As a marketer, it’s easy to jump from one social trend to the next.
But if the last year taught us anything, it’s that we can’t be so quick to move on.
That’s why I was so inspired by the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day: #ChooseToChallenge. The message is a rallying cry to allies that we must make a conscious effort every day to speak up against sexism and racism. Not once a year or once a month. Every. Single. Day.
You can learn more about the IWD’s message in this video by the incredible spoken word poet, Anisa Nandaula:
To honor this message, I’m sharing the five female marketing leaders who are challenging today’s norms, using their power to give a voice to women of all backgrounds, and changing the future of marketing as we know it:
1. Bozoma Saint John
Website | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
CMO, artist, life coach – Bozoma Saint John is redefining what it means to be a CMO and sharing her life lessons along the way. I am constantly inspired by her example and confidence.
Beyond being the creative marketing force behind Netflix, Bozoma also runs Badass Workshop – a five-part course on professional development and personal wellness. If you gift yourself anything this month, let it be her workshop.
2. Carol Carpenter
My introduction to the marketing world was through product marketing. So, I love following industry experts like Carol that are shaking up the tech space.
Her intelligence and love of technology drove her to top positions at companies like Google Cloud, CenturyLink, and many more. Plus, she’s a former CEO – which gives her a wholly unique perspective as a CMO.
She’s been a guest on my podcast, and I learn something new every time I talk to her (and you will too).
3. Margaret Molloy
Website | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
Along with her 20-year track record of marketing excellence, Margaret was named The Drum’s B2B Marketer of the Year in 2017 and recently won an award for the 2020 Top 100 Marketer OnCon Icon.
She also hosted a great session this month for CMOs committed to challenging sexism and racism in the workplace. And that’s exactly the kind of person Margaret is – a leader of leaders.
4. Dara Treseder
Website | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
The cultural craze around Peloton is well-known.
As their SVP of Global Marketing, Dara, is the driving force behind Peloton’s cult community of wellness. This year, she spearheaded both Peloton’s new artist series and partnerships with icons like Beyoncé.
I can’t wait to see what her team does next.
5. Ann Lewnes
LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
Ann Lewnes eats stereotypes for breakfast.
She has been Adobe’s CMO for almost 15 years now – at a time when most CMO tenures cap at 41 months. She has a rare, creative voice and ran one of my favorite campaigns last year, Honor Heroes.
Outside her extensive career at Adobe, Ann was also instrumental in building global demand at Intel and spearheaded their Intel Insider program. If you want to learn more about Ann, this article from Harper’s Bazaar is an intimate portrait.
Final Thoughts
It’s inspiring to see so many women taking marketing leadership roles today. I hope you’ll take the time to follow them.
And if you’re looking for more leaders to follow and learn from, here are some of the other incredible women I’ve been lucky to interview recently:
- Kalina Bryant, Head of Customer Advocacy at Asana & Host of the UnapologeTECH podcast
- Sara Varni, CMO at Twilio
- Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek, CMO at Skillsoft
