Why These 25 CMOs Matter for Stock Picks in 2026

Business Insider's annual list of the most innovative CMOs is out, and for anyone tracking consumer-facing stocks, it is worth reading past the brand fluff. The 25 marketers named this year are not just running ad campaigns. They are restructuring how their companies acquire customers, price products, and allocate capital.

Take American Eagle. CMO Craig Brommers stuck with the Sydney Sweeney "great jeans" campaign despite online backlash. The company credited that campaign and a Travis Kelce collaboration for driving an "uptick in customer awareness, engagement, and comparable sales." American Eagle hit a record $5.5 billion in revenue in fiscal 2025. Brommers later pivoted toward performance marketing after a spring sales decline at the namesake brand. The AE Creator Community, launched in February, is exceeding expectations, the company said.

At Ulta Beauty, CMO Michelle Mahoney is using AI to grow the loyalty program from 46.7 million members toward a 50 million target by 2028. The program now represents roughly 95% of total sales with a 70% retention rate. Ulta's fiscal 2025 revenue rose 9.7% to $12.4 billion after a sluggish 2024. CEO Kecia Steelman credited marketing for the rebound.

PepsiCo's CMO Todd Kirkham led the launch of Pepsi Prebiotic Cola, the company's biggest innovation in 20 years. A limited Black Friday launch sold out in under 30 hours. Pepsi Zero Sugar grew 30.8% in 2025, nearly double the zero-sugar cola category. Kirkham also oversaw the acquisition of Poppi, whose awareness nearly doubled to 48%.

At Chime, CMO Vineet Mehra built an AI-powered content platform that cut campaign production time by 60% and costs by roughly 30%. Chime's revenue grew 31% to $2.2 billion in 2025. Active members rose 19%, adding 1.5 million users.

Coach's CMO Joon Silverstein launched the "Explore Your Story" campaign, which drove more than 15 million organic engagements and 450,000 user-generated posts. Parent company Tapestry said Coach's brand-building helped exceed fiscal 2025 targets. Coach revenue grew 10% to $5.6 billion, bringing in 4.6 million new customers. About 70% were Gen Z and millennials.

New Balance CMO Chris Davis shifted from direct-response ads to brand marketing, opened 80 new stores in 2025, and raised prices. Sales grew 19% to $9.2 billion as Nike lost market share. New Balance has grown sales 180% since 2020.

State Farm CMO Alyson Cook ran the "With the Assist" campaign around women's sports and brought the "Gamerhood" reality show to Prime Video. Gen Z interactions with the brand rose nearly 13%.

For investors, the pattern is clear: CMOs who combine AI-driven personalization, influencer networks, and cultural timing are delivering measurable revenue growth and market share gains. The companies that lag in these capabilities are losing ground.

American Eagle's Brommers said the key is to "look at hard facts as opposed to just listening to social media." His team did not pull the Sweeney campaign despite criticism. The stock soared.

That is the kind of decision-making that shows up in earnings calls. The next quarter will test whether these strategies hold as consumer spending shifts.