CMORoom Insider

In this CMORoom Spotlight, Kate Pietrini speaks with Adam Kmiec about balancing brand creativity with data and leading with confidence in a rapidly evolving marketing landscape.

One news brief. One weekly dose. Essential news that makes a mark and shapes what’s next. Retail Media's Next Battle: Walmart vs. Amazon The competition between Walmart and Amazon is expanding far beyond retail and into connected TV advertising. As both companies strengthen their retail media ecosystems, marketers have more opportunities to connect streaming campaigns directly to shopping behavior and sales, bringing performance measurement closer to the living room. The batt

One news brief. One weekly dose. Essential news that makes a mark and shapes what’s next. Samsung Teams Up With Marvel for New Spider-Man Campaign Samsung is entering the Marvel universe with a new campaign that positions its Galaxy devices as Spider-Man's newest must-have gadget. By blending entertainment with product storytelling, the collaboration taps into one of the world's biggest franchises to capture fan attention. The campaign highlights how brands continue to levera

Consumers are spending less time conducting extensive research; they're asking AI platforms for recommendations and then validating those recommendations through trusted communities. For years, search was the gateway to discovery. Consumers typed a question into Google, compared options, and made decisions on their own terms. Today, that journey is changing faster than most brands realize. As AI-powered search becomes a primary source of information, marketers are being chall

One news brief. One weekly dose. Essential news that makes a mark and shapes what’s next. Best Buy Unveils New Executive Team to Accelerate Growth Best Buy announced a sweeping executive leadership realignment ahead of Jason Bonfig's transition to CEO, creating new roles focused on strategy, revenue, retail, operations and its growing advertising business. Notably, Lisa Valentino was promoted to Chief Ads & Media Officer, underscoring the retailer's continued investment in re

What a match. What a room. ⚽ Watching two of the world's best teams battle it out on the World Cup stage was even better surrounded by some of the best marketing minds in the industry. From the energy of France vs. Morocco to standout food and nonstop conversation at The Happiest Hour, Dallas showed up. The room was filled with brand leaders, marketers, and conversations that carried well beyond the final whistle. Thank you to everyone who joined us. Your ideas, conversations

The strongest marketing teams don't think in terms of brand versus performance, they bring both together to create a unified, full-funnel approach. Marketing for the Next Generation: A Conversation on Growth, Gen Z Parents, and Modern Brand Building. The role of a marketing leader has never been more dynamic. Consumer expectations shift faster than ever, channels continue to evolve, and today's brands must balance immediate business performance with long-term brand equity. Fo

One news brief. One weekly dose. Essential news that makes a mark and shapes what’s next. Pet Brands Continue Winning with Experience-Led Marketing Purina's Chief Snuggle Officer campaign puts participation at the center of its marketing strategy, replacing traditional promotions with an experience that invites pet owners to celebrate everyday moments with their animals. In doing so, the campaign builds emotional engagement while generating organic social content. The approac

There was a time when you could walk down any supermarket aisle, glance at a shelf, and know exactly what you were looking at without reading a single label. Banks looked trustworthy. Insurance companies looked corporate. Protein brands looked aggressive. Water brands looked pure. Luxury brands looked expensive. These weren't coincidences. They were category codes, the visual, verbal, and emotional shortcuts industries spent decades refining to help consumers instantly decode

One news brief. One weekly dose. Essential news that makes a mark and shapes what’s next. Brands reshape Pride marketing playbook with authenticity Major brands including Abercrombie & Fitch, Adidas, Nike, Tinder, Diesel, Sephora, and many more moved beyond surface-level rainbow branding during Pride Month toward deeper cultural collaboration. Campaigns centered on authentic storytelling, community investment, and long-term partnerships — signaling a clear evolution in purpos

Everyone is talking about AI. Last night at CMORoom at Porzana in Minneapolis, Adam Kmiec reminded us that’s not the real story. The real story is judgment. AI can generate answers. Data can generate insights. Dashboards can generate confidence. But none of them replace asking one simple question: What’s the source? That idea sparked nearly two hours of conversation with some of the sharpest marketing leaders in Minneapolis. We talked about bias. Legacy brands. Modern growth.

The other week in New York City, we hosted some of the smartest, funniest, and most engaging Agency Leaders we've had the pleasure of bringing together—truly second to none. The talent, creativity, and energy gathered at Hide Rooftop were, bar none, among the most dynamic in the industry. There’s nothing better than filling a room with people who aren't trying to impress each other. It was a ridiculously good time. Great conversations. Real insights. Nonstop laughs. And a few

Why Media Belongs at the Strategy Table? The media landscape is evolving faster than ever. New platforms emerge constantly, consumer attention shifts by the minute, and marketers are under increasing pressure to connect every campaign to measurable business impact. In this edition of CMORoom Spotlight, we sat down with Mike Woods of APCO Worldwide to discuss why media deserves a seat at the strategy table, how audience-first thinking is reshaping the industry, and the leaders

One news brief. One weekly dose. Essential news that makes a mark and shapes what’s next. Cannes Lions 2026 Opens, AI & Creativity Dominate Industry Conversations The 73rd Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity kicked off on June 22, drawing global leaders across media, marketing, technology, and culture. This year’s dialogue is heavily centered on AI’s expanding role in creative development, brand storytelling, and future monetization models—alongside high-profile

The entertainment industry is evolving in real time. Between streaming competition, audience fragmentation, AI disruption, and nonstop content cycles, marketing leaders are being asked to do more than drive growth, they’re being asked to lead through uncertainty. For Katinka Soto Lucy, that challenge sits at the center of her role. Leading marketing campaigns within the streaming business means balancing fandoms, acquisitions, brand storytelling, performance marketing, and te

One news brief. One weekly dose. Essential news that makes a mark and shapes what’s next. This year’s Juneteenth brand movement isn’t loud, it’s embedded. Along with CMORoom, from a digital marketing lens, Nike, Target, and Netflix leaned into owned channels, platforms, and merchandising signals already in motion. Nike amplified Black creators and athletes across social and owned media, Target increased visibility for Black-owned brands across digital shelves and in-store to

What if your most powerful marketing channel wasn't advertising? What if it was the product itself? That’s the question Tony’s Chocolonely answers better than almost any modern brand. Founded with a mission to eradicate exploitation in the cocoa industry, Tony’s has built a global powerhouse by turning purpose into a core competitive advantage. Its packaging tells a story. Its product design sparks conversation. Its radical transparency builds bulletproof trust. The result? A

Last Thursday, Detroit showed up in the best way possible. Our first Detroit CMORoom was everything we hoped it would be and more. From rooftop views overlooking the city to conversations that stretched well past sunset (and into the weekend), the night was defined by energy, candor, and genuine connection. What stood out most wasn’t just the caliber of leaders in the room—it was the shared pride in Detroit itself. Throughout the evening, we heard stories of family roots, car

It was so great getting everyone together yesterday! Thank you for dedicating your evening to being with us. A huge thank you to Andy Cotten, and AdMedia for making nights like this possible. Andy is a paid media expert and a valuable resource for helping brands expand reach and drive performance. We hope you enjoyed the conversations and connections, and left with a few new perspectives. → Depth of reach is becoming more important than reach alone. Marketers are looking beyo

One news brief. One weekly dose. Essential news that makes a mark and shapes what’s next. The Coca‑Cola Company Appoints New Senior Director of Frontline Marketing Bineet Jain joins Coca-Cola as Senior Director, Frontline Marketing, bringing 18 years of FMCG brand experience to lead local and community-centric brand efforts that support Coke’s global positioning. This move reflects a continued emphasis on connecting with consumers at the retail and regional level. (Media Bri