The CMO Whisperer

What if the biggest threat AI poses to marketing isn't that it replaces people, but that it makes everyone think they can do everyone's job? When creating campaigns, generating content and analyzing data become easier than ever, it's tempting to assume the expertise behind those tasks is no longer necessary. But faster execution doesn't automatically mean better thinking, and more AI doesn't mean fewer decisions that need human judgment. That's what we're digging into with Rafa Flores, Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Product Officer at Treasure AI. Rafa has helped build and scale SaaS and AI companies, and is now leading Treasure AI through its transformation into what it calls an agentic experience platform. Rafa brings a refreshingly direct perspective on what it actually takes to become AI-native: why the right team matters more than the right tools, why data and governance can't be afterthoughts, and why human skills like creativity, curiosity and critical thinking become even more valuable as AI takes on more work. We also get into the danger of fake expertise, the future of digital workers, and what marketers should be doing right now to keep up. But here's a question that should be on all of our minds: If AI can do more of the work than ever before, what makes a great marketer indispensable?

What if your biggest marketing advantage isn't how much you spend, but whether people actually want to pay attention? In a world where brands can buy reach, produce endless content and rely on increasingly sophisticated targeting, many are still struggling to create something people genuinely care about. That's what we're digging into with Nick Miaritis, EVP and Chief Brand Officer at The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, overseeing iconic brands including Scotts, Miracle-Gro, Ortho and Tomcat. Nick has spent nearly two decades building brands and shaping creative, including leadership roles at VaynerMedia and Saatchi & Saatchi. He brings a fascinating perspective on why brands are becoming increasingly indistinguishable, why social media has evolved into something closer to interest media, and how AI is about to fundamentally change the volume and variety of creative marketing teams need to produce. At the heart of our conversation, we ask: What if the brands that win aren't the ones that spend the most, but the ones that actually earn people's attention?

What if the biggest problem with your marketing isn't your marketing? What if it's the layers of approval, organizational silos and risk-averse decisions standing between a great idea and actually making something happen? That's what we're digging into with Evan Horowitz, CEO and co-founder of Movers and Shakers, a social-first creative agency helping some of the world's biggest brands connect with culture. Evan has spent more than 20 years helping brands build buzz and market share, including experience at Samsung and Macy's. He brings a perspective on why major brands struggle to move at the speed of culture, why social needs to be more than another content channel, and how the way marketing organizations operate can become their biggest obstacle. And here's the question at the heart of our conversation: What if the thing holding your brand back isn't the marketing strategy, but the organization responsible for executing it?

My guest today is Chris Shaw, SVP and Chief Marketing Officer at NTT Research, the Silicon Valley Research Arm of NTT, one of the world's largest technology and business solutions providers. At NTT Research, Chris helps bridge the gap between foundational science and real-world impact, translating work in areas like quantum physics, cryptography, and medical informatics into stories and strategies the marketplace can understand and embrace. Chris is also a serial entrepreneur, helped lead one of the early social media-focused agencies, and is the founder of an AI marketing startup Fymmer.com

My guest today is Frank 'MF' Hamlin, former EVP and Chief Customer Officer at GameStop, where he was in the C-suite during a pandemic-era short squeeze. Before GameStop, Frank built an impressive career across retail, e-commerce, and music, holding senior leadership roles at Guitar Center and Tailored Brands after nearly a decade in Nashville with Arista Records and Sony Music Publishing. He is also the author of Skinny Dipping at Low Tide, a darkly funny novel inspired by the boardroom politics, activist investors, and sheer insanity of watching market forces reshape a company in real time.