As the marketing landscape undergoes rapid transformation, Zoom’s Chief Marketing Officer Kimberly Storin is championing a more strategic, customer-centric, and creative approach to the function.
In an era dominated by AI-generated content and tightening budgets, Storin believes the Chief Marketing Officer must evolve from a tactical executor to the strategic “voice of , and voice to , the market.”
“Ultimately, it has to be the voice of , and the voice to , the market,” Storin said. “You have to step back from the tactics and become more strategic.”
Before joining Zoom, Storin took a hands-on approach to understanding customer challenges. She interviewed approximately 50 people, from neighbors and former colleagues to her dentist, to build a grounded hypothesis about user pain points. That preparation, she says, enabled her to move faster and more effectively once in the role.
A key piece of advice from Storin to fellow marketers is mastering financial fluency. “Learn to speak the CFO’s language,” she emphasized. “The CFO is your No. 1 stakeholder in this time of change in the marketing function.” Understanding investor priorities, board expectations, and how to present data meaningfully has become essential.
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Betting on Humour and Authenticity
One of Storin’s notable initiatives at Zoom has been the “Zoom Ahead” campaign launched in December, which deliberately leaned into humor and cultural relevance. Collaborating with comedian Colin Jost, the campaign highlighted Zoom’s signature ease of use with heart, wit, and product truth
“The best content is opinionated, emotionally honest, and a little unexpected,” Storin explained. “Humor connects with people in a way that AI content just can’t.”
Beyond brand-created campaigns, Storin is prioritizing user-generated storytelling. Through a grant program, Zoom is empowering individual business builders to share authentic experiences of how they use the platform, lending credibility that traditional advertising struggles to achieve.
Expanding the Zoom Story
A central priority for Storin has been repositioning Zoom beyond its widely recognized video conferencing roots. While the brand’s strong enterprise recognition is an asset, it also presents a challenge as the company’s product portfolio has significantly expanded.
“We’re one of the most recognized brands in the enterprise tech space… but it’s really a double-edged sword,” she noted. Her team is focused on educating audiences about Zoom’s broader capabilities.
Internally, Storin has worked to centralize and mature Zoom’s previously decentralized marketing organization. She has placed heavy emphasis on understanding the evolving buyer’s journey and creating measurable connections between brand efforts and demand generation ,from awareness through retention, cross-sell, and upsell.
“Brand as a true investment from pre-funnel all the way down through retention,” Storin described as the guiding objective.
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