Qualifications
Inaugural CMO for Take 5 at Driven Brands; former CMO of Pearle Vision at EssilorLuxottica
TEDx speaker and bestselling author of 'Moving Your Brand Out of the Friend Zone'
Adweek Marketing Vanguard honoree with brand leadership at Victoria's Secret PINK and Avon
Education
American University - Kogod School of Business
Expertise
Brand strategy
Consumer marketing
Customer experience
Omnichannel marketing
Franchise marketing
Commercial growth
Doug Zarkin is a consumer marketing and brand strategy leader, TEDx speaker, and bestselling author of "Moving Your Brand Out of the Friend Zone." He most recently served as inaugural Chief Marketing Officer for Take 5 at Driven Brands, a $1.4B automotive services franchise, after more than a decade transforming Pearle Vision into the #1 optical retail brand for doctor quality at EssilorLuxottica. Across his career he has led brand strategy, customer experience, and commercial growth for consumer brands including Victoria's Secret PINK, Avon's mark, and The Good Feet Store. He is an Adweek Marketing Vanguard honoree focused on building brands people choose.
Experience
Chief Marketing Officer - Take 5 at Driven Brands Inc.
Jun 2025 — Present · 1 yr 1 mo
Chief Brand Officer at Modern Performance + Recovery Brands
Jan 2023 to Jan 2025 · 2 yrs
Chief Marketing Officer Pearle Vision at EssilorLuxottica
Jan 2012 to Jan 2023 · 11 yrs
Group Vice President of Marketing at Kellwood Company
Jan 2010 to Jan 2012 · 2 yrs
Vice President of Marketing at Warnaco
Jan 2008 to Dec 2009 · 1 yr 11 mos
Entertainment, Retail Marketing & Brand Development Consultant at Gerson Lehrman Group
Jan 2006 to Jan 2008 · 2 yrs
Recent articles and events
Qualifications
Inaugural CMO for Take 5 at Driven Brands; former CMO of Pearle Vision at EssilorLuxottica
TEDx speaker and bestselling author of 'Moving Your Brand Out of the Friend Zone'
Adweek Marketing Vanguard honoree with brand leadership at Victoria's Secret PINK and Avon
Education
American University - Kogod School of Business
Expertise
Brand strategy
Consumer marketing
Customer experience
Omnichannel marketing
Franchise marketing
Commercial growth
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