CMO Confidential

Mike Linton // I Hear Everything Podcast Network
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Wonder what it's like to control millions of dollars of marketing budget? Manage hundreds of people? Make the decisions on which ideas get to market? The CMO Confidential podcast shares how it feels to be in that chair of the shortest-tenured position on the C-suite. We detail the long, hard road most ideas take to get to market & how challenging it is to get the best ones through. Hosted by Mike Linton -- the former P&G Brand Manager who went on to be the Chief Marketing Officer of Best Buy, eBay, and Farmers Insurance, as well as the Chief Revenue Officer of Ancestry.com and the head marketer at Remington -- this show serves as an ongoing lesson plan for how to get, do, keep, and handle the pressures of the CMO job.

  1. 3 DAYS AGO

    Kim Whitler | Why Are Executives Engaging in Activism That Creates Business Risk?

    A CMO Confidential Interview with Kim Whitler, professor at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, board member and former GM and CMO. Kim shares recent research which details why the largest and best companies often get dragged into conflicts they can't win, the three main forces of pressure and how they affect different management levels, and tips on picking the right company for you. Key discussion topics include: - The only stance agreed on by 100% of consumers - How to think about non-divisive activism (e.g. Dove's Real Beauty Campaign) - The danger of in-group bias Tune in to hear why "You don't have to get engaged," and tips for getting an unbiased view. ⏱️ Chapters 01:12 Introducing Kim Whitler 01:39 Why Corporate Activism Creates Business Risk 02:51 Inside the “Executive Flip-Flop” Study 04:11 Mapping the 3 Sources of Pressure on Leaders 06:01 Internal vs External Pressure Dynamics 11:19 The “Pressure Meter” Framework Explained 12:33 Key Insight: Pressure Varies by Level (C-Suite vs Managers) 14:18 The Myth of “You Must Take a Stand” 17:09 Flawed Research Driving Activism Decisions 21:19 When Brand Activism Works vs Backfires 27:04 Choosing the Right Company as a Marketer 31:06 AI Bias, Media Influence & Finding Truth 38:11 Practical Advice: Avoiding In-Group Bias in Leadership 43:25 Final Takeaways for Marketers This episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmo Subscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives. #CMOConfidential, #MarketingLeadership, #BrandStrategy, #CorporateActivism, #MarketingStrategy, #CMO, #AIinMarketing, #ExecutiveLeadership, #BrandReputation, #ConsumerTrust, #DigitalMarketing, #MarketingInsights, #ThoughtLeadership, #BusinessStrategy, #CustomerCentric See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    45 min

  2. 12 MAY

    Jean English | The AI Marketing Battle: A View from the Front Lines

    A CMO Confidential Interview with Jean English, CMO of CoreWeave, formerly the CMO of Juniper Networks, Armis, Palo Alto Networks and NetApp. Jean discusses the dynamics driving the voracious demand for computing power, why cloud infrastructure matters so much, and the ongoing AI shift from training to inference. Key topics include: - How models are leapfrogging each other at speed - The importance of B2B brands at a time when decisions are often made by teams of people - Why marketing is a great use case for AI - Creative uses for hackathons Tune in to hear why "80% right" is okay and a story about using AI for parenting advice. This episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmo Subscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives. ⏱️ Chapters 01:31 Guest Intro: Jean English (CMO, CoreWeave) 02:39 What CoreWeave Does (AI Cloud Explained) 04:20 AI Hype vs Reality 07:05 The AI Market & Competitive Landscape 09:40 Building an AI Brand 11:00 Buying Groups & Enterprise Complexity 13:01 Measuring AI Infrastructure Performance 15:32 Why Brand Matters in AI 18:11 IPO, Growth & Market Expansion 20:34 AI’s Impact on Marketing Teams 24:32 Infrastructure, Scale & Future Demand 28:26 Final Advice for Marketers + Closing #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #CMO #MarketingLeadership #B2BMarketing #AIMarketing #GenerativeAI #AIInfrastructure #CloudComputing #DigitalTransformation #MarketingStrategy #FutureOfWork #AITrends #TechLeadership #BrandStrategy #EnterpriseAI #Innovation #MarketingAI #Leadership #ContentAtScale See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    35 min

  3. 5 MAY

    Joe Perello | The Credibility Challenge – Thoughts on Authenticity in an Artificial Marketplace

    A CMO Confidential Interview with Joe Perello, the founder of PROPS, a creator marketing technology platform, formerly the first CMO of New York City under Michael Bloomberg. Joe shares his take on why consumer brand trust is declining, how viewers can be both distracted and disciplined, and why AI agents can be more trusted than brands. Key topics include:  - The difference between influencers, celebrities and creators - A restaurant analogy designed to help marketers think through their line-up of choices - Some methods to gauge and measure authenticity. Tune in to hear a case study on Patagonia and a fantastic story about a giant popsicle in Union Square. This episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmo   Subscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives.   ⏱️ Chapters 01:30 Meet Joe Perello & Today’s Topic: The Credibility Challenge 02:26 Making Content Is Easy, Earning Trust Is Hard 03:55 Why Credibility Doesn’t Scale 05:23 Are Consumers Distracted or Disciplined? 06:03 Trust in B2B vs B2C Marketing 07:09 The Long Decline of Trust in Brands & Institutions 08:08 Is There Still a Trust Reservoir? 09:30 Do Consumers Trust AI More Than Brands? 10:39 Optimizer vs Persuader: Why It Matters 11:00 Break: Typeface Marketing Orchestration 12:20 Did AI Cause the Trust Crisis or Amplify It? 14:07 Why AI and Creators Feel More “Objective” 15:02 Creator vs Influencer vs Celebrity Marketing 17:29 The Restaurant Analogy Explained 19:33 Real Creator Example: AAA & Road‑Trip Storytelling 21:25 When Creators Become Influencers 23:36 Authenticity Depends on the Story You Ask Them to Tell 25:03 Do Consumers Understand These Distinctions? 26:50 How Brands Should Use Celebrities, Influencers & Creators 28:50 What’s Easiest to Measure and Why CFOs Care 31:38 Patagonia: A Gold Standard for Creator‑Led Trust 33:22 Content First, Brand Second = Trust 34:21 Can You Measure Trust? Proxies That Matter 36:37 Storytime: The 50‑Foot Snapple Popsicle Fail 41:11 Final Thoughts & Where to Find More Episodes   #CMOConfidential, #MarketingLeadership, #BrandTrust, #CreatorMarketing, #InfluencerMarketing, #AuthenticityInMarketing, #AIandMarketing, #MarketingStrategy, #BrandCredibility,, #ModernMarketing, #B2BMarketing, #B2CMarketing, #ContentStrategy, #TrustEconomy, #MediaAndMarketing See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    43 min
  4. Rishad Tobaccowala | A Futurist Talks About What's Next for Marketers and Agencies

    28 APR

    Rishad Tobaccowala | A Futurist Talks About What's Next for Marketers and Agencies

    A CMO Confidential Interview with Rishad Tobaccowala, former Publicis Groupe Strategy & Growth Officer, speaker, podcast host of "What's Next," and author. Rishad discusses why marketing will thrive in an AI world, the reason all companies should systematically re-evaluate their business starting with a blank sheet of paper, and why the future will be determined by those over 65. Key topics include: - Why AI will obliterate marketing silos - The concept of managing humans, aliens and replicants - Why he's an optimist - The case for investigating if you are building a brand or executing optimization math. Tune in to hear about the concept of unbossing and a fabulous shipping container analogy. This episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmo Subscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives. ⏱️ Chapters 01:22 Meet Rishad Tobaccowala 02:27 The Marketing Industry Is Being Rewritten by AI 03:00 Why Silos (Ads, CRM, Sales) Are Breaking Down 06:26 What Marketing Really Means Today 08:00 Humans, AI, and Agents in the Workforce 13:31 Efficiency Isn’t the Disruption—Business Models Are 18:00 AI as a New Brain, Not a Tool 27:00 Why People Over 65 Will Shape the Future 31:00 Five Hard Truths Every Leader Must Face 35:29 A Bold Prediction for Agencies by 2026 38:00 Final Advice: Lead with Optimism, Not Fear #CMOConfidential, #RishadTobaccowala, #MarketingLeadership, #FutureOfMarketing, #ArtificialIntelligence, #AgenticAI, #AIInMarketing, #BusinessTransformation, #DigitalStrategy, #MarketingStrategy, #BrandBuilding, #FutureOfWork, #WorkforceTransformation, #Leadership, #CMO, #EnterpriseAI, #ContentOrchestration, #MarketingInnovation, #CustomerCentricity, #MediaIndustry See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    41 min
  5. Dan McCarthy | University of Maryland - The Unit Economics of AI - Can LLMs Actually Make Money?

    21 APR

    Dan McCarthy | University of Maryland - The Unit Economics of AI - Can LLMs Actually Make Money?

    "The Unit Economics of AI - Can Large Language Models (LLMs) Actually Make Money?" A CMO Confidential Interview with Dr. Dan McCarthy, Professor at Maryland and leading practitioner of Customer Lifetime Value (CLV). Dan shares how the CLV lens can shed light on the LLM drive to acquire customers, spend billions to improve the models, ultimately pay back investors and the potential implications on both marketers and consumers. Key topics include: - Why Gemini has a built in pricing advantage which forces all freemium offerings to be very good - Why all companies should have a “diversity of providers” - The rationale for constantly evaluating each model - Why “AI foundational knowledge” is key to generating success from both employees and students. Tune in to hear about the "customer barbell" and why you should “talk to your phone.” This episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmo Subscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives. #AIEconomics #CustomerLifetimeValue #CLV #GenerativeAI #AIBusinessModels #OpenAIEconomics #ChatGPTMonetization #AIValuation #AIUnitEconomics #InferenceCosts #AITrainingCosts #FreemiumModels #SubscriptionEconomics #SaaSProfitability #MarketingStrategy #CMOInsights #MarketingLeadership #AIForMarketers #EnterpriseAI #AIRetention #AICustomerAcquisition #LargeLanguageModels #LLMEconomics #AIAdvertising #AIRandD #FutureOfAIBusiness See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    43 min
  6. Shiv Singh | CEO, Savvy Matters - Where AI Is Taking Marketing: Things That Make You Go “Hmm”

    14 APR

    Shiv Singh | CEO, Savvy Matters - Where AI Is Taking Marketing: Things That Make You Go “Hmm”

    A CMO Confidential Interview with Shiv Singh, CEO of Savvy Matters, Co-Founder of AI Trailblazers, former CMO of Lending Tree, and author of Marketing with AI for Dummies. Shiv discusses how to operate in an environment where "We have no idea about what is coming," how managing humans and AI agents impacts leadership, and why he believes marketers will need to make fewer, harder decisions. Key topics include: why losing isn't fatal, but forgetting is; the risk of thinking human beings are special; and the concept of "invisible failure." Tune in to hear why you should rewrite your job description and become a "wartime" leader. Topics Covered: - Where Is AI Taking Marketing? - Leadership in a Human + AI Workforce - Fewer, Harder Strategic Bets for CMOs - AI’s Impact on Creativity and Marketing Processes - Context Graphs, Memory, and the Future of Marketing Operations This episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmo Subscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives. ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 – Welcome to CMO Confidential 01:38 – Meet Shiv Singh 02:35 – Where is AI Taking Marketing? The "Jagged Frontier" of AI 06:10 – What Does Leadership Look Like Managing Humans + AI Agents 09:35 – Making Fewer, Harder Strategic Bets 10:50 – Budget Pressure, Boards, and AI Expectations 14:43 – Invisible Failure in AI Adoption 17:26 – AI and the Future of Creativity 21:26 – Governance, Consumer Acceptance, and AI Bias 26:05 – The End of the Marketing Brief 27:40 – Who Remembers Wins: Context Graphs Explained 31:47 – Building a Marketing Context Layer 35:30 – What Marketers Should Be Doing Now 37:38 – Anthropic vs. Government: AI Ethics & Risk 42:38 – Predictions Through 2026 45:04 – The Changing Definition of a Marketer 45:50 – Funniest Story and Practical Advice #AIMarketing #MarketingLeadership #CMOConfidential #ShivSingh #GenerativeAI #FutureOfMarketing #AIStrategy #CreativeAI #MarketingTransformation #EnterpriseAI See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    50 min
  7. Peri Hansen | Leader, CMO Practice, Korn Ferry - Is Marketing Still Marketing?

    7 APR

    Peri Hansen | Leader, CMO Practice, Korn Ferry - Is Marketing Still Marketing?

    This week on CMO Confidential, we're revisiting our conversation with Peri Hansen from July of 2025 - this is one of our favorites with topics just as relevant to marketers today.    Peri discusses why the CMO position is becoming the vanguard of innovation, the importance of an "agile learner" mindset, and why there's no substitute for great leadership. Key topics include: how nothing "returned to normal" after COVID; the importance of org design; and why CMO's should own the entire customer life cycle and help drive company strategy. Tune in to hear why references matter more than ever and the importance of building a personal brand.    Topics Covered:  • Why CMOs are being tapped to drive innovation and transformation  • The post-COVID shift in org design and what it means for marketing  • The importance of leadership, agility, and continuous learning  • Why great references still matter in the hiring process  • How CMOs can (and should) influence company-wide strategy    This episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmo   Subscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives. ⏱️ Chapters 01:20 – Intro: The Evolving Role of the CMO 01:46 – Meet Peri Hansen: Korn Ferry CMO Practice Leader 02:39 – Why the CMO is Now the Vanguard of Innovation 05:53 – Three New Mandates for CMOs: Tech, Strategy & Lifecycle 07:05 – The CMO as a Change Agent and Team Builder 09:51 – Tech CMOs Are Leading—Who’s Catching Up? 12:25 – Building Tech Credibility as a Marketing Leader 14:18 – “Nothing Returned to Normal” After COVID 14:51 – Post-COVID Turnover: What CEOs and Boards Want Now 16:07 – What’s Replacing the Traditional CMO Role? 19:15 – Why Org Design Is a Top Priority in CMO Searches 20:58 – How Companies Realize They Need Org Restructuring 22:44 – The AI Era: Is There a Leadership Gap Forming? 24:14 – What Agile Leadership Actually Looks Like 25:51 – What Resumes Reveal: Pivot Points and Risk-Taking 27:21 – Why References Matter More Than Ever 29:09 – Final Advice: CMOs, Build Your Own Personal Brand 30:53 – Wrap Up & Where to Find More CMO Confidential Content #CMOConfidential #PeriHansen @kornferryintl #ChiefMarketingOfficer #Leadership #OrgDesign #CustomerExperience #MarketingStrategy #PersonalBrand #ExecutiveSearch #CMOInsights See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    33 min
  8. Dave Penski | Publicis Groupe | Media in the Age of AI: PART 2

    31 MAR

    Dave Penski | Publicis Groupe | Media in the Age of AI: PART 2

    A CMO Confidential Interview with Dave Penski, CEO of Connected Media, formerly CEO of Publicis Media, COO of Publicis Groupe, and CEO of ZenithOptimedia. Dave shares perspective on how clients are managing through a challenging marketplace, how there's increasing "disruption" between consumers and advertisers, and why the future of media is based on "connected identity." Key topics include: why Publicis continues to invest in tech; why 2027 will bring increased challenges for marketers; how different business verticals are impacted by "the economic K curve;" and why sports is "as AI proof as it gets." Tune in to hear why you should know your customer as precisely as possible across all media types and thoughts on the potential impacts of gambling and NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) on the golden goose of sports. Dave Penski, CEO of Publicis Media (twice over) and former COO of Publicis Groupe, returns to CMO Confidential for a wide-ranging conversation with host Mike Linton on the forces reshaping marketing, media, and the agency business in 2026. Dave offers a rare economist's-eye view across verticals — from tariffs and consumer confidence to the K-economy, AI's real (and overhyped) impact on agencies, the in-housing cycle that never quite materialized as predicted, and why 2027 may be the toughest advertising year in recent memory. Topics covered: connected identity, Publicis' $12B investment thesis, creative and engineering transformation via AI, streaming consolidation, the fragmentation of sports viewing, gambling regulation, and the one piece of career advice Dave still gives every mentee. *This episode is brought to you by Scrunch . Learn more at scrunchai.com/cmo 🎙️ Host: Mike Linton — Former CMO of Best Buy, eBay, Farmers Insurance & Ancestry.com 👤 Guest: Dave Penske — CEO, Publicis Media 🔔 New episodes every Tuesday. Find our full catalog of 160+ episodes on YouTube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts. ## ⏱️ Chapter Markers 0:00 Welcome to CMO Confidential 0:23 Introducing Dave Penske & Today's Topic 1:13 State of the Business Marketplace: Volatility, Tariffs & Fragmentation 4:40 The Agency Landscape: Publicis vs. the Competition 5:23 Publicis' $12B Investment Strategy & Connected Media 7:42 What "Connected Identity" Actually Means 11:10 Forces on Agency Economics & Valuations 13:21 Why Agency Valuations Have Taken a Hit 16:48 The In-Housing Debate: 10 Years In, What's Really Happening 23:55 AI & Agencies: Creative, Production & Engineering Disruption 29:01 AI on the Buy Side: Faster Planning & Measurement 30:20 The Hollowing Out of the Middle Class & the K-Economy 34:00 2026 Marketplace Outlook: Midterms, Olympics Dollars & Risk 40:21 Streaming: Paramount/Warner Brothers & the New Big Six 42:37 Sports: AI-Proof, Must-See TV & the NIL Problem 44:45 The Fragmented Sports Viewing Experience 46:00 Gambling: Engagement Boost or Threat to the Game? 48:47 What CMOs Should Be Building Now for 2027 50:47 Closing Advice: The One Thing Dave Still Tells Every Mentee ``` CMO Confidential, Mike Linton, Dave Penske, Publicis Media, agency business, media industry 2026, connected identity, Epsilon, AI in advertising, AI and agencies, in-housing, media fragmentation, advertising marketplace, K-economy, middle class economy, streaming consolidation, Paramount Warner Brothers, sports advertising, sports gambling, NIL reform, agency valuations, Publicis Groupe, media planning, marketing leadership, CMO podcast, advertising trends, tariffs and advertising, media buying, retail media, influencer marketing, Sapient, AI creative production, upfront TV, Olympic advertising, World Cup advertising, midterm elections advertising, marketing strategy 2027, chief marketing officer ``` See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    26 min
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About

Wonder what it's like to control millions of dollars of marketing budget? Manage hundreds of people? Make the decisions on which ideas get to market? The CMO Confidential podcast shares how it feels to be in that chair of the shortest-tenured position on the C-suite. We detail the long, hard road most ideas take to get to market & how challenging it is to get the best ones through. Hosted by Mike Linton -- the former P&G Brand Manager who went on to be the Chief Marketing Officer of Best Buy, eBay, and Farmers Insurance, as well as the Chief Revenue Officer of Ancestry.com and the head marketer at Remington -- this show serves as an ongoing lesson plan for how to get, do, keep, and handle the pressures of the CMO job.

Information

  • Creator
    Mike Linton // I Hear Everything Podcast Network
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    167
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © All Rights Reserved 2023
  • Show Website
    CMO Confidential
  • Provider

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