SUMMARY

Challenging the myth that marketing is "fluffy stuff," Aljan de Boer, Community Director at the Institute for Real Growth (IRG), joins Laura Jones (Global CEO, BAV Group) to reveal how elite CMOs transform human connection into competitive advantage. Drawing from IRG's work with 800+ marketing leaders, Aljan demonstrates how translating societal shifts directly impacts future cash flows—the language CFOs respect. The conversation showcases how marketing leaders who embrace their role as "windows to the world" are uniquely positioned to drive profitable solutions for real human problems, creating value across all stakeholders while delivering measurable business results.

LINKS

• Laura Jones: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lapjones/
• BAV Group: https://www.bavgroup.com
• Aljan de Boer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aljandeboer/
• IRG Humanized Growth: https://instituteforrealgrowth.com/humanized-growth
• Institute for Real Growth: https://instituteforrealgrowth.org
• Ikigai of Marketing: https://instituteforrealgrowth.com/pdf/TheFounderPerspectiveTheIkigaiofMarketing.pdf

TAKEAWAYS

• Marketers serve as "windows to the world," translating societal shifts into future cash flow opportunities
• In uncertain times with declining trust in governments, brands have a responsibility to guide consumer behavior
• Humanized growth creates value across all stakeholders: colleagues, customers, communities, and capital markets
• Profitable problem-solving is the formula for marketing success in today's complex business environment
• Deep human connection among leaders drives better business outcomes than focusing on titles and achievements
• Marketing's value to the C-suite comes from translating social-cultural trends into future business opportunities
• Purpose-aligned product innovation (like Dole's vegan leather from pineapple waste) creates new revenue streams
• Most brands (60-70%) are irrelevant to consumers—only those creating meaningful value will survive
• Leadership retreats that strip away professional identities help executives reconnect with their core purpose
• Marketing is uniquely positioned to influence sustainable consumer behavior where government action falls short

CHAPTERS

00:11 The Myth: Is Marketing Just "Fluffy Stuff"?

00:55 Aljan's Role: Building Community Among 800+ CMOs

01:47 The Evolving Challenges of Modern Marketing Leadership

03:14 The Personal Toll of Post-COVID Productivity Culture

04:16 Aljan's Ikigai: Connecting Business with Humanity

06:04 "Human-Proofing" the Future: Creating Relevant, Meaningful Value

07:16 Marketers as "Windows to the World" for Organizations

08:06 Translating Societal Understanding into Future Cash Flow

09:32 IRG's Transformative Experiences: Beyond Business Cards

11:00 The Power of Deep Leadership Retreats in Nature

12:05 Building Lasting Community Among Marketing Leaders

14:03 The Transformative "Crossroads" Question

15:30 The "Where Are You From?" Exercise: Connecting to Core Identity

17:01 Brands as Guides in an Uncertain World

18:17 The Shift from Serving to Guiding Consumer Behavior

19:12 Managing Resistance to Deep Personal Work

21:24 The Humanized Growth Champion Program

22:20 Case Study: Dole's Pineapple Waste to Vegan Leather

23:13 Case Study: Intel's Fake News Identifier

24:10 Profitable Problem-Solving Within Capitalism

Opinion Party: the marketing podcast

For season two, we asked twelve marketing leaders from a world class set of organizations to join host Laura Jones, Global CEO of BAV Group, to talk marketing myths, trends, data, and opinions. Filmed live on site at the Institute for Real Growth Summit in Cannes, summer 2025. Find us at https://www.theopinionparty.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

Season 2 of Opinion Party: the marketing podcast is brought to you by:

BAV Group, the world’s leading authority on data-driven branding.™️
Our strategic consulting services transform brand growth into brand = growth. Whether you need to analyze, transform, or grow your brand, our team provide solutions based on 30 years of proven methodology and results.
Learn more at https://www.bavgroup.com

Institute for Real Growth
We inspire CMOs to increase their personal, business, and societal impact by driving more Humanized Growth.
Learn more at: https://instituteforrealgrowth.com

CREDITS
Host & Executive Producer: Laura Jones
Executive Producer: Ketzirah Lesser
Production & Still Photography: Bronac McNeill Photography & Film
Co-director, Camera, Sound, Edit: Natalie Barrass
Photos © Bronac McNeil Photography & Film