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Welcome to another special episode of the Marketing Vanguard podcast recorded at ADWEEK’s Brandweek 2024 conference in Phoenix, Arizona. Today, host Jenny Rooney speaks with Stephanie McCarty, CMO at homebuilder Taylor Morrison.
McCarty shares her inspiring journey from journalism to leading marketing at a major homebuilder, and how she’s revolutionizing brand storytelling and consumer engagement in the home construction industry.
With insights on innovative digital products, strategic partnerships, and the importance of personal branding, this episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to elevate their marketing game.
“Taking our marketing in-house was a game-changer,” she says on the podcast. “It allowed us to have complete control over our brand narrative. It’s about crafting a cohesive story that resonates with our audience. This is a departure from the traditional model, and it’s paying dividends in how we engage with consumers.”
![Now that everyone is a creator, traditional marketing strategies need to evolve. Your brand needs a fresh strategy that transforms customers, employees, and communities into active participants in brand storytelling. […]](https://www.adweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/CatchRelease-Webinar-103124-Header-V2.jpg?w=600&h=300&crop=1)
As the first-ever CMO of Taylor Morrison, one of the nation’s largest homebuilders, McCarty has played a pivotal role in growing the company’s revenue from $4 billion to $9 billion. With a background in journalism and deep expertise in brand strategy, media relations, and communications, McCarty is known for her visionary leadership and customer-centric approach.
A recognized industry leader, she has earned accolades from HousingWire, PR News, and Ragan Communications.
SurveyMonkey Curiosity Awards
The most innovative marketers are the ones who dare to ask the questions that matter and encourage a culture of curiosity in their organizations.
Curiosity awakens their imagination. It feeds their thirst for knowledge. It incites their insights into their customers and drives their creative vision. It fuels every successful strategy.
That’s the essence that distinguishes the 10 marketers who are being honored as winners of the inaugural SurveyMonkey Curiosity Awards. The premise of the awards is simple: Celebrate extraordinary marketing professionals working at SurveyMonkey customer companies who are driving innovation and shaping what’s next for their businesses, industries, and communities.
Click here to learn more about the 2024 SurveyMonkey Curiosity Award winners.
Key takeaways:
07:27 Using Storytelling to Build a Cohesive Brand Strategy — McCarty is Taylor Morrison’s first-ever CMO, and early on, she saw value in bringing brand management in-house. With only three corporate marketing staff, the company had been outsourcing most of its branding, diluting control over its identity. Stephanie leveraged her expertise to build a creative studio, hire key roles like graphic designers and copywriters, and centralize media spend. This shift enabled a unified brand voice and stronger, more effective marketing campaigns, empowering the organization to control its brand destiny.
12:25 Transforming the CMO Role and Consumer Experience — McCarty shared her initial challenges with agency partnerships, expressing frustration with costly, ineffective processes. After speaking out on LinkedIn, she sparked a viral conversation with CMOs and creatives, who agreed on the broken system. Embracing her role’s influence, she led Taylor Morrison in reshaping consumer experiences by launching digital tools to simplify home customization, resulting in 60% conversion rates. This innovative approach, paired with a customer-centric mindset, has positioned Taylor Morrison as America’s most trusted home builder for nine consecutive years, according to Lifestory Research.
