EP 28: John Sheldon, Smile Direct Club - 'Marketing Disruption Unleashed'

In this episode, Ben Kaplan interviews John Sheldon, CMO of Smile Direct Club, about the challenges of disrupting traditional orthodontics and evolving their brand positioning. Sheldon shares insights on educating customers about teledentistry, establishing credibility, and offering various treatment options. He also discusses the importance of CRM, matching messaging to the customer journey, and their shift towards becoming the "inevitable leader" in teeth straightening. As the company grows, they're focusing on technological benefits and expanding product offerings. Sheldon also touches on performance marketing, increasing unaided brand awareness, and their new Care Plus service model. Additionally, he offers recommendations for other CMOs and reflects on the marketing approaches of Apple, MasterCard, and Nike, emphasizing the importance of strong branding and customer focus in the future of marketing.