The CMO Podcast

They call it the Land of 10,000 Lakes, we believe it may also be the Land of 10,000 Great Brands.Welcome to a very extraordinary live roundtable edition of The CMO Podcast. This week Jim is coming to you from the Twin Cities, Minneapolis–St. Paul, to try to answer a big question: what’s in the water here that’s helped so many companies thrive for decades?He is joined by four powerhouse marketers who are shaping some of the region’s most iconic brands: – Jennie Weber, the Chief Marketing Officer of Best Buy. Jennie is leading a customer-obsessed transformation, bringing digital innovation and human connection together across one of America’s top retailers. – Martin Nance, the Chief Marketing Officer of the Minnesota Vikings. A former NFL wide receiver turned CMO, Martin is shaping world-class fan experiences on and off the field — from building year-round engagement platforms that connect fans to the team, to elevating U.S. Bank Stadium as one of the premier destinations in sports and entertainment. – Jill Renslow, the Chief Business Development and Marketing Officer at Mall of America, which is the largest retail and entertainment destination in North America, attracting more than 40 million visitors each year. Jill leads the charge for new entertainment concepts, global brand partnerships, and community-driven experiences that is keeping the mall both a cultural icon and a shopping hub. – Heather Malenshek, SVP and Chief Marketing Officer of Land O’Lakes. Heather is reimagining marketing for a century-old cooperative while championing farmers, food, and the future of rural America — from amplifying the “All Together Better” platform to spotlighting sustainability and innovation across the agricultural supply chain.Recorded live at Best Buy’s state-of-the-art studios, tune in for a candid, inspiring dialogue about the grit, generosity, and community spirit that make Minnesota business so unique. These leaders open up about career transitions, the shift from product-driven to experiential marketing, and how legacy brands can stay both relevant and timeless.---This week's episode is brought to you by Best Buy Ads.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tune in each Friday to enjoy our most recent episode of The Brand Builder's Playbook...---How do you turn customer love into business growth? In the second episode of The Brand Builder’s Playbook, the team explores how emotional connection fuels measurable results, from loyalty and repeat purchase to long-term enterprise value.Jim, Ryan, and Lindsey dive into what it really means to build “Brand Love,” using BERA’s Love Curve to unpack how the most emotionally connected brands outperform competitors on pricing power, market share, and shareholder returns.They’re joined by Sofia Colucci, Chief Marketing Officer of Molson Coors, who shares how her team translates brand love into bookings, loyalty, and iconic creative ideas; from beer-flavored Pringles to New Balance koozies and even a dive-bar perfume.“Brand equity isn’t a soft metric. It’s a growth engine. The most loved brands deliver stronger loyalty, pricing power, and market performance.”---Download this week’s worksheet here: https://bit.ly/43eFfHiRead about upcoming episode topics and guests here: https://bera.ai/podcast/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Whether it’s the Wolves lighting up the court or the Lynx dominating the playoffs, few understand the power of fan passion quite like Jim’s guest this week on The CMO Podcast—Mike Grahl, Chief Marketing Officer of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx. The Wolves are one of the NBA’s most dynamic rising franchises, and the Lynx—a four-time WNBA champion—are a powerhouse team that embodies the spirit of the Twin Cities both on the court and in the community.Since 2018, Mike has led marketing for both franchises, overseeing brand strategy, creative, digital innovation, retail, and fan engagement. Under his leadership, the Wolves and Lynx have achieved record ticket sales, soaring fan engagement, award-winning campaigns, and retail growth that has set franchise records. Before coming to Minnesota, Mike spent more than 20 years with the Milwaukee Bucks, rising from account representative to Chief Digital Officer and helping drive that franchise’s digital transformation.Tune in as Mike shares how he’s built two thriving sports brands that go beyond the game, the lessons he carried from two decades with the Bucks, and his playbook for turning loyal fans into a movement.---This week's episode is brought to you by Deloitte and Best Buy Ads.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’re kicking off this week’s episode with something special — and in a city that knows a thing or two about creativity, resilience, and great music. For the next five weeks, we’re coming to you from Minneapolis, Minnesota — home of Prince, more than 10,000 lakes, and a vibrant business community. For the very first time, The CMO Podcast is recording on-site at the Best Buy Studios, in partnership with Best Buy Ads.Jim’s guest this week is Dave Schneider, Chief Marketing Officer of Red Wing Shoe Company. Founded in 1905, Red Wing has built a legacy as America’s iconic work boot brand — boots that have supported the workers who built landmarks like the St. Louis Arch and the Sears Tower. Today, the company generates more than a billion dollars annually across its portfolio of brands and retail network, while remaining family-owned under its fourth-generation CEO — and first woman to lead the company.Dave oversees Red Wing’s global marketing practice, from brand management and digital strategy to ecommerce, retail experience, and corporate communications. Before Red Wing, he spent years in senior leadership roles at top agencies, shaping campaigns for some of the world’s most recognizable brands.This is Jim’s conversation with a CMO whose brand has outfitted generations of builders, dreamers, and doers — Dave Schneider of Red Wing Shoe Company.---This week's episode is brought to you by Deloitte and Best Buy Ads.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week we're very excited to share with you an exciting new show we've launched this week! It’s called The Brand Builder’s Playbook…a special 8-part series created in partnership with our friends at BERA.ai.In a world where CMOs are expected to do more with less—drive revenue, prove impact, and keep pace with accelerating change—The Brand Builder’s Playbook is your guide to what actually works.Now, here’s the important part: you’ll hear the very first episode right here in The CMO Podcast feed. But if you’d like to hear the rest of the series, head over and follow The Brand Builder’s Playbook on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you enjoy your podcasts.Follow on Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/thebrandbuildersplaybook----------Welcome to the very first episode of The Brand Builder’s Playbook, a new limited series hosted by Jim Stengel (Host of The CMO Podcast) and Ryan Barker (CEO of BERA.ai), and this week joined by guest co-host Lindsey Wehking (Chief Strategy Officer at Nonfiction Research).In this 8-part series, we’ll build a practical playbook for 2025—designed to help brand leaders navigate an era of uncertainty, constant change, and rising expectations. Each episode tackles a critical theme in sequence, offering insights and tools to strengthen your brand as a true strategic asset.We kick things off by asking the most fundamental question: Why does brand matter?Our featured guest is Chris Burggraeve, former Global CMO of AB InBev and a longtime champion of treating brand as a financial asset. Together, we unpack how brand drives growth, profit, pricing power, and resilience—even in turbulent times.If you’re a marketer, founder, or business leader seeking conviction, clarity, and a new set of plays for brand building, this episode is your starting point.---Each week we’ll offer you a worksheet to follow along and continue to learn after enjoying the episode. You can download this week’s worksheet here: http://bit.ly/4mZImdd –--Read about upcoming episode topics and guests here: https://bera.ai/podcast/"See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

School is back in session—and so is the CMO Podcast, live from Penn State’s Alumni Leadership Conference. In our annual tradition, Jim welcomes three remarkable Penn State alumni on stage to explore the art and science of decision-making. Together, they dive into the vulnerable moments that shaped their lives, the career pivots that defined their paths, and the lessons learned when decisions didn’t go as planned.This year’s guests bring diverse experiences:Whit Friese, VP of Creative Marketing at The Home Depot, whose career journey spans advertising, Hollywood, and Emmy-winning creative work at CNN.Camille Chang Gilmore, Senior VP & Chief Human Resources Officer at Avanos Medical, who built her career leading people and driving diversity at Boston Scientific.Jim Erickson, founder and longtime CEO of Blue Mountain Quality Resources, a leader in life sciences software solutions.Join us for an honest, inspiring, and lively conversation about the critical choices that shape leaders—and the wisdom they pass on to the next generation of Nittany Lions.---This week's episode is brought to you by Deloitte.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Not many CMOs can say they’ve had just one job their entire career, but our guest this week can say he can. Joining Jim is Colin Kelton, the Global Chief Marketing Officer at Vanguard, the 50-year-old investment management giant founded by legendary investor John Bogle. Vanguard is a pioneer in asset management, with a unique investor-owned company structure. It has a simple and powerful purpose: To take a stand for our investors, to treat them fairly, and to give them the best chance for investment success. Colin’s story is unusual in today’s world. He started with Vanguard in 1990, fresh out of Penn State, and he never left. Over the years, he has held a number of leadership positions, including Chairman and CEO of Vanguard Australia. In 2018, he became Vanguard’s first Global CMO, and in January 2024 he added Chief Communications Officer to his responsibilities.Recorded in person at the Next Gen CMO Academy at Deloitte University, this conversation explores Colin’s remarkable journey, what it means to lead with purpose, and how a lifetime at one company can shape both a career and a culture.---This week's episode is brought to you by Deloitte.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For the first time in its 122-year history, Ford Motor Company has launched a singular global campaign—Ready Set Ford. To mark the occasion, Jim Stengel and The CMO Podcast traveled to Detroit to sit down with Ford’s Chief Marketing Officer, Lisa Materrazzo, at the company’s cutting-edge NewLab near the iconic Michigan Central station. With two decades at Toyota behind her, Lisa joined Ford two years ago to reinvigorate the brand and prepare it for the future. So tune in as Jim goes behind the scenes of one of the most ambitious—and promising—brand relaunches of the decade, exploring what it takes to reintroduce an iconic company to the world. Ready Set Lisa!---This week's episode is brought to you by Deloitte.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Who doesn’t remember the Chili’s jingle—“I want my baby back, baby back, baby back…”? Or maybe you’ve seen the viral TikToks about Chili’s Triple Dipper. Chili’s is back in culture in a big way, and much of that credit goes to their Chief Marketing Officer, George Felix.George is one of today’s most dynamic marketing leaders. He started his career at P&G—where, like me, he worked on the legendary Old Spice turnaround—before moving on to Yum! Brands with KFC and Pizza Hut. Three years ago, he took on Chili’s, and the results have been remarkable. Under George’s leadership, Chili’s has gone from not even being a national advertiser to becoming Ad Age’s Brand of the Year, with George himself named CMO of the Year.In this episode, George shares his playbook for turning brands around, the importance of listening to frontline team members, and how to make a heritage brand cool again. And yes—we even take a detour into Taylor Swift.This conversation was recorded in person at the Next Gen CMO Academy at Deloitte University.---This week's episode is brought to you by Deloitte.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Fall is here, which means back to school, football season, crisp apples, and the world’s biggest blend of tech conference and music festival: Dreamforce. Now in its 22nd year, Dreamforce 2025 returns to San Francisco on October 14th to the 16th, featuring headline speakers like the CEOs of Google and Starbucks, plus musical guests Metallica and Benson Boone.In this week's episode, Jim welcomes Ariel Kelman, President and Chief Marketing Officer of Salesforce, to talk about the power of Dreamforce, what it’s like working under visionary founders like Marc Benioff and Jeff Bezos, and why rethinking organizational design with agentic AI at the core is critical for the future. With Salesforce leading the charge in cloud-based CRM and now AI innovation, Ariel shares his unique journey—from his early days at Salesforce, to Amazon Web Services, to Oracle, and back again—offering lessons in marketing leadership at scale.---This week's episode is brought to you by Deloitte.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

 This week, The CMO Podcast is serving up a rich and flavorful conversation as Jim sits down with Jessica Padula, Vice President of Marketing and Sustainability for Nespresso USA. Nespresso, part of Swiss-based Nestlé, started in the 1980s with one bold idea: that anyone should be able to brew a café-quality coffee at home. Fast forward to today, and that idea has become an $8 billion global brand, with more than 13,000 employees across 81 countries, over 800 boutiques in 500+ cities, and a booming direct-to-consumer business.Jessica has been brewing her own journey at Nespresso for nearly a decade. For the past two and a half years, she’s been leading both marketing and sustainability—two roles that blend perfectly like coffee and crema. A Boston University grad, Jessica first cut her teeth on the agency side, working with powerhouse Procter & Gamble brands, before bringing her passion for brand building and purpose to Nespresso.In this lively conversation, Jim and Jessica dive into her career journey, the art of balancing growth with sustainability, and how Nespresso continues to innovate without losing sight of its values. Grab your favorite cup and tune in—it’s a coffee talk you won’t want to miss.---This week's episode is brought to you by Deloitte.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, we’re wrapping up the summer with the final episode recorded in the south of France at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity. Captured at Chez Vayner, this roundtable brings together three powerhouse leaders to explore how trust, courage, and community are driving the next wave of brand growth—and why the return of creative simplicity may be the key to long-term success.Joining Jim is...Jackie Jantos, President & Chief Marketing Officer of Hinge. Leading the dating app “designed to be deleted,” Jackie is redefining intentional connections for Gen Z and beyond. With past leadership roles at Coca-Cola and Spotify, she shares her insights on elevating young voices and keeping a brand true to its purpose.Leslie Scofield, Founder of Be LOVE. At her newly launched electrolyte beverage brand, Leslie is building around values of joy, connection, and community. Inspired by her own journey of growth and resilience, she’s on a mission to spark meaningful real-world experiences.Gael De Talhouët, Chief Marketing & Digital Officer at Essity. A two-time Cannes alum, Gael has led groundbreaking work in feminine care and hygiene, including being the first to show red blood on TV. His credits consumer empathy, agency partnerships, and trust in creative teams as the foundation for bold, industry-shaping campaigns.Together, Jim and these leaders share a candid discussion on building brands that matter, across dating, wellness, and hygiene, showing how courage and conviction can cut through complexity and deliver lasting impact.---This week's episode is brought to you by Deloitte.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In a world of constant disruption and global uncertainty, how can marketing leaders keep their teams focused, inspired, and moving forward? In this week’s episode, recorded live at the Deloitte Digital Apartment during the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, Jim welcomes four senior marketing leaders who share how they lead with resilience, creativity, and conviction across industries and borders.Mélanie Brinbaum, Chief Marketing Officer of Nestlé Zone Europe // With a career spanning some of the world’s most iconic consumer brands, Mélanie has led marketing at Nespresso and KitKat and held senior roles at Coty, Procter & Gamble, and L’Oréal. Today, she is steering Nestlé’s European portfolio through a period of rapid consumer change—balancing tradition with innovation.Daniele Calderoni, Global Head of Brand Marketing at Zurich Insurance // At Zurich, Daniele is reshaping perceptions of what insurance means to customers, emphasizing trust, purpose, and relevance. Her decade at Mars equipped her with a deep understanding of how brands create enduring emotional connections—a skill she now brings to an industry not always known for its human touch.Scott Mager, U.S. Chief Marketing Officer of Deloitte // As the U.S. marketing leader for one of the world’s largest professional services firms, Scott is infusing humanity into a 180-year-old brand. His approach emphasizes empathy, storytelling, and connection—demonstrating how even legacy institutions can stay fresh and relatable in a crowded marketplace.Joy Allen-Altimare, Global Chief Marketing Officer of Saucony // Joy is driving Saucony into the future, connecting the beloved running brand with a new generation of athletes and lifestyle consumers. With past leadership roles in luxury, tech, and media, she brings a cross-industry perspective on building relevance and community in rapidly evolving markets.This episode is a masterclass in leadership during times of uncertainty—showcasing how bold brand leaders navigate complexity, inspire their people, and turn challenges into opportunities.---This week's episode is brought to you by Deloitte and StrawberryFrog.Learn more: https://strawberryfrog.com/jimSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this week's episode The CMO Podcast, Jim sits down with Calum Laming, the Chief Customer Officer of British Airways. He and his team are responsible for a creative replatforming of British Airways, celebrating the airline as a British Original. For their remarkable creative work, Calum and team won the highest honor last year at the Cannes Lions Festival, the coveted Grand Prix. With a lifelong passion for aviation, Calum has built a career spanning five airlines, including Virgin and Etihad, before taking the helm at one of the world’s most iconic carriers. And like Jim, Calum’s journey began at Procter & Gamble, giving him a unique blend of brand-building expertise and airline industry know-how.  So, buckle up, switch your devices to airplane mode, and get ready for a candid conversation on leadership, creativity, and what it takes to keep an airline soaring.---Recorded live at the Brand Innovators LVMH Villa, presented by Shutterstock, during the 2025 Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity.---This week's episode is brought to you by Deloitte and StrawberryFrog.Learn more: https://strawberryfrog.com/jimSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this week's episode of The CMO Podcast, Jim is joined by three remarkable leaders who are at very different stages of their careers and lives, but all share a bold vision for leadership and creativity. Aimee Egan, Chief Enterprise Officer of Shutterstock, brings the perspective of driving growth and transformation in one of the world’s most influential content companies. Sophie Bambuck, Chief Marketing Officer of Audemars Piguet, offers a fresh take on building a luxury brand with deep heritage while shaping its future. And Durana Elmi, Founder and COO of Cymbiotika, shares her entrepreneurial journey of building a wellness brand from the ground up, fueled by grit and innovation.Recorded live at the Brand Innovators LVMH Villa, presented by Shutterstock, listen in a Jim explores how life stages influence leadership style, and what it takes to keep pushing boundaries no matter where you are in your journey.---This week's episode is brought to you by Deloitte and StrawberryFrog.Learn more: https://strawberryfrog.com/jimSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.