Why the CMO's next chapter is becoming a true business leader again

September 11, 2026 The CMO was once a true partner to the CEO, grounded in a shared language of customers, margins and growth. That alignment ensured marketing had a permanent voice in the room where budgets were set and strategic bets were made. CMOs became stewards of activity rather than owners of outcomes, reshaping how the position was perceived at the highest levels of the organization. TOP STORY AI Revenue Generation Why the CMO's next chapter is becoming a true business leader again CMOs became stewards of activity rather than owners of outcomes, reshaping how the position was perceived at the highest levels of the organization. OTHER THINGS TO KNOW The Greater Good Awards recognize the teams and leaders driving meaningful change through corporate social responsibility, community investment and purpose-driven initiatives. Enter by Sept. 18 to save. More organizations are using AI to produce more with fewer resources — but the advantage comes from how creative and technical marketers activate AI, not just add it to their tech stack. Partner insights from Contentful. Last-touch attribution was built for a click-based world, and CTV operates differently. Partner insights from Moloco. Advertisement MARKETING The Creator Economy Molson Coors ditches its TV-era workflow to move at creator speed, quadrupling engagement Molson Coors partnered with Movers+Shakers’ new consultancy group to completely overhaul its approach to creators, and it’s working. Member exclusive Future of Marketing Briefing: One more helping, for gluttons still hungry for Publicis and PepsiCo takes Yes, more thoughts on what it means, or doesn’t, that Publicis walked away from competing for Coca-Cola’s media dollars to grab PepsiCo’s instead. PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM TRIPLELIFT Webinar: How publishers like Sports Illustrated build revenue with first-party data Register for this webinar on Sept. 22 at 1 p.m. ET for insights into how publishers like the New York Post, Sports Illustrated and Tastemade are building sustainable revenue with first-party data.  A MESSAGE FROM AFFINITY How AI is reshaping media planning and what it means for measurement AI is changing how media gets planned, but measuring its impact hasn’t caught up — yet.    A recent panel hosted by Affinity Global and Digiday, featuring expert voices from Affinity, M+C Saatchi Performance, Omnicom Media and Razorfish, dug into what’s really shifting in advertising because of AI: smarter briefs, emerging standards like Ad Context Protocol, and inventory that’s finally accessible outside traditional programmatic buying and walled gardens.   So, what does that mean for brands and advertisers, especially when it comes to incrementality? It means getting real insight into what’s actually working — and where AI is changing the equation for marketers. Watch the panel PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM CONTENTFUL While AI helps marketers change how work gets done, it’s not changing who does it yet Only 18% of CMOs say AI has reduced their reliance on developers or data teams, despite its core promise to free up the modern marketer. The focus is on improving workflows while maintaining the human component of creatives.  Advertisement ICYMI Evolving Agencies The agency holdcos have an AI story, but not an AI business model The holdco platforms need to deliver on the promises made — and so far, clients aren’t seeing it. PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM ADOBE Connected data changes how marketing and sales teams work When data is connected, teams can identify high-value opportunities sooner, prioritize accounts with greater confidence and personalize messaging based on buyer context. Brands in Culture Will a 'rebrand' of the CMO create a better balance between brand and performance marketing? The hope is that the variation of marketing organization makeup will allow marketers — CMOs or whatever the title may be — to continue to swing the pendulum back to brand. Evolving Agencies Why scalable agency growth relies on ad tech built for CFOs Amol Waishampayan, co-founder, fullthrottle.ai Agency leaders love to talk about attribution, outcomes and optimization. But when sitting with an agency CFO, the conversation shifts fast. It’s not about campaigns, it’s about capital. Most CFOs, whether at a holding company or an indie shop, quietly wake up thinking about the following: profit erosion hidden in daily […] Written by Jim Cooper and Sara Jerde Were you forwarded this email? Sign up to get it daily. Advertise | Digiday+ | Events | Awards Update your email | Unsubscribe | Privacy policy