Communications Counsel in Action: Navigating Growth, Partnerships & AI Complexity
Stepping into an interim CMO or Chief Communications Officer (CCO) role means adapting on the fly. But stepping into a global, rapidly evolving company—with an expanding product line, a marketing team in transition, and a complex AI platform that required technical specificity to gain credibility while still being accessible to broader audiences—meant navigating challenges at every level.
As a strategic communications advisor, I was initially brought in to focus on messaging, PR, and high-level business strategy, but my role quickly expanded to Interim CMO, overseeing the entire marketing function. This meant working across time zones and continents, balancing a slowly developing but strategically important partnership that opened new customer channels alongside a fast-moving alliance with a major tech leader. Meanwhile, the company was operating in a rapidly developing category with increasing competitive pressures, requiring a clear, differentiated market position.
Then came NRF—Retail’s Big Show. With a major presence at the event, multiple product announcements, two strategic partnerships, and a full website launch all happening at once, we had to ensure every message landed with impact.
The Challenges We Tackled
Clarifying a Complex AI Platform: Developed and refined corporate messaging to clearly articulate platform leadership in vision AI
Executive Visibility & Thought Leadership: Guided executives on positioning, ensuring consistent and compelling messaging across all channels. Placed CEO profiles and Q&As in high-profile media to elevate market visibility.
Balancing Partnerships at Different Speeds: Managed both a carefully developing enterprise partnership that expanded customer channels and a fast-moving alliance with a leading tech company—each requiring a different communication strategy.
Scaling Communications to Match Business Growth: Expanded from messaging and PR to leading full-scale marketing efforts, ensuring that the company’s voice kept pace with its evolving strategy.
Executing a High-Stakes, Multi-Channel Launch: Orchestrated NRF announcements, product and partnership rollouts, and a full website refresh—simultaneously—while maintaining a unified narrative.
The Result: Industry Credibility and AI Leadership
A sharper corporate identity, stronger industry credibility, and a messaging framework that positioned the company as a leader in a highly competitive AI space. Media placements amplified executive visibility, key partnerships gained traction, and the company's presence at NRF delivered a clear, unified message to the market.
This work helped define the company's strategic direction in real-time—ensuring that as the business evolved, its positioning kept pace and reinforced its leadership.
Lorraine Hamby serves as an interim Chief Communications Officer, guiding companies through growth, change, and transformation. She provides strategic counsel and marketing leadership to tech organizations, enabling teams to navigate complex challenges and communicate with clarity.
