'Ben Thinking' -- Don't Fire Your CMO Just Yet... (9.10.25)
How we doing? Good? Annoyed with your fantasy team? Your real team? Both?
Enjoying these wild temperature swings? It’s like a seasonal mullet out there. Fall in the front, summer in the back. My wife and her sinus cold thank you, Mother Nature, for allowing her to get the annual back to school ‘blah’ out of the way much earlier than normal.
I have a lot of great stories for you to read today. But first – thanks for taking the time to read. Like me, you are sniffing out the stories and trends that will keep us fresh and focused despite the daily mystery flavor (it’s always blue raspberry…we’re hip to that game) that awaits us in the real world.
We’re starting off today’s newsletter with a story about staying sharp. You can skip it if you want, but I’ve taken a peek into our futures…and we’re going to want to learn as much as possible about keeping our minds clear.
(Side note: have some with the images Mike Lawrence supplied today…can you guess the movies he’s spoofing? Send me your guesses.)
Anyways, onto what I’ve ‘Ben thinking’ about:
5 things you should be doing to keep a healthy brain. (CNBC Make It)
Be honest. When’s the last time you walked into a room and forgot why? Couldn’t remember a name? The title of a book or movie?
The reason? Our brain is focused on more things than ever…bumping those facts, names and titles that you will remember 30 minutes later.
So listen to this 78-year-old professor who insists on these five things to keep your brain sharp. (Shout out to number two!)
Don’t fire your CMO until you’ve read this. (Chief Executive)
This is one of the most honest articles I’ve ever read about how CMOs are treated within a company. And why they continue to be a scapegoat.
Marketers, in general, are asked to be Stephen Vogt. If you don’t know Stephen Vogt, he’s the manager of the Cleveland Guardians. Despite a bottom third payroll (6th lowest) and terrible offense (29th overall), he continues to find success with what he has…outperforming teams that have significantly more resources than him.
So…is that what you want your marketing team to be? At a time when marketing is going to be so important to your brand, your search rankings, your competitive advantage and your overall story? If you answered yes, read the article so you can at least look at the right metrics and understand the reality of what you’re asking them to do.
If you’re a CMO…maybe hold onto this article or share it with the team so they have a better grasp on the battle you are fighting.
Oh wait. I think we may need marketing after all. (Simon Schmitz)
Simon is one of my favorite LinkedIn follows. He has a great way of breaking down what people need to hear when it comes to your company, your brand and your marketing.
This week he started things off by hammering home the point of why marketing and branding will matter so much to the c-suite. It’s a wake-up call to those folks who want to continue to invest in the ‘way it’s always been done’ while ignoring the (somewhat easy) steps to help your company stand out. If the last story on the importance of your CMO being set-up to succeed didn’t make you think about the state of your marketing strategy, this one should.
Why won’t you listen to me about cybersecurity? (Manufacturing Dive)
For the same reasons we don’t buy the warranty at Best Buy. Or insure our tickets. Or listen to me about crisis communications. Because until it’s a problem, it isn’t a problem.
I get it. There are a lot of other things – real things – happening right now. And cyber, like crisis, issues are imagined…until they’re not.
Want to take one thing off your plate?
May I suggest cybersecurity planning?
Because it’s one of the three biggest risks to the manufacturing sector right now.
New feature:
If you’re doing this, stop. Whatever made you think it was a good idea…it’s not.
Today we’re going to address the sales follow-up.
Whoever told adding ‘Ben?’ to the original message and forwarding it to me/the lead was a good idea…it’s not.
If you’re doing that…please stop. Because even though I meditate, it makes me hate you.
Are you locked in, bruh? (Fast Company)
Gen Z is. And you should be too. Basically, it means ‘do your best’ but hey, any time we can name something in the workforce, I’m all for it.
And maybe more importantly, is there anything you can be doing from an internal communications or leadership position to lean into team members that are focused and ready to crush the last part of 2025?
That’s the real benefit to these stories, in my opinion. During a time where it seems like an ‘employers’ market’ it’s becoming even more critical to look for ways to engage with team members…to find ways to connect them to the overall goals…ah hell, to get locked in! Let’s do this!
Wait…what’s this about an ‘engaging culture’?
Dan Schwabel must have a sixth sense…because he is talking about the importance of an engaging culture today. He has two things you can start doing immediately to tap into this. See what you think.
You can also subscribe to his whole newsletter here.
How dare you: I am perfectly fine checking my phone every 15 seconds. (HBR)
What a wonderful article from Arthur C. Brooks, who has a new book out, on why we need to be bored.
Brooks opens the article talking about how much we hate being bored. (I used to complain to my parents about being bored…they said ‘good’. What?) He cites a study where people had to sit in a room for 15 minutes with nothing but a button in front of them. Press the button—get a painful shock.
Yep, more people pushed the button repeatedly than chose to sit there bored.
So why be bored? And how can we disconnect from our phones to do it? Well, for that you need to read the article. Save it to read when you’re bored and scrolling.
For the pod squad: “The Communicators” (Episode 1: A teaser)
What if someone started a podcast just about the importance of good communication? In any circle. In any aspect of your life. Your kids. Your significant other. Your friends. Coworkers. That soccer team of three-year olds you coach.
Well, someone did. Me.
Yep, I’m jumping into the conversation with a bi-weekly open and honest conversation about the state of communicating. Be human? Oh, we’ll be human. We’ll be human all over this thing.
I hope you check it out. Maybe you want to be a guest? Maybe you have a topic to tackle? Maybe you just want to put your AirPods in and listen to me ramble (read: rant). I hope you listen…and communicate your thoughts with me!
This is supposed to be fun! Wild Turkey targets the next generation of drinkers.
Wild Turkey definitely equals fun, right?
Well, this is a little different. And they set a great example of how brands should be approaching story telling. Have fun with your brand. Its heritage. The legacy of why you are who you are. (And a great reminder that fun doesn’t always have to be funny…)
Feel free to share with anyone else you think would enjoy the articles and resources!
Thank you for subscribing and reading!
-Ben