Chaos Is a Ladder: What’s Next for Healthcare Marketing Leaders

BPD’s latest report outlines the threats facing CMOs—and reveals the bold opportunities to lead, influence, and transform from the inside out. In this episode, Stephanie, Desirée, and Chris take a deep dive into The Future of the CMO, BPDs latest report, unpacking how marketing leaders can expand their influence, claim greater value, and lead transformation inside the health system enterprise. Plus: a spirited debate on speculative fiction, Des’ surprising pick, and why metaphors might just be magic. Subscribe to the No Normal Rewind for early access to all of BPD’s thought leadership—and a front-row seat to the future.

Power, Pressure, Potential: What the Future Holds for Healthcare CMOs

Speculative fiction. Hogwarts. Dune. Elves. Tentacled monsters. If you’re already rolling your eyes, you’re not alone—Desiree Duncan sure was. But what started as a lighthearted debate about fantasy vs. fact turned into something more: a conversation about how imagination shapes reality—and why the ability to speculate may be one of the most powerful tools in a marketer’s arsenal.
Here’s why that matters now: Our latest report, The Future of the CMO, dropped this week, and it isn’t just prediction for prediction’s sake. It’s a research-based roadmap for what marketing leadership needs to become in a healthcare landscape defined by volatility, value attacks, and consumer transformation.

The Real-World Chaos CMOs Are Navigating

The recession warnings are real. Budgets are tight. Political scrutiny is rising. From Medicaid reshuffles to anti-DEI backlash, marketers are getting pulled into issues that were once squarely outside their remit. The noise is loud—and it’s getting harder to break through.
But here’s the twist: this is the moment where CMOs can actually lead.
Because while everyone else is spinning, healthcare marketers are building the narratives that stabilize their organizations. They’re reframing value in ways that matter to consumers. And they’re doing it under a microscope—with less time, more scrutiny, and higher stakes than ever.

The Future of the CMO: Hope or Warning?

Our newest report (authored by Chris Bevolo and previewed on this episode) explores what’s threatening the marketing function—and where the biggest opportunities lie. Hint: it’s not about adding more martech or shouting louder on social. The team deep dives on:

Become the voice of the market — Not just the customer. Bring market context and competitive clarity to the table.
Span of control — Two roads diverged: define and defend the territory marketing should own.
Own the experience — Stop chasing brand awareness; start fixing the broken patient journey.
Master the magic (AI) — Understand it, use it, lead with it—before someone else does.

As Chris says, this isn’t just a moment to defend marketing’s relevance. It’s a moment to redefine it.

Marketers, Take the Mic

One thing we know for sure: if healthcare marketers don’t tell their story, someone else will. And that someone? They might think marketing is just billboards and birthday posts.

Imagine a future where CMOs are indispensable to system strategy. Where brand is considered a growth engine, not a line item. Where the marketing seat at the table isn’t just preserved—it’s expanded.

Not because it sounds good, but because it’s the only way to win.

The Future of the CMO report is out now, check it out here.

Catch up on this episode of The No Normal Show and read the transcript here.