Marketing Vanguard

Marketing leaders are often told to be more strategic, but how does that really play out in the day-to-day? In this episode of Marketing Vanguard, Michael Lacorazza, Executive Vice President and CMO of U.S. Bank, unpacks the biggest leadership lessons behind his career across Lexus, Toyota, and Wells Fargo, to name a few. He shares why customer-centricity is still the foundation of great marketing, how CMOs can build stronger alignment with business partners, and why understanding the P&L is no longer optional for marketing leaders who want a bigger seat at the table.

Michael Lacorazza is the Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at U.S. Bank, one of the nation’s largest banks. With more than two decades of experience across automotive, hospitality, financial services, agency leadership and private equity-backed business transformation, Michael brings a deeply commercial view of brand, customer experience and enterprise growth. At U.S. Bank, Michael leads marketing, customer experience, and enterprise analytics, helping the organization strengthen its brand, serve a wide range of customer segments and build more integrated financial experiences.

What You'll Learn:
Why commercial fluency is essential for CMOs who want to influence business strategy
How to translate marketing metrics into growth, customer accounts, margin expansion, and business outcomes
How U.S. Bank is using AI across key business imperatives
Why financial app fragmentation creates an opportunity for banks to deliver more integrated customer value
How Michael’s experience across automotive, hospitality, agency, financial services and private equity shaped his leadership style
Why authentic cultural integration beats transactional brand sponsorships

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CMOs are being dubbed the new "unicorns," but is the journey as magical as it sounds? In this episode of Marketing Vanguard, host Jenny Rooney sits down with Tim Rosa, CEO of Somnee, to explore the rare and valuable career trajectory from Chief Marketing Officer to Chief Executive Officer, and why brand-driven leaders are uniquely positioned to scale transformative companies in the health and wellness space. He shares valuable insights from Somnee’s journey of disrupting a $585B industry.

Tim Rosa is the CEO of Somnee, a clinical-grade sleep technology and neuroscience company, bringing expertise in brand building, go-to-market strategy, and scaling consumer health companies. With a distinguished background spanning agency work, sports marketing, and seven years as CMO at Fitbit, Tim has developed a unique playbook for translating complex science into compelling consumer narratives. His work at Fitbit and now at Somnee has demonstrated that CMOs with operational acumen and cross-functional experience are uniquely positioned to lead companies at the highest level, making this conversation essential for marketing leaders aspiring to executive roles.

What You'll Learn:
How to leverage CMO experience to accelerate CEO success
Why clinical-grade data is non-negotiable in AI-driven health tech
The challenger brand playbook for emerging health categories
How to build enterprise and B2B revenue streams alongside DTC
The counterintuitive marketing strategy of "zigging when others zag"
Why self-awareness and surrounding yourself with complementary talent is essential for CMO-to-CEO transitions

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There’s no marketing tool more potent than personal experience, and this episode of Marketing Vanguard explores how that transformed Nutrafol’s brand journey. CMO Deena Bahri joins the conversation to share how she went from a customer of the brand to its CMO, how they’re redefining the hair health conversation, why scientific credibility is your most defensible competitive advantage, and how to balance startup agility with enterprise-scale growth. As she reminds us, the marketing playing field is level. The only real differentiator is your brand expression.

Deena Bahri is Chief Marketing Officer at Nutrafol, bringing over 20 years of experience building disruptive consumer brands in wellness and fashion. Known for her expertise in blending science-backed positioning with emotional brand storytelling, Deena has led the transformation of hair health from a fear-based narrative to an empowerment-driven movement. Her insights offer actionable frameworks for those navigating the intersection of performance marketing and brand-building in the nutraceutical and wellness sectors.

What You'll Learn:
How to pivot from fear-based to empowerment-driven brand positioning in categories historically rooted in insecurity marketing
Why clinical validation and third-party accreditations are non-negotiable trust-builders in the wellness space
The "before and after" messaging framework that moves consumers from shame and urgency to hope and accountability
How to destigmatize taboo health topics through authentic brand voice
The strategic shift from lower-funnel performance marketing to full-funnel brand
Why startup DNA within scaled organizations drives competitive advantage

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How do you make a brand that’s perceived as “uncool” a cultural moment? Terence Reilly, Chief Brand Officer of Crocs, reveals his playbook in this episode of Marketing Vanguard. He reveals how he transformed a meme product into a global phenomenon, why embracing risk and "failing fast" is essential to breaking culture, and the strategies behind building authentic brand narratives in an age of AI and collaboration fatigue.

Terence Reilly is Chief Brand Officer at Crocs, renowned for his expertise in brand transformation, cultural relevance and innovative marketing strategy. With a background spanning financial services, retail and consumer goods (including leadership roles at Stanley, Footaction, and Famous Footwear), Terence has a proven track record of being able to elevate iconic brands through bold creative risks and collaborative partnerships. His strategic vision has contributed to making Stanley and Crocs household names globally, with his Stanley car-fire TikTok campaign generating $50 million in additional revenue and 100 million views. His unique marketing insights make him a valuable voice for any marketer (regardless of experience) who’s looking to navigate brand transformation successfully.

What You'll Learn:
How to flip negative brand perception into a competitive advantage by leaning into criticism
Why the "drive it like you stole it" philosophy for scaling wins fast, and the story behind the iconic Michael Jackson moment
Why collaboration fatigue is real and how to recapture your brand's own narrative
The power of empowering frontline insights to drive viral moments and the truth about the Crocs-Post Malone moment
How to create proprietary eponyms that make your brand synonymous with the category
The non-linear career path that builds better marketers
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The power of word-of-mouth and referral-based marketing takes on a whole new meaning in this episode of Marketing Vanguard. Tune in as Amica Insurance EVP and CMO, Tory Pachis, reveals how their Rhode Island–based challenger brand competes against massive incumbents by doubling down on empathy, service, and human-led experiences while building relevance with younger consumers.

Tory is Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President at Amica Insurance, the nation's oldest mutual automobile insurance company with 119 years of heritage. With 27 years of experience in the insurance industry and previous leadership roles at Travelers Insurance and Hanover Insurance, Tory brings deep expertise in brand transformation, direct-to-consumer marketing, and building customer loyalty in highly competitive categories. His work modernizing Amica's brand platform while preserving its legendary customer loyalty culture makes his perspectives essential listening for marketing leaders seeking to balance heritage with innovation.

What You'll Learn:
How to leverage brand heritage as a competitive moat
Why share of voice matters more than market share in commoditized categories
The "consumer as hero" creative framework
How to use AI for product discovery, not just operational efficiency
The player-coach leadership model for scaling transformative change
Why do direct distribution models require different marketing investments

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