The Mediterranean fast-casual chain Cava, which has been expanding its footprint across the country with the determination of a franchisee who has just discovered a favorable lease market, has named John Ludeke as its chief marketing officer.
Mr. Ludeke arrives from Dr. Squatch, the men's personal care company known for its aggressively internet-native advertising, where he served as chief brand officer. Before that, he spent time at Monster Energy as senior director of global marketing, which suggests a career built on brands that know how to speak loudly to young men who spend considerable time on their phones.
"One of the things that stands out about John is his ability to quickly understand the essence of a consumer brand and translate it into a meaningful marketing strategy," a Cava executive said, in the kind of praise that hiring announcements are contractually obligated to include.
Mr. Ludeke brings more than 17 years of marketing experience to the role, along with what appears to be a pronounced preference for social-media-first campaigns built around creators rather than the traditional fast-casual playbook of limited-time offers and coupons. Whether this means Cava's marketing will soon feature the sort of irreverent, slightly absurd tone that made Dr. Squatch a case study at marketing conferences remains to be seen.
(It is perhaps worth noting that selling grain bowls and selling soap to men who have just discovered that soap can be interesting are different propositions, though both do involve convincing people to pay a premium for something they could assemble themselves at home.)
The appointment comes as Cava continues its national expansion, a trajectory that will require convincing Americans in new markets that they have been waiting for hummus and pita without knowing it.
Original story published in campaignlive.com: "The CMO cheat sheet: Cava names John Ludeke chief marketing officer | Campaign US"