Executive Spotlight: Courtney Todd
Q: Could you give a brief overview of your story and experience in marketing?
A: I'm a fractional CMO and creative director. I started out in dramaturgy and theater and film when I got my Master's at Columbia. After that, I worked my way up through the marketing world, teaching myself graphic design and various marketing tactics as I worked from company to company. Eventually, I became the VP of marketing at a marketing automation brand and digital agency. When we were acquired by the parent company for the Dallas Morning News in 2018, I was promoted to VP of marketing for the entire B2B division of the news. I left that role to pursue my fractional career and started a small branding and website design agency called Umlaut Agency, where we also do marketing work. The other half of my business involves working as a fractional CMO for clients in e-commerce, healthcare, B2B SaaS, and other B2B technology sectors. I've been doing this for six years now, focusing on helping brands that are looking to rebrand, find new audiences, and launch new product lines. That’s where I really shine, and my clients see a lot of value in my work.
Q: Speaking of rebranding, since you've led many successful initiatives, what do you consider to be the crucial elements for rebranding, especially in healthcare or early-stage companies?
A: The most crucial elements for a successful rebrand start with understanding the why behind it. Rebranding just for a new look, logo, or website isn’t effective unless it addresses a deeper purpose. It’s vital to clarify what you're looking to accomplish—whether it’s adding a new product line, shifting the direction of the company, or reaching a new customer type. The decision to rebrand should be data-driven. If you're just starting, you have a great opportunity to analyze your consumers, your market fit, and other critical aspects. For established companies with solid market share, it’s essential to review existing data to determine if rebranding is the right investment.
Once that’s settled, I see five major elements crucial to a successful rebrand:
Clear understanding of your target audience — Their needs and preferences are always evolving. Define who you're targeting, how you’ll reach them, and why the rebrand will succeed.
Compelling brand story — Your brand story must stand out and resonate emotionally with customers. If you’re just doing what everyone else is doing, why should someone choose you over competitors?
Consistency across all touchpoints — Every aspect, from the logo to the launch and beyond, needs to be aligned. Inconsistency leads to confusion among both customers and employees.
Strategic rollout plan — A well-executed plan builds excitement, minimizes confusion, and aligns with your business objectives.
Internal alignment — Secure buy-in from your leadership team, employees, and stakeholders. Without it, the rebrand won’t succeed.
Q: Does that process change at all if it’s a full-time role versus a fractional role as a CMO?
A: I’ve approached it both ways. I’ve led many rebrands as both an in-house marketing leader and a fractional CMO, and I find that it doesn’t make a difference. It’s all about the fractional role and the commitment of the person in that role. If they’re all in, it doesn’t matter how many hours they work; you’ll still see the same impact if you hire the right person. I’ve found that I can get more done as a fractional CMO because I focus on dedicated time for each client without the typical distractions of an in-house role.
Typically, I set specific goals for a two-week sprint where we accomplish defined objectives, like developing logos and brand guidelines. During that time, I can focus on strategy while the technical team executes their tasks. This process has worked well for my clients because it allows me to maintain laser focus. You don’t have all the other things that live in the ether when you’re an in-house leader. You can focus on achieving the established goals, and each client’s needs may differ, but the overall process remains similar.
Q: How do you balance creativity with data-driven marketing strategies to achieve optimal results?
A: I am a creative and a creative director at heart. Creativity and data are two sides of the same coin in effective marketing. Data provides insights for informed decisions, while creativity helps us stand out and drive meaningful engagement. When analyzing market trends, customer behavior, or campaign performance, creativity is directly tied to understanding the data. You can’t fully assess a campaign's success without analyzing the creative aspects as well. It goes hand in hand. We dive into the data and then tie it back to the look, sound, and messaging. For example, when A/B testing a website, something as simple as changing a button color can double your conversion rate. Understanding the data gives you the foundation to approach creativity differently. Once you grasp what's working or not in the creative, you test, measure impact, and iterate. It’s a continuous cycle of experimentation, combining creativity with data precision to create impactful campaigns that aren’t just pretty but effective.
Q: What’s one of the most creative marketing campaigns you've worked on that didn’t involve any unconventional strategies or ideas?
A: I think it’s interesting to share a campaign that didn’t make it to production. I had a client in the beauty and skincare industry who faced a major issue on social media when an influencer misrepresented the brand. Customers were understandably concerned, and we responded with a positive press release. As their CMO, I thought we should go further and double down on our commitment to diversity and inclusivity, a key part of our brand.
We proposed a YouTube series called "Face to Face Conversations About Beauty," where a makeup artist would host political and cultural activists. They’d discuss their professions and cultures while receiving a makeover. The focus would be on the challenges of finding shades that work for various skin tones and celebrating unique beauty. We got close to production, but for various reasons, it didn’t move forward.
As a marketer, you have to mourn some of these creative concepts that never come to life. It’s still the one campaign I wish we could have seen fully realized because it could have made an impact on the industry and people’s lives—helping amplify voices of activists while also celebrating diverse beauty through a mainstream brand.
Q: That sounds incredible! It’s a shame it didn’t happen.
A: Exactly. I’ve had many ideas that haven’t gone to production for various reasons—budget constraints, misalignment with leadership vision, budget, and budget. It’s typically budget. As marketers, we need to be flexible and adaptable, moving on from ideas that don’t pan out while still achieving smaller wins through other strategies.
I often think of this process as a "graveyard" of ideas, similar to Ben & Jerry’s flavor graveyard in Vermont, where they showcase discontinued flavors. It’s a fun metaphor, but it’s a reality we face as marketers.
Q: What was one of your most rewarding moments or campaigns as a marketer?
A: Absolutely. At the end of the day, it’s bigger than the campaigns; it’s about the impact we have on businesses and the people we work with. Building others up and helping them grow is a key part of being a leader.
Also, seeing the impact that new branding, websites, and marketing materials can have such a positive impact on growing businesses, is incredibly rewarding. Knowing that my leadership can make a difference gets me up every day.
I am particularly proud of the teams I've built and mentored over the years. I've built many teams in-house before I went off as a fractional CMO, and I've built and led many teams for all my different clients. I bring in groups of Freelancers and the right ones for whichever business needs they have which has been helpful. I still have one graphic designer who I’ve been working with since 2012. I want to give work to great people and give great work to my clients.
Q: What's one of the most underrated skills every marketer should have?
A: Curiosity—not just a passing interest, but a constant need to learn more. This has always been important to me throughout my educational and professional career. Marketers need to be open to asking questions and exploring new ideas and perspectives. It's not just about following trends or reading industry articles, but also about learning from the people they lead, which can be a huge source of inspiration. Curious marketers stay on top of the latest research, attend conferences, and reach out to others to understand what’s working and what’s not, both within and outside their industry. This curiosity keeps them engaged, inspired, and helps prevent their work from becoming stale—something many marketers struggle with.
Q: What would you say is the theme song for your workday?
A: “Go Your Own Way” by Fleetwood Mac. First, it’s just a great song, and my kids have been really enjoying it lately, which has put me in a Fleetwood Mac mood. But for me, I never thought I’d be an entrepreneur. Ten years ago, I imagined myself as a corporate leader until I was 60. But life took me in a different direction, and here I am as a fractional CMO with my own business. I love the freedom it gives me to manage my time, choose my clients, and be as creative as I want. It’s a reminder to keep paving my own path, finding new ways for my clients to stand out, and to keep doing what’s working.
