Advertising Week New York 2026

From Zero Bond to a billboard above Times Square.

The CMO Whisperer has always been bigger than a podcast. It's a platform built on three pillars: Media, Society and Advisory. Advertising Week New York 2026 brought all three to life over two days in Manhattan.

Steve Olenski on the TruNorth billboard at One Times Square, Advertising Week New York, October 2026.

Conquering All Limits with CMOs

An exclusive executive conversation at Zero Bond, bringing together leaders from sports, marketing, technology and business. Steve Olenski co-hosted with Jeanniey Walden, Chief Marketing Officer of Fluent and the newest member of the CMO Whisperer Advisory Board, alongside an extraordinary panel:

• Rob "Gronk" Gronkowski, four-time Super Bowl champion, former NFL tight end and entrepreneur
• Maria del Rio, marketing leader at DNA Vibe, a wearable light-therapy technology company
• Cody Coleman, Co-Founder and CEO of Coactive AI, a visual content intelligence company

The conversation explored leadership, resilience, innovation and what it takes to push beyond perceived limits, whether you're competing on the football field, building a company or leading an organization.

Steve Olenski, Cody Coleman, Maria del Rio, Jeanniey Walden and Rob Gronkowski at Zero Bond.

The Culture Collision

Working with TruNorth on its Advertising Week executive programming at One Times Square, in partnership with MediaRadar, Steve moderated "The Culture Collision: Where Sports, Creative, and Meaningful Moments Converge," exploring how brands build stronger connections through sports, entertainment, creativity and culture.

The CMO Whisperer VIP Reception

That evening, an invitation-only reception at The TwentyTwo brought together senior marketing executives, business leaders, partners and friends. This is the Society pillar in action: the right people, meaningful conversations, relationships that lead to opportunities.

Given the private nature of the gathering, there are no photos or video. That discretion is part of the trusted environment we're committed to creating.

At ADWEEK House

Advisory Board member Jeanniey Walden, CMO of Fluent, joined an ADWEEK House panel with Rob Gronkowski; David Young, Vice President, Retail Media at DICK'S Sporting Goods; Perry Kamel, Founder and CEO of DNA Vibe; and Lois Cook, CEO of FootballHer and professional football player in the Women's Football Alliance. Moderated by ADWEEK's Bill Bradley, the discussion explored purpose, authenticity, trust and building brands customers believe in.

Read ADWEEK's coverage: Building a Brand Customers Believe In →

Our Advertising Week underwriters

None of this happens without people who believe in what we're building. Our thanks to:

What's next

The CMO Whisperer Podcast was recently recognized by Listen Notes as among the top 10% of podcasts globally. Next up: more private dinners, roundtables and executive gatherings, and activations at the industry's biggest moments, including CES and Cannes Lions.