Monday Brief
What’s working in marketing right now, what’s not, and what to try this week. Platform and algorithm changes, CMO moves, campaign teardowns.
Monday Briefing: Apple's Safari Update Blocks The Trade DeskMarketing insights that don’t insult your intelligence
Skip the “10 tips” posts. Contrarian takes on AI, career strategy and what’s actually working in marketing, written for CMOs who’ve seen it all before.
Free, no paid tier. Unsubscribe anytime. No spam. No selling your data.
Two emails a week. Here’s when.
Thursday Deep Dive
One big idea, fully explored. Frameworks you can steal, leadership calls, AI and technology strategy.
The Decisions You Both Think You OwnWhat we write about
What matters to modern CMOs, minus the obvious stuff you can find anywhere.
- AI & Marketing
- Beyond the hype. What AI actually means for your team, your strategy and your job. LLM optimization, automation reality checks, and how to not get replaced.
- CMO Career
- The unwritten rules. How to get promoted (or not), the CMO-to-CEO pipeline, navigating boards, and why the best marketers often don’t advance.
- Strategy Frameworks
- Mental models that compound. Not tactics: the underlying thinking that makes tactics work. Decision-making, prioritization, and playing long games.
- Brand & Performance
- The false dichotomy. Why brand is the last performance channel left, attribution’s uncomfortable truths, and building what lasts.
- Industry Intel
- What’s actually happening. Platform changes, CMO moves, deal breakdowns, and the context you need to make sense of the noise.
- Org & Team
- Building what works. Marketing org structure, decision velocity, doing more with less, and getting sales to actually like you.
Common questions
- Who writes this?
- James Murray, founder of Behind the CMO. It’s written for people who build teams, manage boards and own a number: what we wish someone had told us.
- How is this different from other marketing newsletters?
- We skip the beginner stuff. No “what is SEO” explainers or obvious tips. We write for experienced marketers who want depth, contrarian takes and ideas they haven’t heard before. If you’re early in your career, this might not be for you yet.
- How often will I get emails?
- Twice a week: the Monday Brief (quick intel) and a Thursday deep dive (one idea, explored properly). No daily email, no promotional junk.
- Is it really free?
- Yes. No paywalls, no premium tier. Good thinking should spread. The newsletter is supported by sponsorships.