Marketing Today With Alan Hart

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

Greg Dolan has over a decade of experience as a brand marketing executive. He co-founded Keen to give marketers a tool that could “help them make smarter decisions about how to drive their brand forward by using future-focused metrics that are directly tied to financial performance.” In this episode, Alan and Greg discuss how the work Keen is doing impacts marketing performance across the industry, what the data tells us about long help best practices, and why so many companies are working to strengthen first-party data relationships. In this episode, you'll learn: How companies should think about marketing in a downturn or recessionGreg's take on the reach versus targeting debate and what the data tells usThe importance of demonstrating the financial value of a marketing decision  Key Highlights [01:20] Greg's other full-time job[02:50] How Greg became CEO at Keen[04:00] What Keen does [06:50] Why marketers need to look at performance across all channels [10:20] What s

As a world traveler who loves to learn, Stacey Pool embodies the “growth mindset”. With over twenty years of experience in consumer marketing, she has held a variety of leadership roles across multiple industries and has a strong track record of utilizing guest insights to deliver strong business results.  In this episode, Alan and Stacey discuss the brand refresh she is leading at Noodles & Co. with digital initiatives and data components. Stacy knows it is people that fuel it all and has learned that being a balanced leader requires you to be able to adjust quickly to changing needs. In this episode, you'll learn: The importance of broadening your skill set and being an agile leaderThe way digital and physical engagement intersect How Noodles & Co. is using data to improve both the guest experience and profit margins Key Highlights [03:45] Dow did Stacy end up as CMO at Noodles & Co.[07:00] How lateral moves helped Stacy in her current executive roles[09:00] The importance

Laura Hutfless operates at the intersection of brands and culture makers. She works with founders who have passion and brands that have a purpose to help them use ad dollars to drive change, understand where their consumers are, and leverage those spaces to change perceptions and earn trust. In this episode, Alan and Laura discuss the difference between creating culture versus chasing culture, integrating versus interrupting, the importance of having a 2-way exchange with consumers, and why marketers need to lean into web3. In this episode, you'll learn: How consumers and pop culture need to guide marketing plansWhy clients come to FlyteVu The importance of building community, not just follower counts Key Highlights [01:40] Becoming a new mom[04:10] Laura’s path to founding FlyteVu[06:30] Why brands need to connect to consumers through pop culture[08:00] Starting with the headline you want to create and work out from there[09:00] Examples of what Flyvu clients are looking for&nbs

Norm Yustin spent the first part of his career as a marketing executive. However, after a particularly impactful recruiting experience and some encouragement from friends and family he made the move into leadership recruitment himself. Norm is widely published on the future of tech-enabled, go-to-market leadership and he brings a unique perspective of developing self-awareness in pursuit of your passion.In this episode, Alan and Norm discuss why CMOs need to be the most dynamic players in the C-suit, the danger of hyper-specialized teams and why risking leadership changes may be the right thing to do, and where the next-gen CMOs are coming from.In this episode, you'll learn: The state of the CMO role todayWhat should job seekers need to know from a recruiter's perspectiveWhat aspiring CMOs should be thinking about in terms of skill developmentKey Highlights [03:30] Norms transition from being an executive to recruiting executives[07:17] How losing out on a job shaped the way Norm thinks about r

With a background in journalism and a career in communications, Stephanie McCarty may not be the typical CMO but that is exactly what makes her perfect for the job. She is leading a marketing revolution in homebuilding by reimagining the marketplace and digital shopping experience at Taylor Morrison. In this episode, Alan and Stephanie discuss how to get your entire organization rowing in the same direction by understanding that culture building is the groundwork for success, and why having a consistent compelling message is essential no matter who you are talking to.In this episode, you'll learn: The importance of pushing for innovations in established industries Benefits of building the brand reputation from the inside out rather than trying to shape external opinionsWhy CMOs need to focus on the employee experience as well as the customer experienceKey Highlights [02:00] How experiencing loss at an early age motivates Stephanie today[05:20] The nontraditional path that led Stephanie to

Todd Smith developed a deep respect for brands and brand managers early in his career. After years of working across several different industries, Todd has been CMO at Traeger for the past 3 years where he spends most of his time working with the sales, product, and technology teams to drive innovation in every step of the customer journeyIn this episode, Alan and Todd discuss how no matter what you're selling, it’s all about understanding who are you trying to reach and working to build a connection. Todd is passionate about cultivating a community of advocates and is always trying to adapt and come up with new ways to engage. In this episode, you'll learn: How Traeger is cultivating a community of passionate advocatesThe benefits of leveraging collaborations in product and marketing The importance of valuing relationships Key Highlights [03:30] How Todd became CMO at Traeger[07:00] Marketing across different industries[07:35] How is the role of CMO defined at Traeger[08:20] what is

Ana Villegas knew early on that she wanted to be a CMO and achieved that goal by staying focused on gaining the skills necessary to do so. As the CMO at NI, she oversaw everything from “brand to demand” including corporate communication, ESG strategy, and ensuring NI’s values manifested in the marketplace.In this episode, Alan and Ana talk about how her experience as a successful female business leader informs the way NI is increasing diversity in their engineering talent, what she is doing to help modernize the company's purpose and impact strategy, and how they are being intentional in shaping the future of the industry. At the time of this recording, Ana was with NI and is now the CMO at AffinipayIn this episode, you'll learn: How Ana is helping to modernize and rebrand an established companyThe three pillars NI has established to drive its corporate impact strategyWays to directly impact the pipeline of talent and improve diversity in technologyKey Highlights [04:20] Ana’s path from being an eng

As CMO during a time of hyper-growth and record-breaking acquisitions, John Taylor is constantly evolving AMD’s marketing approach and working to advance the company’s identity. By moving from a “product first” to an “audience first” method, AMD has been able to navigate rapid changes and foster a high level of confidence in the future by directly engaging with customers and being intentional with the culture they are creating. In this episode, Alan and John talk about the importance of building trust and affinity around your brand, why marketers need to directly see how their message lands, and ways to leverage industry partnerships. In this episode, you'll learn: The importance of communicating directly to your most discerning consumersWhat role a CMO plays in the company culture Why AMD decided to create their own Brand PlatformKey Highlights [03:30] John's path to becoming a CMO[07:00] What is driving the ”hyper-growth” at AMD?[09:00] How acquisitions affect marketing strateg

DeNora’s experiences as a teenager quickly shaped how she viewed the world and her role in it. With a passion for civic engagement and empowering young people, DeNora found a home at DoSomething.org where she uses social understanding and data to inspire action.In this episode, Alan and DeNora discuss why brands should care about their social impact, how Gen Z is forcing companies to evolve, and the Holy Grail of marketing: how to get people to really buy into what we are promoting.   In this episode, you'll learn: How DoSomething.org is fueling young people to change the worldThe “secret” to getting people to take action The power of being intentional, honest, and centering social goodKey Highlights [01:20] The experience that solidified DeNora’s interstate in civic engagement  [03:50] Denora’s path to becoming CEO of DoSomething.org[10:20] How DoSomething is meeting the moment to transform the future[14:45] What do young people care about today and why[17:35] Young pe

The state of diversity, equity, and inclusion has changed rapidly since the pandemic. Thankfully, Celeste Warren is here to help us understand how to navigate it. No matter if you're a C-Suit executive, a middle manager, or an individual employee she takes us through the important steps you can take to become a D&I ambassador and how it impacts the bottom line. In this episode, Alan and Celeste discuss how recent events have changed the way we think about D&I, as well as why having a good grasp on it is vital to connecting with your customers and retaining top talent.   In this episode, you'll learn:  How social and cultural factors shifted the importance and implementation of D&I practices   Ways leaders and employees at every level can enact change  Why understanding D&I is vital to successful marketing campaigns  Key Highlights  [04:10] Celeste’s path to D&I at Merck [10:00] What inspired Celest to write her new book [13:4