The CMO Podcast

A few weeks ago at Havas’ Hudson Street headquarters in New York City, industry leaders gathered on the eve of the Advertising Hall of Fame induction ceremony for a candid conversation about leadership, legacy, creativity, and courage.
For this special episode, Jim joins NFL Chief Marketing Officer Tim Ellis in conversation moderated by Maggie Connors, Chief Marketing Officer of Havas Creative Network. Together, they reflect on the defining decisions that shape a career, especially the ones that didn’t feel obvious at the time.
From transforming Pampers into a purpose-led brand to rebuilding trust and culture at the NFL, the conversation explores what it really means to lead: building teams, earning trust, listening deeply, and creating environments where people can thrive.
This is more than a discussion about marketing, it’s a conversation about humanity, mentorship, and the lasting impact leaders leave on the people around them.
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This week’s episode is in partnership with Havas.
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What does it take to transform a legacy brand and yourself as a leader at the same time?
To celebrate the launch of the streaming series on Hulu, Designed to Last, Jim welcomes Sherina Smith, Enterprise Chief Marketing Officer at American Family Insurance. Founded nearly a century ago in Madison, Wisconsin, American Family, or AMFAM, has grown into one of the largest mutual insurers in the United States. It serves millions of customers and generates more than $15 billion in annual revenue. The company has built its brand around a powerful purpose: to inspire, protect, and restore people’s dreams.
Designed to Last is one of the boldest moves in the category, a first-of-its-kind streaming series on Hulu, with the first episode available now.
Sherina joined American Family in 2019 as VP of Marketing and is now the Enterprise CMO for American Family and its subsidiary brands. She is responsible for helping guide the company’s flagship brand. She also leads the company’s marketing transformation, as well as customer growth strategies across the organization. Born and raised in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area, Sherina graduated from Ohio State and earned her MBA from USC. She spent a foundational 11 years at Kraft, which we discuss, before roles at AbbVie Pharmaceuticals and JCPenney.
Tune in as Sherina dives into how the show came to life, why long-form content is a powerful way to build engagement, and how brands can create deeper emotional connections in a crowded, competitive space.
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Stream Designed to Last on Hulu now!
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This week, about 5.5 thousand marketers from 44 countries and 800 brands are convening in Miami for one of the fastest rising gatherings in our industry, and Jim’s guest is the entrepreneur behind it all.
Jim welcomes Christian Muche, Global President and Co-Founder of POSSIBLE. Christian began his career as an accountant before discovering marketing, with time at early internet pioneers AOL and Yahoo in the early 2000s. In 2007, he co-founded DMEXCO, the Digital Marketing Exposition and Conference in Cologne, which became one of the most influential marketing and technology events in the world. Then in 2021, coming out of the pandemic, Christian co-founded POSSIBLE. Now in its fourth year, POSSIBLE brings together thousands of marketers, brands, and innovators in Miami for a three-day experience designed to spark connections and shape the future of the industry.
Whether you are there in person or following from afar, tune in for a conversation with a leader who has built a differentiated and meaningful event platform, and learn what continues to drive his passion for bringing people together.
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What does it take to turn a simple drink into a global cultural phenomenon?
This week Jim welcomes Allison Varone, the Head of Marketing at Campari America, to unpack the strategy behind one of the most impressive modern brand growth stories. From the rise of Aperol Spritz to the expansion of non-alcoholic options, the Campari Group has become one of the world’s leading spirits companies, with a portfolio of more than 50 premium and super-premium brands, from aperitifs, tequila, whiskey, rum, to cognac. Campari has grown into a $9 billion global player, built on a portfolio of premium brands that have become part of many people’s everyday rituals and celebrations.
Allison leads marketing for the entire U.S. portfolio, including overseeing brand strategy, consumer engagement, innovation, and integrated campaigns across Campari’s range of brands. She’s also deeply involved in shaping how these brands show up in culture, from major moments like Coachella and the U.S. Open, to celebrating the everyday ritual of the aperitivo hour.
Alison joined Campari in 2024, after nearly 12 years at LVMH, where she led marketing across some of the most admired luxury brands in the world, including Hennessy, Moët & Chandon, and Belvedere. Before that, she spent an eventful six years in the early 2000s at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia.
Tune in for a conversation with a marketing leader who showcases how she balances heritage with innovation, through shaping the future of cocktail culture, consumer connection, and brand storytelling.

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Long before our guest this week became the CMO of Levi’s, he was rocking the brand as a kid, breakdancing with his brother in shell-toe Adidas and Levi’s denim. Fast forward a few decades, and he’s now leading one of the most admired brands in the world.
This week Jim welcomes Kenny Mitchell, SVP and Chief Marketing Officer of the Levi’s brand at Levi Strauss & Co. The legacy brand was founded in 1853 by Bavarian immigrant Levi Strauss during the California Gold Rush. Originally designed as durable workwear for laborers, now 173 years later, it is the market leader in denim apparel, generating more than $6 billion in annual revenue.
Kenny joined Levi’s in 2023 after serving as CMO of Snap Inc., bringing with him a track record of driving growth and cultural relevance. Since joining, he’s been focused on creating “modern-day moments” for the brand, connecting Levi’s legacy to today’s culture, from high-impact partnerships to the brand’s return to the Super Bowl with its “Behind Every Original” campaign. Previously, he has held senior marketing roles at McDonald’s U.S., Gatorade, and NASCAR.
Tune in for a conversation about growth, culture, and leadership, and what it really takes to move a brand, and an organization, forward.
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