Uncensored CMO

Hosted by Jon Evans

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284

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Aug 2026

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About the show

The Uncensored CMO was created to explore the good, the bad and quite frankly downright ugly truth about marketing theory & practice.

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60 recent

September 9, 2026Episode 28647 min

What every Marketer needs to know about the future of search - Google’s Sophie Neary

AI is rapidly changing how people search, shop and discover new brands. So what does that mean for marketers? Sophie Neary has spent the past few years inside Google, giving her a front-row seat to some of the biggest shifts in consumer behaviour and advertising. In this episode, she joins Jon to explore what she's learned, the assumptions marketers still get wrong about Google, and the surprising ways consumers are already using AI. They discuss how brands can show up in AI-powered search, the evolving relationship between advertisers and creators, how to make the most of the crucial golden quarter, and what AI commerce could mean for the future of shopping. Plus, as AI becomes capable of doing more of the work, Sophie and Jon ask a bigger question: which uniquely human skills will become even more valuable to marketers? This episode is an advertisement feature brought to you by Google. Timestamps 00:00 - Start 01:12 - What has Sophie learned in the past few years at Google? 03:07 - CMO lessons from being inside Google 05:11 - What assumption marketers have about Google would Sophie challenge 08:07 - A surprising consumer pattern with AI 11:17 - How brands can show up in AI searches 18:56 - How advertisers can collaborate with creators? 22:09 - How Sophie uses her Google Fitbit Air 24:18 - How to optimise the golden quarter 28:08 - How important will AI commerce be in the future? 30:36 - get them to check this section 34:01 - The most uncensored question for Sophie Neary 37:44 - Where will human skills count in the age of AI? 45:26 - The best advice Sophie has ever been given --- Thank you to our sponsors System1 and HubSpot Download System1's creator effectiveness report here: https://system1group.com/the-creator-effectiveness-playbook Find about more about HubSpot's AEO product here: https://www.hubspot.com/products/aeo

September 2, 2026Episode 2851 hr 2 min

Why uncertainty creates better marketing & what AI will never replace - Dr Margaret Heffernan

Dr Margaret Heffernan is one of the world's leading thinkers on uncertainty, leadership and creativity. A bestselling author, entrepreneur and former CEO, her latest book, Embracing Uncertainty , challenges one of the biggest assumptions in business that the future can, and should, be predicted. In this episode, Margaret explains why forecasting often fails, where great ideas really come from, and why spending more time with uncertainty can actually make us better leaders and marketers. We discuss the dangers of relying too heavily on data, the surprising habits of highly creative people, and why walking might be one of the best things you can do for your thinking. Timestamps 00:00 - Trailer 01:09 - Why pick uncertainty as a topic 05:31 - Why some companies shouldn’t forecast 09:04 - Why smart people are wasting time on forecasting 14:41 - The problem with having too much data 19:07 - Predictability only happens at scale 24:41 - Where do ideas come from? 27:19 - Why the Chief Economist of the Bank of England goes on walks 30:29 - Are we becoming too left brain dominant? 32:32 - The problem with AI 36:10 - Is AI killing our ability to think? 41:17 - How to make good ideas happen 44:11 - The power of surprise 46:15 - The improvisers paradox 49:31 - The correlation between the artists mind and the entrepreneur’s mind 51:57 - What human skills do we need to survive? 58:43 - The best advice Margaret has ever been given --- Thank you to our sponsors System1 and HubSpot Download System1's creator effectiveness report here: https://system1group.com/the-creator-effectiveness-playbook Find about more about HubSpot's AEO product here: https://www.hubspot.com/products/aeo

August 26, 2026Episode 28445 min

How Heineken became creative brand of the year - Ali Payne

Ali Payne, CMO of Heineken, joins us to discuss how one of the world's most iconic beer brands became Creative Brand of the Year at Cannes Lions - and what it takes to keep a 150-year-old brand feeling fresh. From being the "Official Beer of Soccer" as a non-sponsor of the FIFA World Cup to reviving the legendary "Most Interesting Man in the World" campaign, Ali shares how Heineken balances long-term brand building with cultural relevance. We explore what it takes to get an entire organisation behind bold creative ideas, the role of sport in Heineken's marketing strategy, and how brands like Birra Moretti continue to grow through innovation. Timestamps 00:00 - Trailer 00:56 - World Cup fever for the USA and Heineken 02:51 - Jumping on cultural moments 04:25 - Becoming the official beer of soccer (unofficially) 06:50 - How non sponsors got more coverage than sponsors for the World Cup 10:18 - How to manage a 150 year old brand 12:31 - Winning Cannes creative brand of the year 14:46 - Getting the wider business on board with creative work 17:06 - Ali’s favourite Cannes Lions winner 18:38 - Bringing back Dos Equis most interesting man 22:58 - The success of Birra Moretti 24:49 - Heineken’s sports sponsorship strategy 28:32 - How are Heineken bringing new people into the category 29:56 - The ingredients for a successful innovation 33:12 - Heineken’s partnership with Heinz 37:08 - How great CMOs keep creativity alive 40:11 - What makes a great CMO? 41:58 - What’s the best advice you’ve ever recieved? --- Thank you to our sponsors System1 and HubSpot Download System1's creator effectiveness report here: https://system1group.com/the-creator-effectiveness-playbook Find about more about HubSpot's AEO product here: https://www.hubspot.com/products/aeo

August 19, 2026Episode 28355 min

Why AI should drive growth, not just efficiency – Najoh Tita-Reid

Najoh Tita-Reid, former Chief Growth Officer at Mars Petcare, joins us to discuss why she made the unusual decision to step away from one of the biggest roles in marketing to embark on a self-described "learning safari", immersing herself in the world of AI and exploring what it means for the future of business. In this conversation, Najoh shares why she believes too many organisations are using AI purely to drive efficiency, when its greatest opportunity lies in unlocking growth. We explore how AI is changing creativity, leadership and the role of the CMO, why marketers risk becoming tacticians instead of strategic business leaders, and what today's CEOs really expect from marketing. Timestamps 00:00 - Start 00:57 - Why Najoh left Mars 02:18 - Why F1 is the perfect metaphor for AI in 2026 05:18 - Using AI for growth vs efficiency 08:01 - The impact AI is having on creativity 09:17 - Why AI is the colonisation of inefficiency 16:21 - Are we at risk of becoming tacticians and not strategy leaders? 18:52 - Does the CEO understand your role? 22:40 - Can AI actually delivery higher efficiency? 25:00 - What’s the secret to delivering growth 28:24 - What having a different job title gives you permission to do 33:11 - They key leadership skills for a great CMO 34:02 - Why great CMOs are accountable for making change 36:06 - Lessons from Najoh’s biggest failure 40:01 - The difference between culture in the UK and USA 44:09 - What Najoh has learnt on her learning safari 49:47 - The best advice Najoh has ever been given --- Thank you to our sponsors System1 and HubSpot Download System1's creator effectiveness report here: https://system1group.com/the-creator-effectiveness-playbook Find about more about HubSpot's AEO product here: https://www.hubspot.com/products/aeo

August 12, 2026Episode 28254 min

How creativity transformed Australia’s No.1 Telecom’s brand - Brent Smart

Brent Smart is one of the most respected marketers in the world. After spending more than 20 years in advertising, he made the rare move from agency life to become CMO of NRMA Insurance. Brent's most recent role as CMO of Telstra, Australia's largest telecommunications company, he helped transform the brand through bold, distinctive and highly effective marketing. In this episode, Brent shares the principles behind his approach to creativity, from selling big ideas inside large organisations and drawing on academic marketing frameworks to building a culture where great work can thrive. We discuss the campaigns that defined his career, including Telstra's viral "Better on a Better Network" campaign, why humour and surprise remain powerful competitive advantages, and the unique agency model that helped Telstra consistently produce standout work. Timestamps 00:00 - Start 01:03 - Why Brent left Telstra 02:31 - Why Brent moved in house after 20 years agency side 05:41 - How to sell a creative idea into a big organisation 11:01 - The academic frameworks to create great marketing 12:16 - Why you should look at your brands heritage 14:02 - The most successful campaign Brent did for NRMA 17:33 - How Brent won a Grand Effie 21:13 - How Brent transformed Telstra’s brand marketing 26:08 - The Telstra Walk - the viral campaign 32:39 - Using humour to cut through 35:00 - The power of surprise and consistency 37:41 - The unique agency model that helped Telstra create cuthrough work 40:02 - Why craft is so important in 2026 42:44 - How to build a creative culture 47:11 - How to be a great CMO --- Thank you to our sponsors System1 and HubSpot Download System1's creator effectiveness report here: https://system1group.com/the-creator-effectiveness-playbook Find about more about HubSpot's AEO product here: https://www.hubspot.com/products/aeo

August 5, 2026Episode 28148 min

Why your brand can't afford to be boring - Rebecca Darley, Vodafone Australia

Bec Darley, CMO of Vodafone Australia, joins us to discuss what it really takes to grow a challenger brand in one of the world's toughest telecoms markets. From competing against an entrenched duopoly to building distinctive campaigns with Ali Wong, Bec shares how Vodafone has embraced its challenger mindset rather than trying to imitate the market leaders. We explore why marketers need to understand far more than advertising, from unit economics and legal to customer experience and organisational change, and why the best marketing leaders are, ultimately, business leaders. Timestamps 00:00 - Start 00:54 - Who is Bec Darley? 03:31 - Taking on roles beyond marketing to make you a better marketer 05:38 - Why the history of duopolies in Australia makes being a challenger tough 08:53 - How does Vodafone take on the giants as a challenger 12:55 - Leaning into your disadvantage 16:01 - Vodafone’s commercials with Ali Wong 18:37 - The importance of legal for marketing 21:08 - When taking risks backfires - getting banned 24:19 - Focusing on mental availability 26:40 - Are we losing the ability to be creative while hunting efficiency 29:28 - Understanding the unit economics of the business 34:28 - How to manage a portfolio of brands 36:18 - Why you need to be customer first 38:51 - The best marketers move beyond marketing 40:24 - How to make change in a company 43:46 - Embracing discomfort and failing fast 46:23 - Bec’s advice to all young marketers --- Thank you to our sponsors System1 and HubSpot Download System1's creator effectiveness report here: https://system1group.com/the-creator-effectiveness-playbook Find about more about HubSpot's AEO product here: https://www.hubspot.com/products/aeo

July 29, 2026Episode 2801 hr 3 min

20 years of challenger brand lessons with Auto & General CMO, Jonathan Kerr

Jonathan Kerr, CMO of Auto & General, joins us to explore how one of Australia's most successful challenger brands has built sustained growth by combining strong marketing fundamentals with relentless execution. From creating a role for himself at Auto & General to helping Budget Direct become one of the country's fastest-growing insurance brands, Jonathan shares why product should always come before growth, how marketers can take greater ownership of the 4 Ps, and what insurance consistently gets right about creativity. We also discuss the power of distinctive brand characters, audio branding, in-house creative teams and a media strategy designed to maximise long-term effectiveness. Useful links This episode is brought to you by System1. Download their creator effectiveness report here: https://system1group.com/the-creator-effectiveness-playbook Find about more about HubSpot's AEO product here: https://www.hubspot.com/products/aeo Timestamps 00:00:00 - Start 00:01:41 - How Jonathan found out about Auto and General 00:03:31 - How Jonathan created a new role for himself 00:06:58 - How to balance low price with great product 00:10:36 - Market share growth for Budget Direct 00:12:06 - Focusing on product over growth 00:13:59 - How to control more of the P’s 00:16:51 - Why does insurance produce such creative work? 00:20:52 - The power of compounding work in insurance 00:24:21 - Developing brand characters, and when to kill them off 00:30:08 - The power of audio and jingles 00:34:16 - What’s too silly to be said can be sung 00:36:13 - Why they do so much work in house 00:40:34 - Budget Direct’s unique approach to media buying 00:42:43 - How Jonathan uses AI 00:48:04 - The key challenger brand principles Jonathan has followed 00:50:59 - What makes a successful CMO? 00:52:55 - Do we need to re-educate ourselves on marketing theory? 01:00:27 - The best advice you’ve ever recieved

July 22, 2026Episode 27948 min

How YouTube built the creator economy and how brands are still missing out - Pedro Pina, YouTube

Pedro Pina, VP of YouTube for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, joins us to explore how YouTube helped create the creator economy and why so many brands are still failing to take full advantage of it. From the rise of full-time creators to the changing role of YouTube in the media landscape, Pedro explains what makes the platform unique, the metrics that actually matter, and why great content continues to outperform everything else. We also discuss the balance between long-form and Shorts, the "YouTube Confidence Gap" among CMOs, and how brands can build authentic partnerships with creators that drive real business results. If you're wondering where marketing is heading next, this is a masterclass from one of the people shaping it. Get the YouTube Confidence Gap Report from Little Dot Studios: https://info.littledotstudios.com/little-dot-studios-the-youtube-confidence-gap-report This episode is brought to you by System1. Download their creator effectiveness report here: https://system1group.com/the-creator-effectiveness-playbook Timestamps 00:00 - Intro 01:35 - Why YouTube made a creator space in Cannes 03:06 - How Cannes has changed over the past 20 years 06:12 - How many people are paid to be YouTubers 09:39 - The secret of YouTube 11:08 - Who are the biggest creators on YouTube 12:36 - What are the most important metrics on YouTube 14:42 - Why content will always be king on YouTube 15:57 - What makes a succesful YouTuber 19:48 - Is YouTube a broadcaster, streaming platform or social network? 22:36 - How important is short form for creators in 2026 27:24 - The YouTube Confidence Gap 28:56 - What CMOs think about YouTube 29:54 - How to get more confidence in your YouTube strategy 32:53 - The biggest barriers for companies being successful on YouTube 35:00 - How can brands work successfully with creators 39:31 - How can brands be authentic when they work with creators 42:46 - What Pedro wishes CMOs understood better about YouTube 44:14 - The best advice Pedro has ever recieved

July 20, 2026Episode 27849 min

The creative revolution inside the worlds most dull category - Novartis CMO, Gail Horwood

Novartis CMO Gail Horwood joins Janet Balis, Managing Director & Senior Partner at BCG, to explore how one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies is redefining healthcare marketing. Fresh from winning two Cannes Lions, Gail shares how Novartis is proving that creativity can thrive even in one of the most heavily regulated industries. From partnering with the NFL for a Super Bowl campaign to convincing stakeholders to embrace bolder ideas, we discuss what it takes to create work that stands out while navigating complex regulations. The conversation also explores how AI is reshaping both creativity and business transformation, where marketers should focus their efforts, and why the biggest opportunity for AI isn't just efficiency, but unlocking growth. This episode has been produced in partnership with BCG. Browse their CMO Report here: https://www.bcg.com/publications/2026/making-the-agentic-marketing-transformation-a-reality Timestamps 00:00 - Start 00:49 - Jon’s full circle moment with Norvatis 01:39 - Novartis’ journey to two Cannes Lions 02:54 - Why more people need to walk the work 04:05 - Creating surprising advertising in a heavily regulated category 09:03 - Partnering with the NFL for a Super Bowl campaign 10:24 - How to get your company to embrace risky work 16:01 - How to get stakeholders outside of marketing onboard 19:35 - The reaction to the ads after Super Bowl 21:56 - How AI is being used in the service of creativity 27:04 - How Novartis are using AI for creativity 30:27 - How Novartis are rethinking their marketing with AI 32:46 - Where AI is going to be used outside of marketing 35:03 - AI for efficiency vs growth 37:16 - How to deliver leadership change in the age of AI 40:22 - The boring things AI will solve 42:53 - What makes Gail such a good CMO 44:25 - The worst way to evaluate your career success 45:57 - The best advice Gail has ever received

July 15, 2026Episode 27741 min

Why creativity matters more than ever in the age of AI - Adobe CMO, Lara Balazs

Lara Balazs, CMO of Adobe, joins us to discuss what it takes to lead one of the world's most influential creative brands through a period of enormous change. From Adobe's presence at Cannes to the rapid rise of AI, Lara shares her vision for the company and why she believes technology should be used in service of creativity, rather than simply to drive efficiency. We explore why creativity matters more than ever in the age of AI, the skills Adobe looks for in marketers, and the traits that separate the most successful CMOs. Lara also shares the practical leadership principles she uses to run her team, from creating a company plan on a page and harnessing the power of repetition to prioritising progress over perfection and using the “two-way door” approach to make faster decisions. This episode is brought to you by System1. Download their creator effectiveness report here: https://system1group.com/the-creator-effectiveness-playbook Timestamps 00:00 - Start 01:23 - The most surprising thing about Lara 03:11 - How Adobe have stood out at Cannes 05:50 - What makes an influential CMO? 06:59 - How to manage a business through change 09:54 - Lara’s vision for Adobe 13:33 - Finding inspiration from a brand’s history 15:13 - Where AI has been used in service of creativity 18:03 - AI to enhance creativity vs increasing efficiency 20:42 - Why creativity still matters in the AI age 23:41 - What skillsets does Adobe hire for in marketing? 25:22 - The traits of the most successful CMOs 28:55 - The company plan on a page 30:49 - The power of repitition 32:05 - Progress over perfection at Adobe 33:14 - The two way door approach 37:19 - The best advice Lara has ever recieved