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Smashburger may not be a household name, but the chain’s executives are hoping that will one day change. Founded in 2007, the burger chain is expanding at an impressive clip. With 197 stores at the end of 2012, its estimated systemwide sales were $174 million, including $3 million from new international locations, according to Technomic, up from $120 million and 140 stores the prior year.

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For the past year, country singer Jana Kramer has sung the catchy “Nationwide is on your side” jingle. Wednesday night, during the CMT Music Awards, she’ll receive a promotion of sorts when she takes center stage in the brand’s new commercial.

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General Motors’ Cadillac boasts stylish new cars such as the 2014 CTS sedan, double-digit sales growth and the heritage of being the quintessential American luxury brand. But what it lacks is knowing how to strike the right tone in communications, and how to change consumer perceptions of the brand, said Craig Bierley, who was promoted to advertising director in February.

Mr. Bierley, a 22-year GM veteran who earlier in his career oversaw advertising for GM's Buick-GMC division, was one of the key decision-makers in the review for Cadillac’s $250 million creative business in the U.S. and Canada. The auto brand has had a lot of agency changes over the past few years, shuttling from Boston-based Modernista to BBH, New York to where it's currently parked at Fallon in Minneapolis.

This pitch pits the incumbent shop against Omnicom Group's DDB in Chicago, and teams from Interpublic Group of Cos. and Publicis Groupe. The latter two holding companies that are permitted to present a team approach already have significant spots on GM's roster, handling a variety of assignments for different car brands. The quartet of contenders completed a final round of presentations earlier this month at the Manhattan offices of Carat, Cadillac’s media agency of record. A winner will be announced sometime in June. It was not a required part of the brief from the carmaker to agencies, but they were allowed to pitch global ad campaigns.

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Verizon Wireless' CMO Tami Erwin, left, Gap's Global CMO Seth Farbman and Southwest's Senior VP-Business Development Dave Ridley at Erwin Penland's Food for Thought Conference.

Marketers need to work hard to stay close to their consumers and employees. Just ask Verizon Wireless' CMO Tami Erwin, Gap's Global CMO Seth Farbman and Southwest's Senior VP-Business Development Dave Ridley. The trio spoke at Erwin Penland's recent Food for Thought Conference.

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The concept behind Kidzania -- essentially a theme park that's about work -- is growing like a weed abroad, with 12 existing locations and openings scheduled this year in Kuwait City, Cairo, Sao Paulo, Mumbai and Istanbul. The first U.S. location is due in 2015 in a city to be determined, and it's up to Cammie Dunaway, U.S. president and global CMO, to explain the concept to American children and their parents.

Started in Mexico in 1999, Kidzania exposes children to the working world and money management by letting them earn a virtual currency. Kids apply themselves in various career paths, all courtesy of brand sponsors. They can perform surgeries in a Johnson & Johnson hospital in Portugal and work in a Coca-Cola bottling plant in Dubai. Their earnings could go toward renting a car in an Avis rental office, or kids could do the prudent thing and deposit their hard-earned cash in a bank to earn interest.

The brand accomplishes an unusual trifecta of appealing to children, their parents and global marketers who are already looking for ways to talk to the next generation of consumers. Ms. Dunaway -- a speaker at Ad Age's CMO Strategy Summit in San Francisco next month -- gave some insight into the strategy behind where to set up shop and how to promote such an unusual brand.

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David Ortiz' statement to the world after the terrorism bombings in Boston -- "this is our fucking city" -- is emblematic of Red Sox fans' personalities. They're passionate, sometimes a little salty and extremely loyal. In fact, the Red Sox' home game sellout streak that ended last month had stretched for 820 home games over 10 years, the longest such run in professional sports.

Executives predicted the sellouts would end this season, even though some Boston media outlets argued it ended last season citing summer evenings with empty Fenway seats. Still, the end of the streak was also something of a relief to management.

"It's been a pretty amazing decade," said Sam Kennedy, the chief operating officer of the Boston Red Sox and president of Fenway Sports Management. "It's a very fragile thing to have a streak like that. And it's easier when you're winning an average of 92, 93 games a season. Last year we had a disastrous season only winning 69 games, plus a lot of drama off the field and injuries. ...At the end of the day, we're dealing with human capital."

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Even before Spoetzl Brewery introduced its Shiner brand to the New York and Philadelphia markets, word had gotten out via social media. Fans of the Texan brand -- whether they were actual Texans, barbecue aficiandoes or South by Southwest alumni -- had been tipped off and were quick to spread the word.

Which is no accident. Gambrinus Co., which owns Spoetzl, and longtime agency, Austin-based McGarrah Jessee, have spent years building up that fan base, often on a limited budget. Despite moving into its 42nd state, Shiner has eschewed TV advertising. Last year, Spoetzl spent less than $1 million on measured media, according to Kantar Media, which included magazine, outdoor and display advertising.

While not completely ruling out TV, head of marketing Charlie Paulette noted that it wouldn't be a very good stylistic fit for a craft-brew brand famous for its heritage of outlaw music -- especially when craft-brew fans can be quick to let you know when you're "selling out." A better fit? Ambushing Heineken's official sponsorship of the Austin City Limits Music Festival a few years back. And social media, of course, which has allowed the brand to get much more mileage out of its own brand of marketing, though Mr. Paulette acknowledged that passionate social-media fans can sometimes turn on you.

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Back in 2006, Ad Age published a sobering statistic: The average tenure of chief marketing officers was a troublingly short 23 months. The latest figure, released last week from executive-search firm Spencer Stuart, shows a radically different picture -- CMOs are sticking around an average of 45 months. So what's behind nearly a doubling of CMO tenure during a time frame in which the job has only gotten tougher due to recession, a still-shaky economy and upheaval in adland as digital, social and data management reshape the marketing landscape?

The answers: a recession, a still-shaky economy and upheaval. The increased complexity of the job has made CMOs more fulfilled, challenged and respected, resulting in a big shift in how long they stick around.

"The reality of the economic downturn, which has been somewhat on-again, off-again, has led to CEOs understanding the power of brands, strong brands," said Alison Lewis, who has been senior VP-Coca-Cola North America marketing since mid-2011. "Building strong brands requires more continuity."

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A number of high-profile marketers started on the agency side of the business. Here, they talk about why they made the move and what they've learned along the way.

DANA ANDERSON

Senior VP-marketing strategy and communications, Mondelez International

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At Procter & Gamble Co. nearly a decade ago, Kyle Schlegel was trying to refresh Old Spice, a brand popular among dads and grandfathers but losing relevance to young men. Now, as VP-marketing at Hillerich & Bradsby, he's got nearly the same challenge with Louisville Slugger.

So Mr. Schlegel has spent the past year reapplying some lessons from his old gig to his new one, culminating with the official debut of Louisville Slugger's new logo and marketing effort during opening night for Major League Baseball on ESPN on March 31, along with a social-media effort including the #LeaveYourMark hashtag.

Compared with Old Spice, Louisville Slugger is a stronger brand in a smaller business. It commands a 60% to 70% share of the U.S. wood-bat market, which has more than $25 million in annual sales. And its bats are used by 55% of MLB players, Mr. Schlegel said -- certainly a good position, but south of its share in the general market.

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