CMO Moves October Summary

Well, it’s been a slow couple of weeks for CMO appointments, with only 5 announced in the second half of October. It’s a shock to us as we typically see 12-15 appointments of Global CMOs every 2 weeks!

We suspect that this is because the election is taking up all the space. But September was a bumper month with 20 CMOs announced, and the first half of October was not too bad either, with 21 CMO appointments. So this is a recent phenomenon, if it is election-related.

The big question we have is how this will impact November appointments. This is what the picture looked like in 2023, as you can see, a huge spike at year end!

During election cycles, advertising channels get flooded with political ad dollars, and media inventory becomes scarce and costly. Companies may may opt to pause their marketing pushes - like hiring a new CMO - until the political landscape settles down and media inventory returns to business-as-usual pricing.

Beyond media buys, other issues are potentially problematic, such as it being harder to get top candidates to move during periods of uncertainty and a lack of clarity on possible regulatory issues.

The election season isn’t just about who wins; it’s about getting through a time when consumer sentiment is volatile, advertising inventory is dominated by political messages, and brand safety becomes more precarious. All these factors lead to a kind of hiring freeze for one of the most public-facing roles in any organization - the Chief Marketing Officer.

Overall, October closed with 26 CMO appointments, including 16 women and 10 men. Among these, 6 were internal promotions, while 20 were external hires, and 11 appointees are new to the C-suite.

New York led in CMO announcements with 4, followed by California, Florida, Michigan, and Virginia, each with 2. Appointments were also seen across 9 other U.S. states.

Internationally, Europe was particularly active, with global CMOs named in Denmark, Scotland, England, the Netherlands, and Germany.

By industry, Software Development took the lead again with 7 CMO hires, followed by Restaurants and Financial Services with 3 each, and Entertainment Providers with 2. In total, new CMOs were announced across 15 different industries.

• Software Development 7

• Restaurants 3

• Financial Services 3

• Entertainment Providers 2

• Beverage Manufacturing 1

• Automation Machinery Manufacturing 1

• Retail Luxury Goods and Jewelry 1

• Retail 1

• Banking 1

• Telecommunications 1

• Spectator Sports 1

• Furniture and Home Furnishings Manufacturing 1

• Wellness and Fitness Services 1

• Hospitals and Health Care 1

• IT Services and IT Consulting 1

Red Lobster

Starting with a food-related appointment, Red Lobster welcomes a new CMO from QSR Rival Smokey Bones, Nichole Robillard.  As she puts it, she’s “officially traded in barbecue sauce for lobster claws!”

Nichole will be teaming up with some of the best and brightest in the biz at Red Lobster to reinvigorate an iconic brand and veritable slice of Americana.

And Red Lobster is undoubtedly a brand that needs modernization. The seafood chain, once a staple of American dining with its iconic Cheddar Bay Biscuits and approachable menu, has faced a series of strategic, cultural, and economic challenges that have caused its appeal to stagnate in the eyes of both consumers and industry analysts.

Once a classic choice for family dinners, it now feels outdated and stuck between trying to be a special occasion spot and a casual seafood joint. It hasn't adapted well to younger audiences who crave fresh, sustainable, and diverse food experiences. The repetitive promotions like "Endless Shrimp" are tired, and the menu hasn’t seen the kind of updates that would appeal to today’s adventurous diners.

Ownership changes have also led to instability, and operational inefficiencies are holding them back. Plus, they're struggling to compete with newer, trendier seafood spots and even grocery stores that make it easy for people to cook seafood at home.

If that wasn’t hard enough - supply chain issues and unclear sustainability practices haven’t helped. Red Lobster is facing an identity crisis, and that’s why it makes total sense for them to buy into a leader from Smokey Bones, who has enjoyed a resurgence over the last three years thanks to smart, adaptive strategies.

They embraced new trends like off-premise dining, launched ghost kitchens, redefined their brand experience, dialed up BBQ+BAR, and focused on becoming a destination that blends good food with a vibrant social atmosphere. By modernizing their approach, refreshing their brand, and embracing a bold and playful personality, Smokey Bones managed to thrive.

A big test for Nichole then, especially given that the scale of this job is much larger, given that Red Lobster has 10x the number of stores.

Domino’s

We were craving a nod to this CMO move that hit the headlines in the first part of the month, but we opted in our last edition to cover Vimeo, Warner Music Group, Unilever Prestige, and Pandora instead.

Pizza joint Dominos announced the promotion of Kate Trumbull to Executive Vice President and CMO, effective Nov. 1, 2024.

In her new role, Trumbull oversees global marketing and continues to report to Joe Jordan, President of U.S. and Global Services. Her last role as Chief Brand Officer was more squarely focused on the action around advertising, media, product innovation, and national sales.

Founded in 1960, Domino's Pizza has grown into the world’s largest pizza company, with over 21,000 stores across over 90 markets. With global sales reaching $18.9 billion as of September 2024, Domino's is one of the top public restaurant brands globally. About 99% of its locations are franchises, and in the U.S., over 85% of sales are made via digital channels—reflecting its focus on tech innovation. Domino’s has crafted seven unique ways for customers to order their pizza, which includes everything from tweeting a pizza emoji to voice commands. They started a speed arms race among competitors with their “30 minutes or less” delivery promise back in the 80s, which became so legendary that it sparked a delivery-speed arms race among competitors. Then, in 2001, they became the first QSR to deliver a pizza to space.

What kind of stunts can top that?

Domino’s might be the biggest pizza brand out there, but it's facing some real threats. Competitors like Papa John’s and Pizza Hut aren’t sitting idle, and Domino’s still struggles against smaller local shops that offer more authentic, creative options. Add to that the growing popularity of delivery aggregators like Uber Eats and DoorDash, and suddenly, Domino’s isn’t always the most convenient choice. People want variety - whether it’s sushi or tacos—and Domino’s limited menu can’t always compete.

Health trends are also shifting tastes. More consumers are ditching carbs, and Domino’s indulgent menu doesn’t exactly scream "healthy lifestyle." Labor shortages are making it harder to maintain their delivery fleet, and rising costs mean tighter margins. Plus, the brand’s heavy reliance on digital channels is both a strength and a risk - any tech failure could be a huge blow.

With more people leaning towards local and diverse foods, Domino’s needs to do more to stay fresh and relevant. It’s not just about more pizza anymore; it's about adapting to a market that craves something different and more personal.

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