27: Ford's data decisioning for dealers and drivers: Insights from Ford Motor Company Head of Marketing Technology and Dealer Platforms, Mark Sucrese

27: Ford's data decisioning for dealers and drivers: Insights from Ford Motor Company Head of Marketing Technology and Dealer Platforms, Mark Sucrese

Author: Alan B. Hart November 21, 2025 Duration: 21:50

Ford is using advanced data and analytics to make smarter, more personalized decisions that connect and benefit both its dealers and drivers. Mark Sucrese, head of marketing technology and dealer platforms at Ford Motor Company, shares why he believes effective marketing leadership in the automotive industry depends on combining customer insight, adaptable technology and responsible innovation. 

Mark discusses how his team enhances both dealer and customer experiences by leveraging technology to strengthen brand connections throughout the customer life cycle. He explains the need to strategically manage customer data in a B2B2C environment and describes Ford's focus on achieving small, high-impact wins—particularly through hyperpersonalized experiences enabled by advances in AI.  

The conversation underscores the importance of balancing the art and science of marketing, embracing experimentation, and integrating decisioning models with robust data and flexible technology. Adopting a thoughtful, measured approach to AI and new technologies is becoming essential for responsible, future-ready marketing leadership. 

 

In this episode, you'll learn: 

How Ford uses smart decisioning to transform diverse data into highly personalized customer experiences 

Why embracing experimentation and learning quickly from failure can accelerate growth and innovation 

Which technology trends Mark believes could reshape the automotive industry's future 

 

Key highlights: 

[00:00] Introduction  

[00:55] Celebrities: They're just like us 

[02:45] Mark's path to Ford 

[05:05] The scope of his dual role 

[06:10] Managing data in the B2B2C model 

[07:20] Personalization and the data needed to power it  

[08:55] Leadership lessons 

[10:15] Perspectives on decisioning 

[12:25] A measured approach to AI integrations 

[14:30] The future of technology for the automotive industry 

[16:05] An experience that defines you: A hard career truth   

[17:10] Advice to your younger self: Embrace a "fast fail" mindset 

[18:00] A topic marketers need to learn more about: Take a tech approach    

[18:55] Subcultures and trends to follow: Overlanding 

[19:50] Largest opportunity and threat to marketers today: AI adoption and resistance  

 

Resources mentioned:   

 

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Hosted by Alan B. Hart, Marketing Beyond moves past the buzzwords and surface-level tactics to explore the real strategic decisions shaping modern business. Each episode features a candid, in-depth conversation with a chief marketing officer or a founder who has fundamentally changed how a brand connects with its audience. These aren't just success stories; Alan guides his guests into discussing the pivotal failures, the unexpected pivots, and the nuanced challenges that rarely make the keynote stage. You'll hear firsthand how leaders navigate the convergence of creativity, data, and technology in a rapidly shifting landscape. This podcast provides a rare, unfiltered look at the thinking behind major campaigns and business transformations, offering practical wisdom rather than just theory. For anyone curious about the human judgment and long-term vision required to build lasting brands, these discussions cut straight to the core. Listening feels like being a fly on the wall for a masterclass in strategic marketing, where the focus is always on what comes next.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 41

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