In this episode, Andrew and I discuss Turo’s mission, how marketing helps them achieve it, and how he views today’s CMO role. Andrew outlines the challenges Turo faced early on, how they got around them, and how a shift to focusing on improving the host experience has been one of their most effective marketing assets. We go into the details of Turo’s most recent “Open Doors” brand campaign and how they are riding the web3 craze by subverting it and encouraging new experiences in reality. As a CMO, Andrew feels his role is more than just advertising and performance marketing. It’s about solving a problem for the customers. His approach is rooted in holistic thinking and understanding how you provide value to the world.

Andrew Mok never thought he would be in marketing because he was more left-brained, but in 2012, when analytics became a large part of marketing, he found his path. When Andrew joined Turo in 2012, 54,000 users were being served in just two cities. In 2017, at age 29, Andrew was promoted to CMO and has advanced the company to over 10,000 cities serving 7 million users. Today, Turo is the largest global peer-to-peer car-sharing marketplace, and their revenue has grown over 250X since he joined. As an Asian American, Andrew always felt different growing up but sees now that differences are to be celebrated. That is the approach he takes to marketing by showcasing Turo’s unique value propositions and living out their brand values of being expressive and grounded. It’s all about celebrating uniqueness and seeing the person first.

 In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • The unique challenges Turo faced early on and how they overcame them.
  • How embracing uniqueness is a personal value for Andrew and how that shows up in his approach to marketing.
  • Why a holistic view of marketing yields better results than a siloed one.

 Key Highlights

  • [01:30] How Turo is making a weird thing normal
  • [04:55] What is Turo?
  • [07:20] From computer science to CMO
  • [09:50] The role of CMO from a younger leader’s perspective
  • [10:50] Make sure you don’t have a leaky bucket
  • [14:15] The Open Doors brand campaign
  • [17:40] The role of Unreal Engine in Turo’s new campaign
  • [19:00] Turo’s global expansion and aspirations
  • [21:50] Challenges and benefits of international ride sharing
  • [22:40] Developing a passion for leadership in the AAPI community
  • [26:45] How growing up Asian American shaped his approach to marketing
  • [28:30] Enjoy the current moment and reflect on past successes
  • [29:45] Simplification makes you a better storyteller
  • [30:50] The importance of accessible reproductive care
  • [34:40] Get out of the corporate echo chamber

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Alan B. Hart is the creator and host of “Marketing Today with Alan Hart,” a weekly podcast where he interviews leading global marketing professionals and business leaders. Alan advises leading executives and marketing teams on brand, customer experience, innovation, and growth opportunities. He has consulted with Fortune 100 companies but is an entrepreneur at his core, having founded or served as an executive for nine companies.