87 - Ana Maria Henao, Microsoft

<p>In Ep. 87 of Earned,<strong> </strong>Conor sits down with Ana Maria Henao, the CMO and general manager of US Consumer Channel and Partnership Marketing at Microsoft. We start the show by diving into Ana Maria’s recent transition from 25 years in the CPG sector—with much of her career spent at Procter &amp; Gamble and PepsiCo—into the tech industry, and how the recent AI boom has shaped her experience thus far. We then discuss Ana Maria’s leadership style, and break down the “Three C’s” that she applies every single day. Next, we explore how Microsoft works to cultivate brand love and community, balancing functional efficacy and emotional connection to its products. We then dive into Microsoft’s approach to influencer marketing, and Ana Maria emphasizes the importance of embracing creator content. To close the show, Ana Maria shares her process for self-reflection and active meditation.</p><p><br></p><p>In this episode, you will learn:</p><p><br></p><ol><li>The "Three C’s" that guide Ana Maria's leadership style</li><li>How Microsoft works to cultivate brand love by balancing functional efficacy and emotional connection to its products</li><li>Why brands should embrace creator content in their marketing channels </li></ol><p><br></p><p><strong>Resources:</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.microsoft.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Microsoft</a></li></ul><p><br></p><p><strong>Connect with the Guest(s):</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ana-maria-henao/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ana Maria Henao's LinkedIn</a></li></ul><p><br></p><p><strong>Connect with Conor Begley &amp; CreatorIQ:</strong></p><ul><li>Conor’s LinkedIn -<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/conormbegley/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @conormbegley</a></li><li>CreatorIQ LinkedIn -<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/creatoriq/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @creatoriq</a></li></ul><p><br></p><p><strong>Follow us on social:</strong></p><ul><li>CreatorIQ YouT