At Brandweek 2026, Petzey CMO Ameetess Dira made the case that marketing’s most important work often happens outside the marketing department. Speaking on the Marketing Vanguard stage with Jenny Rooney, she argued that purpose, product, finance and technology conversations are now central to the CMO role—especially as AI automates more of the execution.
Purpose is a filter, not a layer
For Dira, purpose alignment decides whether she will do the work at all. After losing her senior dog, she deliberately sought work that could improve access to care for animals and the people who love them. That path led her to Petzey, an on-demand pet telehealth app with more than 1,000 pet professionals across the U.S.
Her distinction is sharp: purpose is not a message added once the strategy is set. It is the filter for choosing the company, the leadership and the problems worth solving.
Look where brands say ‘too small’
Dira pointed to senior dog adoption as an example. It is difficult, expensive and easy for brands to ignore. That, she said, is exactly why it deserves attention. The opportunity is to watch cultural changes, find underserved groups and contribute something useful instead of chasing the same obvious audience as everyone else.
For marketers, this reframes smaller, less glamorous segments as potential brand advantages when the company’s values genuinely match the problem.
Marketing has no business staying in marketing
Dira deliberately pushes marketing into product, technology and finance conversations. Her reasoning is simple: the executive team is the CMO’s primary team, and every leader at that table is responsible for the health of the whole business. A CMO who stays inside campaigns and communications gives up influence before real decisions are made.
As AI makes execution easier, that argument gets more urgent. Storytelling and trust may become more valuable, not less—but only if marketing has a seat where the decisions happen.
The spreadsheet won’t always be right
Dira described a clear values test during the LA fires. Petzey opened its platform for free wellness checks to people affected by the crisis, including first responders, teachers, businesses and shelters. The short-term financial logic pointed toward monetizing demand, but she chose the opposite.
It was a decision the spreadsheet would hate, she argued, but it proved what the brand actually stands for. Long-term trust can matter more than the immediate number.
What to borrow
- Treat purpose as a decision filter, not a campaign layer.
- Look for underserved problems instead of the loudest audience.
- Get into product, finance and tech conversations before decisions are made.
- Be willing to make a values-led call even when short-term revenue logic disagrees.
Source: Adweek
