Uncensored CMO

How do you distil something as complex as marketing into something simple? In this special episode of Uncensored Renegades , Kory delivers a powerful seven-minute poem (originally written as a pattern-disrupting acceptance speech) that captures the emotional weight, pressure, and responsibility of modern marketing leadership. Born from a flash of inspiration at an AC/DC concert, the poem explores...

Thomas Barta is one of the world’s leading experts on marketing leadership. A former McKinsey partner, CEO of the Marketing Leadership Institute, and co-author of The 12 Powers of a Marketing Leader , Thomas has studied what makes CMOs successful through the largest global research project of its kind, over 68,000 leadership assessments. In this episode, we explore what CEOs really expect from CMO...

With Cannes Lions deadlines looming, Jon and Kory dive into what it really takes to pitch, and win, at Cannes. We recorded this episode on the final day of Cannes 2025, with Kory in the thick of e.l.f’s "So Many D*cks" campaign submission for both a Glass and Titanium Lion. With the experience fresh in her mind, she breaks down the realities of the process. Jon brings a different perspective, refl...

Syl Saller CBE is one of the most respected marketing leaders of her generation. Former Global Chief Marketing and Innovation Officer at Diageo, Syl helped lead a FTSE 10 business with more than 200 brands across 180 countries. Today, she’s an executive coach and mentor, President of The Marketing Society, and works closely with C-suite leaders to develop the next generation of marketing leadershi...

This is an episode of the Uncensored Renegades podcast. To hear episodes of this new show, subscribe here: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/uncensored-renegades/id1868870960 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7qnkqq0XSpgif9A5ZNgSpX?si=f181c3a0e9af480c When you define any other business function, the answer is simple. What is finance? What is HR? What is IT? When you ask, w...

The last time I spoke to today's guest, James Watt, he fired me. It's the first thing we talk about in the episode, but I have nothing but respect for the man who built Brewdog into the Unicorn it is today. Through their impressive marketing stunts, focus on product quality and immense speed of execution, Brewdog successfully took on the beer behemoths and solidified its place in the industry. In...

This is the first episode of the Uncensored Renegades podcast. To hear episodes of this new show, subscribe here: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/uncensored-renegades/id1868870960 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7qnkqq0XSpgif9A5ZNgSpX?si=f181c3a0e9af480c Know your e.l.f.ing numbers - it's your responsibility as a leader. Jon and Kory share stories of when this has help...

Jenn Chase, CMO of SAS, joins us to share how one of the world’s most established AI and analytics companies is reinventing its brand. From launching SAS’s first brand campaign in 25 years to shifting the organisation from performance-led to brand-led thinking, Jenn walks through what it takes to drive meaningful change inside a founder-led business. We also discuss how COVID reshaped the brand, w...

This is the first episode of the Uncensored Renegades podcast. To hear episodes of this new show, subscribe here: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/uncensored-renegades/id1868870960 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7qnkqq0XSpgif9A5ZNgSpX?si=f181c3a0e9af480c Failure needs to be rebranded. Most see it negatively, but history shows great successes are followed shortly after...

After collaborating with Worldwide Partners on the Confessions of a CMO report (the anonymous report asking top tier CMOs what they really think about the state of the role), I thought I'd team up with the world's most opinionated professor to discuss some of the comments. We talk tenure, politics, management and more. Timestamps 00:00 - Intro 01:04 - How the Uncensored CMO started 02:41 - How Con...

Listen to the launch episode of my brand new show, Uncensored Renegades , co-hosted with Kory Marchisotto, CMO of e.l.f. and a previous guest on Uncensored CMO . Listen to the new show here: Apple Podcasts Spotify In Uncensored Renegades , we talk about the things most people are too afraid to discuss: being fired, failure, terrible bosses, and more. Get to know your hosts, Jon Evans and Kory Marc...

Our most popular guest ever is back - Rory Sutherland returns for a wide-ranging conversation on why marketing works best when it embraces luck, spontaneity, and a little irrationality. From the dangers of confected outrage and self-censorship to the unfair economics of marketing, Rory challenges the industry’s obsession with logic, optimisation, and process. We discuss why success is often misund...

Les Binet and Sarah Carter are back for our yearly special, tacking the biggest marketing stories of the year and what to focus on in 2026. We explore the power of consistency, disguised repetition, and why brands so often misunderstand campaigns. Les and Sarah explain why big brands can’t behave like small ones (and vice versa), how marketers can persuade businesses to invest more in the long ter...

In this special crossover episode, we’re joined by Jimmy McLoughlin, host of Jimmy’s Jobs of the Future , to explore the intersection of politics, media, and marketing. Jimmy shares how he built one of the UK’s most influential political podcasts, landed interviews with the Prime Minister, and why big podcasts now rival traditional media in shaping public opinion. We also compare the most impactfu...

This week’s bonus episode comes from Never Mind the Adverts , hosted by Jon Evans and joined by returning Uncensored CMO guest Orlando Wood. Together, they look back on the biggest marketing stories, debates, and creative moments of 2025. Expect festive cheer, some interesting tipples, and a healthy dose of advertising showmanship. Timestamps 00:00 - Start 00:41 - Starting with some festive cheer...

Emma Harris spent a decade revolutionising Eurostar as its Marketing and Sales Director, leading the brand through years of success and navigating multiple crises. Now the Founder and Chief of Glow London, she works with clients around the world to build brands that are deeply connected to their people and culture. In this episode, Emma shares her journey through marketing, leadership, and entrepr...

As has become a tradition, marketing professor Mark Ritson is back to break down his top 10 marketing moments of the year. We talk fighter brands, the president, Amazon's grannies, deepfakes, mergers and more in this snappy episode. There's nothing more to say - strap in and enjoy the opinionated marketing professor dropping some clangers. Timestamps 00:00 - Intro 00:32 - Mark Ritson’s top 10 stor...

Andrew Warden, CMO of Semrush, joins us to unpack how AI is reshaping search, and what it means for marketers heading into 2026. We discuss whether SEO is really “dead,” the biggest insights from Semrush’s new AI Visibility Index , and how different AI models surface and rank content across industries. Andrew also shares why brand and digital visibility matter more than ever, the growing importanc...

Jo Shoesmith, Chief Creative Officer at Amazon, joins us for a second time to reveal how one of the world’s biggest brands continues to make advertising that connects emotionally and stands the test of time. She shares what she’s learned moving from agency life to leading creativity inside a global giant, why Amazon still invests in traditional media, and the secret to ads that run for 3–5 years w...

Zaria Parvez was the creative mastermind behind Duolingo's social media success, having joined the company in 2020 fresh out of University. 5 years later, and after 8 billion impressions, she's left for her next challenge - taking on the social media for Doordash. We speak to Zaria to find out what the secret to the viral success is, and how she plans to replicate this at Doordash. This episode is...

Esi Eggleston Bracey is the Chief Marketing and Growth Officer of Unilever. Esi joined the company in 2018 and has served as President of Unilever USA and CEO of Personal Care in North America. Prior to this, she led their $5 billion Beauty & Personal Care portfolio for North America as EVP and Chief Operating Officer which included responsibility for brands such as Dove, TRESemmé, Suave, Vase...

Nick Tran, is the CMO and President of First Round, leading Diageo’s new joint venture with Main Street Advisors to oversee two of the world’s most culturally driven spirits brands: Ciroc and Lobos 1707. Nick shares how he’s approaching brand reinvention vs continuation, why product innovation and cultural relevance are key, and what goes into long-term brand growth. We also touch on the future of...

Nils Leonard, Uncommon Studio's co-founder and Creative Director is back, and the mic is hotter than ever. We're tackling why Uncommon is pushing the boundaries of out of home, including the divisive BA "Reflections" campaign, what Nils thinks of the energy in the US vs the UK, and why we have a lot of work to do if we want creativity to thrive in this country. Timestamps 00:00 - Start 00:52 - How...

Entrepreneur, investor, and VaynerMedia CEO Gary Vaynerchuk joins us from Wine Library to share his unfiltered take on marketing in 2025. We cover everything from spotting consumer trends to staying authentic in the age of AI. Gary explains why generosity is his most powerful growth strategy, why the customer is always right, and which media channels are over or undervalued in 2025. Timestamps 00:...

Will Guidara is the author of Unreasonable Hospitality and co-founder of the world’s #1 restaurant, Eleven Madison Park. He joins us to share how lessons from hospitality can be a huge competitive advantage for your brand. We discuss the power of small but impactful gestures, intelligent naivety, the 95/5 rule and investing in the things that can’t be measured but make all the difference. Will als...