This week brought a clear signal from two very different brands. UKTV expanded its CMO remit to cover AI. Papa Johns doubled down on innovation to push growth. The message is simple: marketing leaders can no longer sit on the sidelines of technology and change. I argue that CMOs should own AI and the innovation agenda, not borrow it.
“From UKTV’s expansion of the CMO role to oversee AI to Papa Johns’ use of innovation to drive growth, it’s been a busy week. Here is my take.”
These moves are not just org-chart tweaks or buzzword sprints. They hint at a shift in power. The teams that understand customers best should guide the tools that reach them. That means AI and new ideas must live close to marketing, where value and brand meet.
Marketing Should Lead AI, Not Follow
AI belongs with the people who set demand, shape stories, and track outcomes. When AI sits under a distant tech silo, it often chases efficiency over impact. That might cut costs. It rarely builds loyalty. A CMO with AI oversight can ask the only question that matters: does this make the customer choose us again?
Papa Johns’ focus on innovation is a similar call. Growth is not a finance line; it is a product of brave testing and fast learning. When marketing owns that loop—idea, test, measure, scale—it speeds the path from insight to revenue. It also keeps teams honest about what customers actually want, not what decks predict.
What These Moves Get Right
There are three smart choices baked into these shifts.
- Proximity to the customer: Marketing sees the signals first. AI decisions should respond to those signals, not wait for quarterly handoffs.
- One accountable owner: A CMO with AI or innovation on the badge can set clear goals and stop pet projects that drift.
- Speed with guardrails: The same team that runs campaigns can enforce brand safety, fairness checks, and clear KPIs.
Put plainly, this is about putting outcomes over toys. A model that saves time but weakens trust is a bad trade. A test that lifts conversion but harms the brand is a slow leak. Marketing leadership can balance both sides because both show up on their scorecard.
But Control Without Clarity Fails
There is a risk here. Handing AI to marketing without a plan is theater. It can turn into new titles and no change. I see three traps to avoid:
- Vanity pilots: Projects that demo well but never touch real customers.
- Black-box decisions: Tools used without clear rules, leading to bias or risky claims.
- Metric fog: Teams celebrate activity, not business lift.
The fix is discipline. Tie AI work to a few core goals: acquisition cost, repeat rate, average order value, churn. Publish the rules for data use and brand voice. Kill anything that does not move a number or protect trust.
Answering The Pushback
Some will say AI sits with IT. Or that innovation should live with product. I disagree. If the goal is growth and loyalty, the owner should be the team that lives and dies by those numbers. That does not cut out partners. It creates a hub-and-spoke model with marketing as the hub. IT still secures systems. Product still ships features. Legal still reviews risk. But the “why” and the “what” start where the customer voice is loudest.
A Simple Playbook For CMOs
Here is a lean plan that any CMO can run next week.
- Pick two use cases that tie to revenue or loyalty. Start small, measure hard.
- Name a cross‑functional owner for each use case. Give them a weekly goal.
- Define brand and safety rules for AI outputs. Review samples often.
- Publish a single dashboard. Show lift, cost, and customer impact.
- Stop work that stalls for two sprints. Move the team to what works.
This is not fancy. It is honest work that turns hype into results.
The Moment Demands Nerve
UKTV and Papa Johns are sending a clear signal. Growth now sits at the edge where data, story, and speed meet. Marketing leaders can own that edge—or watch others set the terms. I would rather see CMOs step in, set the rules, and take the win or the blame. That is leadership.
My ask is simple: if you run marketing, claim the mandate. Take AI under your wing. Make innovation a habit, not a press release. Set goals that tie to money and trust. Share the score. And if you are on the board, give your CMO the air cover to do it.
The brands that move now will earn more than clicks. They will earn belief. And belief, once won, is hard to beat.
