What Agencies Still Don’t Understand About Today’s CMO
As part of the upcoming CMO Lab at POSSIBLE (April 27–29 in Miami Beach), I sat down with Nadine Dietz, who is leading the initiative and has spent years working closely with CMOs across the industry through her work at Virtuosi League, Adweek, and Marketers That Matter. The conversation quickly moved beyond the event itself and into something more telling. On paper, the CMO role hasn’t changed. The mandate is still growth, customer, and brand. But in practice, the role is operating in a completely different environment than it was even a few years ago. That gap between what the role looks like and how it actually operates is where much of the friction is today. And it’s also where many agencies are falling behind. The Shift Isn’t Marketing. It’s Enterprise. One of the biggest changes Nadine pointed to is where CMOs are actually spending their time. It’s less about managing marketing execution and more about navigating the enterprise. CMOs today are expected to operate across the C-suite by aligning teams, influencing decisions, and helping define what growth actually means across the organization. That kind of alignment work isn’t always visible, but it’s now central to the role. A major driver of this is AI. Not because of the tools themselves, but because AI decisions don’t live in one function. They impact operations, finance, product, and HR, forcing CMOs into conversations that go well beyond marketing. They’re no longer just running a function. They’re helping shape the system in which the function operates. Why Good Ideas Aren’t Enough Anymore This is where the gap between CMOs and agencies starts to show up. From Nadine’s perspective, the issue isn’t that agencies aren’t capable. It’s that many are still approaching problems in ways that don’t reflect the reality CMOs are operating in. Ideas alone don’t move things forward the way they used to. Strategy can look great on paper, but it breaks down when it doesn’t fit into the broader organization, doesn’t align with other priorities, or can’t scale across teams and systems. In practice, that breakdown shows up in subtle ways. An agency might bring a strong campaign idea, but executing it requires new data flows, coordination across product and sales, or approvals that take months to navigate. The idea isn’t wrong. It’s just not deployable in that environment. And that’s often where momentum dies. CMOs aren’t just asking, “Is this a good idea?”They’re asking, “Will this actually work here?” A Model That’s Starting to Break There’s also a more fundamental shift happening in how work gets done. The traditional agency model: long timelines, structured campaigns, and clearly defined scopes, is under pressure. The pace of change, combined with the expectation for real-time responsiveness, is forcing companies to rethink how they operate. That shift is showing up in team structure as well. More work is being broken into tasks rather than roles. More talent is being brought in on a fractional basis. And more capabilities that once lived outside the organization are being pulled in-house, often supported by AI. For agencies, this creates a different kind of challenge. It’s not just about doing the work better. It’s about fitting into a system that is actively being rebuilt. What the Best CMOs Are Doing Differently What’s becoming clear is that the CMOs gaining traction aren’t just focused on marketing outcomes. They’re focused on alignment. They’re thinking about how decisions are made across the organization, how teams work together, and how to build systems that actually support growth—not just campaigns that aim to drive it. It’s a more complex job than it was even a few years ago. And it requires a different kind of partner. Where Agencies Need to Rethink Their Approach If there’s one theme that came through clearly, it’s this: agencies need a deeper understanding of the environment in which their clients operate. That starts with empathy, but not in the abstract. In practice, it looks like shifting the conversation. Instead of leading with ideas, the most effective agencies are spending more time diagnosing constraints: How do decisions actually get made inside this organization? What would prevent this from working? Where are the bottlenecks likely to be? It also means pressure-testing ideas before presenting them. Not just “here’s what we’d do,” but “here’s how this would realistically get implemented given your current structure.” Because from the CMO’s perspective, time is limited and the margin for error is small. Every initiative has to fit within a broader set of priorities that agencies don’t always see. In many cases, the agencies that stand out aren’t the ones with the boldest ideas. They’re the ones whose ideas actually work inside the system. The Part No One Talks About Toward the end of the conversation, the focus shifted from strategy to something less discussed. People. Teams are being asked to do more with less. Roles are evolving faster than people can adapt. And there’s a constant level of pressure that sits underneath all of it. In Nadine’s view, the mental health impact across the industry is significant and growing. And yet, most organizations are still focused on chasing the next opportunity rather than investing in the people who deliver it. That disconnect matters. Because in a moment like this, the strength of the team is what determines whether any strategy actually works. Why Spaces Like the CMO Lab Are Emerging That shift is also what led to the creation of the CMO Lab at POSSIBLE. The idea isn’t to add more content to an already crowded conference schedule. It’s to create space for CMOs to step back, compare notes, and work through challenges that don’t yet have clear answers. Because that’s the reality right now. There isn’t a clear playbook for navigating AI transformation, organizational alignment, and evolving expectations simultaneously. Most CMOs are figuring it out as they go. And increasingly, the most valuable insights aren’t coming from the
Radar Report #006 – Week of April 13, 2026
7 Accounts Showing Buying Signals Each week, the Radar Report highlights companies showing signals of potential marketing investment. These moments often lead organizations to reassess agency relationships and growth initiatives. For agencies looking for new business opportunities, Radar Report surfaces companies likely preparing to invest in marketing and brand. 7. A Place for Mom A Place for Mom’s external CMO hire signals a likely push to sharpen performance marketing, improve customer acquisition efficiency, and modernize digital growth. Trigger A Place for Mom hired Chris Milone as Chief Marketing Officer in January 2026, bringing in an external leader with a strong background in direct response, digital acquisition, partnerships, CRM, and customer experience. His prior CMO roles include Laurel Road, Best Egg, and ShopRunner. Why This Matters This looks like a growth-efficiency hire. Milone’s experience centers on performance-driven customer acquisition, channel innovation, UX, strategic partnerships, and large-scale digital transformation. That suggests A Place for Mom may be focused on improving lead generation, conversion, and customer journey performance in a category where trust and decision support matter. Agency Opportunity Performance marketing Customer acquisition strategy CRM and lifecycle marketing UX and conversion optimization Strategic partnerships Smart Outreach Angle Lead with how high-consideration consumer businesses can reduce friction across the path to conversion by tightening acquisition strategy, digital experience, and lifecycle follow-up together. Company Context A Place for Mom operates in healthcare-related consumer services. It serves people navigating major care decisions, which makes trust, digital experience, and efficient lead conversion especially important. 6. Coder Coder’s fresh Series C funding and recent internal marketing leadership elevation point to a push to scale category leadership around secure enterprise AI development. Trigger Coder raised $90 million in Series C funding to expand AI workflow innovation, governance capabilities, and global operations. It also elevated Carmella West to Head of Marketing in October 2025 after earlier growth and operations roles at the company. Why This Matters This is a company moving from product traction to market-shaping mode. The funding is tied directly to enterprise AI workflows, governance, and international expansion, while West’s background is strongest in revenue marketing, marketing operations, and systems-driven growth. That suggests a rising need for clearer category framing, scalable demand programs, and tighter alignment between growth execution and enterprise sales. Agency Opportunity Category positioning Enterprise demand generation Revenue marketing strategy Product marketing Sales enablement Smart Outreach Angle Lead with how infrastructure companies can turn strong technical adoption into a clearer enterprise buying story, especially when AI governance and security need to be sold to multiple stakeholders. Company Context Coder provides self-hosted cloud development environments for enterprises. It operates in developer infrastructure and enterprise software, where technical credibility and precise go-to-market execution are both critical.
Washington Pulse Crops Commission Marketing Services Opportunity With Broad Education and Research Scope
At a Glance Buyer: Washington Pulse Crops Commission Industry: Agriculture/pulse crops Location/markets: Washington State; services support public entities and other groups Primary scope: Marketing, information, education, and research services for pulse crops Key deliverables/channels: Education, marketing, promotion, research, and product development support for dry peas, lentils, chickpeas, faba beans, and lupine Budget: Historically, approximately $500,000 to $800,000 pe… Get Unlimited NextBigWin Access Subscribe to become a NextBigWin Pro member and get access to all our exclusive content. Turn access and intelligence into your next big client win. Already a member? Login Subscribe to NextBigWin Pro
Seneca Falls Development Corporation Opens Broad Place Strategy Brief Across Tourism and Investment
At a Glance Buyer: Seneca Falls Development Corporation Industry: Economic development/tourism/placemaking Location/markets: Seneca Falls, New York Primary scope: Community-wide marketing and place-based strategy Key deliverables/channels: Strategy report, brand and messaging toolkit, implementation roadmap, digital-ready assets and guidelines, final presentation; digital, print, experiential, website, social media, content, media relations, placemaking, signage, and gateway… Get Unlimited NextBigWin Access Subscribe to become a NextBigWin Pro member and get access to all our exclusive content. Turn access and intelligence into your next big client win. Already a member? Login Subscribe to NextBigWin Pro
Visit Broken Arrow Seeks Strategic Marketing Partner for Destination and Experience Campaigns
At a Glance Buyer: Visit Broken Arrow Industry: Destination marketing/tourism Location/markets: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma; open to qualified firms nationwide Primary scope: Comprehensive destination marketing services as a strategic marketing partner Key deliverables/channels: Strategic planning, campaign development, paid media, CTV, social, search, display, print, SEO/AEO, website content, email, video/photo, print collateral, reporting Budget: Not specified Contract type/ter… Get Unlimited NextBigWin Access Subscribe to become a NextBigWin Pro member and get access to all our exclusive content. Turn access and intelligence into your next big client win. Already a member? Login Subscribe to NextBigWin Pro
California Department of Corrections Recruitment Marketing Contract With $1.65M Programmatic Scope
At a Glance Buyer: California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) Industry: Public sector/corrections/workforce recruitment Location/markets: California statewide, with potential out-of-state media buys in markets such as Oregon, Arizona, Nevada, and Texas Primary scope: Programmatic marketing and recruitment advertising to increase Correctional Officer applications Key deliverables/channels: Digital marketing, media planning and buying, TV, radio, billboards… Get Unlimited NextBigWin Access Subscribe to become a NextBigWin Pro member and get access to all our exclusive content. Turn access and intelligence into your next big client win. Already a member? Login Subscribe to NextBigWin Pro
Middle Georgia State University Needs Brand Strategy Partner for Multi-Campus Creative Refresh
At a Glance Buyer: Middle Georgia State University Industry: Higher education Location/markets: Georgia; residential campuses in Cochran, Eastman, and Macon, with further offerings in Dublin, Warner Robins, and online Primary scope: Market research, brand positioning refinement, messaging framework development, and creative asset development Key deliverables/channels: AAU study, competitive positioning analysis, stakeholder workshops, research report, brand positioning framework, university tagline, ad templates, billboard designs, print ad, digital display suites, story packages, photography gallery, website and social media assessment Budget: Not specified Contract type/term: Project-based engagement Key dates: Proposal deadline May 1, 2026; project period July 2026 through March-April 2027 Eligibility/must-haves: Supplier must conduct research and discovery, lead stakeholder workshops, develop strategic brand positioning, create print and digital assets, provide recurring status/results reporting, and support monthly electronic invoicing Why This Could Be Interesting Middle Georgia State University is a public university in the University System of Georgia with multiple campus locations and online offerings. It serves more than 8,800 students and is positioning this work as part of its next chapter. This is not just a creative refresh. MGA wants an agency to assess current ads, collateral, website, and social media, then use that research to sharpen brand positioning and build a more unified messaging system. The interesting signal here is the mix of strategy and production. The scope stretches from AAU research and competitive analysis to stakeholder workshops, tagline development, ad templates, story packages, and a photo library spanning five campus locations. That gives this opportunity more depth than a typical messaging assignment. It also suggests meaningful visibility across leadership, faculty, students, alumni, parents, and community stakeholders, which can make the work more influential if the agency knows how to manage complexity. Best suited for agencies with higher-ed branding experience, strong research chops, stakeholder facilitation skills, and in-house creative production across print, digital, video, and photography. Proposal deadline: May 1, 2026 Download the full RFP here.
CMO Moves – Week of April 13, 2026
Highlights Alexandra London named CMO at G2 G2 is a software marketplace and review platform used by buyers and sellers. G2 framed the hire around an AI-driven shift in how software is discovered and purchased, with trust becoming more central to decision-making. London’s remit includes finding new areas for growth and differentiation while positioning G2 as a trusted voice in the age of AI. Agency lens: This points to work around brand positioning, discoverability… Get Unlimited NextBigWin Access Subscribe to become a NextBigWin Pro member and get access to all our exclusive content. Turn access and intelligence into your next big client win. Already a member? Login Subscribe to NextBigWin Pro
Adobe’s Next Marketing Chapter Takes Shape Around AI
At a Glance Interviewee: Lara Balazs, Chief Marketing Officer and EVP, Global Marketing Company: Adobe Location: San Jose, California Website: adobe.com Industry: Software for creativity, productivity, and customer experience Company Notes: Adobe is a scaled global software company with major platforms across Creative Cloud, Document Cloud, and Experience Cloud Best-Fit Agencies: Brand strategy, enterprise creative operations, AI-enabled content production, customer experien… Get Unlimited NextBigWin Access Subscribe to become a NextBigWin Pro member and get access to all our exclusive content. Turn access and intelligence into your next big client win. Already a member? Login Subscribe to NextBigWin Pro
Ace Hardware Opens New Agency Paths Through Loyalty and Media
At a Glance Interviewee: Kim Lefko, Chief Marketing Officer Company: Ace Hardware Estimated Revenue: $10B Location: Oak Brook, Illinois Website: acehardware.com Industry: Hardware retail and home improvement Company Notes: Ace is a retailer-owned cooperative with more than 5,200 stores and a model that blends national scale with local store autonomy Best-Fit Agencies: Retail media, CRM and loyalty, shopper marketing, local activation, experiential retail, digital commerce So… Get Unlimited NextBigWin Access Subscribe to become a NextBigWin Pro member and get access to all our exclusive content. Turn access and intelligence into your next big client win. Already a member? Login Subscribe to NextBigWin Pro