Standout quotes from marketing leaders in 2025

In a year defined by shifting consumer expectations and pressure for brands to demonstrate real value, marketing and insights leaders have been more candid about what it takes to win.

From customer obsession to cross-functional collaboration to the enduring importance of human truth and more, these quotes capture the themes shaping modern marketing and the mindset needed to move brands forward.

Read on for some standout quotes from some of the most influential voices this year as well as what these quotes tell us about the current state of marketing. 

“It’s not just about behaviour but about the human truth behind it. That’s where brand ideas are born.”

— Marc Pritchard, Chief Brand Officer, P&G

Kicking us off, Pritchard’s reminder is a sharp counter to the industry’s fixation on algorithms and dashboards. While behavior may be what brands can measure, human truth is what makes ideas resonate. In a year when many brands struggled to differentiate, Pritchard underscores that consumer insight is the real competitive advantage.

“In the past, work flowed by different groups and it wasn't fully connected. What I wanted to do was create this pod where I would have everybody around the table (literally) and have them be able to work together, faster towards one single goal… and that has allowed us to move very fast and connect all the different pieces, whether it be the consumer side of the portfolio or our branded food service side.”

— Tabata Gomez, CMO, McCormick & Company

This quote reflects a major theme of the year: Marketing cannot operate in silos. Gomez’s “pod” approach (cross-functional and united around one ambition) demonstrates how brands are accelerating decision-making and aligning insights, brand and commercial teams to move faster.

“A great marketer today and tomorrow has a growth mindset, curiosity, a deep understanding of brand fundamentals, and an obsession with consumers.”

— Gülen Bengi, Global CMO & Chief Growth Officer, Mars

In this quote, Bengi defines the new marketer’s skill set. Beyond technical skills, she highlights traits such as consumer curiosity and obsession that fuel continuous learning and experimentation. Her emphasis on brand fundamentals is a reminder that while tools evolve, the foundations of great marketing endure, and need to include the consumer.

“Historically, marketers have thought of brands as having a human truth and a brand truth. When we combine those two insights with a modern cultural truth, we can carry forward a brand’s heritage while maintaining its relevance over time.”

— Gail Hollander, CMO, J.M. Smucker

Here, Hollander articulates a powerful model for brand stewardship: Past (heritage), present (cultural context) and consumer insight (human truth + brand truth). In categories where longtime brands are reinventing themselves for new generations, this framework offers a blueprint for staying timeless and timely.

“I can’t stress enough how important the cross-functional collaboration piece is and the fact that it’s not marketing doing this in a vacuum.”

— George Felix, CMO, Chili’s

Felix reinforces a recurring theme of 2024 and 2025: That insights and marketing are only as strong as their partnerships. Whether it’s operations, product, R&D or finance, the brands moving fastest are the ones driving alignment early and often. Marketing’s impact is no longer confined to communications — it helps shape the entire business.

“The reality is that people want what they want, when they want it, where they want it, how they want it. It’s up to us to figure out how we best serve your unique needs, wants and desires that are going to evolve over time. We need to evolve with it.”

— Kory Marchisotto, CMO, E.l.f. Beauty

With this quote, Marchisotto captures the consumer-first ethos that has propelled E.l.f. into one of the most admired marketing organizations. Her framing of fluid, fast-changing consumer desires reflects what many marketers experienced this year: Relevance requires experimentation and relentless forward motion, with the consumer at the forefront.

“It’s more important than ever that we figure out how to [connect with consumers] and find ways to really be front and center in consumers’ minds, because people can tune out ads easily. Diversifying where we’re showing up and how we’re connecting with people is a key part of our strategy.”

— Jill McVicar Nelson, CMO, Dunkin’

McVicar Nelson points to a challenge every brand is feeling: Attention is scarce and easily lost. Her emphasis on diversified presence across culture, channels and moments is a strategic response to an environment where traditional ads alone can’t carry the load.

“Is winning in the room at Cannes the same as winning with consumers?”

— Todd Kaplan, CMO, Kraft Heinz

Last but certainly not least, Kaplan’s question cuts straight to one of the industry’s most debated tensions: Creative accolades vs. real-world effectiveness. In a year where many brands reassessed the link between award-winning work and commercial impact, Kaplan challenges marketers to prioritize outcomes over optics. His quote underscores a broader shift toward consumer validation, measured through brand lift, sales impact and resonance, as the true benchmark of “winning.”

Across all eight of these marketing leaders, several themes stand out:

• Human truth is at the center. Whether through Pritchard’s or Hollander’s lens, meaningful consumer insight is the spark for great work.

• Cross-functional collaboration is now table stakes. Gomez and Felix both highlight how org design shapes brand performance.

• Consumer obsession drives velocity. From E.l.f. to Dunkin to Kraft Heinz’, leaders are prioritizing real consumer input and cultural participation.

• Brand fundamentals still matter. Even as tools change, Bengi reminds us the underlying craft of marketing remains essential.

Together, these quotes offer a snapshot of how top marketers are steering their organizations: Fast, connected, insight-driven and deeply attuned to the people they serve.

Whether it’s grounding ideas in human truth, challenging internal silos or questioning what “winning” really means, today’s marketing leaders are pushing the industry to be more connected and more consumer-obsessed than ever.