
CMO Confidential
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.
Latest episodes

Nov 21, 2023 • 34min
Tom Goodwin: A Contrarian Take on Everything, Everywhere, All at Once
Tom Goodwin, former head of innovation at Publicis, Zenith, and Havas, discusses the role of generative AI and its potential in tasks. He shares his contrarian take on AI, emphasizing the importance of originality and creativity. Goodwin also explores the evolution of digital advertising, the impact of AI on small companies, and predictions on environmental movements.

Nov 14, 2023 • 32min
Talking About Social Impact - The Marketplace, the Customer & the Marketer
A CMO Confidential Interview with Rob Pace, the founder of HundredX, and former Goldman Sachs partner. Rob provides an investment banker's perspective on marketing and discusses his belief that how consumers "feel about" and "trust" brands is a predictor of stock price. Key topics include personal experience as the key metric, why you should be early in "doing the right thing," and why taking a socio-political stand is an asymmetrical risk. We also discuss why CMO's aren't in IPO road shows, why companies with a "True North Consumer '' focus have higher valuations, and how Hundred X tracks sentiment across 3000 brands. Listen in to hear why you shouldn't be a "squishy" marketer and why "Good Snitch" was a bad name.
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Nov 7, 2023 • 35min
Carilu Dietrich: B2B Marketing - A Report From the Front Lines
A CMO Confidential interview with Carilu Deitrich, the former CMO and Hypergrowth Advisor who helped take Atlassian public, joins us for the 3rd time. Carilu outlines the "tough times" facing B2B including the impact of lower valuations, the slowing of sales and conversion, the reductions in force and perks facing many companies, and how 75% of B2B companies will have launched AI versions by the end of 2023. Key topics include why profitability matters more than it used to, watching out for the efficiency frontier in marketing, and why "adding a new strategy" might cause you to lose ground. Listen in to hear how to experiment with AI. Hint, don't fund it with petty cash and assign it to an intern.
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Oct 31, 2023 • 31min
Auren Hoffman: Big Data,The Martech Stack, & Vendor Management - Surviving the Revolution
A CMO Confidential interview with Auren Hoffman, the CEO of Safegraph and former Co-Founder & CEO of LiveRamp. Auren provides a deep look at data as people, places, companies and products crossed with time and price, shares his thinking on why marketing data is still in its infancy and usually less good than other data, and details why machine learning stacked on top of "mostly true data" will create exponential errors as machine learning scales. Key topics include why vendor management is one of the most important skills for the future, why "almost every company has way more people than they need," and how AI will transform marketing in the near future. Listen in to hear why he believes most companies should fire their procurement departments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesA CMO Confidential interview with Auren Hoffman, the CEO of Safegraph and former Co-Founder & CEO of LiveRamp. Auren provides a deep look at data as people, places, companies and products crossed with time and price, shares his thinking on why marketing data is still in its infancy and usually less good than other data, and details why machine learning stacked on top of "mostly true data" will create exponential errors as machine learning scales. Key topics include why vendor management is one of the most important skills for the future, why "almost every company has way more people than they need," and how AI will transform marketing in the near future. Listen in to hear why he believes most companies should fire their procurement departments.Explore the transformative role of AI in marketing with CMO Confidential, hosted by five-time CMO Mike Linton. In this episode, delve into the insights of guest Oren Hoffman, CEO of SafeGraph and a seasoned data expert. Key topics include the evolution of big data, managing the martech stack, and effective vendor management. Tune in to hear Oren's expert take on AI and its game-changing impact on marketing strategies. Discover how AI can streamline content creation, improve ad targeting, and enhance overall marketing efficiency. Learn the importance of verifying data accuracy and managing marketing vendors strategically. This episode is packed with valuable insights for marketers and business leaders navigating the rapidly changing marketing landscape. Don't miss your chance to harness the power of AI in your marketing efforts. Subscribe to the CMO Confidential Newsletter for exclusive content and insights from top industry leaders. Stay informed, stay ahead.CHAPTERS:00:00 - Intro00:41 - Guest Introduction01:22 - Understanding Data03:54 - Data Thinking Strategies08:53 - AI Overview and Best Practices11:51 - SafeGraph Data Utilization14:12 - Vendor Management Strategies17:08 - Effective Marketing Stack Components21:46 - Hire vs Rent Decision24:05 - Final Thoughts25:58 - Final Question AnsweredSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Oct 24, 2023 • 26min
Lindsey Hagens: A Look at Fractional Work - Is It Right For You And Your Company
A CMO Confidential Interview with Lindsey Hagens, the Global Head of Talent Network at interim/fractional executive search firm, TrueBridge, and former Google recruiter. Lindsey provides a 360 degree view of the fractional marketplace, including: factors driving its rapid growth, how the pandemic increased both the supply of and demand for fractional positions, and key things to consider if you want to secure a fractional gig or think one might be right for your business. Topics include why interviewing and hiring a fractional leader is different from full time; TrueBridge's search process; and the types of companies and situations best suited to fractional work. Listen to hear the key questions you should ask in an interview and why matching authority and responsibility is extra critical for fractional leaders.
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Oct 17, 2023 • 35min
Pato Spagnoletto: A Content Streamer's View of Media & The Marketplace
A CMO Confidential with Patrizio "Pato" Spagnoletto, the Global Chief Marketing Officer of Streaming at Warner Brothers Discovery and former head of Marketing at Hulu. Pato discusses changes in content, distribution, and monetization, the need to balance new and traditional models, and the shift from "subscribers at any cost" to profitability. Key topics include the power of direct-to-consumer data and "mood states," consumer desire for simplified streaming offerings, the power of the brand, and why streaming marketing is also "sales." Listen to hear the story of the move to "Max".
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Oct 9, 2023 • 30min
Paul Madera - A Venture Capitalist Talks About Artificial Intelligence
A CMO Confidential interview with Paul Madera, the founder of Meritech Capital, one of the first later stage VC firms. Paul discusses the revolutionary nature of AI, where venture capital is investing, and why he thinks the initial focus is cost reduction versus revenue driving. Key topics include why AI parallels the launch of the Internet when Netscape opened the technology doors for business and consumers, his belief that "vertical applications" will be more successful than "horizontal" ones, why AI is getting such traction in the legal space, and why you should market AI if you have it. Listen to hear his take on why he believes marketing will follow the legal space due to "super search" capabilities.
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Oct 2, 2023 • 42min
Richard Sanderson: A Top Executive Search Perspective on Marketing, Sales, Comms & the CMO Position
A CMO Confidential Interview with Richard Sanderson, the Marketing, Sales and Communications Practice Leader at Spencer Stuart. Richard provides an overview of the job market, the evolution of the CMO position, and his take on quiet quitting and remote work. Key discussion topics include why many Fortune 500 companies don't have a CMO, research and interviewing best practices, the current "white collar recession," and his belief that we are entering the Golden Age of Marketing while the "CMO role has become really hard." Listen in to hear the hot off the presses Spencer Stuart research on CMO turnover and his take on how to position yourself to be a CMO. Hint, it's important to be well rounded and well trained.
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Sep 25, 2023 • 37min
Dave Penski: A Media Maven Discusses the Marketplace, Media, and CMOs
A CMO Confidential Interview with Dave Penski, the US CEO of Publicis Media, the #1 media network in North America. Dave discusses how to play in the first media "buyers market" in years, the revolution in streaming and measurement, and his belief that the focus on short-term results can create a smaller consumer funnel. Key topics include why it's important to focus on incremental reach and LifeTime Value versus pure efficiency, artificial intelligence in media and creative, and brand safety. (Hint - brand safety is like the Jurassic Park dinosaurs - they always get out.) Listen in to hear why he is always on time and why good CMOs understand tech, the business and the customer experience in addition to marketing.
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Sep 19, 2023 • 36min
Gary Briggs: An Experienced CMO And Board Member With Technology Chops Talks Marketing
A CMO Confidential Interview with Gary Briggs, Petco and Etsy board member, formerly the VP of Google Marketing, and CMO of eBay and Facebook. Gary discusses how marketing has evolved since his days at Pepsi, the Cambridge Analytica event, why product marketing is so important in tech, and how he measured "trust and momentum" at Facebook . Key topics include managing privacy, why it's a "myth" that Google, Apple and Facebook don't do marketing, the fact that career success requires "recovery from failure," and why "skepticism is where to find the victory." Listen to the end to hear a great story about Mark Zuckerberg at Quantico.
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