The CMO Podcast Sofia Hernandez (TikTok) | The Future of Marketing Belongs to the Curious
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Mar 11, 2026 Sofia Hernandez, Global Head of Business Marketing and Commercial Partnerships at TikTok and longtime advertising leader, discusses building TikTok’s marketing business and leading through hypergrowth. She talks about connecting culture and creativity to business, why marketers should think like creators, managing org change, and the evolving role of CMOs in a fast-moving landscape.
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Curiosity Turns Fast Change Into Advantage
- Curiosity is the operational engine for hyper-growth companies and turns hesitation into experimentation.
- Sofia joined TikTok in 2020 and says six years there equals 12 elsewhere because constant curiosity enabled rapid scaling and daily learning.
Creators Can Concept An Ad In 30 Seconds
- At Cannes Sofia improvised with creators to show how fast creator-driven concepts form on stage.
- A creator sketched an Adidas ad in 30 seconds by starting with childhood photos and cutting to adult product shots.
Prove Marketing With Internal Campaigns
- Earn marketing's seat by consistently proving business impact, not entitlement.
- Sofia runs internal campaigns showing how marketing drove product launches and ROI to keep leadership sold on marketing's role.