Podcasts

Luxe Redux: Jaguar Land Rover’s Charlotte Blank on reimagining iconic automotive brands

May 20, 2025
May 22, 2025
 • 
 min read

"I describe myself as a marketer by way of psychology… It's that passion and curiosity for consumer behavior that drives us to this industry." - Charlotte Blank

In a category where the product has always been king, Charlotte Blank is flipping the script by making luxury feel more human. As US CMO of Jaguar Land Rover North America, she’s helping transform iconic brands like Range Rover and Defender into cultural players through purpose-driven campaigns, experience-first marketing, and science-backed consumer insights. In this conversation, she shares how her background in behavioral psychology is shaping the future of automotive branding, and why “leading like a scientist” may be the key to breaking through in an increasingly AI-driven world.

Charlotte Blank is the US Chief Marketing Officer of Jaguar Land Rover North America, where she oversees brand, experience, and communications strategies for some of the most iconic names in automotive. Before joining JLR, Charlotte served as Chief Behavioral Officer at Maritz, where she applied psychological insights to consumer and stakeholder behavior. With a foundation in neuroscience and a career that bridges science and storytelling, Charlotte brings a deeply human, data-informed approach to marketing in a category defined by emotion, aspiration, and constant evolution.

Tune into the latest episode or read the transcript below to learn more. Here are some top takeaways:

The New Luxury Is Seamless—Not Showy

Luxury used to be about exclusivity. Now it’s also about ease. Charlotte shares how today’s luxury buyers want an omnichannel experience where digital and physical blend effortlessly—from mobile configuration to in-person hospitality that feels more like checking into a five-star resort than visiting a dealership. The challenge? Make every touchpoint feel elevated, whether it happens on a screen or behind the wheel.

Culture Is the Quiet Engine Behind Range Rover’s Rise

Range Rover didn’t need a splashy campaign to become a status symbol—it became one because it showed up in all the right cultural spaces. Charlotte reveals how the brand’s slow-build, “if you know, you know” strategy led to it becoming one of the company’s top performers in the U.S. Now, the goal is scaling that success while maintaining the mystique. It’s a delicate dance between growth and exclusivity, and it starts with being deeply embedded in culture—not just category.

Defender’s Purpose-Driven Playbook Hits Different

Defender isn’t just a rugged off-roader—it’s a brand rooted in real purpose. Charlotte shares how the Defender Service Awards flipped the script on automotive marketing by spotlighting nonprofits doing boots-on-the-ground work, then giving them the literal keys to drive it further. It’s content, cause, and community-building all rolled into one—and a brand activation that actually makes people cry. In a world of polished campaigns, this one keeps it real.

Content That Scales, TV That Converts

TV isn’t dead—it just got smarter. Charlotte breaks down how Jaguar Land Rover uses connected TV and organic search data to bridge brand storytelling and performance marketing. It’s no longer about chasing impressions—it’s about earning intent. When a campaign drives people to their search bars, JLR knows it’s working.

Lead Like a Scientist—Not Just a Storyteller

Charlotte’s background in neuroscience and behavioral economics gives her a unique edge in marketing: she treats campaigns like experiments. It’s not enough to “try things”—you need control groups, hypotheses, and real measures of causality. From running personality-driven segmentation studies to decoding purchase intent beyond demographics, Charlotte shows how science doesn’t stifle creativity—it supercharges it. In a world flooded with data, it’s the why behind the behavior that sets brands apart.

Listen to Charlotte Blank on The Speed of Culture for a masterclass on how to build iconic brands by combining creativity, consumer psychology, and culture-first thinking.

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