The CMO Podcast

From tennis rackets to Beyoncé, Microsoft to Apple…brand legends David Aaker and Marcus Collins have seen it all, and they’re here to close out our series with a masterclass on brand-led leadership.

In the final episode of this season of The Brand Builder’s Playbook, hosts Jim Stengel and Ryan Barker reflect on the journey through our previous seven episodes before welcoming two of the biggest voices in marketing: David Aaker, often called the “Father of Modern Branding,” and Marcus Collins, award-winning marketer, author, and cultural expert. Together they dig into what it takes to get true buy-in for brand inside organizations, the traps of short-termism, and why culture, conviction, and clear differentiation are the ultimate energizers for growth

From the evolution of brand equity to the five B’s framework, from the lessons of Steve Jobs to the rise of cultural resonance, this finale ties the whole playbook together, offering both inspiration and practical tools for brand builders at every level.

Closing thought: great brands don’t just sell, they lead. And the smartest leaders put brand at the center of every decision.th David Aaker and Marcus Collins

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If you’ve enjoyed this series, please share it with your team, your friends, or anyone passionate about building brands. Join in the conversation below…tell us what you’ve learned and what you’d love to hear in Season 2!

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When you think about brands that have truly reshaped an entire category, few have done it as quickly or as effectively as Chipotle Mexican Grill, a brand that turned fast food into fast casual, and purpose into a powerful growth engine.

Jim’s guest this week is Chris Brandt, the President and Chief Brand Officer of Chipotle and one of the most respected marketers in the industry. Since joining the company in 2018, Chris has helped transform Chipotle into a purpose-driven lifestyle brand; making it more visible, relevant, and culturally resonant than ever before. Under his leadership, Chipotle has doubled in size, launched some of the industry’s most creative campaigns, and become one of the most admired brands in the world.

Before joining Chipotle, Chris built his marketing foundation at three of the great brand academies--General Mills, Coca-Cola, and Yum! Brands--where he helped launch legendary platforms like Taco Bell’s “Live Más” and Doritos Locos Tacos. Today, he brings that same mix of creative courage, data-driven insight, and cultural intuition to Chipotle, where purpose and performance go hand in hand.

Tune in for a conversation with a Chief Brand Officer who truly loves his job!

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Recorded live at the ANA Masters of Marketing in Orlando, powered by TransUnion. Here we go.

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Brand building or performance? TV or TikTok? Data or gut? Every marketer wrestles with how to spend smarter, not just more.

In the seventh episode of The Brand Builder’s Playbook, hosts Jim Stengel and Ryan Barker, along with guest co-host Kate Lamberton, dig into the art and science of the marketing mix. They explore how brands can cut waste, make every dollar work harder, and balance the short-term demand for results with the long-term need for brand strength

Joining the conversation is Damon Berger, Head of Consumer Digital Engagement at Gap Inc., who shares his perspective on building a culture that embraces both measurement and creativity. From MMM (marketing mix modeling) to cultural relevance, Damon breaks down how Gap is revitalizing iconic brands by staying true to their DNA while staying agile in a fast-changing market

The takeaway: when you put the consumer at the center, smart spending isn’t about choosing between brand and performance…it’s about making both work harder together.

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Read about upcoming episode topics and guests here: https://bera.ai/podcast/

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When you think of some of America’s most recognizable household brands: Brawny, Angel Soft, Dixie, Quilted Northern…there’s one company behind them all: Georgia Pacific.
And at the helm of marketing for that incredible portfolio is Jim's guest this week, Laura Knebusch, the Senior Vice President of CPG Marketing and Customer Experience.  

Laura is a seasoned marketing leader and transformation champion who has spent the past 15 years at Georgia Pacific. She has been the head of marketing for the past two-plus years, and has been focused on modernizing one of the most iconic CPG companies in the world. Under her leadership, Georgia Pacific has become an early mover in retail media and a shining example of how legacy brands can stay relevant in the digital age. Before joining Georgia Pacific, Laura began her career at Procter & Gamble where she developed her grounding in consumer insight and brand discipline.

Tune in for a conversation with a leader who is applying a rigor to a new era of marketing, one that’s faster, more digital, and more unpredictable than ever before. Recorded live at the ANA Masters of Marketing in Orlando, powered by TransUnion.

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Learn more, request a free pass, and register at iab.com/alm

Promo Code for $500 of ticket prices: ALMCMOPOD26

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This week's episode is brought to you by Deloitte, TransUnion and the IAB.

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

What do LEGO, Megan Thee Stallion, and a Ford Mustang have in common? They’re all proof that the right partnership can supercharge a brand.

In the sixth episode of The Brand Builder’s Playbook, hosts Jim Stengel and Ryan Barker, joined by guest co-host Lindsey Wehking, explore why not all partnerships deliver equal value…some enhance brand equity, while others can dilute it.

This week’s guest is Kristen D’Arcy, Chief Marketing Officer and Head of Digital Growth at True Religion, who unpacks how collaborations and partnerships drive growth, cultural relevance, and long-term brand equity. From bold campaigns with Megan Thee Stallion to unexpected collabs with Ford, True Religion demonstrates how math, magic, and cultural insight come together to keep a brand not just alive, but thriving.

Kristen shares the playbook behind building a culture of collaboration inside the marketing team, tapping into subcultures that matter, and designing partnerships that actually move the needle.

Bottom line: when you know your customer and lean into culture, partnerships don’t just create moments, they create momentum.

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Read about upcoming episode topics and guests here: https://bera.ai/podcast/

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If you are Canadian, and you hear the words Tim Hortons, you conjure up a wide and deep range of emotions. Few brands inspire the kind of passion that Tim Hortons does in Canada. With nearly 6,000 restaurants in 22 countries, the 60-year-old brand continues to grow like a startup while holding a special place in Canadian culture. In this week's episode of The CMO Podcast, Jim sits down with Hope Bagozzi, Chief Marketing Officer of Tim Hortons, to discuss what it takes to steward such an iconic brand.

From her early career in psychology and executive recruiting in New Zealand, to 15 years at McDonald’s Canada, to now leading marketing at Tims, Hope brings a unique perspective on brand storytelling and customer connection. Recorded as part of the Next Gen CMO Academy at Deloitte University, this conversation explores the emotional power of brands, sustaining growth across decades, and the art of keeping a beloved brand fresh.

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Every CMO faces the same question: how do you balance long-term brand equity with short-term performance marketing?

In the fifth episode of The Brand Builder’s Playbook, hosts Jim Stengel and Ryan Barker, along with guest co-host Lindsey Wehking, tackle one of the most heated debates in modern marketing: brand versus performance. Is short-term activation enough, or does long-term brand building ultimately win?

This week’s guest is Andrea Brimmer, Chief Marketing and PR Officer at Ally, who has spent nearly two decades transforming Ally from a regional bank into one of America’s most admired challenger brands. Andrea shares the inside story of launching the Ally brand, driving growth through bold, customer-centric marketing, and proving that financial services can stand for transparency and trust. The conversation explores how to build brands people truly love, balance creativity with measurable results, and use brand purpose as a competitive advantage.

“We have to stop calling it brand versus performance. It’s demand generation and demand capture. And you can’t have one without the other.” — Andrea Brimmer

If you’ve ever wondered how to build a brand that punches above its weight, Andrea’s playbook is one you won’t want to miss.

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Read about upcoming episode topics and guests here: https://bera.ai/podcast/

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A repeated theme on this show is the goal of a well-lived life, and one of the ways Jim aims to live well is through working out. Moving your body, building strength, and finding balance are essential to living fully. 

Our guest this week on The CMO Podcast  is helping millions of people do exactly that through one of the most ambitious brand transformations in the industry.

Nicholas “Nic” Berglund is the Senior Vice President and Chief Creative Officer of Life Time, the company redefining what it means to be a fitness brand. Under Nic’s creative leadership, Life Time has evolved from a gym chain into a “luxury wellness country club,” with more than 225 destinations across North America and a market cap near $3 billion. Before joining Life Time, Nic shaped campaigns for major brands like Cadillac, PepsiCo, and Gap, and even launched his own wellness venture. 

So tune in for our final episode captured at the Best Buy Studios, where Jim chats with a creative leader who starts the day off with a good workout. 

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This week on The Brand Builder’s Playbook, Jim, Ryan, and Cait dive into one of marketing’s toughest questions: how do you prove the ROI of a brand? In a world where every dollar spent needs justification, they explore how marketers can connect creative storytelling to measurable business growth.

To help unpack it, they’re joined by Raja Rajamannar, Mastercard’s Chief Marketing & Communications Officer. Raja shares how Mastercard built one of the world’s most trusted brands by grounding its marketing in data, financial discipline, and purpose. He outlines his framework for measuring marketing ROI across three dimensions, brand strength, business growth, and sustainable competitive advantage, and shares practical lessons on earning credibility with CFOs and boards. 

“Purpose and profits are not mutually exclusive. If you pursue purpose methodically, thoughtfully, and innovatively, profits will follow.” — Raja Rajamannar

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Read about upcoming episode topics and guests here: https://bera.ai/podcast/

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If you live in Minnesota, you know there are two things that keep you going through the long winters: a good pair of boots, and a great cup of coffee. For years, that coffee often came from Caribou, where Jim's guest this week, Erin Newkirk, most recently served as Chief Brand & Marketing Officer, helping guide a beloved global coffeehouse with more than 850 locations across 11 countries. Erin left Caribou coffee shortly after we recorded this show to start her own training & coaching company.

Erin’s story stretches far beyond coffee. Her career spans Fortune 500s, startups, coaching, and everything in between, always with the same ambition: to build brands, businesses, and breakthroughs that spark movements people can feel. She began her career at the test-prep company Kaplan, earned her MBA from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business, and honed her brand chops at General Mills, shaping icons like Cheerios and Pillsbury. Then she leapt into entrepreneurship, founding Red Stamp, a mobile-first lifestyle brand that reimagined personal connection and scaled to millions before it was acquired. 

Today, Erin brings that same energy to her work as an advisor and board member. partnering with founders, executives, and mission-driven ventures including ModernWell, Omnia Fishing, and TurnSignl, an award-winning service providing 24/7 real-time legal assistance.

Recorded in person at the Best Buy Studios in Minneapolis, here is Jim's conversation with the leader who believes in grounding herself each day—and helping others grow along the way.

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