This episode of Marketing Vanguard comes straight from Cannes Lions 2026. Join host Jenny Rooney to catch up with Dara Treseder, chief marketing & commercial officer at Autodesk.
Together, they explore why this AI era is also the “golden era” for creatives, why human ingenuity still runs the game while AI raises the floor and why trust is the one thing that isn’t up for debate. She raises a valid point: knowing what not to do with AI is just as important as knowing what to do with it.
What you’ll learn:
- How to balance AI integration with authentic brand storytelling
- The “Facts and Feelings” framework for B2B marketing that moves beyond boring product specs
- Why hands-on AI fluency as a CMO is non-negotiable for strategic vision and system design
- How to operationalize workforce development as a competitive advantage by investing in AI knowledge transfer
- The time-optimization secret weapon: using AI-powered calendar analytics and briefing tools to reclaim hours daily
- How to execute big strategic swings like Autodesk’s sports marketing partnerships with LA28 Olympics and NFL teams
This episode is part of a special vidcast series that was recorded live during Cannes 2026 and presented in partnership with Edelman.
About our guest:
Dara Treseder is chief marketing & commercial officer at Autodesk, renowned for her expertise in B2B brand storytelling and AI-integrated marketing strategy. With a background in transforming major enterprise organizations including GE and Carbon, she has pioneered approaches that balance human creativity with technological innovation.
Her leadership in establishing Autodesk as the official design and make platform for the LA 2028 Olympics and her commitment to a $350 million initiative for AI workforce credentialing demonstrate her ability to align business growth with meaningful societal impact—a model of particular relevance for enterprise marketing leaders seeking to drive both profitability and purpose.
Episode Highlights:
[01:55] B2B Marketing Requires Facts AND Feelings — Dara challenges the outdated belief that B2B marketing must be transactional and fact-focused, arguing instead that buyers are emotionally invested in how purchases impact their business outcomes. This shift from specifications-only messaging to emotional storytelling is critical because B2B purchase decisions carry massive organizational consequences: Wrong software choices can lead to layoffs, divisional failures, and company-wide performance issues. CMOs should develop customer narratives that highlight real business impact and build trust through consistent delivery on promises made across every customer touchpoint.
