Uncensored CMO

How do you distil something as complex as marketing into something simple?

In this special episode of Uncensored Renegades, Kory delivers a powerful seven-minute poem (originally written as a pattern-disrupting acceptance speech) that captures the emotional weight, pressure, and responsibility of modern marketing leadership.

Born from a flash of inspiration at an AC/DC concert, the poem explores the trials of being a CMO, the burden of accountability, and the mental fortitude required to lead.

After the performance, Jon reacts candidly, unpacking the themes of ownership, bravery, and the uncomfortable truth that in leadership, pretty much everything is down to you.
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/uncensored-renegades/id1868870960
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7qnkqq0XSpgif9A5ZNgSpX?si=f181c3a0e9af480c

Timestamps
00:00 - Start
00:28 - Why marketing is poetry to Kory
02:25 - Where did Kory’s love for poetry start?
03:58 - How poetry makes complex things simple
04:56 - Why Kory wrote a poem and not an acceptance speech
12:29 - Kory Marchisotto’s marketing poem
19:43 - Jon reacts to Kory’s poem
21:04 - The power of mental fortitude
24:34 - Pretty much everything is down to you, and you alone
26:45 - You don’t have to have all the answers
28:05 - Seek out what you don’t know

Thomas Barta is one of the world’s leading experts on marketing leadership. A former McKinsey partner, CEO of the Marketing Leadership Institute, and co-author of The 12 Powers of a Marketing Leader, Thomas has studied what makes CMOs successful through the largest global research project of its kind, over 68,000 leadership assessments.
In this episode, we explore what CEOs really expect from CMOs, why so few marketers make it to the boardroom, and what needs to change if marketing is to lead growth again. Thomas shares practical tactics for building stronger CFO relationships, acting with more bravery, and avoiding the “safe” behaviours that quietly kill careers. A must-listen for any marketer serious about leadership.
Sign up to our live event, The Calling, on April 21st here:
https://event.uncensoredcmo.com/events/uncensoredcmo/2044861

Timestamps
00:00 - Intro
00:43 - How Thomas Barta got into marketing
02:24 - The surprising thing about marketing at the board level
03:52 - What is the CEO looking for a CMO to deliver
04:41 - Why are there so few marketers in the boardroom
08:38 - What tactics should marketers use to make sure they are delivering growth
11:20 - How can CMOs build the relationship with their CFO
12:53 - CMO Tenure - is it going up or down?
18:59 - What do CMOs need to change?
21:13 - Fitting in is the safest way to fail
28:11 - The bravery formula
29:48 - Why you need to act quickly
31:07 - Confessions of a CMO

With Cannes Lions deadlines looming, Jon and Kory dive into what it really takes to pitch, and win, at Cannes.

We recorded this episode on the final day of Cannes 2025, with Kory in the thick of e.l.f’s "So Many D*cks" campaign submission for both a Glass and Titanium Lion. With the experience fresh in her mind, she breaks down the realities of the process.

Jon brings a different perspective, reflecting on his own Bronze and Silver Lion wins from years past, and the hard-earned lessons that came with them.
This is an episode of the Uncensored Renegades podcast. We'll only be posting a few more episodes of Renegades on this feed. To hear episodes of this new show, subscribe in your podcast app of choice:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/uncensored-renegades/id1868870960
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7qnkqq0XSpgif9A5ZNgSpX?si=f181c3a0e9af480c

Timestamps

00:00 - Intro
00:49 - The pitching process for a Cannes Lion
03:14 - The pitch process for a Glass Lion
06:51 - The power of the Pratfall Effect
08:39 - Pitching for a Titanium Lion
10:41 - Jon’s tips from winning his Silver and Bronze Lions
12:17 - Audience before content
14:14 - How to make your campaign interesting (and not dull)
16:25 - How e.l.f. makes their campaigns interesting
18:58 - How to hack your campaign; babies or animals

Syl Saller CBE is one of the most respected marketing leaders of her generation. Former Global Chief Marketing and Innovation Officer at Diageo, Syl helped lead a FTSE 10 business with more than 200 brands across 180 countries. Today, she’s an executive coach and mentor, President of The Marketing Society, and works closely with C-suite leaders to develop the next generation of marketing leadership.
In this episode, Syl shares what the CMO role at Diageo is really like, how to build strong relationships with CEOs and boards, and how to navigate imposter syndrome, difficult conversations, and career-defining moments. We also discuss why she left Diageo, what she’d do differently looking back, and the leadership lessons she now passes on to others.
Sign up to our live event, The Calling, on April 21st here:
https://event.uncensoredcmo.com/events/uncensoredcmo/2044861
Timestamps

00:00 - Intro
00:53 - What’s a CMO role at Diageo really like?
02:56 - How to have difficult conversations
03:59 - Whats it like being on the board of Diageo?
05:04 - Working with Sir Ivan Menezes, legendary Diageo CEO
09:10 - How to foster a great relationship with your CEO
12:38 - How Syl Saller’s childhood shaped her into the leader she is today
18:57 - What would Syl Saller do differently in her career
21:29 - How to deal with imposter syndrome as a leader
25:31 - How to figure out your life and career plan
28:08 - The toolkit for planning success
31:40 - Why the challenging moments in life can have the best outcomes
34:17 - Maintaining a good work life balance with a senior job
38:51 - Why Syl left Diageo in 2020
40:11 - Why Syl Saller became a leadership coach after leaving Diageo
43:10 - Three bits of leadership advice from Syl Saller

This is an episode of the Uncensored Renegades podcast. To hear episodes of this new show, subscribe here:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/uncensored-renegades/id1868870960
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7qnkqq0XSpgif9A5ZNgSpX?si=f181c3a0e9af480c
When you define any other business function, the answer is simple. What is finance? What is HR? What is IT?
When you ask, what is marketing? The answer is broad. Is it sales? Is it storytelling? Is it brand?
In this episode, Kory and Jon dig into some of the words used to define marketing and decrypt some of the findings.
Timestamps
00:00 - Intro
00:15 - Why is marketing hard to define?
04:35 - Why brand is so important
08:36 - How your brand shows up when hiring people
10:36 - The words that describe marketing
14:47 - Do marketers neglect the role of strategy?
17:25 - The most surprising words that define marketing
18:39 - The power of storytelling