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Scratch: CMO Interviews

Scratch: CMO Interviews

By: Rival
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 Why do some businesses grow faster than others? What do the marketers leading them do differently? How can we learn from them to grow our own businesses and careers? Scratch explores the world of challenger marketing - the thinkers and doers questioning the status quo and rewriting the marketing rule book ‘from scratch’. Each episode will dive deep into the experience and perspective of an industry thought leader to understand the unique insights and ideas that have powered their success. We will interview some of the biggest names in the marketing world - the people with the most interesting stories to tell. We’ll hear from the CMOs of the biggest brands in the world, but also the entrepreneurs building hyper-growth start-ups to really understand the full spectrum of challenger marketing today. We’ll get into the nitty gritty: the details of how they think and what they do differently in order to deliver simple, clear, and actionable lessons for all marketers. Scratch is the ‘How I Built This’ of marketing - we hope to inform and inspire a generation of marketers to grow their businesses and their careers like true challengers ‘from scratch’ every day.2025 We Are Rival Career Success Economics Leadership Management & Leadership Marketing Marketing & Sales
Episodes
  • Rewriting The Sports Marketing Playbook: How Manors Is Becoming The Most Memorable Brand In Golf

    Rewriting The Sports Marketing Playbook: How Manors Is Becoming The Most Memorable Brand In Golf
    Dec 10 2025
    In this episode of Scratch, Viren sits down with Alex Ames, Marketing Director at Manors Golf, the challenger brand bringing new energy, creativity, and cultural relevance to a sport long seen as elitist and inaccessible. Manors believes golf is a game to be explored, not mastered, and they are reshaping the category one cinematic campaign at a time.Alex unpacks how Manors went from a small rebrand to a movement inspiring a new generation of golfers. He dives into the brand’s early struggles (“the Dark Ages”), how events helped them rediscover momentum, and how the team realised that attention—not product, was their true currency. He reveals the internal creative engine behind Manors’ iconic films, from Monday forensic reviews to Thursday idea punch-ups, and how viral thinking shapes every concept.The episode covers everything from the Reebok partnership (and why they avoid “brand soup”), to location-led campaigns, to how everyday golfers and celebrities ended up sharing the tee sheet at Manors events. For marketers, the message is clear: if you want to change a category, change the story people tell about it.Watch the video version of this podcast on Youtube ▶️: YT Link 📚 Chapters:00:00 – Intro & Viren’s fanboy moment01:38 – Challenger brand shoutout: Satisfy Running03:03 – What Manors Golf actually does05:24 – Why golf needed a cultural refresh07:42 – Golf as exploration: the foundation of Manors’ brand14:31 – How insights were reframed for a new audience15:47 – How social media opened golf to younger players16:36 – Why storytelling became foundational to Manors18:55 – The “Dark Ages” & the moment everything shifted21:22 – Why events matter for brand building22:23 – Their unique influencer strategy (no follower-chasing)24:55 – The community-first mindset26:03 – The unseen advantage of having a strong brand30:23 – How Manors built its content machine32:36 – Inside the Monday forensic review & Thursday punch-up34:51 – How virality informs campaign execution39:48 – Hook-first creative thinking41:40 – “Blow up the golf cart”: Reebok collaboration55:32 – Most underrated channel for challenger brands58:08 – Closing thoughts🖊️Mentioned in the show:Rival 50 - The Top Challenger Brands of 2025 - Rival's brand index with Imperial College London Future of the CMO Documentary - A documentary for CMOs about the future of the role featuring the CMO of Mastercard, Shell, Dr. Scholl’s and many more.Satisfy Running – Favorite challenger brand reference for how to build culture around a sport:Random Golf Club (Erik Anders Lang) – Referenced as one of the early lifestyle-led golf collectives before Manors’ riseArc’teryx – A key reference point for Manors’ positioning: “like Arc’teryx for golf.”The North Face – Another anchor brand referenced to explain Manors’ performance-meets-lifestyle functionality.Ryder Cup – Mentioned as the context for one of Manors’ biggest collection launches and a cultural moment in golf.Golfers Journal – Inspiration for golf as exploration and the storytelling aesthetic Manners tapped intoReebok x Manors “No Thanks, I’ll Walk” Collaboration: Campaign page.Max Fosh (YouTuber) – Inspiration for using hook-first creative thinking during campaign developmentNotion – The internal system powering Manors’ creative pipeline, punch-ups, and idea tracking.Scratch is a production of Rival, a marketing innovation consultancy that develops strategies and capabilities that help businesses grow faster. This Scratch episode is hosted by Viren Samani, and he’s joined by Alex Ames, Marketing Director at Manors Golf.Find Rival online at www.wearerival.com, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram. Find Viren on LinkedInFind Alex on LinkedIn.Say hi at media@wearerival.com. We’d love to hear from you. Rival is a marketing consultancy for brands that want to challenge convention in their category. We’re on a mission to understand what challenger brands do differently to grow in categories that are being disrupted, and use a challenger playbook to deliver outsized impact through an integrated, tech-enabled approach. Past guests include CMOs from Mastercard, GE, Shell, Hyperloop, Adobe, PepsiCo, and Papa Johns.If you’re interested in learning more about marketing from successful CMOs, we compiled a list of the top 5 CMO podcasts to listen to in 2024; check it out here 🔗 https://www.wearerival.com/content-hub-articles/cmo-podcasts-you-cannot-afford-to-miss-in-2024
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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • Roots before Reach: YETI's Playbook To Building an Iconic Brand

    Roots before Reach: YETI's Playbook To Building an Iconic Brand
    Nov 19 2025
    In this episode, Bill Neff, Head of Marketing at YETI, breaks down how the legendary cooler company became a culture-defining outdoor brand without relying on massive media budgets. From his Under Armour “locker room” days to leading one of the world’s most beloved challenger brands, Bill shares the operating system behind YETI’s rise, which is one built on community intimacy, real relationships, and equipment designed to last forever.And this year, YETI made The Rival 50, our index of the world’s top challenger brands redefining growth, a recognition that reflects the consistency, courage, and craft behind their approach.One key takeaway: Roots before reach. Bill explains why YETI invests four times more in community than brand, how third-party advocacy beats first-party hype, and why focusing on the micro-cultures around hunting, fishing, culinary, and outdoor craft fuels more growth than broad awareness ever could. If you’re building a premium brand or trying to scale without outspending your category, this conversation is your blueprint.Watch the video version of this podcast on YouTube ▶️: HERE 📚 Chapters:(00:00:00) - Intro 🎙️05:00 Challenger brand pick: Turtlebox 🏆06:30 What YETI is today09:00 Listening that guides expansion (cast iron) 📊12:00 Depth via community14:00 Under Armour lessons: “locker room talk”16:30 Premium pricing & third-party advocacy 💵20:00 Getting started with advocacy 🤝23:00 People stories > product dumps28:00 Community-first team structure (4x brand)31:00 Mass brand without mass media34:00 Wrap up🖊️Mentioned in the show:ANA Global Day of Learning (Association of National Advertisers)Turtlebox, favorite challenger brandUnder Armour, Bill’s previous work experienceSitka Gear, Bill’s previous work experienceDuck Man (YETI campaign)Drake Magazine (endemic example)Scratch is a production of Rival, a marketing innovation consultancy that develops strategies and capabilities that help businesses grow faster. Scratch is hosted by Eric Fulwiler, and he’s joined by Bill Neff, Head of Marketing at YETI, in this episodeThis episode was recorded at the ANA’s global day of learning. Find Rival online at www.wearerival.com, LinkedIn, Twitter. Find Eric on LinkedIn and tweet him @efulwiler. Find Bill on LinkedIn.Say hi at media@wearerival.com. We’d love to hear from you. Rival is a marketing consultancy for brands that want to challenge convention in their category. We’re on a mission to understand what challenger brands do differently to grow in categories that are being disrupted, and use a challenger playbook to deliver outsized impact through an integrated, tech-enabled approach. Past guests include CMOs from Mastercard, GE, Shell, Hyperloop, Adobe, PepsiCo, and Papa Johns.If you’re interested in learning more about marketing from successful CMOs, we compiled a list of the top 5 CMO podcasts to listen to in 2024; check it out here 🔗 https://www.wearerival.com/content-hub-articles/cmo-podcasts-you-cannot-afford-to-miss-in-2024
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    35 mins
  • From Cornwall to the World: How Finisterre’s community marketing strategy built a global brand

    From Cornwall to the World: How Finisterre’s community marketing strategy built a global brand
    Oct 29 2025
    In this episode of Scratch, Eric chats with Bronwen Foster-Butler, CMO of Finisterre, the cold-water surf brand from Cornwall proving that purpose and performance can coexist. Bronwen shares how community became Finisterre’s real growth engine, from “creating through community, not for it,” to rethinking top-of-funnel marketing and focusing on relationships over reach. She shows how listening to your customers can lower CAC, build loyalty, and create true advocates.Finisterre began with a simple insight: the surf industry’s glossy, tropical image that didn’t reflect the real, rugged world of UK surfers. Today, it’s a B Corp and leading challenger brand proving that you can grow profitably without losing your soul.And finally, she dives into how a strong sense of place in Cornwall’s coastline and the shipping forecast origins of the Finisterre name and thus gives the brand its distinct voice. Ultimately, the takeaway for marketers is clear: scaling through a niche isn’t limiting but it is the future. Staying true to who you are as a brand, and give a platform to your community to carry the story forward.Watch the video version of this podcast on Youtube ▶️: HERE 📚 Chapters:00:00 – Devon vs Cornwall (and scones)04:00 – Challenger brand spotlight: Snow Peak07:36 – What is Finisterre?08:09 – The founder’s cold-water surf epiphany10:04 – Lessons from Lululemon’s turnaround12:44 – Rebuilding trust through community13:35 – “Create through community, not for community”21:09 – Ocean meets mountain: Kendal Film Festival23:50 – CAC, CLTV & data on community ROI28:49 – Cornwall, heritage, and the Shipping Forecast31:50 – Scaling through a niche37:00 – Doing more with less: top-of-funnel investment39:00 – Creative consistency and campaign focus41:33 – Alignment, enrollment, and growth metrics43:20 - Lightning Round ⚡🖊️Mentioned in the show:Lululemon – Community-led brand lessonsBurberry – Global brand transformationSnow Peak – Favorite Challenger BrandKendal Mountain Festival – Ocean & Seas collaboratione.l.f. Cosmetics – “Too Many Dicks” campaign referenceBBC Shipping Forecast – The origin of the Finisterre nameScratch is a production of Rival, a marketing innovation consultancy that develops strategies and capabilities that help businesses grow faster. Scratch is hosted by Eric Fulwiler, and he’s joined by Bronwen Foster-Butler, CMO of Finisterre in this episode.Find Rival online at www.wearerival.com, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Find Eric on LinkedIn and tweet him @efulwiler. Find Bronwyn on LinkedIn.Say hi at media@wearerival.com, we’d love to hear from you. Rival is a marketing consultancy for brands that want to challenge convention in their category. We’re on a mission to understand what challenger brands do differently to grow in categories that are being disrupted, and use a challenger playbook to deliver outsized impact through an integrated, tech-enabled approach. Past guests include CMOs from Mastercard, GE, Shell, Hyperloop, Adobe, PepsiCo, and Papa Johns.If you’re interested in learning more about marketing from successful CMOs, we compiled a list of the top 5 CMO podcasts to listen to in 2024; check it out here 🔗 https://www.wearerival.com/content-hub-articles/cmo-podcasts-you-cannot-afford-to-miss-in-2024
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    48 mins
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