CMO Spotlight | Michael Smith - NPR

The CMO Spotlight is a chance to get an inside look into the minds and journeys of high-performing marketing leaders. 

Setup CEO, Joe Koufman, virtually sat down with Michael Smith, the Chief Marketing Officer at NPR, to discuss how he seamlessly meshes creativity and analytics, his appreciation for the book How to Win Friends and Influence People, and more.

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(SCROLL TO THE END FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW)

Q1 | What’s your superpower?

“[My superpower is] having a unique ability to synthesize both the creative and analytical sides of business.”

Smith explained that he’s learned a lot from being a Marketer in the media industry, especially because of how rapidly it has evolved. “I think I've been a person uniquely positioned in the media because, over the last 10 to 15 years, the greatest force in media has been the influence on technology and how people consume media. It's been extremely disruptive from the newspaper business to radio, to now video streaming and television.” He continued, “I think having the ability to be comfortable and fluent in technology, but then also understand the creative process and work with creative people has been something that has served me well.”

Q2 | Where do you find inspiration?

Smith finds the most inspiration from the people he leads. “One of the biggest places I find inspiration is seeing people flourish and develop. There's nothing more gratifying than having a vision, a strategy, and a plan for a team, and then watching people flourish and grow and being part of helping them achieve those dreams.”

Q3 | What values are important to you?

Smith firmly believes that servant leadership is the framework on which he bases his leadership style. He breaks down his leadership strategy into four pillars.

The steps he follows are:

1. Set a vision or goal for where the team needs to be

2. Assemble a team of people who aligns with the vision

3. Ensure the goal and strategy are communicated well so that everyone understands and is energized by it 

4. Give the team the tools and resources they need to be successful

Smith explained that his purpose is not to be the smartest person on the team or in the room, but rather use his wisdom to help the team be more effective.

Q4 | Tell us about an impactful campaign.

Smith worked as SVP of Marketing and Creative with the Food Network during an era when Reality TV was booming. Shows like Survivor and The Apprentice were really successful back in the mid-2000s because of their ability to tell great stories. Smith and his team were inspired by the passionate storytelling and wanted to incorporate it into the Food Network. 

They came up with a campaign, "Food Network is way more than cooking.” This campaign ran for several years and completely repositioned how viewers saw the network. “It really helped redefine people's vision of the network from someone in a white chef's coat, to people competing doing Chopped or Food Network Star or Guy's Grocery Games. It really reinvented what the network could be, and helped it go from being a number 40 ranked cable network to a top 10 cable network.” 

This role shaped how he approaches marketing today. “The lessons I take today to NPR is that we're not just a utility providing you the news, but [a chance] to step back and think about what role do we really play in your life emotionally.”

Q5 | Is there a book or quote that inspires you?

“How to Win Friends and Influence People.” Smith shared, “I've learned in my career the importance of winning friends and building relationships with people.” He continued, “A lot of life is about how people feel and the relationships that you build. Relationships will push your influence a lot more than the actual facts and the tech in your ideas.”

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For more marketing leadership advice and a view into the mindset of marketing executives in various industries, be sure to watch the full interview with Michael Smith, and keep an eye out for more thought leadership from our CMO Spotlights.

Watch the full interview to the right.