Uncensored CMO How brand can become your company’s greatest asset - Jonny Bauer
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Aug 27, 2025 Jonny Bauer, founder of Fundamental Co. and former Chief Strategy Officer at Droga5, shares insights on leveraging brand as a powerful asset. He discusses his transformation of the Axe brand and the strategic lessons learned during his move from advertising to private equity. Jonny emphasizes the importance of aligning marketing with business strategy and offers tips for gaining CEO buy-in. He also shares compelling case studies showcasing brand-led growth and the necessity of embedding branding in the P&L for sustained success.
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Strategy As Creative Fuel
- BBH gave strategy a real seat at the table so thinking inspired creative rather than post-rationalizing it.
- That integration made strategy foundational to work, not just a sales tool for ads.
Axe/Lynx Brand Expansion
- Jonny Bauer described transforming Axe (Lynx) from a single body spray into a wider personal-care franchise.
- The work expanded into shower, hair and shave, plus unexpected content like an MTV series and a film festival.
Droga5's Air Force One Stunt
- Droga5's early Air Force One stunt blurred fiction and news to generate cultural attention.
- It established a new playbook for viral, behavior-focused marketing in a changing digital landscape.