The AI Advisory Council for CMOs
Ad Age and Revmatics inaugural AI Advisory Council for CMOs gathered C-suite leaders from 15 of the biggest and most innovative brands in the world. Top row from left: Allison Stransky, Samsung; Chris Bellinger, PepsiCo; Ekta Chopra, e.l.f. Beauty; Jennifer Brockington, Ally Financial; Jean-Paul Jansen, Mars Pet Care North America. Middle row from left: Kellyn Smith Kenny, AT&T; Laura Jones, Instacart; Mike Benson, CBS; Rajoielle Register, Stellantis; Raja Rajamannar, Mastercard. Bottom row from left: Remi Kent, formerly of Progressive Insurance; Romain Mallard, Coca-Cola; Tracy-Ann Lim, JPMorganChase; Vineet Mehra, Chime; Zena Arnold, Sephora U.S.
Ad Age and Revmatics launch AI Advisory Council for CMOs
This launch article introduces the AI Advisory Council for CMOs, a cross-industry executive community co-created by Ad Age and Revmatics to move AI marketing conversations beyond experimentation and into real organizational impact. Drawing on senior leaders from brands including Samsung, Mastercard, Instacart, and PepsiCo, the piece establishes the Council’s mandate: peer-driven learning, honest debate, and practical frameworks for navigating AI as a systemic business transformation rather than a standalone tool. (July 23, 2025)
The agentic era: How CMOs are utilizing AI operating systems for growth
The first article from the Council explores how CMOs are shifting from generative AI pilots toward “agentic” AI operating systems that can act, learn, and optimize autonomously. Grounded in real executive use cases, it reframes AI as an organizational layer—connecting data, decision-making, and execution—while surfacing the governance, trust, and cultural challenges leaders must address to unlock long-term growth. (Oct. 31, 2025)
Revmatics CEO Ricky Ray Butler addresses a collection of CMOs and brand executives during this private Ad Age luncheon discussion. (BFA)
AI Marketing Playbook: Ad Age & Revmatics private editors lunch
This private roundtable on Nov. 4, 2025, co-hosted by Revmatics CEO Ricky Ray Butler, Chief Product Officer James Myrick, and me, extended the Council’s work into an in-person, off-the-record forum where CMOs and senior marketers pressure-tested emerging AI strategies together. Council member Allison Stransky, CMO of Samsung Electronics America, was joined by leaders from companies including YouTube, Novartis, and Ally Financial. The discussion focused on real-world readiness: which workflows leaders are prepared to hand to AI, how unified data environments are actually being built, and where AI is beginning to unlock new customer and revenue value beyond efficiency gains.