Marketing Vanguard

How do you make a brand that’s perceived as “uncool” a cultural moment? Terence Reilly, Chief Brand Officer of Crocs, reveals his playbook in this episode of Marketing Vanguard. He reveals how he transformed a meme product into a global phenomenon, why embracing risk and "failing fast" is essential to breaking culture, and the strategies behind building authentic brand narratives in an age of AI and collaboration fatigue.Terence Reilly is Chief Brand Officer at Crocs, renowned for his expertise in brand transformation, cultural relevance and innovative marketing strategy. With a background spanning financial services, retail and consumer goods (including leadership roles at Stanley, Footaction, and Famous Footwear), Terence has a proven track record of being able to elevate iconic brands through bold creative risks and collaborative partnerships. His strategic vision has contributed to making Stanley and Crocs household names globally, with his Stanley car-fire TikTok campaign generating $50 million in additional revenue and 100 million views. His unique marketing insights make him a valuable voice for any marketer (regardless of experience) who’s looking to navigate brand transformation successfully.What You'll Learn:How to flip negative brand perception into a competitive advantage by leaning into criticismWhy the "drive it like you stole it" philosophy for scaling wins fast, and the story behind the iconic Michael Jackson momentWhy collaboration fatigue is real and how to recapture your brand's own narrativeThe power of empowering frontline insights to drive viral moments and the truth about the Crocs-Post Malone moment How to create proprietary eponyms that make your brand synonymous with the categoryThe non-linear career path that builds better marketers

The power of word-of-mouth and referral-based marketing takes on a whole new meaning in this episode of Marketing Vanguard. Tune in as Amica Insurance EVP and CMO, Tory Pachis, reveals how their Rhode Island–based challenger brand competes against massive incumbents by doubling down on empathy, service, and human-led experiences while building relevance with younger consumers.Tory is Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President at Amica Insurance, the nation's oldest mutual automobile insurance company with 119 years of heritage. With 27 years of experience in the insurance industry and previous leadership roles at Travelers Insurance and Hanover Insurance, Tory brings deep expertise in brand transformation, direct-to-consumer marketing, and building customer loyalty in highly competitive categories. His work modernizing Amica's brand platform while preserving its legendary customer loyalty culture makes his perspectives essential listening for marketing leaders seeking to balance heritage with innovation. What You'll Learn:How to leverage brand heritage as a competitive moatWhy share of voice matters more than market share in commoditized categoriesThe "consumer as hero" creative frameworkHow to use AI for product discovery, not just operational efficiencyThe player-coach leadership model for scaling transformative changeWhy do direct distribution models require different marketing investments

What if AI could bring more humanity to marketing, instead of taking away from it? In this episode of Marketing Vanguard, Lauren Weinberg, CMO of Supergoop! and veteran CMO at Square, Intuit and Peloton, reveals why brand authenticity matters more than ever in an AI-driven world, how CMOs should lead their teams through rapid technological transformation and the key strategies to balance budget discipline with bold creative thinking.Lauren is an accomplished Chief Marketing Officer with extensive experience leading marketing transformations at industry-leading companies including Square, Intuit and Peloton. Currently serving as the CMO of Supergoop!, Lauren brings expertise in brand strategy, growth marketing and AI integration, offering a unique perspective that bridges creative storytelling with data-driven decision-making. Her proven track record of driving growth while maintaining P&L sensibility, combined with her advisory role at Emory University's Data Science and Decision Department, makes her a trusted voice for senior marketing leaders navigating digital transformation. What You'll Learn:How to position AI as a catalyst for brand authenticity rather than automationThe strategy-first framework for saying "no" in high-intensity environmentsWhy P&L sensibility is now non-negotiable for CMO credibilityThe three C's of hiring for an AI-driven future - conviction, courage and curiosityHow to create organizational AI literacy without overburdening teamsWhy CMOs should shift from efficiency conversations to strategic AI conversations with the C-suite

EVP, GM, or CMO - why pick one when you can be all 3? In this episode of Marketing Vanguard, Keisha Taylor Starr, EVP, CMO, and General Manager of Scripps Networks, proves that intersectionality and a diverse skill set can take your marketing game to the next level. Tune in for their discussion on how strategic repositioning can drive record-breaking audience engagement, why marketers must balance creative risk with financial rigor and the leadership moves required to shape an industry built for diverse voices. Keisha Taylor Starr is Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer, and General Manager of Scripps Networks at The E.W. Scripps Company, bringing expertise in media marketing, brand strategy, and P&L management. With a career spanning agency work at BBDO, leadership roles at CNN, Turner Broadcasting, and Warner Bros. Discovery, as well as experience in collegiate sports marketing, she has consistently driven innovative transformations across news, entertainment, and sports properties. Her leadership in ION's rebrand into a general entertainment network with pioneering women's sports programming has resulted in record-breaking audience engagement and Google TV's most-watched free live channel designation in 2024, demonstrating how CMOs can balance creative vision with financial accountability.What You'll Learn:How to transition from CMO to General Manager by gaining P&L ownershipWhy sports franchises are essential programming investmentsThe strategy behind rebranding a legacy network for new audiencesHow to balance creative ambition with financial rigor as a CMOThe importance of diverse representation in leadership and decision-makingHow to expand sports definition and create inclusive programming

A new age of Super Bowl marketing has dawned upon us, and it’s time to embrace it. In this episode of Marketing Vanguard, marketing leaders from Meta, Instacart, and Chime reveal how their brands are redefining Super Bowl marketing by prioritizing social-first strategies, earned media, and authentic creator partnerships over traditional metrics. Tune in to learn why the biggest marketing opportunities now live in subcultures and algorithmic feeds and how to tap into conversations happening off-screen.What You'll Learn:How to shift from awareness metrics to earned social conversation as your primary Super Bowl success measureWhy a social-first strategy is non-negotiable and why niche communities outperform monoculture campaignsHow to design ads that crack culture through hyperbole and surpriseThe strategic partnership framework beyond logo placementHow to unlock innovation by protecting brand fundamentals while experimenting relentlesslyWhy in-house creative teams, powered by AI, can deliver portfolio-defining work at a fraction of agency costsThe non-negotiable marketing-product alignment tactic

Surely a legacy brand like Crayola has done all it could to grow, right? Wrong. In this episode of the Marketing Vanguard podcast, recorded live at Brandweek in Atlanta in November 2025, Victoria Lozano, former CMO of Crayola, proves that the growth work of even the most iconic brands can and should never stop. From how nostalgia can be leveraged to the advantage of expanding into unexpected categories, this conversation covers it all. Victoria Lozano, former Chief Marketing Officer of Crayola, is renowned for her expertise in brand strategy, category expansion and omnichannel marketing across iconic consumer brands. With a career spanning Fortune 500 CPG companies including HBC, beverages and confectionery, she has built a diverse track record in product innovation, location-based entertainment, and educational strategy. Her work at Crayola demonstrates how legacy brands can evolve, redefine brand categories, unlock new consumer segments and build enduring marketing strategies that transcend traditional product boundaries, all while maintaining emotional resonance. What You'll Learn:How to merge nostalgia with future-forward relevanceWhy a CMO's role with high-awareness brands requires category expansionThe framework for segmented messaging across stakeholder groupsHow to unlock hidden revenue streams in plain sight, like recognizing that 57% of Crayola purchases are made by adults without childrenThe power of branded sensory identity as a defensible competitive advantageWhy ecosystem thinking matters more than individual business unit performance