Ross Martin

Emmy and Peabody award-winning marketing leader Ross Martin is President & CXO at Known, a modern marketing company whose clients include Google, Microsoft, Unilever, The NFL, Disney, Citi, Universal Music Group, AT&T, Rockefeller Center and more. He co-hosts the top 5 weekly national podcast “"Think About This,” on the Westwood One Podcast Network, covering business, culture and technology, featured on Apple Music, Google Podcasts and Spotify. Prior to Known, Ross was founder and CEO of Blackbird, a brand strategy and business innovation firm. Blackbird was acquired by Schireson Associates in 2019, forming the basis of the company now known as Known. He is the former head of marketing for Viacom, where he oversaw global and domestic marketing, consumer intelligence, data science, creative innovation, internal agency and business development teams, and served as Chairman of the Viacom Marketing Council. Previously, Ross founded and ran Scratch, Viacom’s creative strategy and consulting division; was the first Head of Programming for MTV's college network; and served as Senior Vice President of Production for MTV 360. Prior to Viacom, he was a development executive for Spike Lee's 40 Acres and A Mule Filmworks. Ross is a member of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, the National Board of Directors of the American Advertising Federation, and the Yale University Center for Customer Insights. He is Chairman of the Digital & Innovation Council for St. Jude Children’s Hospital, and Chairman of the Technology & Innovation Council for the Guggenheim Museum. Recent distinctions include Fast Company's “100 Most Creative People in Business,” an Advertising Age “Media Maven” distinction, Fortune Magazine’s "40 Under 40" top business leaders and Adweek’s “50 Most Indispensable Executives in Advertising.” In 2014, he was inducted into the Advertising Hall of Achievement.