Melissa Hobley
Full Name
Melissa Hobley
Job Title
Global Chief Marketing Officer
Company
OkCupid
Speaker Bio
A leading expert on brand-building, Melissa Hobley has a reputation for marrying powerful brand marketing with data-driven digital advertising, in bold and breakthrough ways that jumpstart brands and create measurable value. From OkCupid’s turnaround with the Wieden + Kennedy created “DTF” campaign shot by Maurizio Cattelan (named “Best Campaign of the Year” by Adweek, Ad Age, Business Insider, Forbes) to the launch of iconic British beauty brand No7 in the US with a public commitment to zero photoshopping and zero celebrity partnerships (unheard of in the beauty marketing landscape), Melissa’s formula to match cultural relevance and brand value has led to big results.

Currently, Melissa is the Global Chief Marketing Officer of OkCupid, one of the largest dating apps in the world. Under her direction, OkCupid has become famous for its message of inclusion and affirmation, winning numerous awards for its breakthrough social campaign in 2018 & 2019. In this role, she is responsible for global brand advertising, marketing, social media, and partnerships. Melissa was the first CMO at OkCupid and brought the brand from decline to being one of the foremost leaders in a competitive space.

Prior to joining OkCupid, Melissa was the VP Marketing for iconic health and wellness retailer Walgreens, where she helped transform the retail experience and beauty selection across 9,000 locations in the US. Under her tenure, No7 skyrocketed to be one of the biggest brands at mass, across a number of retailers, including Target, Ulta and of course, Walgreens.

Melissa was the CMO of Buyology, which married the latest discoveries in behavioral economics with product innovation and marketing, with clients ranging from Visa to Nintendo. She started her career as a publicist, working for some of the biggest names in entertainment, TV and film.

She regularly appears as an expert on tech and relationships in media like The New York Times and NPR. Currently, she is a regular guest on NBC’s “Today Show” discussing relationships in a digital era. In 2020, she was #29 on Forbes Most Influential CMOs in the World list. In 2019, she was named to AdAge’s “Women to Watch” list, and was recently featured on AMA’s “40 Under 40.”