“It is very rare in a career that you get to take the helm of a brand that has had such an impact on society,” says Seeley. “PayPal has become woven into our daily lives. Very rarely do you get to steward and shepherd a brand that has this impact.”

PayPal just went through a major rebrand as the company looks to shift perception from just being an online payment tool for eBay to one you can use in stores at the point-of-purchase, as well as on ecommerce sites. The brand’s largest US ad campaign ever kicked off in September 2024 and continues to run with new iterations. The effort stars Will Ferrell in different shopping situations singing “You Can Pay Your Own Way,” to the tune of Fleetwood Mac’s “You Can Go Your Own Way.”

“We are a massively highly penetrated brand, it was important to work with someone who has broad appeal at scale who people trust,” says Seeley. “You know if you go see a Will movie, you know it is going to deliver, you are going to laugh. He is a great ambassador for us because he has such wide appeal whether it is in the UK or Germany or the US.” 

As Venmo expands from just being the app to send money to family and friends by offering Venmo checkout and a Venmo debit card with rewards, the company tapped Aimee Lou Wood and Patrick Schwarzenegger – new stars from this season of the HBO show The White Lotus – to star in the ad. 

Prior to joining PayPal, Seeley held senior marketing roles at Cash App, Afterpay and Airbnb.

Brand Innovators caught up with Seeley from his office in the San Francisco Bay area to discuss these new campaigns, showing up in cultural moments and what creativity looks like in 2025. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

You are the CMO of two very well-known payment brands. How are you thinking about growing these brands?

We have PayPal and Venmo, two brands with two different footprints. PayPal is one of the most trusted and widely distributed payment brands in the world. We operate in 200 markets. We are the OG of digital shopping. The shepherding there is to how do we evolve PayPal and bring that pioneering spirit we have had from the get go, how do we introduce the next generation of payment tools. That means being deeply ingrained in our consumer whether they are in Germany or Australia or Italy or the UK and understanding the behaviors that are going on with commerce at a local level. But also looking at how crypto is having an impact on our category as innovation takes hold and investing in the brand to drive conversion in checkout.

Venmo has been a phenomenal success and built a huge customer base with users daily, weekly or monthly, coming to the app for sending money or asking for money from a friend or a small business. Increasingly we see people want to use their Venmo balance for more than just paying a babysitter or splitting a pizza. The thing we are shepherding now is how Venmo becomes known as a major player in commerce rather than just a peer-to-peer business. The work we just put out is to position Venmo to give the tools they need to use Venmo.

Can you talk about how you are showing up in cultural moments?

Showing up in cultural moments is central to any good media plan these days and that is not just in media buys but in how we orchestrate the work we do with merchant partners, as well as paid media investments as well. The work we have done with Venmo – casting Aimee Lee Wood and Patrick Schwarzenegger – we couldn’t be more integrated in what is the zeitgeist of right now. 

The Venmo ad is “The White Lotus” ending that everyone dreamed of. As a marketer, you have to understand and to live within culture. It has to be authentic. Patrick and Aimee are great friends, and use Venmo with people who are in their lives, so it works. We turned the whole thing around in 8-9 weeks which was pretty epic for a campaign of that scale. We work fast and surround ourselves with people who can work fast as well. If you want to be a brand that contributes to how culture is evolving, you have to act quickly. Our instincts as marketers took over and then you go execute.

What does creativity look like in 2025?

Creative needs to drive business outcomes. If I wanted to create art, I would have become an artist. We do what we do, we use creativity to get the outcomes we want to see. We work with people who can express the narrative we want to share whether that is television production or short form or influencer in the creator economy. Creativity is a broad church. Our job as marketers is to share the creativity against the ambition we have for growing these.

How do you see your role as CMO?

The role of CMO is a pretty board these days. Either it is conversation about agentic commerce or looking at creative or looking at MMM models. My job is to bring the right capabilities into the organization, set clarity of what matters and orchestrate those capabilities to get those outcomes. Marketing is a significant driver or overall business performance to hold myself and my team accountability through the levers.

Everything we do is about bringing new views to the consumer. Critical for us is our ability to innovate on our existing product and share the news with our existing consumer and to get the brand in front of new consumers we want to bring on to our platform.

You mentioned the creator economy. How do you decide which influencers to work with?

You have got to work with people who love your brand. The first job is to find people who really get what it is that you are doing and have an affinity with you and your brand. It is about being smart with the message you are trying to convey. For instance, we are trying to push a commerce message with PayPal, so it makes sense to work with someone who is doing shopping.

Can you talk about how working at brands like Afterpay and Airbnb help shape your perspective in this role?

I have been very fortunate to work with some amazing brands. You learn something from everywhere you have been either that is definition and commitment to the craft. When I was at Airbnb, I learned through the work that I did at Afterpay, which was so related in our building relationships with the merchants we work with, which I use here. 

The common thread in my career is operating in two different marketplaces. Airbnb is a host and guest environment and PayPal is a consumer and merchants environment. It is about the recognition of how you spin the wheel. If I am a merchant, I need to understand the value of the product and if I am a consumer, I need to understand the value of the service. It is a case of building out value propositions for each constituent of our flywheel and making sure you are honest with how you are providing your value proposition. It all has to be how you want the brand to come across. Deeply understanding the value you can offer to both sides of the marketplace, and executing with consistency.

What big trends do CMOs need to know about right now?

There is an evolution going on in marketing right now. What is interesting as we talk about the advent of AI and how we are focused on AI in creativity, for so long we focused on the tech of AI and saw it as the plumbing of the industry. Now we are looking at essentially the ramifications of how creative gets made and created and shipped out into the world. We are using AI across the entire function of marketing and beyond whether it is for deep dives research, untapping insights and opportunity, automation of some more development and production purposes. There is not an element of how we use AI to improve outcomes.

The post CMO of the Week: PayPal’s Geoff Seeley appeared first on Brand Innovators.

Lucky for her, she spent almost two decades at Nike and joined Savage X Fenty, Rihanna’s body positive lingerie brand, as chief marketing officer almost a year ago. “One of the things that really connected me to this brand is being a purpose-driven brand,” says Wallace. “A lot of the work I did at Nike was really core to my soul and who I am as a person. I was really fortunate to find that opportunity within Savage X that let me expand that on a much bigger platform.” 

Savage X Fenty was founded by the pop singer in 2018 with the aim to redefine the category. The company makes products that are designed to be both comfortable and attractive and they are made in a wide range of sizes.

“We’re not just marketing lingerie or lifestyle apparel, we really are a movement. How can we connect with individuals around that bold inclusivity, around that confidence and self-expression,” explains Wallace. “How can we be that platform for others and voices that are seen and unheard?”

Wallace is heading to Cannes for the first time ever next week and she couldn’t be more thrilled about the opportunity. “As a lifelong learner and being someone who’s super inquisitive, it is a great opportunity to learn from my colleagues,” says Wallace. “It’s an incredible opportunity to build, to network, but then also to grow. The other thing is to learn more about how AI can be a lever and a tool that enhances our creativity and deepens our storytelling.”

Catch Wallace at the Brand Innovators Culture Shifters event on Wednesday morning at the Rado Beach. Brand Innovators caught up with Wallace from her office in Los Angeles to talk about building a challenger brand with celebrity leadership, championing inclusivity and what she is looking forward to at Cannes.  This interview has been edited for length and clarity. 

How do you lean into being a challenger brand with celebrity leadership to connect with audiences?

When Savage X Fenty was launched in 2018, it disrupted the marketplace. It disrupts the industry by being really bold about what inclusivity looks like. With Rihanna as our brand visionary and chief founder, she really wanted to impress upon the fact that everybody had a place in our brand.

Rihanna, who is a cultural icon, a fashion icon who has an incredible ability as a creative and a business person to understand trends, to help us translate how to connect to consumers and stay at the forefront of cultural conversations. I think the great thing about this brand is that we’ve continued to evolve as Rihanna has evolved. She was just a singer and then a business person, and now she has embraced motherhood.

We’ve been able to attract new consumers as we’ve continued to grow the business and the brand as she has gone through. One of the first forays into the brand doing that was when we launched maternity as she was a first-time mom. It met consumers where they were. Last August, as she then became a mom of two, we launched a product called ‘Soft N’ Savage, and it was all about the sensual ease. It had technology around marshmallow foams. It’s one of my tried and true go-to bras because it is that comfort and support that you need, but everyday sensual sexiness.

Last year, we also embraced Rihanna as a boy mom. She affectionately calls herself a soccer mom of two. So we cast her on our holiday family PJs campaign. We started off really sharp about being that bold disruption and who we are as a brand and what our values are. Rihanna at the helm helps us continue to stay a part of cultural conversations and push the industry forward. 

Can you talk about how championing inclusivity helps drive innovation?  

It is a cornerstone of our values. We don’t see champion inclusivity as just the right thing to do. It is a catalyst for innovation and how we see and project our long-term growth. The U.S. lingerie marketplace is about $16 billion. What we found is it gives us the opportunity to continue to evolve as a brand. We offer 47 bra sizes.

When we talk about that commitment to bold innovation across every touch point, we’re always obsessing over fit. What fabrications are both comfortable and sexy? We are being really unique about what everyday sensuality and everyday comfort looks like. It pushed the team to figure out how we could make a bra that was both sensual, but then also very comforting.

As we continue to grow as a brand, we definitely had gender neutral styles, but we wanted to make sure that we brought him along for the journey too. As you think about innovation and connecting to consumers and new and different ways, last February, we launched our men’s lifestyle loungewear. We launched with brand ambassador, Marcus Stroman, who is a New York Yankee. It met that loungewear meets sportswear vibe. And so we were able to bring new consumers in. We’re always trying to position ourselves as a brand that is championing diversity and inclusivity. With that as a sharp point, it helps us think about innovation, whether it’s our communication, marketing or product design.  

Can you talk about what you learned at Nike that you apply in your current role? 

I spent nearly two decades at Nike and there were many lessons. One is the core belief around consumer insights and innovation and how you leverage those insights to drive plans and drop product innovation. That’s one of the things that really connected me to the Savage X Fenty brand. 

There’s also something around the art of storytelling and building stories that are emotive.

We want to work for brands that not only offer product solutions, which are really important to consumers, but also appeal to them on a much deeper level. This next generation spends their dollars based on their values and companies that align to those values. At Nike, I was privileged to develop that art and science approach to marketing that is really helpful.

And last but not least, I’m passionate about the intersection of inclusivity and women’s sports and championing these opportunities. As we continue to grow, what I’m excited about is how we connect sports heroes in one light, but then show how they can be bold and confident, both on and off the court, as well as in their everyday style. 

We’re going to Cannes, which is the festival of creativity, essentially. Can you tell me how you’re thinking about creativity in 2025?  

Valentine’s Day is our Super Bowl and we ran a campaign around that holiday called “Love Your Way.” It celebrated love in all forms – romantic, platonic, familiar and self-love. It was led by Rihanna, who is our modern day Cupid. We were able to bring a diverse cast of individuals to life in this campaign. It starred Kordell Beckman and Serena Page from Love Island, two models and creatives RJ King and his partner and TikTok sensations Hayley and Jules LeBlanc.

Our creativity comes from our community. We really get inspiration there. Not only does Rihanna continue to inspire us from a muse and visionary perspective, but we always want to make sure that we’re at that cross section of celebrating our communities. How do we give them a voice to be bold and disruptive? But then also celebrate with them. There was a designer that we were able to highlight around AAPI Heritage Month. It’s really authentic to who we are in terms of telling those stories. I continue to look forward to tools and ways that make us sharper. Our core values are always to make sure that we put our community at the center of the storytelling and what we do.

As an e-commerce-first business, how are you working with retailers like Galeries Lafayette, Nordstrom and so forth to really get the products in the hands of consumers?

We launched all of those partnerships last August and so they’re still relatively new. We’re getting some learnings of what works in those channels of distribution. How do we communicate our brand value and our brand proposition when it’s not in our own stores or on our own sites? It gives us a great opportunity to scale our brand and be in the path of consumers who aren’t necessarily as familiar with Savage X Fenty.

What’s been really deliberate about us and what we’ve been thinking through is how do we show up consistently no matter where a consumer enters us, whether it’s on their phone, or they’re in one of our doors or our partners doors. We are a brand that wants to meet consumers where they’re at and we’re growing, continuing to grow what we call our micro-influencer. It’s the everyday consumers who love our brand back to that authenticity, who we give them the license to tell our story on their own channels, in their own voice and that helps us to remain authentic.

The post CMO of the Week: Savage X Fenty’s Vanessa Wallace appeared first on Brand Innovators.

“This particular category is one that has either not been thought of or it’s been very nostalgic,” says Crisafi. “When you think about dining cruises, you think about your prom or something you did with your grandmother years ago. It’s not typically top of mind for entertainment and experiences.”

Operating in North America and Europe, Hornblower provides everything from harbor cruises and gourmet dinner voyages to walking tours, food tours, ferries, and private charters. With more than 20 million annual guests, Hornblower’s wide range of products presents a characteristically dynamic marketing challenge. 

“Coming in, I said, let’s disrupt this, let’s transform it, let’s create something new and unique and unexpected,” explains Crisafi. “That is exciting to me because you can reinvent and really disrupt a category like never before. I saw the massive opportunity and potential within the company and this brand.”

Drawing on her experiences at IHG, Discovery and even Kodak, Crisafi is leaning into how “experiences can really change your perception of a brand and a category.” Brand Innovators caught up with Crisafi from her office in Atlanta to talk about transforming the category, tapping into culture and how working at other brands prepared her for this new role.

Can you talk about how you’re reinventing this category and then what that looks like from a storytelling perspective and for the consumer? 

We really wanted to come in and say, this is also an incredible venue with the view of your favorite city. This is an opportunity for us to look at how we take concerts on the water or celebrity chef experiences, as well as just the fandom of being in a very intimate setting with people that have inspired you throughout your life.

We’ve created sporting events like cruises with World Series champions, a night with Captain Sandy and Hannah from Below Deck Mediterranean, and beloved musical artists like Joey Fatone of *NYSYNC, Wanya Morris of Boyz II Men, Ken and Drew of Sister Hazel and country stars like Randy Houser and Lee Brice. 

We looked at City Cruises Live and said, “Let’s reinvent the category.” It’s not just a concert. It’s not just an opportunity to have a panel discussion. It is an immersive once-in-a-lifetime experience. I liken it to a little bit of MTV Unplugged, VH1 Behind the Music and Priceless. But at the same time, you can put all those together and experience it on the City Cruises Live. 

From a branding standpoint, it was a little beige. It wasn’t necessarily cutting through the clutter of how we talk about the experience or how we create emotional branding. Emotional branding has to be part of where you stand out because the brand is going to be what really transforms this opportunity for us. Creating a little bit of humor and being able to think about a brand platform, a message that will get your attention. We created the tagline, “Shipload of Fun,” which is a little bit cheeky and a play on words, but it also creates this moment that is like, “What did you say?” 

Can you talk about the importance of connecting to culture to reach consumers? 

People are having everyday conversations of what happened last night on Below Deck. We are becoming a part of those pop culture moments by having City Cruises be the platform to bring it together. It is  an incredible opportunity for us to say we have brand relevance. We’re not just trying to create a partnership for the sake of it or creating an experiential platform that is just about our brand. It’s truly bringing together moments that matter with what’s happening in people’s everyday lives, but elevating them a little bit further.

Are you finding that consumers are really making bookings based on emotion? 

We’ve got the Boston Red Sox with Kevin Millar and Friends. If you’re a Boston Red Sox fan and whether you were there or not for the World Series win in 2004, you can recreate that moment or hear what it was really like to be on the field for such a nostalgic moment. It’s a great opportunity for fans to share those memories with their kids and the next generation.

That in and of itself is why you would seek to purchase this. It’s not just something that says another concert or another experience that is interesting or unique. It is related to you and your own personal experiences. We’re breaking through the noise by doing what truly matters – putting people and their experiences at the heart of everything we create. That’s where emotional branding lives when we lead with caring for others, not just delivering a brand message.hen you put people and their experiences first.

Can you talk about how you mentioned your past experiences at some of the other hospitality brands, how you’re bringing that into your current role? 

My experience in hotels and hospitality have helped me transfer a lot of that into this category. At IHG, I was focused on hospitality at some of the most important moments in a customer’s life – sometimes the best and sometimes the worst. When you’re traveling you want to have a comforting friend that greets you every time you check in. You want to go somewhere that is comfortable and safe, and knows your preferences so you don’t have to ask for a bottle of water every time you check in.

When you look at the hospitality aspect of hotels, the opportunity to have transferable experiences within our cruises and with our land and water-based events and experiences, that is very much how we show up. Are we putting people first? Are we listening to our customers, making sure that we’re thinking about incredible hospitality of not only what they need today but what they’re going to need tomorrow? 

When I worked at Kodak, it was about capturing special moments. When you think about that today, whether it’s an Instagramable moment or a TikTok trend, consumers today want to feel seen and heard – and at every interaction.

What are some of the marketing challenges you’re facing this year? 

I use the word opportunity a lot with my team. There’s a lot of opportunity for us to improve the digital guest experience for us to improve the customer journey. One of the things that we’re working through right now is how do we evolve our e-commerce and web experience as much as we’re looking at our demand gen. How do we simplify the digital customer journey? We have over 16 ports in the US alone and everything from the Statue of Liberty to Alcatraz to Niagara Falls, as well as the dining cruises. We want to simplify the homepage experience so that it is very relevant, contextual and personalized. 

We’re having to rebuild everything from the ground up and that takes time. How do we manage the complexity of where we are today to where we want to go tomorrow? The branding piece and the experience piece are critical for us to create the demand, but for us to be able to capture and convert the demand. Technology is ever-changing, and today is now a daily exercise in creating great guest experiences across every interaction.

The post CMO of the Week: Hornblower Group’s Liz Crisafi appeared first on Brand Innovators.

“At Chandon, we see ourselves as hosts at heart, and this philosophy is the cornerstone of everything we do,” says Artigalas. “Hosting isn’t just what we do, it’s who we are. Every day brings a fresh chance to create memorable moments of celebration, extend an invitation to more people to join our table, and champion the artistry of craftsmanship with purpose. I’m continually energized by our team’s creativity, our global reach, and the chance to shape a more inclusive and joyful vision of luxury.”

Last year, the LVMH wine brand turned 50 and to celebrate, the company renovated the winery’s Napa home with a California-inspired redesign by Taalman Architecture. As part of the redesign, the company is promoting the versatility of its wines, encouraging drinking not just on birthdays and holidays but for everyday celebrations.

“Not just the big milestones but the everyday wins, the last-minute gatherings, the spontaneous toasts, and the moments still waiting to be imagined,” says Artigalas.

Prior to joining the LVMH brand, Artigalas spent eight years working on various brands at L’Oréal, and several years at Coty and Shiseido. Brand Innovators caught up with Artigalas from her office in Paris to talk about brand mission, seasonal marketing  and showing up in culture. This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

What is your brand’s mission and how does it show up in your storytelling?

Chandon was founded on a spirit of innovation – winemakers pushing beyond the frontiers of traditional champagne know how to craft sparkling wines in unexpected corners of the world. Chandon is the world’s largest sparkling wine domain with 6 extraordinary wineries in unexpected corners of the world from Argentina to Brazil, Australia, China, India and California. Today, we carry that pioneering legacy forward with our all-female winemaking team at Chandon California, led by the talented Pauline Lhote at our Home in Yountville. 

Under her guidance, we craft wines that tell a story of precision and passion whilst revealing the singularity of Napa and Sonoma terroirs. We are pioneers and explorers in everything we do, from our winemaking expertise to our sustainable viticulture practices and commitments, and how we elevate everyday moments into exceptional celebrations. 

How are you telling the brand stories across your portfolio?

Chandon wines tell a story of excellence, celebration, and winemaking expertise. Our Brut and Rosé offer timeless staples for any occasion, while Garden Spritz reveals our innovative and creative mindset, redefining the spritz ritual with a ready to serve drink and nature-first ingredients for effortless hosting. 

How are you approaching the upcoming seasonal sipping moments?

We’re embracing the idea that new luxury is more about sharing than ownership. The way we prefer to sip in seasonal moments is by bringing people together – whether it’s a garden brunch, a beach picnic, or an elevated dinner. Our campaigns will highlight the joy of sharing a bottle of Chandon with those you love. 

We’ll also be celebrating versatility – because Chandon isn’t just for birthdays or holidays; it’s for any occasion that’s worth raising a glass. Life is full of moments that deserve to be celebrated, and Chandon is there to elevate those moments.

Chandon redefines what celebration looks like. Not just the big milestones but the everyday wins, the last-minute gatherings, the spontaneous toasts, and the moments still waiting to be imagined.

With a more inclusive and expressive take on togetherness, we unlock new playgrounds of celebration from rooftops to street corners. With Brut & Rosé, we offer the freedom to celebrate: anytime, anywhere, your own way. With Spritz, we offer the freedom to explore: new moments, new rituals, new connections. One brand. Many expressions of joy.

What trends are you seeing in winery hosting and how do you stay on the cutting edge of that?

The trend in winery visits is moving toward more personalized, immersive experiences. Guests are seeking out experiences that reflect their values – connection, creativity, and sustainability. Most importantly, we want every guest to feel a true sense of belonging. 

At Chandon, everyone is welcome. At Chandon Home, we’ve made it our mission to create an environment that feels like a gathering hosted by a close friend. In addition to everyday dining and tasting bookable offerings, we also have special winery events from chef-led dinners to regenerative agriculture tours, each detail is crafted with storytelling and purpose. 

What innovations are you embracing in marketing?

In a world of meal preps, beauty steps, work habits, people feel stuck. Life today is dominated by routines.  But people crave connection, freedom, spontaneity. To answer these consumers’ insights, we crave to propose more than a sparkling drink, opening new possibilities for consumers to celebrate not how they were always told to, not by the rules, but in ways that feel uniquely theirs.

With a more inclusive and expressive take on togetherness, we unlock new packs and recipes from rooftops to street corners: As an example we are launching new mini bottles that offer the freedom to celebrate: anytime, anywhere bringing an innovative and sustainable pack for life’s little moments.

Another example is our Chandon Garden Spritz that answers a consumer’s demand everywhere in the world for more respectful products not only for themselves but also for the planet. Our Spritz is an all natural ready to serve apéritif bringing what nature does the best without any artificiality in the process: no artificial flavors, no artificial colors, just organic oranges and a blend of spices and herbs added to our Chandon Brut. 

Our creations are the true embodiment of our collective of unrestrained winemakers’ shared passion and quest to bring excitement through innovative and responsible creations. 

In what ways does culture play a role in your marketing?

Hosting is the heartbeat of Chandon, and culture deeply informs how we show up as hosts. We are monitoring and keeping our finger on the pulse of what’s happening and resonating culturally. Whether it’s a casual gathering of friends or creating intimate dinner parties at home, we embrace the many ways people come together.

Our marketing reflects a belief that hospitality is both personal and cultural – it’s about understanding and honoring the traditions, values, and rituals that make every gathering meaningful. Culture guides us to host with authenticity, warmth, and intention – always making space for others at our table.

The post CMO of the Week: Chandon’s Cécile Artigalas appeared first on Brand Innovators.

“We are really trying to insert ourselves into culture and be part of the conversation and communities that are already happening,” says Kiroff. “We want to enable home cooking and we are taking real inspiration from consumers themselves.”

Historically Knorr’s business has been globally centered, but over the last 2.5 years, the brand saw an opportunity to expand into the US market. “We realized we really need to do something disruptive in the U.S. market that could speak to an American consumer,” explains Kiroff. 

They found that rapper Cardi B was using their bouillon jar to cook for her children and they worked with her on a campaign about it. “She could have people cook for her kids anytime, but she was using our product because that’s what her mother and grandmother did,” explains Kiroff.  After Cardi B, they partnered with Ludacris, another Knorr chef, who wrote a song about cooking fast-food inspired meals at home. 

This month, the brand has launched the latest iteration with their new Unlimited Time Menu campaign. Knorr has tapped Martha Stewart as their celebrity partner and influencers chef Joshua Weissman and fast-food content creator How Kev Eats to demonstrate how to make fast food dishes at home. Joshua teaches Kev how to make the K-rib Sandwich, a McRib dupe using Knorr, as well as the Knorr Double Up, Mac ‘n Chicken Bowl and The Knorr-ito. 

“Why wait all year for your favorite LTO to return, when you can have it now thanks to Knorr?,” says Kiroff.

Brand Innovators caught up with Kiroff to talk about the Unlimited Time Menu campaign, being a social-first brand and old marketing versus new marketing. This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Where did the Unlimited Time Menu campaign come from?

We started looking at what is winning in the American marketplace and we saw inspiration in fast food and the industry of takeout and delivery. They do a great job of heroing their food and celebrating it. Home cooking doesn’t position it as crave worthy or as sexy. We took a page out of their book and said, ‘how can we bring the same type of excitement to home cooking that fast food companies do with their product?’ 

We are always trying to get inspiration from our consumer and what they’re doing in culture. We saw a lot of chatter around limited time menus that fast food restaurants do and people asking to bring back some of their favorites. It’s a seasonal thing. It’s an in and out to trigger incremental sales. We played on that. We’re bringing it to the fans and saying you can have this anytime you want. You just have to make it and we’ll show you how.  

Can you talk about how you decided how you settled on Josh and Kev and Martha Stewart?  

Influencers Josh and Kev have been doing riffs on fast food. They have the credibility and who better to partner with to bring it to life and show consumers how they could do it. It was really about leveraging themselves and what they’re already doing and educating and inspiring people to do it at home. Martha is the queen of bringing that excitement of what you could do in your home, whether it’s with growing your garden or cooking for entertainment or every day.

This platform illustrates how the brand is looking to participate in the culture. Can you talk about your approach to being a brand in culture? 

We’re not necessarily creating the conversation, but we go where the conversation is. Tapping into communities and listening to consumers. We looked at unlimited time menus and how we could insert ourselves as part of that. The other part is collaboration. Cardi was great. She brought her own story on how to use bouillon and why it’s important to her and then when we partnered with Ludacris. He was amazing. He was the one who recommended which song we should riff on and he’s the one who crafted the lyrics. The co-creation of that brings authenticity. It is about collaborating with experts and allowing room for them to bring their creativity and perspective to the table.

With tariffs pushing prices up, are you seeing consumer behavior shift in which people eat out less and cook more?

We’ve been through recessions before. When it comes to food, it doesn’t hit us as hard because when people need to watch their dollars, they tend to pull back from some other luxuries. Yes, take out and eating out is one of those things we pull back and we try to bring it more in the home. There’s no doubt about it. It is more affordable because you buy more in bulk. You can meal plan and create dishes that go much further with your budget. Food definitely is something that people still go to during a recession. 

You’ve been with Unilever for almost two decades. Can you talk about how all of that experience at the company helps you today? 

Unilever is great because it’s got many different brands and businesses within an umbrella company. There’s a lot of fundamentals that were there 20 years ago when I started and are still applicable today.

Unilever really tries to continuously evolve. We’re in a great moment in time right now. It’s a precipice of what we’re calling old marketing versus new marketing. This year’s campaign is different from year one. It is much more social first and it is using a celebrity at a smaller scale and more as an influencer. Unilever does a great job of helping marketers keep up-to-date and upskill them with what’s current and so forth. 

When I worked on Dove, a lot of it was about beauty but there was also the purpose around self-esteem and girls. When I worked on Hellman’s, it was about real food and superior ingredients. There are parallels between the brands. Instead of fragrance, we’re talking flavor.

There’s always a bigger mission that fuels our North Star. In the case of Knorr, enabling home cooking for all Americans so that everyone has the right to dignify food through flavor, nutrition and accessibility. That’s a construct that a lot of brands embrace, whether it’s Dove with self-esteem or what we did in Canada  with Hellman’s around the real food movement.  

Can you talk more about the social-first approach of this campaign? 

There is no TV. We want the wide reach and the heavy lift. We want to spend our dollars in media and guarantee a minimum amount so you could drive conversion. Well, that’s all kind of flipped on its head. It’s all the measurement tools we have in place that don’t necessarily take or encompass the social-first world from top down. In this case, you’re really putting a heavier emphasis on what we call the brand. The brand will say something. I’ll create an asset and I’ll push it with paid media. But what is the conversation that is triggering and word-of-mouth? What is the conversation I’m triggering? That’s what I mean by a social-first approach. 

We’re talking about food. This is the new cookbook. Video is taking such a dominant role. But it always did. I would always catch Ina Garten on Food Network and watch her do demos and so forth. Now it’s on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. It’s some of the same elements, but it’s where we go that has changed. It is on your phone. It is instant. I could just be in the middle of cooking and search for something and get a demonstration to level up my game in the kitchen.

What big marketing trends are you responding to this year? 

The first one is around different cultures and ethnicities driving food trends. We’re broadening our palates. Food cultures merge and one impacts another and the influence creates fusions. Spice is the hottest thing ever right now, no pun intended. The world is your oyster, in your own hometown, you get any type of food possible. People are exploring more and more different types of cuisines and palates and levels of spice. 

We’re trying to tap into it with our product development, like in our cups. The flavors that we chose are rooted in different cuisines and parts of the world.

The second trend is video. Video is always a great thing for food. Pretty pictures were always amazing and we went down that route years ago with Instagram and people taking food photos. But that was yesterday, today people bring that to life in a video. 

The third is collaborations. I mentioned some examples around co-creation with celebrities, but there’s also with other brands and co-collabs and designs. That is definitely an interesting space, the mashups that are occurring. That is something that we personally would like to capitalize on.

The post CMO of the Week: Knorr’s Gina Kiroff appeared first on Brand Innovators.

“As a specialty streamer, we like to call ourselves a complement to the other streamers,” says Pessin. “We are bringing a different viewpoint than what you’re seeing everywhere else.  We’re bringing different stories in a very fresh way to new audiences.” 

BritBox is a speciality streaming service founded in 2017 that brings “the best of British content” to viewers around the globe. The brand has seen double digit growth over the last year in the US and Pessin’s challenge is to maintain that trajectory. The hurdle is to build brand awareness among consumers unaware of the streamer in a competitive market. The opportunity is to promote high quality shows to viewers that are always hungry for new content.

“We are really leaning into the emotion of what storytelling brings,” explains Pessin. “There’s a lot of noise out there. There’s a lot of need for escape these days. We are leaning into that escapism and immersiveness that consumers can really gravitate towards. It’s something that our brand is uniquely positioned to be able to deliver against.” 

The brand recently launched the “See It Differently” to help highlight their unique differentiator. “It’s really dimensionalizing some of the real qualities of British storytelling, which is craft in front of and behind the camera,” says Pessin. “There is a big audience out there for quality.”

Pessin is speaking at the Brand Innovators Entertainment Marketing Summit during the Cannes Film Festival this week. We caught up with her from her office in New York to talk about breaking into the US streaming market, reaching fandoms and how her years at HBO helped prepare her for this role. This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Can you talk about your recent campaign and who you are trying to reach?

We talk about our aspirational target segment as the people that want to know about those hidden gems that really care about quality but watch a lot of different things. The main goal of any brand campaign is awareness. How do we spark curiosity about a brand that either you don’t know about or you have a preconceived notion about?

It was really leaning into the concept of that what British offers is quite familiar in a lot of ways. It’s still in English. It’s still genres that people relate to like mystery and crime, but it’s just told a little differently. There’s a strong sense of character development. There’s that unexpected range. It’s crafted with British storytelling in the writing. We have many book adaptations.

We partnered with an agency called Uncommon. We loved the fit because they’re a British export too. They’re pretty well known in the UK and they’re recently expanding into the US market. They understood right away that foreign but familiar concept and of course the concept of craft.

The idea was how do we show range and craft that became this ode to the craft. We did this one-take shot of showing an average viewer transitioning as she watches. You don’t know till the end, but as she’s watching all these shows, she transitions into the characters from the show. At the end, you realize that she’s on the couch and has been watching all along and moving through the various range of content from BritBox. It speaks to the immersive nature and the escape nature that a lot of our audience feels when they’re tuning into our stories. 

Can you talk about the streaming market, where you sit and what the opportunities and challenges are? 

We like to think of ourselves as the must-have complement. We know that everybody has Netflix, Amazon, maybe Paramount+. There’s lots of other big streamers that are in the market trying to appeal to the whole family. Our challenge is to break through the clutter. How do you break through in our constant digitally immersive world and show that there’s actually something special here that you can offer? Being a complement in some ways is almost like a privilege. We’re not trying to be everything for everyone. We think we offer something very unique and specialized, but we offer a lot of it in a very rich way.

If we can bring people in, we have an extremely loyal audience. We have excellent industry retention. Over half of our owned and operated customers are on an annual plan. We know that if we can introduce people, we have a great chance of really hooking them on this content. As a specialty streamer, we’re also self-differentiated, which helps with the clutter as well. We are the best of British. That’s a way to really differentiate ourselves in the eyes of the consumer.

Fans are passionate about their shows. How are you embracing the loyalty of fandoms to grow your reach? 

We do a lot of listening to our consumers. They are very active about telling us what they think both on social comments and they email us. For example, we just just finalized our final season of 14 of Vera. We had consumers writing in, talking about how they couldn’t wait for the final season and how they were so sad to see it go. They were essentially writing love notes saying this is the best show ever. “I can’t believe I have to say goodbye to Vera. It makes me want to cry.” We leaned into that and solicited a bit more. We created a book of love letters from the fans and then presented it to the star of Vera and the creator and filmed their viewing of the book and shared that back to fans. Some of it is just embracing what the fans are already telling you. 

We recently launched Towards Zero, which is a modern adaptation of an Agatha Christie story. It’s been hugely successful for us because there’s a huge fan base of mystery book readers. Brits do a lot of book-to-TV and film adaptations. To be able to show that story in a modern take and then to be able to have the catalog of other Christie adaptations, just by the nature of our content, is a way to build and grow that fandom. We have the largest catalog of Christie stories. We just announced a new one that’s coming. They come in for Towards Zero, but then they might watch an original, or they might watch Murder is Easy, the modern adaptation we did last year. 

That’s a really good example of how the content can create stickiness. I know streamers are challenged with maintaining subscribers who quit once they have already watched a show. Are there other examples of how you’re trying to build that loyalty so that they stay? 

We just recently premiered Ludwig Season 1, which is about an unexpected detective. It’s a puzzle maker turned detective who’s just trying to solve the disappearance of his twin brother. He acts like the detective, but along the way he’s solving crimes using his puzzle making techniques. It’s been wildly successful for us. We know Season 2 is coming. We’re thinking about ways to bring people on that journey. There’s other content that we have that speaks to those unexpected detectives. We’ll think creatively about what are those other shows that we can hook that audience in and tease some content as we get closer to Ludwig Season 2.

A lot of these shows have really long series runs, which is wonderful about British television. For example, with Blue Lights, which was a show we launched last year, we saw tremendous growth from Season 1 to Season 2. We think there’s still a lot of room to grow the audience ahead of Season 3. There’s an opportunity to engage the existing audience and help grow that. 

You mentioned that there’s a connection with many of the shows being based on books. Are you doing any crossover marketing to try and reach book readers? 

We often partner with the publisher of the actual IP, which we’ve done. We just did with Vera and Macmillan Publishers. We have a new show coming called Lynley that’s based on an existing IP in both books, as well as it was, it’s a reboot of a classic. There are lots of ways that we can partner with publishers to reach those fan bases. We definitely seek out book readers in a lot of our marketing, we do a lot of activations with Goodreads.

Can you talk about your background at HBO and how this helped shape what you’re doing today? 

I was privileged to work with a brand like HBO and it taught me a lot. What HBO has done so successfully is really build brand identity and brand love. And not only that brand identity of what the brand stands for, but that sense of identity that the person who consumes that show feels that connection to that brand.

I see a lot of that in our fans today. We talk to our consumers all the time, either through customer service outreach or through surveys or through focus groups. There is this real sense of pride about being a BritBox fan and being in the know, being the one to tell their friend about a hidden gem. The opportunity to build that is definitely a playbook that I can learn from having been at HBO. 

What are your favorite shows on the platform? 
I loved Towards Zero. It is just one of the most beautiful shows we’ve ever done. You can’t beat Anjelica Huston and Matthew Rhys and the rest of the cast is just gorgeous too. I just started I, Jack Wright. I’m enjoying that. But my all-time favorite might be Shetland. It is a great detective crime story in the most beautiful setting.

The post CMO of the Week: BritBox’s Diana Pessin appeared first on Brand Innovators.

“After my time at Red Bull, where we didn’t just sell an energy drink, but created a global cultural movement, I recognized that same spark in Gorilla, but with the added excitement of agility and creative freedom,” says Holzmann, chief marketing officer of Gorilla Energy Drink.

Gorilla is at a pivotal moment, according to Holzmann, who says the brand has the balance of being full of potential and yet unburdened by corporate layers and driven by an entrepreneurial spirit.

“In today’s world, where culture evolves rapidly and consumers value authenticity over perfection, this kind of mindset is a true competitive advantage,” explains Holzmann.

“But building a brand that resonates deeply doesn’t happen overnight. It requires passionate, open-minded people who aren’t afraid to challenge norms, experiment, and embrace the unknown. That’s the energy I felt at Gorilla—a team willing to take risks, stay curious, and push boundaries to create something meaningful.”

“It’s about crafting a brand that lives within communities, empowers creators, doers, and risk-takers, and tells stories that surprise and inspire. Gorilla offers the perfect canvas to do exactly that—to transform a functional product into a cutting-edge, culture-driven force that’s fresh, fearless, unapologetically real, and proudly deviant from the ordinary.”

Brand Innovators caught up with Holzmann from his office in Los Angeles to discuss brands in culture, product innovation and AI. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Can you talk about how the brand shows up in sports and culture?

Today’s consumers are sharp. They see through conventional marketing and resist brands that dictate trends or promote polished narratives. They opt for brands that genuinely resonate with their passions, values, and lifestyle. For us in new markets, it’s about listening and learning, connecting with individuals who live and breathe their scene, particularly those making, or striving to make, an impact in their communities.

You can’t buy cultural relevance – you earn it by being present, respectful, and adding value. Gorilla doesn’t force its way into spaces. We engage from within, supporting movements before they hit the mainstream.

We seek out alternative lifestyles and people from humble beginnings who are hustling to make it. Whether it’s in niche sports, emerging music scenes, street art, or grassroots fight leagues, we prioritize spirit and attitude over chasing trophies and titles – though if they win along the way, of course, we’ll celebrate that too. 

For us, it’s less about being “an energy drink brand,” and more about how you show up in culture. That mindset drives us to contribute to and grow with trendsetting communities, forming authentic relationships within high-loyalty, high-engagement subcultures where shared values matter more than traditional marketing.

At its core, Gorilla shows up by being curious, open-minded, and committed to connecting with creators, doers, and risk-takers  – the ones pushing boundaries, redefining their spaces, and inspiring others along the way.

What is your approach to product innovation?

Our mission is to create energy drinks that taste good and deliver functional benefits for the next generation and it guides this approach. The energy drink category has changed significantly in recent years. People are more aware of what they consume, and there is a growing demand for options that balance performance with healthier choices  – especially in mature markets, where consumers are increasingly mindful of ingredients, nutrition, and long-term health impacts.

Traditionally, this category has been dominated by high-caffeine, sugar-heavy products. However, we are witnessing a distinct shift towards cleaner, more purpose-driven formulations, especially in Western markets. We are very receptive to this – whether it involves testing new ingredients, adapting formulas, or exploring entirely new product concepts. Flexibility and a willingness to experiment are crucial.

In the U.S., for example, we’ve focused Gorilla Ultimate Energy on addressing common consumption barriers by offering formulations with natural caffeine, no artificial colors, zero added sugar, and lower calories—without sacrificing taste or functionality. It’s less about chasing trends and more about aligning with consumer trends and ensuring relevance to their lifestyles.

Ultimately, our approach to innovation is shaped by staying close to cultural shifts, remaining open-minded, and ensuring that everything we bring to market serves a real purpose for those who choose our brand, especially in regions where expectations around health and functionality are becoming the standard, not the exception.

Who is your audience and how are you speaking to them?

We’re speaking to a generation that doesn’t want their parents’ energy drink. They value authenticity, staying true to their identity, and are more selective than ever about the brands they let into their world. This audience gravitates toward brands that genuinely reflect their mindset, values, and ambitions.

Many come from backgrounds where success isn’t handed to them – they’re self-made, driven by creativity, resilience, and a desire to carve out their own path. We see them across multiple cultural spaces – art, music, skate, alternative sports, and street culture – often shaped by a strong DIY spirit. They’re modern-day renaissance individuals, blending passions and pushing boundaries wherever they go.

When we communicate with them, it’s about earning attention by respecting their independence, supporting their ambitions, and aligning with their creative energy in ways that feel real. That means engaging with the right communities, listening before speaking, and ensuring every interaction provides something meaningful—not just more noise in an already crowded space.

How have your past experiences at brands like Red Bull helped shape your perspective in your current role?

I’ve spent over two decades in the energy drink & lifestyle space, and what has always driven me is the opportunity to build brands that go beyond the product – brands that become part of culture. At Red Bull, I was fortunate to witness and contribute to a brand’s evolution from a niche, underground name to a global cultural force. It was never just about big budgets – it was about passionate people forging genuine connections with communities, listening first, and then supporting stories, experiences, and movements that mattered.

One thing Red Bull mastered was creative storytelling, helping people see themselves in the narrative and creating emotional investment. One of the most remarkable examples was the Felix Baumgartner space jump, built around the classic hero’s journey framework. It tapped into universal emotions of challenge and triumph—proving how powerful authentic stories can be in building lasting brand affinity.

Despite all the knowledge and insights I gained at Red Bull, I remain hyper-critical of relying too much on past formulas. What worked then isn’t a guaranteed recipe for success today. The consumer zeitgeist has shifted dramatically, and marketing has taken a quantum leap in terms of technology, culture, and expectations. Experience is valuable, but I recognize we’re not here to build a second Red Bull. The focus is on establishing Gorilla Energy’s own identity – creating a unique, relevant position for today’s consumers.

What marketing trends do you expect to see this year?

One of the most consistent shifts in recent years – and one I expect to strengthen – is the demand for authenticity over perfection. Consumers are increasingly drawn to brands that feel human, relatable, and honest. Overproduced campaigns and polished narratives are losing impact. People want to see what’s real—whether that’s behind-the-scenes content, unfiltered moments, or brands openly sharing their journey, imperfections included.

This ties closely to the ongoing rise of creator-led marketing. Collaborations with influencers and micro-creators who genuinely align with a brand’s ethos are no longer just a tactic—they’re becoming a core part of the marketing mix. It’s less about follower counts and more about voices that resonate authentically within specific communities. Creators are setting the tone with raw aesthetics—shaky cams, natural lighting, candid storytelling—which makes branded content feel embedded in culture rather than imposed by advertisers.

We’re also seeing a clear shift from aspirational to relatable messaging. Consumers aren’t looking for perfect lifestyles. They want stories they can connect with. A great example is Adidas, moving away from its 20-year-old, high-performance tagline “Impossible Is Nothing” to the much softer, more encouraging “You Got This.” It reflects a broader movement where brands position themselves as supportive companions, even in traditionally aspirational sectors like sportswear.

How are you thinking about AI?

Alongside these human-centric trends, AI is becoming an integral part of modern marketing, not to replace creativity, but to enhance how we work. We use it to accelerate research, generate secondary data, and automate repetitive tasks across social channels, allowing us to focus more on strategy, storytelling, and meaningful engagement. 

AI also plays a role in optimizing our performance marketing efforts – helping us analyze data faster, refine targeting, and improve ROI in real time. Beyond that, it helps streamline processes, campaign workflows, and even how we manage meetings and follow-ups – freeing up time to stay agile and creative in a fast-paced environment.

We understand that AI will play an even more integrated role in the future, but we consciously draw the line at allowing AI to replace human creativity. Tools can support the process, but authentic ideas – the ones that truly connect with people – come from human instinct, cultural understanding, and emotional intelligence.

In my humble opinion, technology can optimize processes, but it’s human instinct, creativity, and emotion that drive culture forward. That’s something no algorithm can replicate.

The post CMO of the Week: Gorilla Energy USA’s Oliver Holzmann appeared first on Brand Innovators.

“We move at the speed of culture,” said Suvorova, chief marketing officer, mobile experience at Samsung Electronics America. “We have a huge opportunity to create lasting business for our brand, for our partners and for our current and future consumers.”

The mobile phone brand ran two ads during the Academy Awards, shining the spotlight on stunt performers and highlighting how Samsung Galaxy’s AI  features can enhance your life, even if that includes action-packed fight scenes. Samsung has also partnered with Unrivaled, a professional women’s basketball league that plays 3×3, as its official technology and presenting partner. 

Whether they are promoting smartphones, wearables, headphones or tablets, AI is at the center of the brand’s platform. 

“AI is shaping the next generation, period,” said Suvorova. “More and more people are using AI tools every single day across a variety of needs, a variety of tasks, which presents a huge opportunity. Samsung has been at the forefront of AI innovation for many years and with the launch of mobile Galaxy AI innovation in early 2024, we have continued to build and reinvent what people can do with technology, especially technology so exciting and so rich and powerful as AI.”

Since 2024, the company has expanded Galaxy AI to more form factors from mobile phones to wearables to laptops and has been focused on improving key features and experiences ever since. 

“Empowering users from all backgrounds with something like photo editing magic or the tools to communicate across language barriers with something like a life interpreter or the platform to reach health goals with slip and energy score tracking,” added Suvorova.

“My role is to make Samsung mobile brands and portfolio a desired choice in the US. That will result in disproportionate business and market share growth.” 

Prior to joining Samsung, Suvorova has held senior roles at companies including Goldman Sachs, Google and Procter & Gamble. Brand Innovators caught up with Suvorova from her office in New York to talk about AI, storytelling and showing up in culture. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What is your approach to AI?

Our approach to AI is really focused on improving people’s lives. It’s not what technology does, it’s what people can do with technology. We’re not just looking to launch new features for the sake of it. We want to have the greatest impact on people’s lives from utility to joy, because both are super important and AI plays a role. 

It’s been pretty amazing to see how people find Galaxy AI useful in their daily lives and what they do with it. Nearly one out of every five Samsung Galaxy users are now turning to Galaxy AI tools every single day. And with the launch of Samsung Galaxy S25 a couple of months ago, Galaxy AI made another major shift from just individual generative AI features to a more cohesive experience that truly understands the user and the environment and can be activated with just the press of one button.

We are constantly listening to our users and trying to get their feedback, how they’re using Galaxy AI, what is important to them, what are the cool things that they’re doing, what they would love to do. You will see more from us on that front as we’re continuing to build and learn from our incredible communities in the US and across the world. 

How are you telling that story as a marketer? 

Our marketing focus has been on showing versus telling in the context of the most relatable or real-life situations and experiences. We’re also bringing the Samsung Galaxy brand and AI innovation to life through partnerships with the people, the brands, the platforms that share our values from joining forces and being an official technology partner with an incredible first of its kind, 3×3 basketball league that’s challenging the conventions of women’s sports to activating during such big cultural moments like Oscars with our amazing products, but also a powerful brand point of view that shines light on creative stunt performers that oftentimes don’t get the credit they deserve. 

These impactful partnerships allow us to both show our challenge and your mentality while highlighting the incredible AI feature that differentiates Samsung from the rest. We’re influencing that cultural zeitgeist to put Samsung at the forefront of conversations in the places and spaces where our customers spend so much of their time, whether online or in real life. That’s what is so key to our storytelling about AI. 

How are you thinking about Samsung’s role in culture?

I like to think about Samsung and Samsung Galaxy Mobile brand as an unconformist innovator, inventing and reinventing the technology and what people can do with it stemming from our brand philosophy of openness. I want Samsung to be top of mind when it comes to culture, when it comes to what people are doing and thinking about. 

As a brand, we have a very powerful role to play in doing that. We’re about breaking barriers, challenging conventions and really opening people up to new and different experiences, standing up against sometimes constraints of cultural conformity and monotony. That’s a pretty exciting role that we have been playing in culture and will only continue to double down on.

And to do that, we are partnering with like-minded brands, platforms, people that share our values that are challengers in their own fields and are positioning ourselves in the places where customers are spending our time. We’re going bigger in sports, in fashion, gaming, and the field. It’s galvanizing the communities around this shared belief and shared purpose.

Can you talk about how you’re thinking about innovation when it comes to your marketing? 

It starts with innovation and innovative products. I feel incredibly lucky because Samsung is really an incredible innovator and we’re challenging ourselves to be a challenger brand that constantly stands up to the needs of consumers. 

We immediately had an opportunity to start making different approaches and marketing differently and enhancing our brand positioning by showing versus telling. Another part of innovation in marketing is building for a cut through and being a meaningful part of consumer conversation. It’s getting more and more important.

We have been doing a lot of that with a bolder point of view as a challenger brand in the US and within the mobile category and owning bigger cultural moments. We’ve experimented a lot. We have been asking ourselves really hard questions to get to really smart, bold, but also effective marketing.  I love switching things up and challenging what’s possible. 

Can you talk about how your past experience at some of the other companies including Google and Proctor & Gamble you’ve worked with have helped shape your perspective in this role?

You take something from every role into your next role. And I’ve been privileged enough to work in incredible companies and touch millions of consumers and customers’ lives through incredible brands.

My time at those organizations taught me critical business acumen, how to lead the team of talented marketers, how to manage my time, how to take bold risks and when to let the dust settle. So in many ways, every part of that journey has prepared me for this role. I take something from each and every one of those experiences but apply it to a unique business, a unique brand challenge that Samsung Mobile category and Galaxy brand represents for us in the US. I’ve learned so much already from my short time at Samsung. 

Can you talk about what marketing trends you expect to kind of play out this year?  

It’s a combination of one, continuing to make AI technology and innovation meaningful to consumers. We will see more of that. That’s definitely an exciting opportunity and focus for us.

The second part is being effective at delivering hyper-personalized messages but across omni-channel experience. And to do that effectively, we as marketers need to focus on cutting through the noise and navigating complexity more than ever.

The post CMO of the Week: Samsung’s Olga Suvorova appeared first on Brand Innovators.

This year is no different – the brand recently celebrated its 50th birthday. “It is just hitting its peak,” says Felix. “We’re always looking for ways to keep surprising people about where Chili’s is going to show up next.”

The brand has shown up in culture in several ways. Boyz II Men sang their famous Baby Back Ribs jingle. They created a country music video as part of its NASCAR partnerships. They’ve talked about burgers in video games and they made a mini movie with Lifetime to celebrate National Margarita Day.

Value is core to how Chili’s thinks about its busines model. On the brand’s anniversary, they offered their signature Presidente Margarita for $5 in stores. The chain always offers a $6 Margarita of the Month, a $10.99 meal deal and free chips and salsa to loyalty members. 

As CMO of the brand, Felix oversees brand positioning, TV, digital, social media, media buying strategy and even culinary and beverage innovation reports. 

“I look at my job is how do we make Chili’s really relevant to consumers and keep the brand top of mind so that when people are thinking about a place where they can take their family to eat and get great value on great food and margaritas, they’re thinking about Chili’s,” he explains.

Felix will be speaking at the Brand Innovators Marketing Innovation Summit in Dallas on July 10th hosted at the Chili’s headquarters.

Prior to joining Chili’s, Felix held leadership roles at brands including Pizza Hut, KFC and Old Spice. Brand Innovators caught up with Felix from his office in Dallas to talk about guest experience, value propositions and being a brand in culture. This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Tell me about the guest experience. How are you trying to get people in and then what are you doing to create experiences that make them want to stay in return? 

Most people know the brand Chili’s. The big task for us is how do we keep Chili’s top of mind when people are making decisions on where they want to eat. So we are really focused on making sure people know that Chili’s is a place where you can get great value every day of the year. There’s no gimmicks, there’s no strings attached.

For example, we have this 3 for Me Deal, which you can basically get a burger and fries, bottomless chips and salsa and a bottomless drink for $10.99. We think that’s the best value in the industry. We’re also the leading seller of margaritas in the United States. Our Margarita of the Month is always $6. A lot of restaurant brands make it difficult for guests to do limited time offers or you have to order it on the app or jump through hoops. At Chili’s, we believe that you should be able to get a great meal at a great price every single day. Communicating that message is really important. 

How is Chili’s showing up in the culture?

Being a brand that’s really relevant in culture is really important to us. We want to be in the cultural zeitgeist and show up in fun ways and unexpected ways. We’ve had Boyz II Men come back and sing our famous Baby Back Ribs jingle. We’ve done NASCAR partnerships where we created a country music video. We’ve done video games, talking about our burgers, all the way through making a mini movie with Lifetime to celebrate National Margarita Day. We want to continue to find unexpected ways to show up and be a brand in culture.

Can you talk about your approach to product innovation?  

We’ve got a great team that’s really focused on really looking at all aspects of our menu, whether that’s our core categories like burgers and chicken crispers and fajitas and margaritas or appetizers or desserts. They’re constantly looking at trends that could fit our brand, looking at ways we can make our food better and also improve the consistency in which our team members can make that food and deliver it to our guests. Our innovation team partners very closely with our culinary team to spot trends. Sometimes that’s a small tweak to an existing menu item, and sometimes it’s an entirely new item.  

How do you think about loyalty?

Loyalty has evolved over the last few years. We used to look at loyalty as offering a lot of discounts out to loyalty members. We have really moved away from that. We’re not really discount focused. We’re now more hospitality focused. The best way to get people to come back is to deliver a great experience. Our My Chili’s Rewards program offers free chips and salsa on every visit. Our fans love those, so it is a great benefit. We really want to make sure we’re engaging with our loyalty members in a way that highlights the things they love about the brand and something new that we think they should try.

Can you share how you are embracing social food trends?

We have a great social media team that really keeps their finger on the pulse of what’s going on across channels. You’ve got to be very relevant. They do a great job of bringing the Chili’s tone of voice to life in a way that is very specific to the platform they’re on. Whether you’re on Instagram or X or TikTok, you need to be very cognizant of how people interact and want to interact on those platforms. We’ve seen a huge interest in our food on TikTok over the last year, particularly our triple dipper. There’s over 200 million videos eating our fried mozzarella and doing these things called cheese pulls, which is trying to see how far they can stretch the fried mozzarella. That item isn’t a new item, but it really resonates with a younger Gen Z audience. 

Can you talk about how these experiences have helped shape how you’re approaching this role?

I’ve had the pleasure of working on a few really great brands and a common thread through a lot of the brands I’ve worked on are that they are heritage brands that have great, great histories. I’ve worked on Old Spice, KFC, Pizza Hut. These are brands that are iconic American brands that at different points in their histories had really high points and then maybe lost some relevance at a certain point. I’ve learned approaches to those brands and applied it to this role at Chili’s. The idea of really understanding the DNA of a brand and really establishing the brand positioning. 

With a brand like Chili’s or Old Spice or KFC or Pizza Hut, you have this wealth of history to draw on. We call this exercise digging through the attic to really understand what this brand is about. What are the things that when this brand is at its best? What did it stand for? What are all those artifacts or stories or distinctive assets that make this brand iconic? Once you understand that, then my job as a marketer is to take those things and make them relevant in 2025.

How are you thinking about AI?

AI can streamline processes and make things easier. We’re always looking for ways to make our team members’ lives easier so they can focus on just delivering great hospitality to our guests. When we think about AI, it’s really thinking about are there things that AI can do that can help take friction out of processes so we can free up time to focus on our guests. From a marketing standpoint, we are not really looking at inserting AI into the creative process in a big way or anything like that. 

The post CMO of the Week: Chili’s George Felix appeared first on Brand Innovators.

She sees her job as a translator and storyteller between the language of consumers in culture and the data at hand.

“Sometimes, when you work in a big agency, you get so trapped in your project that you’re a bit far from the consumer,” says Brinbaum. “What’s so cool is that in my role I can help people internally connect with real people’s lives. This is what really unites us at Nestlé.”

Nestlé aims to better serve families. From when she wakes up in the morning, she is tuned into the family experience through lifestyle and culture. “Everything is about consumer culture,” says Brinbaum. “Our job is really anchored into the daily life of people. And every day you get some better ideas on how to connect to consumers with the data, digital transformation, you understand.”

Brinbaum loves diving into the data, which helps her better understand their wants and needs. “We are all living longer. We want healthy longevity. Our 10 year olds today will probably live until 120 years old. How do you age in a healthy way? This is something that’s top of mind of our consumers today and even more so in the next generation.”

Brand Innovators caught up with Brinbaum from her office in Vevey, Switzerland to discuss brands in culture, sustainability and TikTok. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Can you talk about how you’re taking this consumer demand and turning it into the stories that you’re telling to consumers?

We know more or less what are the demand moments and consumer occasions of people. What is important for us and what we are obsessed with, because this is really what Nestlé excels at, is understanding what are the jobs to be done.

For instance, one pain point we have observed is that people  don’t have time to prepare a wholesome meal. So then we will think of ways to help consumers to prepare the meal. We know 80 percent of people in Europe have a fiber gap. Even if we eat vegetables, fruits, because today the fiber that we eat is not exactly the same density as our parent’s generation. How can we solve the pain point that consumers know which is “I don’t have time”. But also solve the one that they don’t know and uncover that. You probably don’t know that most of the time you don’t eat enough fiber and fiber protects your immune system.

This is a bit the way we turn what we know about consumers, what their pain points are into stories, because we would then ideate some products and ranges that go beyond just solving the pain points they know, but serving them better in their lives.

Can you talk about how consumer demand is driving you to make more sustainable choices for your brands?

 Regenerative agriculture is at the center. It is so important to protect agricultural practices and the health of the soil, because if there is health in the soil, then farmers are more likely to increase their productivity. Sometimes, it’s very far away from consumers. Cocoa and coffee are grown in faraway countries. It’s important to make sure that we don’t only practice regenerative agriculture awareness and training but that we work closely with partner farmers to tell their stories.

These practices are key for the climate and for the social welfare of those farmers. We started to create stories to explain why it’s important to build resilience in our supply chains and at the same time increase farmers’ livelihoods. 

At Nestlé, 20- 25 percent of everything we buy as raw ingredients comes from regenerative agriculture. We have been working for decades with farmers because it takes some time to regenerate the soil and convince farmers of the benefits of the new practices.

For Nespresso, we have been partnering with more than 150,000 families of farmers and 90 percent of the families started with us 20 years ago. After a few years, they see consistently that there are better crops.

Can you talk about your approach to product innovation, such as KitKat tablets and Nescafé Concentrate? How do these innovations help you reach younger consumers?

The habits of consumers are really evolving. On the indulgence side, we see that small treats are an important part of the daily life of consumers. KitKat is social. Many people share KitKat. They will keep two fingers for themselves and give two fingers to someone else. We saw this usage but we thought at home it would be better to have more. That’s where the KitKat tablet idea came from. There is a limitation if you’re with friends or family after work or watching a Netflix series. We thought the tablet could be a moment of indulgence when you are socializing around the same moment. It’s about sharing the pleasure.

On the coffee concentrate front, we discovered that people in Europe are now drinking cold all year long. It’s not just something for the summertime and it’s especially the new generation. They start drinking coffee without foam with brands like Starbucks that educated them to drink coffee this way. With Nescafé Espresso Concentrate, there is a pain point that we are trying to address – to have a delicious iced coffee in a super convenient way, without needing to put the ice on each time and no need for special equipment.

With this format, you can really at any time for yourself, or if you’re socializing, from the morning to the evening, leverage it. We have a lot of recipes here, we tried it as mocktails, with lemonade, we tried it with fruits. There is this huge trend on TikTok, that was about espresso orange juice mix. Initially I was skeptical, but it’s delicious. The beauty with this product is that it’s also something you can mix with vegan milk. We also provide recipes in order to suggest versatility for our consumers. We try to adapt and serve consumers better in their new ways of consuming. They want more flexibility, more personalization, more sharing and more socializing.

Are you tapping into these social moments when you’re bringing new products to market?

Our goal from now to 2030 is really to turn our biggest, iconic brands into culture brands. This is the motto we have internally in Zone Europe. I hope you’re going to see that when we launch Nescafé Espresso Concentrate. We will partner with someone that actually is really core to the culture of the social network and social media and that’s just the start. TikTok is the place where most of the food conversations happen, and we’re not present enough. There is a role that we need to play, because there is also lots of nutrition advice given by people that don’t have the expertise we have, that can be misleading and cause confusion.

We hear from our consumers that it’s really confusing. There is a bigger role for us to play in this education.

How are you telling the stories of innovation and sustainability through your marketing?

For example, for cocoa, we have the Cocoa Plan that is based on the work we do with farmers to help sustain the cocoa sourcing for the future. With climate change, it has become extremely challenging and most of the children in farming families doubt if they should take the farm. With storms and climate events, they are really uncertain of whether it’s the right thing to do.

This is why we work with farmers and suppliers and also partner with some NGOs, such as the Rainforest Alliance, to make sure we have the right people and practices on the ground, helping us understand how we can have a better impact. Most of the Nestlé products have an explanation on pack on our sustainability programs. Internally, we call this good packaging practices, so you can understand what’s behind a  specific Nestlé product or brand. Beyond that, we have campaigns that go further to build connections with the consumers.

How are you using AI in marketing at Nestlé?

We use AI in the supply chain to help us manage the warehouses and the lines. This is the AI consumers don’t see. The more efficient we are through AI, the better it is. It’s better also to avoid waste. Through AI, we know better how to replenish and reorder raw materials and avoid bad goods, which is true in our practices and especially for the planet.

When it comes to consumers, AI tools help us ideate and innovate better. We make sure that we learn from all the product comments we generate from consumers to improve future experiences.. When we innovate for a product, we have to get so much information manually or external partners to make sure that we learn from the past, and we innovate better in the future. [CA1] 

We hope that through AI, we’ll have a much more seamless way of integrating consumer feedback into delivering even better products and experiences in the future. What we don’t consider at the moment is to use generative AI in advertisements. We see AI as a tool to deliver even a better product, better services, in a better way for the planet.

How have your past experiences at brands like Coty, P&G and L’Oreal helped shape your perspective in your current role?

I’ve spent 20 years in marketing and have learned that the boss is always the consumer, whether it’s in fashion, whether it’s in beauty. When Gucci changed the positioning from chic to radical inclusivity with the arrival of Alessandro Michele it was really anchored into consumer culture. People were asking for more diversity, inclusion, but also daring. This goes back to the core of what Gucci stands for, which is this opulent and daring side.

At Pampers, the proposal at the time, was about helping a baby to have a healthier life and development. As parents you want to give the best, but you don’t really know where to start with so much advice you’re bombarded with. You want to have brands you can trust.

How do you make sure that you’re anchored to help consumers with their deepest vulnerability? And how do you make sure that you’re consistent? You really need to be very humble because you serve the consumers. You’re not a superstar superhero. You’re just trying to give the best legacy to your successor. I’m the most proud when I see programs or campaigns that are still in place years after I left the brand, because it means the brand was well served.

The post CMO of the Week: Nestlé Europe’s Melanie appeared first on Brand Innovators.