The Modern CMO

In this episode, Rustam Irani sits down with longtime colleague Charlie (Vice Chancellor of Enrollment Management & CMO at Kaiser University) to unpack what it means to be a “modern CMO” in higher ed. They trace the shift from old-school, performance-first tactics to a brand-and-trust-led approach where authenticity, earned media, and mid-funnel experience matter more than ever. Along the way, they dig into how AI is changing research and decisioning, why attribution and yield tracking are still a major gap for many institutions, and what young marketers need to do to grow into real leadership.Resources MentionedChat with Charlie:https://www.youtube.com/@ChatWithCharlieAndFriends/featuredCharlie Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlie-parker-94989b7/00:01–02:24 — Welcome + “OG in the industry”: Rustam introduces Charlie and frames the episode around marketing + enrollment leadership.02:24–06:24 — What a “modern CMO” means now: From standing out to staying a student of the game; the evolution from old media buys to today’s landscape.06:24–13:40 — Earned media, mid-funnel, and the authenticity challenge: Why organic trust-building is the new “tip of the spear,” and how paid/organic has blurred (especially in social).12:44–14:44 — The brand vs. performance flip: Charlie’s “triangle” view—performance as the tip, brand as the base; budgeting for reputation and the long game.15:06–16:39 — AI as a modern CMO toolset: Charlie’s example of using Claude to generate a market study; tools without losing culture and human connection.16:39–18:35 — Yield over volume + the attribution gap: “More inquiries isn’t the metric”; tracking marketing investment to enrollments is still missing at many institutions.18:53–21:12 — Brand radius, zoning, and smarter geo strategy: Rustam’s “brand has a radius” idea and Charlie’s story about finding an unexpected out-of-state sweet spot by reverse-engineering graduates.22:10–25:37 — Bringing the art back: Marketing as science + art; storytelling, belonging, and avoiding becoming a “widget creator in a human business.”26:05–32:19 — Advice for young marketers: Put in the extra work, understand the full ecosystem, and bring solutions (not just problems—especially in the AI era).32:42–36:02 — Enrollment isn’t just marketing + admissions: Charlie’s push to elevate financial aid training and soft skills; Rustam’s “FAM framework” alignment (finance/admissions/marketing).37:02–38:18 — Close + how to connect: Charlie points listeners to LinkedIn; Rustam signs off with the show’s closing line.