How do you build a luxury brand? Put your best customer in charge. The industrial-chic Milk Studios in Los Angeles was abuzz last November as Lincoln SUVs graced the studio’s entrance and elegantly suited executives greeted guests. Inside, the studio was transformed by soft lights, low music and uniformed waiters passing perfect bites. Guests chatted…
What Drives Her: How Allyson Witherspoon, Fearless Globe-Trotting Marketer, is Shaping Nissan
Five auto makers, four countries and managing a global team adds up to a lot learned and a lot to share. “I was in Saudi Arabia the week women were allowed to drive,” Allyson Witherspoon, vice president of marketing at Nissan says in a flash of sheer happiness. She was reflecting on the monumental moment…
What Drives Her: Brehanna Daniels Is Paving the Way for Women in NASCAR’s Pit Road
NASCAR is still dominated by white guys. But not for long. But Brehanna Daniels broke the glass ceiling by becoming the first African American female pit crew member. Right before the next decade begins, it’s poignant to see how this rising star switched up her career path with an unexpected opportunity: NASCAR. Brehanna is just…
What Drives Her: Melissa Grady, Cadillac’s Chief Marketing Officer, Carves New a Path to Passion
How this data geek with a creative streak made her way to the C-Suite. You might look at the diamond-cut grille of the Cadillac XT6 and know that somewhere in that designer’s soul lies the visceral spirit of a jeweler. That’s a feeling you might not expect to get from a marketer with a passion…
What Drives Keitha Blackburn, Manager, Experiential Marketing At Porsche Cars North America
From aerospace to the fast pace at Porsche Cars North America. You might think that working at Porsche Cars North America would be a thrill in itself. The world class sports cars, the sound of them zipping around the track, the racing leadership, the reputation for innovation. But for Keitha Blackburn, manager of experiential marketing,…
What Drives Her: Laura Schwab, the First Female President of Aston Martin Americas
Sometimes we need to make room for what’s right. This might describe Laura Schwab’s career path, and it might also describe Aston Martin‘s newest model: the DBX SUV. Yes, the DBX is gorgeous, bespoke and exclusive. But it’s not just the first SUV in the Aston Martin family; it’s a standout in that it was…
What Drives Her: Lexus CMO Lisa Materazzo’s Journey from Finance to Automotive Marketing
She loved cars, but chose finance. Then Toyota called. “The DMV told my dad that if the bought one more car he’d have to get a dealer’s license,” Lisa Materazzo, vice president of marketing at Lexus, said. Growing up, her dad was car fanatic and so were her two brothers, so it’s no surprise she…
What Drives Angela Zepeda, Chief Marketing Officer of Hyundai
Building a career in automotive marketing takes creativity. But it also takes drive. Luckily, these are two things that Hyundai’s newest Chief Marketing Officer, Angela Zepeda, has no shortage of. And it might seem that her drive helped cut a short path to the c-suite of one of the nation’s top advertisers, being named to…
What Drives Her: Mitsubishi’s Kimberley Gardiner Navigates the Auto World to Spark Change
Good things often come in small batches. Don’t ask Kimberley Gardiner about marketing to women. Even on a phone call you can see her expression turn steely. The light and energy of the conversation we’ve been having dissipates. “I don’t pretend to represent what women will think about something,” she said. “I try to balance…
What Drives Her: Michelle Rainey Brings the Porsche Experience to Life
Because everyone should have the opportunity to drive an iconic car. And that is the point behind the Porsche Experience Center in Atlanta. Built just 5 years ago, it’s designed to capture the true Porsche ownership experience and open to all – from new Porsche owners to those who just want the fun of driving…