Podcast ¦ Uncensored CMO: CMO masterclass & how to grow billion dollar brands with PepsiCo CMO Jane Wakely and Neil Barrie

Podcast : uncertainty CMO
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Key Take Aways

  1. Successful senior leaders, including CMOs, should see themselves as architects of growth, bridging consumer insights with commercial goals.
  2. Organisational change and transformation are rooted in purposeful culture building, clear vision, and consistent storytelling.
  3. Effective onboarding involves genuine listening, understanding the cultural context, and building strong relationships with key stakeholders early on.
  4. Leaders must balance short-term objectives with long-term strategic vision, often walking a tightrope between execution and aspiration.
  5. Simplifying measurement systems and focusing on consumer behavioural metrics are crucial to aligning teams and driving accountable growth.
  6. Clear role definitions and active role assertion are essential for new leaders to establish credibility and direction within complex organisations.
  7. Building collaboration across functions, especially with finance leaders such as CFOs, requires servant leadership and shared understanding of growth drivers.
  8. Legacy brands need regular reappraisal and sharpening, ensuring that they remain relevant through cultural and strategic freshness.
  9. Consistency in brand positioning, combined with relevant currency, enhances brand sustainability and effective re-engagement strategies.
  10. Organisations succeed by paying attention to detail, leveraging emotion in communication, and staying true to core brand assets.
  11. Organisational cultural change is best driven as a movement rather than a mandate, utilising artefacts and celebration to reinforce new behaviours.
  12. Leaders must remain vigilant in maintaining curiosity, fresh perspectives, and agility to stay ahead in an evolving marketplace.

Key Statistics

  • 70% of all growth originates from leading and shaping categories, rather than just driving brand share.
  • 63% of all ads in recent years in Super Bowl campaigns feature celebrity endorsements.
  • The average star rating for ads with celebrities is comparable to those without, at approximately 2.7.
  • PepsiCo manages a portfolio of approximately 20 brands each valued over a billion dollars.
  • PepsiCo’s brands serve over a billion consumers daily.
  • PepsiCo has been involved with the WNBA for nearly 29 years and partners with UEFA Champions League and FIFA World Cup.
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Key Discussion Points

  • The importance of viewing the CMO as an architect of growth, combining science and art.
  • The need for long-term vision balanced against immediate execution, especially in quarterly performance.
  • The critical role of consumer-centric insights in category growth and innovation.
  • How onboarding and early role assertion can determine a leader’s impact on organisational success.
  • The importance of aligning with cross-functional partners, especially CFOs, through honest measurement and shared goals.
  • The value of simplifying measurement and focusing on consumer behavioural metrics for long-term growth.
  • Strategies for managing and sharpening legacy brands through reappraisal, consistency, and cultural relevance.
  • The benefits of consistent messaging and artistic creativity in building emotional brand connections.
  • The role of storytelling, emotional appeal, and distinctive assets in making campaigns memorable.
  • The significance of internal cultural movement to energise organisational change.
  • The strategic advantage of heritage assets, such as iconic campaigns like the Pepsi Challenge.
  • The importance of being proactive in staying relevant and ‘up,’ turning legacy brands into future icons.

Podcast Description

This podcast explores the qualities and strategies that define a successful and influential senior marketing leader, with insights shared by seasoned professionals from major global brands. Focusing on the role of the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), it examines themes such as growth architecture, organisational change, brand reappraisal, consumer-centric decision-making, and collaboration across functions. By blending practical experience with research-based findings, the episode aims to provide senior managers—particularly in financial services—valuable perspectives on leading transformation, sustaining legacy assets, and fostering organisational agility in an increasingly complex marketplace.

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