Marketing Today With Alan Hart

Nate Burke is the Chief Marketing Officer at cybersecurity solution provider Axonius. Axonius is Nate’s fifth startup and his third in cybersecurity. He was Axonius' first US employee, starting before they had a product, which allowed him to develop relationships and lean into the "solve, don't sell" mindset that really sets Axonius apart. Nate wanted to join a company that was simply solving a big problem that was getting worse and where he loved the founders. He found his perfect fit at Axonius and is now working to deliver on their promise of "controlling complexity."In this episode, Alan and Nate discuss Nate’s approach to marketing to one of the most skeptical audiences ever, cybersecurity professionals, and how Axonius is doing it differently. Axonius tackles one of the most fundamental problems in cybersecurity: understanding what businesses have. They aim to be the system of record for all the digital infrastructure in a company and refuse to use FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt) to market to their c

Tom Nolan serves as CEO of Kendra Scott, where he balances day-to-day functions and strategy. He was the first person in his family to graduate high school and attend college on sports scholarships. He worked the summers and never did an internship, so getting a job after graduation was difficult. Despite this, his work ethic landed him a cold-call sales job at a publishing company. His competitive spirit and work ethic caused him to rise quickly through the ranks, which helped him become successful in his career, earn multiple board seats, and achieve his goals. In addition to serving on the Board of Directors, Tom oversees Kendra Scott's substantial omnichannel growth, global expansion, and evolving retail model. He has more than two decades of experience in brand building, management, and results-driven strategic planning from a diverse range of companies and is happy to be able to use his skills at a company that sees value in giving back.In this episode, Alan and Tom discuss how determination led to his

Jason Andree is the CMO of one of the fastest-growing companies in the country, Nufabrx. He grew up on a farm, and showing cattle translates surprisingly well to being a CMO. Jason joined Nufabrx from GlaxoSmithKline, where he led their global digital marketing department, executing marketing strategies across global categories. He is now a senior-level marketing executive with over fifteen years of success within the healthcare industry and is forging a new path in Healthware with Nufabrx.Nufabrx puts medicine in clothing by making it water-soluble, infusing it into yarn, and coating it onto textiles. The company started in Seattle but soon relocated to Alan's home state, North Carolina, to be closer to experts in the textile industry. Due to its proximity to suppliers and researchers, Nufabrx is able to source all of its product materials within 90 miles of its manufacturing plant.In this episode, Alan and Jason discuss why biohacking is becoming mainstream and the challenges of operating in the "white spac

Ben Mand is the CEO of Harmless Harvest, a pragmatic innovator, and a believer that business can be a force for good. Ben has successfully led Harmless Harvest to more than double its business in four years by transforming it from a brand solely focused on coconut water to a leader in premium functional beverages and plant-based dairy. Under his leadership, Harmless Harvest has streamlined its supply chain, invested over $1 million in Fair for Life and community support initiatives, and transitioned to regenerative organic agricultural practices to bring the company closer to its goal of 100% zero-waste. Ben sees the role of marketing as driving loyalty and advocacy in ways that benefit the business and delight the customer. He sums up his marketing philosophy as being "responsibly irreverent" and notes, "if you're comfortable with an idea today, it's going to be boring tomorrow."In this episode, Alan and Ben discuss the innovative and adventurous approach he has brought to expanding the product lines at Harm

David Sandström is the Chief Marketing Officer at Klarna and a member of its executive management team. Since joining Klarna in 2017, he has overseen the transformation of the brand from a traditional financial institution to a vibrant retail media network with a hot pink edge. As CMO, David is responsible for driving consumer growth as well as leading design, marketing, branding, communications, and sustainability efforts. David's diverse background includes experience in agency and client roles and working in various industries around the world, which has shaped him into the marketer he is today. David warns against full outsourcing and instead advises using agencies as an extension of the company to maintain control over the marketing efforts. This approach is one of the main reasons he looks for people with diverse backgrounds when hiring.In this episode, Alan and David discuss what makes Klarna unique in the fintech space, how he approaches marketing, and what he is trying to do with the Klarna brand. Kl

In this episode, Alan and Drew discuss Fiat Growth, Fiat Ventures, and why it makes sense for them to go together. They also talk about the challenges of raising venture capital and the success companies can find by organically leveraging affiliate partnerships to add value for the user while driving revenue to the business. Drew explains total addressable markets, how he thinks about shifting an existing committed user base into a marketplace, and the reasons he sees fintech as the industry that will have the largest impact on generational wealth. Drew emphasizes the importance of taking risks, valuing different experiences, and learning that solutions and problems are not one-to-one. Finally, he notes that podcasts are becoming a force in marketing and that AI is not a competitor but a source of power.Drew Glover is a founding partner of Fiat Growth and a general partner at Fiat Ventures. He has experience leading go-to-market strategies, marketplace development, user acquisition, and growth teams. Drew fur

In this episode, Alan and Amanda discuss Amanda's path to WeightWatchers, how she's working to revitalize a well-known heritage brand by tapping into the roots of the founder, Jean Nidetch, and what she is doing to bring new marketing ideas to life. Amanda tells us her three big focuses at WeightWatchers are rethinking the organizational structure and culture, making data-driven decisions to increase performance, and honing in on their new brand strategy. Amanda also talks about the depth of understanding WeightWatchers has of their target demographic, and Alan learns that he is a Life Craver.Amanda Tolleson is the Chief Marketing Officer of WeightWatchers, where she is responsible for leading the company’s global marketing strategy across performance marketing, branding, and creative. Amanda has over 20 years of experience building customer-centric, purpose-driven brands focused on creating unique value for the consumer. She used to say she never wanted to be a CMO because she loved being able to focus exclu

In this episode, Jon and I discuss System1, how they drive insights for marketers on the brand side, and what works in advertising today. Jon tells us about the differences he experienced from the client side to the agency side and gives an honest look into what it means to be a CMO day to day. He explains why the skills that make a great marketer aren't necessarily the same as those that make a great CMO and how balancing the long-term view of the brand with the daily execution of tasks can make the CMO job very lonely. CMOs, removed from the "doing," must focus on creating the conditions for success and representing the customer in the room where decisions are made. Jon tells us that successful CMOs quickly recognize talent on their team, harness creativity to drive business outcomes and understand that advertising is both an art and a science.Jon Evans is the Chief Customer Officer at System1 Group and host of the 'Uncensored CMO' podcast. For years before that, he was a client-side agency CMO. One of Jon'

In this episode, Alan and Andrew discuss Turo’s mission, how marketing helps them achieve it, and how he views the CMO role today. Andrew outlines the challenges Turo faced early on, how they got around them, and how a shift to focusing on improving the host experience has been one of their most effective marketing assets. They go into the details of Turo’s most recent "Open Doors" brand campaign and how they are riding the web3 craze by subverting it and encouraging new experiences in reality. As a CMO, Andrew feels like his role is more than just advertising and performance marketing. It's about solving a problem for the customers. His approach is rooted in holistic thinking and understanding how you are providing value to the world.Andrew Mok never thought he would be in marketing because he was more left-brained, but in 2012, when analytics became a large part of marketing, he found his path. When Andrew joined Turo in 2012, there were 54,000 users being served in just two cities. In 2017, at age 29, Andr

355: Brand at its Best and Focusing on Fundamentals with Heather Stern, CMO at Lippincott In this episode, Alan and Heather discuss Brand, the role of the CMO, and why focusing on the fundamentals will never go out of style. As an 80-year-old company, Lippincott has a unique perspective on how to balance the cutting edge with longevity. They have seen trends come and go and even shaped some of them along the way. Heather talks in depth about the role Brand has played historically, the huge impact it can have when viewed holistically, and why a siloed CMO is not as effective as it can be if they are given a seat at the table. She also discusses the fundamental shifts happening in the industry as things move from an institutional era of branding to a human era of branding but also stresses that the underlying fundamentals of deeply understanding your consumer and your brand are just as important now as ever before.Heather Stern is the CMO at Lippincott and host of the podcast Icons in the Making. She wears

In this episode, Alan and David discuss the mission of Restore Hyper Wellness, the relationship between demand generation and brand marketing, and the dangers of marketers confusing being purpose-driven with being cause-driven. David talks about the siloing and diminishing of the CMO role and how concepts like "Team One" and taking a critical look at new growth titles could help remedy this.David Fossas calls himself "The Accidental Marketer," but is actually an accomplished marketer who has worked with over 35 brands, including General Motors, Verizon, HP, Visa, and Philips Health. He is currently serving as the Chief Marketing Officer for Restore Hyper Wellness, where he oversees consumer experience, marketing communications, and revenue operations to drive business growth and brand value. David emphasizes taking an adaptive approach to being a CMO and the importance of acting as a thought partner to the CEO and CFO. He also touches on topics such as the untapped potential of marketing, the true purpose of

In this episode, Alan and John discuss what Narrative Economics is, how it works, and why marketers may need to reevaluate their use of Brand Management theory. John tells us how Boathouse uses data and AI to empower brands to understand their true narrative and evaluate how it aligns with their desired narrative. Boathouse employs strategies like “newsjacking” and “socialjacking” to manage and leverage their client's stories in a way that drives engagement and aligns with their goals and values.John Connors has spent his entire career in the advertising industry and founded Boathouse in 2001 after serving as CEO of Zentropy Partners and being part of the McCann World Group Management team. At Boathouse, John and his team use Narrative Economics to help brands manage and leverage stories by overseeing both the strategy and execution.  In this episode, you'll learn: How narrative economics works in practice What tesla and the catholic church narratives have in commonHow narrative economics

In this episode, Alan and Kristen discuss how she became the Chief Marketing Officer of Homedics, the state of the industry, and the way Homedics markets to the modern consumer through both DTC and traditional Distribution channels. Kristen also outlines the recent brand refresh and the resulting captain that resulted in a rapid 80% D2C sales jump. Kristen credits this success equally to the creative, the media mix, and the improved website. Homedics plans to double its video assessment efforts and is exploring opportunities for influencer partnerships in 2023. Kristen D’Arcy is an agent of change and has intentionally guided her career path to gain the skills she knew she would need to be a CMO. She is driving growth at Homedics by emphasizing the importance of consistency across assets, the perfect mix of brand and performance investments, and the need to maintain that balance even during tough times. Kristen is a huge believer that the right marketing drives growth and Homedics has incredible product

In this episode, Alan and Nick discuss Nick’s thoughts on the future of Brand Experience, how he is approaching e-commerce and digital marketing challenges at a fast-moving consumer goods company, and the importance of physical experiences to the overall brand experience. Nick notes that brands are expected to take a stand on larger social issues and tells how Vanish is purposefully rebuilding a brand experience that encourages conversations and fosters a community around shared values and views.Nick Horan is the Global Brand Experience Lead for Vanish at Reckitt. He is passionate about using design as a tool to drive intentional brand experiences and understanding the consumption habits of consumers to identify the touch point that will have the most impact. Nicks's role is to craft the full brand experience framework from first exposure to becoming an advocate and repurchaser and translate this vision into a cohesive experience across various touchpoints in over 70 countries.  In this episode, you

In this episode, Alan and Terry discuss Terry’s unusual path to marketing, what he learned on his journey through food and restaurants, and the unique challenges and benefits of marketing within a direct sales model, like Pampered Chef. They talk about the history and mission of Pampered Chef, the importance of marketing agility, and the impact Covid had on the company.Terry is CMO and Head of Product at Pampered Chef where he leads a team of 50 across brand, digital, growth, creative, product, and industrial design. Terry has a background in consumer-packaged-good and restaurant marketing but tells us direct sales requires different muscles. Terry approaches marketing with an appreciation of the differences in all business models and a recognition of the foundations that remain the same. By relentlessly focusing on the consumer and delivering a product that solves their problems, Terry creates trust relationships with the Pampered Chef Contractors who ultimately model the brand.  In this episode, y

In this episode, Alan and Michelle discuss Mailchimp's acquisition by Intuit, how it aligns with its mission, and how it impacts its customers. Mailchimp is passionate about empowering its customers and they are working to develop relationships with them both online and offline to provide added compounding value. Knowing they market to marketers, Michelle and her team lead by example and show what great marketing looks like at the intersection of culture and conversion.Michelle Taite has a unique perspective on marketing due to her background in government intelligence forces, shoe design, consumer-packaged goods, ice cream, and enterprise software services. Most recently, she became CMO of Mailchimp after their acquisition by Intuit, where she is working to evolve the brand, create a more connected customer journey, and bridge performance with creativity. In this episode, you'll learn: How Michelle's background in intelligence and design helped her transition to a successful career in marketingWhat

In this episode, Alan and Andrea discuss how she came to be the CMO of Ally, her approach to creating the brand, and how Ally is leaning into their role as a disrupter in the category to address pain points in the financial industry. Andrea also outlines how Ally is impacting women's sports, why that investment is so important for the future, and why it’s so important to her specifically. They talk about having courage as a marketer, the importance of being willing to do the right thing, and why companies need to understand the weight of their marketing dollars.Andrea Brimmer is widely recognized as one of the country’s most innovative and effective marketing leaders. According to her, the secrets are collaboration, passion, and openness. At Ally, Andrea has a professional platform that intersects with her personal passion and she is using that unique privilege to make a real difference in the world.  In this episode, you'll learn: How Ally is showing up in authentic ways and changing the

In this episode, Alan and Michelle discuss their mentors and role models, Michelle's priorities as CMO, and why hearing directly from customers helps her ensure Skillsoft is preparing today's workforce for tomorrow's economy. Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek is a big proponent of continual learning and believes development and growth should be accessible to all. She is passionate about making learning fun and gets to do just that as CMO at Skillsoft. As CMO she is responsible for leading the global marketing strategy and increasing demand for Skillsoft’s solutions by understanding people don't want to be marketed to, they want to be communicated with.  In this episode, you'll learn: What jobs will be most in demand in the future and the current skills gapThe importance of marketers also understand the financials of the businessWhy Michelle puts such an emphasis on investing in leadership training  Key Highlights [01:25] Michelle’s Professional and Personal Role Models [06:30] M

Geoff Tanner is a passionate believer in the power of breakthrough creative. That philosophy and his passion for music lead to some of the most iconic campaigns of the past 10 years. Geoff oversees the consumer and customer experience across the commercial funnel. He has a unique perspective on the blending of sales and marketing that helped JM Smucker transform from having a “sleepy” brand portfolio to being named on Fast Company‘s list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies. In this episode, Alan and Geoff discuss the key elements JM Smucker targeted to transform the brand portfolio, marketing strategy, and operating model. Geoff tells us what “The Power of One” is, the importance of household penetration and reach, and how improved metrics will impact the future of marketing and creative  In this episode, you'll learn: How diverse the JM Smucker portfolio is and the impact of multiple acquisition How to maintain relevance for a brand that is over 100 years oldIssues with ROI

Jay Livingston is not only a great CMO, but he is also an active angel investor, executive producer, and founding member of Unite America. No matter what he is doing, storytelling is always the underlying theme.In this episode, Alan and Jay discuss the importance of the CMO vibing with the CEO, why he loves working with “passion brands” that have a good origin story, and the unique benefit of overseeing product, pricing, digital experience, and marketing at Shake Shack. Jay tells us how Shake Shacks is living out its mission to “stand for something good” by being an “instinct-led and data-supported” business that partners with local leaders to maintain authenticity while scaling globally. In this episode, you'll learn: How Jay and Shake Shack weave purpose into everything they doWhat makes the CMO role at Shake Shack so unique How Shake Shack is delivering hospitality through digital channels Key Highlights [01:55] The common thread that connects all of Jay's interest[04:15] Jay’s mid