"Marketing at Meta - The View From the Eye of the Storm"

A CMO Confidential Interview with Alex Schultz, the Meta CMO and VP of Analytics, and author of Click Here: The Art & Science of Digital Marketing and Advertising. Alex details why he believes in decentralized analytics and the importance of focusing on core results vs vanity metrics, why AI is a "threshold technology", and why and how the company transitioned to Meta. Key topics include: the barbell distribution of AI competency (native users and very senior experienced leaders); why he believes so strongly in "incrementality measurements"; how he and his team handle the emotional impact of being in the center of political discussions and; why marketers should be thinking about 2027. Tune in to hear a story about affiliate marketing incentives gone wrong and the eBay/Google "Tea Party" incident.

What’s it really like to be CMO at one of the most scrutinized companies in the world?

In this episode of **CMO Confidential**, host Mike Linton sits down with **Alex Schultz**, CMO and VP of Analytics at Meta, for a wide-ranging, unfiltered conversation on marketing leadership inside the eye of the storm. Alex breaks down how Meta structures marketing and analytics at global scale, why marketing must be centralized while analytics should not, and what most companies get wrong about “one source of truth.”

The conversation goes deep on navigating nonstop political and cultural pressure, shortening negative news cycles, and keeping teams emotionally grounded when the brand is under fire. Alex also shares some of the clearest executive thinking we’ve heard on AI as a *threshold technology* — where it truly creates leverage, where humans must stay in the loop, and how CMOs should assess AI talent today.

The episode closes with inside stories from the Facebook-to-Meta rebrand, hard-earned lessons from eBay on incrementality measurement, and practical advice for preparing your organization for 2027 and beyond.

If you’re a CMO, CEO, founder, or senior operator responsible for growth, measurement, and brand under pressure — this is required listening.

New episodes of **CMO Confidential** drop every Tuesday.

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## Chapters & Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome to CMO Confidential

00:01 – Alex Schultz’s role: CMO & VP of Analytics at Meta

00:03 – Why marketing is centralized but analytics are decentralized

00:06 – “One source of truth” and killing vanity metrics

00:09 – Marketing while constantly in the global spotlight

00:11 – Managing crisis cycles, truth, and comms alignment

00:12 – AI’s real impact on marketing productivity

00:15 – AI as a threshold technology (precision vs. recall)

00:17 – How AI is reshaping analytics, creative, and teams

00:18 – Hiring for AI: the barbell talent distribution

00:22 – Preparing for 2027: information flow and AI philosophy

00:25 – How B2B marketing is (and isn’t) changing

00:28 – Inside the Facebook → Meta rebrand

00:32 – Lessons from eBay: incrementality over last-click

00:36 – What downturns reveal about leadership talent

00:37 – Why Alex wrote his book on digital marketing

00:40 – Affiliate marketing, incentives, and unintended consequences

00:43 – Final advice for CMOs and marketers

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CMO Confidential, Alex Schultz, Meta marketing, Facebook Meta rebrand, marketing leadership, CMO podcast, executive marketing, analytics strategy, marketing analytics, AI in marketing, artificial intelligence marketing, incrementality measurement, digital marketing strategy, B2B marketing, growth marketing, brand under pressure, crisis communications, marketing measurement, performance marketing, last click attribution, marketing org design, marketing podcast

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A CMO Confidential Interview with DJ Patil, Great Point Ventures investor and former U.S. Chief Data Scientist in the Obama Administration. DJ discusses why AI adoption is "lumpy" like unbaked cake mix, the difference between large models and focused applications, and why consultants are probably not the best way to make progress. Key topics include: Maslow's Hierarchy of AI with power, data and water as the foundation; a timeline juxtaposition of AI evolution versus culture and policy change; and his belief that marketers have a unique position to add "human connectivity" in to the mix. Tune in to hear a view on AI and health care as well as how Waymo almost ruined a date night.

What does AI adoption *really* look like inside large organizations—and why does it feel so uneven?

In this episode of **CMO Confidential**, host **Mike Linton** sits down with **DJ Patil**—former U.S. Chief Data Scientist, AI leader at eBay and LinkedIn, and longtime advisor and investor—for a clear-eyed update from the front lines of AI.

DJ explains why AI progress feels “lumpy,” why culture—not technology—is the biggest blocker to ROI, and what boards, CEOs, and CMOs must do now to avoid falling behind. From autonomous warfare and small models to Wall Street hype cycles, job displacement, and what AI means for the future of marketing, this is a practical, executive-level conversation about what’s real, what’s noise, and what comes next.

If you lead a company, manage a brand, sit on a board, or are building a career in marketing, this episode will recalibrate how you think about AI adoption, investment, and organizational change.

🎧 New episodes of **CMO Confidential** drop every Tuesday.

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Chapters / Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome to CMO Confidential

00:32 – Introducing DJ Patil and today’s AI focus

01:26 – Where are we really on the AI adoption curve?

02:54 – Why AI progress feels “lumpy” across industries

03:35 – AI fluency vs. AI-native talent

05:22 – AI in education: banning it vs. embracing it

05:57 – AI on the battlefield: Ukraine, drones, and autonomy

07:50 – Big models vs. small models and open source AI

08:12 – The AI investment landscape and industry chaos

09:12 – AI breakthroughs in math and problem-solving

10:52 – Where AI is actually delivering value today

11:50 – ROI, hype cycles, and Amara’s Law

13:46 – When AI savings really show up on the balance sheet

15:17 – Why culture is the biggest blocker to AI success

16:03 – AI speed vs. slow-moving organizations and policy

18:13 – Why executives can’t delegate AI leadership

19:56 – The limits of traditional consulting for AI

22:41 – Job cuts, automation, and what AI is really replacing

25:48 – Why AI isn’t “ready” yet—but is getting close

26:32 – AI as the biggest prize in the history of capitalism

27:18 – Where DJ Patil is investing in AI

29:00 – AI opportunities in healthcare and government

30:27 – What AI means for marketers and marketing careers

34:10 – A Waymo story: the promise and imperfections of AI

35:12 – Final thoughts and where to find more episodes

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CMO Confidential, DJ Patil, Mike Linton, AI adoption, artificial intelligence strategy, AI for executives, AI and marketing, AI ROI, AI investment, AI leadership, AI culture, future of marketing, chief marketing officer, CMO podcast, executive podcast, boardroom strategy, AI transformation, AI jobs, AI and automation, AI in healthcare, AI governance, enterprise AI, AI fluency, AI native, tech leadership, data science, digital transformation

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