Ryan Gaspar

I recently sat down with Seth Matlins for ‘The CEO’s Guide to Marketing’ podcast from @Forbes.   It was a wide-ranging conversation, here are some of my highlights:   * How a “big idea” must be rooted in some form of enduring human truth. But for ideas to endure, they also need to evolve.   * Why managing a huge portfolio of brands and deciding how, where and when to invest is both a science and an art, as well as the lessons and inspiration that having a portfolio can bring.   * The importance of setting brands which operate in the same category apart from each other – it’s imperative you’re clear on the different purposes they serve for consumers and innovation plays a critical role in achieving this.   * How shifting perceptions and breaking out of a singular occasion to drive more growth for a brand often requires a total change of mindset internally – the role of marketing is to help people see the opportunity.   * The journey we have been on at Diageo to reorganise our Marketing teams to enable greater efficiency and effectiveness – adapting to new ways of working can be challenging but we’re maximising creative and reducing costs as a result of our new Conscious Create Teams.   https://lnkd.in/emD7vaRT   I’d love for you to listen wherever you get your podcasts: Apple: https://lnkd.in/e-UZaens Spotify: https://lnkd.in/ecE_w367   #Diageo #Forbes

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It’s no secret that AI is changing the game for how brands create and connect with consumers.   At Newell Brands, we’ve reimagined our content supply chain to deliver more, faster, and smarter. Through our partnership with Adobe, we’re using AI to boost efficiency and unlock new levels of creativity in how we bring our brands to life.   This transformation is helping us produce high-quality content at scale while keeping the consumer at the center of everything we do. From packaging to social to digital, we’re moving faster and communicating with more impact.   I’ll be sharing more about this journey at Adobe MAX next month. I’m excited to talk about how AI is helping us build stronger brand experiences and drive results.   #AIinWork

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AI is helping us move with speed and precision across the entire commercial engine. At Newell Brands, we’re using generative tools like Adobe Firefly, ChatGPT, Stravito and more to unlock insights faster, create content with greater relevance, and bring innovation to market at scale. This is about making smarter decisions and enabling creativity that connects with consumers. From building a more efficient global insights platform to transforming our content supply chain, we’re integrating AI into how we work and how we grow. I’ll be speaking at Association of National Advertisers Masters of Marketing in October to share how we’re scaling AI to drive commercial excellence and deliver stronger consumer impact. Looking forward to the conversation. #AIinWork

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McKinsey & Company's State of Marketing Report #2026 makes one thing clear. #Branding is back as the #1 priority for every organization. For the past few years, a lot of organizations obsessed over #performancemarketing as the whole strategy. More ads. More offers, More retargeting. More 'limited time urgency'. Customers bombarded. Ad spends soaring. And it worked .... until the results began to slow or get tougher to pull in. Because here’s the truth: A #Brand creates pull that no offer can. Not “#brand” as a logo design refresh. But #Brand as a system: meaning, positioning, emotional differentiation, cultural relevance, and trust. A #Brand that creates preference before the first click—a pull no offer can manufacture. #2026 will be about brand-led growth + performance discipline. So if your marketing is getting louder but not landing deeper, don’t just change targeting strategy. #Pause. #Reflect and #Rebuild the meaning. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gPkmTN2W

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Layoffs at major companies like Amazon, Target, UPS, Paramount, and GM raise significant concerns about the economy. A pressing question for Wall Street is: If no one has a job, how will we buy all the products that keep the economy afloat? I'm pretty sure AI isn't going to buy a Labubu, lease a Chevy or binge the latest series. While Wall Street may celebrate layoffs and reward companies for cutting costs, all of these layoffs are gonna tank the economy. In a year, many of these same companies will be seeking tax breaks and subsidies as consumer spending declines and their stock tanks. Wouldn't it be simpler to ensure people have jobs and income, allowing them to continue buying stuff? People want to work, so let them. Your stock will thank you.

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I often smile when I hear the CMO described as "the voice of marketing in the room." It sounds flattering, but it misses the point. The CMO of the future must be a systems builder, strategic translator, and steward of trust. In an increasingly digital world, the job is as much about explaining as executing, bridging the gap between short-term sales and long-term brand building. When I stepped into global roles, I learned fairly quickly that creativity and brand affinity, while essential, weren’t enough to sustain influence.  I learned fairly quickly that creativity and brand affinity, while essential, weren’t enough to sustain influence. These weren’t “nice to have.” They became part of the language required to lead. What’s become more apparent over time is how much of the CMO’s role is now educational. Marketing is one of those disciplines everyone feels familiar with, often because we experience it daily as consumers. But that familiarity can be misleading. Much of what people “know” about marketing comes from their own lens rather than the reality of the 18- or 25-year-old audience a brand may be trying to reach. This gap shows up even more clearly on a global stage. The issue is rarely that a brand lacks quality or meaning. More often, it’s that the systems, strategies, and stories haven’t been adapted to fit different cultures, contexts, and moments of consumption. Whether introducing K-food to new markets or translating brand purpose into everyday relevance, the challenge is turning complexity into clarity, imperfectly at times, but intentionally. That's why I believe the CMO of the next decade is less "chief storyteller" and more "chief integrator," building the systems where stories, strategies, and sustainable growth can evolve and endure. #CMOInsights #GlobalMarketer #BrandBuilding #LeadershipCulture

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I recently reviewed EY’s State of Consumer Products report, and it couldn’t be more relevant to the changing environment we’re currently experiencing. For decades, scale was the advantage. Big brands won on reach, consistency, and efficiency. But that playbook is breaking down. The report describes a slow erosion of relevance as “Negative Drift,” where confidence fades and brand value becomes harder to prove. The way forward? EY calls it Disruptive Optimism. A mindset shift focused on bold investment, purposeful innovation, and rebuilding belief in the power of the brand. A few themes stood out from a marketing perspective: 🔹 Consumers still believe in brands, but expectations are higher. They want real value, clearer differentiation, and innovation that delivers. Familiarity alone doesn’t earn loyalty anymore. 🔹 Retailers are redefining the rules. To stay relevant, brands need to be more than product suppliers; they need to be category partners who bring insight, agility, and shared growth strategies. 🔹 Digital fluency isn’t optional. Gen Z is discovering and shaping brands through social and AI-powered platforms. We need to meet them where they are, with speed, clarity, and relevance. 🔹 Capital markets want performance that compounds, not short-term fixes. Marketing’s role in driving loyalty, portfolio focus, and brand-led growth has never been more important. Bottom line: brand strength isn’t a legacy asset. It’s something we have to earn and prove every day. Read the original report here: https://lnkd.in/eZATwqGX

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AI won’t replace marketers. It will amplify the ones who know how to use it well. That’s my 2026 "if I had a crystal ball" prediction. Teams that lean in early will work faster, spot patterns sooner, and be able to create more breakthroughs. By this time next year, “AI-assisted” won’t be a novelty. It will be the baseline. The real differentiator? How boldly we build on it, guided by the marketing know-how that keeps AI pointed in the right direction. It will also change how we work together in #marketing. AI is already blurring the lines with AEO, making collaboration more critical than ever. SEO, content, social, digital and more will need to work even more seamlessly to deliver integrated experiences. It’s the marketers who show how their experience shapes #AI and informs the use cases that make them truly valuable. I'm excited about the AI uses cases and plans the #Generac marketing team has in motion!

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Walmart continues to show what retail adaptability looks like at scale. Their latest AI tools for associates don’t just make operations more efficient—they simplify, guide, and free up time for what matters most: the customer. By combining generative AI with AR and RFID, they’re showing how real-time intelligence can enhance decision-making from the shelf to the backroom. It’s a move that echoes the principles of The Agile Code—adaptability, experimentation, and team empowerment. 💡 What’s your “escape fire”? How are you redeploying time saved through technology? #TheAgileCode #RetailInnovation #AIinRetail #Walmart #AgilityInAction https://lnkd.in/eGQwTKsd

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