Uncensored CMO

Jon Evans
  • 4.6 (46)
  • Marketing
  • Updated Biweekly

The Uncensored CMO was created to explore the good, the bad and quite frankly downright ugly truth about marketing theory & practice.

  1. 6d ago

    Why marketers are wasting their media budgets - Evan Shapiro

    The media landscape has changed faster than most marketing plans have. Evan Shapiro, known as the Media Cartographer for his widely used maps of the media ecosystem, joins Uncensored CMO to explain where attention is really going, which channels marketers are overvaluing, and where the best opportunities may now lie. They assess the relative value of TV, YouTube, podcasts, TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn and creators, asking a deceptively simple question: are marketers spending in line with how people actually consume media? Evan also explores the shift of power towards consumers, why employee-generated content could become a major force, and where job losses are likely to hit the media industry next. They discuss the rise of founder-led media, the opaque problem of ad fraud, and what Evan has learned from building his own podcast. Timestamps 00:00 - Start00:42 - Intro to Evan Shapiro01:43 - Evan’s path into media03:38 - How to entertain people with keynote speeches06:37 - The biggest changes in the media universe: the shift to the consumer10:44 - Where is attention being placed in 2026?14:20 - The data on attention17:22 - Overvalued vs Undervalued media17:57 - TV: Undervalued or Overvalued?22:29 - YouTube: Undervalued or Overvalued?25:35 - Why Employee Generated Content is going to be huge27:53 - Creators: Undervalued or Overvalued?30:06 - Podcasts: Undervalued or Overvalued?31:30 - TikTok: Undervalued or Overvalued?31:57 - Instagram: Undervalued or Overvalued?32:37 - Facebook: Undervalued or Overvalued?33:51 - LinkedIn: Undervalued or Overvalued?35:43 - How will the media landscape change in the next 12 months39:53 - Where are job losses being felt in media43:33 - The rise of founders46:17 - Ad fraud in the media ecosystem50:30 - Evan’s lessons from running his podcast56:57 - The best advice Evan has ever been given --- Thank you to our sponsors System1 and HubSpot Download System1's creator effectiveness report here:https://system1group.com/the-creator-effectiveness-playbook Find about more about HubSpot's AEO product here:https://www.hubspot.com/products/aeo

  2. Sep 23

    Marketing leadership masterclass with ex WPP President, Karen Blackett CBE

    Karen Blackett is one of the most respected leaders in marketing and media. As the former UK President of WPP and former CEO of GroupM UK, she has led through industry change, crisis and growth at the highest level. In this marketing leadership masterclass, Karen shares the principles that have shaped her career: why great teams need diverse perspectives and healthy tension; why leaders must say what they really think; and how to make better decisions without mistaking consensus for alignment. She reflects on leading GroupM UK through COVID, how she approaches recruitment, and the small meeting habit that helps ensure the most important conversations actually happen. Karen also discusses the evolving client-agency relationship, what the future holds for the creative industry, and the challenge of rebranding Barbados. Timestamps 00:00 - Start00:51 - Karen’s new leadership podcast02:03 - The surprising thing about leadership05:25 - Why we need to change our view of leadership05:58 - The standout leaders from Karen’s career11:20 - Karen’s leadership lessons from running WPP15:55 - The importance of diverse perspectives17:34 - The importance of saying what you really think20:28 - How to approach decision making22:53 - How to approach recruitment25:34 - Why you need healthy tension in a team28:46 - Should we banish the voice note?30:32 - Karen’s big covid turnaround story34:57 - Why Karen never does “AOB” at the end of meetings37:25 - The positive side of COVID for Jon40:06 - How to foster a strong client agency relationship44:59 - The future of the creative industry48:42 - Rebranding Barbados50:51 - What is the freedom of the city51:48 - The best advice Karen has ever received --- Thank you to our sponsors System1 and HubSpot Download System1's creator effectiveness report here:https://system1group.com/the-creator-effectiveness-playbook Find about more about HubSpot's AEO product here:https://www.hubspot.com/products/aeo

  3. Sep 16

    How to build a disruptive brand and win over the CFO - Vineet Mehra, Chime

    What happens when a CMO brings the discipline of P&G, private equity and fintech together? Vineet Mehra, CMO of Chime, joins Jon to explain how the challenger bank has disrupted one of the most established industries in the world - and why modern marketing leaders need to become more fluent in the language of commercial value. Vineet shares what marketers can learn from private equity, how to position investment with a CFO, and the financial metrics he watches most closely. He also unpacks the constant balancing act between long-term brand building and short-term performance: not treating them as opposing forces, but connecting both to sustainable growth. They also discuss where AI is genuinely creating return, how marketers can avoid becoming commoditised, and the skills CMOs will need as AI reshapes the profession. Timestamps 00:00 - Start01:21 - Vineet’s background at P&G04:51 - What marketers can learn from working in Private Equity07:50 - What is Chime Bank?09:02 - The strategies that Chime used to disrupt the banking industry13:46 - Advice on how to position marketing to the CFO17:00 - What financial metrics is Vineet most focused on?19:40 - How Vineet combines long term and short term marketing23:59 - Are we in a golden age for marketing?26:59 - How Vineet is getting the biggest return on his AI investment31:13 - How to stop AI commoditising marketers36:09 - What skills will a CMO need in an AI-first future38:58 - How to see AI as an opportunity not a threat40:13 - Why Vineet is on the Effie’s board42:15 - Why Vineet spends time building his personal brand on LinkedIn46:00 - What’s the bst advice Vineet has ever received? --- Thank you to our sponsors System1 and HubSpot Download System1's creator effectiveness report here:https://system1group.com/the-creator-effectiveness-playbook Find about more about HubSpot's AEO product here:https://www.hubspot.com/products/aeo

  4. Sep 9

    What every Marketer needs to know about the future of search - Google’s Sophie Neary

    AI is rapidly changing how people search, shop and discover new brands. So what does that mean for marketers? Sophie Neary has spent the past few years inside Google, giving her a front-row seat to some of the biggest shifts in consumer behaviour and advertising. In this episode, she joins Jon to explore what she's learned, the assumptions marketers still get wrong about Google, and the surprising ways consumers are already using AI. They discuss how brands can show up in AI-powered search, the evolving relationship between advertisers and creators, how to make the most of the crucial golden quarter, and what AI commerce could mean for the future of shopping. Plus, as AI becomes capable of doing more of the work, Sophie and Jon ask a bigger question: which uniquely human skills will become even more valuable to marketers? This episode is an advertisement feature brought to you by Google. Timestamps 00:00 - Start01:12 - What has Sophie learned in the past few years at Google?03:07 - CMO lessons from being inside Google05:11 - What assumption marketers have about Google would Sophie challenge08:07 - A surprising consumer pattern with AI11:17 - How brands can show up in AI searches18:56 - How advertisers can collaborate with creators?22:09 - How Sophie uses her Google Fitbit Air24:18 - How to optimise the golden quarter28:08 - How important will AI commerce be in the future?30:36 - get them to check this section34:01 - The most uncensored question for Sophie Neary37:44 - Where will human skills count in the age of AI?45:26 - The best advice Sophie has ever been given --- Thank you to our sponsors System1 and HubSpot Download System1's creator effectiveness report here:https://system1group.com/the-creator-effectiveness-playbook Find about more about HubSpot's AEO product here:https://www.hubspot.com/products/aeo

  5. Sep 2

    Why uncertainty creates better marketing & what AI will never replace - Dr Margaret Heffernan

    Dr Margaret Heffernan is one of the world's leading thinkers on uncertainty, leadership and creativity. A bestselling author, entrepreneur and former CEO, her latest book, Embracing Uncertainty, challenges one of the biggest assumptions in business that the future can, and should, be predicted. In this episode, Margaret explains why forecasting often fails, where great ideas really come from, and why spending more time with uncertainty can actually make us better leaders and marketers. We discuss the dangers of relying too heavily on data, the surprising habits of highly creative people, and why walking might be one of the best things you can do for your thinking. Timestamps 00:00 - Trailer01:09 - Why pick uncertainty as a topic05:31 - Why some companies shouldn’t forecast09:04 - Why smart people are wasting time on forecasting14:41 - The problem with having too much data19:07 - Predictability only happens at scale24:41 - Where do ideas come from?27:19 - Why the Chief Economist of the Bank of England goes on walks30:29 - Are we becoming too left brain dominant?32:32 - The problem with AI36:10 - Is AI killing our ability to think?41:17 - How to make good ideas happen44:11 - The power of surprise46:15 - The improvisers paradox49:31 - The correlation between the artists mind and the entrepreneur’s mind51:57 - What human skills do we need to survive?58:43 - The best advice Margaret has ever been given --- Thank you to our sponsors System1 and HubSpot Download System1's creator effectiveness report here:https://system1group.com/the-creator-effectiveness-playbook Find about more about HubSpot's AEO product here:https://www.hubspot.com/products/aeo

  6. Aug 26

    How Heineken became creative brand of the year - Ali Payne

    Ali Payne, CMO of Heineken, joins us to discuss how one of the world's most iconic beer brands became Creative Brand of the Year at Cannes Lions - and what it takes to keep a 150-year-old brand feeling fresh. From being the "Official Beer of Soccer" as a non-sponsor of the FIFA World Cup to reviving the legendary "Most Interesting Man in the World" campaign, Ali shares how Heineken balances long-term brand building with cultural relevance. We explore what it takes to get an entire organisation behind bold creative ideas, the role of sport in Heineken's marketing strategy, and how brands like Birra Moretti continue to grow through innovation. Timestamps 00:00 - Trailer00:56 - World Cup fever for the USA and Heineken02:51 - Jumping on cultural moments04:25 - Becoming the official beer of soccer (unofficially)06:50 - How non sponsors got more coverage than sponsors for the World Cup10:18 - How to manage a 150 year old brand12:31 - Winning Cannes creative brand of the year14:46 - Getting the wider business on board with creative work17:06 - Ali’s favourite Cannes Lions winner18:38 - Bringing back Dos Equis most interesting man22:58 - The success of Birra Moretti24:49 - Heineken’s sports sponsorship strategy28:32 - How are Heineken bringing new people into the category29:56 - The ingredients for a successful innovation33:12 - Heineken’s partnership with Heinz37:08 - How great CMOs keep creativity alive40:11 - What makes a great CMO?41:58 - What’s the best advice you’ve ever recieved? --- Thank you to our sponsors System1 and HubSpot Download System1's creator effectiveness report here:https://system1group.com/the-creator-effectiveness-playbook Find about more about HubSpot's AEO product here:https://www.hubspot.com/products/aeo

  7. Aug 19

    Why AI should drive growth, not just efficiency – Najoh Tita-Reid

    Najoh Tita-Reid, former Chief Growth Officer at Mars Petcare, joins us to discuss why she made the unusual decision to step away from one of the biggest roles in marketing to embark on a self-described "learning safari", immersing herself in the world of AI and exploring what it means for the future of business. In this conversation, Najoh shares why she believes too many organisations are using AI purely to drive efficiency, when its greatest opportunity lies in unlocking growth. We explore how AI is changing creativity, leadership and the role of the CMO, why marketers risk becoming tacticians instead of strategic business leaders, and what today's CEOs really expect from marketing. Timestamps00:00 - Start00:57 - Why Najoh left Mars02:18 - Why F1 is the perfect metaphor for AI in 202605:18 - Using AI for growth vs efficiency08:01 - The impact AI is having on creativity09:17 - Why AI is the colonisation of inefficiency16:21 - Are we at risk of becoming tacticians and not strategy leaders?18:52 - Does the CEO understand your role?22:40 - Can AI actually delivery higher efficiency?25:00 - What’s the secret to delivering growth28:24 - What having a different job title gives you permission to do33:11 - They key leadership skills for a great CMO34:02 - Why great CMOs are accountable for making change36:06 - Lessons from Najoh’s biggest failure40:01 - The difference between culture in the UK and USA44:09 - What Najoh has learnt on her learning safari49:47 - The best advice Najoh has ever been given --- Thank you to our sponsors System1 and HubSpot Download System1's creator effectiveness report here:https://system1group.com/the-creator-effectiveness-playbook Find about more about HubSpot's AEO product here:https://www.hubspot.com/products/aeo

  8. Aug 12

    How creativity transformed Australia’s No.1 Telecom’s brand - Brent Smart

    Brent Smart is one of the most respected marketers in the world. After spending more than 20 years in advertising, he made the rare move from agency life to become CMO of NRMA Insurance. Brent's most recent role as CMO of Telstra, Australia's largest telecommunications company, he helped transform the brand through bold, distinctive and highly effective marketing. In this episode, Brent shares the principles behind his approach to creativity, from selling big ideas inside large organisations and drawing on academic marketing frameworks to building a culture where great work can thrive. We discuss the campaigns that defined his career, including Telstra's viral "Better on a Better Network" campaign, why humour and surprise remain powerful competitive advantages, and the unique agency model that helped Telstra consistently produce standout work. Timestamps 00:00 - Start01:03 - Why Brent left Telstra02:31 - Why Brent moved in house after 20 years agency side05:41 - How to sell a creative idea into a big organisation11:01 - The academic frameworks to create great marketing12:16 - Why you should look at your brands heritage14:02 - The most successful campaign Brent did for NRMA17:33 - How Brent won a Grand Effie21:13 - How Brent transformed Telstra’s brand marketing26:08 - The Telstra Walk - the viral campaign32:39 - Using humour to cut through35:00 - The power of surprise and consistency37:41 - The unique agency model that helped Telstra create cuthrough work40:02 - Why craft is so important in 202642:44 - How to build a creative culture47:11 - How to be a great CMO --- Thank you to our sponsors System1 and HubSpot Download System1's creator effectiveness report here:https://system1group.com/the-creator-effectiveness-playbook Find about more about HubSpot's AEO product here:https://www.hubspot.com/products/aeo

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About

The Uncensored CMO was created to explore the good, the bad and quite frankly downright ugly truth about marketing theory & practice.

Information

  • Creator
    Jon Evans
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    289
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2024 Uncensored CMO
  • Show Website
    Uncensored CMO

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