The CMO Podcast

Guest: Kellen Smith Kenny (AT&T) – “Reinventing and Redefining Trust in Telecom”

Date: December 17, 2025
Host: Jim Stengel

Episode Overview

In this episode, Jim Stengel hosts Kellen Smith Kenny, Chief Marketing and Growth Officer at AT&T, for a candid, insightful conversation on redefining trust in the telecom industry. Kellen, who has led AT&T through a significant transformation since 2020, shares how she and her team ushered in an “accountability era,” grounding differentiation, customer-centricity, and purpose at the heart of one of America’s most iconic and competitive brands. From leveraging AT&T’s rich legacy to the implementation of the AT&T Guarantee and a pragmatic adoption of AI, Kellen unpacks her leadership philosophy, career journey, and the strategies that have helped AT&T break through in a saturated market.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Kellen’s Early Influences and Family Legacy

• Connection to AT&T: Kellen’s earliest brand memory was an iconic AT&T holiday commercial that sparked her inspiration to enter the telecom industry.

  “As a little kid...AT&T had this commercial...the grandfather is reading ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas’...I genuinely think if it wasn’t for that commercial, I would not be in this job.” (03:12, 54:52)

• Family and Athletic Roots: Discusses her upbringing in an athletic family—father was a Major League Baseball pitcher, mother was a hospital administrator—and her own career as a competitive skier.

  “[My dad] always said, no one will ever outwork me. I am going to practice and practice and practice so that I can be the very best...” (08:40)
  “She [mom] is a force...her passion for excellence in everything she does...and her focus on patient outcomes—that was her whole career.” (56:44)

The Accountability Era at AT&T (11:34, 13:43)

• On joining AT&T, Kellen identified a need for brand reinvigoration and emotional relevance.
• The “accountability era” focuses on delivering reliable connectivity, enhancing customer trust, and instilling a culture of responsibility throughout the company at every touchpoint.
• Brand Pillars Clarified: Purpose, value proposition, and bold moves—all clarified for tighter alignment (14:28).

Quote

“…when I arrived, it truly felt like a privilege...Our founder story is truly incredible...But in the spirit of accountability, we have to make sure that we are delivering for our customers and for our employees...It's accountability for everything.” (11:51)

Building Purpose and Differentiation (14:28–21:02)

• Clarifying Purpose: AT&T sharpened focus as a connectivity company rather than an entertainment brand.
• Key Attributes: Expertise, simplicity, and inspiration became the three pillars to communicate both internally and externally.
• Organization-Wide Buy-In: Kellen describes launching the new purpose with employees first, then customers, emphasizing change management and deep organizational engagement.

Quote

“We said, we're here to connect people to greater possibility...We’re going to do it with expertise...by trying to simplify all of the complexity…and we're going to try and do it in a way that's truly inspiring.” (16:46)

Elevating Marketing’s Role & Team Culture (21:02–28:45)

• Kellen reframed the CMO role to be about enterprise-wide impact, drawing from business and operational goals—not just ad campaigns.
• Collaboration and inclusivity were emphasized through workshops and cross-functional leadership buy-in.
• “Everything customer-facing polishes or tarnishes the brand.”

Quotes

“If I didn't make this about everyone and I didn't enlist the masses, we wouldn't be successful.” (21:02)
“Every single thing that every single one of us does...is either going to polish or tarnish this brand. That was when I knew it was working.” (23:18)

AI and Organizational Evolution (29:15–34:58)

• AT&T’s early adoption of AI, rooted in company heritage via Bell Labs, is now a cornerstone of customer experience.
• AI used for predictive analytics (storm impacts, network optimization), proactive customer care, and marketing personalization.
• Change management for new tech adoption requires dedicated leadership, training, and even gamification to bring everyone along.

Quotes

“AT&T was really at the forefront of artificial intelligence. Back in 1955, one of AT&T’s R&D researchers...coined the phrase.” (29:15)
“We have an individual on our team who is...incredible at change management...he runs contests, he has opportunities for them to get involved and win prizes.” (33:20)

Differentiation & the AT&T Guarantee (36:43–43:18)

• Survival in telecom depends on clear, customer-meaningful differentiation.
• Kellen led the creation and launch of the AT&T Guarantee, which covers network reliability, fairness of deals (same deals for new & existing customers), and proactive service.
• Massive investments ($145B in network, $1B in customer service) underscore this commitment.
• Proactivity is key: the company credits customers even for small service interruptions—setting a new competitive standard.

Quotes

“We remain not just the first, but now the only connectivity provider that says we will guarantee the network, the deals and the service. And if we ever let you down, we're going to make it right, and we're going to make it right proactively.” (39:23)
“We wanted people to think about the AT&T guarantee the way they think about Nordstrom’s return policy or Patagonia’s handling of equipment.” (39:23)

Pragmatism, Results & Culture (42:12, 43:52)

• AT&T’s NPS, satisfaction, and customer retention are up substantially since launching these initiatives; meaningful business impact is validated by stock price performance (+71% over five years).
• Unique approach uses equal parts “head and heart,” balancing data/analytics with creativity and empathy.

Quotes

“If you look at how our stock has done in the past five years, we're up 71%. And even in the first eight months of launching the guarantee, it was up 32%. It's working.” (43:18)
“We talk about: are you a thermometer or are you a thermostat? Can you help regulate the room, bring balance between the analytical and the emotional?” (45:14)

Path to Board Directorship (46:09)

• Kellen shares her route to joining the board of Invitation Homes, underlining the value of alignment, self-awareness of where she can contribute, and learning from peers.

Quote

“I wanted to make sure that if I joined a board that I could truly be additive, that I could contribute in a way and bring a unique perspective that they would value, but also that I would be in a position to learn a tremendous amount.” (46:41)

Reflections, Mentors, and Personal Growth (49:44–60:54)

• Talks about career missteps and the lesson of shifting from lone contributor to leading and empowering teams.
• Heartfelt family inspiration: her mother’s resilience and compassion as a hospital administrator and nurse.

Quotes

“I thought that looking good meant that I had to do it by myself. And that has been one of the most galvanizing learning lessons throughout my whole career. Now my entire MO is: how do we harness the collective expertise of everyone?” (50:03)

“Her [mom’s] passion for her people, her work ethic was just second to none...I have inherited that from my mom.” (56:44)

Holiday Reflections & Closing Thoughts (59:11–60:35)

• Kellen’s Christmas wish: blend gratitude with generosity, urging listeners to give back and reject apathy.
• A call for leaders to remain coachable, balance head/heart, and focus on customer-driven differentiation.

Quotes

“Really: reject apathy, reject complacency, find a charitable organization that you want to donate your time to or donate your money to...” (59:11)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• On Accountability at AT&T:
  “It's accountability for how people perceive our brand. It's for customer satisfaction, it's for nps, it's for brand love, it's for the stock price.” (13:51)
• On Change Management:
  “If we weren't living it before we launched it, that would be a failure.” (17:04)
• On Proactive Service:
  “Even if you experience a 20 minute interruption, we know that that could impact your whole day. And so we're going to credit you for a full day of service.” (41:23)
• On Leadership Philosophy:
  “Are you a thermometer or are you a thermostat?...Can you walk into a room...and bring them out of that and share a customer insight that really evokes critical thinking...” (45:14)
• On Lessons Learned:
  “I really had missed the point. I thought that looking good meant that I had to do it by myself.” (50:03)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Kellen’s Brand Memory & AT&T Commercial: 03:12, 54:52
• Accountability Era & Brand Reinvention: 11:34, 13:43
• Taking Marketing Beyond Advertising: 21:02–24:58
• AI at AT&T: 29:15–34:58
• The AT&T Guarantee & Differentiation: 36:43–43:18
• Leadership Style – Head & Heart: 43:52–46:09
• Joining a Public Board: 46:09–48:45
• Career Missteps & Team Learning: 49:44–53:31
• Family and Mentors: 56:44–58:44
• Holiday Wish & Gratitude: 59:11–60:35

Episode Tone

Inspirational, candid, and pragmatic—Kellen blends business rigor with authentic empathy and aspirational vision. The episode offers encouragement to fellow leaders to think enterprise-wide, embrace transformation, and build emotional as well as functional brand value.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This conversation goes well beyond surface-level marketing tactics. It’s an in-depth exploration of modern marketing leadership, organizational change, the role of trust in brand-building, and the real impact (and challenge) of leading transformation in a legacy industry. Whether you’re interested in practical lessons or leadership inspiration, Kellen’s insights are rich with actionable takeaways—with a refreshing focus on both competence and compassion.