Zara Star Baker is a Swedish-American Chief Marketing & Innovation Officer. She brings over 16 years of experience in building and leading marketing and digital strategies that drive profitability, growth, and long-term value creation. Her expertise spans digital and AI transformation, product marketing, and brand launch, particularly in the healthcare and technology sectors, across both agency and corporate settings. With an interdisciplinary background in science and business, and experience that spans beyond the U.S. she has advised big names like Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Takeda. She has degrees in Biology (2008), Digital Media and Marketing (2010), and AI (2024) from Edinburgh Business School and MIT. Currently, she is a fractional CMO at Toptal, where she advises several startups in the healthcare, digital health, and technology spaces. Zara’s previous roles include Chief Marketing & Innovation Officer at Vue Health, and Head of Omnichannel Marketing & Digital Strategy at Ionis Pharma.
In this insightful interview with CXO Magazine, Zara shares her expertise on leveraging AI for hyper-personalization, optimizing marketing performance, and driving brand growth. She discusses the evolving role of AI in content creation, customer engagement, and predictive analytics while emphasizing the importance of ethical AI use. Marketers looking to stay ahead will find valuable lessons on how to harness AI’s power without losing the human touch.
Your career spans over 16 years with diverse experiences in both the US and internationally. What inspired you to transition from a scientist to a marketer, and how has this unique background influenced your approach to marketing?
My transition from science to business was inspired by two powerful forces: my intellectual curiosity about human behavior, and passion for storytelling. I was brought up among a family of artists, raised by creative parents who crafted narrative art projects, launched widely popular ad campaigns, and made music.
My early experiences taught me that even the most complex ideas require emotional resonance to make an impact. This duality shaped a vernacular formed by empathy and analytical thinking while allowing me to see growth opportunities between the predictable (data) and the unknown (imagination).
As an MIT-trained interdisciplinary marketer, you have achieved numerous milestones. Could you share one or two key achievements that you are particularly proud of and explain their impact on your career?
Two achievements come to mind that showcased my ability to make an impact in healthcare marketing through digital innovation.
I led a patient-first marketing strategy that used digital marketing to create a highly successful brand network for a well-established biotech company. This initiative accelerated time to market by 30% while resulting in an exceptional 20:1 return on investment in one year.
In another instance, I revolutionized operations for a healthcare communications agency by using a digital operational model that featured an AI-powered “Creative Studio.” This transformation cut resource costs by 45% while boosting client acquisition rates by 27%. Both of these accomplishments demonstrate how human-first AI innovation can optimize market performance and streamline operations in the healthcare field.
AI is transforming the marketing landscape in unprecedented ways. How do you see AI unleashing creativity within marketing teams, and what are some innovative strategies you have implemented to leverage AI for brand success?
In my time as an interdisciplinary professional, I’ve seen the profound impact AI has on creativity and brand success in the marketing space. AI serves as a powerful agent of creative change in marketing by highlighting human capabilities rather than replacing them. It enables us to use targeted, relevant data to uncover trends and gain insight, bridging the gap between prediction and creativity.
One of the most powerful examples of AI I’ve been exposed to is the use of predictive modeling to improve campaign performance. By analyzing historical data, real-time market data, and cultural trends, we optimized resource allocation and improved ROI on marketing initiatives quickly and efficiently.
I often wonder if I could combine Einstein’s analytical thinking with Da Vinci’s Renaissance ideology. I believe with the help of AI, that’s a possibility. This fusion of science and art, in collaboration with AI, could open up new horizons for marketing innovation. It allows us to approach challenges with both depth and breadth, identifying the right problems and creating the most reasonable solutions that drive purposeful innovation and growth.
Customer experience personalization is a critical aspect of modern marketing. How do you utilize AI to create personalized experiences for customers, and what challenges have you encountered in this process?
I firmly believe that true personalization begins with understanding customers as complex humans—not just data points. While AI is a powerful tool, I’ve witnessed how relying too heavily on algorithms can turn unique human experiences into generic segments. My approach treats AI as a “bicycle for the brain;” heightening our ability to use and collect data with human intuition leading the way. This hybrid model helped one biotech client reduce time-to-market by 30% while maintaining authentic patient-centric messaging.
The key lies in balance. AI can pick out patterns in data, but humans must interpret what those patterns mean. During a medical device launch, I used machine learning to identify underserved physician segments, later deciphering research to understand their unmet needs. This combination of technological efficiency and human empathy created a 27% spike in client acquisition in previously overlooked markets.
Ultimately, successful personalization isn’t about chasing more data—it’s about asking better questions. It’s imperative to keep your main goal at the forefront (like simplifying complex treatment information for patients) rather than just optimizing clicks. My goal is to use technology to enhance human connection, not replace it. I want to help brands reach their potential by showing them how to get the information they need to make an impact.
Building on my experience using AI for marketing purposes, I can explain how we’ve implemented AI systems to enhance creative processes in healthcare marketing. For example, when leading digital transformations for healthcare brands, I’ve implemented AI systems that automate repetitive creative tasks (like localized ad variations). With these mundane tasks taken care of, our creative teams could focus on crafting the overall brand stories and emotionally resonant narratives. This allowed human creativity to shine where it matters most—in developing captivating, new campaign concepts, preparing compelling patient stories, and ensuring that the core brand message remained authentic and impactful.
This approach has been particularly valuable in multicultural markets where specific messaging is crucial. For instance, we developed an AI-powered “Creative Studio” that could rapidly produce and test thousands of ad variations across different languages and cultural contexts.
This AI system analyzed considerable data on regional health beliefs, linguistic nuances, and cultural preferences to create customized content. It had the capability to automatically adjust imagery, copy, and even tone to resonate with specific audiences. For example, in collectivist cultures, AI would prioritize family-centric content, while in more individualistic markets, it would focus on personal empowerment.
Efficiency not only increased, but effectiveness did as well. Engagement rates increased by over 25% in some markets, as the localized content deeply resonated with target audiences. Moreover, this approach allowed us to be more agile in our marketing efforts, quickly adapting to new data insights or market changes.
However, we always make sure humans are involved in this process. While AI did the heavy lifting of content variation, our teams carefully reviewed the results to ensure they aligned with brand values, regulations, and ethical standards; an essential consideration in healthcare marketing. An appropriate balance of using AI to complement rather than replace human creativity has been key to our success in increasing engagement that champions integrity and empathy.
With your extensive expertise in digital and AI transformation, what emerging trends do you believe will shape the future of marketing in the next five years?
Based on the latest research and insights, I can see several key trends shaping the future of marketing over the next five years, including:
- AI-Driven Hyper-Personalization: AI will enable unprecedented levels of personalization. Studies are showing that hyper-personalized marketing can increase customer retention rates by up to 35%. I imagine we will see AI analyzing real-time data streams to deliver custom content tailored to individual preferences and behaviors.
- AI Agents and Automation: By 2025, AI agents are expected to handle up to 85% of customer interactions without human intervention. This will free up marketing teams to focus on strategy and creativity while improving response times and customer satisfaction.
- Multimodal AI in Content Creation: AI will revolutionize content creation across text, image, and video formats. We’ll see AI-generated content that’s indistinguishable from human work, which could potentially double engagement rates.
- Voice and Visual Search Optimization: With 40% of Gen Z already using social platforms as primary search tools, marketers will need to optimize voice and visual search capabilities across non-traditional search platforms.
- Ethical AI and Data Privacy: As AI becomes more common, there will be more attention on ethical AI use and data privacy. Marketers will need to balance personalization with transparency to gain and keep consumer trust.
- Predictive Analytics and Decision-Making: AI will enhance our ability to forecast trends and consumer behavior, allowing for more proactive and data-driven marketing strategies.
- Immersive Technologies: The integration of AI with augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) will create more interactive and engaging marketing experiences.
Looking ahead, how do you envision the role of AI evolving in marketing, particularly in terms of enabling brands to launch personalized experiences quickly and efficiently?
AI is capable of revolutionizing marketing by enabling brands to launch customized experiences faster than we’ve ever seen before. Based on the trends and examples we’ve seen, here’s how I see AI’s evolving role in marketing:
- Hyper-Personalization at Scale: AI will enable marketers to create deeply personalized experiences in real time. By 2025, we can expect AI to analyze significant amounts of data, including real-time behavioral data, to craft content that resonates personally to individuals. This could lead to a 35% increase in customer retention rates, as seen in recent studies.
- AI-Powered Creative Generation: AI tools will become more sophisticated in generating and optimizing marketing content. We’ll likely see AI creating thousands of tailored ad variations in real time, allowing for more catered engagement. This could make dynamic creative optimization more accessible and effective for brands of all sizes.
- Predictive Analytics and Decision-Making: AI will enhance our ability to accurately forecast trends and consumer behavior. This will allow marketers to proactively anticipate consumer needs. Starbucks’ Deep Brew AI is a great example of how digging into data from different sources can help us better understand customer behavior.
- Multimodal AI Integration: The future of AI in marketing will likely involve more sophisticated multimodal systems that can process and understand information from text, images, audio, and video simultaneously. This will enable more intuitive and context-aware marketing interactions.
- Ethical AI and Privacy-First Approaches: As AI becomes more prevalent, there will be an increased focus on ethical AI use and data privacy. Marketers will need to balance personalization with transparency and consumer trust. By 2025, it’s predicted that 60% of large organizations will use AI to automate GDPR compliance.
- AI-Driven Customer Journey Orchestration: AI will play a crucial role in mapping and optimizing the entire customer journey. It will help brands create seamless, personalized experiences across all touchpoints, from initial awareness to post-purchase engagement.
- Conversational AI and Advanced Chatbots: AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants will become more sophisticated, handling complex customer interactions and providing personalized support at scale. This could significantly improve customer service while reducing costs.
- Real-Time Optimization: AI will enable marketers to continuously optimize campaigns in real-time, adjusting messaging, creative elements, and targeting based on immediate performance data and changing market conditions.
With these AI capabilities, brands can launch personalized marketing experiences more quickly and efficiently than ever before. However, it’s crucial to remember that while AI will handle much of the heavy lifting in data analysis and execution, human creativity and strategic thinking will remain essential in crafting meaningful brand narratives and emotional connections with customers.
What motivational advice would you give to aspiring marketers who are just starting their careers and looking to make a significant impact in the industry?
To aspiring marketers hopeful of making their place in the industry, I offer the following motivational advice:
Embrace continuous learning. As Steve Jobs said, “Master the topic, the message, and the delivery.” The marketing landscape is always changing, so stay curious and keep expanding your skillset. Attend webinars, enroll in courses, and stay on top of industry trends.
Focus on creating value. Joe Chernov wisely noted, “Good marketing makes the company look smart. Great marketing makes the customer feel smart.” Always prioritize the customer’s needs and experiences in your strategies.
Don’t be afraid to take risks and experiment. Take creative risks and keep iterating as the industry trends are always changing, what worked yesterday may work again. Be bold in your ideas and don’t get too lost in data.
Develop a deep understanding of your audience. Behind every successful campaign is a Marketer with high emotional intelligence. If you empathize with people you can easily engage them in meaningful conversations leading to improved retention.
Stay agile and adaptable. The marketing world moves fast, so be ready to pivot your strategies based on emerging trends, consumer feedback, or shifts in the market. Be open to incorporating cross-functional perspectives as marketing is all about working for the people with the people.
Embrace both creativity and data. Blend your creative nature with data-driven insights. As I often say, AI is like a bicycle for the brain – it helps us navigate vast amounts of data and uncover insights, but human intuition still steers the direction. Our goal should be to use AI to solve real problems for everyday people, providing them with the information they need in a way that resonates on a human level.
Remember, success in marketing is a journey of continuous improvement and innovation. Stay passionate, remain curious, and always keep the customer at the center. With dedication and the right mindset, you can make a significant impact in this dynamic and rewarding field.