CMO Moves End March Update

As trade magazines and business publishers continue to push the narrative of “the demise of the CMO role”, we are happy to report that:

This is nothing but pearl-clutching clickbait drivel, and still fails to reflect reality because the numbers paint a very different picture.

Last year, only 10 CMO appointments were made in March. But as of this morning (March 28th), we've already seen 28 new CMOs appointed. These appointments include 12 women and 16 men, with three internal promotions and 25 external hires.

Among them, five will work remotely, 6 in hybrid setups, and 17 on-site. States like California (7), New York (4), Colorado, and Massachusetts (2 each) have seen the most CMO hires, with Software Development (7), Insurance (3), and Auto (2) leading in industries.

Our paid subscribers get all the perks! This includes access to the complete list of the 28 CMOs announced in March, as well as the 47 CMOs appointed in Jan & Feb, plus the 214 in 2023.

So, who is on the CMO ladder this week?

Lyft

Brian Irving, a seasoned marketing executive with a rich background in building and promoting global brands, has been appointed as Lyft's new Chief Marketing Officer. This decision comes as the former CMO, Felipe Avila, steps down for personal reasons after only seven months in the role.

Irving brings with him over twenty years of experience garnered from working with renowned brands such as Apple, Levi Strauss & Co, Google, Airbnb, and Eventbrite. His most recent role was as the VP of Marketing at Meta's Reality Labs. Interestingly, Irving and Jennifer Prenner, the current CMO of Rivian, were colleagues at Meta, having departed from Reality Labs around the same time last year.

Is there anyone still CMO’ing at Zucks Reality Labs, we wonder 🤖

Lyft, known for handling much of its marketing internally (no recorded 2022 spend on paid media per Comvergence) will now have Irving at the helm, overseeing its marketing, creative, and editorial teams. With his extensive experience, Irving aims to leverage Lyft's brand foundations to further enhance its connection with riders and drivers.

Over the last two months, Lyft has been haunted by its embarrassing mistake in the Q4 report. The typo may have caused the company more than just a reputation dent.

New Belgium Brewing

Colorado-based craft beer maker New Belgium Brewing has named Rebecca Dye Yonushonis their new Chief Marketing Officer, filling the vacancy left by the former CMO Shaun Belongie when he was promoted to the CEO post in November last year.

New Belgium Brewing makes our personal favorites like Voodoo Ranger IPA, Fat Tire Amber Ale, and Dominga Mimosa Sour. Beyond the beer, there’s more to why we love them, read on to find out why:

The brewery was founded in 1991 in Fort Collins, Colorado, by social worker Kim Jordan, who is a firm believer in “People-First”

And that’s precisely how the company came to be. They are among the few companies in the business world that operate a “people-powered” business model. They had an employee stock ownership plan since 2000 and, in January 2013, became 100% employee-owned. They offer fully paid healthcare premiums to all staff, a free onsite medical clinic and physician, and opportunities to take extended leave in any given year. And they care about the planet, too. They were the first wind-powered brewery in the US, and last year installed an industrial heat pump to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

In 2019, when the company was acquired by the Australian subsidiary of Japanese beverage giant Kirin, more than 300 New Belgium employees received more than $100,000 each in retirement money. The deal meant nearly $190 million being paid to its current and former employees!

Yonushonis is a seasoned CMO with more than 18 years of experience in F&B and CPG marketing at household brands, including Wrigley, MillerCoors, Starbucks, Dollar Shave Club, Fox Restaurant Concepts, and Land O'Lakes. Most recently, she was CMO at the restaurant chain True Food Kitchen.

As we mentioned, CEO Shaun Belongie was the company’s marketing chief for many years before taking over. He successfully built Voodoo Ranger into one of the hottest beer brands, with sales tripling from 3 million to 9 million cases in just three years.

For a company with such a strong culture, no one other than its long-term CMO is better suited to lead the team.

Belongie’s promotion and the recent promotion of the Starbucks CMO to the top seat are testaments to the rising importance and influence of the CMO, contrary to the narratives being pushed by some industry media.

Subscribe to Premium to read the rest.