Karen Feldman, the CMO of Iron Mountain, brings a unique blend of strategy and marketing expertise to the table. In this exclusive interview, she shares her perspective on why a thoughtful approach to face to face events is essential in a modern marketing strategy, and how today’s top marketers cultivate the mindset needed to lead with impact.
Karen Feldman: “Absolutely! In my early days, I started out in marketing and later went back to grad school, where I made the decision to pursue strategy consulting. That back and forth between marketing and strategy has defined my career ever since, and I’ve always found value in bringing both perspectives together.
Eventually, that journey led me to become the CMO of IBM’s consulting division, a role that truly felt like a dream. I realized how much I love leading marketing.
After a long and fulfilling career at IBM, I decided to pursue a new goal: becoming an enterprise level CMO. I was intentional in my search, looking for a company that offered stability, was a trusted leader in its industry, and was also on a meaningful growth trajectory, one where marketing could play a pivotal role.
That’s what brought me to Iron Mountain. The company was looking for someone to help shift market perception and modernize its marketing approach. The goal was to lead a transformation where marketing becomes a true tailwind, not a headwind, for the company’s continued growth.
It’s been a wonderful experience. I've had the privilege of working with an incredible, highly skilled team that’s curious, motivated, and excited about the vision we’re building together. I’m deeply grateful to be on this journey with them.”
Karen Feldman: “The best marketers are strategic. Strategic thinking in marketing starts with curiosity and a data driven mindset. The most effective marketers ask the right questions, not just surface level inquiries, but those that uncover the deeper “why.”
Why are we pursuing this initiative? What needs to be done to meet our goals? How does this connect to broader business objectives?
Being strategic also means leveraging data to support or challenge your hypotheses. It's about constantly refining your direction based on evidence, not assumptions.
Strong marketers approach every initiative as a project, with a clear beginning, middle, and end. That journey starts with thoughtful planning: What resources should we invest in? What outcomes do we anticipate? Who is the target audience, and what’s the most effective path to reach and engage them?
Execution is just as critical. It requires staying close to performance data to assess whether your expectations are aligning with real world results, and then adjusting as needed. It requires staying closely aligned with key stakeholders – namely product and sales. And finally, once the project concludes, it’s important to celebrate success, acknowledge what worked, share learnings, and build momentum for the next challenge.”
Karen Feldman: “Events play an incredibly critical role in our marketing strategy at Iron Mountain.
While certain products in our portfolio are well suited to a digital first, self serve approach, where customers can discover, try, and transact online, most of our efforts are focused on delivering enterprise level value through highly complex sales. These engagements often involve navigating large, multifaceted buying committees, which makes personalized connection essential.
Digital channels are vital for informing and engaging the right set of buyers and influencers. But it’s through events that we create the most impactful touchpoints. They allow our sales teams to connect directly with key audiences, whether it’s to advance existing relationships or open the door to new ones.
When executed well, events serve not only to build brand awareness and reinforce relevance but also to act as powerful experiential platforms that drive real demand for our business.”
Karen Feldman: “Over the last six to nine months, we’ve really evolved our event strategy to better align with the audiences we’re trying to reach. Trade shows have always been part of our mix, but we’re now being much more intentional in our selection, focusing on deeper presence, and the ability to truly stand out. We’re also leaning into more third party events in partnership with strategic partners. Those collaborations allow us to amplify our voice and extend our reach in meaningful ways.
Prior to joining, the marketing team started experimenting with C suite level experiential engagements, roundtables, intimate discussions, and bespoke formats that speak directly to senior decision makers. They called the initiative ‘new neighborhoods’ because the goal was to open the door to new relationships. At Iron Mountain, we work with 95% of the Fortune 1000. Yet the C suite relationships haven’t always been where we needed them to be. That’s why these curated, strategic events, especially those done in collaboration with top tier media platforms and influential partners, are so critical. They help us foster connections, build trust, and get into the consideration set with the senior level buyers who shape long term strategy.”
Karen Feldman: “It always begins with a clear understanding of the audience we want to reach and what the event offers in terms of its composition. For me, events aren’t standalone marketing levers; they’re integral pieces of a broader, global campaign strategy. We build campaigns aligned to specific portfolios and product lines and then design event participation around how we’ll engage the right audiences for each.
Increasingly, I view events as part of a larger, integrated marketing journey. That means thinking deeply about the content we bring, the messages we want to share, and the kinds of experiences we can create to leave a lasting impression. I’m a huge advocate for thought leadership, whether it’s keynotes, roundtables, or curated discussions; those anchor pieces help us showcase our point of view. And when we amplify that across media channels before, during, and after the event, the event itself becomes a powerful marketing moment.
We’re also thoughtful about who we’re trying to reach—from marquee clients we can bring on stage with us, to C level buyers and influential voices we engage through more intimate formats like dinners or closed door roundtables. Even at larger events, we explore ways to stand out, whether through a standout booth experience or sponsoring a happy hour. It’s all about creating multiple meaningful touchpoints that fuel genuine engagement and position us where we need to be.”
Karen Feldman: “I’m going to reference one that was developed when I was part of IBM at Adobe Summit 2024 which was a standout moment and a great example of a truly integrated experience across all touchpoints.
We were gearing up to unveil the integration of IBM’s AI technology Watsonx, into the Adobe ecosystem, coupled with IBM’s consulting. We knew we wanted to make a splash. Not just show up but show up meaningfully and stand out from competitors.
That’s when we launched “Trust What You Create,” a campaign built around authenticity and responsibility in AI. Adobe Firefly helped generate original imagery and content, and we took over the Sphere in Las Vegas to make a bold statement around reach and awareness. But it didn’t stop at advertising. The concept carried through every detail and touchpoint—from booth design to keynote messaging and roundtables, to digital elements and even the shirts worn by IBMers demoing capabilities at the booth.
It felt like the most fully integrated event experience we’ve ever executed. Every touchpoint aligned. Every discipline was involved. And above all, the team had fun! it was a creative ecosystem working in sync.”
Karen Feldman: “As long as marketers treat it as a powerful tool rather than a replacement. If we use it to take care of the repetitive, tactical tasks that slow us down, the stuff we all secretly dread, it frees us up to focus on what really matters: strategy, big ideas, creative thinking. That’s where the magic happens.
Of course, there are things I worry about. When marketers are hesitant to engage with AI, or they lean on it without bringing their own strategic perspective, that’s when we risk falling into a sea of sameness. Recycled creative. Identical messaging. Brands blending into each other instead of standing out. It’s essential that we continue to lead with purpose, use AI wisely, and never lose that human edge.”
Karen Feldman: “That’s a great question. My biggest piece of advice would be: don’t be afraid to experiment with new event formats. Push beyond the traditional formats and explore creative ways to engage. Most importantly, treat your events as a strategic part of your broader marketing campaign. If you're both leveraging and capturing the content generated during these moments, your investment goes much further.
When done well, an event becomes a powerful anchor point, a high impact opportunity to connect with your audience in unforgettable ways. It should feel like a pinnacle moment in your brand’s journey, not just another item on the calendar.”