In this episode of Marketing Vanguard, host Jenny Rooney sits down with John Rudaizky, global CMO of EY, to explore the evolving landscape of marketing in professional services.
From pioneering brand transformation in consultancy to navigating the intersection of AI and creativity, discover how EY is reshaping client experiences through their new Studio Plus initiative.
Whether you’re a CMO looking to drive organizational change or a marketing leader interested in the future of brand building, this conversation offers valuable insights on leading through disruption and maintaining human connection in an increasingly tech-driven world.
John Rudaizky has led EY’s brand transformation since 2014, bringing experience from Saatchi & Saatchi and WPP. As EY’s first brand leader at the partner level, he launched campaigns like “Better Questions” and played a key role in doubling the firm’s size.
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Episode highlights:
[05:18] The Inside-Out Brand Philosophy — John’s philosophy of starting from the inside out—inspiring people, who then evangelize the brand—has guided EY’s brand strategy, emphasizing how emotional resonance with employees drives external success, particularly in B2B and people-focused businesses.
[07:24] Creating the “Better Questions” Campaign — John explains how he established EY’s organizing brand idea: “The better the question, the better the answer, the better the world works. And that’s now part of the sort of DNA of our organization.” This campaign became fundamental to EY’s identity, positioning the firm as brilliant at asking questions clients haven’t even thought about and solving them collaboratively.
[15:23] EY’s Strategic Transformation — Discussing recent changes under new CEO Jana Trankali, John outlines EY’s “All In” strategy and new platform: “Shape the future with confidence, which is all about the mindset that there will be lots of challenges, but the organizations that shape the future rather be shaped by it will thrive.” This reflects EY’s approach to helping clients navigate disruption rather than be overwhelmed by it.
[22:03] Studio Plus Launch — John explains EY’s major creative services consolidation: “Over the last few years, we’ve bought various acquisitions: Doberman in Scandinavia, which is a design innovation company, Yellow in Italy… we’ve been discussing for some time about how to bring more of that capability in a scale way.” Studio Plus represents EY’s integrated approach to customer experience design connected to business fundamentals.
[24:37] Social Marketing Evolution — When asked about areas for growth, John identifies social marketing as crucial: “If you look at what’s happened in elections around the world, the game has changed. So for me, the intersection of classic PR, social media, and the tools of marketing, that’s a big transformation, and the way content is created on those platforms is very different from the way people engage.”
[25:59] Human Connection in an AI World — Despite technological advancement, John emphasizes enduring values: “I think one of the big enduring things, particularly in B2B, is human experience. Brands are built through human connection. That’s what makes them powerful in the end.” This perspective guides EY’s approach to balancing AI capabilities with human-centered experiences.
