The Rise of the Chief Communications and Brand Officer

There's a new CCO+ title that's trending across the industry: chief communications and brand officer.

Why This Shift Matters

With AI upending how consumers discover brands and boycotts spreading at the speed of a post, communications teams are emerging as the real brand gatekeepers.

Current Trends in Leadership

Within the Fortune 1000, 84 executives have communications and marketing or communications and brand in their title, according to a Heidrick & Struggles analysis shared with Axios.

• For example, comms leaders from IBM, Dropbox, Anthropic, and GM also oversee brand for their companies.
• "As stakeholder influence expands beyond shareholders to include employees, customers, partners, and communities, companies are recognizing the need for unified leadership," says Kristin Deutmeyer, global managing partner at Heidrick & Struggles.
• "AI is amplifying that urgency, making it essential to own and shape your brand narrative, leaving nothing up to interpretation."

The Driving Forces Behind the Change

Seemingly simple marketing decisions can create a political firestorm, as seen recently with American Eagle, Cracker Barrel, and Bud Light.

• It's a reality that is also prompting some C-suites to rethink which function owns brand, creative, and messaging, says Asheley Linnenbach, partner at PLBsearch.
• "The current stakeholder and political landscape requires whoever is in charge of brand to have a risk management mindset when they're thinking about these campaigns," she said.

Expert Insights on Unified Leadership

"Is the company under intense public scrutiny? Does it have a complex set of stakeholders?" asks Gail Tifford, managing director at True Search. "One could argue trust is really critical in all businesses, but there are some businesses where there's way more on the line when it comes to a brand's reputation."

• In those instances, you're likely to see fewer silos, she adds.

The Continued Need for Specialized Roles

The need for pure-play functions like product marketing, demand generation, and growth marketing remains, experts say.

What to Watch in the Future

OCR recently examined Fortune 1000 companies and found that CCO+ roles have increased by roughly 88% between 2024 and 2019, a trend that continues.

• "I think it comes down to people and priorities," Tifford says. "Is the person a trusted advisor to the CEO and a trusted peer in the C-suite? Do they understand how to unite teams that may be operated in silos before, right? Do they have a grasp on cultural or political sensitivity? Do they have good judgment for how the brand should show up in the world? This is what's required."

Related Coverage

• American Eagle's Sydney Sweeney ad divides young people: poll