October 10 is World Mental Health Day, a day designed to raise awareness and influence change. Tune in as Cognitiv co-hosts Justine Frostad, VP of Marketing, and Jason Pellegrino, Director of Human Resources, and guest Alejandra Olivella, Head of People at MikMak, have a vulnerable and honest conversation around the global mental health crisis and the influence we all hold to drive change.   Follow Cognitiv: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cognitiv https://twitter.com/TeamCognitiv   Follow This Episode’s Co-Hosts: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justine-frostad-b155a81a/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-pellegrino-phr-406b135a/   Follow This Episode’s Guest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alejandraolivella/   Contact Us: hiddenlayers@cognitiv.ai

On this edition of Hidden Layers, we’re celebrating Pride Month by focusing on LGBTQ+ representation in advertising and the associated impact on individuals and society. Tune in as Cognitiv co-hosts Justine Frostad, VP of Marketing, and Meredith Tehan, SVP of Sales, connect with guests Kevin Fields, Global Product Marketing Team Lead at Google, and Elijah Harris, EVP Global Digital Partnerships and Media Responsibility at MAGNA, to spark curiosity and further critical thinking around how we can all work to evolve representation in the media, protection and opportunity in the workplace, and much more. Follow Cognitiv: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cognitiv https://twitter.com/TeamCognitiv Follow This Episode’s Co-Hosts: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justine-frostad-b155a81a/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredith-tehan-2427b130/ Follow This Episode’s Guests: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinffields/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/elijahharris/ Contact Us: hiddenlayers@cognitiv.a

For this episode of Hidden Layers, I connected with John Lods, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Arm Candy. Having recognized the opportunity for marketers to break away from the traditional marketing mindset of focusing mainly on audiences, thus limiting opportunities to optimize, John founded Arm Candy with the goal of helping companies shift to outcomes-based viewpoints. During our conversation, we dive deeper into why this shift is imperative for campaigns to scale, our assumptions for the cookieless future, machine learning AI, and more.   Follow Cognitiv: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cognitiv https://twitter.com/TeamCognitiv   Follow Jeremy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fainjeremy/   Follow John: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnlods/

Hidden Layers is back with another special edition of the podcast! I’ve passed the mic once again to my colleagues Justine Frostad, VP of Marketing, joined this time by co-host Jana Jakovljevic, VP of Client Success, to further the conversation on prioritizing, as well as promoting equality and inclusivity in the workplace. They are joined by guests Vanessa A. Vining, Chief Diversity Officer at VaynerX and Rachel Barsuk McGirr, SVP, Group Partner, Integrated Investment at UM Worldwide, for this special edition!

In celebration of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, I’ve passed the mic to my colleagues Justine Frostad, VP of Marketing, and Meredith Tehan, Senior VP of Sales, to have conversations with talented, impactful women in marketing and tech. They are joined by guests Joanna Marrollo, Head of Media & Director of Digital Marketing (North America) at Henkel and Yessenia Morales, Integrated Marketing Lead at Samsung Electronics America, for this special edition of the podcast!

On the latest episode of Hidden Layers, I sat down with Peter DeLuca, Chief Creative Officer (CCO) and Senior Vice President at T-Mobile. In his role, Peter leads the brand, creative and media teams, responsible for bringing the “Uncarrier” brand to life through marketing, across all consumer touch points. During our conversation, we discussed the transformation of the T-Mobile brand and how they leverage their marketing efforts to stand out in a highly competitive marketplace. Check out the episode to hear more!

My latest guest on Hidden Layers is Jim Jackson, Chief Marketing Officer for Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE). As CMO, Jim oversees all aspects of marketing for HPE, with an emphasis of building a digital-first marketing organization and establishing the brand as the ‘edge-to-cloud’ platform as a service company.  Most people are familiar with computer company HP, Inc., but HPE is a relatively new brand for Hewlett Packard as the companies split in the two organizations in 2015 in order to be more agile and meet the evolving needs of their customers.  In this episode, we explore digital transformation, data modernization and how the company’s customer-centric approach helps drive their business and marketing.

Welcome back to another year of The Hidden Layers podcast! I was thrilled to have gaming industry M&A veteran and EVP of Strategy Investment at Huuuge Games, Jon Bellamy, join me for our first episode of 2022. After one quick glance at your phone’s app store, it’s pretty apparent that the free-to-play gaming landscape is crowded. So how does a successful company like Huuuge set themselves apart from all the noise year after year? In this episode, we’re discussing exactly how they’ve done it, from their omni-channel approach to advertising, to their use of data to build tailored experiences for each new user, and everything in between. Listen now and don’t forget to subscribe…we have a lot in store for 2022!

On the latest edition of Hidden Layers, I sat down with Burke Morley to talk about his work with Purple, the comfort technology company, and how he applies his industry expertise to his role as the company’s VP of Brand and Executive Creative Director. Purple is probably best known for its mattresses, but in its five years, it has managed to revolutionize the sleep and comfort experience while bringing true innovation to the industry. I spoke with Morley about how the brand has been able to stand out in such a crowded landscape, as well as how they’ve adjusted their outreach strategy to take into account people’s mattress-shopping behaviors. We also discussed how Purple uses multiple touchpoints, from brick-and-mortar retail stores to digital channels, to establish a brand personality and create positive consumer experiences.  If you’ve ever been completely lost when mattress shopping (I know the feeling), definitely check out this episode - and if you know the difference between an innerspring and encased coil mattress, then this is the podcast episode you’ve been waiting for. Listen on your podcast platform of choice - and don’t forget to subscribe!

Lately, when talking to friends, the topic of insurance has come up a lot. Whether it’s the rising number of catastrophic events, from floods to wildfires to tornadoes, or simply an increased awareness of the need to be prepared in case of any emergencies, a lot of people I know are focusing more time and effort on finding the right insurance providers. So, for the latest edition of Hidden Layers, I sat down with Andrea Collins, VP of Marketing at Hippo Insurance, to learn more about the insurance industry and, in particular, how homeowners’ insurance has changed with the times.  Insurance is typically thought of as a fairly dry, unsexy industry. Since Hippo burst onto the market in 2015, however, the company has set out to redefine homeowners’ insurance - and with it, the relationship people have with their homes. As Collins notes in our conversation, traditional coverage tends to include items like fur coats and pewter bowls, neither of which are common household items today. Instead, Hippo’s goal is to focus on providing products and services that modern homeowners need that will protect the joy of home ownership. In the episode, we talk about the obstacles that Hippo faces as a challenger brand in an industry with many heavy-hitters, some of which have seemingly bottomless advertising budgets, as well as the steps that the company has taken to overcome them. We also discuss how the company has leveraged technology, from smart home kits to satellite imagery to telemaintenance, to develop a more proactive approach to insurance.

Summer may have just ended, but I am already looking forward to snowy winter days. My latest guest on Hidden Layers, Josee Larocque, knows all about that feeling, having worked at Burton Snowboards for 22 years. Formerly Burton’s Senior Vice President of Operations, Larocque currently oversees the company’s digital transformation on its journey to becoming a consumer-centric, digital-first retailer.    I sat down with Josee to talk about why Burton decided to make the transition from a wholesale business to also having a large direct-to-consumer business, and the challenges - and successes - that the company encountered along the way. We talk about the changes internally that Burton needed to make, from implementing new data management platforms to focusing on last mile delivery, as well as how the pandemic affected their plans for the future. We also may or may not have mentioned a certain Vermont senator’s viral inauguration get-up — listen to the podcast to find out!

In the United States, Nespresso is usually associated with high-quality coffee - not to mention those George Clooney ads. This week on Hidden Layers, I sat down with Justin DeGeorge, the Vice President of Marketing at Nespresso USA, to talk about how the company achieves its mission of providing the best coffee experiences to consumers in a sustainable way, as well as what Nespresso’s experiences over the past year have been like.    As a largely D2C brand, Nespresso was well-equipped once the pandemic hit to keep people caffeinated in the comfort of their own homes. At the same time, the company had to think of ways to give people the kind of top-notch service they had come to expect without being able to interact with them in-person. As Justin points out, coffee-drinking is a sensory experience - so being able to replicate that at home required a lot of creative thinking, as well as a detailed understanding of what customers want from the brands they use.    I also spoke with Justin about how the company uses data and machine learning to get a better understanding of its consumers and identify the kinds of experiences that will keep a customer loyal to the brand, as well as the importance of sustainability to Nespresso’s core mission.

On the latest episode of Hidden Layers, I sat down with Andrea Brimmer, the Chief Marketing and Public Relations Officer of Ally Financial, to talk about how a bank that started in the worst days of the financial crisis would eventually become one of the largest financial institutions in the country, despite not having a single brick-and-mortar branch.    The biggest struggle for any new company, let alone a financial services company, is acquiring customers. I spoke with Andrea about how Ally has used its digital savvy from the very beginning to raise awareness and drive people to digital experiences designed to make them convert, and how that process has evolved over the past twelve years to focus on incrementality. We also discussed the benefits of in-housing and owning your own data to make marketing processes more efficient and effective, as well as how Ally is utilizing new channels like Twitch to appeal towards younger audiences.

Since the company’s launch in 2011, HelloFresh has carved out a name for itself in the meal kit industry, offering its devoted user base fresh, delicious, and easy-to-make recipes shipped straight to their door. For the latest episode of Hidden Layers, I sat down with HelloFresh’s associate director of brand and creative marketing, Hayley Raymond, to talk about the role that the company and its products serve in the marketplace, the secret to HelloFresh’s lasting popularity, and what to expect from the brand in the future.    I spoke with Hayley about how HelloFresh is able to foster brand loyalty and develop lasting relationships with consumers, from regular surveys to Facebook groups to interactions on social media. We also discussed how the company is able to use that data to develop new recipes, determine what product lines consumers want to see, and gain a deeper understanding of the journeys their customers undergo on their paths to becoming HelloFresh regulars.

What does buying a used car look like in the digital age? For Peter Scherr, CMO of Vroom, the answer lies not with the traditional dealership experience, but with a purchasing journey that takes place entirely online.    On the latest edition of Hidden Layers, I sit down with Peter to discuss how his company has been able to take something nearly universally loathed - the car buying experience - and reinvent it to provide transparency, assurance and convenience to the consumer. We also talk about how Vroom uses data and AI to manage their inventory and ensure their vehicles are priced appropriately.

On the latest edition of Hidden Layers, I sat down with Monica Belsito, the CMO of LOLA, one of the most dynamic and exciting CPG brands on the market today. LOLA got its start in 2015 as a subscription service for tampons made with 100% organic cotton; since then, it has become a leader in the reproductive health space as well as a regular presence in brick-and-mortar stores.  I spoke with Monica about the company’s journey from monthly subscription service to lifestyle brand dispensing everything from tampons to multivitamins to medical and expert advice, and  how LOLA has built a dedicated community of women who are fully engaged in everything the company does. We also talked about how the company uses data to inform product development, provide value to retail partners, and acquire customers in a competitive market.

As a longtime super fan of Ardbeg whiskey, I was especially thrilled to sit down with Luis Freitas, the director of omnichannel and CRM at Moet Hennessy, for the latest edition of Hidden Layers. Moet Hennessy is home to many iconic brands, and I was excited to discuss the unique marketing challenges that the alcohol and spirits industry faces, as well as the innovative solutions the company has found to address those challenges. Because spirits companies are generally not allowed to sell directly to consumers, understanding the customer journey and how to influence it are key elements of Moet’s marketing strategy. I spoke with Luis about how the company is fostering direct relationships with its consumers, and the role that technologies such as artificial intelligence and dynamic creative optimization can play in that process. We also talked about the impact of the upcoming deprecation of third-party cookies and IDFA, and why it is important for companies to be taking steps now to safeguard their data and mitigate the fallout.

What happens when two of the oldest, most established legacy banks in the country merge their operations? After all, technologically speaking, even the most sophisticated companies often struggle when implementing another business’s tech stack into their organizations. I spoke with Karen Rogers-Robinson, Assistant Vice President and Digital Marketing Automation Platform Specialist for Truist Bank, about how Truist - the result of a merger between SunTrust and BB&T banks - has been able to make that transition, as well as the effect it has had on the new bank’s marketing endeavors.    Over the course of this episode of Hidden Layers, Rogers-Robinson and I discuss the difficulties of integrating two established brands, particularly as it relates to customer interactions. Customers of one bank might be accustomed to a particular style of communication, while other customers might expect a more sophisticated, hands-on experience. However, as Rogers-Robinson notes, most people are comfortable at this point with using some kind of technology to manage their accounts, whether they are uploading checks via smartphone or researching mortgages from their laptops.   We also touch upon what marketers should look for in an email marketing platform, as well as how Truist uses the tools at its disposal to map out the customer journey and better respond to its users’ needs.

If you have even a passing interest in ad tech or developments in the digital world, it is highly likely that at some point, you will have come across Allison Schiff’s work. As a senior editor for AdExchanger, Schiff covers mobile, Facebook, privacy, measurement, cross-device, and the app economy - all huge topics that have a profound impact on our daily lives. Many in our industry look to Schiff for her clear-eyed assessments of the latest news and trends, so it was truly a pleasure to sit down with her on the latest episode of Hidden Layers for a wide-ranging, thought-provoking discussion on all things marketing.   We of course had to talk about the biggest development in digital advertising currently: the impending elimination of third-party cookies from web browsers, and whether advertisers will be able to successfully replace them with an alternative ID system or adopt a contextual model instead. As Schiff notes, “the cookie is definitely crumbling” as advertisers scramble to find alternatives and vendors selling so-called “cookieless solutions” jockey for attention.    We also debate what effect the growing drive by publishers to take control over their first-party data will have for the way that digital advertising is conducted in the future, and whether this will reduce advertisers’ reliance on Google, Facebook, and the other big walled gardens. Of course, no episode of Hidden Layers would be complete without a mention of deep learning - and this one is no different, as Schiff and I discuss how artificial intelligence is transforming the industry.

For the most recent installment of Hidden Layers, I sat down for an enlightening discussion with Alex Kubo, the VP of E-Commerce and Digital Marketing for Burrow.  Burrow is the furniture company that makes a couch that was named one of the top inventions of 2018 by Time magazine, and continues to make waves for its stylish designs and innovative supply chain capabilities. Over the course of the episode, we talk about how Burrow has been able to bring convenience to the luxury furniture industry by innovating its “less sexy” aspects such as the supply chain and delivery, all while taking a customer-centric view of furniture design and applying a data-first, analytics-first approach to the business. Kubo and I also discuss how companies should use machine learning within their organizations, why Facebook advertising needs to be monitored and used in very specific ways, and why marketers should worry less about high-tech solutions and make sure they understand the fundamentals of their brand and their customers.