Podcasts about Typeface

A CMO Confidential Interview with Drew Pinto, EVP and Chief Revenue and Technology Officer of Marriott International. Drew discusses the concept that architecture and data should be viewed as a means to an end, methods for assessing legacy systems, and why tech is critical to customer experience.Key topics include: - Why he believes in "built to change”- Ways to assess your data- Why marketers shouldn't get "enamored by solutions- The idea of "buying commodities" vs. building everything yourselfTune in to hear a discussion about "data puddles," and why marketers should take their tech partners to dinner.⏱️ Chapters1:12 - Introduction and Guest Welcome2:32 -Defining Data Architecture5:00 - Evaluating Legacy Systems12:51 - Sponsor Message: Typeface ARC Agents13:55 - Built to Change vs. Built to Last17:15 - Tech Sourcing: Build vs. Buy21:11 - Customer Experience and Data Management27:54 - Common Mistakes and Advice for Marketers30:44 - Closing Remarks and Final ThoughtsThis episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmo. Subscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives.#CMOConfidential, #MarketingLeadership, #BrandStrategy, #CorporateActivism, #MarketingStrategy, #CMO, #AIinMarketing, #ExecutiveLeadership, #BrandReputation, #ConsumerTrust, #DigitalMarketing, #MarketingInsights, #ThoughtLeadership, #BusinessStrategy, #CustomerCentricSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Typography is often treated as a detail — the thing you finalize after the real design decisions are made. But for our next guest, it's closer to the foundation everything else rests on. He's spent two decades in editorial design at some of the most iconic American magazines — Men's Health, Esquire, Popular Science, Entertainment Weekly — and he's now the Creative Director of Fast Company, where he recently led a redesign that does something pretty unusual: the magazine gets a completely new typeface every single issue. His name is Mike Schnaidt. This is a preview of a premium episode. Visit our Substack to listen to the entire interview: https://designbetterpodcast.com/p/mike-schnaidt Mike's also a professor, a runner, and the author of Creative Endurance — a book that maps the principles of physical and mental endurance onto the creative life. It's built around 56 rules for sustaining a career in design, drawn from interviews with ultra-marathoners, astronauts, and designers who've pushed way past the limits most people set for themselves. And as you'll hear, he's already working on book two. We chat about the nuts and bolts of typography (utilitarian vs. expressive, food metaphors, Fast Company's per-issue typeface system) to the philosophy underneath it all (design as service, authorship, hospitality). We dig into his book Creative Endurance — 56 rules for sustaining a creative career drawn from athletes, astronauts, and designers — and his counterintuitive take on burnout: the cure isn't rest, it's picking up something creatively different. Bio Mike Schnaidt is the creative director of Fast Company. He's also the host of the Webby-awarded video series It's All in the Typeface, a professor of illustration at the School of Visual Arts, and the former president of the Society of Publication Designers. One of the coolest moments in his life was when Paula Scher said his first book, Creative Endurance, was “beautifully designed.” His second book arrives in 2028. *** Premium Episodes on Design Better This is a premium episode on Design Better. We release two premium episodes per month, along with two free episodes for everyone. New premium subscriber benefit: we've launched a private Slack workspace…join now to connect with designers, product leaders & creative practitioners in our community. And get a behind-the-scenes pass to every episode with The Roundup, where each week we bring you insights and actionable tactics from recent episodes. Premium subscribers get access to the documentary Design Disruptors and our growing library of books. You'll also get access to our monthly AMAs with former guests, ad-free episodes, discounts and early access to workshops, and our monthly newsletter The Brief that compiles salient insights, quotes, readings, and creative processes uncovered in the show. And subscribers at the annual level now get access to the Design Better Toolkit, which gets you major discounts and free access to tools and courses that will help you unlock new skills, make your workflow more efficient, and take your creativity further. Upgrade to paid Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A CMO Confidential Interview with Dr. David Bray, Distinguished Fellow and Chair of the Accelerator with the Alfred Lee Loomis Innovation Council and bipartisan advisor on cyber, space, AI as well as countering terrorism, inauthentic information campaigns, and bioterrorism. David shares thoughts on why geopolitics have become so important so quickly, the universal breakdown in trust, how anxiety fuels anger, which fuels grievance, and how business leaders might adjust to all of this.Key topics include: - Why geopolitical and tech issues should be added to the "risk management committee"- The need for contingency planning and directional decision-making - How anyone is now the equivalent of a 1970's cold war spy- Why "getting better at discernment" is critical. Tune in to hear about "responsible heretics" and how a high school science project resulted in a South American assignment for a 17-year old.⏱️ Chapters1:12: Introducing Dr. David Bray1:39: Why Business Leaders Should Care About Geopolitics2:33: Mapping the Ripple Effects of Technological Revolutions4:47: Historical Context: 1890s Polarization and Yellow Journalism7:01: Societal Anxiety, Governance, and the Path to Anarchy9:10: Impact on Global Supply Chains and Geopolitical Uncertainty12:25: The Complexity of Microprocessors and Hardware Risks14:10: Upgrading the Board: Risk Management for Tech and Geopolitics16:21: Pressures on the C-Suite and Decision-Making with Incomplete Information18:06: Marketing in a Volatile Landscape: Early Signal Networks20:07: The Role of the “Responsible Heretic” in Avoiding Groupthink23:29: Managing Super-Empowered Employees and Information Capabilities25:16: Disinformation Strategy: From Operation Denver to Modern Bots27:56: Balancing Principles, Ethics, and Global Competitiveness29:07: Preparing for the Future: Data Reassessment and the Art of Discernment31:43: Strategic Headspace: Establishing Pivot Options33:11: Predictions for 2026: AI Pushback and Conflict De-escalation34:03: Funniest Story: The South American Science Fair Mosh Pit35:51: Practical Advice: Leadership vs. Management Expectations36:07: Final Takeaways and Closing RemarksThis episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmo. Subscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives.#CMOConfidential, #MarketingLeadership, #BrandStrategy, #CorporateActivism, #MarketingStrategy, #CMO, #AIinMarketing, #ExecutiveLeadership, #BrandReputation, #ConsumerTrust, #DigitalMarketing, #MarketingInsights, #ThoughtLeadership, #BusinessStrategy, #CustomerCentricSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A CMO Confidential Interview with Joe Gagliese, Co-Founder and CEO at Viral Nation, a full-service digital and social agency. Joe discusses the concept of social as "the people's media," details why he believes "discovery begins with social" and outlines how brands might think about becoming "social centered." Key topics include:Why social has become a prerequisite for certain categoriesQuestions to ask your social agencyWhy measurement is still a bit of an Achilles heelHow to think of social as a living organism which works in concert with the rest of your marketingTune in to hear why social is so important for autos and thoughts on reading Marcus Aurelius.⏱️ Chapters01:12 - Introduction to CMO Confidential01:42 - Introducing Joe Gagliese02:46 - Defining "Social First"05:40 - Social Strategy as a Behavioral System08:03 - The Prerequisite of Radical Transparency12:11 - Transitioning to a Social-First Organization15:03 - Maintaining Authenticity with Creators17:33 - Steps to Develop a Social-First Strategy20:20 - Determining Brand Readiness22:01 - Measuring Social Performance and Conversion25:18 - Five Questions to Ask Social Agencies28:28 - Common Mistakes in Social Marketing30:10 - Practical Advice and Closing RemarksThis episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmo.Subscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives.#CMOConfidential, #MarketingLeadership, #BrandStrategy, #CorporateActivism, #MarketingStrategy, #CMO, #AIinMarketing, #ExecutiveLeadership, #BrandReputation, #ConsumerTrust, #DigitalMarketing, #MarketingInsights, #ThoughtLeadership, #BusinessStrategy, #CustomerCentricSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episode 395. James B and Eddie discuss Spider-man's interaction with aliens and Sandman watching soap operas.  Plus three a three-book blast from the past with Gwen Stacy and Miles Warren and Master Planner.  Listen to an episode with no Buffy references, no clone references and no attempts to find MJ by Peter. Sponsored by Master Planner. Theme Music by Jeff Kenniston.  This Episode Edited by James B using Audacity and Cleanfeed.  Summaries written by James B and Eddie and Typeface's boss.  Most Sound effects and music generously provided royalty free by www.fesliyanstudios.com and https://www.zapsplat.com/  Check out all the episodes on letsreadspiderman.podbean.com or wherever you get your podcasts. Check out our live meetup and Discord Channel here https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_mW6htjJUHOzlViEvPQqR-k68tClMGAi85Bi_xrlV7w/edit  

Send us Fan MailMeet emerging typeface designers, Juliette Bifolchi and Jasmin Gulati! Juliette designed a typeface called Road Block and Jasmin designed a typeface called Invertia. In the following conversation, you'll get to hear about each typeface. You'll also hear their perfect type pairings, sensory descriptions of each (sight, smell, touch, sound and even taste), as well as what was easy and difficult about the process. Let the type geekery begin!  Let's Connect on the web or via Instagram. :)

Send us Fan MailThis week's enterprise software announcements highlight how rapidly the market is evolving toward agentic architectures, semantic intelligence, and AI-driven operational orchestration. Anthropic expanded MCP with a framework designed for full-stack agentic applications, reinforcing the industry's push toward composable AI ecosystems. Meanwhile, Hubbl Technologies raised funding to position itself as an intelligence layer for the Salesforce agentic environment, while Salesforce continued broadening its AI footprint through Agentforce for Communications. Sage enhanced the Sage Intacct Suite with new capabilities focused on finance operations, and Sinch introduced a collection of AI agent features targeting customer engagement workflows. On the operational side, Typeface unveiled a marketing orchestration engine, while Blue Yonder announced new AI agents and mobile applications aimed at supply chain execution and workforce enablement. At the same time, Zendesk moved deeper into AI-powered customer support through its acquisition of Forethought, and Actian launched an AI analyst designed to transform business glossaries into a live semantic layer, signaling the growing importance of governed enterprise context for AI-native operations.In today's episode, we invited a panel of industry analysts for a live discussion on LinkedIn to analyze current enterprise software stories. We covered many grounds, including the direction and roadmaps of each enterprise software vendor. Finally, we analyzed future trends and how they might shape the enterprise software industry.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCxtpqQ_vIwQuestions for Panelists?

A CMO Confidential Interview with Mike Kaput, the Chief Content Officer at SmarterX and Marketing AI Institute and co-host of "The Artificial Intelligence Show."Mike shares research across 2000 companies regarding AI adoption and highlights the gap between what companies say they are doing and what is happening, the fact that only 25% of companies have achieved "scaling" status, and how larger companies can be slowed by complexity.Key topics include:- Why training and education represent the biggest obstacle to progress- Why you should measure "tool usage"- Why job clarity is important for agents.Tune in to hear about rising AI pessimism and building yourself a "second brain." This episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmoSubscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives.⏱️ Chapters01:12 – Intro: Meet Mike Kaput & AI topic overview02:37 – State of AI report: how the data was gathered05:53 – Key insight: people vs organizations gap06:43 – What scaling AI actually looks like08:06 – Pilot phase reality across companies10:11 – AI hype vs real adoption13:02 – The “say vs do” gap in execution14:15 – AI literacy is the #1 barrier16:13 – How to assess AI maturity (individual & company)20:06 – Biggest mistake: tools without training23:20 – AI agents, risks, and what's next#AI #ArtificialIntelligence #AIMarketing #AIBusiness #GenerativeAI #AIAgents #MarketingAI #DigitalTransformation #AIAdoption #AITrends #FutureOfWork #Automation #MarketingStrategy #EnterpriseAI #AIWorkflows #AIEducation #AProductivity #AIInnovationSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Send us Fan MailToday's conversation is with Sara Soskolne, Executive Creative Director at Monotype, sharing her 20-year history of working on one of the world's most recognizable typefaces: Gotham.In this conversation, Sara shares her recent contributions to Gotham, working directly with the Obama Foundation for the opening of the Barack Obama Presidential Centre in Chicago. She gets delightfully technical about Gotham's letterforms, pulling back the curtain on the decisions made in the expansion of this iconic type family, including for the brand new Gotham variable font. Sara talks about how success is measured in a big project like this and how she knows when the work is done. Finally, Sara shares her advice about what current and future type designers can do to stay on top of the changing landscape. This episode was recorded as part of a guest lecture series in GCM 806 - Advanced Typography in Winter 2026 at The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University. Let's Connect on the web or via Instagram. :)

This week on CMO Confidential, we're revisiting our conversation with Tom Goodwin from August of 2025 - this is one of our favorites with topics just as relevant to marketers today. Tom discusses his belief that today's CMO's are overly focused on efficiency versus marketing principles and that the contemporary playbook has been created by tech companies focused on performance metrics. Key topics include: -An unhealthy focus on the speed of measurement and short-term results-Marketers having a "feeling of vulnerability" if they haven't heard of new tech-The fact that many of the hyped direct-to-consumer brands like Casper and Ridge Wallets aren't actually doing that well Tune in to hear the underestimated impact of "beauty" and a story about being locked out of a self-driving car. This episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmoSubscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives. ⏱️ Chapters00:00 – Intro: Meet Tom Goodwin02:28 – Would 1950s Marketers Beat Today's CMOs?05:41 – Is Marketing Actually More Complex Today?09:15 – Fundamentals vs Growth Hacking & Performance Tactics11:05 – DTC vs Traditional Brands: What Actually Works15:13 – Short-Term Metrics, AI Hype & Tech Overload28:36 – Dark Social, Hidden Influence & What Data Misses34:21 – Predictions, AI Reality & The Power of Simplicity #MarketingStrategy, #CMOConfidential, #TomGoodwin, #BrandMarketing, #DigitalMarketing, #PerformanceMarketing, #MarketingFundamentals, #GrowthMarketing, #Advertising, #MarketingTrends, #AIinMarketing, #FutureOfMarketing, #CreativeStrategy, #CannesLions, #AdTech, #BrandBuilding, #ConsumerBehavior, #DirectToConsumer, #MarketingLeadership, #MarketingInsightsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A CMO Confidential Interview with Kim Whitler, professor at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, board member and former GM and CMO. Kim shares recent research which details why the largest and best companies often get dragged into conflicts they can't win, the three main forces of pressure and how they affect different management levels, and tips on picking the right company for you.Key discussion topics include:- The only stance agreed on by 100% of consumers- How to think about non-divisive activism (e.g. Dove's Real Beauty Campaign)- The danger of in-group biasTune in to hear why "You don't have to get engaged," and tips for getting an unbiased view.⏱️ Chapters01:12 Introducing Kim Whitler01:39 Why Corporate Activism Creates Business Risk02:51 Inside the “Executive Flip-Flop” Study04:11 Mapping the 3 Sources of Pressure on Leaders06:01 Internal vs External Pressure Dynamics11:19 The “Pressure Meter” Framework Explained12:33 Key Insight: Pressure Varies by Level (C-Suite vs Managers)14:18 The Myth of “You Must Take a Stand”17:09 Flawed Research Driving Activism Decisions21:19 When Brand Activism Works vs Backfires27:04 Choosing the Right Company as a Marketer31:06 AI Bias, Media Influence & Finding Truth38:11 Practical Advice: Avoiding In-Group Bias in Leadership43:25 Final Takeaways for MarketersThis episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmo Subscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives.#CMOConfidential, #MarketingLeadership, #BrandStrategy, #CorporateActivism, #MarketingStrategy, #CMO, #AIinMarketing, #ExecutiveLeadership, #BrandReputation, #ConsumerTrust, #DigitalMarketing, #MarketingInsights, #ThoughtLeadership, #BusinessStrategy, #CustomerCentricSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A CMO Confidential Interview with Jean English, CMO of CoreWeave, formerly the CMO of Juniper Networks, Armis, Palo Alto Networks and NetApp. Jean discusses the dynamics driving the voracious demand for computing power, why cloud infrastructure matters so much, and the ongoing AI shift from training to inference. Key topics include: - How models are leapfrogging each other at speed- The importance of B2B brands at a time when decisions are often made by teams of people- Why marketing is a great use case for AI- Creative uses for hackathonsTune in to hear why "80% right" is okay and a story about using AI for parenting advice. This episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmoSubscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives.⏱️ Chapters01:31 Guest Intro: Jean English (CMO, CoreWeave) 02:39 What CoreWeave Does (AI Cloud Explained) 04:20 AI Hype vs Reality 07:05 The AI Market & Competitive Landscape 09:40 Building an AI Brand 11:00 Buying Groups & Enterprise Complexity 13:01 Measuring AI Infrastructure Performance 15:32 Why Brand Matters in AI 18:11 IPO, Growth & Market Expansion 20:34 AI's Impact on Marketing Teams 24:32 Infrastructure, Scale & Future Demand 28:26 Final Advice for Marketers + Closing#AI #ArtificialIntelligence #CMO #MarketingLeadership #B2BMarketing #AIMarketing #GenerativeAI #AIInfrastructure #CloudComputing #DigitalTransformation #MarketingStrategy #FutureOfWork #AITrends #TechLeadership #BrandStrategy #EnterpriseAI #Innovation #MarketingAI #Leadership #ContentAtScaleSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Send us Fan MailRecent announcements across the enterprise software ecosystem highlight a clear pivot toward agentic AI, ecosystem orchestration, and embedded intelligence within core business platforms. Salesforce is advancing this shift with MuleSoft Agent Fabric, enabling automated agent discovery, while ServiceNow is doubling down through expanded partnerships with OpenAI and Anthropic to operationalize AI agents in mission-critical workflows. Strategic collaborations such as Cognizant partnering with Typeface and Uniphore further reinforce the growing importance of composable AI ecosystems. Meanwhile, application-layer innovation is accelerating, with Simpro Group expanding its AI-first platform via acquisition, Klaviyo integrating with ChatGPT, and Unanet and Aptean introducing automation and routing capabilities tailored to vertical use cases. At the same time, data and demand-generation players like Intentsify and Incubeta are embedding agentic capabilities into their offerings, collectively signaling a broader transformation: enterprise platforms are rapidly evolving into interconnected, AI-native environments where intelligent agents, data, and workflows operate as a unified system rather than siloed functions.In today's episode, we invited a panel of industry analysts for a live discussion on LinkedIn to analyze current enterprise software stories. We covered many grounds, including the direction and roadmaps of each enterprise software vendor. Finally, we analyzed future trends and how they might shape the enterprise software industry.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_TyTBrq0ccQuestions for Panelists?

A CMO Confidential Interview with Joe Perello, the founder of PROPS, a creator marketing technology platform, formerly the first CMO of New York City under Michael Bloomberg.Joe shares his take on why consumer brand trust is declining, how viewers can be both distracted and disciplined, and why AI agents can be more trusted than brands.Key topics include: - The difference between influencers, celebrities and creators- A restaurant analogy designed to help marketers think through their line-up of choices- Some methods to gauge and measure authenticity.Tune in to hear a case study on Patagonia and a fantastic story about a giant popsicle in Union Square.This episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmo Subscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives. ⏱️ Chapters01:30 Meet Joe Perello & Today's Topic: The Credibility Challenge02:26 Making Content Is Easy, Earning Trust Is Hard03:55 Why Credibility Doesn't Scale05:23 Are Consumers Distracted or Disciplined?06:03 Trust in B2B vs B2C Marketing07:09 The Long Decline of Trust in Brands & Institutions08:08 Is There Still a Trust Reservoir?09:30 Do Consumers Trust AI More Than Brands?10:39 Optimizer vs Persuader: Why It Matters11:00 Break: Typeface Marketing Orchestration12:20 Did AI Cause the Trust Crisis or Amplify It?14:07 Why AI and Creators Feel More “Objective”15:02 Creator vs Influencer vs Celebrity Marketing17:29 The Restaurant Analogy Explained19:33 Real Creator Example: AAA & Road‑Trip Storytelling21:25 When Creators Become Influencers23:36 Authenticity Depends on the Story You Ask Them to Tell25:03 Do Consumers Understand These Distinctions?26:50 How Brands Should Use Celebrities, Influencers & Creators28:50 What's Easiest to Measure and Why CFOs Care31:38 Patagonia: A Gold Standard for Creator‑Led Trust33:22 Content First, Brand Second = Trust34:21 Can You Measure Trust? Proxies That Matter36:37 Storytime: The 50‑Foot Snapple Popsicle Fail41:11 Final Thoughts & Where to Find More Episodes #CMOConfidential, #MarketingLeadership, #BrandTrust, #CreatorMarketing, #InfluencerMarketing, #AuthenticityInMarketing, #AIandMarketing, #MarketingStrategy, #BrandCredibility,, #ModernMarketing, #B2BMarketing, #B2CMarketing, #ContentStrategy, #TrustEconomy, #MediaAndMarketingSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A CMO Confidential Interview with Rishad Tobaccowala, former Publicis Groupe Strategy & Growth Officer, speaker, podcast host of "What's Next," and author.Rishad discusses why marketing will thrive in an AI world, the reason all companies should systematically re-evaluate their business starting with a blank sheet of paper, and why the future will be determined by those over 65. Key topics include: - Why AI will obliterate marketing silos- The concept of managing humans, aliens and replicants- Why he's an optimist - The case for investigating if you are building a brand or executing optimization math. Tune in to hear about the concept of unbossing and a fabulous shipping container analogy. This episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmoSubscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives.⏱️ Chapters01:22 Meet Rishad Tobaccowala02:27 The Marketing Industry Is Being Rewritten by AI03:00 Why Silos (Ads, CRM, Sales) Are Breaking Down06:26 What Marketing Really Means Today08:00 Humans, AI, and Agents in the Workforce13:31 Efficiency Isn't the Disruption—Business Models Are18:00 AI as a New Brain, Not a Tool27:00 Why People Over 65 Will Shape the Future31:00 Five Hard Truths Every Leader Must Face35:29 A Bold Prediction for Agencies by 202638:00 Final Advice: Lead with Optimism, Not Fear#CMOConfidential, #RishadTobaccowala, #MarketingLeadership, #FutureOfMarketing, #ArtificialIntelligence, #AgenticAI, #AIInMarketing, #BusinessTransformation, #DigitalStrategy, #MarketingStrategy, #BrandBuilding, #FutureOfWork, #WorkforceTransformation, #Leadership, #CMO, #EnterpriseAI, #ContentOrchestration, #MarketingInnovation, #CustomerCentricity, #MediaIndustrySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"The Unit Economics of AI - Can Large Language Models (LLMs) Actually Make Money?"A CMO Confidential Interview with Dr. Dan McCarthy, Professor at Maryland and leading practitioner of Customer Lifetime Value (CLV). Dan shares how the CLV lens can shed light on the LLM drive to acquire customers, spend billions to improve the models, ultimately pay back investors and the potential implications on both marketers and consumers. Key topics include: - Why Gemini has a built in pricing advantage which forces all freemium offerings to be very good- Why all companies should have a “diversity of providers”- The rationale for constantly evaluating each model- Why “AI foundational knowledge” is key to generating success from both employees and students. Tune in to hear about the "customer barbell" and why you should “talk to your phone.”This episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmoSubscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives.#AIEconomics #CustomerLifetimeValue #CLV #GenerativeAI #AIBusinessModels #OpenAIEconomics #ChatGPTMonetization #AIValuation #AIUnitEconomics #InferenceCosts #AITrainingCosts #FreemiumModels #SubscriptionEconomics #SaaSProfitability #MarketingStrategy #CMOInsights #MarketingLeadership #AIForMarketers #EnterpriseAI #AIRetention #AICustomerAcquisition #LargeLanguageModels #LLMEconomics #AIAdvertising #AIRandD #FutureOfAIBusinessSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

And are B2B and B2C really as different as we like to pretend they are? AI is moving at breakneck speed, but what actually stays the same when everything around marketing is changing? In this episode, Lindsay sits down with Jason Ing, CMO at Typeface, to talk about curiosity in the AI era, why identity plays a bigger role in business buying than most people realize, and the timeless marketing principles that still matter no matter how advanced the technology becomes. From classic brand lessons learned at P&G to the evolving role of AI as a true teammate, Jason shares a thoughtful, grounded perspective on what great marketers should focus on right now. You'll hear them discuss: Why curiosity and a “childlike wonder” mindset are helping leaders navigate the massive shift happening with AI How AI is evolving from a tool or assistant into a true teammate that can orchestrate work across systems Why the fundamentals of marketing - understanding people, emotions, and motivations - still matter in both B2B and B2C How identity and psychology influence buying decisions, from diapers and cars to cloud platforms and martech stacks Why being top of mind is one of the most powerful advantages a brand can have when customers are ready to buy How strong marketers meet customers at the right moments in their buying journey instead of trying to be everything to everyone Why customer obsession remains the most important marketing principle, even as technology and AI capabilities continue to evolve Resources: Jason Ing on LinkedIn | Typeface | Marketing Orchestration Engine Lindsay Pedersen - Contact me to tell me who you'd like to hear as a guest! | Connect with me on LinkedIn

A CMO Confidential Interview with Shiv Singh, CEO of Savvy Matters, Co-Founder of AI Trailblazers, former CMO of Lending Tree, and author of Marketing with AI for Dummies. Shiv discusses how to operate in an environment where "We have no idea about what is coming," how managing humans and AI agents impacts leadership, and why he believes marketers will need to make fewer, harder decisions. Key topics include: why losing isn't fatal, but forgetting is; the risk of thinking human beings are special; and the concept of "invisible failure." Tune in to hear why you should rewrite your job description and become a "wartime" leader.Topics Covered:- Where Is AI Taking Marketing?- Leadership in a Human + AI Workforce- Fewer, Harder Strategic Bets for CMOs- AI's Impact on Creativity and Marketing Processes- Context Graphs, Memory, and the Future of Marketing OperationsThis episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmo Subscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives.⏱️ Chapters00:00 – Welcome to CMO Confidential01:38 – Meet Shiv Singh02:35 – Where is AI Taking Marketing? The "Jagged Frontier" of AI06:10 – What Does Leadership Look Like Managing Humans + AI Agents09:35 – Making Fewer, Harder Strategic Bets10:50 – Budget Pressure, Boards, and AI Expectations14:43 – Invisible Failure in AI Adoption17:26 – AI and the Future of Creativity21:26 – Governance, Consumer Acceptance, and AI Bias26:05 – The End of the Marketing Brief27:40 – Who Remembers Wins: Context Graphs Explained31:47 – Building a Marketing Context Layer35:30 – What Marketers Should Be Doing Now37:38 – Anthropic vs. Government: AI Ethics & Risk42:38 – Predictions Through 202645:04 – The Changing Definition of a Marketer45:50 – Funniest Story and Practical Advice#AIMarketing #MarketingLeadership #CMOConfidential #ShivSingh #GenerativeAI #FutureOfMarketing #AIStrategy #CreativeAI #MarketingTransformation #EnterpriseAISee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on CMO Confidential, we're revisiting our conversation with Peri Hansen from July of 2025 - this is one of our favorites with topics just as relevant to marketers today. Peri discusses why the CMO position is becoming the vanguard of innovation, the importance of an "agile learner" mindset, and why there's no substitute for great leadership. Key topics include: how nothing "returned to normal" after COVID; the importance of org design; and why CMO's should own the entire customer life cycle and help drive company strategy. Tune in to hear why references matter more than ever and the importance of building a personal brand. Topics Covered: • Why CMOs are being tapped to drive innovation and transformation • The post-COVID shift in org design and what it means for marketing • The importance of leadership, agility, and continuous learning • Why great references still matter in the hiring process • How CMOs can (and should) influence company-wide strategy This episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmo Subscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives.⏱️ Chapters01:20 – Intro: The Evolving Role of the CMO01:46 – Meet Peri Hansen: Korn Ferry CMO Practice Leader02:39 – Why the CMO is Now the Vanguard of Innovation05:53 – Three New Mandates for CMOs: Tech, Strategy & Lifecycle07:05 – The CMO as a Change Agent and Team Builder09:51 – Tech CMOs Are Leading—Who's Catching Up?12:25 – Building Tech Credibility as a Marketing Leader14:18 – “Nothing Returned to Normal” After COVID14:51 – Post-COVID Turnover: What CEOs and Boards Want Now16:07 – What's Replacing the Traditional CMO Role?19:15 – Why Org Design Is a Top Priority in CMO Searches20:58 – How Companies Realize They Need Org Restructuring22:44 – The AI Era: Is There a Leadership Gap Forming?24:14 – What Agile Leadership Actually Looks Like25:51 – What Resumes Reveal: Pivot Points and Risk-Taking27:21 – Why References Matter More Than Ever29:09 – Final Advice: CMOs, Build Your Own Personal Brand30:53 – Wrap Up & Where to Find More CMO Confidential Content#CMOConfidential #PeriHansen @kornferryintl #ChiefMarketingOfficer #Leadership #OrgDesign #CustomerExperience #MarketingStrategy #PersonalBrand #ExecutiveSearch #CMOInsightsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Over 35 years, Tobias Frere-Jones has established himself as one of the world's leading typeface designers, creating some of the most widely used typefaces, including Interstate, Poynter Oldstyle, Whitney, Gotham, Surveyor, Tungsten and Retina.Tobias received a BFA in Graphic Design from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1992. He joined the faculty of the Yale University School of Art in 1996 and has lectured throughout the United States, Europe and Australia. His work is in the permanent collections of the Victoria & Albert Museum in London and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

What happens when your brand has a million different voices speaking to a million different customers? Is that the pinnacle of personalization, or is it just brand chaos?Agility requires both the speed to personalize content for every individual as well as the control to ensure every one of those interactions faithfully represents the core brand.Today, we're going to talk about resolving one of the biggest paradoxes in modern marketing: achieving hyper-personalization at massive scale, without sacrificing brand governance and consistency. We'll explore how generative AI is moving from a creative novelty to a core operational engine for enterprise marketing, enabling brands to craft unique stories for every customer, while ensuring they all sing from the same hymn sheet.To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Jason Ing, CMO at Typeface. About Jason Ing Jason Ing is the Chief Marketing Officer at Typeface, where he leads global marketing and drives the shift toward AI-powered content creation. Over the past two decades, he has built high-performing marketing teams and launched enduring, customer-obsessed campaigns at brands including Procter & Gamble, Xbox, Amazon Prime Video, AWS, and Gusto. Known for systematically scaling teams, programs, and go-to-market motions, Jason has a track record of delivering marketing strategies that not only drive impact in the moment but continue to perform years later. At Typeface, he helps modern marketers rewire how their teams work—so they can move faster, scale smarter, and unlock AI's full potential. Jason Ing on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ingjason/ Resources Typeface: https://www.typeface.ai The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow Catch the future of e-commerce at eTail Palm Springs, Feb 23-26 in Palm Springs, CA. Go here for more details: https://etailwest.wbresearch.com/ Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.showCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when your brand has a million different voices speaking to a million different customers? Is that the pinnacle of personalization, or is it just brand chaos? Agility requires both the speed to personalize content for every individual as well as the control to ensure every one of those interactions faithfully represents the core brand. Today, we're going to talk about resolving one of the biggest paradoxes in modern marketing: achieving hyper-personalization at massive scale, without sacrificing brand governance and consistency. We'll explore how generative AI is moving from a creative novelty to a core operational engine for enterprise marketing, enabling brands to craft unique stories for every customer, while ensuring they all sing from the same hymn sheet. To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Jason Ing, CMO at Typeface. About Jason Ing Jason Ing is the Chief Marketing Officer at Typeface, where he leads global marketing and drives the shift toward AI-powered content creation. Over the past two decades, he has built high-performing marketing teams and launched enduring, customer-obsessed campaigns at brands including Procter & Gamble, Xbox, Amazon Prime Video, AWS, and Gusto. Known for systematically scaling teams, programs, and go-to-market motions, Jason has a track record of delivering marketing strategies that not only drive impact in the moment but continue to perform years later. At Typeface, he helps modern marketers rewire how their teams work—so they can move faster, scale smarter, and unlock AI's full potential. Jason Ing on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ingjason/ Resources Typeface: https://www.typeface.ai The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow Catch the future of e-commerce at eTail Palm Springs, Feb 23-26 in Palm Springs, CA. Go here for more details: https://etailwest.wbresearch.com/ Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.showCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

This week, we discuss how Netflix is disrupting media, IBM's Confluent acquisition, and Anthropic buying Bun. Plus, an important discussion on fonts and typography. Watch the YouTube Live Recording of Episode (https://www.youtube.com/live/nNpiI00HPDg?si=s_G3zr_Z8yPvGNbB) 550 (https://www.youtube.com/live/nNpiI00HPDg?si=s_G3zr_Z8yPvGNbB) Runner-up Titles Blame the children I never liked that font No emojis, this is business time Mahalo You need a Chief Economist On the cutlery tray Rundown Rubio Deletes Calibri as the State Department's Official Typeface (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/09/us/politics/rubio-state-department-font.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share) Cartridge (https://www.fontspring.com/fonts/simplebits/cartridge) Source Code Pro (https://adobe-fonts.github.io/source-code-pro/) It's Official: Netflix to Acquire Warner Bros. in Deal Valued at $82.7 Billion (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/netflix-warner-bros-deal-hollywood-1236443081/) Confluent stock soars 29% as IBM announces $11 billion acquisition deal (https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/08/ibm-confluent-deal-data.html) Bun is joining Anthropic (https://bun.com/blog/bun-joins-anthropic?utm_source=changelog-news) Claude Code is coming to Slack, and that's a bigger deal than it sounds (https://techcrunch.com/2025/12/08/claude-code-is-coming-to-slack-and-thats-a-bigger-deal-than-it-sounds/) OpenAI enterprise usage study (https://cote.io/2025/12/10/highlights-from-that-openai-the.html). Relevant to your Interests Antigravity Is Google's New Agentic Development Platform (https://thenewstack.io/antigravity-is-googles-new-agentic-development-platform/) Amazon CTO Werner Vogels' Predictions for 2026 (https://thenewstack.io/amazon-cto-werner-vogels-predictions-for-2026/) ‘End-to-end encrypted' smart toilet camera is not actually end-to-end encrypted (https://techcrunch.com/2025/12/03/end-to-end-encrypted-smart-toilet-camera-is-not-actually-end-to-end-encrypted/) AWS AI IDE, AgentCore throw down gauntlets for Microsoft (https://www.techtarget.com/searchsoftwarequality/news/366635669/AWS-AI-IDE-AgentCore-throw-down-gauntlets-for-Microsoft) Admins and defenders gird themselves against maximum-severity server vuln (https://arstechnica.com/security/2025/12/admins-and-defenders-gird-themselves-against-maximum-severity-server-vulnerability/) Andy Jassy says Amazon's Nvidia competitor chip is already a multibillion-dollar business (https://techcrunch.com/2025/12/03/andy-jassy-says-amazons-nvidia-competitor-chip-is-already-a-multi-billion-dollar-business/) 52 things I learned in 2025 (https://medium.com/@tomwhitwell/52-things-i-learned-in-2025-edeca7e3fdd8) State of AI | OpenRouter (https://openrouter.ai/state-of-ai) Microsoft has a problem: nobody wants its poor AI products (https://www.windowscentral.com/artificial-intelligence/microsoft-has-a-problem-nobody-wants-to-buy-or-use-its-shoddy-ai) DHH & Open Source (https://ma.tt/2025/12/dhh-open-source/) Gruber: Apple employees 'giddy' about Alan Dye's departure - 9to5Mac (https://9to5mac.com/2025/12/04/gruber-apple-employees-giddy-about-alan-dyes-departure/) Apple announces (https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/04/apple-announces-departure-lisa-jackson-kate-adams.html) the (https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/04/apple-announces-departure-lisa-jackson-kate-adams.html) departure of general counsel and policy chief (https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/04/apple-announces-departure-lisa-jackson-kate-adams.html) Nonsense All of the Men's Clothing We Loved (and Didn't) From Costco's Kirkland Signature (https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/costco-kirkland-signature-menswear/) Conferences cfgmgmtcamp 2026 (https://cfgmgmtcamp.org/ghent2026/), February 2nd to 4th, Ghent, BE. Coté speaking and doing live SDI (https://www.softwaredefinedinterviews.com) with John Willis. DevOpsDayLA at SCALE23x (https://www.socallinuxexpo.org/scale/23x), March 6th, Pasadena, CA Use code: DEVOP for 50% off. Devnexus 2026 (https://devnexus.com), March 4th to 6th, Atlanta, GA. Whole bunch of VMUGs, mostly in the US. The CFPs are open (https://app.sessionboard.com/submit/vmug-call-for-content-2026/ae1c7013-8b85-427c-9c21-7d35f8701bbe?utm_campaign=5766542-VMUG%20Voice&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_YREN7dr6p3KSQPYkFSN5K85A-pIVYZ03ZhKZOV0O3t3h0XHdDHethhx5O8gBFguyT5mZ3n3q-ZnPKvjllFXYfWV3thg&_hsmi=393690000&utm_content=393685389&utm_source=hs_email), go speak at them! Coté speaking in Amsterdam. Amsterdam (March 17-19, 2026), Minneapolis (April 7-9, 2026), Toronto (May 12-14, 2026), Dallas (June 9-11, 2026), Orlando (October 20-22, 2026) SDT News & Community Join our Slack community (https://softwaredefinedtalk.slack.com/join/shared_invite/zt-1hn55iv5d-UTfN7mVX1D9D5ExRt3ZJYQ#/shared-invite/email) Email the show: questions@softwaredefinedtalk.com (mailto:questions@softwaredefinedtalk.com) Free stickers: Email your address to stickers@softwaredefinedtalk.com (mailto:stickers@softwaredefinedtalk.com) Follow us on social media: Twitter (https://twitter.com/softwaredeftalk), Threads (https://www.threads.net/@softwaredefinedtalk), Mastodon (https://hachyderm.io/@softwaredefinedtalk), LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/software-defined-talk/), BlueSky (https://bsky.app/profile/softwaredefinedtalk.com) Watch us on: Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/sdtpodcast), YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi3OJPV6h9tp-hbsGBLGsDQ/featured), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/softwaredefinedtalk/), TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@softwaredefinedtalk) Book offer: Use code SDT for $20 off "Digital WTF" by Coté (https://leanpub.com/digitalwtf/c/sdt) Sponsor the show (https://www.softwaredefinedtalk.com/ads): ads@softwaredefinedtalk.com (mailto:ads@softwaredefinedtalk.com) Recommendations Brandon: Short Power Extension Cord Outlet Saver (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H9MCTGL?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1) Matt: Everything is Tuberculosis (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everything_Is_Tuberculosis) Octopus Project - Music is Happiness (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6y5hisXx7s) Coté: The Octopus Organization (https://www.theoctopusorganization.com). 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What happens when your brand has a million different voices speaking to a million different customers? Is that the pinnacle of personalization, or is it just brand chaos?Agility requires both the speed to personalize content for every individual as well as the control to ensure every one of those interactions faithfully represents the core brand.Today, we're going to talk about resolving one of the biggest paradoxes in modern marketing: achieving hyper-personalization at massive scale, without sacrificing brand governance and consistency. We'll explore how generative AI is moving from a creative novelty to a core operational engine for enterprise marketing, enabling brands to craft unique stories for every customer, while ensuring they all sing from the same hymn sheet.To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Jason Ing, CMO at Typeface. About Jason Ing Jason Ing is the Chief Marketing Officer at Typeface, where he leads global marketing and drives the shift toward AI-powered content creation. Over the past two decades, he has built high-performing marketing teams and launched enduring, customer-obsessed campaigns at brands including Procter & Gamble, Xbox, Amazon Prime Video, AWS, and Gusto. Known for systematically scaling teams, programs, and go-to-market motions, Jason has a track record of delivering marketing strategies that not only drive impact in the moment but continue to perform years later. At Typeface, he helps modern marketers rewire how their teams work—so they can move faster, scale smarter, and unlock AI's full potential. Jason Ing on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ingjason/ Resources Typeface: https://www.typeface.ai The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow Catch the future of e-commerce at eTail Palm Springs, Feb 23-26 in Palm Springs, CA. Go here for more details: https://etailwest.wbresearch.com/ Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.showCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has ordered diplomats to start using the Times New Roman font again, reversing a change made under the previous administration. Rubio's predecessor, Antony Blinken, made the switch to Calibri in 2023, saying it was more accessible for people with visual disabilities - a change Rubio labelled 'wasteful'. Monolith typeface designer Alistair McCready says Calibri's more suited to readers by design, but it depends on the individual. "There's all sorts of things that go into reading, not just the way you see or how clearly you can see - it's how you interpret letters and shapes." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A CMO Confidential Interview with Michael Treff, the CEO of Code and Theory joins us for our 150th Show to share observations on the major forces impacting the B2B space. Michael details how "empowered buyers" are forcing sellers to increase focus on customer value creation and transforming marketing and sales from "leads to information" which is also shifting spending to capital expense. Key topics include: why the next AI frontier is customer experience; the need for companies to have both a long and short-term AI plans; why budgeting won't get any easier and; the gap between the CX problems and CX actions. Tune in to hear why you need to have an "AI plan for your humans" and learn if you need " a personalized relationship with your mustard."CMO Confidential #150: Michael Treff on B2B's Year-In-Review, What's Next, and How AI Will Actually Drive Growth**B2B is being rebuilt from the core. Michael explains why budgets are shifting from media to infrastructure, how the funnel is being rewritten by agentic search, and where AI must move from efficiency to growth. We also cover the KPIs that matter, budgeting realism for 2026, and three things every CMO should know by the end of next year. Sponsored by Typeface—the agentic AI marketing platform helping brands turn one idea into thousands of on-brand experiences. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmo. **Chapters**00:00 Intro + show setup01:00 Sponsor: Typeface — agentic AI marketing, enterprise-grade & integrated02:00 Guest intro: Michael Treff, CEO of Code and Theory03:00 B2B landscape: investment shifts, changing journeys, disintermediation07:00 From MQLs to value: sales enablement and end-to-end outcomes10:00 Mid-roll: Typeface ARC agents & content lifecycle11:00 Why suites win: implementation and value realization after the sale15:00 AI phases: Wave 1 (efficiency) → Wave 2 (growth) pressures on agencies17:00 CX as the bridge: measure outcomes, not vanity metrics22:00 Roadmaps, humans, and culture—planning beyond point tools26:00 Budget reality check: deliberation, polarization, and trade-offs29:00 Personalization vs. business impact—what to fund and measure33:00 By end of 2026: know your human plan, AI maturity, and new journeys35:00 2026 prediction: the ROI vice tightens—agencies must be consultative36:00 Closing advice: “Interrogate everything yourself.”38:00 Wrap + where to find past episodes39:00 Sponsor close: Typeface—see how ASICS & Microsoft scale personalization**About our sponsor, Typeface** @typefaceai is the first multimodal, agentic AI marketing platform that automates workflows from brief to launch, integrates with your MarTech stack, and delivers enterprise-grade security—named AI Company of the Year by Adweek and a TIME Best Invention. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmo. **Tags**B2B marketing, enterprise marketing, customer experience, AI marketing, agentic AI, marketing ROI, sales enablement, Code and Theory, Michael Treff, Mike Linton, CMO strategy, marketing budget, personalization, Martech, TypefaceSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A CMO Confidential Interview with Evan Wittenberg, Chief People Officer of VuMedi formerly CPO of Ancestry and Box, Google's Head of Leadership Development, and a Saturday Night Live Page. Evan discusses why HR has become a much tougher position over the last 5 years, AI's negative impact on leadership development, and the similarities between marketing and HR. Key topics include: his belief that every function should have a dedicated people partner; why "the burden of proof" is often higher for marketers; why he always interviews for "learning agility;" and why "doing the job you are hired for is better for your career than trying for "the next job." Tune in to hear questions marketers should ask in an interview and a great behind the scenes story from SNL Season 18. **What HR Really Thinks About Marketing — Evan Wittenberg (CPO) on CMO Confidential**Four-time Chief People Officer Evan Wittenberg sits down with host Mike Linton to unpack the real relationship between HR and Marketing: decision rights, how DEI evolves, AI's impact on entry-level careers, why hybrid work threatens apprenticeship, and what great CMOs do differently at the exec table. Evan also shares hiring signals (what CPOs look for now), the right way to use engagement surveys, and a live-from-8H SNL story you won't forget. **Guest:** Evan Wittenberg — CPO (VuMedi; ex-Box, Ancestry, Pivot Bio; Google/Wharton leadership)**Host:** Mike Linton — former CMO (Best Buy, eBay, Farmers), CRO (Ancestry)**Chapters**00:00 – Welcome + sponsor message (Typeface)02:00 – Evan's background and today's HR reality03:30 – “Seat at the table” meets burnout and intractable problems04:40 – Inside the COVID pivot: who owned it and why HR took point06:10 – Should HR own cross-functional crises? Coordination vs. ownership07:10 – HR ↔ Marketing parallels: everyone has an opinion, few have the brief09:00 – Sponsor break (Typeface)10:00 – DEI after the backlash: belonging, equity, and business need11:30 – Pay parity and what still isn't fixed12:00 – AI's real risk: erasing entry-level ladders and craft-building13:30 – Hybrid work, lost apprenticeship, and how leaders must respond15:10 – “People are our #1 asset” (or not): how to actually tell16:10 – HR nirvana: solutions that serve both the company and the person18:00 – How HR sees Marketing: service vs. business driver21:10 – What great CMOs do: range (data ↔ creative) and business framing22:40 – At the exec table: problem → data → options → choice → execution24:20 – The higher burden of proof for HR and Marketing24:40 – Should Marketing have a dedicated HR/People partner?26:10 – What CPOs now screen for: learning agility28:00 – AI fluency: no tourists, hands-on only29:10 – Real collaboration vs. heroics and end-runs30:40 – Due diligence for candidates: decision rights & cross-functional buy-in33:00 – Extra interview questions worth asking (on both sides)34:10 – SNL cold open rescue: the Rob Schneider story38:30 – Career advice: do the job you have at 120%40:00 – Sponsor close + sign-offCMO Confidential, Mike Linton, Evan Wittenberg, Chief People Officer, CPO, HR strategy, Marketing leadership, DEI, diversity equity inclusion, belonging, employee engagement, pay parity, hybrid work, return to office, mentorship, apprenticeship, AI in HR, AI in marketing, entry-level jobs, recruiting, learning agility, collaboration, decision rights, org design, people partner, HRBP, Box, Ancestry, Pivot Bio, Vmed, Google leadership, Wharton, SNL story, Rob Schneider, executive team, business outcomes, brand vs performance, Typeface, marketing operations, C-suite leadership, career adviceSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Send us a textMeet emerging typeface designers, Ivana Vukmirovic and Mahrukh Saeed! Ivana designed a typeface called Lindworm and Mahrukh designed a typeface called Khabartoon. In the following conversation, you'll get to hear about each typeface, their perfect type pairings, sensory descriptions of each, as well as what each of these emerging typeface designers plans to do next in the world of letterforms. Let the type geekery begin!I'm all about interesting projects with interesting people! Let's Connect on the web or via Instagram. :)

In this episode of The Effortless Podcast, Amit Prakash sits down with Abhay Parasnis, Founder and CEO of Typeface, to explore how AI is reshaping marketing, creativity, and entrepreneurship.Abhay reflects on his incredible journey from building foundational internet technologies at IBM, leading Microsoft's Azure transformation, driving Adobe's shift to the cloud, and now launching Typeface to personalize content creation at scale through generative AI.He opens up about what it really means to start over after corporate success, the evolving definition of product-market fit in the AI era, and why speed, curiosity, and the beginner's mind are the most important superpowers today.Amit and Abhay discuss the “AI slop” problem, steering powerful models with context, unlearning corporate habits, and how the next generation of AI agents will move from orchestration to closed-loop intelligence.Key Topics & Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction01:15 – Abhay's journey: from IBM & Microsoft to Adobe and Typeface05:40 – The beginner's mind and the art of reinvention10:25 – Leaving Adobe to start from scratch15:30 – Risk, ego, and the emotional side of entrepreneurship21:10 – Redefining product-market fit in an AI-driven world27:45 – The “continuous recalibration” mindset for startups33:30 – Solving “AI slop” with brand context and personalization39:20 – Engineering challenges behind Typeface's AI platform46:00 – Why social engineering is as hard as technical innovation51:15 – Lessons from Adobe & Microsoft: what to keep and unlearn56:40 – Steering AI systems: the new critical skill1:02:05 – Counterintuitive truths about creativity and automation1:07:10 – Democratized AI vs. expertise — the paradox of access1:11:00 – The future of marketing AI and closing thoughtsHost:Amit Prakash – CEO and Founder at AmpUp, Co-Founder CTO at ThoughtSpot,former engineer at Google AdSense and Microsoft Bing, with extensive expertise in distributed systems and machine learning.Guest:Abhay Parasnis –Abhay Parasnis is the founder & CEO at Typeface.ai - a leading Enterprise Generative AI company. Abhay is also a board member at Dropbox & Schneider Electric. Additionally, abhay is an active early stage investor & advisor for various AI startups including Common Sense Machines, Perplexity.ai, Pecan.ai, Pindrop, Spawning & others. Previously, Abhay was the CTO, CPO & EVP of Adobe, from 2015 to 2022 & was General Manager at Microsoft for a decade from 2002-2011.Follow the Hosts and the Guest:Amit PrakashLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/amit-prakash-50719a2/Twitter/X - https://x.com/amitp42Abhay ParasnisLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/abhayparasnis/Twitter/X – https://x.com/parasnisShare Your Thoughts:Have questions, comments, or ideas for future episodes? Email us at EffortlessPodcastHQ@gmail.comDon't forget to Like, Comment, and Subscribe for more conversations at the intersection of AI, technology, and innovation.

A CMO Confidential Interview with Kip Knight, founder of CMO Coaches, former CMO of Taco Bell and H&R Block USPresident. Kip lays out the case for marketers to build their brands based on trust, authenticity and personal core principles along with an objective understanding of "what you are really famous for being able to accomplish." Key topics include: why executive presence matters; the combination of emotional IQ and curiosity; the need for resume "proof points;" and why role models matter. Tune in to hear networking tips, why you want to know what "they say about you when you aren't in the room" and the power of a handwritten thank you note. Kip Knight (Founder, CMO Coaches; former Taco Bell CMO & H&R Block US Retail President) joins Mike Linton to get practical about building a durable *personal brand* as a marketing leader. We cover a three-step framework (self-assessment - positioning - activation), executive presence (IQ + EQ + CQ), how to lead with truth during tough calls, and why handwritten notes still matter. Sponsored by Typeface — the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmo.**Key points**• Personal brands aren't accidental: in today's AI-accelerated market, being findable and consistent is table stakes for senior roles. • The framework: start with a rigorous self-assessment (360s, reviews, assessments), then define positioning around your true superpowers, and finally activate with proof points. • Be objective: ambition without a strategy and measurable evidence sets you up to fail; build real proof points before you sell your story. • Executive presence = IQ + EQ + CQ (curiosity). Lean into new tech (e.g., GenAI) and stay relentlessly curious. • Truth is better than spin in crises: define reality, be transparent, and your team will follow you through hard decisions (e.g., headcount cuts). • Culture is the stories told when you're not in the room; leaders are “always on,” so model consistency and principle-led behavior. • CMOs as business integrators: convene IT, Legal, Finance, HR, and the CEO to make the right GenAI bets with clear success criteria. • Power move: send handwritten notes on high-quality stationery; the impact far exceeds email. **Chapters**00:00 Welcome + sponsor: Typeface — why brand still wins in the age of AI 03:00 Why your personal brand matters more than ever 06:00 Being findable & consistent in an AI world 07:00 The 3-part framework: self-assessment - positioning - activation 10:00 Doing an honest self-assessment (360s, reviews, Working Genius) 14:00 Turning strengths into positioning; knowing your kryptonite 16:00 Executive presence: IQ, EQ, and CQ (curiosity quotient) 20:00 Truth-telling vs. vulnerability during layoffs and tough calls 23:00 Role models, “always on” leadership, and culture as stories 29:00 CMOs as business integrators on GenAI — how to run the process 32:00 Networking that works: “How can I help you?”, warm intros, no ghosting 34:00 Elite habit: handwritten notes on great stationery (why it lands) 36:00 Wrap + where to find more CMO Confidential TagsCMO,marketing leadership,personal brand,executive presence,brand strategy,career development,marketing careers,AI in marketing,agentic AI,Typeface,leadership,coaching,CMO Coaches,Kip Knight,Mike Linton,GenAI,networking,culture,trust,authenticity,handwritten notes,frameworks,positioning,activation,EQ,CQ,P&L,growth,enterprise marketing,YouTube podcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A CMO Confidential Interview with Andy Sack and Adam Brotman, Co-Founders and Co-CEO's of Forum 3, authors of the book AI First, previously at Microsoft and Starbucks. Adam and Andy discuss the exponential growth of LLM's in the 3 years since the Chat GPT launch, the rapid pace of consumer adoption and "why there's never been a bigger prize in capitalism." Key topics include: why the circular tie-ups between the models and chip providers may make sense, their belief that only 5% of companies are well underway; why you should use AI at least 10 times a day; and how the "current way of doing business" is the biggest blocker to progress. Tune in to hear 2026 predictions, why you should have a "family password," and how an AI Zoom scam resulted in a $20 million loss for the company. AI: The Year That Changed Marketing | Andy Sack & Adam Brotman on CMO ConfidentialFormer Starbucks Chief Digital Officer Adam Brotman and investor/operator Andy Sack return to break down AI's wild 2025—and what's next for marketers and the C-suite in 2026. We cover the rise of reasoning models and agents, chip-and-model tie-ups, who's winning (and who's falling behind), why only ~5% of companies are truly “underway,” and how consumer behavior is racing ahead of most enterprises. Adam and Andy deliver pragmatic guidance for boards, CEOs, and CMOs: where to lean in, how to organize, and what to build now.What you'll learn:• The real story on model advances, agents, and the chip/energy bottlenecks• Why supply-lock deals aren't “circular nonsense” and how they'll shape winners/losers• Enterprise reality check: 5% vs. 95%, and why CEO/board sponsorship determines lift-off• Consumer adoption, zero-click search, and how discovery is shifting under your feet• Marketing beyond efficiency: ideation, synthetic testing, and creative at production speed• 2026 predictions: Apple's big AI move, the year of consumer agents, and new AI devices• Risk & resilience: deepfake fraud, the “family password,” and change management that sticksActionable takeaways:• Use AI 10×/day; turn on voice and select a “thinking/reasoning” model for complex work• Treat AI as a company-wide transformation, not an IT pilot; pick a few high-value use cases and own them from the top• Experiment with agentic workflows and AI video to compress cycle time from storyboard to launchSponsored by @typefaceai Typeface helps the world's biggest brands go from brief to fully personalized, on-brand campaigns in hours—not months. Their agentic AI marketing platform automates workflows across ads, email, and video, integrates with your MarTech stack, and includes enterprise-grade security. Adweek named Typeface “AI Company of the Year,” TIME listed it among the Best Inventions, and Fast Company called it the next big thing in tech. See how brands like @ASICSGlobal and @Microsoft are transforming marketing with Typeface: typeface.ai/cmoAbout CMO ConfidentialHosted by five-time CMO Mike Linton, CMO Confidential goes inside the decisions, politics, and trade-offs of one of the most scrutinized jobs in the C-suite. New episodes every Tuesday on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube.00:00 Intro & Sponsor: Typeface02:00 Topic & Guests — Adam Brotman and Andy Sack03:00 Three-year AI surge: usage, video, geopolitics06:00 Reasoning models, long-duration agents, chip/energy demand10:00 Midroll: Typeface12:00 Capital tie-ups: supply lock vs. “circular money”15:00 Winners & losers: the AGI race and consolidation16:00 Enterprise adoption: board/CEO-led change vs. IT pilots18:50 Reality check: 5% “well underway,” 95% early22:00 Consumer adoption: everyday use, underutilization25:00 Can companies keep up? Why most are lagging27:00 Search is shifting: AI overviews, assistants everywhere29:00 Marketing beyond efficiency: ideation, automation, CX31:00 AI video examples to study (Kalshi ad, IAm8)33:30 Agencies & consultancies adapting (Accenture, BCG, McKinsey)34:30 2026 predictions: Apple's big move, year of agents, new devices36:00 2026 tensions: labor disruption, backlash, “bumpy” progress38:00 Practical tips: use AI 10×/day, voice mode, “thinking” models41:00 Tools & safety: @lovable family/business passwords42:00 Deepfake/Zoom heist cautionary tale44:00 Wrap-up: subscribe & episode library44:30 Closing Sponsor: Typeface —CMO Confidential,Mike Linton,Adam Brotman,Andy Sack,Typeface,agentic AI,AI marketing,marketing strategy,chief marketing officer,CMO,CEO,board strategy,enterprise AI,reasoning models,AI agents,AGI,LLMs,generative AI,Claude,Gemini,ChatGPT,NVIDIA,semiconductors,MarTech,creative automation,personalization,zero click search,search disruption,media buying,advertising,brand vs performance,organizational design,change management,digital transformation,customer experience,synthetic personas,AI video,SOA,Sora,Replit Agent,Apple AI,Perplexity,security,deepfakes,family password,go to market,content at scale,ASICSSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A CMO Confidential Interview with Mike Walrath, Chairman and CEO of Yext, Inc., formerly CEO of Right Media, and SVP at Yahoo! Mike discusses what he believes is the collapse of the marketing funnel, the need to understand how AI consumes data while judgement stays with consumers, and how an "influence marketing" mindset is emerging. Key topics include: why CMOs will need to be both great brand strategists as well as scientists, the need to constantly distribute information and "tend it like a garden," and why Reddit is great for training AI, but not as important in building brand influence. Tune in to hear a story about why you shouldn't let ChatGPT talk in an unsupervised forum and why Land Rover should send me a polo shirt. This week, Mike Linton sits down with Mike Walrath, Chairman & CEO of @yext (and founder of WGI Group), to unpack why the classic awareness–consideration–conversion funnel is collapsing—and what CMOs must do next. From zero-click discovery and AI agents “front-ending” consumers to why structured first-party data now beats pretty websites, Walrath maps the new rules for brand, distribution, and measurement in an AI-led marketplace.We cover: how consideration gets outsourced to AI, why marketers will “market to agents” (without controlling the ad copy), the coming arms race in citations and data distribution, and what organizational fixes boards and CMOs should make now. If you own brand, growth, or P&L accountability, this is a playbook for the next chapter.**Sponsor — @typefaceai Typeface helps the world's biggest brands move from brief to fully personalized campaigns in hours, not months. With its agentic AI marketing platform, one idea scales into thousands of on-brand variations across ads, email, and video—integrated with your MarTech stack and secured for the enterprise. See how brands like ASICS and Microsoft are transforming marketing: typeface.ai/cmo.Highlights* Why “zero-click” compresses awareness and consideration inside AI experiences—and how to win the AI bake-off.* The end of marketer-controlled ad copy; influence shifts to data quality, recency, and distribution.* Memory and context change everything: agents know the consumer—and your brand—better than you think.* Brand matters more, not less; without brand salience you won't make the answer set.* From content to data: make every spec, price, menu, inventory, policy, and promo machine-readable and syndicated.* Citations, not vibes: first-party sites and listings dominate AI references; keep them fresh and authoritative.* Org design: hire the data athletes, upgrade infrastructure, and instrument real conversion milestones (tests, visits, units).New episodes every Tuesday on YouTube, Apple, and Spotify. If you find this useful, please like, subscribe, and share with your team.**Guests**Mike Walrath — Chairman & CEO, Yext; Founder, WGI Group.Host: Mike Linton — former CMO of Best Buy, eBay, Farmers Insurance; former CRO, Ancestry.CMO Confidential,marketing,CMO,chief marketing officer,AI marketing,agentic AI,marketing funnel,zero click,search,SEO,GenAI,LLM,brand strategy,performance marketing,Yext,Mike Walrath,Mike Linton,customer journey,personalization,content at scale,structured data,citations,data strategy,MarTech,go to market,GTM,board strategy,enterprise marketing,retail,automotive marketing,restaurants,media,advertising,Typeface sponsor,Typeface AI,typeface.ai/cmoSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A CMO Confidential Interview with Abhay Parasnis, Founder & CEO of Typeface, Board Member of Dropbox and Schneider Electronic, formerly EVP of Adobe. Abhay discusses the large gap between AI expectations and execution, the human and cultural issues in the way of adoption, and the C-Suite's responsibility to "guide the change" versus demand and monitor progress. Key topics include: recognizing and managing the 3 types of resistance; why specific targeted use cases are the best way to begin; the difference between Moore's Law and Amara's Law; and how to determine if you are a resistor or a pragmatic business leader. Tune in to hear an analogy of why AI is similar to Formula One where everyone has a powerful vehicle and winning is driven by how teams master and manage that power. AI is the biggest shift of our careers—but most companies are stuck at the “cool demo” stage. In this episode, former Adobe CTO/CPO and Typeface founder/CEO Abhay Parasnis joins Mike Linton to unpack the AI cold start problem: how to move from experiments to enterprise impact. We cover where the C-suite is pushing, why practitioners are hesitating, and how to design lighthouse wins that change the org—not just the deck.Abhay shares hard numbers (a 93% lift from email personalization in 120 days), why “watermelon metrics” derail programs, and the new reality that as agents/bots consume more content, your brand narrative must be built for machines and humans. We dig into the accountability shift from agencies to in-house teams, how to evaluate vendors without boiling the ocean, and the culture moves leaders need to close the gap between ambition and adoption.What you'll learnA practical AI playbook: pick one revenue-adjacent use case, rewire the process, measure before/after, then scaleHow to align the board, C-suite, and operators to avoid “innovation theater”Where AI drives top-line growth vs. simple cost takeout—and how to prove itSpotting resistance (job loss fears, “new thing” fatigue, agency incentives) and converting it into momentumThe right vendor questions (and red flags) to separate sizzle from outcomesWhy authenticity, governance, and legal guardrails must ship with your AI stackAbout AbhayFounder & CEO of Typeface (AI-powered personalized marketing). Former CTO & CPO at Adobe; leadership roles at Microsoft and Oracle; board member at Dropbox and Schneider Electric.Sponsor — QuadMarketing only works when everything works together. That's why Quad is obsessed with reducing friction and integrating smarter—so your marketing machine runs faster with better ROI. See how better gets done: https://www.quad.com/buildbetterChapters (38:00)00:00 Intro & sponsor01:10 Guest intro & topic setup03:10 The AI cold start problem & Amara's Law07:00 C-suite urgency vs. practitioner reality11:30 Beyond efficiency: driving top-line growth15:10 Content demand, bots/agents, and “watermelon metrics”19:20 Case study: 93% lift from email personalization23:30 Resistance patterns: job loss, new-thing fatigue, agency economics29:10 Vendor questions & lighthouse projects that actually ship33:10 Legal, authenticity, and governance considerations35:30 Closing advice: beginner's mindset + bet on people37:30 WrapSubscribeNew episodes every Tuesday on YouTube, Apple, and Spotify. If you're a CMO, CEO, CFO, COO, founder, or rising marketing leader—hit subscribe for executive-level conversations that translate directly to results.Host: Mike LintonGuest: Abhay Parasnis ( @typefaceai )Tags:CMO Confidential,Mike Linton,Abhay Parasnis,Typeface,Adobe,AI in marketing,AI cold start,Generative AI,Amara's Law,Marketing leadership,Change management,C suite,Board of directors,Agency model,Marketing efficiency,Top line growth,Email personalization,Content at scale,Marketing ROI,Measurement,Watermelon metrics,MarTech,CDP,Vendors,Quad,Sponsor,Marketing podcast,Digital transformation,Creative operations,PersonalizationSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Resulta difícil de creer que dos nerds comiqueros como Benja Villegas (a quien su padre bautizó en honor a Ben Grimm, “La Cosa”, de Los 4 Fantásticos) y Kiko Amat (quien pasó gran parte de su infancia soñando con que trepaba al alfeizar de Montse Rabella, la niña que le gustaba) hayan tardado tanto en realizar un capítulo sobre superhéroes. En esta primera entrega, Kiko narra la historia de Spiderman, entrelazada con su propia historia de amor hacia el Trepamuros, y desmiente con hechos zoológicos la estrofa “Spider-man, Spider-Man / Does whatever a Spider can”. Benja expone la relevancia de Marvel en los 70 para entender el mundo superheroico actual, y continúa con un trío de supertroncas (Ororo, Dazzler y Elektra) que molan más que los supertroncos. El clímax del episodio es un listado de villanos (Marvel y DC) con los poderes más de mierda imaginables, de Matador a Kite Man, pasando por Typeface y Mandril.

What does it mean to market AI to marketers? Typeface CMO Jason Ing joins Gabriella Mirabelli to share how his team is cutting through the noise, helping brands integrate AI without disrupting workflows, and shifting the focus from flashy tools to real outcomes. Learn how agentic AI is changing content creation—and why marketers are uniquely positioned to lead the AI revolution.

Today in 1932, the London newspaper The Times published its first edition with a brand new typeface: Times New Roman. And it's been a big deal ever since, even in the computer age. Plus: today in 2023, the end of a very long era for a book club in southern California. Where Did Times New Roman Come From? (New York Public Library)28 years ago, a book club began reading one novel. It's finally reached the end (Orange County Register)If our show is just your type, then become a backer on Patreon today

A CMO Confidential Interview with Dwight Hutchins, Senior Managing Director of Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and a Northwestern Adjunct Professor, previously Managing Director at Accenture focused on Consumer Products, Health Care and Public Service. Dwight shares his thinking on why marketers should be prepared to reduce expenses and shift resources into a re-imagined future versus incrementally evolving spend and structure. Key topics include: his belief that the complexity of marketing has resulted in many instances of wasted spending; the importance of "unaided first brand response;" why it's important to be "ahead of the expense reduction game;" and how to focus on working versus non-working dollars. Tune in to hear how about reducing $1B in spend to fund new initiatives and a "wild west" story about a battery on-pack promotion.The Fine Art of Reducing Marketing Expense in an AI WorldThis week on CMO Confidential, Mike Linton sits down with Dwight Hutchins—Senior Partner & Managing Director at Boston Consulting Group and adjunct professor at Northwestern—to tackle the question every CMO hears from the CFO: “Keep the top line growing… and cut your budget.”Dwight explains how to find waste without hurting performance, where AI actually improves efficiency (and where it doesn't), how to test into cuts with confidence, and why many brands still miss “sufficiency” by spreading spend like peanut butter. We dig into frequency capping, working vs. non-working ratios, zero-based budgeting (used sanely), org design, insource vs. outsource, and a real-world case where a company freed up billions and redeployed it to growth channels. Stay for his “Wild West” in-store marketing story—complete with batteries taped to milk.Sponsored by Typeface — the AI-native, agentic marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets across channels, safely integrated with your MarTech stack. See how leaders like ASICS and Microsoft scale personalized content with Typeface.⸻⏱️ Chapters00:00 – Intro & guest: Dwight Hutchins (BCG)02:05 – The market reality: uncertainty, shifting buyer values06:10 – CFO pressure: “grow and cut” in the same breath09:20 – AI spend vs. payoff: recalibrating expectations12:25 – Media fragmentation & the “peanut butter” budget problem15:55 – Where AI helps most: measurement, targeting, creative ops19:10 – Forensic cuts case study: freeing up massive dollars23:10 – Finding waste: frequency caps, ad length, quality controls27:05 – “First Fast Response”: demand spaces & brand power30:20 – Sufficiency & focus: stop starving campaigns33:05 – Working vs. non-working: ratios that actually move results35:20 – Zero-based budgeting (in moderation, with data)37:10 – Org & ops: redesigning execution, in/outsourcing lines38:55 – Fun story: the “batteries-on-milk” promo & promo ROI40:00 – Final takeaways & sponsor⸻CMO Confidential, Mike Linton, Dwight Hutchins, Boston Consulting Group, BCG, marketing efficiency, reduce marketing spend, AI in marketing, marketing analytics, media mix optimization, frequency capping, working vs non-working, zero-based budgeting, ZBB, demand spaces, brand strategy, executive leadership, CFO CMO alignment, budget cuts, marketing operations, insource vs outsource, creative operations, measurement and attribution, marketing governance, content at scale, Typeface, Typeface AI, generative AI for marketing, agentic AI, MarTech integration, CMOs, marketing leadership, board expectations, growth and efficiency, case study, social media shift, campaign sufficiencySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A CMO Confidential Interview with Shiv Singh, CEO of Savvy Matters, former CMO of Lending Tree and author of AI For Dummies and The 5 Marketing Truths You Won't See at Cannes. Shiv shares why he believes AI is killing marketing jobs, how the CMO Role is breaking down due to overlap with other functions, and how "Big Tech is running marketing." Key topics include: how walled gardens make the job harder; why the optics of Cannes are terrible; and the reason marketers should work to fully understand technology. Tune in to hear how AI is making us less intelligent and why Cannes should move to San Francisco. DescriptionWhat you won't hear on the Croisette. Former LendingTree CMO and Marketing with AI for Dummies author Shiv Singh joins host Mike Linton to unpack his viral “5 marketing truths you won't hear at Cannes”—from AI's real impact on jobs and creativity to why the CMO role keeps breaking under overlapping scopes, walled gardens, and distorted budgets.We dig into the zero-click search era, big tech as the new kingmakers, how to rebuild orgs AI-first, and what practical steps CMOs should take this quarter (hint: learn the tech, ship agents, and embed marketers into tech teams).In this episode • AI is changing performance, creative, and strategy—faster than the hype cycle • The CMO job: too wide, too blurry, and overlapped with the rest of the C-suite • Walled gardens & retail media: measurement theater vs. business impact • Zero-click search & AI Overviews: when your best customers never hit your site • “AI-native” org design: agents, code-as-deliverable, and the marketer-as-technologist • Why Cannes optics can backfire—and what a substance-first festival could look like • Playbook for CMOs: weekly show-and-tells, code literacy, and cross-functional embedsAbout our guestShiv Singh is CEO of Savvy Matters, co-founder of AI Trailblazers, former CMO of LendingTree, and a longtime brand leader (Pepsi, Visa). He writes and speaks widely on AI's impact on marketing, org design, and growth.Sponsor — TypefaceLegacy tools weren't built for AI. Typeface is the first multimodal platform where agentic workflows handle everything from brainstorming to launch across every channel. Transform one idea into thousands of on-brand assets—text, images, and video—at enterprise scale, with security and seamless MarTech integrations. See how brands like ASICS and Microsoft move from brief to personalized campaigns in hours: typeface.ai/cmo.If you're enjoying CMO Confidential, please like, subscribe, and share. New episodes every Tuesday; companion newsletter every Friday.⸻Chapter Markers00:00 – Welcome & Sponsor: Typeface01:45 – Introducing Shiv Singh & “5 Truths You Won't Hear at Cannes”05:10 – Truth 1: AI is changing jobs, creativity, and strategy10:20 – The CMO role is broken: scope, overlap, and alignment15:05 – Walled gardens & retail media: why measurement is broken19:45 – Truth 2 & 3: Big Tech as the new kingmakers24:20 – Zero-click search & the rise of AI-driven discovery28:50 – Truth 4: Cannes optics and why it's “not for everybody”32:40 – What CMOs should do: tech fluency, coding, weekly experiments36:00 – Superintelligence and the AI-native org of the future39:00 – Practical advice & closing thoughts⸻CMO Confidential, Mike Linton, Shiv Singh, Savvy Matters, AI Trailblazers, LendingTree, Pepsi, Visa, Cannes Lions, marketing truths, AI in marketing, agentic AI, AI agents, zero-click search, AI Overviews, walled gardens, retail media networks, big tech kingmakers, Google, Meta, TikTok, YouTube as TV, Performance Max, marketing org design, CMO role, C-suite alignment, measurement, marketing strategy, creative automation, knowledge workers, superintelligence, LLMs, large language models, marketer as technologist, code literacy, AI native organization, marketing experimentation, weekly show and tell, brand building, B2B marketing, B2C marketing, marketing leadership, executive insights, podcast for CMOs, Typeface, Typeface AI, typeface.ai/cmo, ASICS, Microsoft, customer acquisition, CAC, CLV, marketing ROI, retail media, AI transformation, marketing jobs and AI⸻See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

CMO Confidential — “What Your CFO Wants to Tell You (But Won't)” with CNA CFO Scott LindquistWhat does a great CFO really think about marketing? Mike Linton sits down with Scott Lindquist—CFO of CNA Financial and former long-time CFO of Farmers—to decode the finance side of brand building, performance spend, and the politics of the boardroom. They cover how CMOs should onboard a new CFO, why “marketing math” wins over skeptics, mistakes to avoid in board presentations, and how insurers used bold brand bets to become category killers.What you'll learn • The four archetypes of CFOs—and how to work with each • Why CFOs who are “joined at the hip” with the CEO think differently about growth • How to explain cost of capital and present value like a marketer (and win budget) • The insurance playbook: brand investment, DTC distribution, and lifetime value • Why every large marketing org needs a Marketing CFO (and how to set it up) • Boardroom pitfalls: jargon, 100-slide decks for 20 minutes, and “draining the slide” • Practical tips for building trust: bring the data, surface bad news early, and speak in outcomesGuestScott Lindquist — Chief Financial Officer, CNA Financial. Former CFO, Farmers Insurance. Started at PwC and has led finance through growth, turnarounds, and public-company scrutiny.HostMike Linton — Former CMO of Best Buy, eBay, and Farmers; former CRO of Ancestry. Host of CMO Confidential, the #1 CMO show on YouTube.Who should watchCMOs, CEOs, CFOs, board members, founders, and marketing leaders who need tighter finance alignment and clearer ROI storytelling.Brought to you by TypefaceLegacy marketing tools weren't built for AI. Typeface is the first multimodal, agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets—across ads, email, and video—while integrating with your MarTech stack and meeting enterprise-grade security needs. See how brands like ASICS and Microsoft accelerate content at scale: typeface.ai/cmo.—If you're enjoying the show, please like, comment, and subscribe. New episodes every Tuesday; companion newsletter with the top insights every Friday.#CMOConfidential #CFO #MarketingROI #BrandBuilding #B2BMarketingCMO Confidential, Mike Linton, Scott Lindquist, CNA Financial, Farmers Insurance, CFO, CMO, marketing CFO, finance and marketing alignment, cost of capital, present value, marketing math, LTV, lifetime value, CAC, board presentations, brand valuation, insurance marketing, DTC insurance, Geico, Progressive, performance marketing, media spend, marketing ROI, budgeting, enterprise marketing, MarTech, agentic AI, Typeface AI, ASICS, Microsoft, PwC, executive leadership, C-suite, category strategy, growth strategy, B2B marketing, B2C marketing, onboarding a CFO, sponsorships, vendor management, marketing governance, data-driven marketing, brand building, boardroom communication, enterprise security, AI marketing platformSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A CMO Confidential Interview with Kim Whitler, professor at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, board member, and former GM and CMO. Kim shares insights from more than a decade of research with over 500 CMO's including how 50+% of roles are misaligned, the huge gap between CEO's and CMO's, the fact that misalignment results in weaker financials, and her belief that better position matching would "prevent" the "cure" of firing the CMO. Key discussion topics include: why the CMO position has the most variance in the C-suite; the importance of matching responsibility, experience and status; and why she thinks search firms can do a better job. Tune in to hear marketing analogies to the New England Patriots line-up and James Bond movie casting.Colonel Mustard, in the Study…with the Job Spec? Why Poor Role Design Shortens CMO Lifespans | CMO ConfidentialWelcome back to CMO Confidential, the podcast that takes you inside the drama, decisions, and politics that go with being the head of marketing. Hosted by 5x CMO Mike Linton (Best Buy, eBay, Farmers Insurance, Ancestry.com).This week, Mike welcomes back Dr. Kim Whitler, Professor of Marketing at the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business, former CMO, board director, and one of the foremost researchers on the CMO role. Kim has spent 14+ years analyzing 500+ interviews and hundreds of job specs to uncover why nearly 54% of CMO roles are misaligned—and what that means for tenure, effectiveness, and marketing's reputation in the C-Suite.From her groundbreaking research (published in HBR, Sloan Management Review, and the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science) to real-world board and executive experience, Kim breaks down:* Why job specs often set CMOs up to fail* The massive perception gap between CEOs (who think roles are well-designed) and CMOs (who don't)* How status, responsibility, and experience combine to drive—or derail—firm outcomes* The practical questions every CMO candidate should ask before taking a job* Why “throw away the job spec and write your own” might be the smartest advice you'll hear

In this episode of Get It Seen: The Simplest Way to Accessible Design host Michelle Frechette and typography expert Piccia Neri discuss the vital role of typography in web accessibility. They explore how factors like font choice, size, alignment, kerning, and style impact readability and legibility for all users, including those with visual or neurological differences. The conversation highlights common pitfalls—such as using all caps, centered text, or decorative fonts—and offers practical tips for creating accessible, user-friendly content. Real-world examples underscore how thoughtful typography can improve user experience and even boost website conversions. The episode concludes with a preview of next week's focus on color and contrast.Top Takeaways:Typography Is More Than Just Fonts — It's a Core Element of Accessibility: Typography includes not only font choices but also layout, spacing, alignment, font weight, size, line height, tracking, and visual hierarchy. These elements together shape how readable and legible text is, directly affecting accessibility and user experience.Readability and Legibility Are Different, and Both Matter: Legibility is about how easily individual letters can be distinguished (e.g., clear letterforms, avoiding imposter letters like I/l/1). Readability refers to how easily blocks of text can be read and understood (e.g., proper line length, avoiding full justification, using appropriate spacing). Both need to be considered when designing for diverse users, including those with dyslexia or visual impairments.Alignment Strongly Impacts Usability and Conversion: Left-aligned text is significantly easier to read, especially online. Centered or poorly aligned text disrupts the reader's visual flow and can make content inaccessible.There Are No Universally "Perfect" Accessible Typefaces: Recommendations like "use sans-serif fonts" or “Arial is accessible” are oversimplified. Accessibility depends on how the typeface is used, whether it distinguishes similar characters clearly (e.g., capital I vs. lowercase L), and whether it's appropriate for your audience. Typefaces like Atkinson Hyperlegible are designed with accessibility in mind, but even these aren't universally preferred.Mentioned in the Show:Don't Make Me Think Book By Steve KrugAtkinson HyperlegibleSöhne Klim Type Foundry National Klim Type FoundryJosef AlbersAccessible typeface checklist – free resourceAccessible Typography 101 course – 30% discount code: PODCAST30Better Accessibility Through Typography Masterclass – 30% discount code: PODCAST30

Send us a textMeet emerging typeface designers, Paulina Marin and Darrab Qureshi! Paulina designed a typeface called Funky Pants and Darrab designed an Arabic typeface called Qalam in GCM 806 Advanced Typography at Toronto Metropolitan University. In the following conversation, you'll get to hear about each typeface. You'll also hear their perfect type pairings, sensory descriptions of each (sight, smell, touch, sound and even taste), as well as what was easy and difficult about the process. Let the type geekery begin! I'm all about interesting projects with interesting people! Let's Connect on the web or via Instagram. :)

What if the next big wave in marketing isn't about targeting people at all—but impressing their AI agents instead?Abhay Parasnis, CEO of Typeface and former CTO at Adobe, joins us to explain why the future of brand discovery is less “search bar” and more “autonomous agents doing your shopping.” Abhay makes a bold case that most traditional marketing (think SEO strategies, AB tests, and static brand books) is already becoming obsolete. Instead, the brands that win will be the ones building content systems smart enough to speak directly to intelligent agents that buy and sell on our behalf.But this conversation doesn't stop at marketing disruption. Abhay pulls back the curtain on Typeface's meteoric rise, driven in large part by early, strategic partnerships with companies like Microsoft, Salesforce, and Google. He argues that AI startups don't need to outcompete the giants… they need to build what the giants can't, and then let those giants bring them customers. It's a refreshing take on B2B growth that flips the usual “go it alone” startup myth on its head.From identifying watermelon metrics to replacing agency workflows with AI copilots, Abhay brings sharp insight, grounded optimism, and just enough heresy to keep it interesting. If you're trying to navigate the chaos of modern marketing, or just wondering what comes after search, this episode is your map. Key Moments:00:00 Abhay Parasnis: CEO of Typeface & Ex-Adobe CTO06:48 Typeface's Vision and Genesis14:03 The Role of AI in Brand Management17:29 The Future of Agencies in an AI-Driven World25:06 Change Management and the Adoption of AI37:46 AI in Campaign Creation and Performance Measurement40:34 The Future of Search and SEO46:53 Identifying High-Quality Content in AI-Driven Marketing48:16 Offline Relationships and Physical Experiences50:47 The Future of Partnerships in Tech59:45 Transformation in the C-Suite01:04:15 Relevant or Not Relevant: Quick Takes01:05:49 The Future of Digital Content Marketing in an AI-Driven World Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org.

Your brand name isn't just a name: it's your gateway to capital, credibility, and growth! From culture shock to capital gains, your brand could be the key to unlocking major opportunities or keeping you stuck in the hustle. In this masterclass episode Part 2 with branding expert Evante Daniels, we break down the branding science Black businesses need to succeed!We dive deep into:Why your brand name can be the difference between getting funded or forgottenThe two ways to create demand (and why most fail)How to position your brand for growth without losing cultural authenticityThe branding mistakes that cost Black businesses capital and credibilityThe power of strategic naming, perception, and Cultural IP in breaking business barriersThink about how Beyoncé built an empire, how Nike's branding made them legendary, and how companies like Apple and Adidas have mastered the art of brand perception. These aren't just names—they're strategic assets rooted in Cultural IP, market psychology, and identity positioning that drive influence and revenue.If you want to elevate your brand beyond the culture and into boardrooms, bank accounts, and billion-dollar opportunities, this episode is for you. Too often, Black entrepreneurs brand based on passion rather than positioning. But your brand must speak the language of capital if you want to break barriers and build generational wealth. If you're serious about turning your culture into capital and your brand into a business that thrives, and not just survives, this episode is a must-listen.Listen to Part 1 of our conversation here.Beyond The Episode Gems:Follow Evante Daniels On LinkedIn For Creative & Brand Insights, Strategy, Content, & MemesInterested In Working With Evante and Seeqer? Visit Seeqer Website For Services, Case Studies, & Getting StartedBuy Evante's Book "Power, Beats, & Rhymes: Reclaiming Our Cultural Voice"Subscribe To My New Weekly LinkedIn Newsletter: Strategize. Market. Grow.Buy My Book, Strategize Up: The Blueprint To Scale Your Business: StrategizeUpBook.comDiscover All Podcasts On The HubSpot Podcast NetworkTry GetResponse For FREE On Me To Monetize Your Content: GetResopnse Content Monetization Plan Support The Podcast & Connect With Troy: Rate & Review iDigress: iDigress.fm/ReviewsFollow Troy's LinkedIn @FindTroyNeed Growth Strategy, A Keynote Speaker, Or Want To Sponsor The Podcast? Go To FindTroy.comFollow Troy's Instagram @FindTroySubscribe to Troy's YouTube Channel 

Branding is NOT just your logo, colors, or typography. It is perception. It is how people see you, interpret you, and experience you.In this masterclass episode, creative strategist and brand expert Evante Daniels, CSO & Founder of Seeqer, breaks down his biggest branding pet peeves, why marginal market differentiation is the key to success, and how trying to be too different can actually hurt your brand. If your brand stands out more than 5% from the standard, you risk losing connection with your audience. Think of it like seasoning—too much, and no one wants to eat it.We dive into brand standards, color theory, market framing, positioning, and consumer psychology to help you build a brand that resonates while infusing culture to influence brand perception to expand community and loyalty. You do not need to reinvent everything. You need to find your lane. Your brand should reflect who you are becoming, not just where you are today.It is not about faking it until you make it. It is about positioning yourself with passion, potential, and power.This is Part 1 of a must-listen branding conversation.Beyond The Episode Gems:Follow Evante Daniels On LinkedIn For Creative & Brand Insights, Strategy, Content, & MemesInterested In Working With Evante and Seeqer? Visit Seeqer Website For Services, Case Studies, & Getting StartedBuy Evante's Book "Power, Beats, & Rhymes: Reclaiming Our Cultural Voice"Subscribe To My New Weekly LinkedIn Newsletter: Strategize. Market. Grow.Buy My Book, Strategize Up: The Blueprint To Scale Your Business: StrategizeUpBook.comDiscover All Podcasts On The HubSpot Podcast NetworkTry GetResponse For FREE On Me To Monetize Your Content: GetResopnse Content Monetization Plan Support The Podcast & Connect With Troy: Rate & Review iDigress: iDigress.fm/ReviewsFollow Troy's LinkedIn @FindTroyNeed Growth Strategy, A Keynote Speaker, Or Want To Sponsor The Podcast? Go To FindTroy.comFollow Troy's Instagram @FindTroySubscribe to Troy's YouTube Channel 

Abhay Parasnis is founder and CEO of Typeface, is former CTO/CPO at Adobe, and sits on the board of Dropbox and Schneider Electric. He joined Ben Casnocha, co-founder and partner at Village Global, for a live masterclass for Village Global founders.Takeaways:If you can break into the top tier of the enterprise market, it's hard to dislodge you.Big platforms like Microsoft, Google, and OpenAI are eager to prove their tech's power. If you position your startup as a prime showcase for their platform, you become a strategic asset.When selling to enterprise, understand the company's macro strategy in the market, but also know what the on-the-ground person needs to close deals.With the rise of agents and agentic automation, even the workflow layer isn't safe. As these systems gain richer context, they'll redefine automation in SaaS. Just like today's platform vs. app debate, tomorrow's battle will be legacy workflows vs. agents.Success in AI isn't just about top-tier products—it's about being a consultative partner to help them with change management.There's a common fear about embracing a custom data training strategy — it's expensive, complex, and feels like the domain of big players. But starting narrow and accumulating distinct data early is key. It drives real AI differentiation and builds critical internal muscle in engineering and product.Value-based pricing means customers are less price-sensitive because it ties directly to their top-line business, unlike commodity pricing, which faces constant cost pressure. Instead of charging per word, image, or seat—models that AI disrupts—pricing should align with outcomes, ensuring long-term sustainability.Thanks for listening — if you like what you hear, please review us on your favorite podcast platform.Check us out on the web at www.villageglobal.vc or get in touch with us on Twitter @villageglobal.Want to get updates from us? Subscribe to get a peek inside the Village. We'll send you reading recommendations, exclusive event invites, and commentary on the latest happenings in Silicon Valley. www.villageglobal.vc/signup

Abhay Parasnis, founder of Typeface, is making a big bet on where artificial intelligence will truly reshape the marketing industry. After experience at Adobe and other large organizations, Parasnis ventured out on his own in 2022 to work on a tool to solve the fundamental problem in marketing today, the “content paradox.” He explains why there's a gap between data and cloud technologies, and the ability to use those to effectively make and distribute content. He walks Greg and Rex through some of the cutting-edge functionality that Typeface offers its partners. For Further Reading:Abhay Parasnis showcases Typeface on CNN “De-coded” w/Host Anna StewartAdobe Alum takes AI-enables marketing beyond the promptTransition from solo acts to a complete symphony with AIAbhay Parasnis Keynote at VivaTech 2024 Listen on your favorite podcast app: https://pod.link/1715735755

The quirky, rounded, nominally sans-serif font of Comic Sans became a cultural phenomenon when it first burst onto the scene as a free option in Windows 95. Used in memes, kindergarten classrooms and sometimes even official signage, it's become “the font everyone loves to hate.” So says Simon Garfield, author of a new biography of Comic Sans. And over its 30 years, the font became recommended by dyslexia organizations and can be used to chart a micro-history of online irony, comedy and backlash cycles. Garfield joins us to share why “no other font gets people so worked up” and how Comic Sans says a lot about how we express ourselves, online and off. Guests: Simon Garfield, author, “Comic Sans: The Biography of a Typeface” and “Just My Type: A Book About Fonts”

This week, typographer Tom Cook on the fonts of all knowledge; and Graham Daseler explores Billy Wilder and Raymond Chandler's firecracker relationship.'Albertus: The Biography of a Typeface', by Simon Garfield'Baskerville: The Biography of a Typeface', by Simon Garfield'Comic Sans: The Biography of a Typeface', by Simon Garfield'From the Moment They Met it was Murder: Double Indemnity and the Rise of Film Noir', by Alain Silver and James UrsiniProduced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Gary speaks with leading figures in the AI industry. The discussion spotlights the transformative potential of generative AI in digital marketing. they delve into the challenges businesses face in rapidly crafting personalized, high-quality content while maintaining their unique brand voice. The solution? The integration of generative models into enterprise systems. They explore how platforms such as Typeface are paving the way with multimodal capabilities, allowing enterprises to generate, fine-tune, and control the content across different formats - text, image, and video. Gary also shares how his company has been utilizing AI on a day-to-day basis. The conversation doesn't shy away from tackling important concerns around brand safety and governance, offering reassurance about safeguards to prevent the creation of offensive or inappropriate content. The episode wraps up with a hopeful vision for the future - a world where generative AI democratizes creative expression and unlocks new avenues for communication. If you're interested in the intersection of AI, digital marketing, and enterprise solutions, this episode is a must-listen! My website: www.garyvaynerchuk.comCheck out my NFT project: veefriends.com Join the VeeFriends Discord: https://discord.gg/veefriends Tweet Me! @garyvee Text Me! 212-931-5731 My Newsletter: garyvee.com/newsletter