The engineer turned CMO fixing Marketing Measurement | Pranav Piyush (Reforge, Adobe, Dropbox)

The engineer turned CMO fixing Marketing Measurement | Pranav Piyush (Reforge, Adobe, Dropbox)

Author: Sundar Swaminathan January 29, 2026 Duration: 51:00

Pranav Piyush is the CEO of Paramark , where he's devoting the next 15 years of his life to solving Marketing Measurement.

In our conversation, he shares his journey from engineering to marketing at companies like Adobe, Dropbox, and Reforge emphasizing the importance of measurement and experimentation in marketing.

He also discusses the challenges faced by CMOs, the need for a culture of experimentation, and the significance of strategy in marketing efforts.

Takeaways

  • Marketing measurement is dysfunctional and he saw a glaring gap when he was a Marketing leader
  • CMOs face short tenures because of unrealistic expectations from the C-suite but also self inflicted
  • A culture of experimentation is crucial for marketing success.
  • Failure in experiments is common and should be embraced as a learning opportunity.
  • Creative strategy is as important as tactical execution in marketing.
  • The future of marketing lies in continuous adaptation and innovation.

In this episode, we cover:

00:00 Introduction to Pranav Piyush and Paramark

01:41 Pranav's Journey into Marketing

05:29 The Challenges of Marketing Measurement

08:07 Bridging the Gap: Art and Science in Marketing

11:44 Understanding CMO Challenges

16:09 Building a Culture of Experimentation

21:42 Strategy vs. Execution in Creative Marketing

25:06 The Importance of Roadmaps in Marketing

27:16 Innovative Experiences at Dropbox

29:46 Lessons from Failed Experiments

33:37 Finding Product-Market Fit

37:34 Building Relationships with Major Clients

42:09 Choosing the Right Marketing Vendor

47:14 Understanding Marketing Metrics

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If you’ve ever felt that most marketing advice skims the surface without showing you the actual numbers, ExperiMENTAL Marketing | Playbooks to measure and scale Marketing ROI might be what you’ve been looking for. Hosted by Sundar Swaminathan, who led Brand Data Science at Uber and writes the ExperiMENTAL newsletter, this podcast digs into the specific frameworks and calculations that turn marketing from a cost center into a measurable growth engine. Instead of vague theories, each conversation delivers concrete ROI breakdowns and scalable strategies drawn directly from the experiences of leaders at companies like Uber, Google, and Faire. The focus here is on the practical mechanics-how to set up tests, interpret data, and allocate budget for maximum impact. It’s designed for B2C marketers, founders, and analysts who are done with guesswork and want to build strategies grounded in real-world evidence. Tuning in, you’ll hear candid discussions about what actually moved the needle, what failed, and the playbooks that can be adapted to your own challenges. This isn’t about inspirational stories; it’s a hands-on resource for anyone ready to make data-informed decisions that scale.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 17

ExperiMENTAL Marketing | Playbooks to measure and scale Marketing ROI
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Duration: 0:41
Welcome to ExperiMENTAL, the podcast for B2C marketers, founders, and analysts who are done with surface-level advice and ready to make smarter, data-informed decisions.Hosted by Sundar Swaminathan, former Head of Brand…