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Todd Kaplan

Chief Marketing Officer at Kraft Heinz

Revitalizing legacy consumer brands like Pepsi through culturally driven, music-forward campaigns while modernizing media strategy with digital-first, data-informed advertising approaches.

OperatorChicago, Illinois, United States18+ years in industry

Last updated Jun 11, 2026 by ATDb automated enrichment

Bio

Todd Kaplan is a senior marketing executive best known for his work revitalizing iconic consumer brands through culturally resonant campaigns that blend entertainment, music, and data-driven media strategy. At Kraft Heinz, he serves as CMO overseeing marketing transformation across a portfolio of legacy brands, bringing a modern, consumer-centric approach to brand building that emphasizes digital channels, social media, and personalized advertising at scale. His work sits at the intersection of brand marketing and AdTech, leveraging first-party data, programmatic media, and platform-native creative to drive measurable business outcomes. Prior to joining Kraft Heinz, Kaplan spent over a decade at PepsiCo, where he rose to become VP and then Chief Marketing Officer of the Pepsi brand in North America. During his tenure, he orchestrated some of the most talked-about marketing moments in the beverage industry, including the Pepsi Super Bowl halftime show partnerships and music-forward campaigns that reconnected the brand with younger consumers. He was widely credited with modernizing Pepsi's media mix, increasing investment in digital and streaming platforms, and pioneering more agile, real-time marketing approaches. Kaplan is regarded in the industry as a practitioner who understands both the creative and technical sides of modern marketing, including audience targeting, identity resolution, and the evolving media landscape shaped by streaming and social platforms. He has been a vocal advocate for brands taking bold creative risks while remaining accountable to performance metrics, a philosophy that has made him a sought-after voice at major marketing and advertising industry events.

Previous Roles

Chief Marketing Officer, Pepsi

PepsiCo (2021-2023)

VP Marketing, Pepsi

PepsiCo (2018-2021)

Senior Director, Marketing

PepsiCo (2014-2018)

Director, Marketing

PepsiCo (2010-2014)

Expertise
Brand MarketingDigital Media StrategyProgrammatic AdvertisingFirst-Party DataSocial Media MarketingMusic and Entertainment MarketingConsumer InsightsIntegrated Marketing Communications
Education
  • MBA, Yale School of Management
  • BA, University of Michigan
Notable Achievements
  • Led Pepsi's brand marketing renaissance, reconnecting the brand with Gen Z through music and culture-driven campaigns
  • Oversaw Pepsi's Super Bowl halftime show sponsorship and activation strategy during a period of significant brand revitalization
  • Appointed CMO of Kraft Heinz to lead marketing transformation across a multi-billion dollar brand portfolio
  • Modernized PepsiCo's media mix with increased investment in streaming, digital, and social platforms
Awards
Ad Age 40 Under 40Adweek Brand Genius
Speaking Topics
Brand Building in the Digital AgeMusic and Culture as Marketing VehiclesBalancing Creative Risk with Performance MarketingFirst-Party Data and the Future of Consumer EngagementModernizing Legacy Brands