Škoda was once the punchline of a joke. Today, it is one of Europe’s biggest car brands.

Meredith Kelly, Škoda’s Chief Marketing Officer, joins Jon Evans to unpack the turnaround. She explains how the team has used brand archaeology to rediscover what made Škoda distinctive, then combined rational product strengths with surprise, creativity and a clearer sense of purpose.

They discuss the challenge of positioning Škoda within the VW Group, what the car industry can learn from FMCG, and why the shift to EVs is creating a rare opportunity for consumers to reconsider long-held brand loyalties.

Meredith also shares why car advertising has become so dull, how Škoda gets braver work through its agency partners, and the long-term value of its Tour de France sponsorship.

Timestamps
00:00 - Trailer
01:02 - How do you pronounce Skoda
01:39 - Meredith’s uncensored AI opinion
04:24 - Why Meredith switched from FMCG to automotive
05:58 - What automotive can learn from FMCG marketing
08:23 - Positioning Skoda in a portfolio company (VW Group)
11:17 - How does the Chinese competition affect Skoda
12:30 - How the launch of EVs give people permission to switch brand loyalty
14:01 - The EV adoption across Europe
15:00 - How Skoda has transformed their brand
18:02 - The power of brand archaeology
21:00 - The power of surprise for a rational brand
23:15 - Skoda’s cycling innovation: The Duobell
30:24 - Why are car ads so dull?
32:37 - How Skoda works with agencies to create work that isn’t dull
35:09 - How Skoda transformed the negative brand perception
39:03 - Why Skoda continue to sponsor the Tour de France
43:06 - How to activate a large sports sponsorship
44:58 - Being one of Forbes most entreprenuerial CMOs
46:48 - The best advice Meredith has been given

Thank you to System1 for sponsoring Uncensored CMO. Find out more about Test Your Ad Screen here:
https://system1group.com/

Claudine Cheever, Pinterest’s Chief Marketing Officer, joins Jon Evans to explain the company’s counter-positioning, its growth to 640 million monthly active users, and why trust, design and user experience remain central to the product.

Pinterest has built a very different kind of internet platform. Rather than competing for endless attention, it is designed around inspiration, intent and the things people want to do next.

They discuss how Pinterest is approaching AI, creators and commerce, why the platform offers brands a distinctive route to consumers, and what Claudine learned from Amazon about leading marketing in a tech business.

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Timestamps

00:00 - Start
00:51 - Claudine’s experience working at Amazon
04:17 - Challenges at Amazon
05:15 - Quick fire marketing hot takes
11:11 - Why Claudine joined Pinterest
11:41 - Pinterest’s intriguing counter-positioning
16:17 - How important is design and user experience to Pinterest
17:34 - Who actually uses Pinterest?
18:56 - What are the trending things right now?
20:57 - The role of the creator on Pinterest
22:14 - How AI has been impacting Pinterest
23:59 - Growing to 640 million Monthly Active Users
25:43 - How Pinterest are driving growth (11 consecutive quarters)
26:31 - How to establish trust in your brand?
27:45 - How Pinterest fuels e-commerce
30:17 - How CMOs should spend the first 90 days at a new brand
31:36 - The secret to being a great tech CMO
32:45 - 3 tips to educate your company on marketing
34:46 - The best advice Claudine has ever been given

Thank you to System1 for sponsoring Uncensored CMO. Find out more about Test Your Ad Screen here:
https://system1group.com/

Colleen DeCourcy is one of the most influential creative leaders in modern marketing. Now Chief Marketing Officer at Sonos, she joins Jon for a candid conversation about the relationship between creativity, commercial performance and leadership through change.

They discuss why Colleen joined Sonos, what it takes to turn around a brand, and how to bring creativity back into an organisation when the pressure for short-term results is intense. From Nike’s changing fortunes to the limits of performance marketing, Colleen makes the case for brands that stand for something and leaders prepared to take difficult decisions when it matters.

She also reflects on the hardest moment of her career, why great teams need more than talent, and how marketers should approach AI without losing the human judgement that makes creative work valuable.

A masterclass in leading creatively when the business needs results.

Sign up to one of our festive events here:
https://info.uncensoredcmo.com/festive-events-interest

Timestamps

00:00 - Trailer
01:42 - The hardest moment of Colleen’s career
09:36 - Why we need more leaders taking a stand for what’s right
10:42 - Colleen’s thoughts on Nike falling out of the S&P 500
13:27 - Why Colleen joined Sonos
17:41 - How Colleen is bringing creativity into Sonos
21:47 - How to approach a brand turnaround
27:27 - How to lead through a time of change
31:17 - Why have we stopped valuing creativity?
34:56 - Whats the best piece of advice Colleen has ever received?
37:26 - Audience questions
40:08 - Colleen’s thoughts on AI
43:48 - How to make your team great

Thanks to Émigré for being our official black t-shirt partner. Find your travel wear and accessories at:
https://emigre.travel/

Thank you to System1 for sponsoring Uncensored CMO. Find out more about Test Your Ad Screen here:
https://system1group.com/