Uncensored CMO

Hosted by Jon Evans

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293

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Oct 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

October 28, 2026Episode 29350 min

Creativity, Courage and Changing Fortunes - Sonos CMO, Colleen DeCourcy

Colleen DeCourcy is one of the most influential creative leaders in modern marketing. Now Chief Marketing Officer at Sonos, she joins Jon for a candid conversation about the relationship between creativity, commercial performance and leadership through change. They discuss why Colleen joined Sonos, what it takes to turn around a brand, and how to bring creativity back into an organisation when the pressure for short-term results is intense. From Nike’s changing fortunes to the limits of performance marketing, Colleen makes the case for brands that stand for something and leaders prepared to take difficult decisions when it matters. She also reflects on the hardest moment of her career, why great teams need more than talent, and how marketers should approach AI without losing the human judgement that makes creative work valuable. A masterclass in leading creatively when the business needs results. Sign up to one of our festive events here: https://info.uncensoredcmo.com/festive-events-interest Timestamps 00:00 - Trailer 01:42 - The hardest moment of Colleen’s career 09:36 - Why we need more leaders taking a stand for what’s right 10:42 - Colleen’s thoughts on Nike falling out of the S&P 500 13:27 - Why Colleen joined Sonos 17:41 - How Colleen is bringing creativity into Sonos 21:47 - How to approach a brand turnaround 27:27 - How to lead through a time of change 31:17 - Why have we stopped valuing creativity? 34:56 - Whats the best piece of advice Colleen has ever received? 37:26 - Audience questions 40:08 - Colleen’s thoughts on AI 43:48 - How to make your team great Thanks to Émigré for being our official black t-shirt partner. Find your travel wear and accessories at: https://emigre.travel/ Thank you to System1 for sponsoring Uncensored CMO. Find out more about Test Your Ad Screen here: https://system1group.com/

October 21, 2026Episode 29253 min

Duolingo CMO on why playing it safe could be killing your brand

Duolingo has built one of the most distinctive brands in modern marketing, not by playing it safe, but by creating the conditions for its team to move quickly, take risks and occasionally embrace a little chaos. Manu Orssaud, Duolingo’s Chief Marketing Officer, joins Jon Evans to unpack the strategy behind the brand’s biggest moments: from the apparent death of Duo and its rapid-response iPhone content to a Bad Bunny campaign built at the speed of culture. But this is not simply a conversation about being funny on social media. Manu explains the culture of trust required to take creative risks, how to sell bolder work into the business, and how Duolingo measures whether marketing is actually working. They also discuss behavioural science, the limits of brand safety, handling the AI backlash, and why the next phase of Duolingo marketing may involve a little less chaos. A masterclass in building a culturally relevant brand without losing commercial discipline. Timestamps 00:00 - Trailer 01:03 - How do you pronounce Hermes? 02:55 - Duolingo’s iPhone Duo response 04:42 - The culture of trust that enables Duolingo to move fast 05:56 - Has Duolingo ever crossed the line with their social content? 07:55 - The benefits of taking risks 10:31 - The impact of the death of Duo 14:11 - Duolingo’s Bad Bunny campaign - moving at the speed of culture 16:28 - The origin story of the Duo brand mascot 23:05 - How Duolingo uses humour 24:12 - Emigre Sponsor 24:50 - How Duolingo tracks marketing performance 26:15 - Selling risky campaigns into the business 27:06 - The next phase of Duolingo marketing - less chaos 30:37 - How Duolingo is managing this transition 32:56 - Behavioural science insights that have grown Duolingo 34:37 - Duolingo’s AI backlash 38:09 - Going against what your shareholders want 43:46 - What makes Manu a successful CMO 47:47 - The power of constraint 48:46 - Duolingo’s 5 second Super Bowl ad 50:27 - The best advice Manu has ever been given Thanks to Émigré for being our official black t-shirt partner. Find your travel wear and accessories at: https://emigre.travel/ Thank you to System1 for sponsoring Uncensored CMO. Find out more about Test Your Ad Screen here: https://system1group.com/

October 14, 2026Episode 29132 min

LinkedIn Growth Masterclass with LinkedIn CMO, Jessica Jensen

Jessica Jensen, Chief Marketing Officer at LinkedIn, joins Jon Evans for a practical masterclass on what actually works on the platform now. Beginning with a review of Jon’s own profile, they cover the route to becoming a Top Voice, the changing role of B2B creators and how brands can work with them credibly. They also explore the formats that are earning attention, whether collaborator posts genuinely work, and how buyers use LinkedIn to validate the people and companies they choose to work with. Timestamps 00:00 - Intro 01:35 - Jon’s LinkedIn review 11:34 - How do you get a LinkedIn Top Voice 13:23 - The evolution of B2B content creators 14:34 - How brands can work best with creators 16:53 - How LinkedIn are battling AI slop 19:07 - Do collaborator posts on LinkedIn work? 20:02 - What formats work best on LinkedIn in 2026 22:16 - How are B2B buyers making buying decisions on LinkedIn 25:08 - Why LinkedIn is so important for LLMs 25:49 - What jobs is AI creating 29:27 - The best advice Jessica has ever recieved Thank you to System1 for sponsoring Uncensored CMO. Find out more about Test Your Ad Screen here: https://system1group.com/

October 7, 2026Episode 29043 min

How Spotify makes B2B marketing worth listening to - Bridget Evans

Spotify has become one of the world’s most distinctive brands, but what can marketers learn from the way it uses sound, culture and creativity to build emotional connection? Bridget Evans, Spotify’s Global Head of Advertising Business Marketing, joins Jon Evans to explain why audio remains an underused marketing opportunity, and how brands can build an audio strategy people do more than simply hear: they remember it. They discuss the return of the jingle, why taste may become an even more important differentiator in the age of AI, and whether younger audiences really have shorter attention spans, or simply higher standards for what deserves their attention. Bridget also shares how Spotify markets to Gen Z, the enduring impact of Spotify Wrapped, and why the company invests so heavily in Cannes Lions. Timestamps 00:00 - Start 01:22 - Some things people might not know about Spotify 02:42 - Is audio the most underrated channel? 05:15 - Do people trust audio more? 06:58 - Why taste will become the differentiator in the age of AI 07:44 - How audio branding helps emotion 09:11 - How to get your audio strategy right 10:09 - Why we need to bring back more jingles 12:44 - How Spotify markets to Gen Z 15:59 - Do younger generations actually have shorter attention spans? 17:46 - The opportunity for marketers in audio and podcasting 20:00 - How do we make B2B marketing not boring 26:24 - The impact of Spotify Wrapped 30:53 - Why Spotify invest so much in Cannes Lions 34:37 - How Spotify judge the success of their Cannes 36:49 - 3 things to make B2B marketing better 39:42 - Whats the best advice Bridget has ever been given --- This episode is brought to you by System1. Download their creator effectiveness report here: https://system1group.com/the-creator-effectiveness-playbook

September 30, 2026Episode 28959 min

Why marketers are wasting their media budgets - Evan Shapiro

The media landscape has changed faster than most marketing plans have. Evan Shapiro, known as the Media Cartographer for his widely used maps of the media ecosystem, joins Uncensored CMO to explain where attention is really going, which channels marketers are overvaluing, and where the best opportunities may now lie. They assess the relative value of TV, YouTube, podcasts, TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn and creators, asking a deceptively simple question: are marketers spending in line with how people actually consume media? Evan also explores the shift of power towards consumers, why employee-generated content could become a major force, and where job losses are likely to hit the media industry next. They discuss the rise of founder-led media, the opaque problem of ad fraud, and what Evan has learned from building his own podcast. Timestamps 00:00 - Start 00:42 - Intro to Evan Shapiro 01:43 - Evan’s path into media 03:38 - How to entertain people with keynote speeches 06:37 - The biggest changes in the media universe: the shift to the consumer 10:44 - Where is attention being placed in 2026? 14:20 - The data on attention 17:22 - Overvalued vs Undervalued media 17:57 - TV: Undervalued or Overvalued? 22:29 - YouTube: Undervalued or Overvalued? 25:35 - Why Employee Generated Content is going to be huge 27:53 - Creators: Undervalued or Overvalued? 30:06 - Podcasts: Undervalued or Overvalued? 31:30 - TikTok: Undervalued or Overvalued? 31:57 - Instagram: Undervalued or Overvalued? 32:37 - Facebook: Undervalued or Overvalued? 33:51 - LinkedIn: Undervalued or Overvalued? 35:43 - How will the media landscape change in the next 12 months 39:53 - Where are job losses being felt in media 43:33 - The rise of founders 46:17 - Ad fraud in the media ecosystem 50:30 - Evan’s lessons from running his podcast 56:57 - The best advice Evan 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 23, 2026Episode 28854 min

Marketing leadership masterclass with ex WPP President, Karen Blackett CBE

Karen Blackett is one of the most respected leaders in marketing and media. As the former UK President of WPP and former CEO of GroupM UK, she has led through industry change, crisis and growth at the highest level. In this marketing leadership masterclass, Karen shares the principles that have shaped her career: why great teams need diverse perspectives and healthy tension; why leaders must say what they really think; and how to make better decisions without mistaking consensus for alignment. She reflects on leading GroupM UK through COVID, how she approaches recruitment, and the small meeting habit that helps ensure the most important conversations actually happen. Karen also discusses the evolving client-agency relationship, what the future holds for the creative industry, and the challenge of rebranding Barbados. Timestamps 00:00 - Start 00:51 - Karen’s new leadership podcast 02:03 - The surprising thing about leadership 05:25 - Why we need to change our view of leadership 05:58 - The standout leaders from Karen’s career 11:20 - Karen’s leadership lessons from running WPP 15:55 - The importance of diverse perspectives 17:34 - The importance of saying what you really think 20:28 - How to approach decision making 22:53 - How to approach recruitment 25:34 - Why you need healthy tension in a team 28:46 - Should we banish the voice note? 30:32 - Karen’s big covid turnaround story 34:57 - Why Karen never does “AOB” at the end of meetings 37:25 - The positive side of COVID for Jon 40:06 - How to foster a strong client agency relationship 44:59 - The future of the creative industry 48:42 - Rebranding Barbados 50:51 - What is the freedom of the city 51:48 - The best advice Karen has ever received --- 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 16, 2026Episode 28749 min

How to build a disruptive brand and win over the CFO - Vineet Mehra, Chime

What happens when a CMO brings the discipline of P&G, private equity and fintech together? Vineet Mehra, CMO of Chime, joins Jon to explain how the challenger bank has disrupted one of the most established industries in the world - and why modern marketing leaders need to become more fluent in the language of commercial value. Vineet shares what marketers can learn from private equity, how to position investment with a CFO, and the financial metrics he watches most closely. He also unpacks the constant balancing act between long-term brand building and short-term performance: not treating them as opposing forces, but connecting both to sustainable growth. They also discuss where AI is genuinely creating return, how marketers can avoid becoming commoditised, and the skills CMOs will need as AI reshapes the profession. Timestamps 00:00 - Start 01:21 - Vineet’s background at P&G 04:51 - What marketers can learn from working in Private Equity 07:50 - What is Chime Bank? 09:02 - The strategies that Chime used to disrupt the banking industry 13:46 - Advice on how to position marketing to the CFO 17:00 - What financial metrics is Vineet most focused on? 19:40 - How Vineet combines long term and short term marketing 23:59 - Are we in a golden age for marketing? 26:59 - How Vineet is getting the biggest return on his AI investment 31:13 - How to stop AI commoditising marketers 36:09 - What skills will a CMO need in an AI-first future 38:58 - How to see AI as an opportunity not a threat 40:13 - Why Vineet is on the Effie’s board 42:15 - Why Vineet spends time building his personal brand on LinkedIn 46:00 - What’s the bst advice Vineet has ever received? --- 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 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