5 Marketing Insights from Top CMOs

5 Lessons We Learned from Season 1 of the Soul & Science Podcast

Does marketing live in the heart, or in the head? Should we trust our instincts or our integers? While most great brands use both, every CMO wrestles with how to balance one over the other.?

As the Co-Founder & CEO of the creative agency Mekanism, I've had the opportunity to work with some of the most brilliant marketers in the business and always appreciate hearing how they approach brand-building. But these conversations typically took place in a new business meeting or strategy session or on monthly calls. We set out to pull back the curtain on the entrepreneurial mindset to reflect on how the C suite approaches?the creative process. Away from budgets and pitch decks, these conversations flowed with candor and came together as the first season of the Soul & Science podcast.?

As marketers, we must always pause and consider how we juggle our creative philosophy with the metrics and ever-evolving expectations that shape our industry. As we launch our second season of Soul & Science this month, we wanted to highlight some of the lessons revealed on the podcast that have helped CEOs and CMOs produce iconic brands, honor their corporate values, and keep performing at a high level.?

Here are five valuable insights I’ve distilled from my first season of Soul & Science.

1. If you’re standing still, you’re moving backward.

Chris Davis, CMO of New Balance

Would you take kindly to being called complacent? I know I wouldn't. By not thinking ahead, you could be missing out on big opportunities - seeking out innovation as you look into the future is crucial. Avoid getting too comfortable in your strategy so that you don’t go stagnant.? We've all heard the tropes about CMO tenure, but the reality is that there is already someone out there thinking about how to build a better mousetrap. Is it you?

2. We all need to laugh in business a hell of a lot more.

Jessica Jensen, CMO of Indeed

Sometimes we get so caught up in growth and performance that we forget to let our passion lead our work. We can have some real fun in this business, and oftentimes our best work comes from those moments we let creativity flow. Finding that spark of inspiration is the best part of the job. We can all use a little prodding to focus on what we find fun within our work. You'll be glad you did, trust me.

3. Building an organic community is more valuable than using ads to buy numbers.

Sam Parr, Founder of The Hustle

It’s easy to throw money into ads that show numbers, but those numbers won’t make a difference unless they include a genuinely engaged audience. Too often, I've seen brands forget their core values in the chase for metrics, causing a rift between their audience and their work. Making an investment in your organic community is always worth it.??

4. Always call your shots.

Bonin Bough, Founder of Lockstep Ventures

It’s the Babe Ruth principle. It’s important to put enough confidence in your work that you can let the world know it’s coming. You don't always need to hit a home run to be successful, but when you know you're onto something, don't be afraid to say so. This holds you accountable to accomplish what you say you will and builds momentum toward your work.

5. Competition can help you grow.

Kara Goldin, Founder of Hint Water

When facing brands like Coca-Cola, or other media giants, growing your brand can feel daunting. However, competition has huge potential for growth as it encourages innovation, change, and creativity. Just as companies like Hint Water have used their competition’s missteps as stepping stones to major growth in the flavored water category, there are always opportunities in challenges.?

In our shared quest to crack the code of marketing, the challenge isn't merely to choose one option or the other. Great work almost never stems from a binary choice. Every one of our guests made it to the top by picking priorities and following through on them in a variety of decisions. The details differ from industry to industry, but you can trace the success of their vision to the values they have prioritized.

Tune in as we launch season two of Soul & Science this fall. We will be speaking with some iconic brands like Rare Beauty, Liquid Death, Lenovo and Olipop, while gaining some invaluable insights from the people who have helped shape them.?

Listen to Season 1 of Soul & Science wherever you stream podcasts.