Marketing Vanguard

From $0 confidence to CEO of one of the most well-known brands in the world, Sharon Price John’s story is nothing short of inspiring and we’re unpacking it on the latest episode of Marketing Vanguard. In this conversation, straight from the Brandweek 2025 stage in Atlanta, Sharon, CEO of Build-A-Bear, reveals her unconventional career journey and how that evolution directly shaped the turnaround and reimagining of an iconic experiential brand.

What You'll Learn:
How to transition from functional expertise to CEO-level thinking
Why CMOs must adopt a "business-first" mindset to advance
The confidence gap that holds high-potential women back from applying for stretch roles
How to unlock brand equity by understanding feeling over function
The critical role of authentic leadership in driving organizational transformation
How to pivot a single-location retail concept into an IP-driven, multi-vertical business

In an era where the marketing playbook is being rewritten daily, how can brands stay ahead? Joshua Spanier, Google’s VP of AI and Marketing Strategy, pulls back the curtain in “Frontier CMO,” his new podcast and weekly insights letter featuring the marketers, thought leaders, and industry pioneers who are reinventing marketing.

Josh previews the tough questions and unfiltered conversations featured on Frontier CMO, including:
AI as a leadership test: exploring the "human" side of the AI revolution. As technology and tools advance the challenge becomes equipping marketing teams to leverage these technologies
Brand relevance and connection: writing the next playbook for brand relevance by showing up as a main character in the places and spaces that connect with your audience
Agentic Commerce: understanding the transition from "speed vs. certainty" to a world where shopping is fast and smart
The new marketing organization: knowing where AI makes work faster and smarter and restructuring teams to keep up. Redefining agency partnerships to elevate insights and creativity in real time

Each episode of Frontier CMO features tactical, practical steps all leaders can take to navigate the future of marketing. Find it wherever you get your podcasts: YouTube | Apple | Spotify
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More than ever before, CMOs belong in the C-Suite. And, Sumit Virmani, CMO of Infosys, has a strong case to back this stance up. In this episode of Marketing Vanguard, live from the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos, Sumit breaks down the necessary evolution of the CMO, what AI has to do with it, and the strategic imperative of aligning with C-suite priorities.

What You'll Learn:
Why CMOs need to operate within the full C-suite context, not just marketing bubbles
How to position yourself as a transformation partner, not a marketing operator
The critical difference between using AI to do marketing better versus using AI to expand your business influence
Why advocating for marketing's "seat at the strategy table" requires complementing creative genius with AI-powered analytics
How to build an undeniable business case for attending high-level forums like Davos

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CMOs can drive business revenue - this is an established fact. But how can they do it better, bigger, and stronger in the age of AI? We’re unpacking this in the latest episode of Marketing Vanguard, live from the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos. Tune in as Emma Chalwin, CMO at Workday, breaks down the evolving strategic role of CMOs at major enterprises, the intersection of AI and human-centered marketing, and how chief marketing officers can become essential drivers of business growth.

What You'll Learn:
How to position CMOs as strategic business leaders in the age of AI
The "Art and Science" Framework for modern CMOs to thrive
Why AI adoption requires a human-centered brand narrative
How to reframe customer relationships from acquisition to retention
The "B2B to B2H" (Business to Human) messaging approach and why it’s critical
How to embed brand values as competitive differentiation
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AI has long been thought of as a threat to creativity. But what if they’re not at odds at all? In this episode of Marketing Vanguard, live from the World Economic Forum in Davos, CMO of Adobe Enterprise, Rachel Thornton, reveals why putting human creativity at the center of marketing strategy is more critical than ever and how CMOs should be navigating this tectonic shift.

What You'll Learn:
How to position AI as "augmented intelligence" rather than artificial intelligence
Why the core creative concept must remain human-driven while AI handles scaling
How to free your marketers from tactical asset-building so they focus on what they love
The framework for proving marketing's revenue impact to your C-suite
Why authenticity and brand definition are now competitive imperatives
How to treat customers as co-creators of your brand experience, particularly with Gen Z and Gen Alpha audiences

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AI has permeated every conversation since 2024, but CMOs have yet to use it to its full potential. In this episode of Marketing Vanguard, live from the World Economic Forum at Davos, Bonnie Pelosi, CEO EMEA at Microsoft, reveals the truth about AI in marketing - what’s going right, what’s going wrong, and everything in between.

What You'll Learn:
How to embed governance into AI implementation from day one
Why CMOs must act as connectors across the entire C-suite
The "Customer Zero" mindset and why AI use cases must be geared, first, towards customers
How to lead cultural transformation, not just technology rollout
Why curiosity and empathy are non-negotiable CMO competencies
The distinction between tactical and strategic leadership
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