NEW YORK, NY – October 14, 2025 — BERA.ai and The CMO Podcast with Jim Stengel today announced the launch of The Brand Builder’s Playbook, an eight-part podcast designed to give marketers a data-driven guide to what actually works in brand building today. Jim Stengel, former Chief Marketing Officer of Procter & Gamble and author, and Ryan Barker, CEO of BERA.ai, co-host the podcast.
The Brand Builder’s Playbook isn’t about marketing theory; it’s about the real business of brand building. CMOs at the world’s most influential companies are under pressure to prove impact, align with CEOs and CFOs, and deliver both short-term ROI and long-term enterprise value. The Brand Builder’s Playbook offers a rare, unfiltered glimpse into how those decisions are made.
“Marketers are sort of deer in the headlights right now,” said Jim Stengel. “Change is coming at them fast, and many end up chasing trends. This podcast is about getting back to what matters: How do you actually build a brand today? And if there is a playbook, what belongs in it?”
“We’ve siloed brand and performance for too long,” added Ryan Barker. “They’re really two sides of the same coin. Performance fundamentally works harder when it’s underpinned by strong brand equity. Without it, you’re overpaying to rent attention. This series is about helping CMOs bridge that gap — with stories, data, and practical tools.”
Across eight episodes, Stengel and Barker — joined by co-hosts Lindsey Wehking (Nonfiction Research) and Cait Lamberton (Wharton School) — sit down with some of the most respected marketing leaders of our time, including:
- David Aaker, Father of Modern Branding
- Damon Berger, Head of Consumer Digital Engagement, Gap
- Andrea Brimmer, Chief Marketing and PR Officer, Ally
- Chris Burggraeve, award-winning Marketeer turned entrepreneur
- Marcus Collins, Professor of Marketing, University of Michigan, Author of For the Culture
- Sofia Colucci, Chief Marketing Officer, Molson Coors
- Kristen D’Arcy, Chief Marketing Officer and Head of Digital Growth, True Religion
- Raja Rajamannar, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Mastercard
- Sandeep Seth, Chief Growth Officer, Tapestry International
Guests share their experiences navigating boardroom scrutiny, shifting consumer expectations, and the challenges of leading marketing in volatile times.
Each conversation is paired with an Episode Playbook — a concise guide that distills the frameworks, data, and takeaways into actionable steps for listeners and subscribers. By the end of the season, these playbooks will form a comprehensive toolkit for CMOs rethinking the future of brand building.
Episodes include:
- Why is it Important to Build a Brand?
- Beyond Awareness: The Business Impact of Brand Love
- Turning Brand Perception into Pricing Power
- The Science of Brand ROI: Measuring What Matters
- Brand vs. Performance Marketing: Why the Long Game Wins
- The Partnership Payoff: Picking the Right Collaborations
- Smart Spend: Mastering Marketing Mix for Maximum Impact
- Brand-Led Leadership: Building Culture, Driving Change
The Brand Builder’s Playbook is available from Tuesday, October 14 on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon, and all major podcast platforms.
This series complements Stengel’s long-running show, The CMO Podcast by Jim Stengel, expanding the conversation by adding a data-first perspective to the art and practice of brand building.
For more information, visit bera.ai/podcast.
