Icons in the Making

Whether serving as CEO, CMO, or Chairman of the Board, Dawn Hudson has led a groundbreaking career that has spanned industries. From “Super Bowl Babies” at the NFL to the return of the “Pepsi Challenge” at Pepsi North America, she's no stranger to groundbreaking ideas born of an ability to see what’s around the corner. Now, she's on the board of NVIDIA, a company leading the globe in artificial intelligence computing. In this far-ranging conversation, Dawn gives a peak inside NVIDIA's rapid success, what she's learned throughout her iconic career and what marketers should focus on in 2025.

Brands are often taught to color within the lines—but that's never been Kory Marchisotto's MO. So, it was only fitting when she joined e.l.f. Beauty as CMO, a brand with a penchant for disruption and a renegade spirit to match. Five years into her role and she's blown past industry benchmarks, broken records across digital platforms, and brand awareness has doubled. Tune in to this e.l.f.ing fun and inspiring conversation to hear how Kory's drive to disrupt has guided her throughout her career, how e.l.f. has become a billion-dollar brand, and why more women need a seat at the table. Note this episode was recorded in July 2024.

Soda and its high-sugar content have long had a bad rap. But OLIPOP is shaking things up with its better-for-you sodas and fun, nostalgic branding. And consumers are taking note; the brand is set to hit $500 million in sales this year and was recently named one of Time's 100 most influential brands. Join us for this refreshingly honest conversation with David Lester, Co-Founder & President of OLIPOP as he shares the inspiration behind the brand, the importance of embracing failure throughout your career and how he leads by example. ​

Liquid Death isn’t just in the business of beverages. It’s on a mission to get more people to drink healthier beverages while helping kill plastic pollution. Not to mention bring humor and wildly entertaining content into the world. In this episode, we sit down with Andy Pearson—writer, director, ultra-marathon runner and VP of Creative at Liquid Death. Under Andy’s creative direction, the brand has mastered the art of subversive marketing and attracted a cult-like following along the way. This wide-ranging conversation features stories behind the brand’s edgy and out-there marketing campaigns and the importance of finding meaning in your work.

In the world of business aviation, the Bombardier customer experience exists on a higher plane. Loved by the most influential, the brand has redefined industry standards through relentless innovation, purposeful craft and a passion for precision. But at the heart of this Canadian icon are the people behind it, most notably, Ève Laurier, Vice President of Communications, Marketing and Public Affairs. In this episode, Ève discusses spearheading the brand’s recent transformation and gives us a peek inside the brand’s iconic jets.

When it comes to golf, country club memberships and strict dress codes are par for the course. But Topgolf is on a mission to change that. ​​As Chief Brand Officer, Geoff Cottrill is pushing the boundaries of marketing innovation and cultural strategy to make golf more accessible—and fun.​ In this episode, Geoff shares how Topgolf is reinventing the sport as well as lessons from his storied career at Converse, Coca-Cola and Starbucks.

Fortune favors the bold—especially when it comes to brands willing to take risks, embrace challenges and lean into culture. Take it from Michelle Poole; as the President of Crocs, she's led the polarizing brand to icon status with record-breaking sales in 2023, global expansion, and a spot on Time's 100 Most Influential Companies list. In this episode, we sit down with Michelle to talk her three decades of experience in brand building for global fashion and lifestyle companies, how she embraced the love-hate for Crocs to supercharge growth, and her approach to building teams that deliver in challenging times.

Michelle Peluso likes a challenge. Throughout her cross-industry career, she’s steered some of the world’s best brands in banking, fashion and travel through successful digital transformations. Now, she’s taking on healthcare at CVS Health where she’s revolutionizing the end-to-end patient experience across all of the company's care delivery and customer service channels. In this episode, Michelle shares what most companies get wrong about customer-centricity, what she’s learned throughout her cross-industry career, how she stays on the cutting edge of technology and the core principles she lives by.

When SXSW, arguably the world’s most iconic conference, expanded from North America for the first time with a new event in Sydney, it was the perfect opportunity to explore future trends and fundamental truths with the CMOs of the biggest brands in Australia. In this panel discussion, live from SXSW Sydney, we sit down with Zach Kitschke from Canva, Jo Boundy from Commonwealth, and Brent Smart from Telstra for a no-holds-barred conversation on what it takes to build an iconic brand.

Fernando Machado has never been one for resting on his laurels. From brand guru at Unilever, to global CMO at Burger King, to CMO at Activision Blizzard, Fernando’s career has been built on the desire to never stop learning. Now, this brand genius is taking on his boldest role yet as CMO of NotCo, a Chilean-based startup that uses AI power technology to develop plant-based foods. In this episode, Fernando pulls back the curtain on his most celebrated creative campaigns, and shares why AI isn’t a threat, why more marketers should be the CEO and the importance of staying present.