How Adobe’s CMO Is Preparing for the AI-Powered Era of Brand Discovery

The shift from search engines to AI-driven interfaces is no longer a novelty, but a harsh reality that’s forcing chief marketing officers (CMOs) to rethink their strategy. As Lara Balazs, Adobe’s chief marketing officer, notes, “There’s AI. Do that.” The directive may seem vague, but it speaks volumes about the seismic changes underway in the marketing world.

For decades, CMOs have been measured on their ability to deliver more with less. However, as AI becomes an integral part of product discovery, traditional metrics are losing relevance. Marketing leaders are grappling with declining traffic and revenue tied to search engines, and the growing importance of appearing in AI-generated recommendations.

The pivot towards AI is not just about adapting to a new technology; it’s also about redefining the role of marketing within an organization. CMOs are being pulled into closer collaboration with finance, engineering, and IT as they navigate enterprise-level decisions around technology, data infrastructure, and product development. Conversations that once revolved around brand building and demand generation now extend to financial fluency, technical literacy, and organizational leadership.

Rebuilding the Marketing Organization

As CMOs navigate this new landscape, one question remains: how do we rebuild our marketing organization for an AI-driven era? Balazs suggests starting with a use case tied to a specific business objective. Each initiative should have an executive sponsor, clear accountability, and a team willing to test, learn, and refine before scaling. This approach ensures that AI initiatives are driven by business outcomes and acknowledges the limitations of AI in solving complex marketing problems.

The concept of “mission teams” – multidisciplinary groups organized around business objectives rather than traditional functions – is gaining traction. These teams bring together marketers, engineers, product managers, and data specialists to move quickly as AI capabilities advance. However, this structure requires a significant shift in organizational culture, one that values collaboration over functional silos.

The Metrics Are Changing

The shift towards AI-generated recommendations raises an essential question: how often does a brand appear inside these answers, and what influence does that visibility have on purchasing decisions? Adobe’s experience with LLM Optimizer offers insight into this new reality. By tracking and improving brand visibility within AI-generated responses, the company saw a 200% increase in visibility for its products.

This development has significant implications for marketing leaders. Understanding how AI systems surface and recommend products is becoming as crucial as understanding consumer search behavior. The metrics that once anchored digital marketing – such as search engine optimization (SEO) – are losing relevance, replaced by new metrics tied to AI-driven discovery.

From Marketer to Orchestration

The role of the CMO is evolving rapidly, transforming from overseeing individual functions to coordinating an interconnected system of people, technology, data, and AI. This shift demands that CMOs possess a unique blend of technical acumen, business savvy, and leadership skills. Balazs’ assertion that “mindset is going to matter” resonates deeply – it’s the ability to adapt, learn, and thrive in an ambiguous environment that will define successful marketing organizations.

As we navigate this new era, one thing is clear: CMOs must no longer be seen as marketers but rather as orchestrators of complex systems. The defining advantage will not come from technical expertise but from a mindset that’s comfortable with ambiguity, energized by change, and willing to learn. In an era where the gray areas are multiplying, it’s those who “embrace the gray” who will thrive.

The rise of AI is rewriting the rules for CMOs, forcing them to confront a harsh reality: their traditional playbook no longer applies. As Lara Balazs astutely notes, the new directive is not about doing more with less but about embracing change and uncertainty. The future of marketing lies in the ability to adapt, learn, and thrive in an environment where AI-driven interfaces are rewriting the rules for product discovery.