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Listen "Ep. 33 From CPG to CMO: Leslie McIntosh on Driving Growth with Fewer, Bigger, Better Campaigns"
Episode Synopsis
Host Nikki welcomes Leslie McIntosh, Founder of Brand Botany and a highly sought-after Fractional CMO and Strategic Advisor.Leslie brings a rare combination of 20+ years of enterprise leadership at global CPG giants like L'Oréal and Revlon and five years of hands-on experience as an e-commerce founder. She shares how this dual background uniquely positions her to help high-potential brands scale and grow.Leslie details her "Fewer, Bigger, Better" campaign philosophy, explaining why focusing resources on 4-6 key annual activation moments creates far greater impact than a scattered, always-on approach. They discuss how to build a resilient Plan B for when a major launch underperforms and why monitoring and optimization are the necessities of modern marketing.The conversation dives deep into the market tensions driving today's strategies. As investor capital tightens, founders are under extreme pressure to prove ROI and incrementality. Leslie recounts a pivotal "aha moment" from her own business where she learned why "all growth or all traffic is not great traffic"—a crucial, foundational lesson for any brand prioritizing sustainable growth.Looking forward, Leslie advises on strategic risk-taking, sharing her bets on emerging channels like CTV, Performance Audio, and Reddit. She closes by offering powerful personal advice on why your voice matters and how investing in your assets provides the cushion and confidence to pivot your career.Episode Breakdown:01:00 | Introduction: Enterprise CPG Experience to Fractional CMO01:21 | The Founder Experience: Lessons from Building an E-commerce Brand02:57 | Fractional CMO Model and Bandwidth for Impact04:51 | Campaign Strategy: The "Fewer, Bigger, Better" Philosophy06:57 | The Necessity of Plan B: Monitoring and Optimization10:13 | Founder Lesson: Why "Bad Traffic" Kills Growth14:27 | Current Market Tensions: The Demand for ROI and Incrementality19:37 | Future Channel Bets: CTV, Performance Audio, and Reddit24:10 | Personal Advice: Investing for Confidence and Career PivotsVisit Pennock’s website for more resources: https://www.pennock.co/
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