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In a category where the product has always been king, Charlotte Blank is flipping the script by making luxury feel more human.
As U.S. CMO of Jaguar Land Rover North America, she’s helping transform iconic brands like Range Rover and Defender into cultural players through purpose-driven campaigns, experience-first marketing, and science-backed consumer insights.
In this episode of The Speed of Culture, Matt Britton sits down with Charlotte to discuss how her background in behavioral psychology is shaping the future of automotive branding, and why “leading like a scientist” may be the key to breaking through in an increasingly AI-driven world.
Before joining JLR, Charlotte served as chief behavioral officer at Maritz, where she applied psychological insights to consumer and stakeholder behavior. With a foundation in neuroscience and a career that bridges science and storytelling, Charlotte brings a deeply human, data-informed approach to marketing in a category defined by emotion, aspiration, and constant evolution.
Key takeaways:
[01:43] The New Luxury Is Seamless—Not Showy — Luxury used to be about exclusivity. Now it’s also about ease. Charlotte shares how today’s luxury buyers want an omnichannel experience where digital and physical blend effortlessly—from mobile configuration to in-person hospitality that feels more like checking into a five-star resort than visiting a dealership. The challenge? Make every touchpoint feel elevated, whether it happens on a screen or behind the wheel.
[05:10] Culture Is the Quiet Engine Behind Range Rover’s Rise — Range Rover didn’t need a splashy campaign to become a status symbol—it became one because it showed up in all the right cultural spaces. Charlotte reveals how the brand’s slow-build, “if you know, you know” strategy led to it becoming one of the company’s top performers in the U.S. Now, the goal is scaling that success while maintaining the mystique. It’s a delicate dance between growth and exclusivity, and it starts with being deeply embedded in culture—not just category.
[12:55] Defender’s Purpose-Driven Playbook Hits Different — Defender isn’t just a rugged off-roader—it’s a brand rooted in real purpose. Charlotte shares how the Defender Service Awards flipped the script on automotive marketing by spotlighting nonprofits doing boots-on-the-ground work, then giving them the literal keys to drive it further. It’s content, cause, and community-building all rolled into one—and a brand activation that actually makes people cry. In a world of polished campaigns, this one keeps it real.
[16:14] Content That Scales, TV That Converts — TV isn’t dead—it just got smarter. Charlotte breaks down how Jaguar Land Rover uses connected TV and organic search data to bridge brand storytelling and performance marketing. It’s no longer about chasing impressions—it’s about earning intent. When a campaign drives people to their search bars, JLR knows it’s working.
[20:31] Lead Like a Scientist—Not Just a Storyteller — Charlotte’s background in neuroscience and behavioral economics gives her a unique edge in marketing: she treats campaigns like experiments. It’s not enough to “try things”—you need control groups, hypotheses, and real measures of causality. From running personality-driven segmentation studies to decoding purchase intent beyond demographics, Charlotte shows how science doesn’t stifle creativity—it supercharges it. In a world flooded with data, it’s the why behind the behavior that sets brands apart.
