The CMO Podcast

Maggie Connors, CMO of Havas Creative Network who led the roundtable, and Tim Ellis, NFL CMO known for making the league more fan-centric and inclusive, sit for a lively conversation. They discuss leadership shaped by people-first values. Topics include rethinking brand purpose, rebuilding trust through player partnerships, mentoring and team-building, and welcoming new audiences to grow culture and reach.

Sherina Smith, Enterprise CMO at American Family Insurance who led the Designed to Last Hulu collaboration. She explains how the long-form show was conceived, the creative and internal risks taken, and the marketing strategy to build emotional engagement. She also discusses the company-wide transformation in marketing and how leadership and team culture supported big, brand-driven bets.

Christian Muche, Global President and co-founder of POSSIBLE and co-founder of DMEXCO, is an entrepreneur who builds major marketing and industry events. He talks about why he launched POSSIBLE to fill a gap between boutique and mass gatherings. He explains event rhythm and surprises, choosing focused program tracks, why proximity and energy matter, and how he balances travel and running global events from New Zealand.

Allison Varone, Head of Marketing at Campari America with prior roles at LVMH, talks brand strategy and cultural activation. She dives into why the Aperol Spritz exploded, how nonalcoholic Crodino fits mindful drinking, and the role of Camparistas and bartender training. Hear how simplicity, events like Coachella, and careful media create ubiquitous orange‑wave visibility.

Kenny Mitchell, SVP and CMO of the Levi’s brand who rose through marketing at Snap, McDonald’s and Gatorade. He talks about connecting Levi’s legacy to today’s culture. He explains the thinking behind the Super Bowl “Behind Every Original” campaign. He shares the CASE framework and Levi’s growth ambitions.

Nick Law, Creative Strategy & Experience Lead at Accenture Song and former R/GA and Apple creative exec, discusses creativity and leadership in modern marketing. He talks about managing creativity at scale. He explains why organizations must protect unconventional talent. He explores blending systems, storytelling, design, commerce, and AI without losing human judgment.

If you think the biggest growth opportunity in marketing is Gen Z, Millennials, or Gen Alpha, this episode may change your mind. We kick off a special monthly series focused on how marketers approach different generations, starting with Gen X and Baby Boomers.To explore the 50+ audience, Jim welcomes Brent Rivard, CEO and co-founder of Geezer Creative, an agency built around one bold premise: the marketing industry has been ignoring consumers who represent an $8 trillion opportunity.Gen X and Boomers control roughly 70% of disposable income in the U.S., yet most brands remain obsessively focused on youth. Gen X alone outspends Gen Z by multiples in categories like alcohol, while affluent 50+ consumers are driving massive growth in travel, wellness, longevity, and lifestyle spending.Brent studied at the Ivey Business School in Ontario and went on to spend two decades at top agencies, including BBDO, Anomaly, Doner, and Lowe Roche. After a stint as a CMO, he founded Geezer Creative in 2024 to help brands reposition themselves for what he believes is the most overlooked and fastest-growing audience in North America.Tune in for a conversation with an advocate fighting for smarter audience choices in advertising.—Learn more, request a free pass, and register at iab.com/ccs  Promo Code for $150 off ticket prices: CMOPODCCS26—This week's episode is brought to you by IAB.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

More and more CMOs are ascending to the CEO role. Starbucks, Hinge, Revlon, Avon, and Brinker International are all companies that have elevated former CMOs to CEO.Joining Jim this week is a guest who joins that group. Diana Haussling is the Chief Executive Officer of hello, the bold, happy, design-forward oral care brand. Founded in 2012 by Craig Dubitsky with the goal of being a “friendly” alternative in the market, hello was acquired by Colgate in early 2020 for a reported $351 million. Today, hello products are found in over 55,000 retail stores across the U.S.Before stepping into the CEO role, Diana served for four years as Chief Marketing Officer for North America at Colgate, where she led Marketing, Digital Commerce, and Direct-to-Consumer. Her career also includes roles at three other Fortune 500 companies: Campbell’s, General Mills, and The Hershey Company.Tune in for a conversation with a leader who speaks candidly about insecurity, ambition, and why learning to talk about your strengths isn’t bragging, but necessary.—Learn more, request a free pass, and register at iab.com/ccs Promo Code for $150 off ticket prices: CMOPODCCS26—This week's episode is brought to you by IAB.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What does it take to build a brand that cuts through the noise in a world where most people are trying to ignore you?Jim’s guest this week is Kofi Amoo-Gottfried, Chief Marketing Officer at DoorDash, who has spent the last seven years helping transform the company from a restaurant delivery app into a multi-category commerce platform with over $14 billion in revenue and more than 3.2 billion orders in 2025. Today, DoorDash is one of the most recognizable brands in tech, with ambitions to become a “24/7 life assistant” for its customers.Kofi joined DoorDash in 2019 as VP of Marketing before being promoted to the company’s first Chief Marketing Officer in 2022. In this role, he oversees marketing across consumers, merchants, and Dashers. Born in Ghana, Kofi came to the U.S. for college in Minnesota, where, as he says, he stumbled into marketing. He began his career at Leo Burnett, then worked at Wieden+Kennedy and Publicis, before moving to the brand side with Bacardi and Facebook.After the recording, Kofi announced that he will be stepping down from his role at DoorDash in May, marking the end of an impactful chapter helping shape one of the most recognizable brands in tech and commerce.Tune in for a conversation on risk, leadership, and building work that actually gets noticed.—Learn more, request a free pass, and register at iab.com/newfrontsPromo Code for free access: CMOPODNEW26*Note: promo code is exclusive for brand and agency, brand marketers and media buyers. IAB reserves the right to cancel any registrations that don’t meet this criterion. —This week's episode is brought to you by IAB.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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.