains how they differentiate themselves by investing in innovative promotions rather than traditional paid media. Examples include giving away a Tesla, paying a year's mortgage for a winner, and conducting live stream giveaways with in-person prize deliveries to build emotional connections with players. He describes this approach as "out of the box" and draws parallels to figures like Dana White in the UFC, where the leader becomes a character.

A significant differentiator for Lucky Hands is its instant redemption feature and the fact that its players named the platform, fostering a strong sense of ownership within the community. Edmonds advises aspiring entrepreneurs to "just do it," embrace mistakes, and maintain passion for their work.

In a rapid-fire segment, Edmonds shares his favorite city (Manila, Philippines), the person he'd most like to have dinner with (Dana White), and a random skill: being a professional swamp buggy driver, a sport originating in his hometown of Naples, Florida. He also humorously states that he doesn't gamble, adhering to the principle of "never get high on your own supply." He sums up the internet as "controlled lawlessness."

In this episode of "CMO Weekly," host Hayley Clover interviews Adam Baylis, Marketing Director at Smarkets, the company behind SBK and the Smarkets exchange. Adam shares his extensive background in the gaming space, having worked at Patty Power Betfair, and The Jockey Club, which has given him a deep understanding of brand growth in a highly regulated industry.

The discussion covers several key areas:

Evolution of the Gaming Space: Adam highlights the significant changes in the industry, particularly the increased regulation in the UK market, including affordability checks, which differ from the less regulated US market.

Challenges and Strategy at Smarkets: He explains how Smarkets, being sports betting-only, is impacted differently by regulations compared to other operators. A large portion of their user base consists of "match betters" who take advantage of other bookmakers' offers, which can trigger more affordability checks due to the sizable bankrolls required.

Storytelling and Niche Markets: Adam discusses how Smarkets, a data-savvy brand, has historically found a significant acquisition source in political and current affairs betting, a space that has been "business as usual" for them in the UK for a long time, unlike its current buzzy status in the US. He notes that while Smarkets embraces political betting, their SBK product is more geared towards traditional recreational sports betting.

Marketing Strategy Post-COVID: Adam explains the shift from traditional "through the line" marketing (like linear TV) pre-COVID to a greater focus on performance marketing post-COVID, leveraging advancements like Google's Performance Max.

Community-First Approach and Partnerships: He emphasizes the importance of community-driven environments and sport partnerships, citing a successful collaboration with Hibernian, a Scottish football team, which significantly boosted customer acquisition in specific areas of Scotland. This local, community-focused strategy helps Smarkets, as a startup without the budget of larger competitors, gain "share of wallet" and brand buy-in.

Product USPs: Adam highlights SBK's commitment to offering best odds and prices, along with a unique in-app price comparison feature that shows when they or other operators have the best price, underscoring their ethical approach. He stresses that Smarkets focuses solely on sports betting, avoiding casino, slots, or bingo, positioning themselves as an "ethical operator" for sports fans.

Professional Growth: Adam advises marketers to "get their hands dirty" and immerse themselves in the product, rather than relying solely on conferences and external agencies. He also discusses the importance of taking customer feedback seriously, as seen in how Smarkets uses app store reviews to influence product roadmap changes.

In this episode of "CMO Weekly," host Hayley Clover interviews Tiago Pinto, the Chief Marketing Officer of the Miami Marlins. Pinto, who previously held roles at Nike and Gatorade, discusses his career trajectory and how he came to join the Marlins in 2022.

A significant portion of the interview focuses on the Marlins' marketing strategies, particularly in engaging Miami's diverse community. Pinto highlights the "Heritage Saturdays," which celebrate different South Florida communities with specially designed jerseys, post-game concerts, and language-specific celebrations. He also talks about "Family Sundays," an initiative designed to be inclusive of all family structures, offering affordable ticket and concession packages. Pinto explains that these strategies aim to make everyone feel welcome and celebrated at the ballpark.

Pinto also addresses the challenges of marketing a sports team in a highly competitive entertainment market like Miami, where numerous sports teams, events, and attractions vie for consumer attention. He discusses the impact of MLB's pitch clock on making baseball more engaging and exciting, and the role of international events like the World Baseball Classic and Caribbean Series in drawing new fans to Marlins Park.

The conversation also touches on leadership, with Pinto sharing his approach to joining a new team, emphasizing understanding the problem to solve and fostering an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing their ideas. He describes the marketing team's metrics for success, which include ticket sales, online engagement, and overall "buzz" – measured by factors like phone calls for tickets and VIP appearances at games.

In a rapid-fire round, Pinto shares personal insights, including his favorite city (Los Angeles), the person he'd most like to have dinner with (Mick Jagger), and his love for grilling red meat, particularly picanha, paired with a cold Heineken. He also reveals that he is not nostalgic and is always looking forward.

In this episode of "CMO Weekly," host Hayley Clover interviews Tessa Pettman, Marketing Lead for Block, a Bitcoin self-custody wallet. Tessa discusses her career path, transitioning from journalism to public affairs and technology marketing, and her current role in the fintech and crypto industries. She shares insights from her pivotal role in developing Wise's brand identity and her experience leading marketing strategy for Block.

The conversation delves into Tessa's initial challenges and learning curve when entering the crypto space, emphasizing the importance of understanding the technology. She explains Block's "2 of 3 Multi-Signature Self-Custody wallet for Bitcoin," highlighting how it allows users to truly own their Bitcoin by controlling private keys and offering a recovery solution if keys are lost. Tessa also details Block's mobile pay feature, which allows users to set daily spending limits for Bitcoin transactions, providing a balance between security and convenience.

Tessa explains how her past experiences, particularly from Wise, have influenced her marketing strategy at Block, focusing on bold messaging to cut through the noise and grab consumers' attention. She discusses Block's "lose your seed phrase and keep your Bitcoin" campaign, which directly addresses a common pain point in self-custody and aims to promote Block's secure multi-signature solution.

A significant challenge in marketing crypto products, Tessa notes, is tailoring messaging for two distinct audiences: end-users who may not be highly technical and highly influential, tech-savvy individuals (like developers) who impact purchasing decisions. Block addresses this by maintaining separate communication strategies, including a developer blog with in-depth technical information and white papers.

In the rapid-fire question round, Tessa shares her desire to have dinner with her great-grandmother, names Rio de Janeiro as her favorite city, and admits to being a cautious gambler. She predicts that in 30 years, people will be nostalgic about the current workforce and jobs that may no longer have a human element. Tessa also discusses her side hustle managing games for a traveling members' club called Planet Caravan, featuring "chaos croquet". She recommends watching the brand development of "Nolo," a UK-based non-alcoholic beverage startup.

In this episode of "CMO Weekly," Ariel Wengroff, EVP of Communications & Marketing at Ledger, discusses her career path and her current role. Wengroff shares how she started in politics, focusing on direct democracy and creating change, but found the process hindered by red tape in DC. She then transitioned to media, realizing its potential to reach millions through storytelling, citing YouTube as an early inspiration.

Her experience at Vice, which she credits with changing documentary and citizen journalism, led her to a realization that the work was ultimately serving major platforms like Facebook and Google rather than individuals. This crossroads led her to focus on building brands and having people be their faces, as she observed that individuals, distrustful of institutions, sought help in leading their identity.

Wengroff highlights her unique journey of learning to be both a creative and an executive, noting that many creatives lack understanding of business dynamics. This perspective, combined with her exploration of the creator economy, led her to blockchain and crypto, which she sees as a rare, intergenerational opportunity for change. She explains her decision to join Ledger, a company focused on securing digital lives, as a perfect fit due to its mission-oriented nature, the significant problem it addresses, and the continued need to collaborate with creators. Wengroff concludes by emphasizing the importance of adaptability regarding the medium and method in her career.

In this episode of "CMO Weekly," host Hayley Clover sits down with Luke Pergande, the Founder of PropSwap. PropSwap is introduced as a secondary market for sports bets, allowing users to buy and sell futures and props.

Pergande shares his unique career journey, starting from his passion for sports and data as a child, and how he transitioned from working in public accounting to founding PropSwap. He discusses the initial challenges of launching a novel concept in the sports betting industry, emphasizing the importance of education and building trust with both regulators and consumers.

The conversation delves into PropSwap's marketing strategies, particularly their focus on educating their audience about how their platform works. Pergande highlights the power of word-of-mouth marketing and the organic growth they've experienced through satisfied users. He also touches on the company's approach to content creation, leveraging their unique data insights to provide valuable information to bettors.

Pergande also discusses the rapid evolution of the sports betting landscape, especially with the legalization of sports betting in various states. He shares his vision for PropSwap's future, including expansion into new markets and continued innovation in the secondary betting market. The episode also touches on the importance of responsible gaming and how PropSwap is committed to ensuring a safe environment for its users.

The episode concludes with a rapid-fire Q&A segment, where Pergande shares personal insights, including his favorite sport to bet on (NFL Futures) , his dream dinner guest (Bill Gates or Warren Buffett) , and the advice he'd give his younger self.

In this episode of CMO Weekly, host Hayley Clover interviews Olivia Santarelli, Global Head of Marketing at Gemini, one of the most recognized cryptocurrency platforms in the world. The episode is brought to you by Open Fortune, a company that puts ads into fortune cookies and distributes them through Asian restaurants globally.

Olivia Santarelli discusses her career path, from her early experience in retail with Anthropologie and American Express to her current role in the Web3 space at Gemini. She shares insights into how her background in data, creativity, and heart has shaped her approach to marketing.

A significant portion of the conversation focuses on Gemini's marketing strategies, particularly in a highly regulated industry like cryptocurrency. Olivia highlights Gemini's "regulations first" approach and how they balance compliance with creative marketing. She introduces Gemini's new credit card, which allows users to earn crypto rewards on everyday purchases. Olivia also talks about the "Go Where Dollars Won't" campaign, which aims to educate and engage both crypto-curious and crypto-savvy consumers.

The episode also delves into Gemini's commitment to customer support and education, offering resources on their website for users to learn more about cryptocurrency. Olivia shares her vision for Gemini's future, including upcoming global expansions.

The interview concludes with a rapid-fire Q&A, where Olivia shares personal anecdotes, including her love for her Bernedoodle dog, her favorite city (Cleveland, Ohio), and her passion for writing. She also offers advice on communication and what she believes people will be nostalgic about in 30 years. Olivia recommends Chanel as a brand with an inspiring marketing strategy.