Ontario International Airport Authority Multichannel AOR With Media Buying and Full Creative Production
At a Glance Buyer: Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA) Industry: Aviation/Airport (public agency) Location/markets: Ontario, CA; Inland Empire; Southern California/Los Angeles DMA and beyond Primary scope: Strategic Advertising and Creative Agency of Record Key deliverables/channels: Research + annual strategy; creative development; media planning/buying (digital, broadcast, OOH, paid social, print, linear/CTV, emerging); video/photo; collateral; environmental/terminal installations; reporting/optimization Budget: Not specified Contract type/term: Anticipated 3-year term with two 1-year extensions; paid via fully loaded hourly rates (fixed rate sheet) Key dates: Proposals due March 2, 2026, at 2:00 PM Eligibility/must-haves: Submit via OpenGov portal; minimum 7 years AOR experience across strategic planning, creative development, media planning/buying, cross-channel execution; in-house core team roles required; Adobe Creative Suite proficiency; plan for 5–7 on-site visits/year; required admin forms (incl. notarized non-collusion affidavit) Why This Could Be Interesting The Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA) operates Ontario International Airport (ONT), a major Southern California transportation hub serving more than 7 million passengers annually and significant air cargo volume. They’re hiring a long-term Strategic Advertising and Creative Agency of Record to plug into an already active marketing engine—then push it into the next phase, from awareness and consideration toward real preference and loyalty. What makes this stand out is the breadth: this isn’t just campaign creative. It’s end-to-end strategy, media planning and buying, production, optimization, and a steady stream of outputs that extend into the physical airport experience (think terminal installations, construction “dust wall” creative, and event/exhibit assets). Best suited for agencies that can run integrated, multi-channel programs, buy media, and manage high-volume production with strong project governance. Proposal deadline: March 2, 2026, at 2:00 PM Download the full RFP here.
Arkansas Department of Health Seeks Statewide Tobacco Prevention Media Campaign Partner
At a Glance Buyer: Arkansas Department of Health (Office of Health Communications; Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program) Industry: Public health (state government) Location/markets: Arkansas statewide; all Arkansas media markets; meetings in Little Rock as requested Primary scope: Develop and implement a comprehensive statewide tobacco prevention and cessation media campaign Key deliverables/channels: Strategy + annual media plan; creative development/testing/production; media planning & buying; earned media/PR; market research; evaluation; quarterly & annual reporting; hosting for three websites (plus design/content support; SEO/SEM upon request) Budget: Not specified Contract type/term: Single-contractor award; 4-year initial term; renewable up to 3 additional 1-year terms (up to 7 years total) Key dates: Proposal due Mar 10, 2026, at 3:00 PM CT; interviews Mar 23–24, 2026; award May 2026; contract start May 1, 2026; full implementation by July 1, 2026 Eligibility/must-haves: 5+ years similar campaign experience; 3+ years in public health/health-related advertising; multi-channel earned/owned/paid capability; in-house media buying across Arkansas markets; CMS + analytics tooling (e.g., Google Analytics/Tag Manager); no tobacco-industry funding/affiliation (past 5 years and during term); authorized to do business in Arkansas; dedicated Account Executive with an Arkansas office within 30 days of contract start; U.S.-only hosting/access/work (continental U.S.) Why This Could Be Interesting The Arkansas Department of Health’s Office of Health Communications is hiring support for its Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program (TPCP) statewide outreach. The ask is broad: develop the annual strategy, create and test creative, place and manage media, and run an evidence- or theory-based social marketing program across paid, earned, and owned channels. It also includes market research, campaign evaluation, quarterly/annual reporting, and public relations support tied to events and outreach. What makes this one worth a look is the long runway and the “end-to-end” expectations. The base term is four years, with renewal options that can extend the relationship up to seven years total—rare stability for a public-sector account. ADH also expects in-house media buying across all Arkansas media markets and a deliberate mix of paid placements and public service announcements of equal value, which points to meaningful scale and accountability. There’s a digital layer too: the contractor will host three OHC websites, manage web content/design, and may be asked to provide SEO/SEM support—while keeping servers/data in the continental U.S. and work performed from within the U.S. Best suited for agencies with public health experience, strong media buying, and integrated creative, PR, web, and measurement capabilities—plus comfort with tight compliance (including no tobacco-industry ties). Proposal deadline: March 10, 2026, at 3:00 PM CT Download the full RFP here.
UT San Antonio Seeks Creative Services and Branding Support for NSCC Stakeholder Outreach
At a Glance Buyer: The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) — National Security Collaboration Center (NSCC) Industry: Higher Education Location/markets: San Antonio, TX; South Texas and beyond Primary scope: Strategic communications, creative services, and Drupal web support for NSCC (multiple service pools) Key deliverables/channels: Strategic frameworks + exec comms coaching; branding/graphic design collateral; Drupal web design/dev/maintenance; accessibility (WCAG 2.1 AA); analytics/SEO support Budget: Not specified Contract type/term: Multiple-award, task-order contract; up to 4 years (1-year initial + up to three 1-year renewals) Key dates: Pre-proposal conference: Feb 16, 2026 (1:00 PM CT); Question deadline: Feb 23, 2026; Proposal deadline: March 11, 2026 (2:30 PM CT) Eligibility/must-haves: HUB Subcontracting Plan required; 5+ years experience (pool-dependent); authorized to do business in Texas and eligible to contract with UT System; meet security + accessibility requirements; Drupal expertise required for web pool Why This Could Be Interesting The University of Texas at San Antonio is seeking outside support for the National Security Collaboration Center (NSCC), a university-based hub coordinating with government, industry, and academic partners across cybersecurity, energy security, biosecurity, and national defense. This isn’t a single-lane marketing ask. UTSA is carving the work into three pools—strategy/comms infrastructure and business development, creative/graphic design, and Drupal web support—so specialists can compete without pretending to be a full-stack AOR. The interesting signal is the “operating system” focus: standardized workflows, documented communications structures, and executive messaging discipline. They even call out executive communications training and coaching for high-stakes settings like public briefings, crisis communications, and legislative testimony—work that tends to be sticky and leadership-visible. Best suited for agencies/consultancies with public-sector rigor, strong governance, and deep comms, creative, and/or Drupal + WCAG 2.1 AA capability (based on the pool). Proposal deadline: March 11, 2026, 2:30 PM CT Download the full RFP here.
Arizona Department of Administration Statewide Marketing AOR With $185M Recent Agency Spend
At a Glance Buyer: Arizona Department of Administration (State Procurement Office) Industry: Government/public sector Location/markets: Arizona statewide Primary scope: Statewide marketing, advertising, and public relations services via task orders Key deliverables/channels: Integrated plans; media planning/buying (TV/radio/print/OOH); digital/social/streaming & influencer; creative & production; website dev/maintenance (WordPress or site builder) + accessibility; PR/crisis comms; events; research; analytics/reporting Budget: Not specified (as-needed usage; no guaranteed spend) Contract type/term: Mandatory statewide contract(s); task-order/as-needed; 12-month initial term with extensions up to a 5-year maximum aggregate term Key dates: Pre-Offer Conference: Feb 26, 2026, 1:00–2:00 PM Arizona Time. Proposal deadline: Mar 25, 2026, 3:00 PM Arizona Time Eligibility/must-haves: Submit via Arizona Procurement Portal (APP); meet accessibility expectations (ADA + WCAG 2.2 Level AA); multicultural focus (including translation when required); dedicated account/project manager; proof-of-performance reporting; bill in 15-minute increments; fingerprint clearance card for certain personnel (as applicable) Why This Could Be Interesting The State of Arizona, through the Arizona Department of Administration’s State Procurement Office, is establishing mandatory statewide contracts for marketing, advertising, and public relations services that eligible agencies can use statewide. This is a bench-style, task-order program: agencies can bring in contractors for projects ranging from a few hours to several months, based on program need and funding. The base term is 12 months, with extensions allowed up to a 5-year maximum aggregate term, and the State may make one or more awards. Work is issued on an as-needed basis, with no spending guarantee. The upside signal is scale plus breadth. The RFP notes that prior contracts were used by 30+ agencies (including Tourism and the Lottery), and that total marketing services spend from 2022–2025 was $185 million. The scope spans integrated planning, traditional and digital media (including streaming/video, audio, and influencer), creative and production, email/CRM support, PR including crisis communications, events, and research—plus website development/maintenance with WCAG 2.2 Level AA accessibility and WordPress or site-builder backend access, with deliverables treated as work for hire. Best suited for agencies with public-sector process, measurable reporting, and accessible, multicultural-ready delivery (including translation when required). Proposal deadline: March 25, 2026, at 3:00 PM Arizona Time Download the full RFP here.
CMO Moves – Week of February 16, 2026
Highlights Ariel Kelman named President & CMO at AMD AMD builds high-performance computing and AI solutions for data centers, embedded systems, PCs, and gaming. Kelman steps in as AMD expands its portfolio and aims to accelerate momentum in high-performance and AI markets. He’ll oversee brand, communications, events, developer relations, and go-to-market strategy to sharpen storytelling and deepen engagement across the technology ecosystem. Agency lens: This role scope supports integrated brand and communications work, major event programming, and developer/partner marketing tied to AMD’s go-to-market strategy Press release Executive’s LinkedIn Company website Marc Burns named Chief Marketing Officer at Hagerty Hagerty serves driving enthusiasts through insurance, buying and selling platforms, publishing, events, and a membership model. Burns’ promotion comes with a newly created CMO role focused on growing new and deepening existing member relationships. The mandate emphasizes brand distinctiveness and unifying the business into a more integrated membership experience, backed by high-impact marketing initiatives. Agency lens: The mandate supports brand platform work and integrated marketing that connects acquisition, engagement, and membership experience across channels. Press release Executive’s LinkedIn Company website Ashley Deibert named Chief Marketing Officer at Nue.io Nue is a revenue lifecycle platform that helps companies run quote-to-revenue operations and handle modern pricing and billing. Deibert joins during what the company calls exceptional momentum, including 280% YoY growth. The move points to a bigger push on category positioning and scalable go-to-market execution for SaaS and AI monetization. Agency lens: The company’s stated momentum supports category narrative development and scalable go-to-market campaign execution for a fast-growing B2B SaaS platform. Press release Executive’s LinkedIn Company website All Appointments The following is a complete list of CMO appointments and transitions tracked this week across industries. CMO Moves are tracked weekly based on public announcements, filings, and market intelligence. Not every leadership change results in agency engagement, but historically, these moments often precede strategic reviews and realignment of partners.
OpenAI Marketing Signals as Adoption Shifts to Brand Building
At a Glance Interviewee: Kate Rouch, Chief Marketing Officer Company: OpenAI Estimated Revenue: $20B+ annualized revenue for 2025 (reported) Location: San Francisco Bay Area, CA Website: Openai.com Industry: AI research and deployment Company Notes: Marketing is shifting from viral growth to planned brand building Best-Fit Agencies: Brand strategy, integrated creative, media planning and buying, performance growth, PR and corporate affairs, developer marketing Source: Breaking and Entering Show The Big Picture OpenAI is moving from organic buzz to intentional marketing at scale. Rouch came from Meta and Coinbase, and she builds brands during fast category shifts. She is now pairing a global media AOR with larger brand campaigns. She wants storytelling that stays authentic to research while staying clear for mainstream users. This moment is also shaped by ads testing in ChatGPT. Top Stated Priorities Elevate real customer use cases, not abstract promises. ChatGPT grew with little marketing, so the team is now spotlighting what people already do. Position AI as expanding “human creativity and agency,” not replacing people. That stance shows up in creative choices and in how the brand tells its story. Balance frontier credibility with simple, mainstream communication. She said the work cannot feel overly simplified, yet it must meet people where they are. Build a launch engine that can keep up with the pace of releases. She noted a Super Bowl-featured product hit major downloads and was new weeks earlier. Correct misinformation about how advertising will work in ChatGPT. She pushed back on the idea that ads would “influence answers,” and said the company has been clear. Under-the-Surface Signals OpenAI is setting a quality bar for marketing craft and restraint. This is implied because she framed the Super Bowl work as human-made, with AI used earlier for prototyping. The marketing org is being designed for a portfolio, not a single hero product. This is implied because she described consumer, developer, and enterprise contexts under one “deployment” umbrella. External partners are becoming more central to execution. This is implied because OpenAI named a global media AOR and has used outside creative partners alongside in-house work. Executive voice is part of the brand system, not an optional add-on. This is implied because she praised leaders speaking directly and acknowledged how public the category has become. Your Next Big Wins Build a repeatable “real work” content pipeline across segments. The timing fits because she wants to lift up what users do, and content and creative agencies can scale it. Stand up a rapid launch playbook with modular creative and media testing. Speed is a stated constraint, so integrated teams can compress planning, production, and iteration. Create a trust-forward comms framework for the shift to ads. Ads are now being tested for free and Go users, so PR and product marketing partners can align guardrails. Design audience-specific messaging for consumer, developer, and enterprise buyers. She is balancing research credibility and mainstream clarity, which suits B2B, developer, and brand strategists. Define measurement that proves value without confusing the product story. With ads testing and larger campaigns underway, analytics and media partners can set clean success metrics. How I’d Break In Lead with a simple promise: show useful AI in human terms, fast. Anchor messaging on people getting daily value, not on hype. Bring a framework that protects credibility while staying accessible. Propose a two-week pilot that captures use cases, ships two story lines, and learns through fast iteration.
BNI Global’s Digital Modernization Agenda Takes Shape
An analysis of the executive conversation and our research, surfacing the priorities and opportunity lanes agencies can leverage to win new business. At a Glance Interviewee: Heather McLeod, Chief Marketing Officer Company: BNI Global Location: Charlotte, NC Website: https://www.bni.com Industry: Referral networking and business community, franchise-led model Company Notes: Global member network with weekly chapter meetings and a structured referral process Best-Fit Agencies: Digital experience and web development, SEO and content, franchise development marketing, localization and translation, PR and media, data and AI enablement Source: CMO Journeys Interview The Big Picture BNI is scaling a relationship-first growth model across a huge global footprint. Heather McLeod is stepping in to modernize how the brand shows up, especially online. The shift is from growth driven mainly by member referrals to growth that also uses digital discovery. She is also building tighter feedback loops with franchise leaders and owners. This moment matters because better digital infrastructure can unlock faster, more consistent global growth. Top Stated Priorities Put franchise owners at the center of the marketing agenda. Owner success drives the member experience and protects retention. Strengthen franchise development with better tools and assets for global expansion. Early wins here can scale fast across markets while she sets the operating rhythm. Revamp BNI’s digital infrastructure to tell the story better and reduce friction. Members and prospects need to find the right chapter quickly across many locations. Build a structured way to capture field feedback and surface the best ideas. In a franchise system, shared wins compound when HQ packages and scales them. Under-the-Surface Signals BNI is moving from referral-only growth to a stronger digital acquisition mix. This is implied because she is prioritizing online positioning and “digital infrastructure” as a major project. The website experience will need deep localization, not just global branding. This is implied because BNI operates in many countries, and she stressed multi-location complexity at scale. BNI will favor tech-led solutions over labor-heavy support models. This is implied because she emphasized “solutions that scale” and budgets that require technology to do the work. Your Next Big Wins Redesign BNI’s chapter discovery journey, from search to visit to join. Digital infrastructure is a top priority, and UX, SEO, and conversion gains can show up quickly. Build a localization and multilingual stack for global site delivery. With many countries in play, consistent experiences require translation tooling and governance. Create a small business resource hub that makes BNI useful before someone joins. It supports the goal of positioning BNI as a resource and community, not only a weekly meeting. Turn franchisee insights into repeatable marketing playbooks and templates. A stronger feedback loop will produce ideas, and owners will need ready-to-use assets that feel local. Prototype AI-enabled matching and cross-chapter connections using existing member data. With early AI work underway, the next step is higher-value connections beyond one chapter. How I’d Break In I’d lead with a point of view on multi-location growth without breaking the budget. Anchor messaging on making it easier to find the right chapter, in the right language, fast. Bring proof from franchise and multi-location digital programs, plus measurable UX and SEO lifts. Propose a pilot in one region: chapter finder rebuild, multilingual module, and a small content hub MVP.
Heather McLeod’s Practical Leadership Lens on Growth and Impact
Executive: Heather McLeodCompany: BNI GlobalIndustry: Referral networking organization (franchise model)Company Snapshot: A global membership organization built around structured, relationship-driven referralsFormat: CMO Journeys Interview Why It Matters Heather McLeod built her career in franchising by staying close to the people who run the business in the real world. Now she brings that same mindset to BNI, the world’s largest referral networking organization. Her journey is worth studying because she keeps marketing simple: find what drives revenue, then remove friction. For agencies, she’s unusually clear about what earns trust—and what gets ignored. Their Path, in Short After undergrad, McLeod struggled to land a marketing job in a saturated market. So she went back to school for an MBA. She later interviewed at The Dwyer Group (now Neighborly), a franchise home services organization, and said the fit felt right because she loved the people she met. That “people first” instinct became a pattern. “I’m a big believer that iron sharpens iron,” she said, explaining that she seeks leaders who make her stronger. Her first role in that world was as marketing manager for Rainbow International, a water, fire, mold, and smoke restoration business. She said she knew nothing about the category, so she immersed herself—spending time with franchise owners and letting them teach her what they needed and what would “move the needle.” She later moved to Mr. Rooter and worked for Mary Thompson, who would later become CEO of BNI. McLeod pointed out how relationships compound: the people you learn from early can reappear later, in bigger roles, when the stakes are higher. Over time, her definition of marketing expanded. She said she thinks broadly about what belongs in the “marketing bucket,” always asking: what are the revenue drivers, and how do we maximize impact there? In franchising, she explained, marketing is a major lever. Another lever is locations—helping existing locations market more effectively and putting more dots on the map through franchise sales. That mindset expanded her scope beyond traditional marketing. Big Themes From the Conversation McLeod’s energy comes from operators. She said spending time with franchise owners and master franchisees motivates her to do great work on their behalf. She also respects how complex multi-location really is. In her world, there are different owners in every market, different contact information, and a constant need for localization—“everything has to be able to be localized,” she said. Finally, she keeps coming back to scale. Franchise budgets, she explained, aren’t built like corporate-owned budgets because the corporate office is collecting a percentage fee to provide support. That’s why she needs solutions that scale, and why she often prefers approaches where “tech is doing the work and not people man hours.” Watch CMO Journeys Interview How They Choose the Right Agency Partners When I asked McLeod what she looks for in an agency partner, she started with a practical advantage: shorten the ramp. She likes partners who have worked in the industry because it reduces how much she has to teach. She’s happy to educate on brand. She wants industry best practices coming from the agency side. But she quickly clarified that “industry experience” is really about multi-location understanding. It doesn’t have to be the exact same niche, she said. What matters is knowing how to localize at scale and solve for complexity without costs going “through the roof.” In her world, that often means tech-enabled solutions that don’t rely on endless manual hours. Then she talked about delivery. She values agencies that deliver on what they commit to, and she prefers “over-delivering and under-promising versus the opposite.” She also noted a common frustration: the sales process can set one expectation, and the shift to account management can feel different. And she cares about chemistry. She wants partners she trusts and enjoys working with. On getting noticed, she didn’t mince words: stop with the really long LinkedIn messages. The kind that makes you scroll. “I can’t stand it,” she said. The bigger issue is timing. Most of the time, she doesn’t want to talk until she’s actively solving a problem. She gave a concrete example from her own work: she needed a website tool that could help users translate and move across multiple languages because she supports many countries. So she started hunting, checked what G2 said, researched options, and then booked calls. That’s why cold outreach usually doesn’t work on her. The exception, she said, can be face-to-face at events. And referrals matter. She leans on peers to ask, “Have you used a great agency in this space?” She uses those recommendations to validate options and shortcut decisions. She told one story that captured it. She worked with a social agency out of New York to help her show up more on LinkedIn. She wanted to post more, but she didn’t feel like anyone cared what she had to say. The agency helped her “get my feet under me” and find her voice. Later, someone at BNI noticed her LinkedIn and asked how to do something similar. When McLeod reached out, the agency founder replied with a twist: he was already in a BNI chapter in New York. McLeod loved that because he “got it.” What Stood Out McLeod is warm about the people she serves and blunt about what wastes time. One line captured her compass: “I want people who I can trust. I want people who I know are going to deliver on the things that they say.” It’s simple, human, and consistent with everything else she described. Inside Scoop This article focuses on the journey, the leadership philosophy, and how this CMO works with agency partners. To access the exclusive analysis, including priorities, initiatives, and opportunities, become a Next Big Win Pro member.
M&A Signals – Deals Announced Through February 11, 2026
Highlights Eli Lilly acquired Orna Therapeutics — Deal value: $2.4B Eli Lilly is a pharmaceutical company. Orna Therapeutics is a biotechnology company focused on engineering immune cells in vivo. Lilly said the deal gives it a broad platform for long-term innovation in genetic medicine and in vivo cell engineering. It matters because the rationale is platform-led: the acquisition is positioned as a foundation for new therapeutic approaches, not just a single asset. Agency lens: Plan for clear, plain-English messaging that translates complex science into a coherent narrative across investor, clinician, and patient-facing communications. Press release Kodiak Gas Services acquired Distributed Power Solutions — Deal value: $675M Kodiak Gas Services operates large-horsepower engines and related infrastructure. Distributed Power Solutions is a turnkey provider of distributed power generation. Kodiak framed the acquisition as a strategic expansion that extends its reach into distributed power, including demand tied to digital infrastructure customers. It matters because the stated “why” centers on expanding the platform and contract profile (including distributed generation for large customers) rather than a small tuck-in. Agency lens: Expect an increased need for integrated GTM messaging that connects Kodiak’s core operations to “bring your own power” distributed power solutions for digital infrastructure buyers. Press release Agrolimen acquired Ollie — Deal value: $600M Agrolimen is a Spanish food conglomerate. Ollie is a direct-to-consumer brand that delivers fresh, human-grade dog food with personalized meal plans. The stated rationale is to expand Agrolimen’s footprint in the U.S. pet food market, where premium and fresh categories have shown significant growth. It matters because the logic is portfolio expansion into a growth segment, against a backdrop of broader consolidation in pet food. Agency lens: A portfolio move like this typically calls for crisp brand/portfolio storylines and consistent customer communications while Ollie maintains its leadership team and operating structure. Press release Ouster acquired Stereolabs — Deal value: $35.1M Ouster sells lidar and related sensing products. StereoLabs is known for its ZED stereo camera line and perception software. Ouster said the deal expands its offering beyond lidar into a single, unified sensing and perception platform for “Physical AI,” adding stereo cameras, AI vision software, and a developer/customer community. It matters because the stated “why” is integration simplification—delivering integrated vision + lidar rather than separate systems. Agency lens: Expect messaging and product-marketing work to unify categories (lidar, cameras, perception software) into one platform story, plus developer and customer communications. Press release Savi acquired Fiducius Savi provides student loan and education benefits. Fiducius is an education benefits provider for employees. Savi said the acquisition will broaden its nationwide reach across employers and channel partners as it expands distribution and offers a wider set of education-related workplace benefits. It matters because the stated rationale is distribution + scope: combining offerings and adding support capacity as more employers adopt education benefits. Agency lens: This kind of expansion often requires clear, unified employer-facing messaging and a consolidated articulation of the combined benefits set across channels and partners. Press release All M&A Deals
The Best Time to Reach a CMO Is When Nobody Else Is Paying Attention
The Signal A new Chief Marketing Officer just joined a company you’ve never heard of. Maybe 500 employees, maybe 2,000. The LinkedIn announcement gets 47 likes. No press release. While everyone’s watching the splashy hire at Nike, you just scrolled past one of the strongest new business signals in your feed. Why It Matters Here’s what most people miss: there are 20-40 new CMO appointments every week at companies with 200+ employees. Not the big names, but mid-market companies actually building marketing departments, launching rebrands, replacing websites, and hiring agencies to do it. At major companies, 22% of marketing leaders have been in their role for one year or less. And 74% of marketing chiefs are first-time CMOs. These leaders are coming in with something to prove. They need quick wins. They’re assessing everything, including agency relationships, in their first 100 days. Research shows agency reviews typically happen six to nine months in as they “mark the start of a new era.” This isn’t just happening at companies everyone’s watching. It’s happening constantly in the middle market, where budgets are real but competition for attention is lower. The Mistake Most Teams Make They chase logos. When a new CMO lands at a brand they recognize, everyone piles on with the same message: “Congrats on the new role! We’d love to show you what we do.” Meanwhile, 30 other CMOs started the same week at companies you didn’t notice. The mistake isn’t just ignoring these opportunities. It’s not having a system to see them. Most teams rely on personal networks, referrals, and inbound. They’re not systematically tracking leadership changes because they don’t think of it as a signal. The Smarter Move Treat CMO moves at mid-market companies as a tier-one signal. This signal is different because it predicts action. You’re not interrupting business as usual. You’re entering during a natural assessment window. Reaching out in months 2-3 means you’re part of the evaluation, not fighting an incumbent. You’re there while they’re forming opinions, not after they’ve committed budget. But you need context, not just a name. When you know where they came from, what the company does, and what they’ve said publicly about their priorities, you can reach out with relevance. Not: “Congrats on the new role!” But: “I saw in your recent interview you mentioned building performance marketing infrastructure in mid-market B2B. We’ve worked with three companies in similar positions. Would it be useful to share what we’re seeing?” How to Operationalize It Track the signal systematically. Monitor CMO appointments at companies matching your ICP weekly, not randomly. There are tools built specifically for this. Platforms like NextBigWin Pro track executive moves at scale and filter by company size, industry, and role, so you’re not manually hunting LinkedIn every week. Layer in additional signals, such as a CMO move, funding, plus job postings, and it is a pattern, not a coincidence. Build context before you reach out. Spend time understanding their background, recent interviews, and what they’re inheriting. Time it intentionally. Not week one when they’re drinking from a firehose. Months 2-3 are the window. They’ve oriented, they’re assessing, and they haven’t locked in their roster. Offer perspective, not pitches. Share what other CMOs prioritized, mistakes you’ve seen, questions worth asking. While others chase announcements, there’s a massive middle market full of companies making real marketing investments, hiring leaders who need to prove themselves, and operating without entrenched agency relationships. They move faster, have fewer stakeholders, and are more willing to try something new.
