What changed? Nike reorganized its consumer, product, and brand leadership department into three distinct areas: consumer and sport, marketing, and product creation. As part of that reshuffle, CMO Nicole Hubbard Graham added evp to her title, charged with leading storytelling for the Nike, Jordan, and Converse brands.
Why it matters: Hubbard Graham is part of the team racing to turn around Nike’s business after years of sluggish sales and heated competition from upstarts like On and Hoka. After leading Nike’s return to the Super Bowl in Feb. 2025, she took an even bigger risk. In September, Nike reimagined its “Just Do It” slogan as “Why Do It?” to reach Gen Z, marking one of its most significant brand campaigns in years. –Brittaney Kiefer
Jon Halvorson, Tylenol
What changed? Sometimes you need a marketer, and sometimes you need a warrior. In October, Tylenol maker Kenvue needed both, and Jon Halvorson got the call.
Why it matters: Kenvue was reeling after a September press conference in which health secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.—buttressed by President Trump—implied a link between autism and acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol. Despite the medical establishment long discrediting such links, Kenvue took no chances. With experience spanning Starcom MediaVest, GM. and Mondelez—where he led AI adoption—Halvorson brings the marketing and messaging chops needed for the challenge ahead. The same day Kenvue reported Q3 sales down 3.5%, Kimberly-Clark announced it had acquired Kenvue for nearly $49 billion. – Robert Klara
Colleen DeCourcy, Sonos
What changed? On an earnings call in November, beleaguered tech company Sonos announced it will bring on marketing and Madison Avenue veteran Colleen DeCourcy in January to lead a brand turnaround. The appointment comes as Sonos continues to recover from a botched app update in 2024, which cost it $100 million in revenue in the following six months and sent its stock tumbling.
Why it matters: Sonos is betting DeCourcy, with her pedigree at companies like Snap Inc. and Wieden+Kennedy, can repair the brand’s image with a revamped marketing strategy that shifts the focus from adding new customers to increasing the number of devices in each customer household. She joins under new CEO Tim Conrad, who came on in July to turn around the struggling company’s fortunes. – Alison Weissbrot