CMO Corner
KFC announced the appointment of Amy Ellis Durini as Global Chief Brand Officer (a newly created position), effective November 1. She will report directly to KFC Global CEO Scott Mezvinsky, overseeing brand strategy, loyalty, retail, new concept development, and innovation, while collaborating with CMOs across markets to drive brand modernization. This move follows the new global brand identity released by parent company Yum! Brands in June, involving store renovations and menu adjustments.
Athletic Brewing Company announced that Dan Kleinman has been appointed Chief Marketing Officer, effective September 8. Kleinman will succeed Senior Marketing Director Rosalie Kennedy, who had been serving in the role on an interim basis. Prior to this, Andrew Katz departed after nearly five years as CMO. Kleinman previously served as CMO at Deutsch Family Wine and Spirits and spent 16 years at Diageo. The company currently holds a 20.7% market share in off-premise non-alcoholic beer sales and plans to increase national media spending by 120% year-over-year.
Dr Pepper launched the ninth season of its college football-themed "Fansville" campaign on Thursday. The brand emphasizes that "consistency does not mean sameness," and through precise targeting and personalization tools, the campaign achieved more than double the sales lift and an approximately 30% increase in incremental return on ad spend last year.
Kohl's announced on Tuesday the promotion of Arianne Parisi to Chief Customer Officer, a newly created position aimed at integrating marketing and digital operations to enhance the omnichannel customer experience. Parisi will report directly to CEO Michael Bender, and current Chief Marketing Officer Christie Raymond will leave in September. This move comes as the company advances its turnaround strategy, focusing on customer lifecycle management.
Recent research by Behr shows that 40% of DIY consumers delay projects due to difficulty choosing colors. To address this, the brand has launched digital initiatives such as the AI assistant ChatHue and an influencer hotline, and optimized its website experience to boost consumer confidence.
自1982年创立以来，Newman's Own 的产品一直是婴儿潮一代和 X 世代冰箱与橱柜中的常客。如今，在创始人 Paul Newman 去世近二十年后，品牌新任首席营销官 Mark Anthony Edmonson 将目光投向千禧一代，通过强调“100%利润捐给慈善”的使命、更新产品包装与零售媒体策略，力图在竞争激烈的 CPG 品类中建立文化相关性。
Shoe Station Group announced the appointment of Tracy Dick as Chief Marketing Officer effective August 3, responsible for brand strategy, customer insights, data and analytics, loyalty programs, and public relations. She will report directly to Interim President and CEO Cliff Sifford. Dick has over 20 years of industry experience, having previously held positions at PetSmart, Leslie's, and Jack in the Box, and served as Senior Vice President of Marketing and E-commerce at Shoe Carnival for approximately six months from late 2024 to early 2025.
Panera Bread announced that Andrew Rebhun will join as chief marketing officer on Aug. 17, succeeding Mark Shambura. Rebhun, who previously served as CMO at Cava and El Pollo Loco, will oversee brand, creative, digital, loyalty, and media, reporting to CEO Paul Carbone. The move comes as Panera pushes forward with its Panera RISE transformation plan targeting $7 billion in systemwide sales by 2028.
Foot Locker launched a new brand platform on Friday, focusing on its role in sneaker culture since its founding in 1974. The integrated marketing campaign spans TV, social, digital, out-of-home, and in-store channels, and features a two-minute hero film titled "It Always Will Be Foot Locker." The campaign was created by creative agency Someplace and follows the May basketball platform "Hoops Lives Here," extending further into pop culture moments beyond sports.
Papa John's announced senior marketing leadership changes: Chris Lyn-Sue will take over as global CMO, while current CMO Jenna Bromberg will depart but remain as an advisor until August 28. The company plans to shift media budgets toward mass-market exposure in the second half of the year and rebuild regional marketing cooperatives to reverse the Q2 same-store sales declines (global -5.7%, North America -8.3%).