ABOUT

Chris Wilson’s Fresh Peel

Marketing Strategy, Systems and Leadership

Fresh Peel examines how marketing works in practice, and why it breaks down.

For 20+ years, I’ve worked with brands ranging from global enterprises to high-growth consumer companies. The pattern repeats: plenty of campaign activity, budget, and software, but revenue and retention that lag behind expectations.

This site steps back from daily execution to address the underlying mechanics:

• Why strategies fail to deliver expected growth
• Where customer experiences break down after the purchase
• When technology adds scale versus unnecessary complexity
• Which conventional marketing rules deserve to be discarded

Read my latest articles on marketing systems, customer behavior, and effective marketing execution in Perspectives.

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The Mission

Marketing suffers from an oversupply of advice and a shortage of critical thinking.

Fresh Peel exists to test assumptions, diagnose structural breakdowns, and focus on what moves business numbers.

Effective marketing connects customer behavior, business economics, and operational systems. It requires knowing when to adapt those systems rather than repeating standard best practices.

That means examining the intersection of:

• Strategy and execution

• Customer behavior and business outcomes

• Technology and real customer experiences

• Marketing teams, processes, and operating models

• Practical innovation and measurable results

What You’ll Find Here

Marketing Strategy & Leadership

How teams turn marketing activity into measurable outcomes, make clear strategic tradeoffs, and structure organizations for durable growth.

Customer Growth & Experience
The mechanics of acquisition, retention, LTV, and lifecycle marketing. How to build post-purchase experiences that convert one-time buyers into long-term revenue.

Systems & Technology
A pragmatic look at CRM, automation, data, and MarTech. Software adds value only when it makes marketing operations more effective and customer journeys frictionless.

Challenging Conventional Wisdom
Marketing has accumulated dozens of unexamined rules. I look at which ones hold up under scrutiny and which ones hold brands back.

Executive Marketing Leadership

I serve as Vice President of Strategy at Publicis CRMOne, leading journey marketing innovation and go-to-market strategy across complex marketing ecosystems.

Previously, I spent 11 years at Oracle helping Fortune 500 organizations solve problems across customer strategy, lifecycle marketing, personalization, and enterprise MarTech.

My work bridges strategy and execution—from brand positioning early in my career to customer growth and enterprise marketing architecture today.

Track Record

I’ve partnered with consumer and lifestyle brands including REI, The North Face, Harley-Davidson, Levi’s, Discover, Allstate, CVS, Verizon, and Xfinity.

At Oracle, I led Harley-Davidson’s global lifecycle marketing program. We overhauled their CRM and automation strategy, delivering a 135% increase in online revenue through sustained, multi-year growth.

My work centers on one question: How do you build marketing systems that create better experiences for customers while producing better outcomes for the business?

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Beyond the Strategy

A good trail requires grit and a clear map.

I live in Oklahoma with my wife and 2 daughters, spending as much time as possible exploring the mountains of northern New Mexico. Mountain biking, fly fishing, hiking, and skiing keep me outdoors—and offer the space to do my best thinking.