
Marketing Vanguard
The word “vanguard,” is defined as “a group of people leading the way in new development or ideas.” Marketing Vanguard: the podcast, spotlights the people who are driving the industry forward. It will feature valuable, must-listen nuggets of marketing-leadership wisdom, humility, stories, strategic insights, and growth opportunities in an era of ever more complex industry pressures and realities. Together we’ll dive into what's driving the decision-makers of today to move the needle of some of the world’s most exciting brands in incremental or monumental ways. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Latest episodes

Mar 5, 2024 • 25min
Driving Impact Through Technology: A Conversation with Lenovo's Gerald Youngblood
On this week's episode, Jenny Rooney from Adweek sat down with Gerald Youngblood, CMO of Lenovo North America, to explore the company's journey of transformation and the evolving role of marketing in the tech industry. During the conversation, Youngblood shares his journey in the world of technology and marketing, the importance of balancing creativity with data-driven insights, and how Lenovo aims to shape a future where technology catalyzes positive change. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 22, 2024 • 30min
Navigating the Modern Marketing Landscape: Lessons from Deloitte CMO Suzanne Kounkel
In this week's episode, Jenny sits down with Suzanne Kounkel, Global and US Chief Marketing Officer at Deloitte to discuss the challenges and opportunities faced by modern-day CMOs.During the conversation, Kounkel discusses her extensive experience at Deloitte, where she has held various roles over the past two decades, culminating in her current position as global CMO. She shares her insights into the evolving nature of the CMO role, emphasizing the need for adaptability and collaboration across the business. She also highlights key skills essential for the modern CMO. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 15, 2024 • 29min
Revitalizing a Brand by Embracing Change: How Applebee’s Reinvented Their Marketing Approach
From its inception in 1980 to the present day, Applebee’s has been a staple of American culture, offering comfort food and a welcoming atmosphere to patrons across the nation. However, like any long-standing brand, Applebee’s has faced its share of challenges, including a need to adapt to changing consumer preferences and market dynamics.On the latest episode of Marketing Vanguard, host Jenny Rooney sits down with CMO Joel Yashinsky to discuss the journey of the brand’s resurgence and its strategic marketing approach. Yashinsky, a seasoned marketer who spent nearly two decades at McDonald’s, shared insights into Applebee’s transformation, emphasizing the brand's commitment to reconnecting with its roots while also engaging with new generations of customers.During the conversation, Yashinsky highlights the significance of collaboration with franchisees in driving the brand's success and teases upcoming announcements and partnerships aimed at further enhancing Applebee's guest's experiences. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 8, 2024 • 32min
Beyond the Field: Insights into NFL's Marketing Vision with Tim Ellis
In this week’s episode, host Jenny Rooney sits down with Tim Ellis, Chief Marketing Officer of the National Football League to discuss the strategies and insights driving the league's success, the importance of humanizing brands, and going beyond entertainment to drive positive change. During the conversation, Ellis shares insights from his journey, transitioning from the agency world to leadership roles at iconic brands like Volkswagen and Volvo before joining the NFL. He goes on to highlight the NFL's continued success in viewership, even amid the shift toward digital platforms.They also discuss the NFL's efforts to embrace multicultural audiences, with initiatives like airing the Super Bowl on TelevisaUnivision for the first time in Spanish. They also discuss the unexpected influence of pop icon Taylor Swift, putting players at the forefront of marketing efforts, and tackling important social issues such as mental health, anti-bullying, and voter engagement. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

5 snips
Feb 1, 2024 • 23min
From Quirkiness to Global Relevance: Unveiling the Journey of Crocs' Iconic Transformation with CMO Heidi Cooley
Heidi Cooley, CMO of Crocs, discusses the brand's transformative journey, embracing quirkiness, authentic collaborations, and maintaining a consumer-centric focus. They've collaborated with brands like Balenciaga, KFC, and personalities like Post Malone and Lil Nas X. Cooley shares Crocs' global approach to branding, unique brand values, and maintaining a singular brand personality.

Jan 30, 2024 • 22min
Outlook 2024: BNY Mellon's Natalie Sunderland on Leadership and Innovation
In this special episode recorded at ADWEEK's Outlook 2024 event in New York City, host Jenny Rooney sits down with Natalie Sunderland, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer at BNY Mellon to discuss her career transition from a decade in tech startups to joining BNY Mellon. During the conversation, Sunderland shares the similarities between the innovative spirit of BNY Mellon and the startup environment, positioning the institution as a dynamic player in the financial sector. She also provides insights into the company's 240-year history, its status as the oldest bank in America, and the ongoing transformation to stay relevant in the ever-evolving financial landscape.Later in the episode, they discuss Sunderland's views on the role of marketing within BNY Mellon, emphasizing the alignment of marketing and communications to drive earned media. Sunderland reflects on her leadership style, encouraging her team to think innovatively and contribute to reshaping the company's narrative.Companies that go on to lead their industry or pioneer new ones know the power of shipping fast. Contentful’s composable content platform gets you from inspiration to launch without skipping a beat, so teams can focus on building the most impactful experiences possible.What makes composable content different from a traditional, siloed CMS? While a CMS can only manage content for one specific channel at a time, a composable infrastructure breaks content down into small, modular components that can be reused and published for multiple brands, use cases, channels, and regions.With Contentful, digital teams can:Easily compose intelligent, customizable experiences at any scale.Free up digital teams to collaborate and launch content experiences quickly and efficiently.Effortlessly tap into their creativity with dynamic features like AI Content Type Generator and Workflows.Discover the momentum your content can drive. Get Started at Contentful.com with Contentful’s composable content platform today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 25, 2024 • 26min
From Purpose to Popularity: CMO Michelle Peterson on Kendra Scott's Marketing Triumphs
On this week's episode, host Jenny Rooney sits down with Michelle Peterson, CMO of Kendra Scott to discuss the brand's remarkable journey, consumer trends, and the dynamics of the jewelry industry.During the conversation, Peterson shares her journey from chemical engineering to the CMO role and discusses the multi-generational brand’s founding in a bedroom over 20 years ago and its evolution into a lifestyle jewelry company. Peterson also highlights the importance of connection over transaction and how the brand's focus on giving back creates emotional connections with consumers. Companies that go on to lead their industry or pioneer new ones know the power of shipping fast. Contentful’s composable content platform gets you from inspiration to launch without skipping a beat, so teams can focus on building the most impactful experiences possible. What makes composable content different from a traditional, siloed CMS? While a CMS can only manage content for one specific channel at a time, a composable infrastructure breaks content down into small, modular components that can be reused and published for multiple brands, use cases, channels, and regions. With Contentful, digital teams can: Easily compose intelligent, customizable experiences at any scale. Free up digital teams to collaborate and launch content experiences quickly and efficiently. Effortlessly tap into their creativity with dynamic features like AI Content Type Generator and Workflows. Discover the momentum your content can drive. Get Started at Contentful.com with Contentful’s composable content platform today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 18, 2024 • 22min
Sustainability, Collaboration, and Purposeful Business: How Nespresso is Brewing Success
On this week’s episode of Marketing Vanguard, host Jenny Rooney sits down with two leaders from Nespresso, CEO Alfonso Gonzalez Loeschen and Head of Marketing and Interim VP of Sustainability Jessica Padula. During the conversation, they discuss Nespresso's unwavering commitment to sustainability, the collaboration between the CEO and the Head of Marketing, and the brand's purposeful approach to business. Companies that go on to lead their industry or pioneer new ones know the power of shipping fast. Contentful’s composable content platform gets you from inspiration to launch without skipping a beat, so teams can focus on building the most impactful experiences possible. What makes composable content different from a traditional, siloed CMS? While a CMS can only manage content for one specific channel at a time, a composable infrastructure breaks content down into small, modular components that can be reused and published for multiple brands, use cases, channels, and regions. With Contentful, digital teams can: Easily compose intelligent, customizable experiences at any scale. Free up digital teams to collaborate and launch content experiences quickly and efficiently. Effortlessly tap into their creativity with dynamic features like AI Content Type Generator and Workflows. Discover the momentum your content can drive. Get Started at Contentful.com with Contentful’s composable content platform today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 11, 2024 • 31min
Taking Creative Risks with Kathy Collins Senior Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer at Frontdoor
On this week’s episode of Marketing Vanguard, we hear from Kathy Collins, senior vice president & chief revenue officer, at Frontdoor, Collins is an accomplished leader with a proven track record for driving growth, innovation, and operational excellence. She has broad experience across all facets of strategy and marketing. During the conversation, Collins shares Frontdoor's mission and the unique aspects of its services, such as connecting homeowners with experts through a video chat app for quick solutions to home-related issues. She also discusses her transition to the chief revenue officer role and the significance of aligning with the CFO and analytics partners. Companies that go on to lead their industry or pioneer new ones know the power of shipping fast. Contentful’s composable content platform gets you from inspiration to launch without skipping a beat, so teams can focus on building the most impactful experiences possible.What makes composable content different from a traditional, siloed CMS? While a CMS can only manage content for one specific channel at a time, a composable infrastructure breaks content down into small, modular components that can be reused and published for multiple brands, use cases, channels, and regions.With Contentful, digital teams can:Easily compose intelligent, customizable experiences at any scale.Free up digital teams to collaborate and launch content experiences quickly and efficiently.Effortlessly tap into their creativity with dynamic features like AI Content Type Generator and Workflows.Discover the momentum your content can drive. Get Started at Contentful.com with Contentful’s composable content platform today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 4, 2024 • 26min
Navigating the Marketing Puzzle: A Conversation with Kraft Heinz's CMO Christina Kenz
On this week’s episode, we sat down with Christina Kenz, chief growth and sustainability officer at Kraft Heinz. During the conversation, Kenz delves into her extensive career, which includes roles at PepsiCo, Danone, and now Kraft Heinz, why she describes herself as a coach, and why she believes marketing is like solving a puzzle. She also discusses the complexity of first-party data strategies, Kraft Heinz’ aims to read consumer behavior, create agile strategies, and implement personalization at scale. Companies that go on to lead their industry or pioneer new ones know the power of shipping fast. Contentful’s composable content platform gets you from inspiration to launch without skipping a beat, so teams can focus on building the most impactful experiences possible.What makes composable content different from a traditional, siloed CMS? While a CMS can only manage content for one specific channel at a time, a composable infrastructure breaks content down into small, modular components that can be reused and published for multiple brands, use cases, channels, and regions.With Contentful, digital teams can:Easily compose intelligent, customizable experiences at any scale.Free up digital teams to collaborate and launch content experiences quickly and efficiently.Effortlessly tap into their creativity with dynamic features like AI Content Type Generator and Workflows.Discover the momentum your content can drive. Get Started at Contentful.com with Contentful’s composable content platform today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.